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Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 4 min.

Do You Make Your Bed Every Morning?

Mr. Ames gave a forum presentation on discipline. He began by playing a six-minute video clip from Admiral McRaven’s famous commencement speech. This clip emphasized the importance of having the discipline to do the little things, the “insignificant” things, day after day. This kind of consistency is critical. After all, “if you want to change the world, start off by making your bed” (Admiral McRaven). Mr. Ames clarified that true Christians should take this seriously because we have the chance to help change the world one day, but we are going to need discipline to get there. 

Mr. Ames joined the army reserves as a young man, and even in basic training, they made the recruits make their bed every single morning. That lesson stuck, and Mr. Ames has been making his bed every morning for 64 years. Discipline in this area led to discipline in morning prayer, a necessity for growth as a Christian. In fact, discipline is not just for the military, but as Mr. Ames said, “it is an essential aspect of godly character!”

Practice Discipline in ALL Areas of Your Life

Mr. Ames explained that there are many facets of discipline. There is athletic discipline, displayed by all athletes who excel in their field. We ought to apply this in our life by making exercise a habit and sticking to it. There is discipline in the fine arts. Is it easy to practice an instrument daily for years and years or to slowly master oil painting? Of course not! It takes discipline. 

Mr. Ames also explained that we need business discipline. We can learn to avoid crises and prevent them through planning, strategizing, and executing consistently. Also, there is academic discipline. In fact, the term discipline is closely connected to academia. For instance, the phrase “academic discipline” refers to a subset of knowledge that is taught and researched at Universities. But, we must also exercise discipline in our education by being diligent and working ahead. Mr. Ames related a technique that can help overcome procrastination. He would tell himself, “I am going to work on this project for 5 minutes; that’s it.” This would break the ice, and make it easier to work on projects a little bit every day. 

We are also familiar with child-rearing discipline, which is teaching children to obey rules and codes of behavior through punishment for breaking them. But there is also another form of discipline. In fact, it is the most important form.

Spiritual Discipline 

Why is discipline necessary as a Christian? Mr. Ames explained with a quote by the author H. Jackson Brown (Jr.): “Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There’s plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s going to be forward, backwards, or sideways.” If we want to be moving forward and not backwards or sideways, we must have spiritual discipline. 

The Bible is not shy on this topic. Mr. Ames pointed out that God exercises child-rearing discipline on us (Hebrews 12:3-11), and we learn to control our actions and have discipline through God’s chastening. This is necessary because humans do not naturally direct their paths (Jeremiah 10:23) and must develop this control, this discipline. 

Mr. Ames explained that Paul explicitly affirms discipline. “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). Mr. Ames further explained that the term “disciple” is closely connected to discipline. A disciple follows the teachings of a master. Discipline is the act of following rules or guidelines. Thus a disciple exercises discipline in following his master! 

Mr. Ames then pointed out that God’s spirit itself promotes discipline. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (1 Timothy 1:7, NIV). This is explained in-depth in a sermon by Mr. Ames, The Gift of Discipline. 

Make Your Bed Every Morning

Mr. Ames gave the conclusion of his forum: Make your bed every morning. Discipline is clearly important, and this is a way to practice it and build it in our lives. It is a small task, but if we do it, we start the day with a task completed. Mr. Ames explained that God expects us to practice discipline and to recapture true values. He expects us to display godly love, godly service, and godly discipline.

Mr. Ames gave a forum recently about the true values of abundant living (spoiler alert: this forum also talks about the importance of discipline).

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 4 min.

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Years ago, Mr. Armstrong would thunderously ask, “Why are we here?”

Mr. Wakefield recalled that Mr. Armstrong asked brethren at Holy Days, “Why are we here?” 

It is a powerful question that can be extended beyond why we keep God’s Holy Days. It can apply right down to the fundamental question, “Why am I in the Church at all?” And that, as Mr. Wakefield explained, is worth examining. 

Reasons, Reasons, and More Reasons

If we look closely at our motives for any action, we find a lot of them, ranging in importance and relevance. This is true even with our reasons for being in the Church. Mr. Wakefield explained that we can have subjective reasons and objective reasons. Reasons that are strong and ones that are weak. We have many good reasons, and if we’re honest with ourselves, we may even have bad reasons. These also have different levels of importance to us. Some are primary reasons and are fundamental to why we are in the Church, and others are additional, almost bonus reasons. 

There is no use denying the reasons that are truly most important to us because God knows our every thought and intent (Genesis 6:5), and there is danger in having weak or bad reasons for being in the Church; after all, many people leave the Church because they lose their primary reason for being there. Our main motive for being in the Church should be unshakeable. 

Some OK Reasons

Mr. Wakefield explained that there are some reasons that are good, but only as supporting motives. They cannot be the main reason we are in the Church. He proceeded to give 10 “OK” reasons and explain their weaknesses. 

1. Because we grew up in the Church. If we are in the Church only because it is habitual, we may fall away when our life changes due to going to University, starting a career, or getting married. 
2. To avoid the Tribulation. This is weak because we can be convinced that the Tribulation is far-off and not a present issue. 
3. To be a Philadelphian. While this is a good consideration, it is a bad central reason as it becomes a matter of pride, which leaves people vulnerable to deception.
4. To avoid the Lake of Fire. This fear can and has been twisted to get people to accept wrong doctrine out of fear of being in the Lake of Fire. 
5. To get salvation. Keeping God’s laws only to get salvation leads to a legalistic view and a grudging attitude that is looking for excuses to stop.
6. For social reasons. God’s Church has and should have a good social environment full of encouragement and compassion, but we should not attend only to have our emotional needs met because our calling includes persecution and hatred! 
7. For intellectual stimulation. This often leads to an unhealthy desire for “new truth” and itching ears. As Mr. Wakefield eloquently stated, “We grow deeper, not different.” The truth does not change; it merely sinks deeper in. 
8. Because of a particular minister. This is a good reason, but not suited for a central reason. What if we had to live somewhere with no minister at all? We must be able to manage. 
9. Because of Church culture. Church culture—routine, services, events, and organization—are good but are not the most critical aspects of true Christianity. 
10. For stability. The Church does provide good stability in daily life, but one day, true Christians will be attacked and hated (Luke 21:17); will we leave then?  

Primary Reasons

Mr. Wakefield then explained some primary reasons we should be in the Church that are unshakeable and stable. We are obedient to God. We follow God from our heart. We don’t have to be convinced or bullied into it. God’s Church has the truth. We recognize a church as God’s because it teaches the whole counsel of God. Sometimes, what a church does not say is important. The truth has been questioned and battled against for years, but we should be in the Church because it possesses the unalterable and objective truth. God’s Church does the Work. The work goes right up until the end of the age. Mr. Wakefield pointed out that “the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth in the body” (Ephesians 4:15-16). We are in the Church because it is doing the Work of God. 

Conclusion

Mr. Wakefield concluded by saying that God may allow us to be challenged, testing our reasons and pushing us to build better and right ones. We must ask ourselves, “Why would I stay here?” We must stay in God’s Church even though we will face tribulation, offenses, disagreements, and many other challenges. We must have stable reasons that are the foundation of why we are here. 

Mr. Peter Nathan also gave a forum, asking not “why are we here?” but rather “what’s your world view?” He also discusses the importance of self-exanimation and understanding our inner-motives. Read about this forum here: What’s Your Worldview?

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Author: Nathan Kroon | Student Leader, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated Reading Time: 7 min.

The members of the Living Church of God make an effort to come out of the world, because we realize that most of it is deceived. But how is it deceived, and how do we understand this?

Mr. Peter Nathan spoke about this issue in his forum. Many people know what it’s like to go to the optometrist. They check our eyes and help us to see clearly. They may help us with our physical vision, but how can we perfect our overall worldview? Our worldview must certainly be different from that of the rest of the world, because the concepts that they promote have led to the increasing spread of the secular mindset. What concepts from the world do we have to avoid to flee from a secular mindset and to have a balanced worldview?

Upstairs and Downstairs

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was one of the foremost Catholic theologians in history. In the present day, The Thomist magazine is regularly published, studying his thoughts and religious beliefs. His beliefs called for a separation between the physical and spiritual world. “He was important in the re-introduction of the study of the natural world,” said Mr. Nathan. He then read from 1 John 2:15-17: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” It’s clear that Satan loves to promote a focus on the natural world rather than the things of God. These are not meant to be separated like different floors in a house!

Figures like Aquinas became the subject of many art pieces of the Renaissance era, which was greatly concerned with philosophy. Fast forward to the twentieth century, and the result of mankind’s obsession with the natural world was clearly seen: dwindling levels of godly morality. Author Harry Blaimes claimed that “there is no longer a Christian mind.”  Herbert W. Armstrong warned the world many years ago about the movements to bring about the “new morality” the world is so wrapped up in now. Modern “Christians”  may read the Bible, pray, and attend their services, but as a thinking being, they have succumbed to secularism. A true Christian must be willing to recognize their role in the Church, be it large or small, and to be employed by the Church in whatever capacity they are called to. To accomplish that, we must not let the “upstairs” and the “downstairs” operate separately in our minds.

Shaped Through God’s Knowledge

How do we let the word of the Bible help us to maintain a godly worldview? First, we must be truly dedicated to making ourselves more like Christ, being crucified with Him and ever working to live the life that He would live in us (Galatians 2:20). Our personal worldview must be shaped by the knowledge of God. Mr. Nathan read from 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 to magnify this point: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” We must be quick to defend the truth and not let human reasoning affect our thoughts. It is estimated that around 50,000 thoughts pass through our minds each day. “Make sure every thought comes into the captivity of the will of God,” said Mr. Nathan.

How is Man Secularized?

We may try to come out of the world to the best of our ability, but even at our best, it may seem like we are taking two steps forward and one step back. In order to better further our progress towards the Kingdom of God, we must realize how man has gradually become more and more secularized over the years. Most people think of Charles Darwin in terms of evolutionary theory, but his theory directly separates God from nature, having evolution seemingly replace the idea of a Creator in people’s minds. It allowed people to think of all creation as a very closed universe, not considering what it means for our grand future. The consequences of Darwin’s theories are evident in our everyday lives. The first Humanist Society was established in 1929 by Charles Potter, who believed that education is the most powerful ally of humanism. Through human education, it seems that people are now more concerned with reasoning around the need for a Creator. Schools are now extremely humanist. Marriage is no longer seen as a spiritual institution. Mr. Nathan listed the focuses that secularization has had throughout the last few centuries:

• Seventeenth Century – Knowledge
• Eighteenth Century – Power
• Nineteenth Century – Culture
• Twentieth Century – Morality
• Twenty-first Century (thus far) – Identity and Gender

We may reason about the physical world, but reason is not a source of infallible, autonomous truth; God (“the upstairs”) is! Reason is simply a human’s ability to process information, and it is shaped by what you accept as your ultimate authority. Ours, therefore, should be shaped by God.

Qualities of a Valid Worldview

What are people typically defined by today? Income, dress, education, gender, and religion. These are all things that can be physically seen. A worldview must provide a valid purpose for the physically unseen: our origins, the source of evil, the solution to evil, and our future. Our worldview must have a spiritual focus that is able to decipher what is going on in the physical. Our perception of God is shaped by our views on an open or closed universe, and on God as either a trinity or family. These are the things that must shape our worldview:

• God
• The Kingdom of God
• God’s plan
• The Holy Days
• The law of God
• Prophecy
• Israel, in terms of its identity and the whereabouts of its people

To avoid being secularized, keep these in mind at all times. We must not block off the staircase between the spiritual and the physical. Avoiding a secular mindset will bring us a brighter future!

Nathan Kroon is a Student Leader at Living Education. He originally hails from Washington State and is a 4th generation Christian. Currently, he works at Headquarters as a Video Editor and is the Lead Landscaper at the LivingEd dorms. His hobbies include playing guitar, listening to music, drawing, and watching movies.

Author: Nathan Kroon | Student Leader, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated Reading Time: 5 min.

Mr. Julian Braddock began his forum with a question: “What is unique about the quality of tenacity?”

Tenacity is something that we see less and less of today. Our society focuses on the mindset of taking what they want, rather than thinking about what is best for themselves. In truth, working towards the things that we want should always come at the cost of some sort of convenience, but people fail to see it that way. For example, calling and texting may now come instantly to us, but the courtesy that used to come with messaging others is long gone. “Having conveniences doesn’t teach us how to have tenacity,” said Mr. Braddock. Why is tenacity an important trait to have in our lives?

The Problem of Laziness

When he used to work at a manufacturing plant, Mr. Braddock would notice that the people around him were given all the resources they needed to succeed in their work, but they did not want to do their job. Instead, they wanted to stand around for eight hours and get a check. If they did any work, they would always ask their superiors unnecessary questions, making them think for the workers instead of having them think for themselves. We see this mentality all over: “You help me so I don’t have to help myself.”

Tenacity is the quality of working hard, staying determined and persistent to do what you have set out to do. God asks us to do what the world sees as “hard” but is actually very simple. This is why He needs tenacious followers.

The Benefits of Dedication

Mr. Braddock said that, in grade school, he would usually do his schoolwork without asking himself why it was important to learn what he was being taught, leading to much of his early knowledge being pure memorization. In his junior year of high school, he took a class at his community college on electrical systems, and it changed his perception on schoolwork. He wanted to be the best in his class, and he worked hard for it—not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He explained that the best way to conjure tenacity is to be willing to be tenacious in the things that we want to do. Your goal can’t be something you are forced to do, but something you desire to do. If we don’t truly want to do something, then why waste time on it? When he finally found the field he wanted to work in, the work was all effort for him—not just memorization. His hard work paid off, and made for a satisfying work experience. If people don’t have tenacity, then they won’t really work for something they want. Frustration and anger will then build, and they’ll become lazy. 

God desires His people to never give up living His way of life. The world will try to discourage and uproot us; will we keep going, no matter how tired and anxious we may become? Do we have the true desire to serve God?

Persisting in Righteousness

Mr. Braddock explained that though we need tenacity, it can lead to certain pitfalls if used incorrectly. We find an example of a tenacious Old Testament figure in Job. Though Job was being brought down by his friends, we can clearly see his deep, godly persistence in Job 27:2-6:

Job was persistent in righteousness, but for a while he was also persistent in self-righteousness, which Elihu would eventually condemn. We must be willing to be corrected, so that we are not persisting in unrighteous habits. Paul was willing to be corrected by Christ, and strove daily to make up for his persecution of the Church. We also should be searching the Scriptures daily, and figuring out where we can better apply God’s word. 

God provides wonderful blessings for our faith. The way of the world does not lead to happiness or fulfillment. If we have friends in the world, how do they see us? Do they see us as different, or in line with them? We should want to be different. God wants people who show tenacity in His way. It’s easy to be lazy, but He wants us to work hard. Many proverbs show us the benefits of hard work. Looking to them, we can exercise tenacity within ourselves!

Nathan Kroon is a Student Leader at Living Education. He originally hails from Washington State, and is a 4th generation Christian. Currently, he works at Headquarters as a Media Associate. His hobbies include playing guitar, listening to music, drawing, and watching movies.

Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 5 min.

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Mr. Long talked to the Living Education students about the command in Matthew 5:48: “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” 

Mr. Long began with a quote by the legendary football coach Vince Lombardi. “Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.” There is such a thing as a “perfect game” in sports, like in bowling or baseball. These are amazing feats and often take a lifetime to accomplish, but humans know that these are not true perfection. After all, it is impossible for a person to be perfect. What do we make of the command in Matthew 5:48 then? “People have used this scripture,” Mr. Long explained, “to say that the Christian religion is impossible; that God expects humans to be perfect, which is impossible.” This is not what God is saying. Mr. Long explained the true meaning of this passage with three points from the book of Philippians. 

Perfection Is Impossible for Humans

Mr. Long read this scripture: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (Philippians 3:12). He explained we cannot think we have attained perfection already. We may not ever think of the literal words, “I am perfect,” but if our actions, words, and thoughts say that we think we are good enough, this is pride. 

The first point to understanding “you shall be perfect” is recognizing that we are not perfect and being “clothed with humility” (1 Peter 5:5). We must seek to grow and strive to become perfect.

“Forgetting Those Things Which Are Behind” 

Mr. Long returned to Philippians 3 and read verse 13. “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind.” He emphasized that Paul says to forget our past sins and mistakes and accept that God has cleared them completely. But this is not easy. David acknowledged this struggle when he said “My sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51:3). Even Paul himself is upset with his sin and faults when he says, “Oh wretched man that I am!” (Romans 7:24), yet in the years between these letters, Paul grows and develops his ability to forget his past sins and recognize that God has cleansed our sin through Christ’s sacrifice. We can now come before God with a clean conscience. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). A second part of understanding “you shall be perfect” is accepting that our sins are truly removed. 

Press Toward Perfection

Mr. Long finished the passage in Philippians 3:13: “and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” He continued with verse 14: “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” He explained that we are called to grow and become perfect. This is what Christ is admonishing us to do in Matthew 5:48. Mr. Long also explained the importance of being motivated to continue on this path of growth. A motivated person does two things: they run away from something they don’t want to be a part of and they run towards something they do want to be a part of. If we only run away, we are unstable and “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). If we only run toward God and don’t forsake the world, we are double minded (James 1:8). He emphasized that we must understand clearly what we are running away from and where we are running to. We must be able to visualize the Kingdom of God. We can meditate on what the Kingdom will be like; what it will look like, smell like, feel like, and sound like. This is a key to staying motivated and being able to  “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

Conclusion: God Will Perfect Us

Mr. Long concluded by reading verses 15 and 16 in Philippians: “Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind” (Philippians 3:16). Perfection is not possible while we are carnal, but we can strive towards it. We can attain excellence by pursuing perfection. We should recognize our progress and continue to walk on that same path with the same mind. Mr. Long told us to always remember that our perfection is being achieved not by us, but by God and Jesus. He turned to 1 Peter 5:10 to illustrate this: “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” God will bring us to perfection, and then we will be perfect as God is perfect! 

Mr. Weston gave a forum on reading good books, which can be helpful to growth and development as a Christian. Read about that forum here: Read Good Books. 

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.