Letter to the Brethren: December 12, 2019

World News Items

There are various calls for reorganization in Europe. Some hope France will leave the European Union (see French exit from the EU? How LCG and CCOG differ on FREXIT), whereas Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban wants Europe to embrace his type of ‘Christianity’ (see RI: Hungarian PM Says Only Solution to World’s Problems Is Return to Christianity (Orban); COGwriter: It is not original Christianity that Viktor Orban wants). A recent survey found that about half of those in Italy are looking for a strongman type of leader (see Reuters: Half of Italians want ‘strongman’ in power; COGwriter: Europe will end up following one).

The Bible, itself, is clear that Europe will reorganize and turn power over to a powerful dictator (Revelation 17:12-13), plus be connected to the church of the city seven hills (Revelation 17:1-9,18) for a time (Revelation 17:16-17). Some version of what Prime Minister Orban has proposed will happen–but Jesus will later have it destroyed (Revelation 17:14).

In the UK, they are having an election today (JP: Influential Corbyn-supporting Facebook page run by Hamas). If current Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s party wins enough seats, he is hoping for a British exit (Brexit) from the European Union early in 2020. His main opponent, Jeremy Corybyn has proposed a slower course.

In the USA, the impeachment process against Donald Trump is moving forward at the same time a trade deal involving Canada and Mexico is moving ahead (see Deep state and impeachment).

Over in New Zealand, a volcano erupted and several were killed (see BBC: New Zealand volcano: ‘No sign of life’ after White Island eruption). One lesson we can learn from such events is that life unexpectedly can be cut short and we always need to be prepared to meet God.

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: A Children’s Book of Demons? 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: Latin America in Prophecy. 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:

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:27-32)

Brethren, we in the West are more and more living in societies that do not want to retain God in their knowledge.

We, unlike the world, are not to approve of sins that God condemns.