Dear Friend,
If you were lost and alone in the cold, dark woods, what
would you most want in your backpack? Certainly water, food,
matches and a warm jacket! Also, what about a good compass?
If you knew that the nearest town was to the southeast, for
example, a compass could guide you in the right direction
until you reached safety. Wouldn't the same be true
in the spiritual "wilderness" (Matthew 3:3) of
today's world? If the Kingdom of God is our destination,
wouldn't the Bible be our "spiritual compass"?
God's Word gives us critical "course corrections" on
our journey to eternal life. The road we tread in this human
life can be stressful and difficult. It is often strewn with
the obstacles of pain, upset and heartache. As Acts 14:22
explains, "We must through many tribulations enter
the kingdom of God." By studying, understanding and
especially practicing the words of Christ through regular,
biblical "compass checks," we can successfully
navigate our way on a difficult path to a great reward.
 To help you on your spiritual journey, the United Church
of God publishes The Good News magazine and many
other helpful magazines, booklets and newsletters. We have
also placed additional valuable material on our Web site.
One such tool is our weekly home office "Compass
Check" meeting,
given each Monday morning to our office staff. Each brief,
7- to 12-minute gathering includes an encouraging biblically-based
message designed to keep our "spiritual compass" focused
on God's way of life for the coming week.
On May 10, 2004, the first Compass Check was posted in
video format for both broadband and dial-up Internet connection
users. That first Compass Check drew over 580 views, and
thousands more have viewed them since. Each Compass Check
video is posted on our Web site for four weeks, rotating
out as each new weekly video is posted.
I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to
our Compass Check meetings! Just go to our Web site anytime
at www.ucg.org and click
on the Compass Check box on the right side of the page. Listening
in, as various topics are covered, can help each of us make
sure our "spiritual compass" is pointed in the
right direction!
Sincerely,
Roy Holladay
President
United Church of God, an International Association
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