Signs of the Times - November 2011

ISSN 1038-9733 11/2011

Movember How to prevent Depression

kidsand money The

Global

Warming

Debate

waiting for the end the bible’s good news

editor’s note

Contents

with Lee Dunstan

Signs of the Times—November 2011

cover

black dogs and grey beards

5 The Global Warming Debate How should Christians react and what does the Bible say?

8 Give Your Children a Golden Start

I

t’s November and for a good part of the Western world, it’s facial hair month—Movember, when TV news presenters, sports personalities and celebrities et al let their hair down, so to speak, identifying with their male peers who suffer from men’s health issues such as prostate cancer and depression, giving a visible identification with their plight.

I’ve been well ahead of this for years, for I’ve had facial hair since my wife suggested I might do better if I looked more like ’70s pop sensations Benny and Bjorn. (It didn’t help.) But growing a beard helped me avoid the depression I might have felt as I looked at my visage in the mirror daily, and now it helps camouflage the blemishes, although the beard may be greying. So beards and moustaches are good for something.

But seriously, Movember is about drawing wider attention to that peculiarity of men: they don’t seek help for their physiological and emotional health until often, it’s too late.

So SIGNS this month is highlighting some of life’s inevitable blemishes that unlike my own, cannot be ignored forever, like death (“Creating an Ethical Will,” “A Good Death?” and cover feature “Depression: the Deadly Killer”). Your SIGNS editors support Movember, and encourage men to both seek help when that black dog creeps into their life and to seek out others who are afraid to confront it, and help. ½ 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

Graphic Design: Shane Winfield, Loopeck Lim

Publisher: Signs Publishing Company Warburton, Victoria 3799

Subscriptions: Jacinta Knight Phone: +61 3 5965 6300 Fax: +61 3 5966 9019

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

41

32 41

Depression: The Deadly Killer T he mental illness that is one of the leading causes of deaths in this region.

Waiting for the End

hy the end of the world is someW thing we should look forward to.

features 14

What the Holy Spirit Can Do for You I t’s not as obscure or intangible as you may think.

18 The Hittites

istorians thought they didn’t exist, H but the Bible knew otherwise.

24 A Good Death?

29 My Faith

How a stranger helped a woman get her life back.

38 49 54

People-watching in India

overty can be debilitating, P but an organisation is helping the poor find a way out.

Are You a Car or a Computer?

Creating an Ethical Will

Subscription Rates: Australia, $A25.00; New Zealand, $NZ30.00; South Pacific countries, $A40.00 ($NZ50.00); other countries $A45.00 ($NZ54.00).

For change of address: Please notify us four weeks in advance. Attach your old mailing label and send both your old and new addresses to Signs of the Times, Subscription Department, PO Box 201, Warburton, Victoria 3799 or in New Zealand, PO Box 97019, Manukau City, Manukau 2240.

59 I Promise You

S ome things in life are guaranteed.

62

Was That North or South?

columns 13 Our Times 23 Food Matters

T he Five Worst Foods in Your Fridge

42

Bible Discovery T he Second Coming and the End of the World

46 Food Matters Recipe

Mushroom and Tofu Sang Choy Bau

48 Lifeguide

L ife After Loss

58 Medical Hotline Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPD) Limited ACN 093 117 689 Cover Photo: ©Masterfile Royalty Free

VOL 126 NO 11

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

global warming the

ŠMasterfile Royalty Free

debate

W

Daniel Livingston finds out what should Christians make of the fuss about seemingly innocuous carbon dioxide.

hat is the real story about global warming? And what do science, government policy and, particularly, the Bible have to say about it?

science Very few people are able to observe

a human-caused carbon dioxide molecule in the atmosphere to see if it is indeed trapping heat on the earth’s surface. To determine whether the world is warming because of carbon dioxide emitted by human activity, we have to rely on the observations of scientists.

However, there is no single Signs of the Times | 5

6 | Signs of the Times

the earth.” So the idea of harmful human-caused climate change may be entirely consistent with both Bible and science.

Climate change theory fits neatly with the biblical view of end times.

Trust in the Bible doesn’t rely on global warming being true, but the idea that the world cannot keep going as it is, is consistent with the biblical picture of end-time tumult in the physical, social, religious and political spheres (see Matthew 24).

While climate change theory isn’t perfectly unified and bullet-proof, there remains a broad scientific consensus that there is human-related climate change, with human-related carbon dioxide emissions being key.

comparatively small should not be an excuse for doing nothing at all. All humankind, and most of all Christians, have a responsibility for their environment, for God said so in Genesis (1:26–29).

the Bible

government policy Some, Christians among them, also feel uneasy about a “tree-hugging” ideology, which they see as aligned with the left of politics. They therefore find it hard to embrace any left-leaning politician or policy, such as a carbon tax. And regardless of their view of climate change, they see carbon tax as the government’s foot in their door, of unwelcome intervention that may extend to restriction of personal freedoms.

These concerns may well be real and warranted, but such policy-oriented concerns shouldn’t be the basis for scepticism in respect to the reality or otherwise of global warming.

That one’s personal contribution to carbon dioxide emissions is

abu—istockphpoto.com

scientist who has been able to independently and comprehensively test global warming theory in its entirety. Every scientist relies on observed data and established laws that have accumulated over the years through the work of other scientists. Scientific theories are continually being revised and refined through this collaborative effort.

Most Bible-believing Christians are ardent dissenters when it comes to the scientific consensus on human origins. Christians believe God created life and everything else; science teaches that our origins are explained by natural processes involving extemely long periods of time—and chance.

Obviously Christians don’t dismiss everything that science presents them with: they’ve embraced the advances of science, using technologies such as the internet, offset printing and air transport, all of which are built on proven science theory.

But most Christians will place the Bible above science, deviating from science when there is a biblical reason to do so.

There doesn’t appear to be any biblical basis for rejecting a theory of human-caused climate change. In fact, the Bible describes the demise of Planet Earth, saying it will “wear out like a garment,” that “the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time” and that ultimately God will destroy “those who destroy

the counter-argument Regarding global warming, Christians have also argued that the same long periods of the evolutionary processes they rejected as part of evolutionary science are extant in the science of global warming, which for them brings the whole thing into question.

Believing the Bible and being true to it is paramount, thus the obligation to be fair and proactive in environmental protection (see Revelation 11:18) and social justice (see Micah 6:8), while also embracing productivity and creativity (see Ecclesiates 9:10).

An authentic biblical approach to how we should live is attractive and will make sense in every sphere. Not only does the Bible offer spiritual solutions to problems of sin, of which a destroying, profligate and high consumption lifestyle is but one element, it offers a wholistic approach to health, work and lifestyle generally. n Within the current climate change debate, Christians have a great opportunity to demonstrate that a biblical world view has much—even more— to offer than any segment of society, for wholistic, Bible-based Christianity includes care for the planet God created for us and all that is in it. And regardless of our personal standpoint on an obviously devisive issue and its political and economic outcomes, we all should tread more lightly on the earth, as did Jesus some 2000 years ago. ½ To read more of Daniel Livingston’s view on global warming, go to www.signsofthetimes.org.au

the

precautionary principle

In policy-making, the precautionary principle states that in the absence of full scientific knowledge and consensus regarding the consequence of an action, typically in the area of technological advancement, policy decisions should err on the side of protecting the public and the environment.

If this principle had been applied to tobacco use, asbestos and nuclear disasters, it may have averted countless deaths.

While this is not necessarily an argument for a carbon tax for example, it is an argument against desiring unmitigated greenhouse gas emissions.

Signs of the Times | 7

Andrew Lendnal believes it’s never too early to start raising financially responsible adults.

W

hen your children start asking, “Mummy, buy us this” or “Daddy, buy us that, pleease!” then it’s time to start talking to them about money.

Until then, they didn’t ask for things. You just bought them what they needed. Now they’re starting to express wants and needs of their own. We all want to give our children the best, but how do we distinguish between what they ask for and what they should get?

Until children start asking for things, they’re not ready to understand the concept of money. But once they have personal wants—a toy car, a doll or lollies—it’s time to start talking to them about money.

give your children a

8 | Signs of the Times

nothing’s free

Photo_Concepts—Istockphoto.com

golden start

The first money concept they need to learn is that things are not free, that when you buy them something or take them somewhere, it costs money, which is the product of time and labour.

The benefits of teaching your children about money early on are both immediate and long term. In the short term, you’ll help them to develop saving habits, learn how to make smarter purchases and

understand why they can’t immediately have everything they want.

In the long term, you can help them learn to avoid accumulating debt and begin understanding the meaning of investment. By teaching the value of saving for the future, you are helping them learn how to plan for their financial security.

If you can show young children what to do with their money as soon as they know what money is, they’ll develop habits that will serve them well throughout life.

money management We must also teach our children how to manage money. Otherwise, they’ll get into the habit of regarding their allowance as a licence to buy lollies, toys, music and clothes indiscriminately. As adults, if they buy everything they want immediately, they’ll soon be in trouble.

It’s important to be aware of the stages at which each child’s financial growth takes place. Children are unique individuals who develop at their own rate, but all of them, as they grow older, must be included to an ever greater extent in discussions of limits and consequences.

The following are some suggestions for helping children to learn at age-appropriate times.

Signs of the Times | 9

As soon as your children can count and grasp the transaction involved in buying something they want, they’re ready for an explanation about money. You can help your children both by giving advice and by setting a good example.

It’s never too early to help your children build a basic understanding of money with some games that will also entertain them. ◆ Try playing shopkeeper. Have your child price items with coloured stickers and use play-money to buy them. Keep the sales revenue in a “bank.” Switch roles—shopkeeper and shopper—with your child. ◆ Explain to your children your choices as you shop in a supermarket—how sale items are cheaper, and why bigger sizes are a better deal. ◆ Talk to

them about coins and notes, and help them understand that the various numbers signify different values. Then offer to trade them your 10-cent coins for their 50-cent coins.

mistake (giving them less than what you promised them) and let them catch it. Or give them the money to pay for a small purchase. If they bring back the correct change, let them keep the coins.

We all have to live within our means. One way to instil some discipline about spending is to set a limit on what you’re willing to spend on clothing or other common expenses. If your children want something more expensive, let them understand that they have to make up the difference from their allowance.

ages 6–8 This is allowance time. One of the best ways to teach children money management is to let them use money. Provide opportunities to start using money early on, but in small amounts so their mistakes won’t be too costly.

It’s a good idea to give your children a monthly allowance. This will help them to begin estimating the cost of purchases and figuring out how to get correct change and how to plan ahead.

Teach your children to count money. One way is to ask them to count their allowance when you hand it to them. After doing this a few times, try deliberately making a

Photo_Concepts—Istockphoto.com

preschoolers (3–5)

show them the money!

You can use money to teach your children the following skills: Maths skills Using money involves adding and subtracting, comparing prices and estimating one’s income and expenses in order to calculate whether one can afford to pay for a desired object. Even the simple money decisions your children make in the early grades will help them to understand the value of their arithmetic lessons in school.

Community skills Let your children share in helping with a favourite charity, a family activity

10 | Signs of the Times

preteens (9–12) At this age, it’s appropriate for your children to start earning extra money to supplement their allowance. Some preteens even develop an interest in investing. If your children are curious about investing, encourage that interest.

At this age it’s common for children to want a lot of stuff. So the

next time your children say, “Why can’t we buy it?” take the opportunity to tell them exactly why.

Try this: Tell your children how much you earn each week or month.

Count out that amount in play cash and separate the notes into stacks that represent food, rent, utilities, savings and so on. This will show your children in graphic detail why you have to set limits on your expenditure of money and it will illustrate to them why they need to learn to set limits on the expenditure of their money.

Borrowing may start to become an issue. “Dad, can I have an advance on next week’s [or next month’s] allowance?” Go ahead. Lend your child the money, but set a deadline for its repayment and make a point of charging interest. Finding out how much it costs to borrow money is an important lesson for your child to learn. You can also assign him or her odd jobs around the house to

or a community project. Allow older children to help decide what kind of charity or project the family will work on or contribute to. Where money is needed for a project, let your children both contribute and if possible, decide how that money is to be used.

Social skills Using money involves many interactions with others, including speaking with salespeople, bank tellers and employers. Social skills are an important part of daily money management.

Internet skills More and more people are making more and more of their purchases online with credit cards. It is important to teach your children how to do this, how to avoid overextending their credit card use and how to watch out for phishing scams that seek to compromise personal identity.

Signs of the Times | 11

early teens (13 and 14) School-age children eventually grow into high school or university students, and the roller coaster of emotions, intellectual growth and social pitfalls gets faster, steeper and harder to predict. They are transitioning from a relatively sheltered life with few worries and responsibilities to the realisation that in a few short years they, too, will become part of a complicated world that comes with a load of fears, failures and far-reaching consequences.

The young adolescent mix of childlike innocence and uncooperative stubbornness makes it hard to parent them, but this is the time when they need their parents the 12 | Signs of the Times

most. Some of the things that parents will need either to help their teens to develop or to watch out for include the following: ◆ They may still need help in establishing spending limits. ◆ At some point they will want to make earning and spending decisions without consulting you. You can help them understand the trade-offs and consequences of their money management decisions. ◆ They may want to borrow from friends to satisfy their monetary needs—a practice that can end up costing them friendships. Help them plan so they avoid this problem. ◆ It’s difficult, in today’s world, to survive without a credit card. Help them apply for a pre-paid credit card and guide them in using it wisely, within the limits imposed by their own income. ◆ Involve them in preparing for their future education. Even if you intend to cover all or most of the expense, involving them in the planing will teach them to develop truly longterm objectives.

One of the most important lessons you can teach your children is the proper use of money. By beginning early, you can spare both your children and yourself a lot of conflict over money as they grow older. And you will set them up for a lifetime of successful money management. ½ Adapted, with permission, from Gold Start: Teaching Your Child About Money, written by Andrew Lendnal, Exisle Publishing, Auckland, New Zealand.

our times

▲ macho Jesus

© Stephen Sawyer/ART4GOD.com

pay off the loan and interest.

Other things you can do to help your preteens learn about money and its value in the world include: ◗ When they want something that exceeds their allowance, encourage them to save for it. ◗ Show them how to comparison shop and wait for sales. ◗ Take your 11- or 12-year-old to the bank and help them open a savings account. Let them learn how to make deposits and withdrawals. The bank can set it up to require your signature as well as theirs for withdrawals, giving you some control. ◗ If they want something truly expensive, help them set a long-term goal so they can experience the thrill of actually achieving it.

Not all Christians will think it a good idea, but after 2000 years, the Messiah is getting a makeover. American artist Stephen Sawyer has painted Jesus as a tattooed biker and boxer.

The painting is part of a macho Jesus movement, which has been bolstered

by books like No More Mr Christian Nice Guy and The Church Impotent— the Feminization of Christianity.

In the UK, there has been a rising number of conferences and sermons aimed at men that present a more muscular version of Jesus, along with the continuing success of Christian lads’ magazine, Sorted.

red wine myth busted According to Australia’s Alcohol Policy Coalition, the commonly-held belief that red wine is beneficial

for preventing cardiovascular disease is wrong.

“After reviewing all the scientific evidence it appears any positive effects of alcohol in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease have been hugely overestimated. In particular, red wine has no special, protective qualities when it relates to cardiovascular disease,” says Kathy Bell, CEO of the Heart Foundation (Victoria). More than half of all alcohol-related deaths globally are from diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer or liver cirrhosis.

SOURCES: www.guardian.co.uk; Alcohol Policy Coalition

62 years ago in Signs Global economic uncertainty, natural disasters and human conflict are all indications that this world is spiralling out of control. In “Will the Sun Grow Cold?” published in the November 14, 1949 issue of SIGNS, R. D. Vine promises, “This terrestrial plague spot of sin and violence will not be tolerated forever. The time is indeed ripe for the Lord Himself to return, as He emphatically promised He would, to sweep the whole place clean.”

I t’s a grim thought that still concerns us today, but Seth Pierce believes the end of the world is something to look forward to in “Waiting For The End” (page 41).

Signs of the Times | 13

do S

WHAT THE Holy Spirit CAN

for you

Stockbyte

Duane Adams points out several ways the Holy Spirit can help you to have a more meaningful spiritual life.

14 | Signs of the Times

ometimes I feel a bit nervous when people talk about the Holy Spirit.

I can understand God even without having seen a picture of Him, for though the Bible says that “God is Spirit” (John 4:24), it also describes Him in quite human terms. Ezekiel said that God has the appearance of a man (Ezekiel 1:26). And other biblical writers speak of “the eyes of the Lord,” “the hand of the Lord” and “the mouth of the Lord” (Psalm 34:15; Ezekiel 8:1; Jeremiah 9:12, NKJV*).

Jesus is even easier to understand.

While I don’t have a photograph of Him either, He was a member of our species and I know what we look like. Jesus is real to my imagination in the same way Captain Cook and Genghis Khan are real to me.

But the Holy Spirit is, well, spirit.

And while the Bible describes the

Spirit as a Counsellor and an Intercessor and says that He dwells in us, these are all abstractions. None of them puts a nail in the wall that I can hang a picture on. I suppose that’s why it’s harder for me to think of the Holy Spirit as real than it is to think of either God the Father or God the Son as real.

However, the Bible does describe the Holy Spirit in very specific terms. Jesus, for example, spoke of the Spirit as a Person distinct from both Himself and God the Father.

He said, “I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16, 17; see also verse 26). It’s quite apparent that Jesus thought of the Spirit as an intelligent Being who was distinct from both Himself and the Father.

But what does the Holy Spirit do for us? Why is He important to us?

Signs of the Times | 15

He dwells in our hearts Shortly before Jesus left this earth, He broke the news of His coming departure to His disciples. Naturally, they were quite distressed and asked if they could go with Him. He said no, but then He made the promise we saw a moment ago: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” Jesus went on to say that the Spirit “lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:17, emphasis supplied).

When the Bible speaks of either the Father or the Son dwelling in us, it’s through the Spirit that this happens. This is apparent from Jesus’ own words. Immediately after telling His disciples that the Spirit “lives with you and will be in you,” He said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18). Jesus meant that He would “come to” His disciples through the Spirit. And Paul wrote often about us being “in Christ” and Him being “in us” (Romans 8:1, 10). Again, it’s through the Spirit that this happens.

He changes our thoughts and feelings What does it mean for the Spirit to “dwell” in our bodies and in our minds and hearts? The Spirit is the member of the Godhead who actually touches our lives physically, personally. If we allow Him to, He actually changes our brain chemistry. This is especially evident from 16 | Signs of the Times

what Paul said in Galatians about “the works of the flesh” and “the fruit of the Spirit.” The “works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19, KJV) that Paul mentioned include “hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions [and] factions” (verse 20). Notice that these are mostly emotions and desires—ways we think and feel. The “fruit of the Spirit” on the other hand includes “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (verses 22, 23).

These are the divine character traits that the Spirit places in us when He dwells in our minds and hearts.

In other words, when God’s Spirit dwells in people, He actually changes the way they think and feel!

Jesus spoke of this change as being “born again” (John 3:3), and a moment later He said it meant being “born of the Spirit” (verse 8, emphasis added). Paul said that the Spirit of God helps us to understand spiritual concepts that seem foolish to those who have not been born again (1 Corinthians 2:12–14).

In his book When All Alone I Stand, author Jan Doward explained how the Holy Spirit changed his thinking. It happened while he was a sailor in the US Navy: “Physically nothing apparently had changed, but inwardly I was a new person. . . . The notion of trying to impress anyone with being tough permanently vanished. . . . I suddenly lost all desire for anything

in the entertainment world.”

As time went on, Doward said that his friends began whispering among themselves, “What happened to Jan?” The change in him seemed strange to them. That’s a perfect example of what Paul meant when he said that what makes sense to the born-again Christian seems foolish to those who have not had that experience.

He helps us understand ourselves

is the Holy Spirit a person?

Some people say that the Holy Spirit is simply the Spirit of God the Father rather than being an individual in His own right.

However, the Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit in very personal terms..

We humans seem singularly incapable of admitting our faults. It began with Adam, who blamed his wife when God asked him why he’d eaten the fruit from the forbidden tree.

The Holy Spirit is listed There are a couple of reasons for such denial. along with the Father and First, we enjoy our sins, and we don’t want God the Son as a real person telling us we can’t have them. And second, we’re (Matthew 28:19; ashamed of our sins and would rather no-one 2 Corinthians 13:14). found out about them. The odd thing is that these sins—we often call them addictions these days— Father, Son, and Holy Spirit may be destroying our homes, our professions, were all present as separate even our very lives, yet we keep on doing them! entities at Christ’s baptism That’s why we need God’s Spirit. Jesus said that (Matthew 3:16, 17). the Spirit would convict us of sin and guide us Jesus spoke of the Holy into all truth (John 16:8, 13). And I propose that Spirit as “He,” suggesting the truth the Spirit is especially anxious to show us that the Spirit is an individis the truth about those character defects that are ual (John 14:16, 17; 16:13, destroying us. He’s able to help us actually want 14). that truth and enjoy hearing it.

Would you like to have this kind of change in The Holy Spirit intercedes your life? It’s really quite easy to get. Just say this for us before God the Father simple prayer: “God, please place Your Spirit in (Romans 8:26). my mind and change the way I think and feel.”

Like Jan Doward, some people will experience a The Holy Spirit has a mind change that happens immediately. For others how- of His own (Romans 8:27). ever, it takes time. It does not mean that God isn’t The Holy Spirit speaks listening. Rest assured that if you persist in saying (1 Timothy 4:1). this prayer, the change will happen. ½ * Scriptures quoted from NKJV are from the New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Holy Spirit can be lied to (Acts 5:3, 4).

Signs of the Times | 17

the

Kaymakli Underground City is the most extensive underground city of the Cappadocia region. These troglodyte cave-cities were carved out underneath a rock hill (Kaymakli Castle). The first three floors were probably carved out by the Hittites at about 2000 B.C.

18 | Signs of the Times

T

here is much to see in Turkey.

There are the seven churches of Asia, the strange chimneys and underground cities of Cappadocia, Mount Ararat in the east, and the throbbing life of Istanbul in the west. But what fascinates me most are the haunts of the ancient Hittites.

There is the Hittite Hotel, the Hittite Taxi Company, the Hittite Restaurant and the Hittite Souvenir Shop. But it has not always been like that. Until 1880, scholars didn’t think the Hittites had ever existed.

But the Bible mentions the name

nearly 50 times, and those who believed the Bible to be an accurate account of ancient events continued to accept as fact their existence, in spite of a lack of historical and archaeological support. The critics of the Bible scoffed, saying that there were no such people. That is, until Archibald Henry Sayce announced to an incredulous group of scholars in London that certain strange artifacts turning up all over Turkey originated with the biblical Hittites.

who were they?

Since the Hittite language and hieroglyphs are now understood, we can know much of their history. Their language had a number of Indo-European features, leading some scholars to conclude that they originally migrated from Europe about 1600 b.c. Others claimed

danishkhan—Istockphoto

Hittites

Until recently, scholars believed that the Hittite kingdom mentioned in the Bible was a fictional nation.

David Down explains how we now know they did exist.

Signs of the Times | 19

Black SEA

20 | Signs of the Times

The following inscription was found on a temple wall.

It details the marriage of the Egyptian king Ramses II to a Hittite princess.

Hittite KinGdom

Egypto-Hittite Peace Treaty (about 1258 B.C.) between Hattusili III and Ramses II is the best known early written peace treaty.

Egyptian threat

Cyprus

Syria Iraq

Whose like was not known before in Egypt.

Egypt

Further to the south, the powerful eighteenth dynasty of Egypt posed a threat to the borders of the Hittite kingdom. Thutmose I of Egypt marched as far north as the Euphrates, challenging Hittite authority in the area. Chariots were by then a major weapon of war, but the Hittites went one better, using cavalry, the first nation to do so. In the Istanbul Museum is a cuneiform tablet upon which is written a horse training manual—how to break in a new horse for riding.

Suppiluliuma I (1344–1322 b.c.) was the greatest of the Hittite kings, a natural diplomat. He sent a message of congratulations to Pharaoh Akhenaten on his accession to the Egyptian throne and also negotiated a marriage with Malnigal, the daughter of the king of Babylon.

In Egypt, Akhenaten was followed by Tutankhamun, who ruled only nine years. After his death,

His Majesty was overjoyed.

The Lord of the palace was glad when he heard of this extraordinary event,

Mediterranean sea

AmandaLewis—Istockphoto

that the Hittites were already there and the IndoEuropeans simply invaded their country and imposed their language on them.

Anitta is credited with being the first great king of the Hittites and he conquered and destroyed a city called Hattusa, placing a curse on anyone who rebuilt it. The curse was ineffectual, however, because his successor, Hattusili, rebuilt it and made it his capital city. His teenage son, Mursili, succeeded him. Mursili marched an army south, crossed the Euphrates River and conquered Aleppo.

Mursili expanded the Hittite power further. He not only destroyed Aleppo but marched his troops down the Euphrates valley to Babylon, which he looted, thus bringing the dynasty of Hammurabi to an end. Telipinu was the last king of the Hittite Old Kingdom.

There was remarkable gender equality among the Hittites. The woman who held the administrative post of the Tawananna wielded a lot of authority in the land. Noone knows quite what this position was, although some believe it was a title for the queen of the Hittites.

Regardless, it was a position always held by a woman.

Suppiluliuma was astonished to receive a letter from Tutankhamun’s widow saying, “I have no son, but they say you have many sons. If you would give me one of your sons, he would become my husband. I will never take a servant of mine and make him my husband.”

Suppiluliuma was suspicious and sent a delegation to Egypt to see if the letter was genuine. It was, and Suppiluliuma immediately sent his son with a delegation to Egypt. But the delay proved fatal—his son died before he reached Egypt, but his father accused the Egyptians of murdering him. n Ramses II (1303–1213 b.c.) met the Hittites in the battle of Kadesh and was lucky to escape with his life. Kadesh is significant as the first recorded battle in history. But the two superpowers wisely decided to return to diplomacy rather than prolong a futile war. A formal written agreement was exchanged between the two parties and the agreement was sealed by a marriage between Ramses and a Hittite princess, who became his great chief wife.

He sent an army and nobles to meet them at once.

The daughter of the Great Prince of Hatti, She who had come to Egypt, Was led before His Majesty, And after her were brought the many, the countless gifts.

Then His Majesty saw that her face was fair as a goddess, And it was a great and rare happening, A magnificent marvel, Like nothing heretofore known, Like nothing any man has heard spoken from the mouths of others, Like nothing that is set forth in the writings of our forefathers.

Signs of the Times | 21

Food Matters

with Consultant Nutritionist Sue Radd

Stone carvings and the Ramseum on the West Bank of the River Nile at Luxor, Egypt. The Pharaoh Ramses II is shown enslaving defeated Hittites.

the five worst foods in your fridge Feeling sluggish? Lacking concentration or fighting flab? The contents of your fridge may be to blame. The quantity stored there and their position directly influence what you eat and drink. What does your fridge say about you?

The Hittites were reputedly a friendly people. While gate posts to Egyptian and Assyrian cities were engraved with kings exterminating their enemies, the Hittites displayed a sense of humour on theirs. A gate at Alaca Hoyuk contains a relief of three acrobats, one a sword swallower, another a fire-eater and the third climbing a ladder not attached to a wall. The message seems to be, “Come on in, enjoy yourself.” The people themselves appear as more cartoonish than realistic.

On the assumption that the socalled Sea Peoples depicted on the walls of the Medinet Habu temple of Ramses III were responsible for the ultimate defeat of the Hittites, their end is usually placed about 1200 b.c., but Assyrian reliefs left

by Shalmaneser III in the ninth century B.C., and Sennacherib in the eighth century B.C. indicate that they met their end at the hands of Assyrian armies some five centuries later.

The Bible certainly indicates that they were still at the height of their 22 | Signs of the Times

power in the ninth century B.C. The Syrians were besieging Samaria when they suddenly fled, “for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, ‘Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!’ ” (2 Kings 7:6).

The Istanbul and Ankara museums are stacked high with impressive statues and reliefs from the time of the Hittite empire, most dated to the era of Assyrian domination.

A visit to Hattusa, now known as Bogazkale, is an exciting experience.

There is the King’s Gate, the Sphinx Gate, strong walls stretching for over four kilometres, dozens of temples that have been excavated and a list of kings engraved on the face of the rock by Suppiluliuma.

The Hittites were a great empire, but before 1880, the only source of information about them was found in the Bible, which had it been believed, may well have advanced our archaelogical knowledge of them much earlier. Belief in the Bible has many advantages, all of which, it appears, are eventually proven. ½

be fridge aware If you buy more food than you need, you can double your intake of that food or drink without even realising, according to Dr Brian Wansink, a food psychologist at Cornell University.

If fruits and veggies are tucked away near the bottom of your refrigerator and unhealthy snacks are staring you in the face, you may have a further problem with shelf management! In fact, you’re 2.7 times more likely to eat healthy food if it’s in your line of sight.

five foods that sabotage health ◗◗ Soft drinks. Drinking one can of soft drink per day can make you 4.5 kilograms fatter over a year, according to the New York City Health Anti-Soda Ad, “Are You Pouring on the Pounds?” Don’t drink yourself fat.

Switch to chilled water with some fresh lemon or lime squeezed in.

AmandaLewis—Istockphoto

the end of a people

◗◗ Alcohol. Whether it’s beer, wine or pre-mixed drinks, alcoholic drinks promote weight gain and decrease your mental alertness. They also

cause liver damage, brain damage (especially in teenagers) and many types of cancer, such as breast cancer. For special occasions, try nonalcoholic wine or dark grape juice. ◗◗ Butter and margarine. The saturated and trans fats hiding in these foods will clog your arteries and expand your waistline. Use extravirgin olive oil in recipes and spread with natural nut butters or avocado for healthy fats. ◗◗ Processed meat. Salami, sausages, ham and bacon may be easy sandwich fillings, but are loaded with salt and up to 50 per cent of their fat is saturated! Replace these with a tasty lentil burger or falafel balls. ◗◗ Takeaway foods. According to the Australian Food Safety Information Council, close to 80 per cent of food poisoning cases occur from eating out, so don’t save those leftovers in your fridge. Better still, make your own healthy fast food at home!

See page 46 for an easy and nutritious recipe you can make from wholesome ingredients in your fridge.

For further information on healthy eating, please contact Sanitarium Nutrition Service AUSTRALIA: Locked Bag 7 Central Coast Mail Centre, NSW 2252 Freecall: 1800 673 392

NEW ZEALAND: Private Bag 92127, Auckland, New Zealand Phone: 0800 100 257

a

good

death?

Rodney Woods finds out if there is indeed such a thing.

24 | Signs of the Times

the word euthanasia is colloquially understood as “assisted suicide.”

deaths in the Bible How many of the deaths in the Bible might we consider to be “a good death” today? The Bible writers seem not to have thought of death as “good.” Most of them simply described someone’s death as “then he died” (for example, Genesis 5:5; 2 Kings 4:20).

Whenever someone’s death is described in greater detail, it’s usually an abnormal way of dying: Abel, who was murdered by his brother (Genesis 4:8); Absalom, who was killed by javelins after he was caught in a tree by his hair (2 Samuel 18:14); Eli, who died

BananaStock

T

he word euthanasia has its roots in two Greek words: eu, meaning “good,” and thanatos, meaning “death.”

So the word euthanasia literally means “a good death.”

One of the first uses of the word is by the Roman historian Suetonius.

He used it to describe the death of the Roman emperor Augustus, saying that he was “dying quickly and without suffering in the arms of his wife Livia, [and the emperor] experienced the euthanasia he had wished for.”

The word was first used in a medical context in the seventeenth century by Francis Bacon in reference to “an easy, painless, happy death, during which it was a ‘physician’s responsibility to alleviate the physical sufferings of the body.’ ” Today,

Signs of the Times | 25

Doug Batchelor

after falling from a chair (1 Samuel 4:18); and Rachel, who died in childbirth (Genesis 35:17–20).

Another more detailed story is the death of Jacob in Genesis 49, where his family gathered about him as he lay on his deathbed. He was able to bless each family member, give instructions about his burial and make himself comfortable before joining his ancestors in death. n After Saul’s sons were killed and he was wounded during a battle against the Philistines, Saul instructed his armor-bearer to kill him so that the Philistines would not capture him and torture him to death.

But his armor-bearer was too afraid to obey so Saul “took his own sword and fell on it” (1 Samuel 31:4).

The greater the detail given in storytelling, the more important the event. Thus, it’s not surprising that the death of Jesus—His crucifixion upon a Roman cross—is the most detailed death recorded in Scripture.

deaths today Today, heart disease is the leading cause of death in most Western societies. Cancer, stroke, respiratory diseases and unintentional injuries resulting from accidents make up the top five.

Which of these contemporary examples would you consider to be a good death? How do we today even define a “good death”? Is it the way a person dies? Is it when a person dies?

If that were true, then very few of us 26 | Signs of the Times

would have a good death.

The death of a child is never referred to as a “good death” but can it be considered a good death if someone lives a long and full life and dies at the age of 95? While we may have some idealised notion of how we would like to die, the reality is often very different.

Sometimes, a person who is terminally ill is ready to die before the family is ready for him or her to die.

Sometimes, and very unintentionally, family members can behave in ways that make it harder emotionally, psychologically and spiritually for their loved one who is dying.

defining a good death You have no doubt heard the expression, “the living dead.” While it often refers to those who live empty and pointless lives, it also refers to the near dead who are not quite dead but are not functionally alive either. But did you know that the concept of the living dead is actually biblical?

The apostle John talks about the living dead in 1 John 3:14 when he said, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.”

According to John, the living dead may be walking our streets today and may even be sitting next to us now. They are those who appear alive but their hearts are already dead because there is no love there.

Perhaps there’s no such thing as a good death. It’s likely that we will have very little choice about when we die, how we die or who we’ll be with when we die. But we have a choice about how to live before we die.

I’m not talking about living a perfect life—no sins, no mistakes. Rather, I’m talking about a life of authenticity: being generous in love, grace, and forgiveness; having a heart of kindness and a spirit of humility.

A life where, when we commit a wrong, whether intentionally or not, we try very hard to make it right. A life where we are quick to genuinely apologise.

These choices we make in life are the ones that people remember.

These memories are far more lasting, far more influential and far more comforting. On the other hand, if these choices are neglected, any legacy such as property, money or material goods that we have in this life or that we pass on to our heirs will not lessen any hurt we have caused through our actions.

The reality is that we will all die at some point. And I believe we have a responsibility to make death as peaceful, loving and painless as possible, both for ourselves and especially for our friends and loved ones.

Then may it be that at the coming of Christ, we can say, “This is my God, this is my new family, this is my new body, this is my new mind, this is my new life. This is what I’ve been waiting and longing for!” ½

Many people don’t know who they are.

Selfishness and pride camouflage the real person. This dynamic book written by Doug Batchelor, will help fan away the chaff and expose the essence of who you really are— and more important, who you can really become in Christ! To receive your free copy of Who Do You Think You Are? fill out the coupon below and mail it to the appropriate address.

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woke up startled, strongly convinced that it was more than just a dream. A vision— that’s what it had to be! And the voice— it sounded so real, divine and powerful, yet benevolent. It claimed to be the voice of the true God who was commanding me to supply food to a stranger—a godly man, who would soon be visiting me.

All my life, I’ve worshipped the gods of my people, but I never saw any further reason for my devotion than as a means to blunt the wrath of the gods. Then I heard of the God who the Hebrews worshipped. The very same One whom I thought had spoken to me.

Sarah Varghese recounts the story of a woman who, on the verge of losing everything, retained it, thanks to a stranger’s help.* Signs of the Times | 29

this devastating drought! sunrise, I was out in my yard collecting sticks for a fire to prepare what would be our last meal, for I had run out of food. That was when I noticed someone approaching my house. As he got closer, I could see he was a slight yet sinewy man, tanned by the scorching sun.

His clothes were ragIn my struggle ged and soiled, suggestfor survival, I ing that he had been travelling a long way. never once asked His eyes suggested a God for wisdom calm and gentle characAnd when he spoke, or strength. ter. he did so with authority and confidence.

Before I could say anything, he dence strong enough to convince me began, “Good morning, ma’am! My to abandon my childhood loyalties name is Elijah. I am a prophet of the and follow this new faith. Now this Almighty God. I have been traveldream and its purpose baffled me. ling many days and am very tired.

There has been a great drought Could I bother you for a drink?” in the region for the last year, and I had not been hallucinating after my son and I are literally on the all! verge of starving to death. Did God I nodded my head in consent and really want me to sacrifice my very quickly turned toward the house. last meal to a stranger? Surely there Then I heard him say, “While are other people in Zarephath who you’re at it, could you also fetch me could take care of this man! I know a little something to eat?” that it’s good to be charitable and I stopped in my tracks, waited a even wish I could help this servant moment, my mind racing back to of God, but am I not the one desmy dream, and then I turned to perately deserving of some charity?

I quickly dismissed my “vision” as him and said, “Sir, I have nothing to a hallucination resulting from severe offer you save a handful of flour and a little oil—just enough to prepare a hunger. My head was already filled last meal for me and my son. After with more concerns than I could that we have nothing to look forhandle. Early widowhood had left me a little son to bring up. And now ward to but death.”

30 | Signs of the Times

n At

luisierra­—iStockPhoto

His followers spoke highly of Him, asserting Him to be the only true God. Powerful and mighty though He is, His justice and mercy stood out above all else.

I secretly worshipped and prayed to this God, hoping He would answer me. But I never had any evi-

Without a second thought he replied, “Go prepare a meal for yourself and your son. But before that, make a small loaf of bread for me. The God of Israel will keep your pot of flour from going empty and your jar of oil from running dry until the time the drought ends.”

I normally do not take strangers at their word, but for some reason, I protested no further. I simply walked into my house to obey Elijah. I guess the dream was beginning to work up my confidence in this wonderfully mysterious God. Besides, what did I have to lose? A little portion of what would be our last meal. It was a small price to pay in return for what could mean a lifetime of joy and contentment.

I prepared the man’s bread and took it to him. When I returned to the house, sure enough, the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil had not run dry, even after I had prepared a meal for Elijah, my son and myself! And so it continued till the drought ended. The faith I had displayed was no greater than a mustard seed, I’m sure. Nevertheless, God cared enough to reward it so my faith would grow. n For a while after this incident, I was happy. Content to know that there was a God who cared about insignificant little old me. Grateful for the mercies received each day.

But then one day, my son fell very ill. Despite everything I tried, he died. Just when I was beginning to

see a reason to live, I lost the one person I really cared about. In my grief I questioned God and was tempted to blame it on Him. If God had rescued us miraculously from the drought, why would I live just to watch my son die?

I hurried to find Elijah, who I believed was responsible for this bad turn of events. But instead of rebuking me for my irrational fault finding, Elijah simply took my son’s body from me and carried it to his room, where he prayed to God to revive the boy.

Where was my faith when my son fell sick? Had I cared enough to get down on my knees and pray?

Only when other means fail do we remember to turn to God. And if it is too late, we are only too eager to blame Him with our accusations.

Thanks to Elijah’s fervent prayers, God restored my son to life. Needless to say, this miracle turned my life around as well. Up to this point I had been counting my trials. But now, I was learning to value my blessings. I saw that God had never abandoned me.

I was the one caught up in worldly cares and anxieties. In my struggle for survival, I never once asked God for wisdom or strength. All He wanted was for me to place my faith and trust in Him. When I finally learned to do that, everything else fell in place. ½ *This article is an imaginative retelling of a story in 1 Kings 17.

Signs of the Times | 31

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in Australia and New Zealand. Melody Tan investigates the main driving force.

A

iStockphoto

depressioN the deadly killer 32 | Signs of the Times

t 23, Amy had everything going for her. She had finished university and her career was taking off. She was young and independent. Amy would regularly meet up with friends at a nearby café and loved going to the beach on weekends.

But Amy also had a secret. Sometimes, late at night, she would lie awake in bed, feeling a deep sense of sadness. And when she did fall asleep, there were days when she would wake up feeling absolutely unmotivated for the day.

When Amy stopped turning up for their regular weekly meet-ups at the café, her friends tried to discover if something was wrong.

“I’m just really tired,” Amy would tell them. They simply assumed she was feeling the pressure at work.

The fact that she was easily distracted and seemed to lack concentration when she was with them further supported their assumption.

Then one day, they got a phone call. “Amy took her life last night,” Amy’s sister said in a choked voice.

As they struggled to come to terms with Amy’s death, as they wondered if they could have done

something more to help her with her inner turmoil, her friends also tried to tell themselves, “There was nothing we could have done.”

And Amy’s story happens almost every day. While it’s impossible to prevent someone from becoming depressed, there are warning signs that we can heed and hopefully help prevent someone else from deciding to end their life.

death count Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 34,000 deaths every year. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) reports that a person dies by suicide every 15 minutes in the US and every day, approximately 90 Americans take their own life.

Most startlingly, for every suicide death, there are an estimated eight to 25 attempted suicides.

But the case is even more sobering in Australia, where suicide is the leading cause of death for men and women aged 44 and under.

There more people die from suicide each year than from car accidents.

One of the major factors leading people to contemplate suicide is Signs of the Times | 33

depression. The AFSP says that 90 per cent of those who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death, most of which go unrecognised and are therefore not treated.

According to the World Health Organization, “Depression is a common mental disorder that presents with depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy and poor concentration. . . . At its worst, depression can lead to suicide.”

One in five people in the West are depressed and the figure is even higher for women, for whom it’s one in two. However, depression occurs in people of all age groups, genders

9

ways to help prevent depression

and backgrounds, and for many, it strikes before they’ve turned 25.

not just drugs For many, depression is not seen as a real medical illness and sufferers are told to simply “get over it.”

However, Neil Nedley, author of Depression: A Way Out, says that depression is a serious medical condition that happens “when something goes wrong in the brain. It overlaps with anxiety and is a mental illness.” Nedley is a full-time practising physician in internal medicine with an emphasis in preventive medicine, gastroenterology and the “difficult-to-diagnose” patient.

To help cope with depression, sufferers are often prescribed

symptoms* of depression 1. Deep sadness or emptiness: experiencing crying spells for seemingly insignificant causes.

2. Apathy: no motivation or excitement for the day when you wake up.

3. Psychomotor agitation or retardation: movements are either agitated, restless or slowed down.

4. Sleep disturbances: insomnia or early morning awakening.

5. Weight or appetite changes.

6. Lack of concentration to make decisions.

8. Morbid thoughts: a preoccupation with death (either of self or of others).

9. Fatigue: lack of energy to do anything.

People who have two of the nine symptoms may be suffering from minor depression, while those with five symptoms or more may be suffering from severe depression. *Symptoms must be experienced consecutively for at least two weeks.

34 | Signs of the Times

Yuri_Arcurs­—Istockphoto

7. Feelings of worthlessness.

antidepressants. CNN reports that according to a government study, antidepressants have become the most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States. They’re prescribed more than the drugs to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma and headaches.

The use of antidepressants and other psychotropic drugs—those that affect brain chemistry—has skyrocketed over the last decade. Adult use of antidepressants almost tripled between 1988 and 1994 and again between 1999 and 2000.

While recognising the need for medication, Nedley believes that there are alternatives. “We need to find out why people are suffering and seek to solve those problems.” He cites the fact that about 30 per cent of patients who recover as a result of taking antidepressants relapse a year later. Their increasing sense of hopelessness, coupled with the belief that drugs have not helped, will drive most into contemplating suicide. This, unfortunately, results from their already impaired judgement and their reduced coping skills as a result of the illness.

According to Nedley, as many as 99 per cent of us will experience some form of depression before we turn 70. However, not all situations are life-threatening,

Get a good dose of fresh air daily.

Expose yourself to at least 30 minutes of daylight every day, preferably within 10 minutes of awakening.

Engage in physical activities such as long, brisk walks. Exercising outdoors in daylight will ensure you meet the first three criteria.

Keep regular hours for sleeping, eating and exercise.

Get a good night’s sleep. To help you do so: 1. Eliminate noise in your bedroom 2. Be still 3. Close your eyes Avoid negative speech.

Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

Engage in some form of spiritual activity such as Bible reading every day.

Spend time listening to melodious and enjoyable music.

A plant-based diet helps raise the serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain.

Consume food rich in tryptophan (found in oats, mangoes, dried dates, a variety of seeds such as sunflower and pumpkin) and at least 3000 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids (found in flaxseed, kiwi fruit and walnuts).

Signs of the Times | 35

nor are all a symptom of clinical depression. He cites the most common form as situational depression, caused by events such as the death of a loved one or loss of a job.

Nedley warns though, that situational depression may turn into major depression if a person does not recover in time. “It’s about helping people learn how to handle and overcome situations such as loss.”

recovery from depression While antidepressants have a role to play in severe cases, many other factors can contribute to healing.

The first step involves recognising the signs of depression (see “Nine Symptoms of Depression,” page 34) and acknowledging the importance of changing the situation.

Nedley has researched extensively in this area, where he discovered that lifestyle changes can help improve or eliminate many forms of depression

(see “Ways to Help Prevent Depression,” page 35).

A famous study of seven people who survived jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco found that they all recommended that suicide barriers be erected on bridges to “enable people to think about it and possibly change their minds.”

Suicide is often done on impulse, when the victim is already affected either by the disease of depression or under the influence of antidepressants.

Sometimes, all it takes is making sure that lifestyle changes are made, that triggers are eliminated and that people learn how to cope with life’s difficult challenges. These changes can help to reduce depression and ultimately prevent the suicide that so often goes along with it. ½

where to find help If you are suffering from depression, or you know someone who is, and need immediate help, here are some places you and they can turn to: 24-hour Hotlines Lifeline Australia 13 11 14 Lifeline New Zealand 0800 543 354

Treatment of depression is most often attempted with medication. Dr. Nedley introduces an entirely new approach by finding and treating the actual underlying cause. In Depression: The Way Out you will read about his successful 20week cure that has brought relief to so many of his patients.

You will undoubtedly want to share this book with family friends who are 5 and $94.9 looking for the way (NZ$124.99) out of depression.

Hardcover, 266 pages.

Yes, please send me Depression: The Way Out for $94.95 (NZ$124.99).*

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36 | Signs of the Times

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*Offer available in Australia and New Zealand only, while stock lasts. Price includes postage and GST. Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPD) Limited ACN 093 117 689

Community Asian Aid

Students at Asian Aid’s schools, Sudharani (left) and Raghavendra, are able to escape the cycle of poverty through education.

people-watching in India

A

mong my favourite pastimes is peoplewatching. I like to look at people in a crowd and imagine a story to go with each of them. But if you’ve ever tried to imagine stories of people in cultures that are different from your own, you’ll know it isn’t easy.

I had the opportunity to do this recently on a trip to India, as an 38 | Signs of the Times

introduction to my new job with Asian Aid. Asian Aid is a charity that gives hope to children and vulnerable people by providing them with education, food, shelter and in some cases even complete living costs, so they can live healthier and happier lives.

As I stepped out of the safe and sterile surroundings of Bangalore

Reuben Ennor / Kimberley Ellison

Kimberley Ellison finds a solution for poverty on an overseas trip.

airport, I was confronted by a slowmoving tsunami of faces. Walking through the city was like wading through a river of humanity. It washed around, over and under me and reached out to grasp at me.

More than 1.2 billion people call India home.

On the people’s faces I saw the same everyday emotions seen anywhere: polite smiles, laughter, boredom, impatience—but I also saw people with quiet, hopeless desperation in their eyes, like a plant turning hard and woody as it slowly withers and dies. Faced with this, my imagination let me down: What could they have possibly been through to end up like this?

Visiting Asian Aid’s schools, I had a chance to find out. I met dozens of children and teenagers who’ve grasped education as their escape from poverty. These youngsters have something else in their eyes—something that gleams. It’s call hope.

Sudharani, aged 13, has dark,

bright eyes and a ready smile. She told me her story with her lilting voice and expressive hands.

When she was seven, her father died of tuberculosis, leaving her and her mother impoverished and infected with the disease. With her younger brother, Balu, they lived in a leaky house that was regularly flooded.

“My mother used to work so hard to provide for us,” Sudharani says. But as time went on it became increasingly harder to keep the family fed and clothed, let alone educated. Eventually a local church pastor referred them to Asian Aid, which operates a children’s home and school about a day’s walk from Sudharani’s village.

“I was very sick when I came,” Sudharani says. “I could hardly move. They had to take me to the Signs of the Times | 39

community Asian Aid

40 | Signs of the Times

waiting for

study business at a university and then run a fabric company. Despite his disability, he is a capable young man who may single-handedly lift his family out of poverty and bring hope to all of them. n These two stories are unique but not exceptional. Every beneficiary of Asian Aid’s support I spoke with has an exceptional story to tell.

Every time I visit India I like to think that, because of organisations like Asian Aid, I’ll get to see that gleam of hope in the eyes of more and more people because of the generous support of those who can afford to help the less fortunate in the world. ½

the end

According to Seth Pierce, we have much to look forward to when it comes to Christ’s second coming.

Learn more about Asian Aid, a Christian, nonprofit organisation that is committed to making a difference in the lives of children and people in poverty: Asian Aid PO Box 333, Wauchope, NSW 2246 Australia +61 2 6586 4250 www.asianaid.org.au

AnthiaCumming—Istockphoto

hospital and give me IV injections.

Without the help of the school, I would’ve died.”

Sudharani is now in the eighth grade, thanks to a generous sponsor who is covering her education costs through Asian Aid. She proudly tells me that she is second in her class.

Her little brother, Balu, is in fourth grade. Their mother, although still recovering from her illness, manages to call on them regularly. n Raghavendra has been studying at Asian Aid’s school for the hearing impaired for the past eight years.

Deaf since birth, he is now 18 and is fast outgrowing his school. As I sit down with Raghavendra, his gentleness and maturity are evident in the way he interacts. One of his teachers translates as he signs his story to me and it soon becomes evident that the characteristics I noticed are displayed throughout his life.

Raghavendra’s family is very poor.

While he was a child, his education seemed most unlikely. Instead, he was faced with a future of hard labour and poverty. Now, through a sponsorship by Asian Aid, he has all but completed his education.

Recently, Raghavendra lost his father to sickness and his mother now relies on him for financial support. Every holiday, he works to earn money. Armed with an education and the ability to communicate, Raghavendra has plans to

I

felt a little nervous as my plane landed at Omaha’s Eppley airport recently. Not because I was terrified of flying, but because I was afraid of flying into a body of water—one that hadn’t been there a month earlier.

This past summer has seen terrible flooding in the Midwestern US. While I had been hearing reports, I hadn’t actually comprehended the scale of this latest disaster—until my flight from Las Vegas began its

descent into Omaha.

From my seat in the middle, I awkwardly leaned over the stranger sitting next to me and stared in disbelief at the newly formed wetland below. Farms had been turned into islands, highways and bridges were covered by the awesome flow of the river, and treetops peeked out from the depths. The runway levee itself was only metres from being breached. Thankfully, the concrete appeared and we landed safely. The Signs of the Times | 41

flooding didn’t stop then. Other airports had to help Omaha with their rerouted flights. Highways were closed at various points.

Somehow, I am not as panicked as I should be. After all, this disaster is simply the latest in a barrage of heartbreaking, devastating events that are making humanity miserable.

Joplin, Missouri, was blown off the face of the earth by a tornado, and a whole swarm of twisters ransacked the South not too long ago.

In recent years, earthquakes have rearranged the surfaces of Chile and Christchurch, and a huge tsunami washed over some of the coastal areas of Japan. Who knows what will come next? My family is

preparing to move to Washington State, the home of an active volcano called Mount Rainier. We joke, with a slight tinge of seriousness, that it will blow as soon as we arrive.

A lot of people are considering that the end of the world may be approaching. Hollywood produces movies like 2012, based on the fear that when the Mayan calendar runs out, all will be over. And people like Harold Camping keep coming up with new and improved dates for the end of the world.

what the Bible says In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus made some predictions and commentary on what will happen just

before He returns and makes the world new.

After His disciples asked Him what sort of things to look for as indications that the world is about to end, He replied, “You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.

Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

All these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:6–8).

The good news is that while all these disasters are signs of the end of the world, they are only “the beginning of [the world’s] birth pains.”

I’m sure every mother you know could tell you just how long birth pains can last—and how bad they can be.

Which leads to the bad news: we may be only at the tip of the iceberg on our way to the end! Not only that, but people will protest, “Haven’t we always had these kinds of disasters?”

Doomsdayers will spend time trying to prove that the frequency and intensity of these horrors have increased over the years. While this may be true, most of the time I’m not convinced on their methods of proving such a thing. After all, we now have better equipment to measure things than anyone did in

“ When [Jesus] comes [Greek: parousia] in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.”

the Lord in the air.” “We will all be changed—in a flash. . . . For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.”

Bible discovery with Errol Webster

the second coming and the end of the world The second coming of Jesus and the cataclysmic destruction of our world didn’t happen on October 21 of this year, as predicted by Harold Camping, American Christian radio broadcaster.

All such prophecies are doomed to failure, because Jesus said no-one knows the hour or the day of His coming (Matthew 24:36). What, then, can we know about the second coming of Christ?

1. What promise did Jesus make?

John 14:1–3 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many

42 | Signs of the Times

rooms. . . . I am going there to prepare a place for you. And . . . I will come back and take you to be with me.”

2. What will everyone see? Revelation 1:7 “[Jesus] is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him.”

Just as “lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west,” so will be the coming of Jesus (Matthew 24:27). Everyone sees the sun each day; just so, everyone will see this event.

3. Who will accompany Jesus at His second coming? Matthew 25:31

The word parousia was used in ancient writings to describe the literal arrival of an emperor.

4. What warning did Jesus give concerning His second coming?

Matthew 24:24 “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.”

5. What will happen to Jesus’ true followers, both living and dead?

1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17, 1 Corinthians 15:51–53 “The dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive . . . will be caught up . . . to meet

Those who have died believing in Jesus are “asleep” in the grave until the resurrection (see 1 Corinthians 15:20–24).

6. What did Jesus say happens to those who haven’t accepted His gift of salvation by that time? Luke 17:26, 27, 30 “Just as it was in the days of Noah. . . . The flood came and destroyed them all.” “[So] it will be . . . on the day the Son of Man is revealed.”

(See also 1 Thessalonians 5:1–3; 2 Thessalonians 1:8–10).

7. How can we be ready for Jesus to Signs of the Times | 43

ancient times. And that said, nevertheless, I do believe that time is indeed short.

a global village Jesus said that we would “hear of wars and rumours of wars.” In ancient times, no-one had the internet, GPS, radio or television. In some cases you might have heard of a war about the time it was over.

Today, we can hear just about anything about anyone in the world, and so often it is not good news. We hear of rumours more quickly and accurately than at any other time in history, and there’s more. While the types of natural disasters haven’t changed—either in substance or

maybe even in frequency—their effect certainly has.

Never before has the world been so interconnected in communications, economies, governments and natural resources. Never before have the citizens of our planet been this closely intertwined. This means that when one part of the world is ravaged, other parts are affected. It is no longer “somebody else’s problem,” it’s all “our problem.”

And even if our particular part of the world is unscathed, the news media flood us with so many images of the suffering that unless we completely lack a moral compass, we often feel compelled to act and help relieve the hurting.

Bible discovery with Errol Webster (continued) come? John 5:24 ”Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”

Jesus doesn’t tell us to get ready for His coming, because the date is unknown.

He says, “be ready . . .” (see Matthew 24:42–44).

8. What will be the last sign before the beginning of the new age?

Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

9. What kind of a world will Jesus eventually set up? Revelation 21:3, 4 “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be

44 | Signs of the Times

his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

The kingdom of God has two aspects: the kingdom of grace, which is now, and the kingdom of glory, which will be ushered in at Jesus’ second coming.

The good news is that the kingdom purchased by Jesus’ death is ours now by our faith in Jesus. By remaining faithful to Him each day, it will be ours in reality at His coming. The coming of Jesus, for each of us, is as close as our lifetime. The important question isn’t “When will Jesus come?” but rather, “Am I right with God now?” If you are, then you’re ready for Jesus to come.

As the world creaks under natural disasters and as wicked people make it their life’s mission to take the lives of others, Jesus’ words are haunting as He continues by saying, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).

Perhaps it’s from outrage at all the injustice, indifference and callousness from simply being surrounded by sin, but people are growing more stressed, angry and frustrated with life. That’s why Jesus admonishes us to “stand firm” until the end, because salvation is coming.

the good news While our interconnectedness means worse effects of painful experiences, it also opens the door to communicate hope and salvation.

Jesus says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

We have a chance, through all the media of the day, to communicate hope and to put a little twist on what most people think of when they hear about the “end of the world.” Jesus mentions all the atrocities that will pummel the planet and then He says, “The end is not yet.” While it’s certainly true that these atrocities are terrible, the end of the world as we know it is not yet here. So what is “the world as we know it”?

Based on Jesus’ description, and

no doubt our own experience, this world is broken, dangerous, unpredictable, tragic, violent and beautiful, but also severely flawed. So “the end” to me isn’t the scary part; it’s the end of all the scary parts. The end of the world isn’t the mess; it’s about being rescued from the mess.

I don’t know how long we have until the world ends, but I do know that for those who believe in Jesus, it isn’t something to be scared of. The good news about the end of time is that it will be the end of pain, suffering and unanswered questions.

The end of the world will mark the beginning of Jesus’ reign. And His reign will begin with a glorious bang!

Paul described it this way: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–18).

The Bible tells us to encourage each other with thoughts about the end of the world, which is not exactly the message Hollywood preaches.

So whenever you find yourself marvelling at how the world seems to be degenerating and growing darker, know that the Light is coming. And He is coming soon. ½ Signs of the Times | 45

food matters

with Sanitarium’s Nutrition Service team

mushroom and tofu sang choy bau

Preparation Time: 20 MINUTES cooking Time: 8 MINUTES Serves 4

Ingredients: ■■1 iceberg lettuce,

leaves separated ■■2 tbsp tamari* or salt

reduced soy sauce ■■1 tbsp mushroom oyster

sauce (vegetarian) ■■2 tbsp tomato sauce ■■1 tbsp peanut oil ■■350 g button mushrooms,

finely chopped

Method:

1. Place lettuce in a large bowl of iced, cold water for 5 minutes.

Drain lettuce leaves. Pat dry with paper towel. Place in a loose plastic bag and refrigerate until required. Combine tamari, mushroom oyster sauce and tomato sauce in a jug. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add mushrooms. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until just tender. Add carrot, green onions, capsicum and water chestnuts. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until hot. Add sauce mixture and tofu. Toss until well combined and tofu is hot.

3. Place lettuce cups on a serving platter. Spoon mushroom mixture into lettuce cups and serve immediately.

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PER SERVE: 740 kJ (175 cal). Protein 11 g. Total fat 9 g. Saturated fat 1 g.

Carbohydrate 11 g. Total sugars 8 g. Sodium 625 mg. Potassium 675 mg.

Calcium 194 mg. Iron 6 mg. Fibre 6 g.

■■1 carrot, shredded ■■3 green onions,

sliced diagonally ■■½ yellow capsicum,

Free call:

deseeded, cut into ½ cm dice

1800 035 542

■■125 g sliced water

0800 770 565

(Australia)

chestnuts, chopped

(New Zealand)

Name

Mon-Thu 9 am-5 pm AEST

■■200 g firm tofu, drained,

cut into ½ cm dice *Tamari is a naturally fermented soy sauce which is wheat free

For further information on healthy eating, please contact Sanitarium Nutrition Service AUSTRALIA: Locked Bag 7 Central Coast Mail Centre, NSW 2252 Freecall: 1800 673 392

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Price includes postage and GST. Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPD) Limited ACN 093 117 689.

lifeguide

with family life counsellor Trafford Fischer

life after loss

are you a car or a

computer?

Q:

We recently lost someone very close to our family and I was very upset but thought I was doing OK. Now I’m having trouble sleeping and I am waking up early in the morning. Is this normal? f ood doesn’t taste as good as it once did  uncontrollable shaking  overactivity  oversensitivity or undersensitivity to stimuli, and  muscle weakness and lack of strength.

Because grief takes so much energy, we all need to take time away from our pain and find opportunities for renewal.

Some people attempt to escape their sorrow by excessive use of drugs or alcohol. A more healthful approach is to find ways to relax, meditate and have quiet time. These times do not need to be long—even five minutes three times a day can be helpful in preventing the loss of mental and physical health.

Sometimes people may feel guilty when they start to feel better or if they aren’t grieving, but it is important to see these times as a break from the intensity of the pain, not an act of disrespect for the lost loved one.

You may not have a lot of energy but try to do some form of exercise as well. This will be an important step in maintaining your health, taking care of yourself and in a small way accepting that life can continue. § 

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

48 | Signs of the Times

Cars and computers are interesting ways to think of our human nature. Marvin Moore considers the implications of these two concepts.

Hjalmeida—Dreamstime.com

A:

ccording to Dr Sherry Johnson, A a grief and loss specialist, there is an endless list of grief symptoms. When we lose someone close to us we might experience shock, anger, guilt and deep sadness. We might also have overwhelming feelings of powerlessness and helplessness or loneliness and hopelessness. We might feel anxious and fearful, or a real sense of relief and emancipation, especially if the one we loved was in a harmful or restrictive environment.

These symptoms are normal, although some occur with more frequency than others.

We might also experience a wide range of biological and physiological responses such as:  feeling vacant or hollow inside  backaches or aching arms  weight loss or weight gain  dyspnea, sighing or hyperventilation  lump in the throat  migraine headaches  sleep disturbances  nightmares  crying or no tears  general malaise  nasal congestion  scratchy eyes

H

ave you ever driven a car? You know how it goes. You get in the car, turn the key and the engine roars to life. You drive the car a few kilometres to the supermarket or a hundred kilometres to a business appointment, and when you reach your destination, you park the car and turn off the engine. Then you get out and take care of your business. When you’re

through, you get back in the car, turn the key to start the engine and you drive back home or to the office.

Simple.

Now think of this: You and the car are two separate entities. The car is a machine. It can’t do what it was designed to do until you, the intelligent part, step inside and operate it.

When you leave it behind, your consciousness and intelligence continue to exist apart from the car, even after Signs of the Times | 49

the car is shut down.

A computer is also a machine, but its “intelligence” is built in. It doesn’t need an intelligent entity to step

continues to exist and carry on as an intelligent entity the same way the driver of a car continues to function as an intelligent being when he or she is outside the car.

That is still the way Does our human intellimost people think we humans function. gence come from a source However, more and outside of our physical more theologians are bodies, like the car, or is it beginning to think of our human nature according built in, like the computer? to the computer model.

And neuroscience is inside it to operate it. All it needs is increasingly supporting that view. a connection to a power source, and Do you feel happy, sad, peaceful the intelligence is there. When it’s or anxious? Studies on the human disconnected from the power source, brain using scientific tools such as the intelligence ceases to function. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are increasingly demonstrating that what about humans? these attitudes can be explained We humans are intelligent beings. strictly on the basis of what happens in the nerves and chemistry Our intelligence is far superior to of our brains. The same is true of that of a computer, but for the purour moral understanding. All of our pose of the illustration, that doesn’t emotions, logic, reasoning and our matter. The key question is this: understanding of right and wrong Does our human intelligence come from a source outside of our physical arise from the functioning of our brains. There is simply no need of bodies, like the car, or is it built in, an independent, intelligent soul to like the computer? explain our human consciousness.

Throughout much of Christian history, the dominant view has been are we mere machines? that we humans are like cars. Our bodies are machines that need an Some people object that this intelligent entity called “the soul” makes human beings nothing more inside of them to operate them. As than machines. However, this is not long as the soul is inside the body, necessarily the case. it “runs.” When the soul leaves, We are much more than machines, the body ceases to function. It dies. mere robots. Computers can store But the soul, the intelligent part, data, sort it and analyse it in ways 50 | Signs of the Times

that far exceed our human ability.

But a computer has no consciousness.

We humans have an awareness of our own existence, reasoning powers and the ability to distinguish between right and wrong that makes us superior to the most elaborate computer.

And God created the human brain as a physical organ that has this marvellous, intelligent ability.

It doesn’t really matter whether our reasoning powers, our emotions and our moral understanding arise from an external soul that is implanted into our brains or whether all of our conscious activity arises strictly from our brains with no external input needed. The point is that we have these abilities, however we get them. The Creation story helps us to understand which way it is.

how we were made Genesis 2:7 says that “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” That’s how the New International Version translates the text. The King James Version says, “Man became a living soul” (italics added to both versions).

Since the word soul is commonly understood to mean a part of our human nature that has a conscious existence apart from the body (the car analogy), some people have understood this text to mean that God implanted Adam and Eve’s souls (their “breath of life”) within

them when He created them and that He has implanted a similar soul in every human being since then, either at their conception or at some point after conception but before their birth.

However, note the following threepart formula found in Genesis 2:7: 1. The dust of the ground 2. Plus the breath of life 3. Equals a living being.

The dust of the ground is commonly understood to mean the material part of our human nature, that is, the body. But what is the “breath of life”? There are two possibilities, corresponding to the car and computer analogies. According to the car analogy, the “breath of life” is an intelligent soul that God introduced into Adam and Eve when He created them. According to the computer analogy, the “breath of life” is God’s life-giving power that activated Adam and Eve’s bodies and minds and made them alive.

So which way is it? It’s critical to note that Adam became a living soul only after God had combined the dust of the ground (his body) with the breath of life (God’s life-giving power). Thus, his “soul” (to use the KJV wording) was not a separate entity that was introduced into his body. Only when the two elements were combined did Adam become a living soul. His soul included his body. Therefore, it was not a separate entity from his body.

The Creation story in Genesis Signs of the Times | 51

favours the computer analogy of our human existence. And so does the Bible’s teaching about death.

so what?

You may wonder what difference it makes whether we humans are like cars or computers. For those of us who are in a right relationship with God, it doesn’t matter. If the car analogy is correct, though our bodies die, our consciousness continues and we are immediately with God. If the computer analogy is correct, we will be unconscious until the resurrection, at which point we will regain consciousness and immediately be with God. Either way, from the standpoint of our perception, we will be with God as soon as we die.

However, the computer analogy (death is a state of unconsciousness)

avoids two critical problems. First, as a general rule, those who believe that humans continue a conscious existence at death also believe that the soul is immortal; that the wicked are cast into hell as soon as they die; and that they continue being tormented in hell throughout eternity. It’s nice to think that a loved one who died is “with the Lord.” But it’s not so nice if he or she was not a Christian. In fact, it’s downright horrible to think of a friend or loved one being tormented right now in the fires of hell!

Furthermore, even those theologians who believe that the soul is immortal generally agree that any immortality we humans have now or in the future is derived from God. We do not possess it within ourselves. Therefore, God has to keep

the wicked artificially alive just so they can suffer eternal torment in hell! That’s a horrible contradiction of the biblical picture of a God who is merciful and just, even in His dealings with the wicked.

A second problem with the idea that humans continue a conscious existence after death is that it would conceivably be possible for that person to communicate with the living. This is precisely what spiritualism claims. But if the dead truly are dead in every sense of the word, as the Bible teaches, then any so-called communication with the dead is simply a demonic deception. The computer model of our human nature—that when we die everything about us ceases to exist—protects us against this deception.

death is not the end Fortunately, while the Bible teaches that our existence as conscious beings ceases when we die, that is not the end of the story. At Christ’s second coming He will raise back to life all those who served Him faithfully during their time on earth, and they will spend eternity with Him in a world that has been recreated into the home of the redeemed. Revelation 21:4 promises that God will “wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Rather, “he who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son” and daughter (verse 7).

Now that’s a concept I can truly live with! ½

what happens at death?

◗◗ “When their breath departs, they return to the earth; in that very day their plans perish” (Psalm 146:4, NRSV); or, “in that very day his thoughts perish” (NASB). ◗◗ “No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave?” (Psalm 6:5). ◗◗ “The dead do not praise the Lord, nor any who go down to silence” (Psalm 115:17). ◗◗ “The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing” (Ecclesiastes 9:5).

Also, in both the Old and New Testaments, death is frequently referred to as “sleep,” which is a condition of unconsciousness. Following are several examples:

52 | Signs of the Times

◗◗ God told Moses that when he died, he would sleep with his fathers (Deuteronomy 31:16, KJV). ◗◗ “David slept with his fathers” (1 Kings 2:10, NASB). ◗◗ “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake” (Daniel 12:2). ◗◗ “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep”; “Lazarus is dead” (John 11:11, 14). ◗◗ “We will not all sleep”; rather, “the dead will be raised imperishable” (1 Corinthians 15:51, 52).

The point of all these texts is that death is a state of unconsciousness, not of consciousness. Thus, the Bible supports the computer analogy of our human existence, both in the Creation story and in the Bible’s declarations about death.

scotspencer—istockphoto

According to popular theology, when a person dies, his or her soul continues a conscious existence in either heaven or hell. However, the Old Testament description of death contradicts that view, as the following texts demonstrate:

Signs of the Times | 53

Jo Kline Cebuhar suggests that it is better to pass on what you believe and know than financial assets or real estate.

creating an

ethical will A simple impulse to impart the stories and wisdom gained from your life is a common reason for creating what’s called an “ethical” will. You have things you want to share after you’ve gone and, very likely, there’s someone who will want to listen. However, in the process of organising and creating it, you’ll very likely discover other unforeseen reasons.

Stockbyte

self-reflection Before recording your core beliefs and values in an ethical will, you obviously have to know what they are. Composing your ethical will requires you to think— really think—about what you’ve been and who you are and hope to be character-wise: your ethical essence. It’s a chance to give yourself

54 | Signs of the Times

a well-deserved pat on the back (assuming you deserve one). Another fringe benefit of doing some mental homework before authoring your ethical will is that in thinking about what it is that one stand’s for in the present can lead us to think about what we hope to stand for in the future.

sharing core beliefs and values As the entrepreneur Frank Rooney said: “Immortality is the genius to move others long after you have stopped moving.” The best way to be sure your message lives on after you is to put it in writing. It may be read by only your close family members or it may make its way into a book 50 years from now. Either way, an ethical will is your chance to memorialise your opinion on the most important aspects of living and Signs of the Times | 55

reconciliation Never to be confused with recrimination, an ethical will can be the best place to ask for or grant forgiveness, if you are unable to do so faceto-face. When you focus on what is most important in your life and in your relationships, you may recognise incidents that have earned undeserved importance such as a past wrong or grudge. As you identify your core values, you may choose to put the message of your ethical will to practical use and restore a broken relationship while you are both still around to enjoy it.

future aspirations Life is a series of transitions: birth, death, marriage, empty-nesting, career changes, a serious or chronic illness, retirement. Whether a time to count blessings or to mourn a loss, each and every one is an opportunity to gain and perhaps share wisdom.

There is no need to wait until the end of life is peeking around the corner to create your ethical will.

Recording your personal message forces you to not only reflect on past lessons but also to identify goals going forward.

Reviewing values and life lessons leads you to contemplate and itemise the “hope for” part of your 56 | Signs of the Times

ethical will: your ethical “bucket list.” They are the standards you want to maintain and the ideals you hope to attain. An ethical will provides you with a blueprint for the daily practice of beliefs and values.

promissory note; today is the only cash you have—so spend it wisely.”

Creating an ethical will is a valuable spiritual exercise at any time in life, but it has special significance when the end is near. Being mindful as life ends is an opportunity to appreciate the impermanence of life and to cherish and fully experience each remaining moment.

When death is imminent, bereavement for the end of life and the loss of key relationships envelopes the dying person and the loved ones at his or her side.

The creation of an ethical will at

blueprint for end-of-life planning Your instructions for end-of-life medical care should reflect your values and personal point of view on life, even to your last breath.

Although an ethical will isn’t a legal document, creating yours is a worthwhile first step in identifying your core values; or, simply put, figuring out what makes life worth living for you.

The role of your appointed health care proxy is to follow your instructions if you are unable to manage your health care. However, there may well be a situation that you did not discuss ahead of time. In that case, the proxy’s role is to do what you would do, if able, and in keeping with your general beliefs. If you first share your ethical will with the loved ones you have chosen to be your proxy decision-makers, they will have a much deeper understanding of your wishes for care. The language of your ethical will is like adding your voice to otherwise sterile, matter-of-fact legal documents.

an end-of-life ethical will

As Kay Lyons said, “Yesterday is a cancelled cheque; tomorrow is a

the end of life by or on behalf of a dying person, is more than just a desperate game of beat-the-clock, a last chance to record important thoughts and feelings. It is a valuable tool in acknowledging and seeing beyond the physiology of dying by focusing on the person’s essence and the meaning and value of his or her life on earth, whatever time may remain.

And it can also be the key to not missing one bit of life, even though moments may be numbered. ½ Adapted, with permission, from So Grows the Tree: Creating an Ethical Will, written by Jo Kline Cebuhar, Murphy Publishing, LLC, Iowa, USA.

If the prospect of creating an ethical will on your own seems daunting, consider how you might respond to these questions and writing exercises: Can you think of a loved one whose ethical will you would have liked to share?

Is there a life transition or milestone that prompted you to create your ethical will now?

Have you thought about what your epitaph might be? Is it a one-liner ethical will?

Have you observed a change in the core values demonstrated in your community during your lifetime?

Recall a pearl of wisdom that you received from a loved one and tell why it stuck with you.

Choose a family heirloom and write about the ancestor who owned it and the values that will pass from you to the next owner.

Stockbyte

point out which parts of your daily life really make a difference in the big scheme of things.

Tell about a favourite song, one with lyrics that express one or more elements of your ethical message.

Source: The Workshop Edition of So Grows the Tree: Creating an Ethical Will www.SoGrowsTheTree.com

Signs of the Times | 57

medical hotline

with Dr James Wright www.docwright.com.au

bowel cancer Bowel cancer gives almost no symptoms until it is well advanced.

It will affect one in 25 people, and the odds increase if a relative has been previously diag-

nosed. Make sure you have a regular colonoscopy if you are over 40.

High-fibre foods, reduced red meat consumption and avoiding smoking may help prevent bowel cancer.

after the baby It may not be comforting, but it is common to suffer incon-

tinence after childbirth.

Pelvic muscles often don’t return to their prenatal state. Talk to your GP, or be referred to a physiotherapist who specialises in pelvic floor exercises. This tightens the lax tissue and muscle fibres.

Cybernesco—istockphoto

warming up It is always advisable to stretch before and after exercising— ”warming up” and “warming down.”

Muscle fibres don’t like chills and may seize up. Don’t sit down and rest immediately after a brisk morning exercise.

I promise you Richard Araya-Bishop believes that in those times of uncertainty, confusion and loneliness, God can be at work in your life.

This five-volume, fully illustrated set by Dr James Wright includes topics on partners, treatment of diseases, medical emergencies, as well as hundreds of lifestyle hints.

New Zealand address: Dr Wright’s books PO Box 97019 Manukau City Manukau 2240

To purchase these or any of the Family Lifestyles Series of books by Dr Wright, contact:

(Australia only)

58 | Signs of the Times

In Australia phone:

1800 643 346

web site: www.hhes.com.au Email: hhes@signspublishing.com.au

Digital Vision—thinkistock

Family Medical Care

W

e live in a world that is filled with broken promises and broken hearts.

Convenience seems more relevant than commitment, and selfishness finds its way to make promises irrelevant.

It is nice when we experience

relationships that are stable and give us a sense of security and unconditional acceptance, but they are not always like that. There is often fear, doubt, uncertainty and disappointment. We may be suffering the consequences of trusting too much or being too naive. And in the end, because of a broken heart and Signs of the Times | 59

broken promises, trust fades away like the wind.

But if we stop trusting, believing and relating, life ceases to provide vibrancy and confidence. Our energy and commitment to life may be reduced to just an empty and solitary existence, a constant denial of our most important need in life—to love and to be loved.

an unwavering commitment Maybe you have been disappointed and trusting again isn’t easy for you. But in a world of broken promises, there is still hope for the future.

There is Someone whose promises you can trust. We have a Heavenly Father who always keeps His promises. God is interested and involved, and has a plan for your life. Nothing is just a coincidence, because God has a master plan for you to fulfil your greatest purpose in life. He has promised.

Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson tells of a storm that caught a vessel off a rocky coast and threatened to drive it and its passengers to destruction. In the midst of the terror, one daring man, contrary to orders, went to the deck, made a dangerous passage to the pilot house and saw the steersman at his post holding the wheel unwaveringly, and inch by inch, turning the ship out, once more, to sea. The pilot saw the watcher and smiled. Then, the daring passenger went below and gave out a note of cheer: “I have seen the face of 60 | Signs of the Times

the pilot and he smiled. All is well.”

Jesus, the Pilot of pilots says, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus is with us in the happy times and sad times, when there is new birth and when there is death, when we are healthy and when we are sick. He is with us when we are liked and when we are despised or misunderstood.

God our Father has promised to look after you. He says, “As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. . . . I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak” (Ezekiel 34:11–16).

a season for everything There was a man who had four sons. He sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in winter, the second in spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in autumn. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent and twisted. The second son said it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful. The last son

disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfilment.

The father then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen only one season in the tree’s life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy and love that comes from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it’s winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, the fulfilment of your autumn.

And when all the seasons are up, Jesus assures us and confirms His promise that He will take you home.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.

You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1–3).

Our perceptions may deceive us, we may judge quickly and harshly, but there is certainty in believing in Jesus’ promise that He will take us home where He is. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

the best is yet to come In a world filled with broken promises and broken hearts, it is hard to trust and believe again.

Promises are like the weather— we know that change is coming and storms are coming. Therefore, when life is unfair and sad, and difficult issues seem to never go away, remember that there is always sunshine after the rain and a new season surely will come.

But most of all, God has not forgotten you, trust Him. Life and relationships may change but God will remain. He doesn’t change and His love and acceptance are stable like a rock that doesn’t move with the movements of life. His love is unconditional.

Season after season, throughout the passages of life, God will be there. Don’t let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

Don’t judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches of life and better times surely will come.

Certainly, as Eleanor Roosevelt said, “People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built.”

Whatever you’re going through now, God has promised to look after you. He’s our best source of happiness, security and blessings. He’s also promised to take you home and always be with you, to the end of the age. ½ Signs of the Times | 61

was that

north or south?

I

t’s 4am and I’m driving to the airport—in a borrowed car, in another country and following a route I’ve never driven before.

Google maps made it look easy: head east until I bump into the main motorway that goes south to Christchurch, the largest city on New Zealand’s South Island. Then I follow the motorway into town 62 | Signs of the Times

where the airport turn-off should be obvious.

My car’s headlights sear through the pre-dawn dark. A rabbit scampers away as the road turns to dirt.

It’s not the route my host recommended before I left his house, but his way zig-zags all over the place, even if it may technically be shorter.

There’s no way I could remember

mstay—Istockphoto.com

Kent Kingston discovers that following your heart may not always lead you to where you want to be.

all his twists and turns.

I’ve done my own preparations, looked at Google maps and seen how simple it is. East, south, turnoff for the airport.

So why is this road ending at a T-intersection all of a sudden? But it’s a minor hiccup. There are all sorts of minor roads heading in the right direction. I’m just turning right a little sooner than I’d anticipated, heading south. I’ll just pick up another eastward road in a moment.

Now I’m zig-zagging, heading for the motorway, which is surely impossible to miss. Hello—there’s one of the roads my host mentioned, so I must be on the right track.

Wait a sec. I’ve just passed the road I started on. I must have gone north a bit. No problem, I’m sure I’m heading in the right direction now. I remember the name of this road, although in the dark it doesn’t look familiar.

Speaking of the dark, I can see the beginnings of dawn. But why is it on my right? That’s the same side sunset was on last night. If I’m heading the right way, shouldn’t the sun be rising on the other side?

Hmm . . . maybe dawn isn’t approaching after all.

A road sign welcomes me to Rangiora. Funny, I don’t remember seeing that on the map. Time to stop and have a proper look at it.

Rangiora, there it is. It’s north-east of my starting point—significantly north-east! But wasn’t I supposed to

be heading south-east? How did that happen?

If the truth be told, I know exactly what went wrong. I didn’t follow the advice of someone who’d travelled the route before. I wasn’t careful enough with the map. I didn’t respond to the warning signs that something was wrong.

Now, driving through slumbering Rangiora with only a painfully slow truck in front of me for company, the road signs pointing to Christchurch seem to be leading me in a totally wrong direction. But I follow them. I’ve learnt that it’s my instincts that are at fault, not the signs. n Sometimes our lives get way off track and it’s easy to convince ourselves that we know what we’re doing. But I’d like to hope that there are clear opportunities to turn our lives around before we reach rock bottom.

I eventually made it to the airport on time that morning. Eventually. With much unnecessary anxiety and the clock ticking. It really didn’t have to be such a stressful journey, but I’m glad that despite my foolishness and poor sense of direction, I was given a second chance to reach my destination. ½

Signs of the Times | 63