Update from the President
For those of us living in the United States, today is Thanksgiving Day. In the Church of God we pay special respect on this national holiday to the loving and generous God who has continued to bless our nation with wealth and opportunity to be a blessing to others. That pattern has continued in the Work of God as the Church in the United States helps support the preaching of the gospel and maintaining congregations around the world that would otherwise not be possible.
As blessed as the United States is, and awash in prosperity, so many are not thankful and take our affluence for granted. And few give God the credit for providing all that we have.
How true the prophetic words of the Apostle Paul!:
"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, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" (2 Timothy 3:5, NKJV)
I came to the United States along with my refugee parents after World War II. We became naturalized American citizens. I continually thank God for living here, along with the even greater blessings of His calling, my family, being in the ministry of Jesus Christ and all the help that God gives me in discharging the duties I have.
Twenty years ago on this day of Thanksgiving I wrote the following and posted it on my website:
November 28, 1996
Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States. It's a special day that focuses on gratitude. I'd like to share some thoughts with you...
I am very thankful to live in one of the richest places on earth. Not only are we materially blessed, but because of our government and legal structure we have wonderful freedoms and opportunities to produce and accomplish. There is no place quite like it on earth. I've been around. I know.
While I may glow in thoughts of gratitude, I cannot forget that this world is suffering and groaning. I've been around. I know. I have seen people who are really oppressed and who are really poor. Their status will not change in this life and they will die in their misery.
After seeing the anguish of Chernobyl, of Africa, of Soviet and post-Soviet times and seeing people who have had their health destroyed, dignity stripped and children's future stymied, I am forced to ask, "what is my responsibility to these people?" Is there anything I can do NOW, when it might matter?
Can I save the world? No, neither I nor a group of people can do that right now. But, I can save another human from death. I CAN guarantee a life to a child in Malawi. I CAN help rehabilitate a radiated victim of Chernobyl. I CAN help relocate a human from Tajikistan and save them from the savagery of religious and civil war. I can't save the world, but I can save some lives.
While I look to a world of ideals that will be the answer to "Thy Kingdom Come," I must also think about the here and now and what I see can be done. What is basic religion? The Bible speaks of pure religion as personally caring for and helping others. There must be a little of the Good Samaritan in all of us to be truly Christians.
In the Matthew 25 scenario of the Judgment when Christ returns and the dead are raised, the first questions asked the newly resurrected are what have you done to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and house to homeless?
We should pay special attention to these questions because those who answer in the affirmative will gain entry into eternal life. Those who ignored the needs around them will not be saved. It's as simple as that.
Christ is concerned first with how we look out for others. It seems that the first questions that will be asked us are not about how "right" or "righteous" we were. The first questions are not a test about what we knew. Nobody really cares about what you know or how you can explain or count.
From the beginning, when God asked Cain about what happened to Abel and the response was, "am I my brother's keeper?" the answer is still YES.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Rains come to Zambia
Last week we asked for prayers for the rains to come to drought-ridden South Central Africa where we have put out a call to the Church for help with seed and fertilizer. You have responded to that call with generous support to buy the inputs needed by the farmers.
Deacon Filius Jere wrote to us from Zambia a few days ago with this happy news:
"'Please pray that God will supply the needed rains to produce the needed crop this year.' This was your prayer in the 17 November update to all who have helped the needy, of which Zambia and particularly your congregation in Chipata is one.
"May I assure you that our Creator is already answering your prayer. For the past three days, we have received good quantities of rain and our members, who benefited from the LifeNets fertilizer and seed, will this Sabbath (today) be advised it is time to sow the seed. My hope is that the situation is the same in other parts of Zambia (and also Malawi and Mozambique).
"May the giving hands continue to be blessed!"
