Bev and I arrived safely in Southern Africa and are thoroughly enjoying being with brethren that we have developed a close bond with over the years. Our flight from the United States to South Africa was uneventful and we were actually able to sleep more than usual on the 17-hour leg from Washington D.C. via Accra, Ghana, to Johannesburg. We were met by deacon Jason Webster. We have lots of luggage that includes four 50-pound suitcases, plus carry-ons, backpacks and other things we were to hold or wear. Most of it will be left behind in the areas we visit.

Our first questions center around the churches and the preaching of the gospel in South Africa. Jason told us about the developing church in Johannesburg and the faithfulness of our brethren. The Church office, headed by Isella Wallis, is continually busy with correspondence and literature fulfillment.

The Beyond Today television program receives continual comments as well as requests for literature. Jason edits the weekly Beyond Today program by inserting local contact information in the various parts of the program. Peter Eddington sends him the original program electronically, Jason edits it and sends it on to Cape Town TV which airs it Sunday mornings at 8:30 am on channel 32 and cable on channel 263. You may want to acquaint yourself more with the Work of God in South Africa by visiting their website at http://south-africa.ucg.org/.

You can also view their Facebook pages at United Church of God, Southern Africa and Beyond Today, Southern Africa.

Jason and Monique Webster have a beautiful family with four children. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting and staying with them the earlier part of this week. We were with the elder Arthur Fisher and his wife, Gail, last night before flying north to Lilongwe, Malawi, on Thursday.

You can stay in contact with our journey with immediate reports via TravelArk at http://v2.travelark.org/travel-blog/victorkubik/2.

Also, Jorge de Campos, senior pastor for our Portuguese-language areas, is in Brazil doing a tremendous job in the furthering of the gospel on the first part of a three major stop journey. In Brazil he is holding four Kingdom of God seminars. His travels take him to two diverse locations in Brazil and then to Angola in Africa. Follow his travels at http://v2.travelark.org/travel-blog/jorgedecampos/8.

Also Scott and Gayle Hoefker will be documenting their Passover visit to Colombia, South America. His is a challenging job serving five congregations over a vast land. They are leaving Tuesday, March 27, and returning April 11. You will be able to follow their travels at: http://v2.travelark.org/travel-blog/gayle_hoefker/24.

This is only a partial listing of all the journeys by our ministry in reaching out not only to the world, but to our brethren at this season of the year. Please pray for all these men and their wives who serve above and beyond the call in their work.

Living in Peace in a Destabilized World

Every year at this Passover season, I focus on a different dimension in the meaning of these days. This year it is peace and resultant peace of mind. In Jesus Christ's intimate words to his disciples after instituting the New Testament Passover and before His death the next day, He encouraged them not to be troubled. Here's what He said: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

Also: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Yes, Jesus indeed did overcome the world. He will return soon to directly rule that world with His prophesied government, the Kingdom of God. He told His disciples then—and He is telling us now—to live that hope of peace.

The world is fraught with tribulation and anxiety as the headlines come at us in unrelenting fury. A concerned world rightly frets over wobbly responses to North Korea. It is an impoverished country, yet one with growing destructive nuclear arms. Then a U.S. Secretary of State is fired along with threat of others. Then an expatriated former Russian is nearly assassinated in Britain with internationally-outlawed nerve gas, with ties to the attempted murder high up in the Kremlin. And, another one is successfully killed. Then the supreme Russian leader arrogantly and openly boasts of new hypersonic nuclear weapons, which he claims will defeat any American effort. Then it increasingly looks like South Africa is having severe environmental problems with extreme water shortages along with unsettling rumors and threats to land ownership by the new leadership. Then the world's most populous country suspends its governing principles and names its current leader as the de facto Chinese president-for-life.

Perhaps it's no wonder that in 2017 the New York Times said that America had become "the United States of Xanax," in a reference to the highly popular anti-anxiety drug. The article went on to note that "anxiety has become our everyday argot, our thrumming lifeblood." Citing data from the National Institute of Mental Health, the June 10, 2017 NYT coverage further showed how well over a full third of girls aged 13-17 in the United States now "have an anxiety disorder." Productivity-sapping anxiety issues are rampant on college campuses around the nation. Annually, Americans increasingly drown their fears in a growing vat of alcohol, guzzling down more than $33 billion worth of beer and more than $12 billion of wine annually.

How do we deal with relentless instability and societal anxiety? We in the church have to live in this world. It's hard not to be drawn into the negative vortex of its troubles.

When we're faced with 21st century chaos, it can be helpful to remember that much of the New Testament was written during unstable times in the first century. Despite incredible persecution and "fiery trials" in some quarters, the disciples of Jesus Christ courageously continued—even triumphed!

In the A.D. 60s, in the years leading up to the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, Christians had to deal with empire-wide instability caused by the Emperor Nero. During that time Nero even assassinated his mother, then his wife Poppaea, whom the Jewish historian Josephus recorded was a God-fearer (theosebes) who apparently kept—or at least respected—the seventh-day Sabbath.

A ruthless and cunning Emperor, Nero is thought by scholars to have set fire to Rome in a failed effort to clear space for his building projects. When the fire burned out of control, Nero found a convenient scapegoat—the Christians living in the Roman capital city. By the end of July 64, only 4 out of the 14 quarters of the great city lay untouched by the ravenous fire.

The Roman historian Tacitus recorded that not a few Roman citizens strongly suspected that Nero himself had originally given the direct order to torch the capital. But Nero cleverly diverted the blame. As Tacitus wrote: "Consequently, to get rid of the report (that Nero had started the fire), Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations."

The phrase "most exquisite tortures" is ominous, and with good reason. The false accusation from the Emperor resulted in the arrest of "an immense multitude" of the disciples of Jesus Christ in Rome. Then things went from bad to worse, as in an indescribable travesty of justice, several Christians were falsely sentenced to gruesome death. Tacitus chronicled the horrific details: "Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to flames and burnt, to serve as nightly illumination."

At about the same time in history, the author of Hebrews comments: "You have not yet resisted to bloodshed" (Hebrews 12:4). Is this a direct reference to the horrific death of Roman Christians at the hand of the Emperor? Based on Hebrews 13:24, we know that the book of Hebrews was written from Italy (likely from Rome) sometime near or during the reign of Nero. Scholars note that the Roman Christians of that day likely lived in a Jewish quarter near the Circus Maximus, which is where the major fire started. Jews and Christians alike would have been well-versed in the emerging tragedy.

The Apostle Peter also wrote to encourage Christians living in unstable times. Also, in the years leading up to the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, Peter wrote to disciples living in the area of modern Turkey and the Ukraine: "Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12, New Living Translation, emphasis added).

Continuing, Peter quieted their fears with an encouraging focus: "Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world" (1 Peter 4:13).

That sound advice rings down to us today! Of all people alive on this planet, we understand the awe-inspiring plan of God, His divine and powerful intent to bring many sons to glory! (Hebrews 2:10). We have read the end of the book and we know how it will turn out.

Hebrews gives us these important words, again perhaps reflecting what the Roman Christians were going through: "Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies" (Hebrews 13:3, NLT).

At a time in the 21st century when a major focus is on the economy, we read in Hebrews, "Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, 'I will never fail you. I will never abandon you'" (Hebrews 13:5).

If we can relax into God's hands, fully trusting in Him, then this results: "We can say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:6).

Yes, times are increasingly unstable. But we in the Church have nothing to fear from what humans can do. As we approach the coming Holy Days, let us renew our trust and faith. If we do, even while everything is unstable, "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

May God bless you with the coming Passover and Jesus Christ's promise of peace of mind.