What should I write about for next week’s news commentary?

Question of the week: What should I write about for next week’s UCG news commentary?

Lots of things are happening in the news, and there are many important prophetic trends as well. What would you like to see in the United Church of God weekly commentary on the news next week?

It’s due Monday morning, so I really appreciate your help! Join the conversation!

Don’t Harden Your Hearts—Be Thankful!

Recently I was reading one of the wonderful psalms of praise and thanksgiving, and all of a sudden there was a shift in mood and tone. From thankful and joyful it suddenly became an ominous warning. It sounded an alarm about a spiritual health condition that God warns us about throughout the Bible: the hardening of the heart.

The Psalm I was reading is actually quoted in the New Testament in Hebrews 3:7-8. There the author of Hebrews is showing parallels between Moses and Jesus Christ, and of course making the point that the Son of God is more glorious than His servant Moses. But also notice the parallel between the Israelites heading for the Promised Land and Christians today headed for God’s Kingdom:

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness.’”

The ancient Israelites, as typical of all of us human beings, grumbled. They worried, they feared, they didn’t remember what God had done—they disbelieved that God could take care of their real needs for food and water or that He could give them the Promised Land—the land of rest He had promised. They rebelled when they heard about the giants in the land. They disbelieved and disobeyed.

So they didn’t get to enter that rest, as it says in verse 11. They looked downward, at their own needs and the harsh desert, when they should have looked up to see and remember what God had done.

Do we look down and just see our problems, maybe just one set of footprints in the sand?

What about us? Do we look down and just see our problems, our challenges, maybe just one set of footprints in the sand and feel all alone? If we allow Satan to get the better of us and our focus turns inward and downward, we are also in danger of hardening of the heart. Like hardening of the arteries, it can happen over time and we might not even notice it. But when a trial comes, it can cause an unexpected spiritual heart attack.

What’s a solution to this? Let’s look back at the Psalm that Hebrews 3 quotes from. Psalm 95 has two distinct sections with two distinct moods. Verses 7-11 have the somber warning that is quoted in Hebrews. But verse 1 through the first part of verse 7 is joyful and uplifting! And I think we can find clues about how to avoid the hardening of the heart it warns of.

“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms” (Psalm 95:1-2).

Recognizing that He is the Rock of salvation includes remembering what He has done in the past, strengthening our Christian faith and hope.

Coming before His presence means looking up! It means focusing on God and what He has done, rather than on myself, my problems and what He hasn’t done for me yet. As an elderly gentleman in our congregation says, the hardest thing to do is to be a Christian, and the second hardest thing is to wait on God. God is teaching us patience and tenacity and endurance.

Verse 2 also mentions “thanksgiving”—the reasonable result of remembering the incredible mercy, blessings and promises of God. All these make the joy in our singing and praise real and growing.

So I think Psalm 95 is constructed this way, with encouragement to praise and thank God first, then the warning to avoid disbelief and hardening of our hearts, so that we can see the connection. If we “come before His presence with thanksgiving” and “shout joyfully to Him with psalms,” we will be focusing on Him, remembering His blessings, believing what He has promised. We’ll be exercising our hearts, and they won’t become hardened.

So let’s use this season of Thanksgiving to remind ourselves what God has done, to look up to Him with praise and thanksgiving and to believe and obey. Then we can avoid the hardness of heart, and enter His rest—the wonderful promised Kingdom of God!

3 Bible Tips: Preaching the Gospel

1. The gospel is the good news of the coming Kingdom of God, brought by the future King, Jesus Christ.

“Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15).

2. God’s people feel a fervent urge to preach the gospel.

“For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16).

3. The gospel must be preached in all the world.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

For more about preaching the gospel, see “Preaching the Gospel.”

What scriptures would you add?

Bible Study Guides Moving Forward!

I have written before about an exciting new project I’m coordinating of producing hundreds of Bible Study Guides to give practical answers and real hope from the greatest book ever written, God’s Holy Bible! Our team of dedicated writers has already written 45 lessons on everything from the armor of God to dealing with unemployment, and we are eagerly waiting to get them up on the Web!

Yesterday, we moved moved closer to that, as the site is now up, and a sample lesson has been posted! Check it out at http://freebiblestudyguides.org and you’ll see that the projected date for launch is January. But in the meantime you can get ministudies and other updates by following us on  Twitter. We’ll also be posting information on Posterous and Tumblr if you want to follow us there.

I’ve also updated the Blogroll in this blog’s sidebar with a link. The dormant WordPress Bible Study Guides blog has now been superseded, but will now point to the new site.

Your input and suggestions are welcome! We’d appreciate your prayers for this effort to help people and honor God’s Word.

Origins of the Specious: Myths About Words, Not Science

Yes, 150 years ago today, Charles Darwin published a book about species. This review is not about that book.

Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language was published this year for those who might enjoy its plays on words and myth-busting insights into the evolution…I mean, etymology, of words. Think of it as a Snopes for word nerds.

As American storyteller and humorist Garrison Keillor puts it on the back cover: “Dull it ain’t. If you’re planning to buy just one book of etymology this year, you’ve got it right in your hand.”

In the interest of posting this today, let me give just one example from Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman’s book, from the section on the “Snow Job.”

“It’s almost impossible to kill a myth once it starts spreading, especially on the Internet. Psychologists have a field day with stuff like this. The more we see or hear something, even if it’s being debunked, the more we believe it, studies show. So I’m probably wasting my time here, but IT’S A MYTH that Eskimos have dozens or even hundreds of words for snow…

“In truth, the Eskimos have about a dozen words for snow ‘counting generously,’ according to Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker. But he points out that ‘by such standards’ English has just about as many: ‘snow,’ ‘sleet,’ ‘slush,’ ‘blizzard,’ ‘avalanche,’ ‘hail,’ ‘hardpack,’ ‘powder,’ ‘flurry,’ ‘dusting,’ and even ‘snizzling’ (a humorous coinage from a meteorologist at Boston’s WBZ-TV). As someone who plows her own snow in rural Connecticut, I think that’s quite enough” (pp. 146-147).

The story of how this myth spread is fascinating (I’ll give more in “comments” if anyone wants to know), as is the story of Dizzy Dean and ain’t, Noah Webster and Samuel Johnson’s smackdown on transatlantic spelling, and even the origin of the “charley horse.”

But most of all this book reminded me how easy it is for new connotations and even myths to attach themselves to words. Imagine what the word “hell” would mean if Dante’s Inferno hadn’t caught fire in the popular imagination! Might we even think about it in the way the Bible presents it? Or perhaps there’s not a snowball’s chance in…

What do you think?

Signs of Perilous Times: Blasphemers

By guest blogger Whitney Smith

One of the most common phrases today among teens and young adults illustrates the fifth sign of the perilous last days in 2 Timothy 3:2: “For men will be…blasphemers.” Whether it is texting, chat or plain talking, God’s name is being abused.

Using God's name as nothing more than an exclamation is a common infraction of the Third Commandment.

According to www.hollywoodandgod.com, many of the top films in theaters today use God’s name in vain. It goes beyond the R-rated movies that we assume would contain blasphemy. Even movies aimed at kids like X-Games 3-D: The Movie, Shorts and Where the Wild Things Are all contain at least one reference to God in an unbiblical way, as do many prime-time broadcast TV shows.

It’s true that if we hear something enough times, we will begin to imitate it. I noticed this when I moved to Indiana from upstate New York and I began to imitate the sayings and dialects of those I went to school with. In the same way, if we are around those who use God’s name in vain, then we are more likely to pick up the phrases without consciously realizing it.

In Exodus 20:7 God gives us a direct command to “not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” I’ve heard the argument that the phrases are merely filler words not intended to be taken seriously, but is that what God thinks?

When we use God’s name, we should really consider the context in which it’s being used. Is it in prayer, in God-centered conversation or is it thrown out to add emphasis to subjects irrelevant to our communication with God?

In Acts 26:11, Paul described how he persecuted the Church before his conversion. “I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme.” If it took torture to force people to blaspheme God’s name, then why would we want to commit this sin of our own free will?

God gives us a great privilege to be able to come to Him and seek His guidance and advice. We are able to call upon His name whenever we need instruction or comfort. Let’s not take this great blessing lightly by abusing God’s name in daily conversation. Read more about this in “The Third Commandment: From Profanity to Praise.”

To see the other articles in this series on signs of the perilous end times, see the “Signs of Perilous Times” category.

3 Bible Tips: Thanksgiving

1. The general attitude of the end time is not thankful.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” (2 Timothy 3:1-2, italics added).

2. It’s good to let people know we are thankful for them.

Very thankful...

“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3).

3. We can learn a lot about giving thanks to God by studying examples in the Bible. For example:

“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms” (Psalm 95:1-2).

For more about thanksgiving, see “Thanksgiving: A Timeless Lesson.”

What are your favorite scriptures of thanksgiving?

And let me take this moment to say thank you to the reviewers, readers and commenters of this blog. I appreciate you!

When My Baby Almost Died

By guest blogger Kirsten Nelte

Gareth was born the day the biblical Feast of Tabernacles began, two years ago. We began that Feast excited, exhausted, exhilarated. Especially since we were going to be staying home, my husband Mike and I had prayed that God would make this a very meaningful Feast for us. And it was. In fact, that year, when my son almost died, was the very best Feast of my life.

The first day of the Feast we found the time to listen to a sermon on the Internet during one of our new baby’s naps. A couple of family members came over to visit, we ate good food and tried to get some sleep. The second day our midwife came over to check on Gareth. She took off his clothes and told us to take him to the hospital immediately. Gareth was yellow all over. She knew it was bad. She had no idea how bad.

We took him in to get blood tests. They sent us home, then immediately called us back in.

I scurried to get us quickly packed up. But I didn’t come out of the nursery. My husband, Mike, came in to see what was taking so long and saw me just staring at Gareth’s new dresser full of baby clothes. Tiny shirts, pants, hats, socks—all green and yellow because we had not known if we were having a boy or a girl. “I can’t pick out the clothes our baby might die in,” was all I could say.

Gareth was jaundiced. We tell people that and they say, “Oh, yes, so was my child.” Sixty percent of babies have some jaundice shortly after being born. Jaundice is caused by a high bilirubin count, which in turn is caused by the newborn’s inability to break down red blood cells properly. A bilirubin count above 10 is usually treated. At Gareth’s age, a number above 15 would mean he was in the high risk group for kernicterus, which causes loss of hearing and permanent brain damage. A blood transfusion is usually performed in this case. The highest the doctors and nurses had seen was 28. Gareth’s count was 38.

In the emergency room they placed my tiny baby under blue lights and informed us that we would no longer be able to hold him. The tubes were inserted and the monitors set up as the doctor let us know that Gareth had kernicterus, was probably deaf already and we would just have to wait and see how much brain damage had already occurred.

Our minister came in right around then and prayed for Gareth’s healing, anointing him (James 5:14). At the time, I just could not believe his words of encouragement, his words about how God cares so much for all of us, especially the smallest and weakest, and how everything really would be all right. All I could hear was that Gareth was screaming in a very high pitch. One of the first signs of permanent brain damage. And I wasn’t allowed to hold him.

It is so hard to explain to somebody who has never had a baby how attached you become the instant he or she enters your arms, your life, your soul. I had only had Gareth for two days. Yet…

You may be thinking that I was being facetious when I called this my best Feast ever. But here’s the thing. I had no idea how much suffering was in the world, and how much it twists and crushes and destroys the human heart, until this happened. I had never really known pain before. I had never really appreciated why it was so necessary for Christ to return. Now I know. God’s message to me was clear, and there is no way I will ever forget it. My husband and I heard few sermons during the Feast of 2007. We had very little fellowship with the brethren, besides family members who came to visit us. Our fine food and drink came from a hospital cafeteria. And you could certainly consider a hospital room a temporary dwelling!

At the beginning of the third day, Gareth had a double volume blood transfusion, which means at the end of the process he only had 10 percent of his own blood. Mike and I had to sign a sheet saying we understood that this could mean diseases, other issues I cannot remember now or death. We read a lot of Psalms that day and a bit of Isaiah.

About 24 hours after the transfusion, some caring family members sent us home to get some sleep. We were away from the hospital about four hours. In that time, we cried, we prayed, and then we tried to rest. I woke up about an hour later to Mike frantically throwing our blankets around the room. “Where’s Gareth? Where’s Gareth?” he kept asking. “Where’s my son?” I gently woke him from his nightmare, only to realize we were in a real one. We held each other, cried some more, but didn’t really sleep that night.

The fourth day we were able to hold Gareth for small amounts at a time. Then a lady came with a hearing test for infants and gave us the whole spiel about how, even if the results were quite bad, it was still possible for Gareth to gain some hearing later on. The human brain is incredible, after all.

God is incredible, after all.

He promises that some day He will take away the pain; He will wipe away every tear. That includes all the parents who have lost their little ones, or who have seen their helpless babies undergo pain and suffering.

Gareth’s hearing test came back totally normal, which also indicated that there was no brain damage at all. The doctors and nurses said it had to be a miracle. He was completely healed.

That was the best Feast ever.

Kirsten Nelte attends the United Church of God congregations in Tacoma and Bellevue, Washington.

Editor’s note: Thanks, Kirsten! If you have answered prayer story you’d like to share, let me know. For more answered prayers, see our answered prayers category.

What Are You Thankful For?

Question of the week: What are you thankful for?

With Thanksgiving coming up next week here in the United States, I’d love to hear some of the things you are thankful for this year. Please join the conversation, whether you are in the United States or not.

By the way, I am thankful for all the readers and commenters on the blog. Thank you very much!

New Faces for Europe Not so Recognizable Around the World

Yesterday the two powerful new jobs created by the European Union’s Lisbon Treaty were filled by less-than-powerful candidates.

What's ahead for the European Union?

Under the headline “EU President: European Press Laments ‘Dull’ Choice,” The Telegraph reported:

“Many European newspapers were dismayed by the EU’s choice of Herman Van Rompuy and Baroness Ashton as its first president and foreign minister…

“Newspapers claimed that the new president—the Belgian prime minister Herman Van Rompuy—and the new High Representative—the EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton—do not carry the weight needed to compete on the world stage with the US and China.”

Reuters said:

“Catherine Ashton, a Briton who is currently EU trade commissioner, told BBC radio: ‘I have always been a believer that together as an economic superpower…we can do an awful lot more. It doesn’t take away from the nation state.’

“Asked who would make decisions on important foreign policy issues, she told BBC radio that views would still ‘emerge from the council’—the grouping of EU member governments.

“‘The council…will deliberate, will determine the views with my support, I hope with my input and expertise, and that will be the voice that I will speak with,’ she said.

“Ashton, who has a low profile in Britain, was a surprise choice for the job after a last-minute compromise at a Brussels summit on Thursday.

“Criticized in the British media for a lack of foreign policy experience and the fact that she has never held an elected position, Ashton said she was ‘humbled’ by the appointment but that she had the right skills and that EU leaders were comfortable with their choice…

“Under a compromise deal at the summit, Ashton got the foreign policy role and Belgium’s Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy, who is also little known abroad, was named as the 27-nation EU’s first president. Both roles were created under the Lisbon Treaty, design to streamline the running of the bloc.”

Earlier in the week the EUObserver labeled the foreign minister job impossible and said it would take a “superhuman” to pull it off:

“The tasks of the proposed new EU foreign minister look relatively clear-cut and powerful on paper but analysts and politicians in Brussels suggest the person will need to be superhuman to manage all that is foreseen under the Lisbon Treaty.”

However, few are claiming superhuman powers for these compromise candidates. The EUObserver said:

“The Lisbon Treaty will reduce by one the number of EU representatives on the international stage but will still not create the famous ‘one telephone number for Europe,” a senior US official has said.”

So perhaps more frustration is in store for those looking for a single voice for Europe. Could that frustration during future crises lead to further changes? The Bible talks of an eventual short-term union involving 10 European leaders giving their powers over to one strong leader. Students of prophecy and those who love the second coming of Christ watch events in Europe and the Middle East carefully and prayerfully.

For more background, see the May 2008 World News and Prophecy article “Who Will Be the Next Superpower?”