Letter to the Brethren: August 28, 2014

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

We have been working on the next edition of the Bible News Prophecy magazine and getting a planned, third, new booklet edited.  We also have been working on the cover for that new booklet.

So far, it looks like we are on track to put out at least three new booklets and four new magazines this year.

We have had thousands of booklets downloaded from the internet this month.  Our current two booklets are available in both the English and Spanish languages.  We are reaching more people with more information.

A couple of days ago, I started to write another (fourth) booklet, which, God willing, should be out near the end of this year or the Spring of 2015.

Having more booklets should help us in our efforts to fulfill Matthew 24:14 and Matthew 28:19-20.

Working in Africa

This week I was able to speak to CCOG Pastor Evans Ochieng as he telephoned me from Kenya.  We discussed the upcoming Feast of Tabernacles, the arrival in Kenya of 200 copies of The Bible Hymnal that we use in the Continuing Church of God which we sent from the USA, where those in Tanzania expect to go for the Feast of Tabernacles, and Pastor Evan’s future travel plans.

Evans Ochieng mentioned that he was planning on meeting with a group in Nairobi, Kenya that contacted us several months ago.  He is also intending to meet with some from Uganda that have expressed some interest in the Continuing Church of God.

China and Answered Prayer

There are many who have asked for prayer for different reasons, including requests related to the upcoming Feast of Tabernacles.

Two people that I have been praying about live and work in China. China is basically an atheistic nation which does not have much in the way of employment protection related to religion. Up until a few days ago, the situation looked bleak.

Anyway, I was pleased to learn last night that our two supporters were able to make arrangements to attend the Feast of Tabernacles this year with us in Orlando, Florida.  Their and my prayers about this were answered.

Let me also add that there are others in the USA and elsewhere I have prayed for related to their health and ability to attend this year’s Feast of Tabernacles.

Please join me and pray for more laborers for the harvest (Matthew 9:38) and that God would grant sufficient healing for those who would like to attend the Feast.

Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles is coming soon.  Opening night is October 8th.

The scheduled location for the USA Feast of Tabernacles’ site in 2014 is the Sheraton Suites Orlando Airport hotel, 7550 Augusta National Drive, Orlando, Florida 32822.  As the name implies, it is near the Orlando, Florida airport.  For more information, contact Dr. Bob Thiel, email cogwriter@aol.com.

The site for the Feast of Tabernacles in New Zealand is to be in Tawa which is a suburb of Wellington. The location there is the Bucket Tree Lodge, 1 Boscobel Lane (PO Box 51009), Tawa, Wellington. For more information, contact John Hickey, email john.h@vodafone.net.nz; You can also telephone him on his mobile phone.  His number is 021 519 441.

Information on all the expected sites is in the article Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2014.

World News Events

Last week, I mentioned that the West may decide to encourage the rise of a caliphate that will lead to the rise of the King of the South of biblical prophecy (Daniel 11:40-43) as a way to deal with Islamic extremism (see Beheading, and France calls for ‘global strategy’ to deal with the Islamic State and Letter to the Brethren: August 21, 2014 and US trying to figure out how to deal with Islamic State, Chicago threatened, and ‘peace promoting’ Pope Francis endorses intervention).

On Sunday, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey basically did that (see US Military Chairman scales down threat from Islamic State and seems to be advocating the rise of the King of the South).  Each week, we see events aligning with properly understood biblical prophecy.

Perhaps it should be emphasized that the USA is at increased risk of terrorism related to its interventions in Iraq.  Israel reported a threat against itself and the USA from the Islamic State that indicates that it could launch drone attacks (see Islamic State slaughters more and threatens drones against Israel and USA).  I found it interesting that a claimed Islamic State representative claimed that the USA would be struck by a drone launched from Mexico.  I have long felt that Mexico would be involved as part of an attack against the USA to cooperate with the Beast of Revelation 13:4.  That being said, future terrorism is prophesied in the Bible and the USA will be affected again (cf. Leviticus 26:14-17; Deuteronomy 32:25; Ezekiel 21:12; Proverbs 1:25-27).

On August 10, 2014, it was reported the Pope Francis denounced the use of force for religious reasons, while on August 18, 2014, he seemingly endorsed the use of limited military force against the Islamic State (see US trying to figure out how to deal with Islamic State, Chicago threatened, and ‘peace promoting’ Pope Francis endorses intervention).  The Bible shows that the Beast of the Earth (Revelation 13:11) will endorse the use of force for religious and political purposes (Revelation 13:15-17).  Pope Francis’ position is consistent with ultimately allowing that.

Earthquakes made the news this week, with Northern California (see Napa hit by earthquake, scores injured), Peru & Chile (see 6.9 Earthquake Hits Peru; Chile  also Hit by Earthquake), and Iceland affected.  Iceland also had a volcanic eruption this past week (see Iceland’s subglacial volcano erupting; any risk from Yellowstone?) as well as at least 500 earthquakes yesterday (see 500 earthquakes hit Iceland, today).  Jesus warned that earthquakes in various places would be part of the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:7-8).

Over in Russia, certain ‘artists’ are objecting to a law against profanity (see Certain Russian ‘artists’ oppose ban on profanity).  The Bible condemns ‘evil communications’ (1 Corinthians 15:33, KJV) and corrupt words (Ephesians 4:29).  It would be better all over the world if ‘artists’ paid biblical attention to their speech as well as to their appearance.

Russia and Ukraine are still in the news.  Despite talks, NATO and others have concerns that the Russian intentions towards Ukraine and some other former parts of the old Soviet Union are not peaceful (Kiev says shells from Russian-side of border hit east Ukraine today, despite peace talks, and territory falls to pro-Russian separatists).  The West claims that Russia is increasing the problems in east Ukraine, while Russia basically claims it is providing humanitarian support to Russian speakers that need it.  Those in western Ukraine said today that Russia is actually invading (see Ukraine claims 1000 Russia troops and tanks have invaded).

The Bible ultimately teaches that the “kings of the Medes” (which would include some in Russia and possibly parts of Ukraine and elsewhere) turning against the final European Babylonian power (Jeremiah 51:11-29).  Russia’s President Putin is working towards the “Medes” coming together as soon as possible.

Prior to the time that the “Medes” are to destroy the end time Babylonian power, that power needs to rise up in Europe.

As it turns out, German Chancellor Angela Merkel made the news yesterday for “returning to the offensive from the defensive” (see Germany’s Merkel’s ‘new world order’ comments and actions).  Germany is rising up and plans to lead Europe and the world.  And while that will not last for too many years, the ‘new world order’ that Germany is advocating will end up pushing the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to a position of destruction and slavery prior to its own defeat.  The Babylonian Beast power will arise (Revelation 13,17, & 18) and we are seeing steps in the international arena that show that this is beginning to happen.

Suggested Sabbath Service

Here is our suggested format for Sabbath services this week:

• 2-3 hymns (our songbook, The Bible Hymnal, contains the materials from the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG with new covers, plus ten additional hymns; there is also some Choral Accompaniment online).
• Opening prayer.
• Sermonette, which for most who receive this emailed-letter will be a recorded one: China Moving Towards One World Religion. A related written item would be: Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Other sermonettes are also available at the Bible News Prophecy channel.
• Announcements (if any; though for many it will be this letter) and one hymn.
• Sermon, which for most who receive this emailed-letter will be a recorded one. The one suggested for this week is: Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.There is a related written article titled : Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Other sermons are also available at the ContinuingCOG channel.
• Final hymn.
• Closing prayer.

Note: If you have a slow internet connection, you can watch these by starting the video, then below it (and towards the right) look for an outline of a gear–if you click on that, it will allow the YouTube video to be played with lower video quality, but at least it will not stop often–you can select a quality as low as 144p.

If your internet connection is still too slow (as my home one is) and/or you prefer audio messages to audio-visuals ones, go to the YouTube link for the message, click on SHOW MORE related to the description. You will then see something that says, “Download MP3.” Below that is a link to an MP3 file. Most computers (and even some cellular telephones) will allow MP3 files to be downloaded and played. This is an option we have made available (but we are also looking into ways to improve that as well)–and, of course, we have written article options that we list each week.

Concluding Comments

The Apostle Paul wrote:

Go forward and do so!