Signs of the Times - July 2022

NAIDOC WEEK: celebrating THE FIRST AUSTRALIANS LOCAL HERO: SIR DOUG NICHOLLS

GRATITUDE IN THE FLOODS

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY

IN THIS ISSUE

JULY 2022

THE SCIENCE OF DINING

Believe it or not, eating at your dining room table can change the world.

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CURRENT

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WHAT IN THE WORLD

14 WHAT IS NAIDOC WEEK? 52 A FLOOD OF GRATITUDE Reflections on the 2022 northern Australia floods

FAITH

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BONITA'S STORY: SEARCHING FOR CONNECTION, FINDING LIFE

18 A VOICE IN THE

DARKNESS

How to hear that still, small voice

06 24 CAMPING AT THE END

OF THE WORLD

Putting prophets to the test

30 ASK PASTOR JESSE 44 RECLAIM YOUR IDENTITY An ancient practice that can change your life

CULTURE

38 FROM BOOTLESS BOY

TO LIFE-CHANGING FOOTBALLER

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SCIENCE & TECH

50 THE CUTTING EDGE

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

58 FINDING REFUGE

IN AN OP SHOP

WELLBEING

60 NEW RESEARCH: DO LOW

GI DIETS WORK?

FUN

62 CROSSWORD AND

SUDOKU

The life and legacy of Sir Douglas Nicholls

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this issue of Signs of the Times® contains images of persons who have passed away. This magazine was edited in Darug country and printed in Wurundjeri country.

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SOMEBODY'S LAND When I think of my identity as an Australian, I must admit I sometimes feel ashamed. My ancestors were convicts brought from England; a fact my Kiwi friends like to remind me of. But what is the legacy for those of us with European descent? For decades, terra nullius dictated the way most of us thought about Australia; the fiction that before 1770, no-one had any claim to the land.

Indigenous people fought this for years, and in 1992, thanks to the tireless work of Eddie Mabo (and others), the right of Native title was granted to the Meriam people of the Torres Strait. This watershed moment was symbolic not just for the plaintiffs, but for all Indigenous peoples, as for the first time in Australia's history, the law recognised that Indigenous people had a claim to the land before British colonisation. Perhaps even more significantly, it abolished terra nullius as a legitimate way to think about land ownership in Australia. Former prime minister Kevin Rudd’s apology in 2008 contributed to mending the damage done by Europeans.

Though we still have a lot of work to do, I’m hopeful for the future. As a Christian, I believe, like the Apostle Paul did, that Jesus’ mission is to “reconcile all things on earth and in heaven through the Cross” (Colossians 1:20). This is further reinforced by the vision in John’s Revelation, where heaven and earth are restored and the tree of life stands for the “healing of the nations”. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for that day where all peoples and nations are restored. Until then, I hope you’ll join me in working to see that reality unveiled “on earth, as it is in heaven”.

Jarrod Jesse

JARROD JESSE HERFORD STACKELROTH Associate Editor Editor

VOL 137 NO 74 ISSN 1038-9733 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Brad Kemp EDITOR Jarrod Stackelroth ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jesse Herford ASSISTANT EDITOR Zanita Fletcher COPYEDITOR Tracey Bridcutt GRAPHIC DESIGN Theodora Pau'u Talia Valderrama Nerise McQuillan PHONE +61 2 9847 2222 EMAIL info@signsofthetimes.org.au WEBSITE signsofthetimes.org.au ADDRESS Adventist Media PO Box 1115, Wahroonga New South Wales 2076 SUBSCRIPTIONS Kelli Geelan PHONE +61 3 5965 6300 Australia/New Zealand, $A26; South Pacific countries, $A41; Other countries $A51 Published since 1886, Signs of the Times is printed 11 times a year by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and is registered as a periodical.

Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPD) Limited ABN 59 093 117 689 NOTE The inclusion of a person or their image within does not imply their endorsement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church or its beliefs.

Unless otherwise stated, Bible verses are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, Anglicised. Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc®. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton. All rights reserved worldwide.

COVER ILLUSTRATION:

Talia Talia Valderrama, Valderrama, Pexels Attr??

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WHAT IN THE WORLD PASSENGER LANDS PLANE AFTER PILOT PASSES OUT

KILLER HEATWAVE HITS ASIA INDIA AND PAKISTAN

India and Pakistan have been experiencing severe heatwaves, enduring daytime high temperatures of 40–50 degrees Celsius. Dozens of people have died due to heatstroke and crops have been affected. In the northern state of Punjab, known as “India’s breadbasket”, farmers estimate that 10–15 per cent of their crops have died, contributing to food shortages and rising grain prices.—The Atlantic 4

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AVEL CHUKLANOV—UNSPLASH, KUNT ALSAHA—GETTY IMAGES, QUINO AL, FRANCESCO GALLAROTTI—UNSPLASH

UNITED STATES

Florida resident Darren Harrison claims “the hand of God” was with him after he landed a plane with no flying experience after his pilot passed out. Harrison moved the pilot out of the seat, put on the headset and “used his common sense” to control the aircraft. An air traffic controller contacted him over headset and coached him through a safe landing at a nearby airport. The controller said Harrison was his “best student ever” after landing the small plane without fault. Harrison said he wouldn’t like to do it again.—Today

OUR FIRST NATIONS

Indigenous Australians, also known as First Nations people, are the oldest continuous civilisation on earth.

SINGING ON THE FIELD

AUSTRALIA

The Barossa rugby team in northeast Adelaide is becoming known as the team that plays hard and ends their game with a hymn. Club president Fraser Vivian said the men, who are Fijian migrant workers, bring more to the club than just rugby skills—they’re beautiful people, are always there to lend a hand and are the first to pack up at the end of training.—ABC

SEEDS ON THE MOON

UNITED STATES

Plants have been grown in lunar soil, collected during the Apollo 11 mission, for the first time.

Scientists from the University of Florida found that Arabidopsis thaliana (a small plant belonging to the same family as mustard and cauliflower) can sprout and grow in soil from the moon.

These findings could be a milestone for space exploration in supplying food and oxygen on the moon.—The Guardian

Archeological evidence suggests that they were among the first humans to migrate out of Africa, moving across the coastlines of India and Asia, and eventually settling in Australia.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders aren’t one homogenous group: it’s estimated that at the time of colonial settlement in 1788, they were split into over 500 individual nations.

In 1788, Indigenous people spoke around 250 languages and more than 600 dialects.

Indigenous art is among the oldest forms of art in the world. Different colours and styles are used to convey different meanings from one nation to another.

—World Vision

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BONITA'S STORY:

SEARCHING FOR CONNECTION, FINDING LIFE

After losing her mother at a young age, Bonita Fernance chased connection and love anywhere she could find it.

When she woke up in hospital, she knew she needed something else.

Trigger Warning.

BY BONITA FERNANCE

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A doctor prescribed antidepressants for my illness but they didn't take away the mix of feelings and loneliness.

Once I got a little older—around 16, 17—I began to sink into depression. I started binge drinking to the point beyond remembering. I took days off school and work just to drown in my problems a little further.

After high school, I moved away with my boyfriend. He was dealing with the same problems I was. It didn't last. I left my job, my car, my friends, my family, and I felt completely isolated because my depression was preventing me from moving forward.

A doctor prescribed anti-depressants for my illness but they didn’t take away the mix of feelings and loneliness.

Then came the first of many overdoses. This one was only mild. I was kept in hospital for observation

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grew up in a big, blended family.

You might have childhood memories that bring joy: playing on the swings, swimming at the beach and having wild adventures in the backyard. But I only vaguely remember these types of memories as one overrides the rest: my mother’s death when I was five.

When we moved to Dad’s place, the house was full of kids, roughly seven—a range of ages, with the youngest about three and the oldest 14. We had a lot of love for each other but due to my own brokenness, I felt lonely. Among all the basic things that need to be done to run a house—with children going to different schools, not having a car big enough to fit us all—our parents tried to cater to each of our needs.

But I felt neglected. On the surface, I didn’t seem to need that much attention. But inside I desperately wanted and needed connection. I felt unloved. The older I became, the more self-absorbed I was—fixated on how I was missing out, feeling unloved and drowning in my own self-pity. I was jealous of those who could go home and be with their mother.

At high school, I chased every distraction. I tried finding love through friends, boyfriends or even friends’ families; anything to gain connection with someone. I thought the brokenness inside of me stemmed from my family, so I cut them off and invested my life in others, who may not have always wanted what was best for me.

overnight and after a psych-analysis through teleconference, I was released.

Just one week later in January 2019, I was an emotional mess; feeling conflicted, missing everyone back home and having no spirituality yet so badly desiring to be connected and loved in some way. Mix drinking with depression and I was an absolute trainwreck.

Crying in a ball at the end of my bed, I wanted out of everything life had to offer. I stared at the pills littered across the floor. My face drenched in my tears, I looked up to the sky and said, “God, if you are really here, please, please show me because right now I need You.” I took all the tablets.

When my vision went fuzzy and I could no longer hear, I was rushed

to hospital. The next thing I remember was waking up surrounded by doctors and nurses, asking if I knew where I was.

“Of course, I know where I am,” I said, but it turned out I didn't.

I’d been airlifted to Canberra. My dad and his wife were driving 10 hours to see me. I really was alone.

A couple of days into my stay, I learned the extent of my overdose.

The pills I’d taken were used for slowing the heart down—the amount I’d taken slowed my heart to the point it stopped—cardiac arrest.

I was upset, confused. But I was also praising God I was still alive.

Picture this. My heart stops and the nurses say: “That’s it. She’s gone.” But one nurse pushes to the front and she says, “No, she can’t be.” She shoots up a prayer and starts JULY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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administering CPR. My life is saved.

The nurse was a Seventh-day Adventist woman I’d never met, but I did know the rest of her family.

I’d been to her church once and I’d also worked with her daughter. Now she’d saved my life. She must have had the strongest impression from God that my life was not over. I was just so thankful she had a connection to God. It’s amazing the way God works through others; it was a miracle I survived.

My whole attitude changed from that moment. I could clearly see God is real and He cares about me. For the first time in my life, I knew I was 100 per cent receiving love. I didn’t need to look to others for love, because that love was right there with me.

I was fully known and yet fully loved. This was the beginning of something special. Right at that moment, I had a fire in my heart and wanted to become connected to God. After I was discharged from hospital, I went to a small group Bible study. The topic happened to be “Who is God and what is He like?”

The group were in a circle taking turns reading. It came to my turn and the verse I was asked to read is still my favourite verse to this day, found in the book of Isaiah: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

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I cried; not just a little tear, but full-on tears. God was telling me that He was the One who saved my life and that I needed to become connected to Jesus.

Back home in Grafton, I got stuck into my Bible studying and reading, but I didn’t have much experience and no background knowledge.

I was given the number for a Bible worker in Grafton. I texted him immediately and found out he was in town twice a week. Since then Greg and I studied twice a week together.

I always looked forward to it. At the studies, my eyes were opened and truth was revealed to me. As I learned more, I felt more and more connected to God. Everything was making sense. God was continually showing me His love, opening my eyes to His Word.

My relationship with Him was growing so fast but that’s not to say everything was perfect. At a weak point, I suffered another overdose.

But by the power of God, my life was once again preserved.

After a while I was ready for baptism.

There couldn’t be any better person to baptise me than Greg, the one who helped me in my relationship with God. After giving my life wholly to Jesus, after feeling so loved, I was able to give love to others, to those relationships I had broken. I was able to heal.

When you truly grasp the idea of God's love for you, you naturally want to pour that love out on others.

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She must have had the strongest impression from God that my life was not over.

I desperately wanted to fix what I had broken with my family; to love them as God desires for us to love everyone. And God was able to restore those broken relationships.

I’m now more connected with my family than I ever had been.

Two weeks after my baptism, Greg and I were engaged. Four months later we were married. We weren’t rich but we had true wealth in God. We were surrounded by amazing people who supported our journey.

We paid practically no money for our engagement party or wedding due to the generosity of the family of God (our church) around us.

God uses those who are around you to bless you. God did it in my life although I didn’t always see it.

God was with us every step of the way. Every big decision was made with prayer, and because of this, it was so clear that God was leading in our lives and our marriage. Whenever we were struggling, a major miracle would just happen.

A few months into our marriage and the house we were renting was put up for sale. This was so stressful.

I was pregnant. I’d always desired to have a little family of my own; now it was really happening.

But we had no money and no clue what we were going to do. So we prayed. I was struggling with tiredness so much and I was constantly cleaning to upkeep the house.

With two weeks left on our lease, we still didn't have a house to move to.

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blessing; not just an ordinary life but a life filled with an abundance of love and thankfulness.

Do you feel alone? Do you feel like you’re under attack?

Jesus is with you and He wants to help. The question is, do you desire to be connected with Him? Because that connection brings life.

If this article has raised any difficult feelings or issues for you, please speak to a trusted support person, or call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia) or 0800 543 354 (New Zealand). If you’re searching for connection, email <info@signsofthetimes.org.au>.

Bonita Fernance is from Grafton, NSW, where she is an expecting, stay-at-home mum. You can read her husband Greg's story in next month’s issue.

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But God had one lined up for us.

The real estate agent selling the house told us he had just bought a house and would love us to be tenants.

We just had to look at the house, and if we liked it, we could move in.

So we did!

I am the happiest now I have ever been, having been brought back to life both physically and spiritually.

God did it for me and He can do it for you too!

I have everything I ever wanted.

I’m married with a family. I’m no longer depressed. Every day is a

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WHAT IS NAIDOC WEEK? An Indigenous perspective on the importance of NAIDOC Week.

NAIDOC.ORG.AU/

By Julie Nagle

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ational NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday) to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations.

The definition of culture is (a) the arts, beliefs, customs, institutions, and other products of human work and thought considered as a unit, especially about a particular time or social group, (b) these arts, beliefs and other products considered with respect to a particular subject or mode of expression and (c) the set of predominating attitudes and behaviour that characterise a group or organisation.

Many communities in Australia and New Zealand hold celebrations of their culture every year. For such groups, these events are a showcase of food, fun, family, and togetherness. From Passover to Diwali, these moments

hold special cultural significance.

Some are religious, others national, whereas still others are cultural. As an example, whether you’re into AFL, Rugby League or Union, football is another culture of Australia which is celebrated weekly.

NAIDOC is an acronym for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. What is now called NAIDOC began to develop in the 1920s, yet January 26, 1938 is often thought of as the beginning of the NAIDOC story.

While others celebrated Australia Day, a group of Indigenous men and women gathered at Australia Hall in Sydney to observe a National Day of Mourning. The day was a protest and appeal to the Australian government, to right the wrongs made against Indigenous people since the landing of Captain Phillip 150 years prior to 1938. By 1957, with support from both federal and state governments, the National Aborigines Day Observance Committee was formed.

NAIDOC Week includes many

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and those who have gained success in sports, law and entrepreneurship break down preconceived ideas of what is and isn’t possible for young Indigenous people.

To me, NAIDOC is about recognising the successes of the past and present, sharing in those successes, promoting those successes, spending time with friends and family and remembering the journey that was taken to help us reach where we are today. Enjoy your NAIDOC Week, wherever you are. Take an opportunity to attend a celebration or two.

Julie Nagle is a Bundjalung woman from far north NSW, living on Yuin country on the far south coast of NSW.

MURRAY HUNTER—ATSIM, FREEPIK

community activities, from church services to cultural shows and activities, with the aim to bring families together. The celebrations highlight the successes of artists past and present—music, dance, painting, drawing as well as those successful in education, sport, employment and many other ventures. These celebrations are across the generations— from young to old, school children, elders and everyone in between.

It is a week of learning and teaching, hearing and understanding.

Some might ask: “Does it change anything?” To which I reply, “Yes”. As young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples get to see the successes of their role models, they learn of the growing expertise in their culture. Those who have graduated from distinguished studies, those who have graduated from trades

NAIDOC week includes many community activities . . . with the aim to bring families together.

WHAT DO OTHERS SAY ABOUT NAIDOC AND WHAT IT MEANS TO THEM? NAIDOC is “a connection, a celebration of our forefathers and the ways things are done that way, giving thanks back for keeping us safe for today”—Gary Campbell, NSW

NAIDOC is “about educating”—Leanne Phillips, Qld

NAIDOC is about “reminding us of our culture and reminding the broader Australia of our culture”—Muriel Campbell, NSW

NAIDOC is “about coming together and finding strength in our people, builds pride and resilience” —Darren Garlett, WA

WHERE CAN YOU LEARN MORE ABOUT NAIDOC? History of NAIDOC <naidoc.org.au/about/history>

NAIDOC Winners <naidoc.org.au/news/2021-nationalnaidoc-awards-recipients>

Events <naidoc.org.au/local-events/ local-naidoc-week-events>

Teaching resources <naidoc.org.au/resources/educational> JULY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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A VOICE IN THE

KAREN ALSOP—UNSPLASH

DARK

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NESS There's a quiet voice speaking to all of us—it won't force or impose itself on you or I. It's a voice that speaks life.

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I

have a little friend, only nine years old, who told me a story recently.

She was out camping with her family in the bush and it was nighttime. The rest of the family were sitting around the fire, but she needed to go to the toilet. She got up and walked into the dark tree line toward the place where her dad had dug a toilet. As she was walking, she heard a soft, pleading voice in the darkness, like someone speaking inside her head. The voice said, “Please, don’t go this way!” She instantly turned on her heels and ran back to the camp.

“What’s the matter?” her mum asked.

“Someone told me not to go to the toilet up there!” she yelled. Her dad grabbed a torch and made his way to the bush toilet to check out who was there. There was no-one. But there, curled up near their toilet hole, was a death adder: a deadly Australian snake whose bite can kill within six hours.

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Who owned the soft voice of warning that saved my little friend?

Many people, including myself, can tell stories of hearing similar voices speaking to their hearts with words of warning, praise, rebuke, illumination or encouragement. The prophet Elijah encountered the same “still, small voice” once on top of a mountain.

It was identified there as the voice of the Spirit of God, or more commonly known as the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost.

This is the divine Person who Jesus promised to send to us when He said in John 14:15–21: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Before long, the world will not see

Sounds good right? To have someone there to give us peace.

There is a lot of crazy stuff taking place in the world today which claims to be a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. However, just because something miraculous or supernatural occurs in a church does not necessarily mean it is the Holy Spirit.

Jesus once warned about spiritual deceptions and false prophets and said “. . . by their fruits you shall know them” (Matthew 7:20). One of the big questions for testing whether or not a person or church is really Spirit-filled is to ask, “Do they show the fruits of the Spirit?”

Galatians 5:22, 23 says: “. . . The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

If they do not show these characteristics, it is not the Holy Spirit of

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me anymore, but you will see me.

Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

Some translations call Him the Comforter, the One who is one with Christ, just as God the Father is, and can comfort us in trouble. Other translations call Him the Counsellor, the One who helps us in our problems.

However, there is no doubt what He does. He teaches us truth and He brings peace to our hearts.

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.

I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:25–27).

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spirit, a more sensitive nature and a closeness to God. We approach our situation crudely, but arise more refined and able to withstand whatever life throws at us.

The Holy Spirit is the refining agent. The Holy Spirit separates and then polishes us as we prepare for greater service.

The Holy Spirit also gives spiritual gifts and enlightens the mind. He opens the heart to understanding the things of God. He reveals to us our sins and mistakes, gives us a will to do better next time and the power to improve. He is the power to overcome addiction and the strength to persevere when we fail. He is the strength of our lives. The Holy Spirit inspires us, empowers us and guides our understanding. The Spirit

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God but a false spirit at work.

You see, the Holy Spirit refines us. Whenever gold or other precious metal was extracted it had to be refined. The process was to heat the ore to such temperatures that the gold separated itself from the rock, mud and other minerals.

Biblically, it is called being “tried in the fire”. That’s where we get our little tests. They come in different ways. Sometimes we are tried with health issues. At other times our problems are financial. Our test could even include relationship or career challenges. Those who have weathered such storms know what it means to be tried in the fire. When we come through, like pure gold that is refined, all of the raw ore seems to float away leaving behind a purer

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touches our hearts and transforms us, renewing the image of God in which we were created.

I have a friend who is a seeker of truth. She has been involved in many religions in her lifetime. Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, a number of different Christian churches, and traditional spirituality as well. One day a young Christian pastor of my denomination came to deliver her some books she had ordered. She invited him to chat with her, and as they talked she immediately noticed something was different about him.

Where others had tried to thrust and force their beliefs on her, he asked her questions. He listened.

He was interested. “I’d like to study the Bible with you,” she said. So for the next few months they met, prayed and studied. He was very quiet, not pushy and answered all of her questions from the Bible. If she disagreed, that was okay. He didn’t raise his voice or become forceful.

“

That is how the Spirit works on a heart . . .

You can't see Him, but He calls to us and changes our hearts.

One day they were reading John chapter 3 where it says, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.

So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8 NIV).

The young pastor said, “That is how the Spirit works on a heart. It is like the wind! You can’t see Him, but softly, gently, in a pleading voice He calls to us and changes our hearts.”

She said thoughtfully, “Yes, I have often thought from what I saw in churches that the Spirit’s work is about yelling and noise. But I see Him at work when we study His Word. He is real, and I can feel Him in my home now.”

The Holy Spirit is the secret Power that is the difference between someone being just another twofaced religious hypocrite, and being a loving and lovable Christian!

Do you want the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in your life today?

Ask for it!

Jesus said in Luke 11:13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

If you're interested in knowing the Holy Spirit and would like to connect with a local pastor or church, or if you just have questions, visit <signsofthetimes.org. au/help> or email <info@signsofthetimes.org.au>.

Daniel Matteo is a Seventh-day Adventist pastor in Tasmania, Australia. He is married to Katy and has two children, Grace and Samuel.

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CAMPING AT THE END OF THE WORLD Modern-day doomsayers and prophets can be scary. But what is the gift of prophecy really about, and do real modern-day prophets exist?

BULGAC—GETTY IMAGES

BY JESSE HERFORD

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still remember May 21, 2011, like it was yesterday. Thousands of kilometres away in Boulder, USA, an evangelist named Harold Camping, president of the popular ministry Family Radio, was in the news spotlight. He had predicted that on May 21, more than 200 million Christians all around the world would be raptured away to heaven and that five months later, the world would end.

This, of course, never came to pass. On May 22, Camping himself was “flabbergasted” (his words) that the rapture did not occur when he had predicted, insisting he needed to return to the Bible in order to discover the correct time and date.

I didn’t take any of this seriously.

To me, it was almost comedic.

Most regarded Camping and his predictions in much the same way.

Several atheist groups made it a point to protest the (in their opinion) “non-event”, one group going so far as to stand on Hollywood Boulevard holding signs such as “honk if I can have your car post-rapture”, and “the end is far away”. However, there were those who took Camping’s predictions with deadly seriousness. Many quit their jobs, sold their possessions and donated it all to the ministry.

Tragically, there was one report that a Russian teenager, so gripped by fear, convinced she wasn’t going to be saved, took her own life. In the wake of this “great disappointment”, Family Radio declined to return any of the $US18 million it received as JULY 2022

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donations in 2009, despite the fact the ministry at the time was estimated to be valued around $US72 million.

As one might expect, weeks and months went by, with Camping revising his predictions several more times, until giving up completely.

His congregation dwindled, supporters left for greener pastures and eventually he was forced out of Family Radio completely. He suffered a stroke in June 2011 and never fully recovered, passing away in late 2013.

ancient prophets

If all you knew of the prophetic were figures like Camping, you’d be surprised at the accounts of the prophets in the pages of the Bible.

Take for example, Jeremiah, who lived during the final years of the declining kingdom of Judah in the sixth century BC. He worked tirelessly to warn the people that their idolatry and injustice would result in nationwide disaster. Often called “the weeping prophet”, he preached in Jerusalem for 20 years. He warned the ruling elite that unless they set aside their worship of pagan gods and began worshipping Yahweh God alone; and unless they ceased their abuse of the poor, they would face conquest at the hands of Babylon (Jeremiah 10–11).

Then there’s the prophet Isaiah, whose sermons are thought to have been collated during the Babylonian exile of the sixth century.

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Despite Jeremiah's warnings, the Kingdom of Judah was conquered and subsequently enslaved by the Neo-Babylonian Empire at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar II. Through Isaiah, God proclaimed judgement on Judah's opressors and most of all, Babylon. Their greed and oppression would not go unpunished (Isaiah 1:24, 25). Judah wasn’t exempt, though. Their status as a nation in exile was a direct result of their own wrongdoing (Isaiah 3:14, 15).

However, running through the scroll is a theme of redemption. In it, God declares that through the death of a suffering servant, a day is coming when the nations of earth will be united under the good rule of God and live together in harmony (Isaiah 4:2–6).

Ezekiel lived at the same time as Jeremiah. His collection of work centred, much like the previous two, around the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah. But, unlike his contemporaries, Ezekiel’s prophecies were far more cosmic. He sees weird and wonderful heavenly beings and witnesses God in all His glory and terror (Ezekiel 1:4–28). Ezekiel’s visions conclude with a valley of dry bones (chapter 37), an apocalyptic battle and the promise of a new heaven and new earth with a restored Jerusalem at the centre (chapter 39–48).

When we come to the New Testament, the prophetic voice is very much alive and well. Zechariah and Elizabeth (the parents of John the Baptist) both have prophetic

moments in relation to the birth struggle between God, His faithful of their son, but also in relation to followers and the devil and his the birth of Jesus (Luke 1). Likefollowers. At its conclusion, much wise, Simeon and Anna (Luke 2) like Ezekiel’s vision, evil is defeated both have joyful experiences when and the nations are brought together they meet Jesus as a baby. Anna is as one at the foot of God’s throne in identified as a prophet, and Simeon, the New Jerusalem. Evil is defeated though not described as such, and death is no more. nevertheless has a moving experience through God’s Spirit. John the modern prophets Baptist is perhaps the most famous Do prophets still exist today? This prophet in the Gospels, and his grisly is a controversial question, as many end at the (like Camping) hands of claim the Herod fits prophetic gift. the mould Let’s compare of many the two. who came Ancient biblical before him prophets were Ancient biblical prophets (Mark 5). often gifted a There are vision of the were often gifted a vision also several future, but just of the future, but just as named as important prophets was their voice important was their voice in the early for justice. for justice. church.

God’s retribuJudas Barstion was always in response to abbas, Silas, either spiritual Agabus of unfaithfulness Jerusalem, or mistreatment of vulnerable and the four daughters of Philip people, and the prophets’ message the Evangelist are all noted to have always addressed this social issue. It’s prophetic gifts. But, there is perhaps no surprise then that this message no better example than John and was often met with hostility. Jerehis book, the Revelation. As John unveils bizarre, cosmic imagery in miah was mocked, slandered, put his visions, he invites the reader to in prison and then thrown into a respond and be transformed (Revemuddy cistern. Jewish tradition tells us that Isaiah was sawn in half by lation 22:17). John’s Revelation uses his own grandson, King Manasseh fantastic imagery and deeply symof Judah. John was the last living bolic language to represent the final

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issues of both theology and justice.

To be a prophet is often an unpopular calling. Prophets are mocked, criticised and opposed by the established order. But prophets are also privy to God’s point-of-view, and invite others to see the world the way God sees it. Prophets point out injustice and call for a better way forward. To be a prophet is to be a social commentator, a truth-teller and a visionary. Prophets who are sent by God always speak honestly, regardless of the consequences.

Does the gift of prophecy still exist today? I do know this: God is not finished with humanity. The story of humanity is still unfolding, which means the gift of prophecy may still be needed before our tale is concluded. One thing I do know for certain is that in the time we live, the world certainly needs the prophetic voice now, more than ever.

Jesse Herford is a pastor and associate editor for the Australian/New Zealand edition of Signs of the Times.

He lives in Sydney, Australia with his wife, Carina and their dog, Banjo.

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member of Jesus’ 12 disciples, and received his prophetic visions while exiled to a penal colony on a desolate island. Are you beginning to see a pattern here? No private jets, mega churches or adoring followers.

However, that doesn’t mean prophets don’t exist today. Paul mentions the gift of prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14 as a needed gift for the church, so there’s no reason to assume it’s not necessary in the modern era. There is at least one modern-day figure who embodies the biblical prophetic voice. Seventh-day Adventists believe Ellen White, one of the church’s founders, had prophetic visions.

As a founder, she was influential in the church’s early theological and social development. This doesn’t mean everyone always agreed with her. Adventist historians today agree that her time in Australia in the late 1890s was likely a strategy by church leaders designed to get her out of their hair. This exile to Australia turned out to be a blessing, as it was during this time that she wrote some of her most impactful books. She was famous for not only her writing, but also for her willingness to correct

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Hi! I’m Jesse and I don’t have all the answers. As a pastor, there are questions I’ve encountered over and over. They’re sometimes about theology and the Bible, but more often they’re about everyday life, and they can’t be answered easily or quickly. If you’ve never had the opportunity to ask a pastor tough questions this is the place to ask them, and I’ll do my best to respond honestly, authentically and biblically.

Seriously, what DOES a pastor do from day to day?—Glynis, NZ That's a great question! It is definitely one I've heard before. If you're a person of faith, you'd be lucky to see your pastor more than once per week. Obviously it varies from pastor to pastor, but here's what a typical day would look like. My morning would consist of either chaplaincy or visiting a local cafe to work on a sermon, send emails or meet with church members or leaders. In the afternoon I would often visit fellow believers or members of the community to encourage and pray with them or to conduct

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SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU/ASKJESSE

Bible studies. In the evenings it would be more pastoral care and church meetings. The great benefit of being a pastor is that if you're disciplined with your time, you can set your own schedule. If you're on top of things, pastoral ministry can be busy but it does offer an amount of flexibility not usually afforded to other professions.

Why should the average person care about church?—Josh, Australia Let's be honest: most of us have walked past the locked doors of an empty church without giving much thought to how it might help us in our everyday life. In some ways, that's the right way to think about it. The real power of the church isn't in its building. Sure, some are smaller, others bigger. Some are awe-inspiring from an architectural point of view, whereas others look more like a dog's breakfast than a building.

The true strength of a church is in its people. These are the ordinary folk who work, study, raise families and drive kids to soccer practice. They seem just like everyone else, with one crucial difference: within them is a hope that can change the world. The apostle Paul compares followers of Jesus to "clay jars" (2 Corinthians 4:7-12). On the outside, they are just like everyone else but internally they are being transformed. The church organisation is useful in the way it can facilitate helpful programming, care initiatives and large-scale campaigns for causes that matter, but if you were to ask

me, the true power of the church lies in the hands of everyday people.

What is heaven really like?

Is it the classical picture of clouds and harps, or something different?—Neil, NZ You raise a good point! Heaven is often depicted in airy-fairy terms (pun intended). But the truth is, we don't know much about it at all. At least, not from the Bible. The closest peek we get is from Old and New Testament prophets who got to peek "behind the veil" into the heavenly realm via vision. These few accounts are usually intense, bewildering and more often than not leave the reader with more questions than answers. The theme here seems to be: the heavenly realm is not a place the human mind can comprehend.

It's no wonder then that we try to make sense of it using art, music and literature.

Gustave Doré's illustrations featured in The Bible, Milton's Paradise Lost and Alighieri's Divine Comedy have greatly contributed to our collective imagining of what the heavenly realm looks like. I'd argue, however, that a better perspective is on a recreated planet earth. The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of the end of all things when we don't all go back to heaven; but when heaven comes down to earth. After the old "heaven and earth" have passed away, a new reality is inaugurated, where God's throne now rests among us, and the world we know is made anew. You can read all about it in Revelation 21–22. In my mind, that's a heaven we can all look forward to.

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ELL B EING

THE

SCIENCE OF DINING It's hard to believe it, but once upon a time the dinner table changed the world. Can it do that again?

I

once invited the cashier at my local 7-Eleven petrol station to join my friends and I on a beach couch made of sand to eat hotdogs after his shift. To our surprise, he not only came but continued to join us for months after. On the night of his last shift before he moved across the country, my friends and I stood by his counter and shared a meal

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of frozen slushies. With tears in his eyes, he thanked us for making him feel like family. He said that we were the best thing that had happened to him since he moved to Australia. All we did was occasionally invite him to eat with us and stop to say hello when we got petrol—but the impact that had on him was profound.

It’s not every day I ask cashiers

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BY ZANITA FLETCHER

over for dinner. However, after this occasion, it’s something I wish we all did more often. The ache of loneliness in this world is real, and many of us experienced heightened levels of it after spending months in isolation due to Covid-19. But it’s not just the lockdowns that have made us feel lonely. We live in a world with fences and locked doors.

We make dinner for ourselves to suit our unique dietary requirements and never trouble our neighbours for anything. We may feel comfortable and safe, but many of us also feel isolated and alone. Though we’re connected on our phones, we miss face-to-face connection.

If we go back in time—before anyone had ever heard of such a JULY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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he says, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking” (Luke 7:34).

Not wearing a cape, riding around on a white horse or with an army of angels. The Son of Man came eating and drinking—plain and simple.

In the Gospel of Luke alone, there are 10 other stories of Jesus dining with people, from crooks to kings to frauds and friendly fishermen.

Jesus regularly invited Himself over to other people’s homes for meals.

He ate outside with thousands of people, even though He had nothing to offer them until a young boy showed up with a little bit of bread and a few fish (Matthew 14:13–21). He had difficult conversations over dinner, and broke bread with the disciples right before He was crucified, as well as right after He rose (Matthew 26:17–30, Luke 24:40–43). He did all of this because He cared about spending time with people, and He knew that coming together to eat makes us human in a way very few things have the power to do.

Eating together is more than just a sacred practice. It also benefits our physical bodies. When we pass food around the table, make eye contact as we sit across from one another, pause to listen to what someone is saying as we chew—we lower our risk of cardiovascular disease and our bodies get an endorphin buzz.

Endorphins are a part of our brain’s pain management system and they benefit our mind-body connection by giving us an opiate high.2

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thing as a “loneliness epidemic”— we see people consistently coming together to eat. We see people gathered around fires, sprawled out on rugs, seated at tables. We see feasts around weddings and wakes, birthday parties and religious festivals. We see armies eating on the other side of their rivals and alfresco paintings in churches and museums of Jesus breaking bread with His followers. What is it about food that brings people together and has done so for thousands of years?

How do things like pizza and cake help us keep a hold on relationships that, if we’re honest, might not exist without them?

The table, surprisingly, transformed the Roman Empire. In his book Surprise the World, author Michael Frost explains that while biblical characters such as the apostles Peter or Paul were out sharing the good news of Jesus, thousands of ordinary believers were confusing fourth-century emperor Julian with their so-called “love feasts”. The early Christians did so much of their ministry around the table that Julian’s biggest concern was that these people had become radical socialisers and would take over his empire with hospitality. During the brutality of life under Roman rule, the people realised that the table was an incubator where they could invite outsiders, feed the poor and meet with those of so-called lower ranking.1 In Luke’s biography of Jesus’ life,

“

Those who eat with others are far more likely to feel better about themselves and be satisfied with their lives.

Author Dan Buettner and the National Geographic team travelled the world to find where people live the longest. They identified the top five places as “Blue Zones”. One of the commonalities was that, as a rule, nobody eats alone. One zone specifically—the Ikarians in Greece—are known to eat slowly while holding conversation, which helps them build stronger ties and digest their food better.3 It is not just our tight schedules that are hindering us from eating with others. Our individualised diets have also gotten in the way. But what if I told you that the benefits of eating in company outweigh the negatives of what you eat? According to a study published in The Journal of Pediatrics, families that prioritise eating together rank lower in obesity and health problems.4 Those who eat with others are far more likely to feel better about themselves and be satisfied with their lives.5 The Greek philosopher Epicurus—who once bought a house for his friends to eat at—recommended that no-one ever eat by themselves. He said, “Before you eat or drink anything, consider carefully who you eat or drink with rather than what you eat or drink.”6 The dining table is so routine that it is easily overlooked as a place where we can change lives. Eating together makes us human in a way very few things have the power to do, and sharing a meal provides the context for which people feel loved, seen and heard. The good news once spread JULY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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slots right in with the time we need to nourish our bodies. Maybe for you, it looks like eating lunch with someone on your work break instead of scrolling on your phone. Maybe it looks like inviting your neighbours over for breakfast on Sunday morning or sharing dip and crackers in the park with a friend. Remember, it’s not so much the food but the company that counts.

Zanita Fletcher is an assitant editor for Signs of the Times. She writes from the Gold Coast, Queensland.

1. Michael Frost, Surprise the World: The Five Habits of Highly Missional People, p. 41-55.

2. E Cohen, R Ejsmond-Frey, N Knight & R Dunbar, (2010). “Rowers' high: behavioural synchrony is correlated with elevated pain thresholds”. Biology Letters, Volume 6, Issue 1). <https://doi.org/10.1098/ rsbl.2009.0670>.

3. Dan Beuttner, “The Blue Zones: Lessons From the World’s Happiest People", p. 225-260.

4. J Berge, M Wall, T Hsueh, J Fulkerson, N Larson, D Neumark-Sztainer, (2015). “The Protective Role of Family Meals for Youth Obesity: 10-Year Longitudinal Associations”. The Journal of Pediatrics. <https://doi. org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.08.030>.

5. R Dunbar, “Breaking Bread: The Functions of Social Eating”. Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, 2017. <https://doi.org/10.1007/s40750-017-0061-4>.

6. Munir Ozturk, Khalid Rehman Hakeem, Plant and Human Health, Volume 1: Ethnobotany and Physiology, p. 59-60.

7. Simon Carey Holt, Eating Heaven: Spirituality at the Table, p. 150.

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from one table to another. If each of us were in the habit of inviting someone to share a meal with us every now and then, perhaps we would, as the early Christians did, change the world by eating.

Theologian and professional chef Simon Carey Holt says, “It is through the daily practice of the table that we live a life worth living.

At the table we learn what it means to be a family and how to live in responsible, loving relationships.

Through the table we live our neighbourliness and citizenship, express our allegiance to particular places and communities, and claim our sense of home and belonging. At the table we celebrate beauty and express solidarity with those who are broken and hungry.”7 The idea of putting on a banquet can no doubt be overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Most of us already eat three meals a day, so the time we need to share our thoughts, experiences and emotions

CU

LT U R E

FROM

BOOTLESS BOY TO

life-changing FOOTBALLER

By Braden Blyde

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PETERWASHINGTON—GETTY IMAGES, FACEBOOK

It’s been described as one of the best stories in Australia, if not the world—but few people have heard it. This is the story of Sir Doug Nicholls, the man some called "the perfect footballer".

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the boy from Cummeragunga

Born in 1906 at Cummeragunga on the land of the Yorta Yorta people, Nicholls’ childhood was a mix of freedom and trauma.

As a young boy, his afternoons would be spent honing his football skills bootless on the paddocks close to the Indigenous mission he and his family called home.

It was the era of the Aborigines Protection Board, and the many oppressive policies of the Australian government. It was here that he witnessed his sister’s forced removal 40

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by government authorities.

“They just came in and ruthlessly threw our girls into the car and their mothers hung to them,” he recalled.

“I can see my mother hanging on to my sister, 16 years old—they threw her in the car.”

His sister was sent to Sydney as a domestic help. A number of years later she returned pregnant before passing away at just 26.

Nicholls’ grandson Gary Murray recalls this harrowing experience as one of the things “that drove Grandfather in trying to do the right thing by everybody”.

At the age of 14, Nicholls was forced to leave his home and school to find work as a labourer. It was a move that would eventually open doors for the young, football-loving boy. But it also exposed him to a new raft of discrimination.

"A champion in everything"

Despite being just 158cm tall (the second-shortest man to ever play in the AFL), Nicholls was muscular and lightning fast. His natural athleticism meant he found success in professional running, boxing and football.

“He was a champion in everything—all at the one time,” his grandson Jason Tamiru remembers.

“It’s totally mind-blowing for me.”

But it was his love of the ball that kept drawing him back to the turf.

After moving to Melbourne from regional Victoria, Nicholls began his football career as a curator with the Northcote Football Club. But

FACEBOOK

F

ootballers are often in the headlines for their off-field antics more than their on-field achievements. So, it is no real surprise that the greatest story to come out of the AFL is not about a nail-biting final or freakishly skilled player.

In fact, by many people’s assessment the hero of this story should never have been remembered.

Sir Douglas Nicholls was vilified for his race, scoffed at for his height and overlooked by many, despite his pioneering achievements.

Yet, there’s never been a man that has contributed so much both on and off the field.

Nicholls is a deserving icon of Australian football—but he is much more than that. His contribution to the game, care for the community and advocacy for his people truly represent what is perhaps the greatest untold story of the game—if not, the nation.

“

I was never conscious of my colour. I felt that I was their equal.

it wasn’t long until his talents were noticed and he was approached by Carlton to join their playing squad.

He also spent time playing for Fitzroy throughout the years.

By the time he hung up his boots, he had been named “best and fairest” twice and appeared in three grand finals, including in a championship winning side in 1929.

At the time, Nicholls was the only Aboriginal man in the football league.

It was a fact that brought him plenty of attention—much of it unwanted and unwarranted.

a dark day in blue

An old black-and-white recording of Sir Doug Nicholls captures his reflection that throughout his football career, “I was never conscious of my

colour. I felt that I was their equal.”

The comment likely says more about his character than it does the reality of his footballing experience.

There are countless examples of times in which others both words and actions reminded Nicholls that they did not consider him their equal.

Just one sad example of this occurred in the change rooms at Carlton. Following a game, Nicholls asked for a rub down—something which was offered to every player to aid their recovery.

But instead of a soothing massage, he received a stinging response: “No, we’re not going to rub you down because you stink.”

His daughter Pam Pederson recalls that, “Dad carried that a long time—but he hardly spoke about it.

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He must have been too sad.”

In recent years, Carlton football club have acknowledged the mistreatment that occurred and have strived to make amends.

But for every incident addressed and apologised for, there are likely 10 or more that have gone unaddressed.

fighting for the right

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Indigenous rights.

Lady Gladys was also instrumental in bringing Aboriginal affairs into the spotlight. Among other things, Lady Gladys was a founding member of the National Council of Aboriginal and Islander Women and established a hostel for Aboriginal girls in Northcote (now the Lady Gladys Nicholls Hostel).

Together, they both worked tirelessly to improve conditions for their people in Melbourne, across Victoria and around the country.

And their legacy lives on to this day.

everything a footballer should be

While Sir Doug Nicholls is often called a “footballer”, it minimises so much of what this great man did, said and stood for.

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Following his football career, Nicholls went on to become a pastor at the Aboriginal Mission Church in North Fitzroy where he preached clear Christian messages. His congregations often left challenged with a single vision—that as a people of faith, everyone should be making a contribution to the community.

It was a message he preached even more loudly with his actions. The trauma of his childhood, along with lifelong experiences of discrimination inspired him to become involved in Aboriginal affairs.

His grandson Gary Murray remembers Nicholls saying, “to get a tune out of a piano you can play the white notes and you can play the black notes, but to get harmony you’ve got to play both”.

It was a message Australia needed to hear. He, along with his wife Lady Gladys Nicholls, spent months travelling Australia to support their people and speak up for Aboriginal rights. There is no doubt that the pair played a pivotal role in securing overwhelming public support in the 1967 referendum where 90 per cent of Australians voted “yes” for

“

He pursued excellence, served whole-heartedly and stood tall in the face of injustice.

He was a pastor, an activist, the first Aboriginal Father of the Year and the first Aboriginal state Governor (South Australia). He held an audience with the Pope, was the King of Moomba and remains the only Australian rules footballer to be knighted.

While Nicholls was a champion footballer in his own right, his life demonstrated that the true greats of any code contribute much more than just their athleticism.

Until the day of his passing in 1988, Nicholls remained a beacon of life and hope for many people— Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal alike.

His friends and family remember that even in his old age people would come up just to shake his hand.

“As soon as you shook his hand

that was it,” says Gary Murray. “You knew you were safe. You were with a man of culture, a man of God, and that was really important to people.”

On and off the field, Sir Doug Nicholls embodied a true champion.

He pursued personal excellence, served whole-heartedly and stood tall in the face of injustice.

His daughter Pam Pederson perhaps best summed up his legacy best when she said, “He was everything a footballer should be— he was perfect.”

Braden Blyde is a freelance writer based in Adelaide, South Australia. When not writing, Braden can be found riding bikes or getting outdoors with his family.

All quotations are from <amnesty.org.au/sir-dougnicholls>.

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Reclaim your identity

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Baptism is a way to defeat shame and take up a new identity, letting go of all the brokenness of your past.

BY MARCOS TORRES

I

sat across from a young lady and held back my tears as I watched hers flow. She was a committed and faithful follower of Jesus but she had never been baptised. Now, two years after I’d met her, she’d finally made the decision. So we sat outside a café and I led her through a simple Bible study on baptism. I wanted to make sure she knew what baptism was; not the shallow version culture often understands, but the raw, beautiful and romantic version the Bible reveals.

We were halfway through when the tears began to flow. Time and time again, as I lead students through a study on baptism, something happens. Not everyone cries. But almost everyone is moved. Because baptism, it turns out, is much more than they have assumed.

So what exactly is baptism? The answers people often give are that “baptism is the beginning of your journey”, “baptism is a public declaration of your commitment to God” or “baptism is like a wedding, you are marrying God”. None of those are false but there is so much more.

To break it down, we need to go

back to Eden, right at the start of the Bible story. There, we are introduced to a man named Adam—the father of the human race—and his wife Eve. In Genesis 2 the author goes to the trouble of emphasising that the man and his wife were both “naked and they felt no shame” (Genesis 2:25, italics added). Everything was perfect . . . until chapter 3 when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and suddenly “realise they were naked”.

In other words, shame is introduced.

At its simplest, shame is an issue of identity. Adam and Eve were naked but felt no shame. Then, they realised they were naked and felt shame. It wasn’t their nakedness that had changed. When they made the covering of fig leaves, it wasn’t their body parts they were trying to hide.

They were naked before evil and temptation were added to the story, and naked after it. And of course, they were husband and wife so it’s not like there were any surprises.

What changed was their “realisation”, which is another way of saying “the way they saw reality”. Shame warped their sense of identity. Shame led them to see themselves differently.

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“

Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

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They felt a sense of brokenness and self-loathing. They wanted to hide, and they did. I suggest the thing they were trying to cover was their new and distorted sense of identity.

Fast forward several thousand years to the hospital room where you were born. It’s a beautiful scene of new life. There you are—Adam’s great-great-great (to the hundredth power) grandchild. Yet underneath this momentous occasion is one nagging reality: you emerge from your mother’s womb with a psyche predisposed to shame and brokenness, into a world filled with other people who suffer from shame and brokenness. And as the years go by, it manifests itself more and more in your life.

I have been there. It’s a terrible burden to carry shame. No matter what you say to yourself, you just can’t seem to break the cycle. Shame keeps us bound to our failures and focused on ourselves. Guilt leads us to repent and move on. Shame stops us from moving on, even after the repenting has been done.

And it is to this experience that the narrative of baptism speaks with overwhelming power.

The apostle Paul writes: “The Scriptures tell us ‘The first man, Adam, became a living person.’

But the last Adam—that is, Christ— is a life-giving Spirit. What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second

man, came from heaven. Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man” (1 Corinthians 15:45–49).

The “first Adam” is the one we encounter in Genesis—the father of the human race, our father.

The second Adam is Jesus.

All humans born under the first Adam belong to the family of Adam. But Jesus came as the second Adam, to take the place of the first Adam. All humans “born again” under the second Adam (Christ) belong to the family of Christ. The process of baptism is a representation of starting a new life by dying to the old and being “born” into a new family. So Jesus is the new Head of humanity for all who accept Him. This means there are two families now: those whose ancestor is Adam and those whose ancestor is Christ.

But why does this matter?

Paul explains this a bit more in Galatians 4:4–7: “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth

the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’

Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” In Paul’s time, when a person was adopted into a family, they assumed the same identity as the family itself. An adopted son was not regarded as an adopted son but as a son. His old identity, debts and obligations were cancelled. He now had an entirely new identity under the new father of the house. His dad was no longer his biological dad.

He now had a new father and grandfather, a new family tree and heritage, and was expected to take on their legacy, history and status.

If we choose to believe, or to become Christians, we are reborn under the second Adam (Jesus) and adopted into God’s family. We no longer belong to the first Adam. He is no longer our head or our pop-pop. This means that everything for which we were under the first Adam— our ancestry, heritage and story with him—has been cancelled.

We now have an entirely new identity. We are no longer children of the earthly man but of the heavenly. The shame associated with our heritage in Adam—the dark pages of our story—is completely wiped away by the reality we no longer belong to that family or its JULY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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“ identity and heritage. We are now in Christ—a new creature with a new identity. Since shame is a matter of identity, freedom comes only when we receive our new identity by faith in Christ.

Baptism is the ritual Jesus gave us through which we enter into our new identity in Him. It is more than “marrying Jesus”. Baptism is switching families. Baptism is swapping identity.

Jesus takes your shameful identity and He offers you a new identity and heritage based on His perfect life and sacrifice. And its yours, for free. The scars on His hands are the guarantee that you don’t have to live in shame.

You can be free. Paul wraps it all up in Romans 6:4: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised 48

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from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

This truth set the foundation for me to let go. And I’m not entirely sure what it whispered to the heart of my friend as we sat under the warm, summer sun. But it said something.

I pray that it says something to you as well and spurs you to do more than just dip into some water but to celebrate the ritual of new life and identity the Bible calls baptism.

If you'd like to learn more about baptism, fill out the free offer on the next page.

Marcos Torres is a Seventh-day Adventist pastor for the Cockburn and Joondalup churches in Perth, where he lives with his wife and children. He also writes for his own blog, <thestoryproject.com>.

COURTNEYK—GETTY IMAGES

Freedom comes only when we receive our new identity by faith in Christ.

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FRUIT AND VEG LESS NUTRITIOUS? Modern fruit and vegetables may be less nutritious than they were 70 years ago. It seems modern irrigation, fertilisation and harvesting methods increase crop yield but disrupt the absorption of nutrients in the soil.—National Geographic

LAB-GROWN ICE-CREAM To combat methane emissions and cruelty to animals, US-based company Perfect Day is making a true dairy substitute. Unlike soy, almond or oat-based products, Perfect Day is making “real” dairy products synthetically without needing to harvest milk from a cow.—Business Insider

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ENERGY FROM LEFTOVER FOOD A new process called “biomass gratification” could generate clean energy while providing a solution to food waste.

The unit produces an energy-rich gas, which can be then used to generate both power and heat. The entire process is carbon-neutral.—The Conversation

IPOPBA, TRAIMAK IVAN, SVETIKD, SIMPSON33, MIXETTO—GETTY IMAGES, CHRIS MONTGOMERY—UNSPLASH

HUMAN FUEL

OCEANIC MASS EXTINCTION A new study from the journal Science has predicted that if we don’t curb greenhouse gas emissions, many ocean species may become extinct by the year 2300. If we reach the goals world leaders set in the 2015 Paris Agreement, marine life has a much better chance of survival.—NBC News

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE NETFLIX LOSING EMPLOYEES Netflix, previously one of Hollywood’s most beloved companies, risks losing employees due to its recent financial decisions. Its declining share price has affected many of its top employees whose pay packages included shares. It hired 9000 employees between 2014 and 2022, but as it’s now in cost-cutting mode, it may lose more employees than it can hire. It has already laid off 150 workers, and there seems to be more layoffs in the future.—Bloomberg, The Verge

64% OF GLOBAL WORKFORCE CONSIDERING QUITTING New data from an ADP Research Institute study has revealed that two–thirds of the global workforce are considering or have already quit their job if their employer requires them to be in the office full-time. High on their priority list is flexibility and personal autonomy in their work life; a concept almost unheard of even a few years ago.—MSNBC

EMPLOYEES MORE PRODUCTIVE WORKING AT HOME A research team from a Texas university found that organisations and workers alike are more productive and resilient when they embrace remote work. When separated from the office, employees are more likely to take breaks, which improve mental health and reduce the risk of injury, the researchers found. Significantly, they also discovered that those who took more breaks got more work done.—Interesting Engineering

ANCIENT ANTARCTIC LAKE Researchers have discovered an ancient "Chicago-sized" lake in Antarctica. Dubbed “Lake Snow Eagle”, the scientists are excited to study it. They’re hoping it will give them vital clues to understand what the continent was like before it froze over.—Vice

NEW ZEALAND IS SINKING New data has revealed that sea levels in New Zealand are rising twice as fast as previously thought. In 18 years, Wellington will see a 30cm rise in sea levels, potentially risking once-in-acentury flood damage every year.

Scientists had not expected to reach this level until 2060.—RNZ JULY 2022

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A FLOOD OF SUPPLIED

gratitude

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When the floods descended on this family, they were filled with bad memories. But they managed to find hope and thankfulness in the middle of a disaster.

By Carly Moore

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I

saw the lights first—blue and red, lighting up the night sky as I stood with my husband out in the dark.

“Evacuate, South Murwillumbah, evacuate by midnight.” Those words, spoken through the loud hailer from the fire truck down the street, made my heart thump and fear pulse through my body. Memories from 2017 came rushing back as we quickly made our way back into our house. It was February 28 at 10:30pm and we were aware of the risk of flooding because we had lived through the biggest flood in our area just five years earlier. Once again, it was the perfect situation for flooding. We had been out to assess the river height when we saw the fire truck and heard the warning.

Of course, we weren’t expecting anything like 2017. As we shifted a bunch of gear upstairs to our deck, I remember thinking that it was such a waste of time—we were just going to have to take it back down the next morning. We opened our garage doors, moved one car, and then, as it hit midnight, we decided that this time we were going to get out while we still could.

In 2017, we had experienced a flood on a scale not seen in our area. It was crazy. The news vans parked across on our neighbour’s grass, helicopters flew low overhead looking for looters . . . we had two metres of water underneath our house. We ended up with a lot of neighbourhood debris in our yard and under our house (including a

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car), and our poor chickens had to live on the deck for a few days. Just three or so days later, in the midst of the processing this trauma, we had a phone call from my husband’s family in New Zealand letting us know that his mum had passed away. We flew from one disaster into a time of grief and the bittersweet celebration of a life well-lived. Suffice to say, 2017 was tough.

As the waters rose once again in February, I had a sense that 2022 was also going to be challenging.

I also anticipated the marathon recovery effort that was surely ahead.

I couldn’t believe that this flood had come an additional two steps closer to inundating our house. As we ran into our neighbours—most of whom we had done this with before—there was a common theme: “do we really have to do this again?”

The smell of mud, then dust everywhere as it dried, the broken roads, no power, hot water or inter-

net, all of this was initially unbelievable. A once-in-a-lifetime-flood . . . again? Five years later? Unthinkable.

A few days after this flood, my son went through a horrible ordeal with his school. Timing, right?! It’s been a lot. Shock, frustration, grief, loss and knowing there is a long road ahead to recovery.

I could use these words to tell you about all the emotions I’ve been feeling, and list all the other bad things that happened in 2017, and since the flood this year. Instead, I want to tell you about something I started one day not long after the floods this year. It was a simple act of defiance against negativity—and it really worked. I got up a couple of days after the flood and decided to start a post on Facebook called Flood of Gratitude. Here is the start of that first post: Did you know that research shows that having gratitude is a powerful way to build a more positive mindset? As I

sit here listening to thunder roll in, I realise that there is much to be grateful for.

After that, I just posted about the things and people I was feeling grateful for. Simple.

The next day, I posted Flood of Gratitude #2…

A few days later, Flood of Gratitude #3…

A week on, Flood of Gratitude #4.

I am not going to lie and say it was always easy to focus on the positives. Some days I thought about posting something and I just couldn’t. The emotions were too “yuck” (to use a technical term).

I do know that positivity is powerful. Stopping to be thankful can really change your perspective. Some of the things I listed were very small.

One post included a frog who came to visit our back deck and made us smile; another day it was that we had the water connected and could flush JULY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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“I can do this!” A way of claiming back control of my own mindset.

So what does this mean for you?

I genuinely think it could be a war cry. A challenge. An invitation at least. An invitation to step up, be positive, find something to be grateful for and claim it. I know life is tough. I know some days feel really black. I can assure you though, that if you look for something to be thankful for, you will find it. It may simply be the fact that the sun is out or that a flower made you smile.

Try it, I dare you. Next time you are feeling upset, or down, or even like a victim, find something to be thankful for. Write a list of things, as many as you can. Defy the insidious creep of negativity and open the doors to positivity. More than anything, I can tell you this firsthand: While gratitude won’t take away the pain, or (in my case) magically repair the broken and flooded mud mess, it will help you feel like you have scored a little win for the day. And that, my friend, is powerful.

Carly Moore is a mum and youth worker living in northern NSW with her husband and two sons.

PHOTON-PHOTOS—GETTY IMAGES

the toilet. Still, there were things to be thankful for. Community spirit, people who brought food, others who just came for a chat.

Post #4 started like this: In the face of overwhelm and heaviness, there is yet much to be grateful for. I defy the temptation to allow myself to be stuck in places of difficult emotions. I’m there, in and out, and must allow space to process and grieve. But on our hardest days, when we must work harder still to see the little lights, to look up, beyond and focus on the glimmers of hope that will brighten until the new day shines in all of its brilliance.

I just want you to know that I remember that day, and I did not feel like being grateful. I felt like a victim. I wanted someone to blame.

Someone to scream at. I wanted to run far away and not have to return to the complexity in front of me.

Writing that post allowed me to stop feeling like a victim and step out into the light. I felt stronger when I finished writing it. It was almost like a cathartic way of standing on top of the mud pile and loudly proclaiming

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positively different From family LIFE to physical HEALTH, sacred MUSIC to vibrant SPIRITUALITY, Faith FM programs will brighten your day and guide you on the way.

tune in

TODAY!

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Find your nearest station or listen online at WWW.FAITHFM.COM.AU

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FINDING REFUGE IN AN

op shop

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he ADRA Op Shop in Mitcham attracts customers from all walks of life. The quaint shop is located in the middle of the local mall, surrounded by cafes and doctor’s offices.

Marina Wirenski has been the shop manager for seven years and has been volunteering for almost 15 years. In her time, she has seen the importance of the shop in the community.

“Our patrons become valuable to us not only as customers but as people with their individual story to share,” Wirenski says.

For a while now, the shop, which also has a community pantry, has been supporting a young man named Aaron* who doesn’t have a place to call home.

With the pandemic and lockdowns pushing an increasing number of people into crisis, the demand for support from services like the op shop is rising.

“We get a lot of homeless people,” says Wirenski. “Our aim has always been to raise funds to be able to assist as many people in a crisis as possible.”

Aaron sleeps on the streets near the shop with his three-legged dog. He keeps his small collection of posses-

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sions on a borrowed supermarket trolley. He is one of a handful of clients the shop pantry regularly supports.

“He’s lovely,” Wirenski says. “He always sees me in my (ADRA) Justice.

Compassion. Love! shirt. He’s always so grateful.”

For someone like Peter, the shop provides a haven at a time when life is becoming increasingly tough. After his wife died, Peter fell into a deep depression. His situation worsened when he became homeless. For Peter, the shop is a refuge. He regularly visits and Wirenski says, “He finds acceptance, understanding and compassion in our ADRA shop.”

“What a joy it is to work for such a worthy cause,” Wirenski says. “I work alongside beautiful volunteers with a heart for people. The ADRA Op Shop in Mitcham have been “shining our light” for over twenty years. May we continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus and bring light to this broken world.” *Name changed to protect identity Ashley Stanton lives in Sydney, where she works for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in the communication and marketing team.

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DO LOW GI DIETS WORK? New re sea rch Every five minutes, an Australian is diagnosed with diabetes.

It’s a diagnosis that instantly makes food choices much more important.

BY SANITARIUM HEALTH FOOD COMPANY

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iet is one of the most significant tools in managing diabetes and blood sugar levels. A recent review of 29 trials, involving more than 1600 people with type 1 or 2 diabetes, found a low GI (Glycemic Index) diet helped to control blood sugar levels, and showed small but important improvements in risk factors for heart disease, such as weight, cholesterol and inflammation.

Being aware of the GI of a food can also help you to choose quality carbs. GI ranks how quickly the carbs are broken down into glucose and absorbed into our bloodstream.

Foods are given a GI ranking from 1–100. Researchers have found that low GI foods, including fruits, veggies, many pulses and wholegrains, could help keep blood sugar levels steady and reduce the risk of heart disease in people with diabetes.

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MARILYNA—GETTY IMAGES

SO, WHAT IS GI? Our bodies need carbs to fuel our brains, muscle and organs, as well as maintaining energy levels throughout the day. But not all carbs are created equal. Carbs can be found in everything from sugary pastries to fresh fruit and plenty in between. The key is to focus on choosing quality carb foods, like those containing wholegrains and/or are high in fibre.

TOP TIPS FOR EATING LOW GI EMBRACE WHOLEGRAINS Wholegrain foods not only contain more fibre and other important nutrients than refined grains, they also tend to have a lower GI. When it comes to choosing bread try swapping white for grainier varieties, like wholegrain or multigrain.

PERFECT PAIRS It’s the overall mix of nutrients that determines the GI. So pairing carbs with protein, extra fibre or healthy fats can lower the GI of your meal, such as spreading peanut butter on a slice of wholegrain bread or adding milk to wholegrain cereal.

THE LONGER THE BETTER FOR RICE Swap short or medium-grain rice for a longgrain variety, such as basmati, to drop the GI. Pearl couscous, quinoa, buckwheat, freekeh, semolina and pearl barley are also great low GI options.

Carbs ranked 0–55 are considered low GI. These are generally fresh fruit and veggies, wholegrains and legumes.

Low GI foods release glucose slowly and steadily, creating a gentle rise in blood sugar levels. As well as providing sustained energy, this helps to regulate appetite, reduce sugar cravings, maintain a healthy weight and improve focus and concentration.

High GI foods cause blood sugar levels to spike and then crash, leading to a slump in energy and increased tiredness that could well have you looking for more food. Foods that are more processed or contain higher amounts of added sugars tend to have a high GI (a ranking between 70 and 100).

DON’T OVERCOOK FOOD When it comes to cooking, less is more.

Overcooking food can cause it to break down, making it easier to digest and upping its GI. For example, spaghetti cooked al dente has a lower GI than if you cook it for longer.

Overall, sticking to plenty of fresh wholefoods will have you on track to eating lower GI. For more information and research references check out the full article on our website.

Article courtesy of Sanitarium Health Food Company. Visit sanitarium.com.au or sanitarium. co.nz and subscribe to Recipe of the Week for weekly recipe inspiration in your email inbox.

JULY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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FUN

CROSSWORD

How closely have you been reading? Each keyword in this puzzle is also contained within this edition of Signs of the Times.

Happy digging!

HERBERT2512—PIXABAY

Hint: 8 Across

EDUCATION.COM

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CROSSWORD CLUES

ACROSS 4 Took too much 5 One-on-one 8 Native to a country 9 Feeling thankful 10 India's 16th-largest state 13 An index for food 14 A week of Indigenous celebration DOWN 1 A Bible scholar 2 Feelings of regret and embarrassment 3 A predicter of the future 6 Something to curl up on the couch with 7 A deadly snake 11 A torrent of H20 12 To eat

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Signs of the Times radio is being enjoyed all across Australia and New Zealand on Faith FM and online. The Signs of the Times team discuss the latest in current world events, faith and wellbeing with experts and guests. Ready to feel informed and inspired?