Dear Brethren and co-workers in Christ:
It has so far been a very exciting week, as well as month.
We produced a Passover service video this week which should be uploaded soon. In addition, I was able to update and include more information in the article Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, so those who cannot watch the video for the Passover service (or even those that can) will have printed information about it available. Passover will be kept after sunset on the 24th of March 2013 (here is a link to a more detailed Holy Day Calendar).
With Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread nearly here, I would suggest that any who have not seen the sermon Preparing for Passover consider doing so soon.
World News
Last week in this letter, I also mentioned that since Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez died and that this may impact various prophetic matters, including possibly the next papal election.
As it turned out, the cardinals of Rome elected a Latin American named Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pontifex Maximus. While I received an email critical of my assessment that Hugo Chavez’s death might be a factor in getting a pope from Latin America, the complainer changed his view when he saw an article that various ones in Venezuela believe that the death of Hugo Chavez influenced the papal election (though the way most there felt the influence happened was not correct). I firmly believe that Satan was involved in influencing this selection for various reasons.
This past week in New Zealand and other Commonwealth nations, as well as the USA and some other lands, steps were taking to become more and more accepting on biblically-immoral behaviors such as homosexual marriage. The Bible has many warnings about this (cf. Jude 7; 2 Peter 2:6), but many wish to ignore the warnings in the 21st century.
Suggested Sabbath Service for March 16, 2013
So, here is my suggested format for Sabbath services for March 16, 2013:
- 2-3 hymns (we are using the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG)
- Opening prayer.
- Sermonette (short 8-15 minute subject) or Bible New Prophecy YouTube video. The latest posted one is titled Could Pope Francis I be the Last Pope and Antichrist? and is a bit longer than most. While it is not my intention to have a lot of papal videos, this one is timely and may generate a lot of interest from those outside of CCOG.
- Announcements (which probably will be this Letter to the Brethren) and one hymn.
- Sermon (which for most will be a recorded one), titled The Coming Persecution of the Church.
- Final hymn.
- Closing prayer.
Article in The Journal
On January 2, 2013, Dixon Cartwright, editor of The Journal: News of the Church of God interviewed.
Early this morning, he sent out an electronic version of issue 152, dated 3/13/13, which contains his report.
The interview was related to me being a prophet, the proclamation goals of the Continuing Church of God, and why I left my previous association. Those who would like to read more details, can click on the following link: Journal Report on Continuing Church of God Leader Bob Thiel.
The Last Pope
Years ago, our family acquired the URL (web address) www.thelastpope.com with the intent that I would write a book titled The Last Pope. It was a project that I put off for a time, but felt compelled to do once I learned of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.
So, in addition to producing the weekly YouTube video sermonettes and sermons, plus some extra ones related to the Spring Holy Days, and working on the next edition of the Bible News Prophecy magazine, I finalized and published a new book.
I also was able to do a syndicated radio interview related to it yesterday, which reached people all over the world.
The book itself is to be available for FREE starting today and running through March 19, 2013 from Amazon Kindle. You can get it at the following link: The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis I? Kindle. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis I? Kindle.
We were able to give away 6,000 free copies of my book on the prophesied destruction of the United States (the total is for both editions of it) and expect to reach many with this new book.
In the Continuing Church of God we continue to look at innovative ways to reach those that we can. Please pray that we will always go through those doors that Christ opens for us.
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Sincerely,
Bob Thiel, Pastor and Overseer
Continuing Church of God