Treasure Digest

• Kicking the Worry Habit
• Nothing Like It in the World
• Treasures in Your Attic
• God’s Book of Jewels
• Pillars of Wisdom: Integrity
• The Other Prayer List
• What Does the Word Christian Mean to You?
• It’s Not Fair!
• Choose Your Friends Wisely
• Turning the Hearts...Correction With Affection
• Question and Answer: What Calendar Do You Use to Calculate the Holy Days?
• Share Your Treasures!

Kicking the Worry Habit

Worry is a bad habit—like smoking. So I have found a substitute for it that I will share for all my fellow worrywarts. Each day I take a scripture out of Psalms or Proverbs and mull it over all day long—when I am driving to the grocery store or when I catch myself starting to worry.

Yesterday's example is a good one to show you what I mean.

Psalm 5:8 says, "Lead me, O Lord , in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face."

As I mulled this over on the way to the swimming pool, I realized that I have no enemies, so I could eliminate that part—but not until I gave thanks to God for making my life enemy-free. Then the verse said only, "Lead me, O Lord , in Your righteousness; make Your way straight before my face."

On the way home from the swimming pool, I realized that meant the same thing as straight before my eyes. Then the verse began to impact me as a prayer I should pray. I now paraphrase it like this: "Lead me, O Lord , in Your righteousness and set it in front of my face so I cannot miss seeing it."

This works for me and keeps me from worrying myself into an early grave.

—Jim Smith
Jefferson , Georgia , congregation

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Nothing Like It in the World

Have you ever seen a large map of the interstate highways or the railroad system for the United States ? If so, you know that they're quite impressive. These systems have enabled transportation on an immense scale, and are a vital part of the infrastructure that allowed America to become a world superpower.

Now, momentarily erase that map from your mind, and imagine that there is... nothing. Not one road or track capable of transporting any form of motorized vehicle from one coast to another. This is the setting described in the book Nothing Like It in the World by noted historian Stephen Ambrose. In this work, he tells the wonderful story of how the unfathomable goal of creating a railroad from coast to coast was achieved.

It is fascinating to learn how the leaders and laborers of the Union Pacific Railroad, who built west from Omaha , Nebraska , and the Central Pacific Railroad, who built east from Sacramento , California , completed the transcontinental railroad. Despite daunting obstacles, these men prevailed at a seemingly insurmountable task.

This piece of American history offers several great spiritual lessons and hearkens to the future as well. At times the road we travel to the Kingdom of God can seem quite difficult and discouraging. Like the building of the railroad, it has many challenging obstacles. However, like the courageous laborers on this monumental project, we also must "endure to the end."

Another lesson is learned through the character of Theodore Judah, an ambitious young engineer who played an important role in the story. Unfortunately, he never saw the culmination of the railroad, which he had made his life's work. He was a visionary who truly believed in the need for the railroad before nearly anyone else did. Though he did not witness it in his lifetime, the nation reaped the fruits of his labors.

Like him, we also must be fully committed to a lofty goal and a glorious vision that we know will be accomplished.

In Isaiah 35:8-10, the Bible speaks of a much more important road, a "Highway of Holiness," and its description is wonderful. Those who travel on it will do so with singing, joy and gladness. God has given us the awesome opportunity to be visionary men and women like Theodore Judah. He has called us to see the need for the road, to believe it will happen and to do everything we can to prepare to help those who will one day travel it.

On a much greater scale than the Transcontinental Railroad, the Highway of Holiness will be a critical element of the growth of the heavenly country for which we all wait, the wonderful Kingdom of God . There will have been nothing else like it in the world!

—David Cobb
Indianapolis , Indiana , congregation

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Treasures in Your Attic

The majority of us have a designated place to store items we intend to use at some point in the future. Often it will be the attic of our home. It is not unusual for items to be stored for decades, collecting dust and depreciating.

We often forget the items are stored and forget that someone could make good use of them if we were thoughtful enough to put them where they were needed. Material goods are of no value to anyone while stored. Their value is realized when used for their intended purpose.

For example, a truck sitting out in the weather rusting and depreciating is of little value, but if it is put into the service it was made for, to haul loads, it can be of immense value.

Good intentions can be like dusty items stored in our attic (our minds) if we are not careful. We know that we should help others; we believe that it is our Christian duty to do so. We probably know someone who is having a trial, and we have a thought that we should call or send a card or go to visit.

We delay; we store it in our mind's attic, intending to do it later. Is dust gathering on our intentions of good works? Remember that pleasant words will make the heart glad and can be health to the bones (Proverbs 12:25; 16:24).

I recently experienced the enormous value in receiving get-well cards, notes and assurances of prayers from over 150 brethren across the United States and internationally after a prayer request was posted on the Church's Web site. I was encouraged off the top of the scale!

Don't be too concerned about what to say to encourage. I once had a dear friend who fell sick and continued to deteriorate over time. I knew I should go to visit him, but I so dreaded to do it. What could I possibly say to a person so sick to uplift him?

Guess what happened. After visiting and talking, I was the one who was pumped up!

We are blessed when we give. When we have pity on the poor (downtrodden spirit), we are lending to the Lord. When we do good works to others, it is equated as doing it to our Savior (Matthew 25:34-40).

God is very pleased with our good works for other people. We need to be zealous in our efforts (Titus 2:14). A record is being written (Revelation 20:12; Malachi 3:16).

In conclusion: When the thought comes to mind to do something for someone, don't delay. Make that call, write that note or visit that friend. It might be the Holy Spirit sending the thought. Lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20), not in your attic.

—R.J. Ridenour
Knoxville , Tennessee , congregation

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God’s Book of Jewels

When we first met Mrs. W., she lived in a senior citizens' high rise. She had relocated from Texas , and was unable to attend church.

We were fairly new in the church area we were serving, and she was new to us—but not new to the old-timers there. We learned that she and her husband had been quite active in the Church years earlier, attending services, visiting and participating in numerous service projects. When they moved out of state, the members lost track of them until several years later when Mrs. W., now a widow, returned to live out the rest of her days.

It struck me then that we shared such a small segment of her life—mainly her struggles with aging and loss of independence. The years of dedicated energy and service were things of a faded or, for us, an unknown past.

As we got acquainted with more of the congregation, things from their pasts began to emerge. Some had been charter members of newly forming congregations like St. Louis and Kansas City , sometimes traveling many hours to attend services every Sabbath, as well as Bible studies, Holy Days and Spokesman Clubs. Some remembered three services on a Holy Day or three-hour sermons.

Many had stories of sacrifice and blessings, disappointments and renewal. And all remembered when they first came into the Church and why. They were still there, still faithful, still serving when we transferred into that area—living links with the Church's past.

Now 20 or so years later, most of them have died, and few remember what positive influences they were in the congregation. Sadly, as human beings we are greatly limited in our capacity to remember and to know a person's entire context.

That's what makes Malachi 3:16-17 so comforting. God is not limited. He knows us in our entirety. And He remembers and takes note:

"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. 'They shall be Mine,' says the Lord of hosts, 'On the day that I make them My jewels.'"

—Karen Meeker
St. Louis , Missouri , congregatio

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Pillars of Wisdom: Integrity

Integrity—it's what we all demand of our leaders, sales people, doctors and pastors. Politicians claim to have it. But what is it?

Stephen Carter, in his book Integrity, makes this observation: "The word integrity comes from the same Latin root as integer and historically has been understood to carry much the same sense, the sense of wholeness: a person of integrity, like a whole number, is a whole person, a person somehow undivided."

The Hebrew word in the Old Testament translated "integrity," tom, has the same meaning of completeness or wholeness. Notice these uses of tom in Proverbs:

Proverbs 10:9: "He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known."

Proverbs 11:3: "The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them."

Proverbs 19:1: "Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool."

Proverbs 20:7: "The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him."

Simply stated, the more consistent a person is in knowing what he actually believes, articulating what he believes and conducting his or her life based on those beliefs, the more integrity he or she has. Yet, we must admit, it is possible for someone to base his or her conduct on a false belief. The person may be sincere and consistent; but does he have integrity?

Stephen Carter concludes that integrity "requires three steps: 1) discerning what is right and wrong; 2) acting on what you have discerned, even at personal cost; and 3) saying openly that you are acting on your understanding of right and wrong."

Points to Build On

When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He answered: "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30).

God requires integrity in our relationship with Him in that we are to love Him with all of our emotions, life, intellect and energy. When we compromise with sin, wrong thoughts and emotions, or expend our energy in ungodly endeavors, we are divided in our loyalty and our integrity is compromised.

On another occasion, a young man came to Christ, asking, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" Jesus answered by telling him to obey the commandments. The man answered, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"

Matthew records what happened next: "Jesus said to him, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.' But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions" (Matthew 19:16-17, 20-22).

This man obeyed God in many areas of life. Jesus didn't argue that he wasn't keeping the commandments. The young man had compartmentalized a segment of his life—his possessions—and it was in this area that he maintained full personal control instead of submitting to God.

It is common for people to deal with guilt by "compartmentalizing." A man committing adultery may appear to be a fine husband and father; and when he is with his family, he strives to fulfill those roles. But as soon as he is with his mistress, he forgets his wife and children.

We see people who are honest in personal relationships become cutthroats in money matters claiming "business is business." They live by two conflicting codes of conduct, but maintain a semblance of balance by role-playing.

Sports is another area in which a person who is otherwise kind and law-abiding may participate in dirty play and cheating.

Application

Strive to base your life on sound biblical principles. A principle according to Webster's New World Dictionary is the "ultimate source or cause...a fundamental truth, law...in which others are based." The search of God's Word must be a search for God's integrity, the principles on which He builds His laws and instructions.

Strive for integrity in your personal life. We must incorporate these principles into every thought and action. In order to accomplish this, a person must maintain balance in all four arenas of life: spiritual, physical, social and mental. If a person neglects his or her own spiritual development, physical health, relationships or mental growth, eventually all areas of life will be affected. Learn to set aside the time necessary for personal growth, family relationships and spiritual development.

—Gary Petty
Pastor of Austin, San Antonio and Waco, Texas, congregations

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The Other Prayer List

So much to pray about. From the coming of God's Kingdom to a better job—the list goes on and on! Who can remember it all? That's why so many of us keep our own personal prayer list. As God answers one request, we thank Him, cross it off our list and move on to the next. But as time passes, we can forget His perfect answers to those prayers.

This is where that other prayer list—the answered prayer list—comes in. When we put it to use, it has several benefits:

First, it reminds us of the many times God not only answered, but greatly exceeded, our requests (Ephesians 3:20)! This can be a reminder to also add to our list totally unrequested interventions—His blessings (Deuteronomy 28:1-14; James 1:17). How about that unexpected raise, the friend who "just happened" to call when we needed encouragement, etc.?

And just as we appreciate the heartfelt thanks of others, so does God (Psalm 69:30-31). One good thing leads to another: God accepts our gratitude and grants us true peace. We don't have to worry about the outcome (Philippians 4:6-7)! Indeed, the more we stay focused on Him, the greater is that peace (Isaiah 26:3).

It's often been said that seeing is believing, but as we continue to reflect on God's answers to our prayers, we can also realize that believing is seeing (Mark 11:24). Time after time God reveals His knowledge of our needs (Matthew 6:8). We are continually brought back to the realization that He knows us far better than we know ourselves (Matthew 10:30).

These, then, are just some of the benefits of an answered prayer list. If you haven't already done so, consider beginning your own. As this other prayer list continues to grow, may it help you grow as well.

—Nicolas Nick
Dayton , Ohio , congregation

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What Does the Word Christian Mean to You?

The word Christian has been in existence since soon after the first-century Church began. Many people in this 21st century claim that they are Christian without really knowing what the Scriptures say about who the followers of Christ really are (Matthew 7:21-23).

The word Christian will be confusing to anyone who does not have a biblical understanding, because so many nonbiblical beliefs and ideas are called Christian today (Isaiah 29:13-14; Matthew 15:8-9). Few realize that these ideas are not pleasing to God (Proverbs 16:25; Revelation 22:18-19).

We can avoid the trap of being wise in our own eyes (Proverbs 3:7; 12:15). We can search the Scriptures daily, careful to find out what God says about our own ideas, so we can truly claim that we are following Jesus Christ's instructions in worship and festival celebration.

We are the chosen of God (1 Peter 2:9). We are called out of this world and have the opportunity to live by every word of God (Matthew 4:4).

By searching the Scriptures daily to know what God says about His people, we will not follow the deceitfulness of Satan the devil (Revelation 12:9; Colossians 2:8) that is all over the world!

—Samson Osajie
Benin City , Nigeria , congregation

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It’s Not Fair!

It's one of the first sentences many of us learned to say as our siblings were getting the better end of the deal: "It's not fair!"

Those words became all too clear for my daughter, Michelle. She had her car parked in a very nice neighborhood, but when she went to get her car, the glass was smashed in and all her Feast photos were taken, along with everything else of value that they could find.

It was not a week later that Michelle had her car stolen right in front of her house! The police called her a week later and said they had found her car, and she had to go to pay $100 to get it out of the impound. The thief took her car for a joyride, trashed the car, burned out the clutch and now she had to pay to get it back!

What made matters worse was that the insurance would not cover the damage. My daughter spent over $1,000 repairing the damage out of her own pocket. Because of the theft, my daughter decided she had to move to a higher rent area.

Where are the crooks? Probably free and stealing from someone else! Is life fair? Ask my daughter.

A few days later, in a moment of despair, Michelle found that all was not lost. While cleaning the trash out of her car, she reached underneath the front seat and found her most prized possession. All scrunched up and with its pages twisted, she found her Bible that she had thought was stolen too. The thief took her valuable pen, but kicked her Bible under the seat.

Of all the things that she thought were gone, that was the one thing she wanted back. The thief took everything but the most valuable thing of all, the Bible that holds the truth that will keep her focused and pressing on when things are just not fair.

Life is not fair, but my daughter's Bible helped put everything in focus for me and for her. God has given us something that no one can take from us, His valuable truth and promises.

God is just! He sees everything that you and I are going through. He does not forget! Hebrews 10:30-31 says, "For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Life is not fair, and we do get kicked in the stomach from time to time, but we must get back up and press on toward the mark. For God will make it all come out OK in His time. In the meantime, just as my daughter put great value on her Bible, we too must put everything in perspective and place great value on His promises. We must always remember that no one can take away the promises and truth that God holds out to all of us who love Him and keep His commandments! No one can take our crowns unless we let them.

We may not have control over everything that happens to us, and we all will suffer many unfair things before it is all over, but we do have control over whether we get discouraged and quit!

Press on! For there is a world coming where life will be fair, and you will have the opportunity to use those unfair things that have happened to you for the good of mankind.

—Janet Treadway
Cincinnati East, Ohio, congregation

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Choose Your Friends Wisely

Many of us are concerned about what we put into our bodies to preserve our health. Some of us are also careful to guard our minds by examining the things we read, watch or listen to so we can protect our mental health. But have we considered the effect of the people we associate with?

In the book Who's Looking Out for You? Bill O'Reilly talks about the type of friends we choose. "In the end, you are not what you eat. Rather, you are whom you associate with. If you run with the despicable people, the heavy odds are that you are despicable as well." His comment backs up the age-old saying, "birds of a feather flock together."

The book of Proverbs talks a lot about friendships, wisdom and the need to be around those who will help us to grow in wisdom.

We have two choices. One is to walk with the fools and be destroyed, and the other is to walk with the wise and grow. "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm" (Proverbs 13:20, New International Version).

Seek out those who are wise and experienced and associate with them. Hang with those who can challenge you to be all that you can be. Bill O'Reilly says, "If you embrace honest, caring, and strong people, I can almost guarantee that you will have accomplished many positive things on this earth. George Washington once said, 'Associate yourself with men of quality if you esteem your own reputation, for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company'" (page 30).

Ask God to bring people into your life who are wise, caring, experienced and honest. Ask God to give you a mentor who will help you to excel to your highest level for God's use. Remember, we are known by the company we keep. Do you want to stay the same or be challenged to be all that you can be? For me the greatest opportunity I have had was to surround myself with friends who motivate, challenge and encourage me to be the best that I can be.

In order to grow, we must choose our friends wisely—friends who will lift us to new heights and not bring us down.

—Janet Treadway
Cincinnati East, Ohio, congregation

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Turning the Hearts...
Correction With Affection

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). We are all desirous of having our children become successful in life. We all realize the need to give them assistance as they grow up and mature in life. God's Word speaks about correction and guidance and teaching from parents to their children.

When my wife and I had no children for five years of marriage (and thought we might never be blessed with them), we watched how others treated their children. We saw some wonderful examples and some, well, not so wonderful examples.

In the early years, we thought if we would just correct and discipline (spank, rebuke and punish is what that was taken to mean) our children, they would turn out to be loving, merciful, kind, caring obedient children. However, I saw one major area that was often missing along with correction— affection!

You see, if a child receives attention only when he or she does something wrong, then the negativity sets in. But, if a child is loved and appreciated for what he or she does right and is shown appropriate affection, then the correction (which will inevitably come because we are not perfect yet) will be more meaningful and will be in the context of a loving relationship.

Children who are regularly loved will take the correction in a way that will affect them more deeply. After all, the correction comes from a parent who loves them (Hebrews 12:6). They will not feel good to be out of sorts with the one who provides them the affection we all need in life.

So please remember that though we should correct and, yes, spank our children when they need it, we also need to show them the love and affection that will enable them to receive the correction more deeply. And we can teach our children mercy by sometimes not exacting the full punishment, especially when we discern that they are truly sorry. Let them know that you are showing them mercy as God shows mercy to us all.

Your children will benefit by correction with affection, and it will enhance their opportunity to become successes in life.

—Gary E. Antion

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Question and Answer:
What Calendar Do You Use to Calculate the Holy Days?

Thank you for your interest. Every calendar has idiosyncrasies, and God doesn't reveal many details about the subject in His Word.

Which calendar should the Church use was a question that the late Herbert W. Armstrong addressed in the 1940s. There was division with the Church of God (Seventh Day) at the time, which led to questions within the congregations Mr. Armstrong pastored. In the spring of that year, he wrote to the membership, announcing that extensive study (with the assistance of some of the members in the Eugene , Oregon , congregation) led him to conclude that the Church of God should use the Hebrew calendar to determine the Holy Days.

Controversy over the same issues that the Church addressed in the 1940s resurfaced in recent years. In the spring of 1996, the United Church of God prepared a preliminary study on the subject and invited those who wished to submit papers for consideration. After approving a doctrinal study paper on the subject, the Council of Elders mailed a copy to the entire UCG ministry in February 1997. Here is the conclusion:

"After a study of all the issues and papers, the Council of Elders has come to the conclusion that the Hebrew calendar is a valid calendar for Christians to use in setting the dates for the observance of God's Holy Days. While major issues seem to revolve around the four rules of postponement ( Dehio th ), the conclusion of the Council is to accept the calendar using the current calculations and rules. The rules of postponement are used in the establishment of the first day of Tishri. Once the first day of Tishri is established, then the calendar can be set, and the first day of Abib can be determined. This, in turn, makes it possible to establish the dates for the Holy Days. It is incorrect to refer to the rules of postponement as 'moving' the Holy Days. While we must always be willing to listen and learn, in the absence of any new information, the Council has chosen to confirm its support for the use of the Hebrew calendar as the official position of the United Church of God, an International Association."

The following quotation illustrates just how accurate it is, as well as the need to make slight adjustments occasionally:

"The calculation of the calendar was transmitted to the sages in an unbroken chain going back to Moses . . . According to the ancient calculations, the exact time between one new moon and the next is 29 days, 12 hours, and 793 chalekim 'parts of an hour' (the hour is divided into 1080 parts). In other words, one lunar month has 29.53059 days. It is interesting to note that according to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), the time between one new moon and the next is 29.530588 days. Of course, NASA has at its disposal the most advanced and sophisticated telescopes and computers. Nevertheless, the difference between NASA's figures and that used by Hillel II, which originated more than 3000 years ago, is .000002 or two millionths of a day, calculated for the period one month" ( The Essence of the Holy Days—Insight From the Jewish Sages by Avraham Yaakov Finkel, 1993, p. 141).

For More Information, see the reprint article "Did God Give a Calendar?" (www.ucg.org/reprints) and the study paper "Hebrew Calendar Summary" (www.ucg.org/papers).

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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.

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