King David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, wrote down the revealed answer to that question saying, “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Psalm 119:160). God’s word is the sum-total of the scriptures which have been preserved down through the ages comprising what we now know as the Holy Bible. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…” as we read in 2 Timothy 3:16.

But, simply reading the Bible does not bring a person into the knowledge of the truth. It is God who calls a person to this understanding (1 Thessalonians 2:12; John 6:44) and opens their mind to the mysteries of God’s word. The truth of God is the real understanding of the scriptures in light of the overall plan of God for mankind.

It is the understanding of the mysteries of God, mysteries which mankind has sought to understand for millennia but is simply unable to arrive at that knowledge due to their minds being blinded to spiritual truth, spiritual understanding of God’s plans and purposes. The truth must be revealed through the Spirit of God, which is God’s power, working with and, upon receipt of the Holy Spirit after baptism, in and through a person. Therefore, it is God who reveals His truth. Apart from the initiative of God and the invitation of God to a person to understand His concealed truth, they are unable to comprehend the spiritual purposes God is working out.

Jesus Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus is the truth. In John 1:1 we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Additionally, John 1:14 adds, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus Christ is the Word of God, the Logos or Spokesman.

The Bible is the mind of Christ in print. It is the truth just as Jesus is the truth. Jesus, in the human flesh, carried out His Fathers’ will perfectly and in that way set forth the perfect example of what obedience truly was. He showed what a life lived in truth could and should look like.

The truth is, therefore, the revelation of the mind of God, His master plan to mankind, as expressed in the pages of the Holy Scriptures. To learn more about the Bible and the way of life God teaches throughout its inspired pages, go to Tomorrow’s World.org.

[Emma] Watson [the female star of the movie] said in an MTV interview that she recalled being surprised when the day before shooting she was told, “‘Oh, by the way, we hope it’s all right, but we want you to be topless, and we’re going to cover you in silver paint.’” She laughed and said, “It was awkward enough as it was without the silver paint and the strapless bra, but whatever. It works. It looks good for the story.” But does it? Fans are now talking about it. And some of the words they are using are “awkward,” “creepy” and “disturbing,” reports MTV News. The site canvassed fans after a midnight showing. Another word that popped up? “Uncomfortable.”

As the boundaries are pushed to continue to shock audiences senses into, at least for curiosities sake, frequenting the movie theaters, they are also, although probably temporarily, putting off the crowds through their blatant attempt to create controversy and interest. Where will the next movie targeted at youth seek to push the next boundary? Where does it all end?

We know that there will be at the end times a generation who are so desensitized that it affects all they do and their behavior toward those in authority, the poor, and those things which are considered filthy and impure is as nothing to them.

“There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother. There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness. There is a generation–oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men” (Prov 30:11-14)

Ultimately, pushing these boundaries will bring about a generation that God will have to deal with in a very direct and firm manner. There is a Great Tribulation coming and it will come upon the generation that allows themselves to be entertained with the rotten Hollywood agenda of boundary pushing. Don’t be fooled and don’t give in. We are told to come out and be separate in 2 Corinthians 6:17. That is what we should do when we see boundaries being pushed in movies…simply leave the theater or turn off the DVD.

“The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (Prov 15:28). “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). “Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:10-11).

How are your study habits? Are you making time for study? Are you adding depth to your relationship with God through the powerful tool of daily, diligent and directed study of God’s word?

With the hectic pace of life in our modern day, it is easy to allow time to get away from us and to miss out on the opportunity to come before God in prayerful study. The old saying rings true, “If the devil can’t make you bad, he’ll keep you busy.” Time wasters abound and distractions seem never ending. We can have the best of intentions, yet at the end of the day we wind up scratching our heads and wondering where the hours went. If that has happend to you, don’t despair. There is hope. What you need is a plan.

When thinking of what makes for an effective study plan, consider the following critical items:

Pray for understanding. – Without understanding what we read and study, we are simply hearing the words and possibly wasting time. Read with the desire to understand what is being read.

Have a set time of day for study. – Maybe you’re a morning person. Maybe a night-owl, but either way, reserve a portion of the day for this vital activity.

Study by subject. – This is an effective way to understand all of God’s mind on a particular subject and, with the aid of a Concordance, can take you to those often neglected portions of the Scriptures (This may make you say…Habakuk has a lot to say after all!)

Meditate and review. – This can really solidify in your mind all that God has revealed throughout the course of your study. Think through and review the details of God’s word. Rehearsing God’s word in your mind is part of thinking on the good things (Philippians 4:8).

The Apostle Paul exhorts all of us, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). We have to be studying to be able to know God’s will and we have to be studying to have the kind of transformation and renewal that God is looking for in our lives. We have to put study and prayer (and they go hand in hand) first in our lives. When we put study first we are in essence “seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) and that should be one of our primary goals in this life. Happy studying, give a wonderful Sabbath and take care.

“I cannot but voice my concern at the increasing marginalization of religion, particularly of Christianity, that is taking place in some quarters, even in nations which place a great emphasis on tolerance.”

Speaking from the Westminster Hall inside the Houses of Parliament, the article continues:

“…he congratulated Britain on its illustrious democratic history, but also held up the example of the man condemned to death inside the great hall nearly 500 years ago, Thomas More, who refused to countenance Henry VIII’s break with the Catholic Church, saying he served God before the king. It was a gentle call to arms, part of the pope’s campaign to “re-evangelize” Europe and restore traditional values.”

We know that there will be a final pope who will fulfill the prophecies found in scripture which describe a great False Prophet who will work powerful miracles on the earth, under the power and authority of Satan the Devil. This man will deceive, no doubt, millions before the return of Jesus Christ. The groundwork is being laid for a future dynamic “re-evangelization” of Europe and Benedict, through his travels, is reaching out to Europe to restore not only traditional values, but rest assured, Catholic values and dogma.

We are living in the end times. Watch and pray and keep your eyes on what is happening in Europe, in the Middle East as well as what is happening in America as the pride of our power is being brought low by God our Father to humble us as a nation before the triumphant return of the King of kings.

Have a profitable Day of Atonement and safe travels to the Feast of Tabernacles, to the whichever place God has placed His name and you have arranged to travel to. Take care.

The financial crisis which enveloped the world in 2008 did something dynamic in Germany as the their government sought to find fiscal harmony through patience and diligence. This was in stark contrast to the stimulus package spending of the Obama administration, which attempted to merely head off what appeared to be the inevitability of depression by bailing out banks and those organizations deemed “too big to fail.”

The financial crisis did wake people up in America, as well as in Germany. With national pride for the accomplishments of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and a feeling that the world “should follow Germany’s example of austerity” according to NYT article, the eyelids have raised and the light of a new Germany is becoming more clear with each passing day.

In June of 1991 the decision was made, after a reunified Germany voted to return the nation’s capital to Berlin from its post-war location, Bonn. “On Monday, April 19, [1999], the German parliament…[met]…in the Reichstag building in Berlin, signaling the transfer of the capital of Germany from Bonn to Berlin. The parliament [had] not met in Reichstag since the Reichstag Fire of 1933. The recently renovated Reichstag includes a glass dome, symbolizing a new Germany and a new capital.” (About.com)

Again, the NYT article quotes William M. Drozdiak, the president of the American Council on Germany, making this statement: “But having moved the capital from Bonn back to Berlin, there has been a profound psychological change, shifting the center of gravity to the east, with Germany thinking more like a Central European power.”

The NYT article summarizes by saying, “In ways large and small Germany is flexing its muscles and reasserting a long-repressed national pride. Dozens of interviews across the country…found…a people still aware of their country’s history, but less willing to let it dictate their actions.”

Sadly, that renewed national pride will result in the resurgence of a Germany primed for a powerful and persuasive leader who will command one of the most powerful military, political, and economic entities the world has ever seen. The Beast will rise from the ashes of not only Nazi era Germany, but from the marble halls of the ancient Roman Empire.

“German pride did not die after the country’s defeat in World War II. Instead, like Sleeping Beauty in the Brothers Grimm version of the folk tale, it only fell into a deep slumber. The country has now awakened, ready to celebrate its economic ingenuity, its cultural treasures and the unsullied stretches of its history.” (ibid.)

Jesus Christ exhorts us to “watch and pray always” (Matthew 21:36) and as we see a sleeping giant awaken, we should do that very thing. As events continue to propel the world closer to the Great Tribulation and the final climactic battle at the end of the age, I encourage you to read or re-read the Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor, or Soon-coming Reality.

As you continue to read Tomorrow’s World magazine and watch the telecast you will gain insight you can get nowhere else. You will be able to watch with clear vision the events hurtling the world forward toward the imminent return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom over all the nations, including Germany, on the earth.