God is first.

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God's Vision for You!
In God's master plan everyone is created with many things in common. Yet each is distinct from any other human being.
God has a great plan, a vision. And that vision includes you. Yes, it does, or you would not be here. You are special. You are different from anyone else. The great Creator God personally designed and made you that way. Therefore, you have a contribution to offer that no one else can make.

It is said that the difference between a chump and a champ is dedication, and dedication demands purpose, faith and vision-daily vision.

Having vision means being able to visualize. Visualizing is the beginning of fulfilled vision. When we think of an apple, we see it in our mind's eye.

Christians have vision and are able to dream the impossible dream. A man or woman of vision (of faith) fully believes the impossible dream is possible. I believe in this type of vision. How about you?

God's master plan
In God's master plan everyone is created with many things in common with everyone else. Yet each person is distinct from any other human being.

In God's sight you are not a washout. You are not a complete failure. You are not a hopeless sinner. God says you are worth having. You are worth loving. God's greatest physical creation is you.

Accept this fact: You have value and are not inferior to anyone. Different. Yes, wonderfully different. Remember, you are God's idea; and He never makes a mistake. You were not made to be exactly like any other person. But each of us was made for a purpose. God had a vision about you and has a vision for you. If you don't know God's present and ultimate vision for you personally, right now, let me share it with you.

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams" (Acts 2:17).

The apostle Paul summarizes God's will and vision for all humanity in a nutshell: ". . . God our Savior . . . desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3, 4).

God, through His Son Jesus Christ, reveals the knowledge of truth Paul is referring to: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16, 17).

That is God's vision prepared and outlined for mankind, including you. It is the offering of, and the way to, eternal life in the kingdom of God: "That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:15). "They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God" (Luke 13:29).

Revealing! Exciting! Awesome!
But is such a thing really possible? Maybe you are skeptical. Well, so were some of Jesus' disciples. "But Jesus looked at them and said, `With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible'" (Mark 10:27). There's the answer. Jesus said all things are possible to him who really believes they are possible, and according to God's will.

In Acts 2:38 and 39, the apostle Peter outlines the process, the steps, to begin fulfilling God's vision for you. "Then Peter said to them, `Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.'"

Christ then begins to live within you through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 3:16, 17).

In the book of Romans, God continues to explain His personal vision for you, "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11).

In subsequent verses He nails down in detail His ultimate purpose and vision for you: your magnificent destiny, why you were born. "For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (Romans 8:13, 14).

Hard to believe, but true. Your destiny envisioned by the Creator God is to become His very own son or daughter. His child. His family, His heirs. Read on in Romans 8:16, 17: "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ . . ." There is not, nor can there be, a greater hope or destiny.

Are you being called?
Will you act to fulfill God's vision for you? Those called now are invited to be living examples of a better way, a richer and fuller life. You are called to the joy of sharing God's vision for mankind with others, called to be trendsetters in high moral values and conduct, in physical and spiritual integrity. You are called to leadership through service, called to sonship. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12).

The Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, does change lives, and for the better. Christians, bought and paid for by the death and blood of Christ, have been wonderfully invited by God to join Him in His vision for mankind. In baptism, we covenant with Him and fully dedicate our lives to His purpose for us.

In Matthew 20:26-28 Jesus said, ". . . But whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

While still in this life, your opportunity is "by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). Wherever you are, work every day to be the best person you can be, doing the best you can do with what you have to do with, to the glory of God.
Yes, this is your destiny, God's vision for you!

God's Purpose for Mankind
We believe God's purpose for mankind is to prepare those whom He calls-and who elect through a life of overcoming sin, developing righteous character and growing in grace and knowledge-to possess God's Kingdom and become kings and priests reigning with Christ at His return. We believe that the reason for mankind's existence is literally to be born as spirit beings into the family of God (Romans 6:15-16; 8:14-17,30; Acts 2:39; 2 Peter 3:18; Revelation 3:5; 5:10).

The Feast of Pentecost: The Firstfruits of God's Harvest

In the process of revealing His plan of salvation for mankind, God established His annual Holy Days around the harvest seasons in the Middle East (Leviticus 23:9-16; Exodus 23:14-16). Just as His people harvested their crops around these three festival seasons, God's Holy Days show us how He is harvesting people for eternal life in His Kingdom.
The Holy Days have meanings that build upon each other. Together they progressively reveal how God works with humanity.

Earlier we saw Passover symbolizing Christ's giving of Himself for us so our sins could be forgiven. We also learned how the Days of Unleavened Bread teach us that we must remove and avoid sin, whether in actions or attitudes. The next Holy Day, Pentecost, builds on this important foundation.

This festival is known by several names, which derive from its meaning and timing. Also known as the Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16), it represents the firstfruits (Numbers 28:26) gathered as the result of the labor of those who completed the spring grain harvests in ancient Israel (Exodus 23:16).

It is also called the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22), with this name coming from the seven weeks plus one day (50 days in all) that are counted to determine when to celebrate this festival (Leviticus 23:16). Similarly, in the New Testament, which was written in Greek, this festival is known as Pentecost (Pentekostos in the original), which means "fiftieth" (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, "Pentecost").

Among Jews the most popular name for this festival is the Feast of Weeks, or shavuot, in Hebrew. When celebrating this festival, many Jewish people recall one of the greatest events in history, God's revealing of the law at Mount Sinai.

But Pentecost doesn't just picture the giving of the law; it also shows—through a great miracle that occurred on the first Pentecost in the early Church—how to keep the spiritual intent of God's laws.

The gift of Pentecost: the Holy Spirit
God chose the first Pentecost after Jesus Christ's resurrection to pour out the Holy Spirit on 120 believers (Acts 1:15). "Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues [languages], as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:1-4).

The speaking in various languages occurred as a crowd of people gathered in Jerusalem, with each visitor hearing the speech of the disciples in his own native tongue (verses 6-11). These astounding events demonstrated the presence of the Holy Spirit.

At first the people of Jerusalem who witnessed this miraculous phenomenon were astonished, with some attributing the actions of the Christians to drunkenness (Acts 2:12-13). The apostle Peter, now filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly explained the event to the crowd as a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh" (Acts 2:17; Joel 2:28).

Peter explained how his listeners could also receive this Spirit: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:38-39).

God used these miracles and Peter's preaching to add 3,000 people to His Church in one day. These converts were all baptized and received the Holy Spirit (verses 40-41). From this pivotal point, God's Spirit has been available to all who truly repent and are properly baptized. The Day of Pentecost is an annual reminder that God poured out His Spirit to establish His Church, the group of believers who are led by His Spirit.

Why we need God's Spirit
Humanly speaking, no matter how hard we try not to, we still sin (1 Kings 8:46; Romans 3:23). Acknowledging this inherent weakness of humanity, God lamented in Deuteronomy 5:29, "Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments that it might be well with them and with their children forever!"

Here God explains that humankind has a heart problem. Academic knowledge of the law does not enable us to think like God. Becoming godly in our thoughts, attitudes and actions is beyond the comprehension and ability of men and women without an additional ingredient: God's Spirit.

God's way of thinking produces peace, happiness and concern for others. Jesus complimented a lawyer who correctly quoted the essence of God's law: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind" and "[love] your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27). This man cited Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, from two books of the Pentateuch. Jesus here confirmed that the Old Testament scriptures are based on these two great principles of love (Matthew 22:40).

The essence of God's law is love (Romans 13:8-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9). God gave His commandments because He loves us. Writing to brethren who had God's Spirit, John said, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:2-3).

Because God's Spirit was now residing in the Church, its members could express genuine love. "A new commandment I give to you," Jesus had said, "that you love one another; as I have loved you ... By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35). God's gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost made it possible for the Church to fully express God's commandments of love.

Jesus Christ: the firstfruits of eternal life
Firstfruits are the first agricultural products to mature and ripen. Throughout the Bible, God uses the analogy of the harvest—and, particularly on Pentecost, firstfruits—to illustrate aspects of His plan of salvation. Israel observed this day in the late spring after the barley and wheat harvests. A special offering of the first ripe grain during the Days of Unleavened Bread, called the wave-sheaf offering, marked the beginning of these harvests, which continued during the next 50 days and led up to Pentecost (Leviticus 23:11). This spring harvest was the firstfruits of the yearly agricultural cycle.

One of the first harvest lessons of the New Testament is that Jesus Christ "is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20). The wave-sheaf offering represented Jesus Christ, who was the "firstborn over all creation" and the "firstborn from the dead" (Colossians 1:15, 18). He presented Himself to God the Father as a type, or example, of firstfruits on the Sunday after His resurrection, the same day during the Days of Unleavened Bread on which the first sheaf of grain of the spring harvest was waved before God.

Early on the first day of the week (Sunday morning), while it was still dark and Jesus had already been resurrected (John 20:1), Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and discovered that the rock in front of it had already been rolled away. She ran to notify Peter and John that Jesus was no longer in His grave. The two men hurried to the tomb and verified that Jesus was gone (John 20:2-10). After Peter and John left for their homes, Mary Magdalene stood outside Jesus' place of interment (verse 11). As she wept, Jesus appeared to her but would not allow her to touch Him because He had "not yet ascended" to the Father (John 20:17).

Later that same day Jesus appeared again. This time He allowed certain women to touch Him (Matthew 28:9). His own words show that, between the time Mary Magdalene saw Him and the time He allowed the women to touch Him, Christ had ascended to, and had been accepted by, the Father.

The wave-sheaf ceremony God gave to ancient Israel thus represents Jesus Christ's acceptance by His Father as "the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20).

The Church as firstfruits
Romans 8:29 speaks of Jesus Christ as "the firstborn of many brethren." Yet the New Testament Church is also considered to be firstfruits. In speaking of the Father, James said, "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures" (James 1:18).

God's Spirit within us identifies us and sanctifies us-sets us apart as Christians. "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ," wrote Paul, "he is not His," and "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (Romans 8:9, 14).

Paul also referred to the brethren as those "who have the firstfruits of the Spirit" (verse 23). He alluded to several first-century Christians as the firstfruits of God's calling (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:15).

The significance of the Bible writers calling these people of God firstfruits becomes evident when we consider John 14:6. Here Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

How many, throughout the centuries, have really accepted and practiced the way of life Jesus taught? Even today many people have simply never heard much, if anything, about Jesus Christ. How will God offer them salvation?

Few people understand that God follows a systematic plan, symbolized by His Holy Days, to save all humanity by offering all people eternal life in His Kingdom. In this world we are simply at the beginning of the harvest for the Kingdom of God.

The apostle Paul understood this: "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep ... For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming" (1 Corinthians 15:20, 22-23). Anyone who is now called and chosen by God is included with Christ as God's firstfruits (James 1:18).

The Bible teaches us that God must call people (John 6:44; 6:63). Our Creator, therefore, controls the timing of His harvest. When God founded His Church by imparting His Spirit to certain believers on the Day of Pentecost in A.D. 31, He was expanding His spiritual harvest. It was the beginning of what Joel prophesied, that God will ultimately pour out His Spirit on "all flesh" (Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:14-17).

The Holy Spirit at work
The coming of the Holy Spirit dramatically changed the lives of these early Christians. The book of Acts is filled with accounts of the early Church's remarkable spiritual impact on the surrounding society. A transformation was so evident that nonbelievers accused the Christians of "turning the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). Such was the dynamic, miraculous power of the Holy Spirit.

To fully grasp how God's Spirit can work with us, we must comprehend what the Holy Spirit is. It is not a person who, along with God the Father and Christ the Son, forms a "Holy Trinity." In Scripture the Holy Spirit is described as the power of God at work in our lives (Acts 1:8; Romans 15:13, 19), the same power that was at work in the ministry of Jesus Christ (Luke 4:14; Acts 10:38).

This divine power allows us to be "led by the Spirit of God" (Romans 8:14). It was this same power that transformed the lives of the early Christians and is the power working in the Church today. Paul told Timothy that God's Spirit is a "spirit of ... power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).

Pentecost serves as an annual reminder that our Creator still works miracles, granting His Spirit to the firstfruits of His spiritual harvest, empowering them to carry out His work in this world.


Understanding God Through Christ
He who has seen Me has seen the Father.(John 14:9).
The Bible is full of often-overlooked keys that can resolve many of our misunderstandings about God and His Word. In reading the Scriptures one may vaguely sense these things but somehow never clearly see them because of misleading misconceptions about Scripture.

Jesus Christ came to reveal God the Father (Matthew 11:27). Yet mainstream Christianity continually deemphasizes the role of the Father and focuses almost exclusively on Christ. Such thinking never originated with Jesus Himself. He told us to pray in this manner: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10). Jesus always endeavored to acquaint people with the Father and point them toward Him.

Not truly comprehending the four Gospel accounts, the world suffers from a grievous misunderstanding of God the Father. The biblical reality is often the opposite of the way many, even those in the mainstream religious establishment, usually picture Him.

The Father is intimately concerned with the whole creation. Even the falling of a sparrow gains His attention. Yet Christ said that human beings are of more value than sparrows, and the Father is deeply concerned with His master plan for humanity.

He sends rain on the just and the unjust. He is kind to unthankful and evil human beings. He is merciful (Luke 6:35-36), putting up with much from a wayward mankind. He is patient towards us all, always hoping for full repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

God the Father is especially concerned with the "firstfruits"—those called to eternal life now in this age—and particularly those vulnerable "little ones" who are in the first stages of conversion (Matthew 18:6-14). Christians who are more mature are firmly advised to be cautious and not to offend "one of these little ones" (verse 10).

The Son, Jesus Christ, while human demonstrated the way the Father thinks and lives. Truly He came to reveal the Father. It is through Christ Himself—through His life and work, through His sterling example—that we more completely comprehend the Father's nature and character. Many often overlook this crucial biblical principle.

Christ reflects the Father

The New Testament sheds much light on how we are to understand the Old Testament, especially matters about the Father and the Son.

Again, Hebrews 1:2-3 tells us: "[God] has in these last days spoken unto us by His [or 'a'] Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who [is] the brightness of His [the Father's] glory, and the express image of His Person . . ." Christ was exactly like the Father.

In this particular verse image is translated from the Greek word charakter. This term means "'a tool for [en]graving' . . . [or] 'a stamp' or 'impress,' as on a coin or seal, in which case the seal or die which makes an impression bears the 'image' produced by it, and, vice versa, all the features of the 'image' correspond respectively with those of the instrument producing it" (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1985, "Image," p. 319).

No wonder Christ told Philip, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Christ is the express image of God the Father. We can gain much understanding from Jesus' conversation with His apostles. He had said to Thomas, "No one comes to the Father except through Me" (verse 6). Jesus came to reveal the Father. Christ continued, "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him" (verse 7).

It is easy to speedily read right over these words and not grasp their significance. The Bible is not a book for speed-reading or careless skimming. Understanding its depth of meaning requires calm meditation and deep thought. We should make it a habit to pause to reflect on the meaning of what we read.

The disciples were not yet converted—not yet begotten of the Holy Spirit—and therefore did not comprehend the incredible meaning of what Jesus was saying. Christ had told Peter in another place, ". . . When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:32, KJV). During the first foot-washing ceremony, at the time of the Passover, He had said to Peter, "You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand" (John 13:7, NRSV).

After Christ's resurrection, God would send His Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, and then the disciples would begin to understand (John 14:16-17; 16:12-13). But let's return to Christ's discourse with the disciples.

Philip joined the conversation. He said to Jesus, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us" (John 14:8). Plainly Philip had not understood what Christ had just said to Thomas in verse 7.

"Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?" (verse 9).

Jesus gently rebuked Philip for his lack of understanding. Yet the other disciples were in the same boat. Even today most people don't fully realize the spiritual impact of Christ's words. Though They were two separate individuals, Jesus was the express image of the Father. Jesus Christ was exactly like God the Father—yet the Bible clearly shows that They were and are two separate Beings.

We understand God the Father through Christ. We comprehend the Father's nature and character through the Son—not through ancient philosophies or the incomplete, often-misleading knowledge of fallible human beings.

Comprehending the nature of spirit

Through the actual experience of Christ, the four Gospel accounts throw much light on how we are to comprehend the nature of spirit when comparing it with flesh in the person of Christ.

Consider the spirit world and ask yourself: Do spirit beings have form? Do they have discernible spirit bodies? Do they possess personality? Do they have faces? Do they have voices?

Can human eyes see God? Under certain protective conditions, yes, as God testified of Moses: "He sees the form of the LORD" (Numbers 12:8). Putting all the pertinent scriptures together, we see that this divine Being was the preexistent Word of John 1:1 rather than God the Father.

Unique in all Scripture, under protective measures Moses was even allowed to see the back parts of God in His glorified form (Exodus 33:18-23). However, he was not permitted to view God's face in full glory because, since it shines as the sun in full strength, Moses would have perished on the spot (verse 20).

On another important occasion, after the giving of the Ten Commandments, Moses, Aaron, Aaron's two sons and 70 elders of Israel "saw the God of Israel. Under His feet there was . . . a pavement of sapphire, clear blue as the very heavens" (Exodus 24:9-10, REB). Presumably in this situation, too, the preexistent Word shielded them from the full intensity of His glory.

The face of God

Such questions become even more intriguing if we apply them to God the Father, "Lord of heaven and earth" (Matthew 11:25), Great Ruler over the entire universe. Christ gives us much insight as we explore the answers—not only by His own testimony, but by His appearances to the disciples after His resurrection to eternal spirit life.

Obviously the angels in heaven can see the Father. The plain biblical evidence is found in Matthew 18:10. Jesus said, "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven."

In his book The Human Face, Daniel McNeill asks: "Does the Christian God have a face? The Bible says he made people in his own image, which suggests he does" (1998, p. 140). That would be the normal conclusion of almost anyone not previously indoctrinated by erroneous philosophies that date back to ancient times.

The apostle John recorded much of what Jesus said about the Father. John 1:18 is a case in point: "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." Again, Christ came to reveal the Father. God can be seen, but Jesus is the only human being who has ever seen Him face to face in His full, glorified form.

A little later in John's Gospel account, Christ said to a Samaritan woman, ". . . The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth" (John 4:21-24). God the Father is not physical; He is spirit—yet that does not mean He is without form and shape.

Christ stated: "And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form" (John 5:37). Yet it is plainly implied from these passages in the book of John that the Father can be both seen and heard, but not by human eyes. He has been seen only by the Son (John 6:45-46) and the angelic host—plus a few human beings, including the Hebrew prophet Daniel and the apostle John, through visions.

Because Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9), the resemblance between the Father and the Son must be strong in more ways than we could humanly imagine. Still, They are two distinctly separate Beings who continually plan and confer with each other.

Restoration: Not by Might nor by Power

September marks the 70th anniversary of the start of World War II in 1939. Ceremonies across Europe will note this time as leaders of former antagonists, Germany and Russia, will commemorate it with speeches about peace, unity and better understanding. Unmentioned in all this will be a fundamental cause of the great global conflict.

World War II, like any past war, sprang from failed ideologies of nations bent on creating utopian world orders based on their views. Hitler wanted a world based on Nazism. Stalin desired a rule based on the totalitarian views of communist socialism. Both men created monstrous systems of evil that led to the death of tens of millions of humans. So much for peace and happiness.

This has been the legacy of every humanly devised government and social system intending to create the perfect world. No system created by man has brought about the utopian world promised by God through the prophets of the Bible. These images of a world at peace have inspired the ages.

Isaiah's vision of the wolf living with the lamb, the leopard lying down with a goat and a little child in the midst of this pastoral scene is one of the most beautiful and hopeful in the entire Bible. Venomous snakes are rendered harmless as children interact safely with them. "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:6-9).

This scene has been drawn by artists as "the peaceable kingdom" and stands as the ideal hope for mankind. Yet sadly, despite the best efforts and intentions of philosophers, politicians, religious leaders and social reformers, it has not happened. At no point in history has any human agency been able to create this scene for any appreciable length of time.

Reading through the prophets you must conclude that only God can bring about the reality called the Millennium, the thousand-year-long reign of Christ on the earth as the long foretold Messiah. Every revolutionary of the modern world has tried to impose his or her vision of a perfect and just world. The murder of millions of people has been justified in the human pursuit of this goal.

In this issue we have an article about the age-old dream to have the entire world at peace. Reading the scriptures on the subject and studying the historical path of the teaching, there is only one conclusion you can draw. It is that if you believe in God and His Word, the Bible, you must believe it is in His power to bring about the conditions of the messianic age. You must also conclude that it is only God, not any humanly devised system or substitute, who can create this perfect world of peace, justice and harmony. Its creation rests only with God and no other human effort.

The words of Zechariah 4:6 remind us such realities must come from God. "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts."

To believe God and live with this vision of the future in your mind is to anchor your life around the most important goal and hope a human can have. Living by the laws and principles of that coming Kingdom can make all the difference in your life today. The reign of the Kingdom of God on this earth is more than a dream. It is a living reality that can lift your life beyond anything you can imagine for yourself. Seize it now and begin to live it today.

God's Great Purpose for Man

God's ultimate purpose for mankind is inextricably linked with the ancient question "What is man?"—the question that King David and the patriarch Job posed so many centuries ago.

In what general context did David ask, "What is man?"
"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands. You have put all things under his feet" (Psalm 8:3-6).

Under what circumstances did the patriarch Job ask the same question?
"Let me alone, for my days are but a breath. What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart on him, that You should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?" (Job 7:16-18).

David was overwhelmed by the awesome majesty of God's purpose for man and expressed His thankfulness in grateful praise to His Creator. In contrast, suffering Job protested that man seems too temporary and insignificant to justify God's perpetual concern and asked God to leave him alone in his misery.

Yet both men pondered why God—having such greater power and majesty—should take such a conspicuous interest in the human race. We need to understand the sense of both scriptural passages so we can fully comprehend the majesty and breadth of God's purpose.

What apostolic book quotes these words of King David?
"What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet" (Hebrews 2:6-8).

Perhaps more than any other New Testament book, the letter to the Hebrews helps us grasp the basic truths God gave to mankind in what we call the Old Testament.

Does the book of Hebrews elaborate on David's poetic words?
"For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now [in this present age of man] we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone" (Hebrews 2:8-9).

In the Bible's first book, God gave man dominion over His earthly creation—an awesome responsibility that mankind has only partially fulfilled. The chaotic state of the modern world bears witness to this reality. But the real fulfillment of this whole passage occurs at the time when Jesus Christ returns to reign on earth. All things will be placed under the feet of human beings who will have been resurrected to immortality. We will rule with God and Christ forever in the Kingdom and family of God.

In this particular passage suffering is brought into the picture. Jesus Christ suffered in the flesh so each one of us could be a part of God's Kingdom. The suffering is first, and the glory comes afterwards.

What was the unrealized purpose of Job's sufferings?
"For it was fitting for Him [Jesus], for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings" (Hebrews 2:10).

This is what the patriarch Job did not yet fully comprehend. But Jesus Christ is not the only one who had to suffer. Though our sufferings in no way can compare with His, we must tread the same path. "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him," wrote Paul (2 Timothy 2:12, KJV). Indeed, Christ set us an example of how to suffer without complaint. "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21). Partially through suffering, God is creating in His children His own divine nature and His holy and righteous character (2 Peter 2:1-4). (The subject of suffering will be covered in depth in Lesson 4.)

Those who become like Jesus Christ at the time of the resurrection will be more than just spirit beings similar to Him. They will share the very nature of the Father. God gives that godly nature to such people when they receive the Holy Spirit, but over time they must grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18).

Salvation in God's Kingdom is the ultimate purpose of all our lives. It makes worthwhile the good times and the sufferings we experience. Many will be brought to eternal glory—possessing the awesome righteous character of God Himself.

Never underestimate the value of your life. You were born to become one of God's children. You were born to receive His nature. You were born to become a member of the very family of God!

How to Believe in Yourself.
It is the decisions you make, when you have no time to make them, that define who you are"

Believing in yourself is one of the first steps to success. If you don't have confidence in yourself, it will be difficult to succeed in anything.

1. Learn how to make decisions based on your experiences that you believe.If you don't have your own thinking, you can never be successful.
2. Set goals. When you set goals, you have control.
3. Recognize when you achieve your goals, so that you will build your confidence.
4. Consider reasons you fail. Everyone fails to achieve some goal, but if you learn from the failure, you will be more likely to succeed.
5. Use realistic expectations to judge your success. Do not expect to run a four minute mile, until you have trained and conditioned for running.
6. Listen to critics, but never let them convince you that you are less than you are. Some critics will tear you down to make themselves look bigger and better, while others will offer critical advice to help you make changes to improve yourself.
7. Give your time and energy to others. When you do this, you will get positive feed back and get respect from others. These are building blocks for self respect, which is essential to believing in yourself.
8. Believe in yourself, you will do your best.