vertical thought: april-june 2011

8/7/2019 Vertical Thought: April-June 2011

1/24

One Leaf of GrassThe LoneLiness AnTiDoTeWhy Did God

Create Tobacco?

Te MostMisunderstoodMessageWhat Will ThoseConverted Today Do in

the Millennium?

A Modest Example:What Your Clothes

Say About You

CommentariesFrom Our Website

a magazine of understanding for tomorrows leaders

AprilJune 2011

Your Invitation toBelieve the Gospel


2/242 Vertical Thought A p r i l J u n e 2 0 11 V e r t i c a l T h o u g h t . o r g

Remember when you were 8 years old? Lie stretched out beore you as an endless adven-

ture. Seems like a long time ago, doesnt it? Vertical Tought will soon turn 8and itsbeen a great adventure!

Why VerticalThought?

Vis a magazine yu geneatin. Its pupse ist psitively pesent t yu explanatins the tuevalues liethe easn yu ae hee n eath at thistime. We want t give yu the actual unestaning what is t cme an hw yu can matue as tm-ws leaes.

Vertical Tought isnt afraid to talk about God. True faithis strength. We live in a twisted, troubled world that pos-sesses very little core belief beyond self. Vchallengesyou to get out of lifes rut, out of the pit of despair, tothink in a whole new direction. Its in our name.

In the sping 2003 the Unite Chuch G waseay t launch a magazine esigne yu. But whatname wul captue attentin quickly in these ast-pace times?

As a past in the Pacic Nthwest I hste a yungaults Bible class an engage thse ne yungmins in the name seach. We bainstme ve 30pssibilitiessme seius, sme humus.

Hw abut Vetical Tught? aske HanselNew. (See his cmmentay in this issue.) Fesh an

uniquen ne, s a as we cul iscen, ha eveuse it, an it mae the cut.

But bee giving thei appval, the Chuchs12-membe Cuncil Eles aske: Why veti-cal thught? sme it sune like a psychlgymagazine.

Ou eit aske me t pvie the answe.

Vetical is ppula an escibes anything thatges upees gavitylike snwba jumps a basketball playes vetical jump. climb a ckace climbing gym wall, yu must g vetical. Its a

pactical escipt egulaly an ceatively use tmean up.

Since thught autmatically makes yu think,

at least think abut thinking, then veticalthught means thinking upwatwa G. (SeeClssians 3:1-2 as mentine in the sta bx belw).

F My thughts ae nt yu thughts, n ae yuways My ways, says the Lord. F as the heavens aehighe than the eath, s ae My ways highe thanyu ways, an My thughts than yu thughts(Isaiah 55:8-9).

We want Gs ways t be u ways an His thughts

us. We want an, eep insie, lng veticalthughts.

With that explanatin, u Cuncil unest theelatinship the tw ws an ballte unani-musly t appve Vertical Tought as the name themagazine. Te est is nw almst eight yeas excit-ing an inspiing histy.

Tis wl is nt a happy a sae placejust watcha little the news abut the evlutins in NthAica an the Mile East, abut eathquakesan ie ecnmic pblems natins, states anpvinces. Cnsie the eing mality aun

yuthe weakening Bible-ene maiage, thebeakwn amily cnnectins, the espai anemptiness yu pees. Ou sa, l eath appeas thave a penchant anti-vetical thinking.

All peple, yu an I inclue, nee slutins t thesetubles. Tis planet nees a lt vetical thughtsit nees t lk up t the tue G the Bible in wan actin. An it willwhen Jesus Chist etunst set the wl ight an establish what He calls theKingm G. Tats the g news Jesus pesn-ally es yu an me. An thats the vetical thinkingthat well elive in Vertical Tought the next eight

yeas an beyn!Keep thinking vetically, an invite thes t thesame!

Vertical Thought is a biblically based magazine o understand-ing or young people aged 12-22. Our name is derived romColossians 3:1-2, which tells us to think about godly thingswhich are above, where Christ is. Vertical Thought is pub-lished quarterly by the United Church o God, an International

Association, 555 Technecenter Drive, Milord, OH 45150. 2011 United Church o God, an International Association.Printed in U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any ormwithout written permission is prohibited.

Publhr: United Church o God, an International AssociationCucl f eldr: Scott Ashley, Bob Berendt, Aaron Dean, BillEddington, Roy Holladay, Vic Kubik, Darris McNeely, MelvinRhodes (chairman), Mario Seiglie, Robin WebberChurch prdt:Dennis Luker Mda prat maagr: Peter Eddington Maaggdtr: Randy Stiver Atat maagg dtr: Dan Dowd staff:Frank Dunkle, Mario Seiglie, Amanda Stiver Graphc dg: ShaunVenish Cpy dtr: Scott Ashley, Tom Robinson Prfradr: Mi-

lan Bizic Wb dg: Aaron Booth edtral rvwr: Bruce Dean,Ed Dowd, Ken Graham, Steve Myers, Gary Smith, Rex Sexton

Vantage Point Randy Stiver, Managing Editor


3/24Vertical Thought A p r i l J u n e 2 0 11 3

To request a ree subscription to Vertical Thought,visit our website at www.VerticalThought.org andlocate the ofce nearest you.

Vertical Thought is sent ree to all who request it. Your subscription is provided by the voluntarycontributions o members o the United Church

o God, an International Association, and others.Donations are grateully accepted and are tax-de-

ductible in the United States and Canada. Scripturalreerences are rom the New King James Version

(1988 Thomas Nelson, Inc., publishers) unlessotherwise noted.Unsolicited materials: Due to stafng limitations,unsolicited materials sent to Vertical Thought willnot be critiqued or returned. By their submission,authors agree that submitted materials become theproperty o the United Church o God, an Interna-

tional Association, to use as it sees ft. This agree-ment is controlled by Caliornia law.

Yur ivtat t

Blv th GplWhen Jesus talke abut the gs-

pel, He meant g news yu.

Th MtMudrtd MagWhy was the Messiahs messagetwiste an lagely gtten?

Wat Wll T CvrtdTday D t Mllum?Jesus wants yu t wk with Himin His Kingm! What will yu ?

A Mdt exampl:What Yur Clth sayAbut Yu!What pactical steps yu can take

t achieve an attactive, mest

pesnal style?

Th Ll AtdtFeelings lneliness canvewhelm an iscuage us.

What can we t cmbat these

ebilitating eelings?

Why Dd GdCrat Tbacc?Is thee a psitive easn G

t have ceate a plant that causes

s much eath?

o Laf f GraFascinatin with a single blae

gass le t cntemplating the

wne it all.

CmmtarFrm our WbtWhats yu vetical take n

tays wl? Check ut us.

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5

8

9

10

12

14

16

2 Vatag Pt

20 Lf Campu

22 i th nw

Contents

5

9

12

20

Features


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5/24Vertical Thought A p r i l J u n e 2 0 1 1 5

Psst! Di yu knw that Jesus Chist came t theeath with a message that cul tansm thewl? Smehw, thugh, in the cuse the lastcuple thusan yeas it has been lst, velke

taken as a metaph.

N, its nt in ne thse lst Gspels that seem tkeep tuning up. Tis message is hien in plain sight.

Stangely enugh, the peple wh wante Jesus eaactually unest a pat His message that mstpeple wh claim t lve Him tay nt.

What do you mean, King?

Evil King He believe the wise men wh sai they weecming t wship the inant King the Jews. His slu-tin? Kill all the babies t make sue thee wul be nival his thne.

Late, the eligius leaes wh calle Jesus cuci-xin accuse Him pltting a evlutin t take veas king. When the Rman gven Pntius Pilate askeJesus abut this, He answee: Yu say ightly that I am aking. F this cause I was bn (Jhn 18:37).

He even tl His isciples that when He came back t theeath they wul be uling une Him, each ve a tibe Isael (Luke 22:30). Hw much me liteal can yu get?

What do you mean, Kingdom?

What i Jesus say His message was?

Nw ate Jhn was put in pisn, Jesus came t Galilee,peaching the gspel the kingm G, an saying,Te time is ullle, an the kingm G is at han.Repent, an believe in the gspel (Mak 1:14-15).

Gospel is just an l English w that means g news.Te gspel the Kingm G is g news because itescibes the time Jesus Chists etun, when it will beannunce that the kingm the wl has becme the

kingm u L an his Chist, an he will eign eve an eve (Revelatin 11:15, New Intenatinal

Vesin).Jesus knws the way peace. Lk aunpeple tay nt. Jesus knws hw t heal peple, give them enught eat an help them lean hw t be tuly happy. Pepletay nt.

Jesus Chists gspel the Kingm G tuly wasevlutinay. He is ging t tun this cazy, mixe-upwl ight-sie up. Hes ging t e the evil, cupt lea-es an eplace them with leaes wh cae an actuallyput thes abve themselves.

Te eects will be stunning. Utpia will beak ut!

The MostMisunderstood Message

b y M i k e B e n n e t t

The Biggest News Story in History:CHRIST RETURNS!Who: Jesus Christ, who came once already to pay thepenalty or our sins to become our Savior, returns to put anend to sin as our King (Revelation 11:15).

What: Christ puts an end to human misrule and sets up thelong-promised Kingdom o God (Daniel 2:44).

When: In the nick o time beore humanity destroys itsel

(Matthew 24:22) . Christ gave signs to identiy the end time,but He did not reveal the day and hour (Matthew 24:36).

Where: Starting with Jerusalem, this Kingdom will spreadover the whole earth (Zechariah 14:3-4; Acts 1:11-12;Matthew 5:5; Revelation 5:10; Daniel 2:35).

Why: Christ returns because it is part o Gods plan to showlove or everyone, to bring many children to glory (John3:16; 2 Peter 3:9; Hebrews 2:10).

How: Gods lawsthe way He designed the universeto workwill be taught and will bring real peace andprosperity, but most o all a loving amily relationship, to allthe world (Isaiah 2:2-4).

Why was the Messiahs

gospel message twisted,ignored and largely

forgotten?


6/246 Vertical Thought A p r i l J u n e 2 0 1 1 V e r t i c a l T h o u g h t . o r g

1 2 3 R F W i k i m e d i a

Hee ae just a ew the healines we can lk wa t:

Wa Clleges Clse

Stippe-Dwn anks une Int acts

Pet LinLvable King Peschl Playgun

Fmely Disable Peple Tank Jesus Chist Healing

AIDS Wipe Out

How the gospel got lost

S hw i the gspel the Kingm G get lst, with thetem Kingm teate like nthing but a gue speech?

ime was ne culpit. Many in the Chuch believe Chistwul be back t set up His Kingm ight away. As the yeasan ecaes ticke away, peple began lking theexplanatins this Kingm thing. Patience is nt ustng suit.

Maybe the Kingm is just in u heats, maybe the Chuchis the Kingm, sme thught. (Sciptues use t supptthese ieas ae explaine in u ee bklet Te Gospel o theKingdom.) Te iea a eal Kingm became less an lessppula until it almst isappeae.

Tis pcess was acceleate by the inltatin alse teach-es peaching a ieent gspel (2 Cinthians 11:13-15;Galatians 1:6-7). Te Bible wans that Satan the evil is ut tsnatch away the hpe m u heats an that he blins aneceives the whle wl (Revelatin 12:9).

Te Bible als wans that nt all Chistian teaches ae eally

Chist. (F a histical veview the ise a cunteeitChistianity, see u ee bklet Te Church Jesus Built.)

Over time the gospel o the Kingdom

o God was lost, with the term

Kingdom treated like nothing but

a fgure o speech.



sins an stive t llw His laws lve, we will beblesse.

Repentance invlves bth asking giveness(thugh means Jesus Chists sacicial sueing

an eath in u place) an seeking t tun away msin an live the ight way like Jesus i. Te g newsmtivates us t seek st the kingm G an Hisighteusness (Matthew 6:33).

Te gspel, g news, was n the apstlePauls min in his st lette t the Chistians Tessalnica. He mentine it u times in the secnchapte alne! In that cntext, he emine them:We pleae with yu, encuage yu, an uge yut live yu lives in a way that G wul cnsiewthy. F he calle yu int his Kingm t shaehis gly (1 Tessalnians 2:12, NL).

By llwing Jesus Chists example beying Gslaw lve, we will be living by the ules GsKingm nw, an will be pclaiming the g newssilently by u example (Matthew 5:16).

Believe this Good News!

Te secn thing Jesus aske us t t espn tHis invitatin is t believe the gspel. Te Bible alscalls this belieaith.

What is aith? It is the cnent assuance that whatwe hpe is ging t happen. It is the evience things we cannt yet see

S, yu see, it is impssible t please G withutaith. Anyne wh wants t cme t him must believethat thee is a G an that he ewas thse whsinceely seek him (Hebews 11:1, 6, NL).

By stuying the invitatin (the Bible) an cmmunicat-ing with G thugh paye, we can gw in u beliein these seemingly unbelievable pmises.

We can cme t knw that the unslvable pblems tays wl eally can be slve. We can knw thatthe hpelessness humanity can be eplace withsli hpe m G. We can believe that u lvingG has tuly invite us t be His chilen in His

Kingm eve!

Belie leas t actin. ake time t stuy sme theactins G wants m us in espnse t His invita-tin: Mak 16:15; Acts 2:37-42; James 2:14-17. Helpingt spea the g news, cmmitting u lives t Gan living the way give ae all pat u RSVP tGs invitatin.

unestan me abut this wneul g news the Kingm G, ea u inspiing ee bkletTe Gospel o the Kingdom. Yu can ea e itnline at www.ucg.g/bklets.

Mike Bennett and his wie Becky and two daughters livenear Cincinnati, Ohio.

Yur ivtatFrom page 4

Newound hope!

ten in this wl things can lk hpeless. S ningan believing this g news abut the Kingm Gcan change u whle appach. Instea being beatenwn an iscuage, we can see the light at the en the tunnel. We can knw that u lving Savi an Kingwill escue us.

When yu see the eality this hpe, yu can stat t get

inspie t pay eagely, Yu kingm cme (Matthew6:10). Rea me abut hw yu can be invlve in pepa-ing the Kingm G in the accmpanying aticle,Yu Invitatin t Believe the Gspel, an in the inspiingbklet Te Gospel o the Kingdom. Yu can ea e itnline at www.ucg.g/bklets.



What Will Tse Cnvete ay D in

Ive always been ascinate by the Millenniumthe1,000-yea eign Jesus Chist n the eath, whichwill cmmence when He etuns t establish theKingm G ve all natins. Paticulaly intigu-

ing t me ae its implicatins thse us wh becmetuly cnvete Chistians in Gs Chuch tay.

G es the git etenal lie t thse He calls whbelieve, epent an ae baptize an live His way uing

this lie. We will take pat in the Mil lennium as gliespiit beings. We have the chance t be like Chist, even asHe is (1 Jhn 3:2). S what exactly will thse wh becmeGs sns an aughtes in this age be ing uing theMillennium?

The job description

Revelatin 5:10 gives the basic jb esciptin: We willbe kings an piests an will eign n the eath. But whates that jb tuly entail?

Te best example seving as a king an piest is uele bthe Jesus Chist. He pactice gly leaeship

His entie lie an taught by His example cmpassinatesevice t thes. Chists instuctin t the apstles inMatthew 20 emnstates that gly leaeship is muchieent m what is geneally pactice in the wltay. ule with Chist in the cming Kingm G,u leaeship has t be cuse n sevice t thes.

Wheve esies t becme geat amng yu, let him beyu sevant, Jesus sai. An wheve esies t be stamng yu, let him be yu slavejust as the Sn Mani nt cme t be seve, but t seve, an t give His liea ansm many (Matthew 20:26-28).

Sevant leaeship is a seless act, mtivate by lve. Ou

actins in the Millennium will be the same natue. Swhm will we be seving in the Millennium?

As always, we will seve G, cuse, but in the sense helping thes, u seving wk will be that gui-ing an iecting the peple the eath. Te wl the Millennium wil l still be a physical ne, thugh unethe ule G thugh Chist. Ou cus will be nt npusuing u wn enjyment but n st aiing an thenteaching the thusans isplace peple wh suvivethe calamities at the en the age.

As the Millennium pgesses, the ie cnsequences Satans inuence ve the wl tay will becme a is-tant memy. An ve the cuse geneatins, human-ity wil l nee t be emine an wane that Satan will

be let lse at the en the Millennium. Tey will neet be taught abut the cming G the Fathe t His

Kingm in a new heaven an new eath.

What bette teache is thee than ne wh has expeiencelie uing Satans eign an chsen ight? We have thatpptunity t be thee these succeeing geneatins.Tse in Gs Chuch tay knw what its like t live a liewhee, with the help Gs Hly Spiit, Satans inuencecan be esiste an vecme. An thse us whve gwnup in the Chuch pi t cnvesin have a unique pespec-tive that shul ive us even me t want t be thee tteach yung peple in the Millennium an ate.

Ate living u l ives in spiitual battles an vecming,u expeience can be use t ment the cming genea-tins Gs amily.

WHY we will teach

Hw much yu yean all mankin t knw the way G? When we ae kings an piests in the Millennium,hw much will we esie that all peple wul jin us inthe amily G? Hw much G an Jesus Chistesie it us? (See 2 Pete 3:9.)

We will be thee seving an teaching because theunquantiable lve that G has humanity, Hisutue sns an aughtes in His amily. Jesus Chist iet make u inheitance pssible (Jhn 3:16). He als seves

as u High Piest bee G an as an example t us.

b y P e t e r E k a m a

Jesus Christ wants you to work with Him in serving people in His Kingdom! What will He have you do?

Continued on page 15 1 2 3 R F



b y A m a n d a S t i v e r

Your dresses should be tight enough toshow youre a woman and loose enough toshow youre a lady.

Tis geat qute is attibute t Eith Hea, tp cstumeesigne bth Paamunt an Univesal mvie stuisuing the 20th centuy. Hunes lms benete mhe ceativity. He statement hee escibes a way ess-ing that can be summaize as classy tasteul. An itillustates the act that mesty is nt a unim a ne-size-ts-all ppsitin.

Mesty, in tems ecent attie, invlves llwingguielines. Tese allw us t wea clthes that expess upesnal style an taste but that still ppely cve us, aegene apppiate an ae espectul thse wh see usn a aily basis.

Let me pae this wn int sme eective execises yuan I can egulaly use t achieve u wn pesnal,mest style.

1. Ponder modesty

What ae sme the elements mesty? Mesty is away pacticing utging lve twa thes. A wmanwh cves he by apppiately is shwing ega

he male acquaintances by nt tempting them t lust.Likewise, a man wh weas clthes that t well but ae ntt tight helps his emale acquaintances pusue puity thught.

What is mest n ne pesn may nt be mest nanthe. A ess that alls belw the knee a shtwman can a talle wman be t sht, an theeeimmest. Tus, mesty is als an ability t iscenapppiateness pesnal style.

Mesty can als epen n the situatin. Stetchy exe-cise shts an a sleeveless tp, while apppiate ee-m mvement an tempeatue cmt in a tnessclass, ae inapppiate chuch sevices. In the Biblethe piests at the temple G in Jeusalem ha specialclthes t wea as pat wship sevices. Tis an theacts have le t the cnclusin that we shul maintaina high stana ess in wship sevices tay. Tattypically means weaing the best semimal clthes wehave available.

We nee t be minul that hw we ess an cay u-selves will be cnnecte t the message we epesent asmembes the Chuch G. I we ess immestly buttalk abut puity, we ae guilty a uble stana!

2. Dress like a work o art?Te ultimate maste atist all time is the Etenal Ceat

G. Une the iectin G the Fathe, Jesus Chist,lng bee He became human, mae the entie physicalunivese an the spiit ealm.

G shae sme His ceative ability with us. Regaingthe atisan Bezalel, wh wul cnstuct the tabenacle G in the wileness, G state, I have lle him withthe Spiit G, in wism, in unestaning, in knwl-ege, an in all manne wkmanship, t design artisticworks(Exus 31:3-4, emphasis ae). While this was aspecial case, all us have been given cetain talents.

S hw we emply whateve measue atistic gits wehave t the way we ess uselves an t mesty?

I yu sew, apply thse skills t aapt clthes that nee abit me cveage hee thee. I yu nt, ask smenewh es t help yu. An ty t lean me abut hwthings ae mae. Buying well-mae clthes that ae ntvely teny is a wise investment.

3. A matter o inches, not eet: the mirror test

Finally, take a ew minutes nce yu ae esse the ayt stan in nt the mi. Dnt get me wng, Im ntencuaging vanity! Te mi is yu best tl t see whatthes will see when they lk at yu. Ae yu mest? Willyu be isespecting thes an yusel i yu g utsie

this way? D yu epesent yusel, an yu G, well?Continued on page 15

A Modest Example:

What Your Clothes Say About You!

What are some practicalsteps you can take to

achieve an attractive butmodest personal style?



Have you everbeen really lonely?

Katie Sptz knws what lnelymeans. Shes the yung Ameican

aventue wh we by heselacss the Atlantic Ocean in 2010.

Cveing 2,817 miles in 73 ays,Sptz ha t stuggle thugh thephysical stain wing, the ea inclement weathe an angeussea lie. But mst all, she ace theexteme lneliness having n neelse aun n the vast, pen cean.

Lost and alone

Maybe we havent csse thesea alne in a wbat, climbe amuntain sl tekke the SahaaDeset n u wn, but weve all beenlnely.

Lie can han us cicumstanceswhee we ae physically all byuselves. I yuve eve gne back-cunty camping hiking an beensepaate m yu ellw campes,yu knw the ea that can well upinsie an tug at yu thinking, beg-ging yu t panic.

G wileness instucts teachhw t avi that panic an whatt abut it. By llwing a lgicalpgessin steps, yu can ie utthe ea an maintain yu pesence min. With clea thinking yu cantake stck yu actual situatin,incluing what esuces yu haveavailable, an evelp a psitive plan actin.

Alone in a crowd

Lneliness can als ceep int u

lives when amily lie isnt peect.Even peple wh lve each thent always knw hw t expessutging cncen, an in the cuse time they can hut each theeeply. Its pssible t becme lnelyeven while living amng iens amily.

Yung peple wh ae l enughan ecnmically stable may wantt becme maie, but when theeis n ne the ppsite sex t ate,

especially within a paticula eli-gius aith belie set, it can be an

emtinally lnely time.

Panic can set in, nt unlike whathappens when we get lst n ahike. Te emtins sceam, an thebain seems t shut ! Fea least espai, an hpelessness is anunhealthy place t be.

Hit the dontpanic button

Te physical an emtinal stess being alne is a stating place. Justlike being lst in the ws, we havet establish a nt panic ule anevelp a set actins that willlea t a bette placea place llewith caing ienships an stng,psitive elatinships! What, mespecically, shul we ?

Pray:Hees the secet: We ae nevecmpletely alne! G is alwaysawae us an what we ae think-ing. We ae nly a payes lengthm His inteventin. S stat withpaye. ell G hw yu eel, an ask His help an mecy.

Assess: G says i yu ask inpaye, believing, yu will eceive(Matthew 21:22). But we als havet u pat. ake stck thesituatin. Ae yu actually alne,

yu simplyeel alnehavingbecme, as is cmmn, simply awnint yusel?

Act accordingly: I yu ae tulyin a angeus situatin at hme amng iens, leave an n help.I yu pblem is t much inwacus, tun yu pespective utwaan seek thes aun yu. Shwcncen them; see i maybe they,t, cul use me iens. alk tthem. Listen t them.

An make yusel ienly. Tisis ifcult shy peple, but thest step is the haest. Ate thatit becmes easie t meet a stangean make an intuctin. Tee aenealy 7 billin peple n the eaths in this lietime thee will alwaysbe smene new t meet!

Develop an action plan:Make alist peple t cnnect with. Teelely wh cant leave thei hmes cae centes lve t eceive ntes,

phne cal ls an v isits. Likewise, get-well cas will encuage thse wh

ae ealing with health challenges.

Skills an hbbies weve alwaysthught abut, but neve tie, canbe a geat stating pint. Jin a club take a class! Have yu alwayswante t lean t step ance? Gn a gup amateu Iish anc-es t jin! Want t wk with clay?ake a pttey class! Jining a gup class is a antastic way t meetpeple, an ten these ae pvieee at vey lw cst at cmmunitycentes.

An utwa cus is essential tghting lneliness. Shwing lve anutging cncen will bing lve intyu lie. G mae it that way!

Love and lonelinessF thse wh ae single an want tbe maie, it can seem like eveyneaun them is ning the newhile they ae still alne. We aeeach at a ieent stage in lie, butcicumstances can be iscuaging.

Te apstle Paul wte, I haveleane in whateve state I am, t becntent (Philippians 4:11).

Cntentment an gatitue ae tw

imptant antites t lneliness.Cntentment is ten ene by thepecnceive aspiatins we have uselves. But Gs timing an Hisgals us ae ten ieent thanwe expect. Always emembe, Gsplan is the best!

Te ha pat is ecnciling His path us with the ne we think we want.Tis is the pint Pauls instuctin:We must accept that wheeve we ae,that is accing t Gs will. Te

lessns we lean may be geate thanwe cul eve imagine, an they aepepaing us etenal lie in theKingm G.

So now what?

Being unmaie isnt a ne-wayticket t Hemitville. An active, p-uctive, utwa-lking single liewill cnnect us with thes, bingingcmpaninship an clse ien-ships. An it can enable imptantpusuits. Histically an biblically,

Gs sevants wee bth maiean single. Being single has at times



Feelings of loneliness can overwhelm and discourage us. What can we do

to combat these debilitating feelings?

been avantageuswith less amilia lespnsibilities like paenting a llwingme time t spen n Gs wk p-claiming the gspel.

Lk aun. Ae thee ways t seve? Aethee expeiences t enjy that wnt beas available ate maiage, like tavel aneucatinal aventues? Seek thse ut!

Dnt give up n yu maie iensthugh. Keep in tuch with them! Tey may

nee yu pespective m time t time.Likewise, maie lks, nt get yusingle iens. Tugh the cus ulives may ie, g ienships aewth maintaining.

Good-bye, loneliness

Lneliness is just a stating place.Whee we g m thee is a mak the chaacte we ae evelping.

Establish a nt panic appach tcmbat lneliness. I we eel inwaan caught up in sel-pity, the antiteis t tun utwa an think thes.y t unestan hw they eel, anlean hw t each ut an encuagethem.

Te Glen Rule, the guiing pinciple ppe inteactin with u ellw man, is t t thes as we want them t t us. Iwe want t be less lnely, then we shul helpll the lives thes with cae an ienship.It takes et, but the en esult is piceless!

Amanda Stiver is a Vertical Thoughtsta

member and reelance writer and editorrom Columbus, Ohio.

b y A m a n d a S t i v e r



H

e had been through this operation before,and the doctors had told him then thesame thing they were telling him now:You have to quit smoking.

He ha tie many times beean ate evey ne these sugeiesbut ate a week s the cavings weet much an he went back t smking. One lung haaleay been emve ve the cuse seveal peatinsue t lung isease an amage cause by smking, annw he was acing sugey nce again t emve me the lung that was let. A lietime cigaette smking haavage his lungs an his by.

Tis man was my geat-uncle, wh eventually ie mcmplicatins elate t smking. His was a amilia sty,as t many thes have ace the same cnsequences asmking habit.

With such clea evience the meical anges smkingtbacc, we may smetimes wne: Why i G ceatesuch a plant?

History o tobacco use

Te egula use tbacc iginate amng vaius nativepeples the Ameicas ging back thusans yeas.When Eupean exples iscvee the New Wl, theytk back t thei hmelans this use tbacc.

As the Bitish clnies in the Ameicas expane, tbaccbecame a chie cmmity tae Eupean manuac-tue gs. Te intensive lab equie t gw it, as wellas its high ecnmic value, helpe t ive the incease slavey in the Ameicas.

Consequences o smoking

Initially tbacc was thught t be a wne ug, cuing alleviating many meical ills. But eve since the U.S.sugen geneal in 1964 elease a stuy highlighting thenegative eects tbacc, its been well cumente thattbacc use is accmpanie by seius health cncens. Yetespite wiespea awaeness the anges, an even withwaning labels n tbacc pucts, the use tbacc cn-

tinues unabate. Cnsie that: Wlwie, tbacc use causes me than 5 millin

eaths pe yea, an cuent tens shw that it willcause me than 8 millin eaths annually by 2030(WHO Report on the Global obacco Epidemic, 2009).

In the Unite States, tbacc use is espnsible abut 443,000 eaths pe yea. An estimate 49,000 these ae the esult expsue t secnhan smke(Centes Disease Cntl an Peventin, Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years o Potential Lie Lost, andProductivity LossesUnited States, 2000-2004).

Te U.S. Envinmental Ptectin Agency epts that

smke m buning tbacc cntains me than 4,000chemicals.

Why DidGod CreateTobacco?

b y D a n D o w d

12 Vertical Thought A p r i l J u n e 2 0 11

1 2 3 R F


13/24

Is there a positive reason for God to have createda plant involved in so much death?

With all these negative eects, why i G ceatethe tbacc plant? When G nishe ceating inGenesis 1, He state that all He ha mae was vey

g (vese 31). Des this mean that its kay t usethe tbacc plant in the m cigaettes, cigas, pipesmking, chewing tbacc snu?

N, it esntanyme than its all ight t eat pi-snus plants, veeat, veink, g t extemeswith misuse the pats Gs ceatin. In ai-tin t the meical evience shwing that smking,chewing snting tbacc is nt g us, biblicalpinciples eveal that such use tbacc is cntay twhat G wants us t .

Biblical principles against smoking

While the Bible es nt speak specically smk-ing, it es cve the subject in pinciple. One themain sciptues that aesses the heat the matteis 1 Cinthians 6:19-20: O yu nt knw thatyu by is a temple the Hly Spiit within yu,which yu have m G, an that yu ae nt yuwn? F yu wee bught with a pice; theeegliy G in yu by (New Revise StanaVesin). Smking seiusly hams the byespe-cially ve time.

An aitinal sciptual pinciple invlve with thesmking questin cncens u cae the peple:

Yu shall lve yu neighb as yusel (Matthew22:39). Science clealy cuments the amaging eect secnhan smke, as well as the mnumental cst smking-elate health pblems t sciety at lage.

Meve, the avaging u wn health an pssiblepematue eath will cause sueing an haship tu lve nes. An incapacitating uselves peventsus m seving thes as eectively as we thewisecul. S, ut lving cncen thes, a Chistianshul chse nt t smke. Tese pinciples shw usthat it is inee sin t smke.

Cmpuning the issue is that, many, it is nt sim-

ply a matte eciing t quit but, athe, a ifcultstuggle with a physical aictin. Tis is yet antheeasn smking is a sin. It esults in aictinin thesmke becming a slave t an unhealthy habit.

Ntice what Paul says abut this in 1 Cinthians6:12: Yu may say, I am allwe t anything. ButI eply, Nt eveything is g yu. An eventhugh I am allwe t anything, I must ntbecme a slave t anything (New Living anslatin).

Possible uses o the tobacco plant

S, is thee any g t cme m the tbacc plant?

Why i G ceate it? Te cause s much theestuctin is m the pimay alkali in the tbacc

leaves, nictine. In a ene state, nictine is an ilyliqui an a pweul pisn use as an ganic insec-ticie. Even in small ses it can be ealy t human

beings, with just a ew ps being atal an aveageault.

Given that G clealy i nt inten the tbaccplant t be smke, let s lk at sme the emegingevience hw it might be use:

Te Cental bacc Reseach Institute, base inGuntu, Inia, has le patent ights slan-sle, a meicine extacte m tbacc use inthe manuactue cance an caiac ugs.

In a eseach ept appeaing in the Mach2010 pint issue the FASEB Journal, scientists

explain hw they evelpe a genetically mi-e stain tbacc that helps tempe the am-aging eects txic pn scum, which makeswate unsae inking, swimming shing.

Jean Nict (Fench ambassa t Ptugal inthe ealy 1500s) i a geat eal eseach ntbacc an is ceite with islating the cm-pun nw name nictine (in his hn). Nictiscvee that a tbacc lea spe up the healing cuts when applie as a banage.

Fames have use it centuies t teatblating an iahea in livestck.

Pehaps the best thing abut the tbacc plantis that it can een the plants m insects. Aslutin nictine in wate has been use as aninsecticie since 1746 (aculty.washingtn.eu).

While Vertical Tought es nt ense these thesuch uses tbacc, it is inteesting t cnsie thatsuch uses have been un. Pehaps G is lking mankin t iscve the ppe uses this plant. AsPvebs 25:2 states, It is the gly G t cnceala matte, but the gly kings is t seach ut amatte.

I yu ae inteeste in eaing me n the mal-ity tbacc use, yu can access these past VerticalTought aticles nline:

Is Smking Wng Accing t the Bible?(VeticalTught.g/issues/vt08/qa.htm)

Pu, Pu Cugh, Cugh! (VeticalTught.g/issues/vt15/pu.htm)

Ae Yu Dying t Smke? (VeticalTught.g/issues/vt11/smke.htm)

Dan Dowd is the assistant managing editor o VerticalThoughtand pastors United Church o God congregations

in Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Wisconsin Dells and Eau Claire,Wisconsin.

Vertical Thought A p r i l J u n e 2 0 11 13



Lng yeas ag, when I walkethe quaint steets ancient St.Albans in Englan ste thesuuning hillsies, I began

t cnsie the wl aun me mecaeully than I ha ne aba aicatcaies in my navy ays.

Lie began t be a bit me imptant

than pepaing t blw u enemies ut the wate ut thei lais n lan,wheeve they might be hiing. Militaystategizing is still vey necessay inthis ma, ma wl us, but atewe have nishe killing each the, thenwhat?

I ha gne back t schl an was su-une by stuents wh ha littleinteest in the militay, an I met aelightul ellw stuent with a smilethat cul launch a thusan ships (n,

he name was nt Helen) an cul stpme in my tacks at a thusan paces.Tis began t uneline the eal imp-tance lie.

O meadows and miracles

One ay ate meaneing alne besiethe neaby ive, I climbe a gassy hillt lk ut ve the cuntysie anthen sat wn t enjy the scene. Cwswee cntentely gazing n the lushgeen gass, cnveting it by means that special magic theis int milk an

ceam, making pssible all the elights butte an cheese t cmplement atypical Bitish packe lunch. I snappe a lng blae gass at its gun-level white knuckle, put the ceamywhite en in my muth an jine withthe cws in the pleasue gazing.

Tis ne wneul blae gass asci-nate me. It was like a lng geen spea-hea, swelling switly m the shatan then thinning gaually all theway wn t its pinte tip. It was a vey

elegant cnstuctin, a wk at su-passing the mst elicate piece a skille

catsman cul make. An inee itwas beyn the capability the mstavance wkshp, labaty esignstui t eplicate because it was a livingthingin sht, a miacle.

I cuse my eyes again n the els gass spea ut alng the ive valleyan ealize that i this slitay blae

gass was a miacle, then I was gazingupn billins miacles in thse elsbelw.

I bent my hea back t lk up at the lwclus scuing acss the sky like stbellie tankes ull wate, sent inlant iigate these els. I nly I ha apinte stick lng enugh, I cul pickthse st gay bellies t bing wn theain. O cul I? N. Te ain clus aeanthe miacle ve which we men haven cntl.

A miraculous planetTis whle eath is a miaculus planetpeectly place in the vast cean space, anche t u wnussun, which in its tun sails alng itsappinte path in the Milky Way. Itsnt as i a bunch cks wee blwnut m sme inexplicable expl-sin in space an eveything we seecame tgethe by umb chance. Quitethe cntay, we see that eveythingespns t measuable lawswithut

which, we wul have n science.Me mavelus yet, the eath is l lewith lie evey imaginable kin, anthe me we ae able t stuy it, theme astnishing it becmes.

What is lie? We simply nt knw,because all u wneul science can-nt unavel the mystey, cannt explainthat single blae gass. A ellwmembe in Gs Chuch sme yeas agwte his ctal thesis n the inticatewk micbes in the sil that x

nitgen t the ts plantsa veycmplex business, t say the least.

The wonder o you

Dea eae, have yu yet ealize thatyu ae, in an yusel, akin t aniniviual univese cmpse til-lins inteactive cells, an that eachne thse cells is a micscpic city immense cmplexity? An have yuealize that we human beings cexist in

a glbal village that was esigne as asymbitic whle, mae pupseully humanity? Yet, as King Davi aske inPsalm 8:4, what is man that G shulbe minul him?

It is ifcult t pesuae atheists thatthe pecise settings the univese thatallw lie ae esigne, but a gwingnumbe scientists have abanneme agnsticism in the ace munt-ing evience the pun gvenance time, space an matte, let alne the

tuly mystiying questins igin.Tee will always be thse wh euse tacknwlege Gs ceatin, but let usget ut an smell the ses, appeciatethe cws an pluck an ccasinal blae gass. We nee t take time t sei-usly cntemplate the shee wne it all. All natue is esigne t supptus human beings, but we ae as yet nlya wk in pgess. We must mve n tpeectin i we ae eve ging t well inthe new heavens an new eath, which

u Fathe in heaven planne lng ag.An h yes, that beautiul wman Imentine became my wie, an weleane tgethe what amily means anwhat u Fathe means by amily. Tisinvlves all us in the ultimate miacle,the st sensatinal pat which willbe accmplishe at u Ls etun.Sen wnla u ee bkletransorming Your Lie: Te Process oConversion i yu wisht lean me.

George Carter and his wie Chris raised

our sons in Canada. He is an elder in theUnited Church o God in Kitchener, Ontario.

Fascination with a single blade

of grass led to contemplating

the wonder of it all.

b y G e o r g e C a r t e r

One Leaf of Grass

14 Vertical Thought A p r i l J u n e 2 0 1 1 V e r t i c a l T h o u g h t . o r g

1 2 3 R F


15/24Vertical Thought A p r i l J u n e 2 0 11 15

Ladies, a ew things to check:

Is yu chest aea cvee? Be cautius abut cleavage. Ineee, aapt a gament with a small swatch abic tmake it mest.

Ae yu shwing mii? Ae yu shts t sht?Is yu skit lingeing a abve the knee? I s, chsesmething lnge. Likewise, i yu have a nice skit thatis lng enugh while staning but ies up t high whenyu sit wn, then cay a sca sme the apingitem with yu t place ve yu legs while yu ae seate.

Cve yu shules wea sleeveless tps with a wiestap as a means shwing espect at chuch sevices.Cay that sca a sweate with yu this pupsebesies, even n ht ays vely ai-cnitine buil-ings can be eezing!

Check the t yu sweates, shits, skits, esses an

tusesae they clse tting skintight? Skintightclthes can be much t evealing. Stay in the mileange tte, semi-tte an lse-tte clthes.

D yu clthes t in geneal? I yu have a bit extaweight, nt ty t squeeze int t small a size (see thepint abve). I yuve lost weight, take the seams in sthat yu pesent yusel well.

For gentlemen:

Men nee t watch the t clthes als. Pants anshits that ae a t tight ae nt apppiate!

Check shts that gape ae t sht. An be suet wea clthes apppiate t the setting.

On the the en the spectum, ae tuses t baggyan unewea visible? Des this pesent a ppe image a llwe Chist? Hitch them up!

For everyone:

D yu clthes match? Ae they clean? n? I s, take aew secns t aess the pblem.

Sit, stan, ben ve, squat, tun, ance, walk an jumpin nt the mi. Te cveage clthes changesas yu mve. Yu may iscve an angle that wi ll gathethe wng kin attentin an nees t be xe. Als,analyze hw yu walk an cay yusel. Ae yu smil-

ing, staning up tall, an yu seem like smene whstans Gs way lie?

Tese may seem teius an nitpicky, but we say a lt by theway we ess. It is pssible t emain stylish an yet mest,an its usually just a matte a ew inches abic athethan yas cveage. Mest attie is ne the easiestways shwing lve ellw human beings by helpingthem t bey Gs cmmanments an keep thei thughtspue.

ake a stan g taste, style an Gs way lieset amodest example!

Amanda Stiver is a Vertical Thoughtsta member and reelancewriter and editor in Columbus, Ohio.

In the Millennium, we can give peple aitinal cmtan encuagement nt nly in G s lve them, butals in the assuance that His W is tue. We will beliving examples that smene else i it. Smene JesusChist ie mae it. Te same ws that give us cm-

t nw will still encuage peple in the Millennium.

Wh bette t teach them t hl ast s that n ne maytake thei cwn? (See Revelatin 3:11.) Te numeuswanings t stan stng, enue t the en, keep the aith,gw in gace an knwlege, an lve ne anthe muststill be taught.

At the en the Millennium, when Satan is elease,he will eceive vast multitues peple, likene t thesan alng the seashe in numbe (Revelatin 20:7-10).Duing nealy a thusan yeas gly ule, hw tenwill we nee t sti peple up an wan them the a-

ing lin that will seek t evu them? Hw will we helpsme avi chsing t llw Satan an being eceive?Te answe can be inee by lking at uselves tay.Whee ae u weak pints? Whee we nee ai encuagement? Tese same weaknesses will be pesentin peple uing the Millennium. We must enue t helpteach thes t the same.

Opportunity o an eternity

We have an pptunity beyn u lietimean pp-tunity an etenity. Te millennial pei n eath wil lbe just the beginning. Ou le as kings an piests willmi Jesus Chists example. Ou lie in the Millennium

will be etenal, yet we must still lng t see many mesns an aughtes cme t gly. All peple ae ptentialsns an aughtes in Gs amily. Bth tay an in theMillennium we must view thei utue ptential an lkbeyn thei shtcmings. We must live as examples nwt be examples in the utue. Ou le in the Millennium isals u le tay (cmpae 1 Pete 2:9).

Ten an nw, we must stive t live Jesus Chists example sevant leaeship. Ou pesent lie is t be a living sac-ice, acceptable t G (Rmans 12:1). Ten an nw, theBible is useul teaching, ebuking, cecting an tain-ing in ighteusness (2 imthy 3:16, New Intenatinal

Vesin). Hw well we knw an pactice Gs way nw?I we want t be a pat the Kingm an be eay u utue les as kings an piests in the amily G,we must st epent, be baptize an eceive Gs Spiitwking in us s we can seek st the Kingm G anHis ighteusness (Matthew 6:33). I we ae aithul in ulives nw, we will be gante the pptunity t be aithulwith much, much me in u utue lie.

D yu eally want t be hee t take n yu le? Statliving it tay.

Peter Ekama is a Master o Architecture graduate rom the

University o Cincinnati and attends the Canton, Ohio, congre-gation o the United Church o God.

MdtyFrom page 9

Th MllumFrom page 8



Ou website, VeticalTught.g, egulaly publishes cmmentaies n cuent tpics m yung aults in GsChuch that ae elevant t the lives yung peple tay. Hees a sampling.

CommentariesFm Ou Website

by Davi Cbb POSTED Dec. 15, 2006

As a volunteer or Big Brothers Big Sisters, I havethe opportunity each week to view lie throughthe eyes o a th-grade boy. Abundant with les-

sons, this view o lie is both joyul and sobering.In sping an summe, I leave the th-sty fcewith wall-t-wall cubicles whee I wk an g tecess n the schl playgun. Asie m the cca-sinal squabble ve whse tun it is t kick the ball,that is pue jy. In the cl wet mnths we ten gt the cmpute lab. Tee is sme jy in this m,but pue jy hee is hae t cme by.

One ay my little bthe wante t use the Intenett n ces a vie game he plays at hme.Games cmmnly ee t these ces as cheats.Accing t viegamecitic.net, cheats ae special

ces that allw yu t bypass the nmal limitatins a game. CheatCes.cm says that a cheat givesyu smething secet hien that wulnt havethewise been available t yu.

Saly, we aily see evience that many in sciety wantt bypass the nmal limitatins lie.

Stuies cnucte with high schl stuents bythe Cente Acaemic Integity un ve70% espnents at public an pachialschls amitte t ne me instances seius test cheating an ve 60% amitte tsme m plagiaism (acaemicintegity.g).

Statistics n maital inelity vay wielybecause, nt supisingly, thse wh cheat nthei spuses ten nt espn t suveystuthully. Mst suvey inmatin inicatesthat 20 t 40 pecent men an 10 t 30 pecent wmen have been unaithul at least nce inthei maiage.

In 2005, the Ecnmic Plicy Institute eptethat citizens an businesses we $353 billinin taxes t the U.S. gvenment that wee nevepai. Unestate eanings an vestate taxeuctinsblatant cheatingae lagely

espnsible the pblem (epinet.g).

Linking the use vie game ces t the cncept cheating is, at best, misleaing. Descibing seeminglyhamless un as cheats es acceptability t the

iea cheatingespecially since, as they say, Itsnly a game.

Te aage He that will cheat at play, will cheat yuany way expesses a me accuate eality. A pesnwh will beak the ules in a game will inevitablybeak the ules in lie.

We evelp the chaacte G by cnsistent bei-ence t His laws in evey aspect lie. Playing by theules ensues a me blessings than we cul evebtain by cheating. Gs W cnstantly pclaimsthe pinciple, Wealth gaine by ishnesty [the easy,cheats way] will be iminishe, but he wh gathes

by lab [hnest et] will incease (Pvebs 13:11).

Cheating is a m stealing an als cvetingwanting what is nt ightully yuswhich invai-ably leas t me sin. [O cuse, it shul be ntethat lking up sme ces t get t the next level mee ivesinay sl play esnt necessaily ini-cate a chaacte pblem. But i its ne in play againstthes pat a bae appach t pesnallymeeting challenges, that wul inee be a pblem.]

Ameican entetaine an thinke Peal Bai ley ncesai, Te st an wst all aus is t cheat nessel. All sin is easy ate that. Te ancient Geek a-

matist Sphcles als expesse a a bette utlkn lie. He sai, I wul pee even t ail with hnthan t win by cheating.

Ask G help t esist the temptatin t get aheaby cheating. Chse the tue blessings that He esby living hnestly. Remembe, thee ae n cheatsin lie.

David Cobb attends the Indianapolis, Indiana, congrega-

tion o the United Church o God with his wie Mandieand two young children. He works ull time in EngineeringDrating at Cummins Inc.

There Are No Cheats in Life

Whats your vertical take on todays world? Check out ours.



by Cbin Rse POSTED Aug. 3, 2007

sindigestion (sin-i-gestchen, n.) An uncomortablecondition due to diculty or an inability to process or

digest things not ft or healthy spiritual digestion.

Yu ll ve in be, still sick t yu stmach, hp-ing the pain will sn subsie. Yuve aleay tiet cul up int the smallest pssible ball t alleviatethe iscmt, but yu just cant ben any uthe.Ganing, yu ealize that yu ecisin t eat themly pizza an tw cans Cheese Whiz may nthave been the best iea ate all! Yes, yuve gt ini-gestin, an its enitely nt un.

Much like the eeling inigestin, we ae suscep-tible t the negative cnsequences ba chices wemake in u lives. We cul call it sinigestintheunsettling state we n uselves in when we ingestt much this pesent evil wls inuence. Whenwe allw t much negativity int u mins cust much n u wn selsh inteests, we can becmespiitually ill.

G esigne us t be happy an healthy i we take inthe ight kin things. But when we ump gabageint u bies an mins, we simply wnt unctinat 100 pecent.

We all have sme spiitual sinigestin in u lives.As with inigestin, u spiitual ailment can cme

m many suces, like veinulging n spiitualjunk , ba lms vilent vie games. Heeshw t be sinigestin-ee ve the lng haul:

Maintain a steady diet o positive ood or thought.Fcus n the g things in lie. Limit tuneut the negative, sinul ieas an examples sampant in u meia an sciety. Sin clgs us upinsie an makes us sick. Just as we eneav tavi junk s an eat healthy s, we shuleject negative thinking an cus u mins ntue an nble thughts. Develp a esie what is g an upight, athe than what

seems ppula an entetaining yet is sinul(Philippians 4:8).

Stay active in your godly behavior. Once yuve lim-ite yu negative intake, intenalize the psitivethings G by acting n them in yu lie. Ouphysical bies nee g andexecise tbun the negative junk insie us. ue spii-tual health emans that we be es GsW, nt just heaes (James 1:22).

Rest, recuperate, repeat. One the mst cmmnemeies sickness is est. Ou bies neea beak m all this pcessing t egeneate.

Tankul ly, G has built in a ay each week us t est s we can stay spiitually healthy.While we est, u bies an mins ejuvenates we can be in tp shape, ee sinigestin,eay t stat the cycle ve again. G mae usan knws that we nee this esting peitheSabbath was mae ormankin! (Mak 2:27).

Each step buils spiitual health. But even i yu tyt tune ut the negative, thee is that yucky (yes,yucky!), sinul natue within that can stil l make yu

sick. beat sinigestin, actively eplace the wngmin-set with things m abvethe things G! lean me abut hw t live a healthy anhappy lie, equest wnla u ee bkletransorming Your Lie: Te Process o Conversion mwww.ucg.g/bklets tay!

Te ultimate Dct is in, an He is waiting t see yu.

Corbin Rose, a graduate o Ambassador Bible Center,

now works as contract graphic designer in Caliornia andin Michigan, where he attends the United Church o God.

[S]INDIGESTION

God designed us to be happy andhealthy i we take in the right kind othings. But when we dump garbageinto our bodies and minds, we simplywont unction at 100 percent.



by Hansel New POSTED June 12, 2009

I Jesus tweeted, would we ollow?

Sme may ask: What, pay tell, is a tweet? weets

ae the sht, equent text-base messages pstethugh the scial netwk calle witte, allansweing the same questin: What are you doing?

Me an me peple ae becming twittepate,s t speak. In act, wittes ppulaity is gwings quickly it ecently anke as the thi mst usescial netwk ate Facebk an MySpace, acc-ing t a Febuay 2009 blg enty n the tackingsite Cmpete.cm.

Jesus tweet

S imagine i Jesus use witte an we cul ask

Him: What are you doing? What wul His tweets tellus?

Tink abut it. We like t stayup-t-the-minute cu-ent n u iensan amily, s why ntthe Messiah we yeant llw an wship?Shulnt we as His l-lwes want t knwat least sme thethings Hes ingat

this vey mment?Not now, Im shepherding

We can knwat least t sme smallegeewhat Jesus is ing. He tells us Himsel inthe pages the Bible. At any given mment, Chistis shepheing, amng the things.

In the bk Jhn, chapte 10 escibes Chistsle as u G Shephe. Yawn, yu may think.Shephes ae steetype as staning with sta inhan an, well, nt ing much anything else.

Nt s! Remembe that in st-centuy cultue when

Chist walke the gassy slpes the lan Isael,sheep wee highly pize thei wl, milk anmeat, s ptecting them was utmst imptance.Tink shephes in that ea as being in the asset-ptectin wealth-management business.

Nw, unestaning the imptance shephes,ea Jhn 10its nt that lng! Te G Shephees the llwing things:

Enters by the gate (Hes the eal eal, nt a sheepustle).

Calls His sheep by name (He knws them asiniviuals).

Leads them ut t pastue (pvies them).

Goes ahead them (leas the way).

Lays down His lie the sheep (puts thei neesahea His wn).

Ntice all the actin phases! Jesus Chist is eci-elynot just hanging ut in heaven smewhee while

peple ae seaching eal leaeshipin u cnuse an estless wl.

Hes busy leaing, guiing ancaing His ck as the G

Shephe.

bette gasp whatJesus is ing, check utthe chapte title Te

Messiahs MisunestMissin in u ee bklet

Jesus Christ: Te Real Story.

Twitter to the future

Ou jb is t llw Chist, but ewseem t knw whee we ae ultimately

heae. Ente the witte questin, but this timeask u G Shephe in the utue sense: What areyou going to do?

Pphecies thughut the Bible tell us that even-tually Chist will shephe the whle wl whenHe ns a cwn in His utue le as ule theKingm Gight hee n eath. We can havea wneul pat in that Kingm i we llw theShephe an pepae nw.

What aeyou ing?

Hansel New and his wie Rachelle, with their two young

children, live and work near Eugene, Oregon, where theyattend the United Church o God.

Twitter to Jesus: What Are You Doing?

S h a u n V e n i s h

Jesus Christ is decidedly not just hanging out in heaven

somewhere while people are searching for real leadership in

our confused and restless world.



VT Commentaries:Seving up orapprach t:

World conditions, ashion trends, international crises,economic hardship, sports and media, moral valuesand personal experience.

VerticalThought.org

by Renee Schel POSTED July 20, 2007

Imagine standing on the edge o a cli, with themost amazing natural vista you have ever seen

beore yourolling valleys ull o luscious greenAustralian bush, a waterall running down therocky cli and a fowing river down below.

Suns beautiul, ight? But imagine thee is thisence keeping yu back m the ege an stppingyu m eally getting a g lk. I I just step vethe ence nly a minute, I wul be able t see thewateall a little bit bette . . .

D yu eel ence in by yu paents ules an byGs laws? D yu want t jump the ence an gplay ut in that big wie wlt g have smeun, just a bit? D yu want t take a small stepve the ence n the ege the cli t get a betteview the ggeus sceney?

As llwes Jesus Chist, we ae tying t theight thing, but smetimes lie just seems s estict-ing. It can eel like wee stuck insie this ence-insectin with all Gs ules, while all that unstu is happening ut thee ve the ence.

Well, the eality is just the ppsite!

G es have encesbut nt in the way wesmetimes eel. He has given us chice an eeman esnt estict us by putting up a ence aunthe way He wants us t g. He has, hweve, put up

ences aun sme angeus aeas that ae wng,hutul an estuctive us. He clealy shws usthugh His W what isnt cnstuctive t living ag an happy lie.

We nee t lean t ientiy the aeas G has

ence t ptect us. G lets us see whats insiethse aeas, but He has built us g encesHis lawst shw us which iectin we shul g.

G isnt hash. He wants us t knw what is utthee, an He gives us the tls t ecgnize thseaeas cncen. He esnt stp us m makingu wn ecisins.

S what happens i yu make a mistake by gingint a ence- aea an then ealize that it was awng ecisin? Dnt wyG is g. At thepice Jesus Chists lie, He built a gate yu tpen an get back ut! G pmises t give uswhen we walk back thugh that gate an epent.

S, hw wul I summaize this in 30 ws less?

Knw that G has put up ences aunangeus aeas lient t limit us but tptect us.

Recgnize thse ences by stuying His guiethe Bible.

See then that yu walk cicumspectly, nt as ls,but as wise, eeeming the time, because the aysae evil. Teee nt be unwise but unestanwhat the will the L is (Ephesians 5:15-17).

Living Gs way lie isnt estictive. Its abutmaking the ight chices an living a wneul,happy, caeee lie. Just nt step ve that ence

n the ege the cli. Te ence is thee aeasn!

Renee Schofeld is a projector manager or ACT Healthand lives in the Australian capital Canberra.

Dont Step Over That Fence

Vertical Thought A p r i l J u n e 2 0 1 1 19



Walking thugh the campus main qua n theway t teaching my semina n ExplingReligius Divesity, I ntice that the vey vcalman has etune with his lage picket sign that

eas, All Sinnes Will Bun FOREVER in Helle!

His event chanting Sciptue an attempts t statheate cnvesatins with stuents passing by make mewne what tuly mtivates his actins. Whateve is ivinghim, his ebating tactics ae nt wking.

Reaching my classm, I lk aun at the aces the 20unegauate cllege stuents wh cme m a vaiety eligius backguns, majs, class yeas an liestyles.

Ate engaging in ialgue with this gup week ate week,the thing I amie mst abut my stuents is thei ability tgenuinely iscuss thei aith an belies.

Instea just aguing abut why thei belies an pacticesae ight while thes ae wng, they ae able t cnnectacss many ieent ielgies an pespectives because thei esie t engage in authentic ialgue n what mattesmst t them.

Tee is a clea ieence between these tw appaches tcmmunicating nes aithebate vesus ialgueanthey have astically ieent utcmes. In the st scenai,the man with the sign is nt well eceive by his auience,an his message isnt hea appeciate. Altenatively, inmy classm, stuents ae able t buil biges une-staning acss signicant ieences as they inteact inintegup ialgue.

Bth examples beg an imptant questin abut cmmuni-cating biblical tuth n cllege campuses tay: In a world oincreasingly divergent views and belies, what is the best way to beheard?

Chistian cllege stuents tay can lean an pactice tech-niques ialgue when iscussing with ne anthe theiieent belies an pactices. G instucts us t always be

eay t explain t thes the etenal hpe that He pmiseswith a spiit gentleness an espect (1 Pete 3:15). TeBible als instucts us t live ut u aith as a witness tGs tuth in all envinments (Isaiah 43:10; Rmans 8:16).Lets lk at tw pesnal examples.

Raising awareness

Jnathan ha state stuying his Bible me in cllege anha ecently begun t bseve the Sabbath weekly, alng withkeeping the biblical annual estivals.

His paents, his clse amily iens an his mmates ntbelieve in the Bible have any eligius backgun, sthis tansitin has been cky Jnathan as he navigates

lie in cllege. As his suppt system, they ae excite tsee Jnathans newun zeal an passin, an they gw

cuius abut his new pactices an what they eally mean.Peple begin t questin him me an me.

As Jnathans lie is ene me an me by his aith, hesha the pptunity t explain t thes why he is nw ntwking n Fiay nights an Satuays with his supevisan cwkes at the Campus Receatin Cente. When hme sping beak, he iscusse the pupse the Sabbathwith his mm, an he began telling he abut the upcmingsping Hly Days he was pepaing t bseve.

His excitement an cnvictin his aith is evient t hismm an thes he cnnects with. Even i they nt ullyunestan agee with his belies an pactices, they canthelp but ntice the change in Jnathan the bette.

Jnathans example may be simila t yu wn in smeways. Maybe iens pesss n campus nt ullyunestan why yu chse nt t g ut n Fiay nights why yu stp eating bagels an sanwiches aun Passve.By taking the time t explain yu belies thugh engag-ing in a tw-way ialgue an having suppting biblicalevience yu pactices, yu have the pptunity t aiseawaeness abut what the Bible teaches, just like Jnathan.

Providing comortCecilia came hme m chuch ne Sabbath t n he i S

t o c k p

h o t o

Religious Debate vs. Dialogue

Life on Campus Leslie Schwartz

As followers of Jesus we are called to

live our faith as an example to others,not engage in fruitless debates with

people who may not even listen to us.



Connecting AcrossLines of FaithHeres what other students and

recent college graduates had tosay when asked, How do/didyou connect with others and dis-cuss your aith on campus?

I used my classmates questions about

where I had been when I was away observing

the Holy Days to explain my religious

observances and what they meant to me.

Since university students come rom a variety

o cultural and religious backgrounds, I was

almost always met with positive responses

about my belies, and sometimes I would ndmysel in deep conversations, explaining my

aith to other Christians, Muslims, Buddhists,

agnostics, atheists, etc. It was a great

opportunity to relate a little o the gospel to

others and to learn more about how their

belies shaped their lives as well.

Cllg graduat, Wc

I try to model godly behavior in class and at

campus events, and I always use the proper

terminology when reerring to my spiritual

belies (e.g., the Feast o Tabernacles,

second tithe or the Kingdom o God).

Periodically, classmates or coworkers will

become curious and ask about my belies.

I patiently wait or this moment to explain,

because it is not until then that they will

actually hear my answer.

Currt graduat tudt, ill

I have connected with others o di erent

aiths by learning the vocabulary or having

a productive conversation about aith

instead o an argument, by participating in

service projects with people rom other aith

traditions, and by learning to ask questions

instead o passing judgment on others or

making brash statements about my own

aith.

Currt graduat tudt, ill

Student Voicesmmate, Jessica, cying at the kitchen table in thei apatment.Jessica eveale that he athe ha just been iagnse with stage-thee lymphma an that the pgnsis int lk hpeul. As aevut Cathlic, Jessica was nt nly evently paying he atheshealing, but she was als cncene that he wul nt g t heaven ihe passe away because he ha stppe cming t chuch yeas agate his wn athe ha ie.

Listening t Jessicas cncens, Cecilia sat wn besie he, pene

he Bible t a amilia vese, an began eaing alu Psalm 23: TeLord is my shepherd; I shall not want She ea n unti l Jessicas sbsquiete an a sense peace lle the m. By eciting a amilia pas-sage they bth knew an believe, Cecilia was able t pvie cmtt he ien in a time nee, while cnnecting n a eepe, spiituallevel.

Tis situatin als allwe Cecilia t shae he belies egaing thebiblical teachings n the atelie. She explaine t Jessica that Gesies a eep an lasting elatinship with each pesn, an that thislie is nt the nly time salvatin an jugment.

Cming m a ieent eligius backgun, this teaching was new Jessica, an she was inteeste t lean me, bth ut lve he

athe an he wn cuisity. While we must be caeul when an withwhm we shae Gs tuth an be cgnizant hw it may be eceive(Matthew 7:6), Jessicas example shws that thee ae cicumstanceswhen we shul explain the hpe that lies within uswhen peple aeeceptive t leaning abut biblical teachings, paticulaly i they shwgenuine inteest an ask.

The principles o dialogue

Yu can apply the pinciples belw as yu lean an pactice hw tialgue with thes as yu iscuss yu aith:

Listen and communicate with a spirit o understanding: In ialgue, nelistens t the the sie in e t unestan, n meaning an

n ageement. In ebate, ne listens t the the sie in e t naws an t cunte its aguments. While explaining yu belies, alsbe attentive t heaing what the the pesn believes. (Tis is nt tsay that thee shul neve be espectul ebate at sme pint.)

Seek common ground: In ialgue, ne seaches basic ageements.In ebate, ne seaches glaing ieences. Stat by highlight-ing belies an pactices that yu bth shae an then buil n thisunatin.

Grow in personal awareness: Dialgue causes intspectin n nes wnpsitin. Debate causes citique the the psitin. Engaging incnvesatins abut u aith allws us t stengthen u wn cnvic-tins an belies.

Tese pinciples shw that ialgue invlves a tw-way cnvesa-tin that is cllabative an seeks t evelp eepe unestaningthugh espectul cmmunicatin an pesnal intspectin. Fat ten, cnvesatins abut eligin tun int heate ebates thathave a istinct winne an lse, an n ne gets ahea. Relatinshipsae buise, eelings ae hut, an neithe sie eels unest value.

As tue llwes Jesus Chist wh seek t live His way lie intays sciety, we nee t live ut u aith aily as gly examplesan shae the hpe that lies within us, nt engage in ebates vetuth with peple wh aent eay willing t listen.

Leslie Schwartz, M.Ed., is a leadership educator at the University o Illinoisat Urbana-Champaign and a proessional co-active coach.



Excuse My Accent:Language SkillsA study by the University o Manchesterin England and Radboud Universityin the Netherlands ound that peopleautomatically try to mimic the accent

o another person. This is especiallypronounced when one o the individualshas a strong oreign or regional accent.The individual with the less obviousaccent will naturally try to mimic thestronger one.

A study with volunteers ound that when

the person with the weaker accent in the

conversation tried to mimic the other,

he or she was better able to understand

the heavier accent (Richard Alleyne,

Mimicking a Foreign Accent Helps You

Communicate, Telegraph.co.uk, Dec. 7,

2010).

So does this mean we can go around

sounding like bad actors with unny

accents? Probably not, but keeping

an ear open or changing tones and

pronunciations will help you understand

others better. And we could all do with

better communication!

Extra! Extra! Read AllAbout It on Your iPad

Newspapers have been available onlineor several years, but the happy dayso ree access to news and magazinearticles on the Internet seems to bedrawing to a close. Newspapers printed

on paper were not ree, so ree Internetnews isnt a reasonable alternative. Newsis big business, and it must have an outletor making income.

Recently it was announced that RupertMurdoch, head o News Corp. (whichowns many newspapers), and SteveJobs, head o Apple, have created ane-reader-riendly newspaper called TheDaily. It will be the worlds rst all-digital,subscription-only newspaper without a

print or Web edition (Edward Helmore,Rupert Murdoch Creates iNewspaperWith the Help o Steve Jobs, Guardian.co.uk, Nov. 21, 2010).

When one goes, they all go, as thesaying goes. IThe Dailyis successul, itslikely that more newspapers will ollowMurdochs lead.

Compiled by Amanda StiverIn the News

Too Much Social Networking?Facebook we know, but what aboutTumblr.com, Last.m, Fetch, Digg, Twitter,LinkedIn, Foursquare and on and on the

list goes? The question: What is essentialsocial networking, and what is too much?

Researchers at the Pew ResearchCenters Internet and American LieProject have determined that manypeople have a saturation point withtechnology. They nally get to a place

where they just arent interested inadding more and more to their digitallives (Monica Hesse, Keeping Up With

Social Networking Sites: How Much IsEnough? WashingtonPost.com, Oct.19, 2010 ).

How do you know i you have reachedthat point? Estimate how much timeyou spend on Facebook, Twitter, etc.,and add up the number o times youinterrupt other activities to check thesesites. Do you spend multiple hours onthe Internet? Do you constantly checkyour phone or computer or updates?

I so, its probably time to cut back onsocial networking. Technology shouldadd to your lie, but it should not be anaddiction.

Creation Case Study: CatsRecent research rom MIT, Virginia Tech andPrinceton University analyzed the way catslap up liquids using only their small, scratchytongues. They concluded that it involves aprocess that balances two orces, gravity andinertia. The tip o the tongue rapidly skims thesurace, which draws a column o liquid into the

cats mouth. The cat then snaps its mouth shut and captures the drink.

Timing is so critical to the process that without an established rhythm catswouldnt be able to drink. Domestic cats manage about our laps per second,and each lap brings 0.1 milliliters o liquid into the mouth. Bigger cats have aslower rate o lapping in order to balance gravity and inertia with their size(Richard Alleyne, How Cats Drink Milk Without Getting Their Chins Wet,

Telegraph.co.uk, Nov. 11, 2010).

Hours during which the bulk o

iPad reading occurs.

from Read It Later Web service data,

cited by Kit Eaton, iPad Reading Could

Cut Into TVs Time, CNN.com, Jan. 17,

2011



Dont Let Your MindWander

sychologists at Harvard Universityound that the human mind wanderslmost hal o the time, especially when

we are resting, using the computer orworking. However, exercising or intenseonversations tend to occupy the

moment and keep us rom daydreaming.hey believe this is one reason peoplere so interested in sports, clubs andpportunities to congregate with riends.

However, ndings show that awandering mind isnt necessarily a

appy one. Psychologists believe thateople are happiest living in the momentnd not dwelling on the past (Richard

Alleyne, Why Our Wandering Minds AreMaking Us Miserable, Telegraph.co.uk,

Nov. 11, 2010).

Wait! Theres More If youd like to see more articles and

our weekly commentaries, jump

over to our website. There youll

also have access to all of our back

issues and answers to commonly

asked questions.

VerticalThought.org

Archaeology, Biologyand MegiddoResearch at the site o Tel Megiddo inIsrael, amous in the New Testamentas Armageddon, is being done by acombination o archaeologists andscientistsspecically chemists

nd biologists. Having on-site scientic labs and equipment will ideally allowrchaeologists to more rapidly analyze what is contained in the layers that have

built up over the centuries and identiy where each layer ts in the time line.

Among academics, two theories surround the site. One purports that it was once apowerul administrative and military center during the time o King David and King

olomon in the 11th and 10th centuries B.C., as the Bible indicates. The opposingheory says that this was not so, and that David and Solomon really didnt have

much o an empire. Those with this view claim that Megiddo fourished at a laterate under another empire (Haim Watzman, Chemists Help Archaeologists to

Probe Biblical History, Nature.com, Nov. 30, 2010).

you believe God and that He inspired the Bible, then the Bible provides your

tarting point in analyzing history. Science alone wont completely answer theuestions o history. Scientic researchi done properlycan be useul in

establishing historical details, but it is also possible to come to a wrong conclusion.

Song of the StarsWe know they shine at night, but did you know that stars sing?

According to recent research by astrophysicists rom the University

o Birmingham, stars vibrate as a result o earthquake-like seismic

activity that reverberates in fickers o light across the galaxies.

Scientists compared the light fickers/vibrations coming rom a starnamed KIC 11026764 to those coming rom a musical instrument,

and they reconstructed the sounds by using a technique called

astroseismology.

The sound created is similar to wind blowing against a microphone and

helps scientists analyze the structure o the star. Another star recently

recorded by Sheeld University is our sun. It, too, produces harmony-

like musical tones. Larger stars vibrate at lower requencies than

smaller stars, and musical instruments unction similarly (Richard Gray,Stars Song Captured by Scientists, Telegraph.co.uk, Nov. 7, 2010).

In the Bible, Romans 1:20 says, Gods invisible qualitieshis eternal

power and divine naturehave been clearly seen, being understood

rom what has been made, so that people are without excuse (NewInternational Version). God created music and the ability to make and

perceive it, so it should be no surprise that His creation hums with

musical qualities!


24/24

Nonproft Org.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDUnited

Church o God

PrintedintheU.S.A.

United Church of God

An International Association

Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH 45254-1027

How to get there?

Learn the answer in our free booklet The Gospel of the Kingdom,

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vertical thought: april-june 2011

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