We laid away a saint of God for the first resurrection recently. Sister Charlotte Verwers was a champion of faith. her example was a shining one. She was one of the foundation stones of the Des Moines Gospel Assembly. She was added to the church in 1951 and never left. She did not backslide, she did not ever become discouraged, she could not be talked into leaving. God put her here, and here she stayed.

Her life was a testimony. She was always busy about the Lord’s business. Every assembly needs at least one like Sister Charlotte. We will miss her. She welcomed the saints into her home, she transported them where they needed to go, she traveled to meetings to support her pastors, she gave in the offerings, she served the Lord consistently, simply and without hypocrisy.

Commitment to the Lord and His church is getting to be a rare thing. Jesus condemned an evil and adulterous generation, and condemned a faithless and perverse generation, Matthew 12:39; 17:17, what would He say about our generation? Brother Lloyd Goodwin’s last message was an admonition to the church to become more committed. But commitment to the work of the Lord is rare.

When the Lord returns, will He find faith on earth? Luke 18:8. Dedication and commitment are a choice, and not a convenience. Servants don’t have the luxury of serving their Master just when it is convenient. But those who have been faithful servants in this life will hear Him say, “Well done.” Matthew 24:21. Sister Charlotte Verwers has joined the “great cloud of witnesses,” Hebrews 12:1, that we are to use as our examples, and we are to now run our race. Wherever we are, we can find opportunities to serve the Lord, and to be faithful to Him.

Are you as committed to the Lord and His church as you were five years ago, or ten years ago? If not, why not? Are your children gorwing up to be less committed than you have been? If so, why? Something is wrong when we are less dedicated and zealous than we used to be. And we have a major problem if the succeeding generation is less faithful than we have been. We must do something now to assure that the church has a future.

When Joshua led the children of Israel across the Jordan and into the Promised Land, the Lord miraculously parted the waters. Joshua had one man from each tribe pick up a rock from the bed of the river, and then assembled those rocks for a monument. he did that to teach succeeding generations the things that God had done. “When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.” Joshua 4:21-22. God’s people must be kept in memory of the great works of the Lord in the past.

Fathers are to teach their children the truth of the Lord. Isaiah 38:19. There are some important things “which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.” Psalms 78:3. We must pass on this vital knowledge to the coming generation. “We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he hath established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children.” Verses 5-6.

Every one is an example. 1 Timothy 4:12. You are either a good example or a bad example. Is your life worthy of emulation by those who are younger than  you?

We are also to live in hope of the return of the Lord. Prophecy is important to us, because we live in the time when much of the Bible’s prophetic promises will come to pass. We should not shun prophecy as hopelessly complicated and difficult to comprehend. instead, we are to understand the plan of God for the future, and make that knowledge known to others.

“And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:2-3. The Lord wants someone to make the prophecies of the Word of God plain and understandable.

In this issue of The Gospel of Peace, we have a series of articles on Bible prophecy. Every child of God should understand his or her future. God has a plan and a time to work. He has a conclusion for the plan of redemption. he will restore paradise, and beyond paradise to all creation. He will ultimately and finally deal with evil.

The two greatest threats to the church are the two greatest threats to your salvation. Satan destroys the church one person at a time. 1 Peter 5:8. He is unremitting in his attacks. He marshals forces and pressures to defeat the work of God by enticing the saints to defect.

The two greatest threats we face are iniquity and idolatry. Iniquity causes the people of the Lord to stumble in unbelief; idolatry is placing anything on the throne of your heart other than the Lord. God said through is prophet: “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face…” Ezekiel 14:3. Note that the idolatry was in their heart; and not a statue on the shelf.

The light of the glorious gospel has shined in our hearts. We are the temple of the Holy Ghost. If we are not careful, the light of God can go out in our lives, and in our churches. See 1 Samuel 3:3. But like the priests of old, we are to see to it that the fire of God never goes out on the altar. Leviticus 6:13.

There are forces in this world that would extinguish the light. The true church of Jesus Christ does not belong to this world. Romans 12:2. It is a small outpost of Heaven, surrounded by hostile forces, deep in enemy territory. its only chance of survival is to be protected by “air cover” from Heaven – with regular supply drops. There is a war of epic proportions being fought between the forces of good and evil. Ephesians 6:12.

There is animosity between God’s church and the devil’s world. They cannot co-exist in harmony. Either the church will triumph and separate the saints of God from the world; or the world will win out and separate the saints from the church. The influence of the world separated Demas from the work of God. See 2 Timothy 4:10.

Satan’s greatest tools are iniquity and idolatry. Iniquity is a direct attack on the church. it may be subtle, but it challenges the teaching of the minister, the authority of the church, or the operation of the Spirit. God hates iniquity. Psalms 5:4-6. But sadly, most workers of iniquity do not know that they are working iniquity. See Ezekiel 33:30-33.

It is doubtful that Hymenaeus and Philetus knew they were workers of iniquity. Neither did Diotrephes. But they were. They spoke dreams and words – but they were not of God. Jeremiah 23:25-28.

Idolatry is even more subtle than iniquity. It is an indirect attack. it is far more than worshipping an idol. it is anything that lessens your love and commitment to the Lord and His work. There is much idolatry in the 21st century. Idolatry is not the mere bowing down to worship statues – rather, it is a frame of mind. Anything that diminishes your ability to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and might, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is idolatry. Matthew 27:37-39.

Ezekiel 14:3 says that people had set up idols in their heart, not a statue in their living room. Worldliness and materialism are idolatry. If the enticements of this world separate you from your first love, you have become an idolater.

If we align with the worldly order and system, we commit spiritual adultery. God’s people have a mission: to be a light to the world. Isaiah 49:6. To fulfill that mission there must be a separation from the world. Ezra 9:1-2, 12-14.

Ministers are to feed God’s people with knowledge and understanding. Jeremiah 3:15. God sets watchmen to warn the saints of the Lord against iniquity and idolatry – lest they grow cold and draw back from the very thing that can prepare them to inherit eternal life.

The Apostle Paul called Jesus a rock of offence. Romans 9:33. So did Peter. I Peter 2:8. They based this on the prophecy of Isaiah 8:14, which refers to the Lord as “a stone of stumbling” and “a rock of offence.” Also, in Psalm 118:22, Jesus is called the stone that the builders refused. In fact, Jesus knew that He was a rock of offence. See Matthew 21:42-44. But why was Jesus such an offence to the religious people of His day? Why was the meek and lowly Jesus, as harmless as a lamb, the object of such hatred and scorn? Why was He “despised and rejected of men?” Isaiah 53:3.

In the first century, Jesus’ enemies pursued Him with unremitting evil purpose, and were not satisfied until His dead body hung limp on a cross. They hated Him with a cruel and vindictive hatred. They were blind to all reason, deaf to all logic, and hardened until they were past feeling. Their hatred did not stop when He breathed His last breath, but followed His innocent, inoffensive and humble disciples. They, too, were persecuted. Those who refused to recant their belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead were hailed into prison, tortured and slain.

It did not matter that both Jesus and His followers were innocent, meek and lowly. No goodness, benevolence, gentleness, virtue, moral excellence, holiness, godliness, piety, purity, or attainment from their part could assuage the bitter hatred directed their way. Innocent people were hunted 2,000 years ago, pursued and put to death, when charged with no crime, except that they were a Christian.

Why this persecution? Why were Jesus and His followers “everywhere spoken against?” Acts 28:22. Who were their enemies, and what motivated them to hate these people so? Someone inspired the people to hate Jesus and His disciples.

The masses loved Jesus. When He gave them bread and fishes, and healed their sick, they followed Him in droves. Only a few had a true revelation of who He was, but the crowds cheered Him as a great prophet. Yet there was a small group of people, men with power and influence, that did not like Jesus. They were the religious leaders of the day. They hated Him because Jesus did not fit the mold. Jesus did not pander to them. He did not glory in the things they gloried in. He did not associate with the priests, scribes and doctors.

In the 23rd chapter of Matthew, Jesus pointed out the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. They acted so religious; but Jesus showed that they were hypocrites. They had their priorities all wrong. They were more interested in the process of worship than the object of that worship. The teachings of Jesus insulted their dignity, offended them, and filled them with hatred.

Religious leaders cannot take it when the sincerity of their religious beliefs and practices are criticized. Jesus was critical of them for oppressing the poor, for being hypocritical in their worship and reverence of the prior prophets and the holy things. Jesus even criticized their prayers. He never failed to point out their error. They took insult from Jesus’ teaching. They were terribly offended in Jesus.

The same religion is as unpopular today as it was 2,000 years ago. The gospel of Christ, as found on the pages of scripture, is still offensive. Anywhere where truth becomes a threat to established religious, economic or political order, it will be attacked. The true church of the Lord Jesus Christ is utterly uncompromising in its message, exclusive in its gospel, and distinct from every other force in society.

We fully expect religious hatred and even persecution. Indeed, religious hatred exists in large areas of the world. Martyrdom is occurring now, and will increase around the world as we approach the time of the end. It will be the religious leaders that are offended, and who will inspire the people to hate the true church. Despite any hatred, we must be true to our mission. We have a message that cannot be compromised. We recognize the Body of Christ as an exclusive and distinct fellowship. God has called us to stand with it, to live for it, and if necessary, to die for it.

The problem in the days of Amos was not a lack of religiosity; but rather a lack of true worship. The people had a semblance of worship – they had their feast days, they had solemn assemblies, and they offered sacrifices and songs to the Lord; but it didn’t come from the heart.

In Amos 5:21-25, the Lord said, “I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?”

The same affliction strikes many churches today – and can reach us, if we are not diligent. The Lord may say to many churches: “I despise your meetings, I will not accept your worship services, neither will I regard your prayer meetings.” Will He say, “Take away from me the noise of thy songs”?

Jesus said in Matthew 15:8 that the children of Israel in that day worshipped with their lips, but their heart was far from God. The apostle Paul condemned those who had a form of godliness, but denied the power thereof. 2 Timothy 3:5. That is a condemnation of the appearance of worship without its life-changing effects.

Ezekiel 33:30-33 tells us that people can listen as if they are God’s people; yet still come under His judgment. In verse 31, the Lord tells His prophet, “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.”

Let us return to the warning of the prophet Amos. He said in Amos 6:1, “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion.” Are we at ease in our worship services? Do we fail to touch God? Can we really believe that we do not need His divine favor and strengthening power? Are our church services truly “feasts of charity?” The Lord said that our feasts can turn into mourning – and a famine for the Word of God is coming. “And I will turn your feasts in to mourning, and all your songs into lamentation…Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” Amos 8:10-11.

Can we heed the warning? Are we satisfied with just going through the motions? During the time of Amos, Israel had religion, but they did not have God. They were the only people on the face of the earth whose religious institutions were ordained of God. They had a high priest, they had a temple, they had teaching Levites, they had beautiful choirs, but they did not have a revelation of what God was doing in their own time.

Part of the problem was that Israel had become so accustomed to their feasts and praise services that they forgot Who they were praising. They focused their attention on the activities, rather than the Subject of those activities.

The same thing can happen to us. We have a church, we have been given so much truth, we believe we are in the Body of Christ; but do we know what God is doing in our own time? Are we wrapped up in the form of worship, such that we have forgotten the One we worship?

Jesus warned of those who could discern the seasons or weather, but not the signs of the times. Matthew 16:3. Can we do any better? We should. When cataloging King David’s mighty men, the Bible tells us that the representatives of one tribe had a unique and valuable skill: the men of Issachar had an understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do. 1 Corinthians 12:32. We must understand our times; what God is doing today; and what He is asking of us.

This is no time to take our ease. We cannot relax our vigilance. We cannot compromise with the devil. Proverbs 6:10 warns us that a little folding of the hands to sleep will bring destruction. Jesus said the man who spent all his time and effort in building bigger barns was a fool. Luke 12:19-20. He amassed much for his retirement. When he had acquired what he though he needed, he said “Soul, take thine ease.” But his wealth did not avail him anything – he failed to lay up treasure in heaven.

The devil seeks to bargain with us – as he did with Jesus on the Mount of Temptation. “I’ll give you this if you give me that.” He offers us contentment, if we take care of ourselves instead of working for the Lord. The requirement is that we serve the Lord with our whole heart, soul, and might. Deuteronomy 6:4. We are not to please ourselves. Our God is a jealous God. Exodus 20:5. He wants all of our heart. He will not share our heart with the devil, nor the world, nor our own way.

The church of Jesus Christ cannot fail. Individual churches can fail, they can grow lukewarm and cold, but the true church as an institution established under the headship of Jesus Christ, cannot fail.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church.” Jesus said it; it will happen! No force in the Universe can stop Him from doing what He said He would do.

In Matthew 28:18-19, the Lord told us that “all power in heaven and earth” was His, and to “Go ye therefore” and teach all nations. That “therefore” means “because of this.” Because Jesus has all power in heaven and earth, we can go and preach the gospel of the kingdom to all the earth. Jesus Christ is committed to using His power over heaven and earth to make disciples.

Sometimes it doesn’t look like the church will prevail…but it will! The church looks so weak and frail, but the Lord will see to it that it does not fail.

In the Bible we see that imprisonment of the leadership of the church could not stop it. Philippians 1:12-14. Chains of iron will not stop the church from completing its mission. 2 Timothy 2:9. Not even martyrdom can stop God’s work; the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.

Jesus prayed for the church in the seventeenth chapter of John. He prayed for the success of the church; His prayer will be answered. Christ loves the church – enough to die for it. Ephesians 5:25. Do you think He will refuse to use His power to protect the church He died to build?

Jesus said that He would be with His people to the end of the world. Matthew 28:20. Because of that, we need have no fear. “For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:5-6.

Christ loves the church. His love was so great that He died for the church. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” Ephesians 5:25. Do you think that He will refuse to use His power to protect the church that He died to build? Of course not. He will use all power in heaven and earth to protect this wonderful institution.

The church is both fragile and strong, powerless and powerful, temporary and permanent. It is fragile because it is a voluntary association and iniquity can weaken and destroy any local expression of the church. But it is strong because it is training the rulers of the world to come. It binds the devil in the lives of believers.

It is powerless because it has no authority in society. It cannot legislate morality, nor force its will on anyone. But it is powerful because it is infused with the power of God. The gates of hell itself cannot prevail against it.

The church is temporary because every local assembly eventually becomes lukewarm and then cold. The candlestick is eventually removed from each location. But it is permanent because the institution continues after the local expression dies out. And overcomers that have been laid away to await the first resurrection will be back!

The Lord gives power to His church. Really, it is given a lot of authority. Though despised and often-rejected, the church is the way to everlasting life. The power the Lord gives to the church includes:

The Keys to the Kingdom. Jesus said to His ministry: “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19. No one can enter into the kingdom without using the keys.

The church is the vestibule, or entry way, into the kingdom. An entrance into the kingdom must be “ministered” to the believers. See 2 Peter 1:11. That is why excommunication is a meaningful sanction. Server the Lord in the church is the route to being in the coming kingdom.

Power Over the Devil. Jesus gave His church power over devils. Luke 9:1. The first sign that identifies true believers is that they cast out devils. Mark 16:17. The evil spirit knew who Paul was. Acts 19:15.

Authority to Heal Diseases. Those whom Jesus ordains, He gives power to heal sickness. See Mark 3:14-15. When a child of God gets sick, he or she is to call for the elders of the church. James 5:14-15. There must be a church for there to be elders to pray for the sick. The church has always been healing in the name of Jesus. See Acts 3:6, 4:10.

Authority to Speak in the Name of Jesus. The church represents the Lord to the world, much like an ambassador represents a foreign country. The church speaks and teaches in the name of Jesus. Acts 4:18. Paul preached in His name. Acts 9:27, 29. The church is instructed to do all in the name of Jesus.

The church, through its ministry, is authorized to “command” in the name of Jesus. See 2 Thessalonians 3:6 and Acts 10:48.

Ultimately, Great Power. At the end of the church age, the church is going to receive “great power” from the Lord. Revelation 11:3.

So, the church is the instrument that the Lord is using in this age. He died for the church, He is the head of the church, and He is committed to seeing the church fulfill its mission. We do not have to be a part of His work, but we pray that we are, and that we will continue to be.

On September 11, 2001, the United States suffered the first attack on its soil since Pearl Harbor, and the largest single loss of life in her history. The attacks were launched by Islamic fundamentalists who hate America for her decadent lifestyle and her support of Israel.

On that fateful day, four commercial airplanes were hijacked nearly simultaneously and were used as guided missiles by suicidal terrorists. Two aircraft struck and destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City. A third aircraft hit the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. – headquarters of the U.S. military. The fourth place was en route to Washington, D.C. toward a yet-unknown target when passengers attempted to subdue the hijackers and forced the aircraft to crash in rural Pennsylvania.

Some 5000 people lost their lives in the attack and countless others were wounded, physically and/or emotionally. The total costs to the U.S. economy are unknown but staggering.

Since the initial attacks, there have been numerous reports of anthrax contamination at different locations in what is likely the first bio-terrorism directed against U.S. civilians.

Convincing evidence points to Islamic radical Osama bin Laden and his group, the Al Qaeda, as the source of these attacks. Bin laden has been protected by the Taliban government in Afghanistan, and has the wealth and resources to cunduct such a coordinated assault.

Radical elements in the Muslim world are at war with America and perhaps all of western civilization. A writer in the October 8, 2001 issue of The Jerusalem Report described the conflict as “[a] ‘civilizational’ class between militant Islam and the western democracies.”

Newsweek magazine reported in its October 15, 2001 issue that “millions of people across the Islamic world” seem to agree with bin Laden’s statements that this is a religious war against America. Radical Muslims, not all Muslims – but especially Muslims of the Middle East, live in a culture that constantly reinforces their hostility, distrust and hatred of America.

America’s support of Israel is one reason for the Islamic rage. This hatred fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah 12:2-3. Those verses proclaim that Jerusalem would become a burdensome stone and that all nations that burden themselves with her would be cut into pieces.

This nation has launched a massive military campaign against bin Lade, the Al Qaeda, and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. America is at war. We do not know the results and the implications of this war. It is right that we should respond to a dastardly attack on innocent civilians but this war will not end terrorism nor make the world safe. Too many Bible prophecies are yet to be fulfilled before men can say, “peace and safety.” (I Thessalonians 5:3)

These attacks on America are tragic. The suffering of the innocents here and in Afghanistan is terrible. These events call out to all of us to get serious about serving God.

The events of September 11 are a call to repentance. They are a signal that we are approaching the end of Gentile times. They are a wake up call to America; it is now a prime target. We expect these types of attacks against the United States to continue and worsen.

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, there have been many calls for prayer but few for repentance. National greatness does not come through retaliation against terrorists – nations that are wicked can retaliate. National greatness comes through humbling ourselves, seeking His face, turning from wicked ways, and receiving His forgiveness. (II Chronicles 7:14)

America has not repented and will not repent. All the nations of the earth and their armies are headed for the judgment of God. “For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies.” (Isaiah 34:2)

Yet, individually, we can repent. We can give the Lord the priority in our lives that He deserves. We can do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with the Lord our God. (Micah 6:8) God will protect His people. (Psalm 91)