Letter to the Brethren: December 5, 2019

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings from Grover Beach, California.

We just finished the last sermon of the three-part series on the upcoming book: The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you?

Since that last sermon, a little more information has been added to that book. Plus, I asked someone without a Church of God background to review it.

Why?

Because this provides feedback which helps me clarify points and potential objections so we can better reach others.

As the Apostle Paul wrote:

19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

Anyway, after the Mystery book is reviewed and an edition finalized, the plan is to format it and print it and send it to our supporters. We also would intend to send a file to Nairobi for potentially printing and distributing it in parts of Africa.

Rift Valley and the Maasai

Pastor Tiongik Sawek sent the following report:

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, we are are doing good and continuing in the word of christ. last week sunday i was in Kilgoris, one of the area in Maasai land community where i was welcomed highly by one of the family by the name David Ole boi whom has been really insisting for their visit. i stayed with the family for one day and i managed to have a lengthy talk with them discussing and teaching about the gospel from the bible.,i also teach them on how continuing church of God is progressing with the word of God. The family agreed with the teachings and promised to continue with us.

However, they were suggesting for the second visit to their place and made a promise to send their representatives to Chilani upcoming Youth camp. Therefore i was planning to invite Elder David Cheruiyot from Njoro church in North Rift since the Brethrens from Kilgoris have a problem in communicating with either English and Kiswahili languange and i believe

Brother Cheruiyot is well conversant with those brethrens as he is capable of understand, communicate and also able to read their bible as we shall be using the Maasai bible.

Therefore i do believe if we get enough fare to and from Kilgoris together with brother cheruiyot then everything will be alright as we are still waiting for the family to signal us for the schedule date.

Lastly, on Monday we had a meeting together with Evangelist Ochieng where we were planning on the last arrangement for the upcoming Youth camp. we proposed as as follows;

North Rift
Njoro brethrens will held their camp at Naswet
Molo brethrens will held their camp at Sirikwa church
South Rift
Litein brethrens will held their camp at Chebirbelek church
Bomet brethrens will held their camp at Kiromwok
Mau brethrens at Mau church
Transmara brethrens will held at Chilani church

In Bomet also we have our brother Wesly whom he is one of the brethren from Kiromwok, he is partially blind adult man. During the meeting held together with Evangelist Ochieng we involve in our discussion and suggest for the support since Wesly had a piece of land and we were planning to cultivate and even plant crops for him. Herewith with this document together is a photograph i take with him.
Another proposal made during the meeting is the construction of a church in Kabolecho, the brethrens from the area did not have a church, they only have a piece of land for the construction..they have been really seeking for the assistant for the construction of the church. currently they are experiencing lot of challenges due to heavy rainfall including even destruction of their stable foods (sweet potatoes) so much anger is likely to occur in the near future.
we therefore seek prayers as we go about everything planned.
God bless you.
Regards,
Pastor Sawek

Pastor Sawek with Brother Wesly

Some of the visited Maasai

There was interest in reaching the Maasai when I was last in Kenya and it is great that we are able to meet with some of them.

Kenya to Have Six Youth Camps

Evangelist Evans Ochieng sent the following report from Kenya:

Pastor Dr Bob,

Greetings from Kenya

I have been in Rift valley to programme youth camps in Rift valley.  We wanted to put 4 sites in Rift valley. But we noticed that the youths from Kaplong cannot manage to travel to Bomet. We decided to add another camp in Kaplong. This is because we need all youths to get good teachings during this December.  So we shall have five sites and Ndhiwa totalling to six sites in Kenya.  After the meeting we also discussed about Kaplicho congregation where they are lacking good hall.  So I will build for them a hall in January after the youth camps.  We also discussed to assist Wesley who is blind to find how he can manage his daily living.

After ending the meeting, I traveled to Kisii to meet Isaac Ondara. I noticed that Isaac wrote to the church on behalf of his father George Ondara who is leading the congregation. So it forced me to meet both Isaac and his father George Ondara and Ezekiel Oanda. The meeting was very successful and we were very happy after a successful talks. We agreed that since they are still raw in faith and doesn’t know more about the CHURCH teachings, we decided that they will be visited 3 times a month.

I and pastor Ezekiel traveled to meet our congregation in Nyasembe where there was a confusion from some people who wanted to destroy the church. The journey itself was very tough because of much rainfall. So it forced us to travel with motorcycle where the car couldn’t move. It was a very successful trip and I thank GOD for a safe and mercies journey.  Now I’m on my way back home

This time we shall have more camp sites than before. We only being suspicious about the rainfall in Kenya. This time it rained a lot to excess. Please pray for the youth camps in Kenya to go successfully.

Evans.

We have never had this many camps for the youth.

Ethiopia Prayer Request

Deacon Koang Deng sent the following in yesterday:

Dear Dr. Bob :

Greetings in Jesus name Amen.

The Country Ethiopia is now entered in cool war which leads many residents not to trust themselves.

Because our current PM Dr. Abiy  Ahmed, from the day he come on power, The Federal government members have  got a mistrust among themselves, which is going now to divide the country.

Therefore the residents of this country got a great worried so much now for the upcoming 2020 election which will be doing of that coming year.

Please try to pray again for us and for Ethiopians people to keep on peace.

Thanks,
Koang deng.

Please pray for those in Ethiopia, and also for God’s kingdom to come (cf. Matthew 6:10).

Radio

Last evening, did a one hour taped radio interview with Rob McConnell of X-Zone radio. I was on his program a few times back in 2009 and 2010. It is scheduled to be on tonight.

We discussed biblically-based predictions related to my old 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect book as well as world events that have aligned with biblically-based predictions at the COGwriter.com website. And tied some of them in with predictions from various cultures.

Dealing with False Information

The Book of Proverbs teaches:

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you also be like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:4-5)

16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. (Proverbs 26:16, KJV)

Because of Proverbs 26:4, I do not respond to most of the lies and false accusations at anti-Church of God websites, like the Banned By HWA site. Yet, because of Proverbs 26:5, I sometimes will.

Since it is often best to fight fire with water, misinformation can often be best fought with facts and proof.

Anyway, here are links to two posted articles to deal with some of the lies and misinformation recently posted at the Banned By HWA site: Let’s Deal with Some Lies from ‘Banned by HWA’ and Banned, Ambassador Watch, Living University, and my Ph.D. and Th.D.

World News Items

Sunday marked the 10th anniversary of the Lisbon Treaty which essentially made the EU what it is today (see 10th Anniversary of the Lisbon Treaty). While many see a lot of good in that, others have concerns. Eventually, the Bible shows that Europe will reorganize (Revelation 17:12-13) and its military successes (cf. Daniel 11:39-43) will amaze the world (cf. Revelation 13:3-4).

The government of the UK has acknowledged that the European Union will prevent it from accessing certain military-related aspects of the EU’s Galileo satellite system (see UK denied access to military features of Galileo). Galileo is a communications’ system that the EU hopes to have live in 2020. The USA did not want the EU to develop it because of reasons of national defense, but the project continues to move forward. Technology will likely be how the future European Beast power will be able to conquer the USA (Daniel 11:39) and UK (cf. Isaiah 17:3) and cause the world to marvel (cf. Revelation 13:1-4).

US President Donald Trump announced tariffs on steel from Argentina and Brazil (see Donald Trump announces tariffs against Argentina and Brazil: Does he not realize that he is pressuring them to better align with Europe?), plus he threatened more against France. Europe, itself, is concerned about Donald Trump (see Europe concerned about Donald Trump). One of the unintended consequences of Donald Trump’s polices will be to drive many of the Latin American nations closer to Europe for trade, and ultimately to fulfill what is prophesied in Ezekiel 27.

Suggested Sabbath Service

Here is a suggested Sabbath service for 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 letter via email will be a recorded one. The one suggested for this week is: Could the Great Tribulation Begin in 2020? Other sermonettes are 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 letter via email will be a recorded one. The one suggested for this week is: The Mystery of YOU. 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. Some people have found that if their internet connections are not fast enough, that they can simply listen to the messages that are found at the Bible News Prophecy online radio channel.

IN CASE YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A ‘LETTER TO THE BRETHREN’ FOR ANY WEEK, REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE MANY SERMON MESSAGES ON THE ContinuingCOG channel AND MANY SERMONETTE MESSAGES ON THE Bible News Prophecy channel. There are also some messages at the CCOGAfrica channel.

Concluding Comments

The Apostle Paul wrote:

11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:11-13)

Brethren, love is your purpose. Your purpose is to give love in a unique way to make eternity better for yourself and everyone else.