A Click on the front cover to view as PDF	In this month's issue: The Bible is True Shakespeare and the Bible The God of the Bible What Jesus Did When will things get Better?  Poem: Negative Thoughts  Sin and Salvation A Man like David Earthquake and Famine		A monthly magazine published by the Christadelphians (brothers and sisters in Christ) and available throughout the world. Its objectives are – to encourage study of the Bible as God's inspired message;  to call attention to the Divine offer of forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ; and to warn men and women that soon Christ will return to Earth as judge and ruler of God’s world-wide Kingdom.

The Bible is True Things are not always what they appear. Walking down the High Street in Stratford- upon-Avon, you might be surprised to see a statue of the famous bard of Avon, William Shakespeare, resting on a box, not a plinth. Closer examination would show that passers-by were being invited to toss coins into a collecting tin, by which time you would realise that this was no statue, but a performer in a statuesque pose! No wonder the statue appeared to be in one position one moment but in a different posture, and even a different place, a little later. Careful Observation Happenings like that teach us to be more careful about life so that we are less likely to be deceived by things around us. All the time people advertise commodities that can change our lives: ■ cosmetics that can make us look younger,  ■ medicines that can cure our illnesses,  ■ gadgets that can transform our lives. People must buy these things, otherwise the advertising would cease. But can they really deliver what they have promised, or are many of the offers “too good to be true”? Shops offer goods that are said to be hugely reduced in price, but it was necessary for a law to be passed in the UK to ensure that such extravagant claims were somewhat justifiable. Politicians however are not above the law themselves and recent disclosures in the British press have challenged their morality, and found many of them wanting. These, and lots of other things in life, make us wary of claims that are easily made, but may not be capable of being kept. Where can we find something that is absolutely reliable and constantly dependable?  “What is Truth?” We live in an age which dislikes absolutes of any sort. Nowadays everybody’s opinion is deemed to be as good as that of anybody else. “Nobody tells me what to do!”; “I’ll do it my way”; and “Who does she think she is?” are commonplace expressions when somebody challenges views that have long been regarded as true. This is especially so when moral values are concerned, for most people want to be free to make their own choices in life and tolerate no interference when it comes to what is “right” and what is “wrong”. But what if there is an absolute right and wrong? Wouldn’t it be best to know? Many years ago Pontius Pilate, the governor over the Roman province of Palestine, had an unsettling conversation with a prisoner who was remarkably unruffled by the prospect of his imminent execution. Asked about his composure, Jesus calmly replied that Pilate could have no power in this matter unless it had been granted him by heaven. Pursuing his cross-examination, the procurator elicited the confession that Jesus was indeed a king, but that his rulership was not then over an earthly population: “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice” (John 18:37). Pilate responded with words that have a remarkable 21st century ring about them – the well-known dismissal “What is Truth?” after which he sentenced Jesus to scourging and crucifixion. “I Am the Truth”  Someone once said that “without truth the world devolves into a chaos where everyone’s preferences describe a personal reality disconnected from everyone else’s. In that dark place no decision is good or bad, no action is right or wrong. But in the presence of truth we are exposed for what we are.” That was what happened with Pontius Pilate in his encounter with the Lord Jesus. He was exposed as someone imprisoned by his situation: easily blackmailed by the crowds who pressurized him to convict Jesus (see John 19:12). Whereas Jesus is exposed as someone who was free to choose: in this instance choosing to lay down his life, to save mankind (see John 10:18). Jesus was the very embodiment of truth. It was not simply that he never told a lie nor sought to deceive in any way (1 Peter 2:22). His life was a perfect expression of goodness and openness – a display of what Almighty God is like. Jesus did not simply live “in the light”; he was “the light of the world” (John 8:12, 9:5). Asked to show his followers what God is like, Jesus once said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Word of Truth But Jesus lived 2000 years ago and now we lack the opportunity to talk with him and learn at first hand the truth that he taught and lived. How can we be sure that the Biblical account is valid and reliable? Might it be somewhat like the man who purports to be a statue, but turns out to be a performer? This is where the teaching of Jesus helps again.  When facing death by crucifixion and knowing everything that was to come, Jesus reassured his followers about the help that would be given them after his departure. In one of his earnest prayers to his Father, Jesus asked that He would: “Sanctify them by your truth” and then added “Your word is truth” (John 17:17).  The Lord had promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would be with them as they recorded all that had happened as they journeyed with him. Now, in his prayer, Jesus was reminding them that God’s Word is not just true – it is the truth we need to read and understand. God’s Word is able to change our lives and give us the answers we need for whatever lies ahead in this life. And it can help us to find the way, through truth, to everlasting life. Read it for yourself and find the truth.