Treasure Digest

• A Word Fitly Spoken in Time of Grief
• Trials—Obstacles or Opportunities?
• Stir Up the Spirit
• Summary of the Three Resurrections
• Be Ready to Give an Answer: Why Do You Make Such a Big Deal About Old Testament Laws?
• Share Your Treasures

A Word Fitly Spoken in Time of Grief

A mother's son is murdered in cold blood. A husband loses his beloved wife of two years, just before the Feast. You know both families and want to comfort them, but what can you say in the face of such a terrible loss?

Flowers, cards and food are certainly appreciated, but there is something even more special that only those who knew their loved ones can give. That is the gift of words.

"A word fitly spoken..." is especially applicable in a situation like this. Words about memories that you have of their loved one let them know that their loved one was also valuable to you. They let them know that the world is a better place because this person not only lived, but lives on in your mind and heart.

The more specific you can be, the better; but the important thing is to express your feelings in your own words. An example would be telling the mother how much you enjoyed taking her son to basketball games along with yours and what a credit he was to the church basketball team. You could tell the husband how warm and friendly his wife was when you attended their church congregation and how she always made you feel right at home.

Writing words of comfort is not hard to do, and you can even do it by e-mail for free. Yet doing just that is beyond price to grieving people who themselves are special and need your comfort more than they can express. Don't be surprised if they still thank you for it years later.

— Marilyn Braley
Houston South, Texas, congregation

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Trials—Obstacles or Opportunities?

We all experience trials and changes in our lives. Hurt, pain, frustration, boredom, despair, rejection, failure—no matter what the depth, they all seem to hurt nonetheless. These are negative feelings, as Dr. Julie Stafford says, "that clutter our journey through life instead of complementing the road we choose to travel. It's these negative feelings that cause us to see situations as small or large crises instead of stepping stones to some higher achievement."

Negative feelings can take away the quality of our lives. We have been given a choice in life—we can either create obstacles or we can create opportunities.

Our character is the most important asset in our life—knowing God's truth is a "pearl of great price," a treasured possession. But harboring negative thoughts in our minds can create crippling effects. Each negative thought has an automatic negative reaction, which eventually snowballs into a dangerous destructive path.

We can't always change our current situation. Maybe you have a serious illness or a loved one has died. Perhaps you suffer from a weight problem, money problem or a feeling of neglect and failure. In most cases these situations automatically create negative, down feelings and emotions. But it's up to us as to how long we will allow negative thoughts to attack our minds. The longer they are there, the more we start believing them, and eventually our actions prove our thoughts.

Say, for instance, a close friend breaks up with you. The emotions you experience at that time may include anger, sadness, hurt, pain, perhaps even depression and rejection. These are automatic! But what would happen if you considered the opportunity you have been given through this trial to flip a negative into a positive? Take time to think and pray about what happened and how this affects you. Ask God to clear your clouded vision and heal your pain.

Pray for your friend too. He or she is human as well and also experiences pain. Find something nice to say to this person—perhaps send an e-mail or card. Ask God to help you forgive and love with all your heart. Put a smile on your face and tell yourself that "this too shall pass," and cast all your care upon God (1 Peter 5:7). Eventually your whole attitude will change and you'll be a happier person. Isn't that better than holding on to negativity and maliciously breeding angry thoughts?

No matter what we do, life will constantly throw curve balls at us. We are not able to walk a life totally free from trials, and this can inject the fear that something will happen every step of the way. However, we do have a choice in the way we deal with circumstances and what we allow our mind to dwell upon.

James tells us to count it all joy when we fall into various trials (James 1:2). With the right attitude, trials develop us, building righteous, godly character. We have to learn to endure a trial, stick it out and recognize that it is a growth opportunity. We can ask God to show us the lessons we need to learn while facing each trial head on. What's more, we can search for various opportunities that help us learn to serve others while keeping our minds off ourselves. Find out who's sick or in the hospital, who's depressed or suffering a loss—call them, visit them, send a card. Seeing other people's trials can make ours seem so minor in comparison.

After all, we need trials (Acts 14:22). It is through trials that we will enter the Kingdom of God. We need them for compassion and love towards others. We need them for strength, growth and purification of ourselves, and we need them for praise, honor and devotion towards God (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Take control of the trial. Don't let the trial take control of you, causing bad attitudes and negative thoughts, stumbling blocks and vulnerability.

Rather, remember that God will never give you more than you can handle. And He has blessed us with a Helper every step of the way to grant us comfort and peace (John 14:16). God reassures us that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

So, let's take hold of the hope we have that God is working with us by molding and shaping our character on a daily basis. We can be positive that we are in His loving, merciful hands, encompassed by His unconditional love—He will never let us go. "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

As Mary Stevenson recorded in her famous inspirational poem "Footprints in the Sand," let us keep in mind that God loves us dearly and will walk with us every step of our journey.

"My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

— Clarissa de Campos
Cincinnati East, Ohio, congregation

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Stir Up the Spirit

In the months between the Feast of Tabernacles and Passover, it can be easy to settle back into comfortable complacency. But complacency is a mortal enemy to Christians. We're warned over and over again that we are to be about the Master's business and occupy till He comes (Luke 19:13).

The parable of the 10 virgins (Matthew 25), the letter to the Laodiceans (Revelation 3:14-21), the parable of the thief in the night (Matthew 24:42-44) and Paul's call to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13) are just a few of the passages that urge us to always be alert and ready. It's so easy to fall asleep at the switch! It's so easy to do only what's easy, comfortable and routine. But if we fall into this trap, we miss out on opportunities to grow and on opportunities to serve God by helping others to grow.

Here are a few suggestions to stir up our spiritual lives:

• Widen your circle of friends in the Church. Extend the right hand of fellowship to a brother or sister who you do not yet know well.
• Give someone the gift of your time, care and concern. Really listen—mouth closed, ears open! Then go home and pray for that person.
• Create opportunities for brethren to spend time together and include people you do not know well.
• Visit another UCG congregation.
• Go out of your way to welcome newcomers and visitors to your congregation.
• Ask your brothers and sisters in the Church what they have learned in the past year.
• Shake up your study habits. Study a new subject or use a new Bible help. Refresh and expand your knowledge of the historical stage on which the story of the Bible is played out. Read up on the history, cultures or philosophies of first century world.
• Take a fresh look at the UCG Web site. Use the literature library. Download some sermons, doctrinal papers or reprint articles. Exploit the Web site for all it's worth!
• Prepare for the Sabbath and make it a more relaxed day, with fewer emergencies and hassles. Remember the coming Sabbath all week long, so you can be prepared to enjoy it more (Exodus 20:8-9)!
• When you're at Sabbath services, talk about the Bible and the Kingdom of God more and worldly interests less (Isaiah 58:13-14).
• Mount a fresh assault on one of your spiritual weaknesses.
• Take a fresh look at the needs of your congregation and look for opportunities to serve.

— Jay Turner
San Jose, California, congregation

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Summary of the Three Resurrections

The following summary forms the conclusion of the doctrinal paper on "The Resurrections" recently posted to the UCG Web site at www.ucg.org/papers. The paper goes through the scriptural basis for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the first resurrection, the second resurrection and the third resurrection, with an appendix on "Lazarus and the Rich Man."

1. The first resurrection is only for the dead in Christ. It is a resurrection to immortality. The wicked are not in this resurrection. Those who never had an opportunity for salvation are not in this resurrection.
2. There is another resurrection to mortal life; therefore, it cannot be the first resurrection. Since God offers His Holy Spirit to them, they will have an opportunity to receive salvation. The wicked cannot be in this resurrection, as God will not be giving His Holy Spirit to them.
3. The only time the wicked can come up in a resurrection is at a separate time. It cannot be in the first resurrection. Nor can it be in the one where God offers salvation to those who never had an opportunity. This resurrection is for the purpose of final judgment on the wicked who will be destroyed along with the earth.

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Be Ready to Give an Answer:
Why Do You Make Such a Big Deal About Old Testament Laws?

How does the Bible describe God's law?

His commandments show us how to love and are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). Paul said that love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:9-10). Christ summarized the whole law as love for God and man (Matthew 22:37-40). Christ also said those seeking eternal life should keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17-19). James called it a royal law and a law of liberty (James 2:8, 12). David loved and meditated on God's law—it gave him wisdom and understanding—it was sweet to him (Psalm 119). Paul called it holy, just and good and spiritual (Romans 7:12, 14). The heart of the New Covenant is that God's laws will be written on our hearts and minds (Hebrews 10:16).

What happens when we disobey the law?

The Bible calls this sin (1 John 3:4). As obedience brings blessings, disobedience naturally brings curses (Deuteronomy 28). "All unhappiness, misery, anguish and woe have come from transgressing God's law" (Fundamental Beliefs, page 12). Sin leads to death and, sadly, we have all sinned (Romans 6:23; 3:23). God hates sin so much that He made the penalty death. But He loves us so much He let His Son pay that awesome penalty for us (John 3:16).

What about grace?

Yes, we do believe in and deeply appreciate God's grace, which we will consider next month in a study of our fundamental belief on "The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ." Law and grace are both wonderful gifts of God. Law shows us the wretchedness of our putrid evil sins and points us to repentance and forgiveness through God's grace. Grace leads us to utter appreciation for our holy and merciful God and to a deepening desire to be like Him. How? By doing what He says—obeying His law of love in its full spirit and intent.

For More Information: Fundamental Beliefs of the United Church of God, "Sin and God's Law"; The Ten Commandments.

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Share Your Treasures!

Do you have any short items of biblical wisdom, humor or practical information that you would like to share in this section? Or if you have any suggestions, please contact United News, P.O. Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH 45254-1027 or mike_bennett@ucg.org.