Signs of the Times - March 2012

ISSN 1038-9733 03/2012

why

organised religion? when

bad

things happen

steps 6 to a

more positive attitude Ken Duncan: An “Average� Photographer

editor’s note

Contents

with Lee Dunstan

Signs of the Times—March 2012

church: right but left!

cover

rganised religion—what we call “church”—has a poor image, nowhere more so than in Australia. In the early days of European settlement, it blended with a merciless Establishment.

While Reverend Samuel Marsden actively condemned the colony’s immorality and faithlessness, as a magistrate, he also forged a deserved reputation as “the flogging parson” for the (in)justice he dealt from the bench.

The Church was also an instrument for good, however, recruiting pastoral carers for workhouse women and orphans, whose welfare was neglected by inhumane and self-serving authorities. But any such good is readily cancelled by a single misdeed, as those hurt by their church will attest.

Ironically, it’s those very people that religion is designed to serve. The term itself derives from the same Latin root (ligatus) as the medical “ligature,” which means “a thread used to tie something, like a blood vessel to prevent it from bleeding,” as in a bandage. Christ, upon whom the Christian church is built, came to earth to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah “to bind up the brokenhearted . . . and . . . set at liberty them that are bruised” (Isaiah 61:1, KJV, emphasis added).

Church should be a place where the wounded and bleeding receive healing and nurture, which implies the need for “carers”—church members—to act as such. Seth Pierce (“Why Organised Religion?” page 49) this month looks at a range of reasons for both belonging to a church and attending. ½

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Published since 1886 Signs of the Times is printed and published 11 times a year by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and is registered as a periodical.

Executive Publisher: Neale Schofield

2 | Signs of the Times

Copyeditor: Tracey Bridcutt

Marketing: Lee Dunstan Website Manager: Melody Tan Email: signsmag@signspublishing.com.au Website: www.signsofthetimes.org.au

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The inclusion of a personality or their image in Signs of the Times does not imply their endorsement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church or its beliefs.

Managing Editor/Editor: Lee Dunstan Associate Editor: Melody Tan

49

6 Steps to a More Positive Attitude When Bad Things Happen

W hat to do in the times when life doesn’t go smoothly.

Ken Duncan: an “Average” Photographer W hy he takes those fabulous photos.

Why Organised Religion?

T he reasons for going to church.

features

8 Universe at War! 19 The Fourth Man

G od’s promises of protection and blessing often present themselves when we need them most.

25 columns

5 These Times

hat’s Going On? W

25 Eyes to Recognise

13 Food Matters

40

23 Our Times

D o you know God well enough to spot Him in a crowd?

Blessed are the Meek

F inding the benefits of trying to keep the peace.

laying with Fire?

P

24 Lifeguide

hange the Way You Think!

C

46 Help for the Abused 54 6 Ways to Keep in

38 Food Matters Recipe

58

45

Tofu and Veggie Skewers with Miso and Lime Marinade

Touch With God

62

Reasons for Hope

W hy we do not need to fear the last days.

A Stairway to Heaven?

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50

Live More!

et More Energy G Bible Discovery

hurch is Good For You C

Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPD) Limited ACN 093 117 689 Cover Photo: Stockbyte

VOL 127 NO 3

Unless indicated, biblical quotations in this magazine are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society.

Signs of the Times | 3

These Times

with Geoff Youlden

Digging Up the

Past

what’s go ing on?

The ancient Middle East is the home of historical records. It is no surprise to find that the spade of the archaeologist has unearthed many artefacts that relate to historical events, people and places mentioned in the Bible.

Digging Up the Past gives insights into the society and culture of ancient times, by comparing the fascinating finds of middle eastern archaeology and biblical records.

Ignoring a child as she lays critically injured on the street. How could anyone do that? Geoff Youlden examines the state of our society today.

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ho could forget the shocking scene during the London riots last year of a young man knocked to the ground, his jaw broken, then, as passersby help him to his feet, they brazenly and unashamedly help themselves to what is in his backpack. What person

could do that to another helpless human being? What’s happened to society? Where have we ended up?

Then, more recently, we were aghast as we saw CCTV footage of a four-year-old Chinese girl named Yueyue toddling into the path of a van outside her family’s shop in a busy wholesale market in the southern Chinese city of Foshan.

Signs of the Times | 5

These Times The van hits the girl, momentarily pauses, then the driver continues, crushing the child beneath his rear wheels. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the footage then continues, showing some 18 passersby ignoring the limp Yueyue as she lay critically injured, bleeding on the road. Several even change their path to walk around her body!

It was not until a full seven minutes later when finally a street cleaner lifted the girl off the road and called for help. Amazingly, the cleaner was then ignored by several shopkeepers before Yueyue’s mother was found and she and her daughter taken to hospital.

The highly distressing surveillance footage was uploaded onto the internet where it attracted more than one million viewers within hours. One person commented, “This society is seriously ill. Even cats and dogs shouldn’t be treated so heartlessly.”

Another viewer wrote, “What’s up with our society? I saw this, and my heart went cold. Everyone needs to do more soul-searching about ending this type of indifference.”

So what’s going on? n People have been talking about our broken society for some time now. Perhaps what this and many other stories illustrate is just how mangled it really is.

It seems that many no longer know what they believe in and bring 6 | Signs of the Times

up their children to share their confusion. The result is that we have many adults who are dishonest, indifferent to casual violence or aggression, and devoid of respect for or consideration of others.

If you question this, consider the following: British research in 2009 found that nearly half of the population was prepared to steal and commit fraud. Another study in the US showed that three quarters of students cheated regularly. There are plenty of similar startling statistics. n Many believe this degeneration comes from teaching moral pluralism—the idea that there is no ultimate right or wrong. In practical terms, this means we can no longer teach absolutes. Schools cannot teach values, because not all share the same values. So character education is lost, because each child must decide for himself or herself what is right and wrong.

Television and other media often present dysfunctional, aggressive and antisocial behaviour as the norm.

How often do you see the modern media present something that is wholesome, positive and uplifting?

These virtues are often seen as boring and, therefore, are dismissed.

Our selfish and aggressive culture is the result of many refusing to teach the objective standards of right and wrong. n Jesus Christ, commenting on

AlasdairJames—Istockphoto

with Geoff Youlden

conditions in the days just before He returns, said that moral decay will be so prevalent that most people won’t even know what true love is: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).

Is it outdated and old-fashioned to long for a society in which we live by the golden rule, treating others the way we would like to be treated? To want to live in a society where honesty is taught in every part of education and where respect and regard for other people is a part of our being? To teach respect for life, where each individual person is counted as important?

These values are indeed very old-fashioned. They were first written down about 3500 years ago. Today, we call them the Ten Commandments.

The first one teaches loyalty, the second is about worship, the third is about reverence, the fourth is about our relationship to God, the fifth is about our relationship to our parents, the sixth is about respect for human life, the seventh is about purity, the eighth is about honesty, the ninth is about truthfulness and the tenth commandment is about contentment with what we have.

I don’t know how you feel about these values, but I have to admit

The Ten Commandments 1. “You shall have no other gods before me.”

2. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them. . . .”

3. “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. . . .”

4. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. . . .”

5. “Honour your father and your mother. . . .”

6. “You shall not murder.”

7. “You shall not commit adultery.”

8. “You shall not steal.”

9. “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.”

10. “You shall not covet.”

—Exodus 20:3–17

that it would be wonderful to live in a city or town in which every citizen held to them. It seems to me that this would be the ideal place to live.

How does it seem to you? ½ Signs of the Times | 7

As terrible as were the two world wars, Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East, they’re merely battles in a much greater conflict, as Loren Seibold describes.

8 | Signs of the Times

of the most horrible conflicts in all of human history.

Yet there is a war going on right now that is far more ruinous than either of these. Let us call it, for the sake of understanding its full magnitude, the Universal War. It has been going on since long before you and I were born—before, in fact, any of our human ancestors ever walked this earth. All the

AdrianHillman—Istockphoto

D

uring the twentieth century, two wars caused such extensive devastation that they were called “world wars.” The name was well deserved, because each involved scores of countries fighting over vast territories, and the casualties numbered in the millions. World War I and World War II were two

universe at war! wars that human armies have ever fought are merely skirmishes in this war. We, as well as those who lived before us and those who will come after us, are all, in varying degrees, its collateral damage.

What’s particularly ironic about this Universal War is that most of us live our lives quite unaware of its spiritual battles, which are raging about us.

a spiritual battleground

That future-looking book of Revelation records a significant bit of ancient history: “There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back” (Revelation 12:7). This story comes from a time before human existence, a time when the universe was peopled with angels, all of whom Signs of the Times | 9

10 | Signs of the Times

presidency of heaven to heaven’s enemy number one! We, of course, know him as Satan, also called “the devil.” Revelation 12 pictures him symbolically as a dragon.

Satan didn’t fight God by himself.

We know this because, speaking of this dragon, the Bible says that “his tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth” (Revelation 12:4). This appears to be a cryptic reference to his winning the loyalty of a third of heaven’s remaining angels.

This set the stage for a second battle in the Universal War. Satan had soldiers. Now he needed subjects.

And so he took the battle to Earth, to the first man and woman. n Genesis tells how Satan suggested to Eve that she eat fruit plucked from a particular tree—a tree whose fruit God had given express instructions never to eat. In this first temptation we see Satan’s marvellous cunning. To Eve’s protests that disobeying God would lead to death, Satan scoffed, “You will not surely die.” In fact, he argued, God is selfishly trying to keep a wonderful experience from you by placing you under an arbitrary rule: “God knows that when you eat of [this tree] your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4, 5).

Behind the Universal War is this accusation: God is inherently selfish—God can’t be trusted. And so what’s on the line in this war is not

only our loyalty to God but God’s own reputation. Is He, or is He not, worthy of the universe’s confidence?

Adam and Eve’s wrong choice left their children and grandchildren, and in fact the earth and all of nature, open to Satan’s hurtfulness.

Deviousness, audacity and ruthlessness are characteristic of Satan’s methodology to this very day. Every temptation is Satan’s attempt to get us to trust him and distrust God— while causing as much devastation as possible in the process.

the decisive battle Centuries passed during which

an unbiased reporter might have doubted the outcome of the Universal War. The record of history, from ancient times to the present, demonstrates Satan’s battle tactics as amazingly effective. He rarely appears in person. Instead, he whispers dark but peculiarly compelling temptations into the minds of human beings. He not only encourages jealousy, selfishness and hatred, but provokes us to act upon those feelings.

The consequences from our choices to follow his a suggestions id e o f e run from

l l i w e e fr

th

were a part of God’s retinue.

Though they’d been created to be God’s loyal army, He gave these angels the ability to make choices of their own. And one of them made the choice to nurture within himself a seed of jealousy. This particular angel was God’s highest-ranking associate, whom the Bible called a “guardian cherub” (Ezekiel 28:14).

This designation placed him just below God Himself!

This guardian cherub possessed remarkable qualities: He was “the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (verse 12).

Speaking of him, God said, “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you” (verse 15).

That wickedness was his ambition to take over the place of God Himself, for the Bible quotes this angel saying, “I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). n When competing leaders claim supremacy, conflict nearly always results. The all-powerful, all-knowing God of the universe couldn’t allow a rival god to live in heaven— especially one He’d created in the first place!

The Bible quotes God saying, “I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub” (Ezekiel 28:16).

This was the first battle of the Universal War, when God cast this rebel angel from heaven.

Satan went from the vice-

Satan was once considered the “morning star, son of the dawn” (Isaiah 14:12), but was cast out of heaven when he rejected his already exalted position and chose to become like God. He said, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God” (verse 13).

Like Satan, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. God had told them, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:16, 17). However, through Satan’s persuasive powers, Eve chose to eat the fruit from the tree and shared it with Adam.

The Universal War and our parents’ fall that allowed sin to enter this world would not exist if God had simply created us without free will. Without the ability to choose, we would have to worship and obey God. However, what good is an existence without free will? We might as well have been created as robots.

God loves us so much that He took the risk and gave us the very thing that might separate us from Him—the ability to choose whether to worship and love Him or not.

God never forces, He gently leads. We may choose to ignore His call, but He will never deliberately punish us for our choices. We merely have to live with their consequences.

Signs of the Times | 11

simple gossip and unkind words to slander, theft, rape, broken families, violence, war, murder and every other variety of human suffering and misfortune.

Fortunately, God’s victory ceased to be in doubt after a crucial battle in the Universal War. That battled happened about 2000 years ago, when God sent His Envoy from heaven to take personal charge of the battlefront. His name is Jesus Christ, and Scripture describes Him simply as God’s Son. Jesus’ strategy couldn’t have been more unlike Satan’s. n Where Satan accused, Jesus simply loved. He showered the world with kindness, healing sickness, speaking truth, restoring damaged reputations and meeting human needs. And in one final stroke of ultimate goodness, He offered Himself, the Son of God, as a martyr, to prove beyond doubt that His love of humankind was pure and unselfish.

When Christ died on the cross, He defeated Satan. Satan’s accusations couldn’t stand, for how could anyone make a charge of selfishness stick to One “who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:6, 7)?

As for God being untrustworthy, the idea is preposterous in light of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

He so loved the world, and all of us 12 | Signs of the Times

in it, that He “became obedient to death” (Philippians 2:8).

Through the cross, He was able to “reconcile to himself all things,” including you and me, “by making peace through his blood” (Colossians 1:20). With mercy triumphing over justice, He set aside the inevitable results of breaking His law, “nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14).

Even in defeat, Satan continues to wage war against God—and against us. Though he himself cannot win, he battles with a wild and ferocious anger to take as many with him to eternal destruction as he can.

But when all is said and done, he’s defeated. For Jesus has “disarmed the powers and authorities.” He “made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15). Satan and all who follow him are doomed. n Here’s how Revelation pictures the end of the war, when the forces of Satan are arrayed over against the forces of God: “Fire came down from heaven and devoured them” (Revelation 20:9). With that tragic event, the Universal War will end, and the entire universe will be forever free of the taint of sin.

Only one question remains and it’s one that only you can answer: Whose side am I on in the Universal War? If you’re on Satan’s side, you’ll share his ultimate fate; if you’re on God’s side, you will spend a joyful and amazing eternity with Him in His everlasting kingdom. ½

Food Matters

with Culinary Nutritionist Sue Radd

Playing with Fire?

Barbecues might be a super way to socialise, but throwing another steak on the barbie could be dangerous for your health.

Numerous animal consumption studies show that noxious chemicals are formed when barbecuing meat, which may cause cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and accelerate ageing. Some of these chemicals are even more potent than those from cigarettes and car exhaust fumes.

what’s wrong with BBQs? The problem arises when muscle meats—beef, pork, chicken and fish—are cooked at high temperature, especially if they are blackened.

The food may also be exposed to flames and smoke. It doesn’t matter whether you buy organic, grass-fed, kosher or halal, when you BBQ meats, harmful heterocyclic amines (HCAs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and advanced glycated end products (AGEs) are formed.

minimising chemical formation The easiest way is to avoid problems is to avoid meats altogether or barbecue much less often. If you use meat: ◗◗ Marinate it well in citrus juice, olive oil and garden herbs such as rosemary, thyme or oregano.

◗◗ Flip frequently, avoid prolonged cooking times and trim charred bits. ◗◗ Use a flat plate grill rather than a grate where fat can drip onto coals. ◗◗ Wrap in foil or banana leaf. ◗◗ Eat broccoli, cabbage, rocket or watercress at the same time, as their isothiocyanates can help your detox enzymes remove carcinogens from your body.

Safer cooking methods involve moist heat and lower temperature, such as boiling, steaming, stewing and casseroling.

smarter summer foods Instead of focusing on meat, BBQ slabs of marinated tofu, portabello or oyster mushrooms with oregano and lemon, colourful veggie skewers, soy sausages, veggie burgers, banana peppers, eggplant, asparagus, dolmades (vine leaves stuffed with rice), fresh pineapple or fruit kebabs. HCAs don’t form and AGEs are found in much lower levels in vegetables, even after cooking.

See page 38 for a delicious and safe BBQ idea.

Nutritionist Sue Radd is the award-winning author of The Breakfast Book and co-author of Eat To Live, internationally acclaimed for showing how savvy eating can combat cancer and heart disease and improve wellbeing. See www.sueradd.com for more nutrition information.

6 steps to a more

positive attitude

Victor Parachin shares strategies to keep that glass always “half full.”

R

ecovering at home in a body brace after breaking her back, Diane received a visit from a friend, who said, “I’m sorry about your bad luck.” Diane immediately corrected her friend. “I don’t have ‘bad luck,’ ” she said. “I have great luck. I’m alive!

I’m here to raise my daughter. And I’m going to recover from this!”

Clearly, Diane possesses an impressive and inspiring positive attitude. In spite of the pain, she is filled with gratitude, determination and optimism about her life.

Author and motivational speaker, Brian Tracy, once said, “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.”

The truth is, we are all in charge of our attitudes. The Bible offers this reminder that outlook determines outcome: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29).

Here are six simple steps that will steer you towards developing more positive personal attitudes, no matter what the circumstances you are facing.

1

focus on being a grateful person

STOCKBYTE

“He is a wise person who does not grieve for things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has,” taught Greek philosopher Epictetus. Many of life’s stresses come because we focus on negatives instead of positives, on what’s wrong, rather than seeing what’s incredibly right.

That may be one reason why the Bible consistently encourages people of faith to be people of gratitude. “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God 14 | Signs of the Times

Signs of the Times | 15

for the good land he has given you” (Deuteronomy 8:10); and, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. . . . And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15).

One woman, recognising that she was overly negative, began keeping a “grateful” journal each night.

“Sometimes I can think of 10 things from the day to be grateful about and other times only one,” she says, “but there’s always some small moment to be acknowledged: spending a few minutes at lunch basking in the sun, meeting a friend for a chat, sleeping late on Sunday. This new habit has been an amazing addition to my life.”

Grow more and more in gratitude and thankfulness until it becomes a natural part of your personality.

Focus on the small wonders that fill your life every single day.

2

don’t believe everything you think

Henry Ford brilliantly and insightfully observed, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t—you’re right.” Ford knew that one’s thoughts are self-fulfilling prophecies.

Observe your internal responses to various situations around you. For too many of us, our first response is “I can’t” or, “I couldn’t.” Too often, the “I can’t” response is emotional laziness. It’s the easiest way out of rising to the challenge. Why not be self-corrective when “I can’t” rises in

16 | Signs of the Times

your mind. Replace it with “I can!”

For example: ◗ I can find a way to generate more income. ◗ I can return to school. ◗ I can regain my health. ◗ I can find a new job. ◗ I can surround myself with supportive friends. ◗ I can end my addiction. ◗ I can discover a way to deal with this situation.

One who applied the “I can” approach to his personal crisis is Charles Atkins. At age 36, he was in the prime of his life with a beautiful family and a successful consulting career. Then he discovered he had an advanced stage of cancer and would probably die.

“I never asked, ‘Why me?’ ” he says. “Rather, I asked myself, ‘Do I have the strength of purpose to see this illness as a call to arms and take a stand against it?’ ” Today, two decades later, Atkins is in good health.

3

be helpful to others

The Bible says, “Do not forget to do good and to share with others” (Hebrews 13:16). Nothing generates positive feelings and builds selfesteem like the simple act of helping others.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer wrote, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the ones among you who will be really happy are

those who have sought and found how to serve.”

The same idea is expressed by Joan Marques, author of Joy at Work, Work at Joy. “We are so focused on taking and receiving that we forget what great feelings we experience when we serve others, especially when we know that we have helped improve their lives. Yet, it is important to realise that the warmth that comes from serving and giving far surpasses the magnitude and duration of the warmth that comes from receiving or taking.”

If he answered the phone when she called her sister, the woman took time to chat in a friendly, warm way. When he embraced her, she embraced him in return. Little by little, her irritation gave way to appreciation and when she became ill, her formerly frustrating brotherin-law was the one to visit her and do home maintenance and repairs that she was unable to do for herself.

Today, the woman says, “I no longer dread going to see my family, and I recognise that he’s a good man who takes care of my baby sister.”

4

5

play the role

There is a phrase in popular culture that advises us, “Fake it ’til you make it.” Behind those words is the truth that sometimes, by simply making ourselves assume an emotional or intellectual position, we can grow into it.

A woman tells of her younger sister’s marriage: “She wed a man who made me cringe. He was so loud that he scared the dog. He smoked and wore heavy cologne that gave me headaches. He insisted on giving me bear hugs and I’d want to shower to get the smell off.”

After two years of enduring various holiday visits from her sister and husband, the woman decided, “I couldn’t go on being aggravated by him, since it wasn’t going anywhere.

So I decided to act as if I liked him, reasoning that my behaviour might change my feelings.”

take action

Life’s challenges can inhibit and diminish positive attitudes.

The antidote is to take action. Even a small step can generate hope, increase a life-affirming attitude and produce results.

Consider the life of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor in the US. She decided to become a medical doctor after a dying friend said she would have sought treatment sooner if she could have found a female doctor.

However, there were many obstacles keeping Blackwell from pursuing medical studies. She didn’t have the money, she lacked the education to enter medical school and no woman had ever been accepted to medical school in the US. When she asked doctors to help her, all declined, except for one who agreed to teach her privately and Signs of the Times | 17

allow her use of his personal library to prepare for medical school.

After scores of rejections, a small medical college in Geneva, New York, agreed to accept her on one condition—the other students had to agree. Thinking it was a joke, the students voted unanimously to admit her, and on November 6, 1847, Blackwell entered the program. While studying, hospitals refused to permit her to work with patients, so Blackwell worked with poor people.

Two years later she graduated first in her class, winning the respect of teachers and colleagues. When she set up her private practice, very few patients would come to her, so she opened her own medical college that treated low-income women and children while training female doctors and nurses.

Her institution exists to this day as the New York Downtown Hospital, which treated more than 1500 people in the days following the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center.

Blackwell’s positive attitude overrode any negative thoughts, and she fed the positive by taking action.

In spite of overwhelming opposition, she moved ahead, fulfilling her dream.

6

apply the power of perspective

When something unwelcome and uninvited comes your way, step back and try to see the larger picture. “If you do not raise your eyes, you will think you are the highest point,” observed Spanish author Antonio Porchia.

An excellent example of applying the power of perspective comes from a cancer survivor. She says, “When I feel myself on edge and far from the Spirit, I remember that I paid a huge price to be alive. I am a cancer survivor. I stop and ask myself, ‘On a scale of one to 10, 10 being a day at the hospital for chemotherapy, where does this problem/annoyance fall?’ It’s never on the charts and peace is restored to my heart as gratitude engulfs me.”

No matter what the circumstances of your daily life, always hope for the best, work for the best, expect the best and be perfectly content with whatever comes. You’ll be surprised how your day turns out. ½

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fourth man

salm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” If ever anyone has experienced the fulfilment of this promise, it was the Antarctic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton.

This remarkable man had been a junior officer in Robert Scott’s Antarctic Expedition of 1901–1904. Shackleton himself nearly reached the South Pole in his own expedition

We are never alone during our times of trouble. Geoff Garne tells a story that illustrates this important truth.

Signs of the Times | 19

in 1909, a feat that earned him a knighthood. In his next expedition in 1914-1915, he aimed to be the first to cross the Antarctic continent, but his ship Endurance was crushed to pieces in pack ice. Shackleton and his men boarded three lifeboats and headed for the nearest land, Elephant Island—556 kilometres from where their ship had sunk.

After they arrived, Shackleton decided to leave most of his crew encamped on the beach, with limited supplies, and to try and reach South Georgia Island—some 1000 kilometres away—to get help.

He chose five of his fittest men to accompany him on the journey through the treacherous Southern Ocean in the best of their three lifeboats. He knew there were whaling stations on South Georgia Island and reaching it was their only hope of survival. If he failed to reach that destination, his entire party would perish. Their lives were in his hands.

After many days and nights of arduous rowing, they eventually reached the island, only to crash their boat on the rocks—on the wrong side of the island! A rugged mountain range stood between them and the Norwegian whaling station.

Shackleton left three of his men on the rocky shore with their wrecked lifeboat for shelter and set off with the other two—Frank Worsley and Tom Crean—to cross the unfamiliar mountain range.

Already utterly exhausted after 20 | Signs of the Times

days of strenuous rowing, it was nothing short of a miracle that they were able to make their way over 50 kilometres of inhospitable snow-and ice-covered mountainous terrain in just 36 hours! Word had reached the world that Shackleton’s entire expeditionary party had perished, so when they reached the whaling station, the whalers thought they were seeing ghosts!

The whalers wasted no time in setting sail to pick up the three men on the other side of the island and then continue their voyage to pick up the rest of the party. When they reached Elephant Island, they found all the men still alive. Every member of Shackleton’s expeditionary party returned home to England safely!

part of the story According to Shackleton’s testimony, “there was a fourth man with us” on the perilous climb across the treacherous mountains. In his diary, he records: “When I look back at those days, I have no doubt that during that long and racking march of 36 hours over the unnamed mountains and glaciers of South Georgia, it seemed to me often that we were four, not three.

“I said nothing to my companions on the point, but afterwards Worsley said to me, ‘Boss, I had a curious feeling on the march that there was another Person with us.’ Crean confessed to having the same idea. One feels the dearth of human words, the

roughness of mortal speech in trying to describe things intangible, but a record of our journeys would be incomplete without a reference to a subject so near to our hearts.”

In his book The Promises of God, founder and speaker for the Voice of Prophecy Broadcast, HMS Richards, shares the following story: “While living in Canada, I heard Sir Ernest Shackleton report on his Antarctic expeditions. He spoke of his consciousness of the presence of God and said ‘struggling through the snow, battling across the ranges, always there was Another. He made the difference between triumph and disaster. He brought us through.’ ”

revealing His identity Who was that fourth Man who guided Shackleton’s party across the South Georgia mountains? I believe it was none other than the same

fourth Man who walked in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (see Daniel 3).

These three young servants of God, who were Hebrew prisoners of war in a foreign land, refused to bow and pay homage to a golden image of the king. The king threatened that if they didn’t bow down and worship his image, they would be thrown into a fire.

When they still refused, the king commanded soldiers to bind them and throw them into the fire. The fire was so hot that the flames killed the soldiers who threw the three men into the fire. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, firmly tied, fell into the blazing fire.

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, ‘Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?’

God’s promises of protection and blessing ◗◗ “A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19). ◗◗ “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ ” (Jeremiah 29:11). ◗◗ “For no-one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone” (Lamentations 3:31–33). ◗◗ “Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:6, 7).

Signs of the Times | 21

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22 | Signs of the Times

our times

“They replied, ‘Certainly, Your Majesty.’

“He said, ‘Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods’ ” (Daniel 3:24, 25).

The fourth Man was the Son of God—the same “fourth” Man who was with Shackleton in his crisis. And He is with us in our own day.

Jesus came down to our sinful lost planet in order to climb a rugged hill called Calvary, where He was nailed to a wooden cross and died an ignominious death as our Saviour.

the promise Jesus said, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Whatever crisis you may be called upon to endure on your journey in life, you can be assured of His presence with you, just as surely as He was with His servants in the fiery furnace and as He was with Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew on their perilous journey.

His promise to us is, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

He is with us every step of the way.

He will accompany us, strengthen and sustain us through to the end of our journey, and bring us safely at last to our eternal destination. ½

to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, seven in 10 couples who married in 2010 were wed by a civil celebrant.

help yourself

▲ un-holy matrimony?

malerapaso—ISTOCKPHOTO

Steps

More Australians are saying “I don’t” when it comes to religious weddings. The percentage of couples married by a minister of religion dipped to under a third last year, down from almost 60 per cent 20 years ago. According

In late October 2011, the United States Congress passed a resolution affirming “In God We Trust” as the nation’s motto, while failing to pass a jobs bill that would have put Americans back into employment. Commented White House press secretary Jay Carney, “I believe the phrase from the Bible is, ‘The Lord helps those who help themselves.’ ” Back in 2000, pollster

George Barna found that 75 per cent of the people surveyed believed the famous proverb to be biblical. And when comedian Jay Leno asked passersby to name one of the Ten Commandments, most said, “God helps those who help themselves.” However, this proverb is not in the Bible at all. It most likely originated with Benjamin Franklin.

SOURCES: Sunday Telegraph; Christian Century

51 years ago in Signs We may believe that God is real and that Jesus did walk the earth some 2000 years ago, but it’s sometimes hard to have confidence in things we cannot see. Stuart Uttley, in the March 1, 1961, issue of SIGNS, addressed this issue, learning from those in the Bible, who looked at the things they could not see.

Uttley quotes the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:8: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

T his month, Geoff Garne gives us the assurance that God is there in times of need in “The Fourth Man” (page 19) and Céleste Perrino-Walker tells us what to do “When Bad Things Happen” (page 28).

Signs of the Times | 23

lifeguide

with family life counsellor Trafford Fischer

change the way you think!

How can I be more positive about life? Or is being pessimistic a personality trait that I have to live with for the rest of my life?

A:

Positive people who expect the best possible outcome from any given situation tend to be far easier to be around than those who see the world negatively. They also catch fewer infectious diseases than negative people, have better general health habits, their immune system seems to work better and they tend to live longer.

Psychologist, Dr Martin Seligman, calls the way we habitually explain what happens to us our “explanatory style.”

Pessimistic and optimistic people have distinct ways they describe the good things and the bad things in their lives: the pessimist describes bad things as permanent and pervasive and good things as temporary and narrowly focused, while the opposite is true for the optimist.

The good news from research is that pessimists can change! By listening to and copying the optimist’s explanatory style, the pessimist can start to double check the broad negative statements they usually say about the bad and good things that happen in their lives.

Here are some ways how:

◗ Recognise that while we may fail at a task, we are not ourselves a “failure.”

Don’t generalise bad luck or mistakes to our entire being. ◗ Stay focused on good events. Don’t allow bad things to discolour our thinking, like the drop of ink that discolours a glass of water. ◗ Value and appreciate our many good qualities. ◗ Don’t jump to conclusions. Don’t turn one or two qualities or events into a negative, global judgement. ◗ Allow ourselves and others to make mistakes—to mess up the “rules” every now and then without feeling guilty or angry. ◗ Don’t hold other people responsible for our pain, but don’t blame ourselves entirely for every problem either. ◗ We are not mind-readers. We can’t know how other people feel or why they act the way they do. ◗ Recognise that life is fun, not a disaster waiting to happen! When we hear about a problem, don’t immediately assume the worst possible outcome.

Given time and practise, the pessimist can learn to see the glass half-full on most occasions and will find the use of negative messages becoming less habitual. §

Questions to Trafford should be addressed to Lifeguide, Signs of the Times, PO Box 1115, Wahroonga NSW 2076, Australia

24 | Signs of the Times

eyes to

recognise The Bible reveals that Jesus is coming back soon.

But it warns that some will try to fake His return.

Nyree Tomkins reveals the truth about it all.

Squaredpixels—Istockphoto

Q:

H

olidaying in London one summer, I’d arranged to meet a friend at the Liverpool Street Station. Nowhere specifically, just Liverpool Station.

For those who have never been to London, Liverpool Street Station is one of the city’s busiest train stations. There are shops and cafes

upstairs and stalls and stands downstairs. It’s where the London Underground meets an end-of-the-line overland train service.

I’d arranged to meet my friend at 5.30 p.m.—right in the middle of peak hour. I walked from one side of the station to the other, eyes focused straight ahead, knowing that a glance sideways could throw off my Signs of the Times | 25

equilibrium during the commuter rush.

I knew I’d made a mistake in not specifying a location, but I had no way of contacting my friend now. So I rode up the escalators and waited at the top, looking out across the station square.

Everybody looked the same. I have no chance of finding her, I thought, as my eyes scanned the plethora of black-suited commuters crisscrossing the station.

Then, in my peripheral vision, something seemed familiar. I turned my head and in among the masses, my eyes focused on what I knew was my friend. I recognised her gait, her form, her hair and the clothes she wore. Her back was turned to me, and she was wandering through the crowd. I raced down the escalators to her, triumphantly declaring, “I told you I’d meet you here!”

lessons from history Looking for God and His workings in our world among a plethora of beliefs and a cacophony of conflicting voices can sometimes be like looking for a friend in a busy London train station during peak hour.

How do you recognise God? The Jews in Jesus’ day had that problem. Their nation had been especially chosen by God to be an example of His goodness. And for this reason, God had entrusted to them promises and teachings and prophecies concerning a coming 26 | Signs of the Times

Deliverer who would save not only the Jews but the whole world.

The Jewish people knew that it was from among their own people that the promised Messiah would come. And thus, for generations, every new mother wondered if her baby boy could be the one spoken of by the prophets.

But when the Messiah finally made an appearance, many of the teachers and rulers of the Jewish nation—the ones who were well educated in the Scriptures and who knew the prophecies concerning the Messiah—failed to recognise Him. But scattered throughout Jesus’ earthly life were people who recognised the divine where everyone else saw only the ordinary. They were witnesses of the unfolding of God’s plan in our world.

Simeon One of these people was an elderly man by the name of Simeon. Mary and Joseph had taken baby Jesus to Jerusalem to dedicate Him to God. This was in keeping with the law of Moses, which stated that every firstborn male was to be so dedicated.

For the priest, it was just another baby dedication. There is no indication in the Bible that the priest had any inkling that the Baby he presented before the Lord that day was the long looked-for Messiah. He did not see beyond the ordinary appearance of this family and recognise a fulfilment of the promises of God.

Yet there was in Jerusalem at that time a man called Simeon, whom the Bible describes as “righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him” (Luke 2:25).

God had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the promised Messiah.

On the day that Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to be dedicated, Simeon was “moved by the Spirit” to go into the temple courtyard where he saw the couple with their baby Boy. Simeon immediately recognised the fulfilment of God’s promise.

Simeon took the Baby in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your

people Israel” (Luke 2:29–32).

It is an astonishing example of recognising the divine in the face of the ordinary. Simeon recognised the Messiah before Jesus had even spoken one word, let alone performed a miracle.

We do not know how long Simeon had waited for this moment. It may have been several decades. But when he did see Jesus, he had so long walked with God, never forgetting, and waiting with hope for what God had promised, that when the promise was fulfilled, Simeon was there with eyes that recognised.

the second arrival

Today, we have the promise of a returning Messiah. Will we have eyes to recognise what God is doing in our world? Do we have eyes that look beyond the ordinary and recognise the divine? Or do we, like the masses in Jesus’ day, pass by, unconscious of the unfolding of God’s plans? How can we make sure we a prayer have eyes to recognise?

I think it’s a little like when I Dear God, I want to know You was trying to look for my friend more. I need for You to be my at Liverpool Street Station. I closest Friend. Help me to know what I wasn’t looking for someone I’d need to do to clear the clutter from my life so the communication lines between been given a good description You and me are open and clear. Please of that day at the station. I was send Your Holy Spirit to guide me like You looking for my friend. And I did Simeon. Help me to spend more recognised her among all those time getting to know You, that I may look-alike commuters because have eyes to recognise Your hand I knew her. And therein lies the in our world. Amen. secret, I believe, to recognising Jesus when He comes. ½ Signs of the Times | 27

Céleste Perrino-Walker shares how we can maintain our faith in God even through the tough times.

T

mikespics­—Istockphoto

hey say that into every life a little rain must fall. But when the gentle patter becomes a monsoonal downpour, it’s easy to get swept away on a tide of panic. Whether a tornado takes out a nearby city and displaces your sister and her family, your father-in-law is killed in a car accident or you suddenly have to cope with a life-threatening illness, sooner or later bad things will happen to you or those you love.

The age old question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”, has one simple answer: Sin. What else could you expect in a world ruled by Satan, the “prince of this world” (see John 14:30) than

sickness, death and destruction?

That’s what constitutes “normal” here. The Bible tells us to expect nothing less.

“Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12, 13).

But simply knowing that hard times will come doesn’t help us to prepare for them. Just as disaster preparedness happens before the disaster rather than following it, so our preparation for disaster should happen in careful and prayerful planning ahead of any event.

Just knowing that God is in control and has a plan in place will help us to stay with Him, where we

when

bad things happen 28 | Signs of the Times

Signs of the Times | 29

belong, and provide the stability we need to weather any storm.

be prayerful Prayer is paramount, the beginning, the middle and the end of everything, especially emergencies.

Paul tells us to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This is good preparation, because it connects us constantly to the source of Power.

If someone brought you to the top of a black diamond ski trail, strapped a pair of skis on your feet, and gave you a push, could you learn to ski before you got to the bottom of the trail? You might. It’s more likely though that you would crash into a tree because you didn’t know what you were doing.

In the same way, it’s possible to pray during an emergency without having established prayer as a habit beforehand. An eleventh hour prayer is worthwhile. Any prayer is worthwhile. But for prayer to be an effective tool for our good and for the good of others, it needs to be a wellpractised skill that has been exercised and strengthened by daily use.

Often people think Why me? when they are confronted with a sudden calamity. They are focused entirely on the immediate problem. They don’t see how God might be using the situation to bring them—or someone else—closer to Himself.

No matter what event is taking place, we can ask that God break through Satan’s hedge of illness, 30 | Signs of the Times

disaster or destruction and use it to bring the suffering person closer to Himself. Satan’s weapons of mass destruction become a scalpel in the hands of the Great Physician.

The apostle Paul wrote, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8, 9).

be practical There are practical elements in every emergency. Disaster preparedness websites always recommend people do three things: Get a Kit, Make a Plan and Be Informed.

These are all practical things, addressing the necessary elements of human life: food, shelter, water and assistance. In the same way, those facing a crisis need practical help.

In order to actually do something to help when a crisis hits, we must first overcome the “bystander effect.”

Research has shown that for several reasons, if a large group of people witness a problem, they are less inclined to intervene, because they assume someone else will help. They feel less responsibility. This finding is called “diffusion of responsibility.”

You only have to think about the problems you’re already aware of to see how this works. For example, everyone knows about hunger, but few people take concrete steps to alleviate it in their neighbourhoods.

Most of us assume someone else will

take care of the problem.

It’s the same in a crisis. We assume that someone closer to the situation or who possesses better skills will step in to help. And we are able to convince ourselves with a measure of relief that we, therefore, don’t have to do anything.

To overcome this hurdle, try imagining yourself in the other person’s shoes and ask what you might appreciate in a similar circumstance.

Could you use help cleaning your house or mowing the lawn, cooking meals and providing child care, or communicating news to concerned friends and relatives?

Concentrate on the practical.

Often we scare ourselves into inaction because we don’t know what to say to a person who is in shock or grieving. Doing something practical can get us moving.

be prepared I had a friend whose husband was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer. Immediately, my whole church prayed for a miracle. But as I prayed, in the back of my mind was a sense of reality saying, This is a very bad cancer. The doctors have no hope. What makes you think God will cure him? And if God doesn’t cure him what will happen to your faith then?”

Placing your faith out there on the line is a bit like stepping off a ledge into the unknown. Will you take an embarrassing tumble or will someone catch you at the last instant?

I’ve had to remind myself many times that Jesus also faced a situation He would rather have avoided, but fear of not getting what He wanted didn’t stop Him from praying.

He prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done” (Matthew 26:42). Because His prayer ended with submission to His Father’s will, He was prepared for either outcome and so it did not risk His faith. His faith was in God, and He was satisfied to let God’s will be whatever it was.

When I prayed for my friend, her husband and her family, I put them each, one at a time, in Jesus’ prayer by replacing the pronoun “I” with their names. While I prayed for a miracle, I also prepared for God’s will to be done. So when my friend’s husband died a few days later, my faith was not shaken. I was disappointed and sad, but even though I didn’t understand God’s immediate purpose, I had complete confidence in His will because I know Him. “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ ” (Jeremiah 29:11).

It is in that hope and future that we must rest when bad things happen, reminding ourselves constantly by keeping close to God that yes, bad things will happen, but our God can use all things—even bad things—for His glory. ½ Signs of the Times | 31

His photographs adorn the walls of offices and homes countrywide, but as he tells Melody Tan, his art is not as important as what he can do for God.

Ken Duncan Copyright 2012 Divine Guidance P/L

S

tepping through the glass doors into the Ken Duncan Gallery on the Central Coast of New South Wales, I was immediately embraced by cool air-conditioned air. It was a relief from the humid summer heat outside, and the dust and noise of the construction work on the main road. The Ken Duncan shop and gallery, with its adjoining café called The Sanctuary, offered an atmosphere promised by the name of its restaurant.

I walk past an unassuming older man sitting in the café, enjoying a meal and reading the newspaper. Little did I realise that, while browsing through the gallery a few minutes later, this man was Ken

Duncan—the very person I’d come to interview.

Ken Duncan has a Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to the arts through his landscape photography and publishing. Business leaders, national rulers, royalty, the stars of entertainment and spiritual leaders collect his prints. And yet nothing about Duncan suggests he inhabits such a stratospheric world.

The customers in his gallery— today mostly young adults dressed in casual tourist garb—are testament to that. Duncan’s majestic and awe-inspiring landscape photos are appreciated by everyone, regardless of social or economic background.

Ken Duncan

an “average” photographer

32 | Signs of the Times

Signs of the Times | 33

Dressed in an orange polo shirt and jeans, Duncan could easily have passed as any other customer in the shop. He has an easy and warm manner, and the corners of his eyes crinkle whenever he smiles. Duncan comes across as that friendly person you might meet at your church, not a world-renowned photographer. As Duncan reminds people (and perhaps himself ), “I’m an average photographer with a great God.” His latest publications are a hardcover coffee table book called Australia: Our Island Paradise, which Duncan says took him a couple of years to complete, and two smaller books that mark his new “Inspirational Books” series. The series features his photographs coupled with inspirational quotes, including many from the Bible.

Duncan isn’t one to hide his

Christianity despite marketing primarily to a secular audience, in a country with strong anti-religious sentiment. “I dedicate my books to God because it’s the truth. If I don’t do that, what’s the point of my life?” he says. “God is my Provider. If I lift Him up, He will provide for me, He will look after me.

“If I just wanted to sell pictures of Australia forever and ever, then it’ll be fine. I can have an easy life, don’t talk about Jesus, don’t create any waves, especially if it’s going to affect your sales. But you know what?

You’re just another boring life. You need to stand for something.”

hearing from God Getting into nature, surrounded by God’s created beauty, taking those photos, is Duncan’s way of connecting with the God he came to know personally some 25 years ago.

“I love spending time out in nature, because that’s where I talk to God more,” he says.

Maybe it has something to do with his childhood. Duncan was born to missionaries serving in the Kimberley region of north-west Australia, where his dad taught indigenous people to muster cattle. As a rebellious youngster, Duncan rejected the “simple” message of Christianity, but through his mum’s continued prayers and God’s love, eventually came to accept Christ.

“Normally if I go photographing, I really get in the zone. . . . I’ll go and really try and sense what is happening and say, ‘God, what am I meant to be shooting?’ and I get very focused. I believe that you can get into that place where you get so close to God and you can sense the way the clouds are moving, you can sense the way the waves are moving;

it’s quite amazing, really.”

Duncan’s photo-taking expeditions normally last for two to three weeks (“. . . and then I have to stop because it’s too intensive”). He is quick to point out that while he enjoys photography, he also recognises the need to spend time with his family, to enjoy looking at life other than through the camera lens.

The photo-taking experience of the vast outdoors isn’t always as lonely or solitary as his photos sometimes suggest. In Australia: Our Island Paradise, Duncan recounts an experience where he had to wait an entire day at a waterfall because tourists kept wandering into his shot. But Duncan prefers to take photos of landscapes devoid of humankind because, as he asks with a laugh, “Do you really want a photograph of someone else on your wall?”

Ken Duncan Copyright 2012 Divine Guidance P/L

not so ordinary

in God he trusts On September 7, 2001, America Wide: In God We Trust, Duncan’s photo-book, which featured the 50 states of America, was launched. It was given to former president George W Bush on September 10 by then Australian prime minister John Howard.

Mr Howard asked Duncan to accompany the gift with a letter explaining why he decided to publish the book.

In the letter, Duncan wrote: “Mr Bush, the reason why I’d done this book is to remind America that the only thing which would keep them strong for troubled times ahead is their faith in God, and that is under attack. Trust in God.“ The next day, the September 11 terrorist attacks occurred.

Later, president Bush would write Duncan a letter saying, “Ken, at a time when I had to make some very heavy decisions over my nation, I’d like to thank you for

34 | Signs of the Times

this book, because I’m reminded how blessed our nation is by God. Thank you so much on behalf of myself and my wife Laura.”

According to Duncan, he started the America project because of a burden laid upon him by God. Duncan went ahead with the project never understanding why, until the day the jetliners flew into the World Trade Center.

Signs of the Times | 35

“Occasionally I’ll put a person in a photo just to give scale, but one reason I love shooting landscapes is because I’m trying to let people come to terms with who they are,” he says. “People avoid going into nature because they’re scared to face who they are. There’s something about a beautiful landscape or a pristine area that challenges you to put yourself in that scene, in scale with everything that’s around you.

“As a Christian, when I stand in the beauty of God’s creation, I’m not afraid, because I think, ‘How great is my God, how big is my God and how small am I, and yet He loves me.’ Whereas a person who doesn’t know God, it begins to show them how small they are and how imprisoning fear can be.

“My job is to bring peace into people’s lives. If you put one of these landscapes in your house, the one that speaks to you, it’s amazing how over the years you’ll just go ‘wow.’

It’s not because it’s about me, it’s because you’re looking at a slice of God’s creation, a moment in time. It has the ability to touch you.”

reaching others Duncan’s ministry doesn’t stop with his photography. He is also heavily involved in Christian outreach programs, and has established a not-for-profit organisation called Walk a While. On his website he has an option for visitors to send him a prayer request.

36 | Signs of the Times

A dedicated team prays for every request and, according to Duncan, they have seen miracles result. Duncan also plans a few outreach programs a year, drawing people in with his photos. These programs are usually held in Melbourne, in conjunction with local churches. “We just show [people] the beauty of God’s creation, tell them funny stories and have fun.”

At the end of the programs, they ask people if they would like to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and, says Duncan, they’ve seen hundreds come to know Him. “When I see someone come forward to give their life to Christ, with tears in their eyes, I get so excited that I start crying with them, because I’m taken back to that time when I first gave my life to Jesus. I cried then, but it was with tears of joy, because I’d finally found what I’d been searching for, and that is peace.”

never enough It was a little over seven years ago that Duncan established his Walk a While Foundation, aimed at reconciliation and sharing Christ with the indigenous communities of central Australia. Photography, cinematography and music projects helped build connections and relationships, and he has plans underway for the building of a dedicated arts centre in one of the remote communities.

Duncan, supported by a number

of Christians churches, also aims to create a haven for indigenous people, cultivating their talent “so that they can earn an income doing what they want to do . . . where they are not dependent on the social welfare system and it also gives them pride.”

Walk a While’s most ambitious project to date has been to build a 20-metre cross on top of a mountain in Central Australia. Duncan is in the midst of organising an exhibition in the gallery featuring artwork from the indigenous people in the area, in order to raise funds for the project.

“People tend to think, ‘Oh, he must have a lot of money,’ but I’ve never had enough money to do what God has told me to do,” Duncan says. “My journey is by faith. He always gives me enough to start [a project] and it builds faith, because you have to believe in Him. He sometimes leaves it right to the last minute [to provide], but He’s never let me down.” n So after seeing so many beautiful things and experiencing such a rich life, does anything in the great outdoors still impress this talented photographer?

“Yeah!” he says without hesitation.

“I’m always overwhelmed. When people ask what my favourite photo is, my response is ‘the next one.’ ” For someone whose photographic masterpieces hang on walls of the rich and famous, there is nevertheless something simple and humble about Ken Duncan. ½

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food matters

Subscribe today!

with Culinary Nutritionist Sue Radd

Tofu and Veggie Skewers with Miso and Lime Marinade

Signs of the Times is a lifestyle magazine with a Christian focus and has been published continuously in Australia and New Zealand for 126 years. Why not subscribe and have it delivered to your mailbox monthly?

Preparation Time: 20 MINUTES cooking Time: 15 MINUTES Serves 4 (8 skewers)

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Add the marinade ingredients to a small jar and shake vigorously to combine. Check to ensure miso paste is dissolved.

2. Place tofu in a glass dish. Pour over the marinade, then cover with lid ■■8 bamboo skewers and refrigerate for 1 hour, turning and shaking a few times.

■■8 yellow baby 3. Meanwhile, soak the bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes to squash, halved prevent them burning while cooking.

■■1 large red capsicum, 4. Remove skewers from the water and thread each with the tofu and cubed to match vegetables in an alternating fashion (eg: squash, capsicum, tofu, zucchini size of tofu and onion, then repeat), ensuring you don’t overpack the skewers.

■■2 zucchinis, sliced to 5. Preheat a BBQ and spray with extra virgin olive oil. Place the skewers form 16 rings and on the heat and cook on medium-high for about 5 minutes on each side. match size of tofu Using the leftover marinade, baste the skewers regularly while cooking.

■■1 large Spanish onion, Serve immediately on a bed of cous cous and drizzle with leftover sliced into 6 wedges marinade. A satay sauce topping is also delicious.

■■Extra virgin olive Tip: Can be cooked in the oven if preferred. Bake on lined tray at 180˚C for oil spray 45 minutes, turning once, until slightly browned. Baste well.

■■300 g firm tofu,

cubed into 16 pieces

Marinade ■■1 tbsp miso paste

Free call:

PER SERVE: 1303 kJ (232 cal). Protein 13 g. Total fat 23 g. Saturated fat 3 g.

Carbohydrate 12 g. Cholesterol 0 mg. Sodium 194 mg. Calcium 33 mg. Iron 1 mg.

Fibre 5 g.

1800 035 542 (Australia)

0800 770 565

■■1/3 cup extra

(New Zealand)

virgin olive oil

Name

Mon-Thu 9 am-5 pm AEST

■■Juice of 2 limes

(about ¼ cup)

GREG teschner

■■1 clove garlic, crushed

Nutritionist Sue Radd is the award-winning author of The Breakfast Book and co-author of Eat To Live, internationally acclaimed for showing how savvy eating can combat cancer and heart disease and improve wellbeing. See www.sueradd.com for more nutrition information.

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M

y name is Jarrod. My parents spelt it that way just to be different, but it is nevertheless derived from the Hebrew name “Jared.” Baby name books, the internet and my parents all tell me that Jared means “first born,” “inheritor.”

An inheritance is something that we deserve for no other reason than for who we are—our bloodline, our family ties. Who doesn’t dream of having a long-lost great-aunt who is a gazillionaire who has no other living relatives? Sadly, as far as I know, I don’t have any relatives either distant or lost who are going to leave me their wealth.

But I have found a way to live up to my name nevertheless. Jesus once talked about my inheritance— promising me the whole earth! Matthew 5:5 says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

So being an inheritor, I decided to attempt a 28-day challenge to test this promise: to be meek for a month and, maybe, inherit something of great worth.

Jarrod Stackelroth attempts to find out just what Jesus meant with the third of His beatitudes, meekness.

blessed the are

28 days: an experiment in living by God’s commands

To do this challenge properly, I need to know what it actually entails. To be honest, meekness is a pretty old-fashioned word and concept, but I believe meekness to be something like humility.

I think I’m a fairly humble D AY

BeauSnyder—Istockphoto

meek

1

person—nothing personal to brag about, a bit shy about my talents and sometimes my self-esteem is a bit low. So this should be fairly easy.

I’ll read all the Beatitudes [found in Matthew 5:3–11] and dwell on them every day, particularly the meekness one. If I ever find myself becoming “un-meek,” I’ll repeat the beatitude to myself.

If someone compliments my hair, my car, my poetry or my cooking, I will repeat it in order to stop myself from developing a big head. At least it is easy to memorise.

Fighting with my fiancée, Lina. We are getting married in less than two months and wedding planning is not bringing out my meek side. As we discussed things she’d like, I’d jump in and disagree.

While I want the wedding to be nice, I want to keep the budget low as well. But I remember I have to be meek, so I don’t say anything— which to Lina translates as being sullen. Lina senses my mood and now the silent treatment is going in both directions.

I’m resenting the fact she is spending too much (I think) but I can’t say anything about it. We kind of made up in the end, but I’m not sure my being meek helped. Seems like meekness is letting someone walk all over you—a very passive response.

D AY

2

Signs of the Times | 41

5

I’m currently in the airport lounge ready to D AY fly to Papua New Guinea for work. Last night I think I had a success! I had gone to a friend’s birthday party, dropped off my gift, left quietly and come home to pack.

It was quite late by the time I finished packing and went to sleep. The worst bit was that I would only have a few hours sleep as I had to wake at about 3.30 a.m. to go to the airport. Unfortunately for me, at about 1 a.m., Lina (who was at a friend’s bridal shower) called me to pick her up from the train station. I was quite unhappy, but managed to hold it in. Convinced myself the humble thing to do was to not think of the sleep I was missing, but to cheerfully help my fiancée (even though I was in the right). Felt good, but am still sleep-deprived.

7

42 | Signs of the Times

but my meek answers just turned up the heat!

I’m beginning to learn meekness is not just about humility but also has to do with holding back. Just because you’re right doesn’t mean you have the right—the right to attack, talk back, walk over or push down anyone else’s ideas, personality or different ways of doing things.

Papua New Guinea was awesome. Being meek was pretty easy away from my normal situations. You tend to adapt, be more flexible. I had to take photos and footage for stories I would write for work. I try to be unobtrusive and polite when I interview and photograph people. I think it takes a kind of meekness.

I was also inspired by the many people I met who demonstrated meekness. I met ministers and other people doing a lot of hard work for very little reward. They gave all credit to God or to other people who made it possible. They demonstrated meekness to me. The same was true of some students I met. They were so different to students back home.

They all answered any questions the teacher asked in unison. They were attentive and silent while being addressed. It was amazing.

Maybe there is a kind of meekness that comes from putting aside individualism and working as a team or a whole for a greater good.

D AY

14

It was so good to see Lina after being away D AY for more than a week, but now we’re fighting about wedding stuff again—mainly the budget (or, more to the point, lack of it). I think I’m being responsible and she thinks I’m being stingy.

Forgot my meekness today. Solomon says a soft answer turns away wrath,

Took my fiancée to the train station this morning. An older lady walking her little dog was about to cross the pedestrian crossing that I drove through.

Maybe I should have stopped, but I didn’t see her. When I drove through, she was gesticulating wildly. In my defence, she wasn’t even at the crossing but a few metres away. I guess she thought I should have guessed her intention to cross.

While I couldn’t actually hear what she was saying, it was pretty clear how she felt.

To make matters worse, I had to turn around and go back the way I came. She spotted me and let me have it. I put on what I thought was a contrite look and gave a body gesture I hoped would be interpreted as an apology. But as I drove on, I D AY

17

15

JayLazarin—Istockphoto

I read Matthew 5 again. I also actually looked up the word meek in a dictionary. It appears to mean more than just being humble. Meekness is more about being in the right but not enforcing that right. Humility is not talking yourself up or having a high view of your own importance.

I guess with meekness, you can have a high view of yourself and have the facts correct or be in the right, but choose not to exercise that right. Interesting.

D AY

quickly became angry.

Who was she that I had to guess her intentions and wait for her? What right did she have to become so aggressive? In my view, I was in the right.

And I didn’t get angry at her or retaliate. Yet I don’t think I showed meekness.

I’m beginning to suspect meekness starts inside. Your actions and reactions are only a reflection of your inner meekness. If I were truly meek in that situation, I would have just driven away and forgotten all about the encounter.

There’s been less fighting over wedding stuff lately. I’ve learned that I have to make a conscious effort to put away my preconceived ideas before we start, then I’m not on the defensive. I like this much better.

Whenever I slip up and say D AY

20

Signs of the Times | 43

The third beatitude seems to contradict everything we know on a planet where often greed is gain and possession is power.

The meek are, in the language of the New Testament, the “praus”, those who are gentle, kind, forgiving, mild, benevolent, humane. The earth is the land, most literally and in the widest sense, the biblical Promised Land.

Two of Jesus’ disciples who heard His message described that New Earth as a place “where righteousness dwells,” a paradise with “no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:4).

The Mediterranean world in which Jesus lived was filled with violence. The Jews craved freedom from the galling yoke of Rome. Constant rebellions were put down by savage force.

But the New Earth, the Promised Land, is beyond capture by the violence of swords or the power of nuclear missiles. Instead, it is an inheritance, a free gift for every son and daughter of God. “Come to me,” says the Christ who is “gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:28–30).

—Arthur Patrick

44 | Signs of the Times

with Darren Morton

get more

energy

Nearly there. Still struggling with two major D AY things—road rage and wedding planning. “I’ve noticed you are a little bit better,” said Lina, when I asked her how my behaviour was. So maybe meekness is paying dividends.

24

Last day and I still haven’t inherited anything. But I have realised how much work my character needs in respect to meekness. I’ve learnt what meekness really means—not just being a pushover, but consciously making a choice not to fight back or to be arrogant in my own “right-ness.”

I’ve also learnt I’m lucky to have a patient fiancée and how I’ll definitely need a bit more meekness in order to make my upcoming marriage work! And I’ve learnt Matthew 5:5 is not always about actions. Jesus was addressing the state of our hearts.

Even though I didn’t end up dwelling on it every day, I’ve said it under my breath enough times to memorise it.

Inheriting the earth? Well, I think what the verse means is that you don’t have to enforce yourself, your ideas, your reputation or your anger to get ahead. You have a much nicer life if you practise a bit of humility. ½

T

D AY

28

kupicoo—Istockphoto

Bible says

Live MORE!

something I shouldn’t, I repeat Matthew 5:5 to myself five times and sometimes recite Psalms 23, which takes longer, in my head. It seems peaceful and helps to remind me to be meek.

ake a group of youngsters to a retirement village and you’ll hear the residents wistfully remark how they wished they had “their” energy. Indeed, when we have energy to burn we feel great and are empowered with a zest for life. So how can we get (and enjoy) more of it?

Ironically, the best way to attain more energy is to use what we already possess. Exercise physiologists refer to it as the “overload principle”—when your body is taken beyond what it is accustomed to (within reason), it responds by improving itself. So when you are physically active and expend a lot of energy, your body boosts its reserves and vitality.

It is recommended that adults have 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity a day to participate in the benefit. The good news for those who are time-poor is that it need not be continuous. Three 10-minute stints through the day are just as effective for boosting wellbeing.

Here are some ideas for achieving your daily tally: ◗W alk the dog in the morning. ◗ Take a 10-minute break mid-morning or mid-afternoon to walk around the office block (taking the stairs) or lift some weights. ◗ Have a “walk-while-we-talk” meeting instead of sitting down in the office. It will be easier to concentrate too. ◗ Take a walk after lunch to help your food settle and avoid the 2 p.m. stupor. ◗K ick or bounce a ball around with your kids after work (it will also help them get the 60 minutes a day of physical activity that their growing bodies need).

There is no denying the fact that we are made to move. Thirty minutes of physical activity a day—even broken down into segments—will help you rediscover the energy of your youth. ½ If you’d like to talk to Signs’ life coach, Darren, email him at: signsmag@signspublishing.com.au

Signs of the Times | 45

Community

Adventist Women’s Ministries

Thanks to the work of Adventist Women’s Ministries, these domestic violence victims in Papua New Guinea are not only more informed about abuse prevention, but also have the means to seek medical attention after experiencing abuse.

help

for

the abused

Dr Kauri, who helps treat abuse victims, also conducts seminars about domestic violence and gives advice on how women can protect themselves.

Victims of abuse suffer emotional as well as physical damage. Erna Johnson tells about the work of dedicated women who are making a difference.

Papua New Guinea

SOLOMON S EA

★

Port moresby CORA L S EA

46 | Signs of the Times

mashabuba—Istockphoto

D

PACIFIC OCEAN

omestic violence is the plague of communities worldwide, and in some areas, such as the South Pacific, as much as 50 per cent of the population is affected. A group called Adventist Women’s Ministries has worked hard during the past two years at educating communities with the message that abuse is unacceptable in any form.

Victims can suffer at the hands of intimate friends, family members or spouses, and they live in daily fear for their safety and even their lives. They never know when

they will next be assaulted or what behaviour or remark might precipitate an incident. They spend their days believing that violence will happen and that they will be unable to prevent or avoid it.

Those who inflict violence on their partners come from every race, class, profession, age, geographic region and religious group. Abusers continue to abuse because society ignores, accepts or fails to prosecute their behaviour.

Historically, violence in the home has been overlooked because “domestic” situations were considered private. Friends, co-workers and even relatives may never witness

or suspect violence in families because it only happens in the privacy of the home.

Of the 136 countries listed in the United Nation’s Gender Development Index, Papua New Guinea (PNG) ranks at just 124, placing it in the bottom 10 per cent of countries worldwide where abuse occurs.

Some 40 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line. These statistics translate into a harsh reality for many women in PNG—two out of three have experienced domestic violence and an astounding 50 per cent have been raped.

With this in mind, Adventist Women’s Ministries has initiated a Signs of the Times | 47

Community

Adventist Women’s Ministries

48 | Signs of the Times

their husbands and are bruised both in body and soul. Many also suffer from sexually transmitted diseases because their husbands have multiple partners.

Since more than 60 per cent of the women being helped medically are also illiterate, they are encouraged to attend Adventist operated literacy schools (there are 182 such schools across PNG) so they can learn how to read and write.

Domestic violence, however, is not confined to developing countries like PNG. It continues to be a major issue facing families and individuals in every society around the world.

But it only takes one person to start a good work in the community.

You can help end domestic violence. Go to www.enditnow.org for more information and to pledge your support. ½

Sometimes it’s hard to get along with others, even the like-minded. Seth Pierce explains why it is that we need each other.

why organised

Adventist Women’s Ministries Australia Locked Bag 2014, Wahroonga, NSW 2076 Phone: (02) 9847 3333 Website: adventist.org.au/ womens-ministries New Zealand Private Bag 76900, Manukau City, 2241 Phone: (09) 262 5620 Website: nzpuc.adventist.org.nz /women-s-ministries

Erik Stenbakken—Goodsalt

worldwide abuse prevention program called “Enditnow.” The program has three main areas of focus: nurture, empowerment and “reach out.” It mentors younger women, encourages mothers and supports older women as well as any who are hurting. This is exactly what the Adventist women in Port Moresby, PNG, are doing for their community.

As part of “Enditnow,” Adventist women in Port Moresby are volunteering to do something tangible about reducing the terrible statistics found in their country.

While educating those in their area about abuse prevention, the group discovered many women in their community who did not seek medical attention after experiencing abuse simply because they could not afford it. So the Adventist women approached some gynaecologists and asked if they would be willing to examine women who had been abused. Dr Kauri, a female doctor, accepted the challenge.

The abused women have been organised into groups and each week, the Adventist volunteers bring them to the doctor for a check-up.

Sixty per cent of the women visiting the doctor now receive treatment for various problems resulting from abuse.

Many of the women who go to Dr Kauri have been assaulted by

I

religion?

don’t see the point of attending church,” said the man to whom I’d just been introduced. “I prefer my independent Bible study.

Organised religion just doesn’t make sense to me.”

As we stood in my church school’s carpark after our auto show fundraiser event, several questions entered my head—questions I didn’t ask, since this gentleman’s body language and vocal inflection

gave every indication that if there was a point to church and organised religion, he didn’t have any desire to know about it.

Besides, the fact that I had been introduced to him as a church pastor made it odd that his first choice for a greeting was to call into question the entire purpose of my career and the organisation that sponsored the fundraising event that he seemed to be enjoying.

Signs of the Times | 49

a messed up church?

The Bible says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing” (Hebrews 10:24, 25). Apparently people skipped out on church in Bible times too! Whatever the reason, people who wanted to follow Jesus created excuses to avoid others who also wanted to follow Him. The Bible says that Jesus is the Head of the church and the church is His body (Ephesians 5:23). So why do people who claim to love Jesus not want to be a part of His body? They claim that the church is messed up. It’s hypocritical, political, critical, judgemental and places

religious rituals over relationships.

It’s important to keep in mind that this description doesn’t apply just to modern churches. Churches in New Testament times were like that too. Even a casual perusal of Paul’s letters in the Bible reveals serious issues such as racism, pride and rampant sexual promiscuity.

For all the good the church has done (schools, medicine, science, helping the poor), there are indeed examples of grotesque failures (such as the Crusades and televangelists who are more interested in your finances than your eternal future).

why bother?

So why not just study the Bible on our own, in our own way, on our

own time and leave it at that?

Because, like the church, we too have both good and ugly sides.

Because, like the church, we are in need of a Saviour. While the church has a high calling, it’s also made up of a high-maintenance life form called human beings. Jesus Himself said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).

Jesus knew that churches would have problems because of the people in them. In Matthew 13, He told a story about a field in which wheat and weeds grew together and He used this as a metaphor for the kinds of people we find following Jesus.

Some are wheat and some are weeds.

And Jesus said that churches will be made up of both good and bad people through to the end of time, until He returns and makes the world new.

So instead of asking, “Why go to church?” a better question might be, “Why did Jesus design church this way?” What possible purpose does church serve in my spiritual life when I can read the Bible and pray in the privacy of my own home with no interruptions or obnoxious personalities? And wouldn’t it be easier?

When God created human beings, one of the first comments He made revealed that He didn’t intend people to be isolated from each other.

He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18).

people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

preached to you . . . [by] which . . . you are saved . . . For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

Bible discovery with Errol Webster

church is good for you The phenomenal rise of social networks such as Facebook, with more than 800 million members, testifies to the fact that we are social creatures who like to be connected with each other. The internet allows people to interact in ways that were never possible before. Yet, as good as it is, it can become a barrier to real community. How can you hug your child over Facebook or kiss your wife through Twitter? Imagine a couple who marry and whose only contact with each other is through Facebook and Twitter. How long would the marriage last? We were made to have

50 | Signs of the Times

physical, face-to-face fellowship with each other. The Bible calls one form of this type of fellowship “the church.”

1. What things were involved in the early church worship? Acts 2:42–47 “ They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. . . . All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. . . . They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the

2. To what does Paul liken the church? Ephesians 1:23 “And God . . . appointed him [Jesus] to be head over everything for the church, which is his body.”

The church is also likened to a sacred temple (see 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17).

3. Upon Whom is the church built?

1 Corinthians 3:11 “For no-one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.“ 4. What is the central teaching of the church? 1 Corinthians 15:1–4; Ephesians 2:8, 9 “Now, brothers . . . I want to remind you of the gospel I

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no-one can boast.”

5. What unity exists “in Christ”?

Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

6. How does Peter describe the Signs of the Times | 51

However challenging people may seem and however different their perspectives from our own, we need them in order to avoid slipping into a world of our own selfish delusion.

a convenient God? With online communities and social networks, people can create a personal profile that carefully reveals certain things they want people to see and hides things that they don’t want anyone to know.

We have the ability to create “avatars,” which are essentially a graphical representation of the person using the computer. The user gets to select a picture and create a character that doesn’t have to be completely based on genuine reality— only virtual reality. This means that

whatever we believe about ourselves (which is often only ever positive) is broadcast to others without question and if someone does question us, we can easily and simply delete them from our list of “friends.”

When it comes to our own ideas about God and the Bible, we all have presuppositions and spiritual baggage that we bring to the theological table. Unchecked, we will end up simply creating a picture of God that is convenient for our lives.

A god who does things just like we do, a god who gets mad at the same stuff we get mad at, who enjoys our hobbies. We create a god just like us.

The problem is that we are not God and we need to be challenged by others who have different experiences and pictures.

Bible discovery with Errol Webster (continued) church? 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

7. What Great Commission did Jesus give to the church? Matthew 28:19, 20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The church is for all who accept Jesus and trust in Him (John 1:12).

52 | Signs of the Times

8. Why does the writer of Hebrews say we need to meet together?

Hebrews 10:25 “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching [Second Advent of Jesus].”

A study reported in the Journal of Religion and Health found that people who attend religious services regularly are more optimistic and less depressed than their non-religious peers. Previous studies have also shown that they are happier, more satisfied and live longer as well.

So, going to church really is good for you!

I recently saw a bumper sticker on an old beat-up truck that said, “God can’t be confined to any one religion.” I assume the owner meant to take a jab at organised religion, but I would like to think he might simply be in favour of a personal experience. But is God confined to our personal religion, to our experience?

If God created humanity because it’s not good for man to be alone, then there must be a kind of experience with God that can only take place in an authentic community of other people, no matter how different they may be to us.

The church has both the good and bad—just like you and me. People want to downplay the church as full of “hypocrites,” but they’re merely asking us to believe that they themselves are flawless.

point of difference?

According to Jesus, God calls sick people—those who need help and have the integrity to admit it. Interestingly enough, the Greek word for church is ekklesia, which means “called out ones.” Church is meant to be a community of people called out of a world that specialises in making masks for people to wear.

The church is a place for people who don’t want to play games. It’s a collection of people who have admitted they need help. It’s a place where we encounter difficult personalities who will teach us patience and mercy. It’s a place where we are challenged with

our own shortcomings so we can experience grace and humility.

The church is God’s antidote to the world’s humanist self-delusion that it is getting better. It’s a reminder that humanity needs a Saviour. It’s a place to have our ideas tempered by the ideas of others, where we have our egos held in check. Church is a real place, full of real sinners in need of a real Saviour. n A long time ago, a relative of mine refused to return to church after a painful divorce. This person gave many reasons for the decision: the sermons were boring, he or she didn’t get anything out of the music, didn’t know many people and some of the people were irritating. The list went on and on.

Church isn’t about what you get so much as what you give. Church is a community that needs people like you and me to hold them accountable, just as you and I need people to hold us accountable. It’s a place to share all the wisdom God has given us and receive the wisdom He’s given others.

We all need to have a personal experience with God and we are called to share that experience with others. We can’t do that while we sit at home studying our Bibles alone.

God cannot be confined to one individual experience or one lens to look through. We are all flawed with spiritual blind spots. Church is the community Christ created to help us see clearly. ½ Signs of the Times | 53

6 ©Drew Myers—CORBIS

ways

54 | Signs of the Times

It’s easy, in our busy world, to isolate ourselves from God. Karen Leet has found several ways to stay in touch.

to keep in touch with

D

God

o you want a closer walk with God? Would you like to sense a deeper relationship with Him? Are you looking for ways to enrich your life and make it more meaningful each day? If so, then here are six suggestions for purposefully drawing closer to God as He draws closer to you. Try some of these ideas and experience more and more of God.

1

Turn your thoughts to Him, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing

Are you washing dishes, folding laundry, cleaning out the garage, trimming bushes in the yard, walking around the shops? Take a moment to turn your mind in God’s direction.

Say a few words to Him, silently or out loud. Listen for His response. Take the time during the busy everyday moments to focus on Him.

Signs of the Times | 55

2

Thank Him

Pause in your daily life and look around. What do you see that makes you glad to be alive and think of what an amazing God you have?

Thank Him for those tiny, precious moments in your full day. Anything that lifts your heart or lightens your load of worries can be a perfect time to whisper a word of thanks to God who made life possible.

3

Write it down

Keep a notebook, large or small, portable or tucked away in a desk drawer, and write down anything you experience during the day that draws you closer to God. Write down your moments of hope or gratitude, moments when you see His hand at work in your life, those moments when you sense His loving care as He watches over you. Write them down so you don’t forget them by day’s end.

4

Keep His Word nearby

Do you have a favourite Bible verse that brings you peace and encouragement? Print it out on a note card and carry it with you wherever you go. Pin it on your bulletin board or prop it on your desk at work. Carry it in your pocket.

Keep it in the glove compartment of your car. Read it when you need a lift. And write or print a new one

every few days. Take a minute now and then to read your card out loud, meditating on what it means to you, and pray that God’s Word will take root in your heart.

5

Share it

Tell someone about your walk with God or about something He’s done for you. Quote a special Bible verse to a friend. Tell someone what God means to you, why He’s so important to you, how you feel His love and experience His caring presence. Send a text message or email to someone about how incredible God is and how glad you are that He is at the centre of your life.

6

Begin and end the day

Begin each day with prayer, praising and worshipping God for it, before your feet even touch the floor in the morning. Talk to God the moment you wake up, before business and worries crowd your mind.

Turn over your day to Him before it even begins. Tell Him you’ll trust the entire day to His guidance. Do the same thing at day’s end. Finish with praise, prayer and gratitude.

Turn over your fears and worries.

Let go of your anxieties for the next day. Release your stresses and tensions to Him. Listen for what He has to say to you at day’s beginning and at day’s end.

Let His presence bracket every day, and see what a difference that can make in your life! ½

Instinctively we seek life, and Eternity is etched in the human heart.

Knowing the certainty of what will happen is satisfying. It’s good news.

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56 | Signs of the Times

The Bible predicts scary times ahead. John Brunt tells us we need not fear them.

T

he Bible has promised us that Jesus will return soon, bringing with Him an end to all suffering and pain at His Second Coming. It will be a day of joy and fills Christians with hope.

But Jesus also talked about His people encountering persecution just before He returns: “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me” (Matthew 24:9).

Somehow, that doesn’t sound too joyous or hopeful, does it?

And it gets even worse when we go to the book of Revelation. We are told about creatures named Death and Hades, who at about the same time are “given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:8).

“During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they

reasons for

58 | Signs of the Times

will long to die, but death will elude them” (Revelation 9:6).

Things get frighteningly worse as Revelation 16 reveals the seven plagues that will bring terror and destruction to the earth.

So let me give you four reasons from the Bible as to why we can be hopeful about the future in spite of the predicted pestilence, persecution and plagues that intervene.

God promises to be with us In Mark 13:11, Jesus promises, “whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus’ disciples may be oppressed and arrested, but they are not abandoned. They don’t even need to worry what to say in such situations, for the Holy Spirit will be with them to guide and direct. That

hope

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should comfort us when we fear the persecution of the last days.

Victory is assured The seven last plagues, the epitome of hard times on the earth, occur in Revelation 16. But chapter 15 depicts singing. It is of victory and deliverance. You see, several times a vision of God’s already victorious people around the throne will suddenly interrupt the flow of the book of Revelation. Such visions are not chronological, for they recur throughout the book.

The idea is that at crucial points, John lifts the veil of heaven to show his readers their final destiny. That destiny is to surround the throne of God and sing praises for the great victory of eternal life that He has given them.

We can be hopeful in spite of plagues because before they strike, God’s people receive assurance of victory and can see the vision of their ultimate destiny with God.

God’s people avoid the full impact of the plagues God is doing all He can to bring everyone to repentance, but some are unwilling. However, we do not need to panic about the plagues if we turn to God and glorify Him. Does it mean that God is good only to those who serve Him and pours out His wrath on everyone else? If understood properly, even God’s wrath gives us reason for 60 | Signs of the Times

hope. That brings us to our fourth reason we can be joyful and hopeful in spite of pestilence, persecution and plagues.

God’s people do not suffer His wrath When we study God’s wrath in the Bible, we find that it takes two forms. On the one hand, it is His action against the oppressor in favour of the oppressed.

The other form of God’s wrath is His giving people over to the consequences of their own decisions. It is the reverse side of His principle of freedom. God never forces anyone but gives them the liberty to choose.

Even divine wrath is no reason for fear or panic. It should lead us to see how gracious God is as we come to Him for rescue and salvation.

no fear “Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God you have now received mercy . . . God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all” (Romans 11:30–32).

God’s whole purpose is to save. If we keep our eyes focused on Christ and His promise, this good news gives us assurance and hope. We don’t need to fear the events of the last days or His judgement. ½ This article is adapted, wewith permission, from How to Survive Armageddon, Review and Herald Publishing, Hagerstown, Maryland, USA. For your free copy, see the advertisement opposite.

Jesus had warned that deception, war, plagues, pestilences and persecution would be a part of earth’s last days. And every day we witness more and more evidence that the end is near.

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S03/12

Scott Wegener looks at the facts and calculates the costs of a connection.

a stairway to have a talent for pointing out statements that are totally impractical.

On one occasion, a mother shared with me her longing for a bridge that joined Australia and New Zealand. This was because her daughter had just moved away from her home in Sydney to Auckland.

I probably should have optimistically responded with, “It would be 62 | Signs of the Times

nice that at any moment, you could pop in your car and drive over and surprise her for a weekend visit. You must miss her so much, here’s a tissue.”

Instead, I responded by issuing her a reality check: ◗ It’s around 2000 km from Sydney to Auckland. If you averaged 100 km/h over the ANZB (Australia New Zealand Bridge), it would still

cenglishm—Istockphoto

I

heaven?

take 21 hours to get there (including an hour to stop for fuel, food and toilet breaks). ◗ Even if you happened to own your own Formula One car, at a speed of 300 km/h, it would still take you more than 7.5 hours of driving time and pit stops to arrive. ◗ The trip will probably require two fuel stops. Fuel would cost at least $10 a litre out in the middle of the sea, so fuel costs will be around $1600. ◗ The current record holder for the longest bridge in the world, the Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge in China, is 160 km long and cost around $50 million/km to build.

The tallest bridge in the world is the Millau Viaduct in France, at just under 350 m tall, and cost about $200 million/km to build.

Using the height- and distance-tocost ratio of these two bridges, the ANZB, which will have to span the Tasman Sea, would cost $800 million. Per kilometre! At 2000 km in length, we arrive at a grand total of $1.6 trillion, excluding GST. ◗ Due to the cost, there’s no doubt this bridge would be tolled. If the Sydney Harbour Bridge toll is about $3 for a distance of about one kilometre, the toll for crossing the ANZB would start at $600.

Assuming this mother left Friday afternoon at 6 p.m. and had to be home and on her way to work by 6 a.m. the following Monday morning, and slept a mere six hours on

each of the three nights, she has a 42-hour window of conscious time.

The weekend round-trip drive would take the 42 hours she has, cost $4400 in fuel and tolls, and leave our mother with 44 seconds to give her daughter a kiss and hug before she began the trip home.

That’s a $100-a-second visit with her daughter—and she’s 44 seconds late for work on Monday.

The good news is, for less than a quarter of the cost and about six hours of travel on a plane, she can have eight hours of sleep each night and still have around 30 hours with her loved one over a weekend, at a cost of less than a cent a second.

So why would you use the bridge? n I hope this mother doesn’t also wish there was a stairway to heaven so she could ask God to look after her daughter.

I’m not even going to begin to try and calculate the inconceivable costs and ludicrous speeds you’d have to travel to reach heaven. The numbers would be (ahem) astronomical!

Luckily, just as we have planes that can cross oceans quickly and inexpensively, we also have prayers that can cross the heavens at no cost and with no travel time. I highly recommend both. ½

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