Letter to the Brethren: July 18, 2024

We received additional translations to our English language booklet, The Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Sometimes, though we have had to rework some.

You may recall that I have never claimed that the translations were perfect. Instead, I have said that the following prophecy applies:

9 “Whom will he teach knowledge?  And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts?  10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”

11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people,  12 To whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” And, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear. (Isaiah 28:9-12)

Notice that even having some language difficulties seems to have been prophesied. And, I have been saying that about our translations for many years (e.g. watch Behind the Work 2016: All Nations, Tribes, People, and Tongues).

We are to reach people in multiple languages as a witness before the end comes (Matthew 24:14), despite the fact that most will not respond in this age. And we know that there may be difficulties caused by translations.

Now, please notice the version of Isaiah’s language statements in the New Testament:

21 In the law it is written:

“With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,”  says the Lord. (1 Corinthians 14:21)

So the New Testament is clearly also prophesying that other languages would be used–and we in the Continuing Church of God have been doing so in more languages than any other COG has ever done.

LE LIVRE DES CANTIQUES BIBLIQUES 

We now have a French language version of our  English language songbook, The Bible Hymnal, available. Here is a link: LE LIVRE DES CANTIQUES BIBLIQUES.

We have been trying to get this for years and finally we have it!

Again, we would like to thank Eglise de Dieu LE SIÈCLE A VENIR Association Française for their assistance, as well as Gisele Haddon, for the translations.

As mentioned before, Eglise de Dieu LE SIÈCLE A VENIR Association Française has, for over decade, had a distant affiliation with us in the Continuing Church of God. They first provided us with some translations of some of our literature many years ago.

That said, we ordered some copies of the French hymnal to be sent to Rwanda, France, and Canada. We expect to send more out once they have been received and reviewed.

In addition to English and French, our songbooks is available in the Spanish language Himario Biblico, Kiswahili Nakala ya Nyimbo za Biblia and Serbian-библијска песмарица.

Mediation Booklet

For odd and illogical reasons, Amazon Kindle declined printing our booklet, Meditation for Faithful Christians.

Their machine-based responses continued to say I needed permission from the author to print it.

Despite my repeated emails telling Amazon Kindle that I was the author, their system seemed to go into sometype of illogical loop which prevented a proper outcome.

So, we went to Barnes and Noble to have them print it.

It has now arrived.

We mailed it to our supporters several days ago.

However, because it was not printed by Amazon Kindle, this will greatly delay the booklet arriving in New Zealand.

That said, it is available online for Meditation for Faithful Christians.

In case you have not watched it, or perhaps you suspect watching it again may be helpful, we recently put out a sermon related to meditation:

1:17:21

Christian Meditation

Is meditation mainly based on repeating a sound from the Vedas? What about Eastern meditation or Transcendental Meditation? What about mantras such as used by Hindus and Buddhists? What does ‘om’ (AUM) mean? Could Psalm 37 or 73 help some who are facing difficulties? What does the Old Testament teach about meditation? What does the New Testament teach about meditation? Are there differences between men and women when it comes to the brain and meditating? Are Christians to live a contemplating life as opposed to being involved with others? What about love, the Ten Commandments, and the reality of the Kingdom of God? What did Jesus say about what goes on in the heart and then actions? What about meditating on the Sabbath or while fasting? What did the old Worldwide Church of God teach about meditation? When should you meditate? What did the Apostle Paul teach Christians were to think about? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more by quoting numerous scriptures.

Here is a link to the sermon: Christian Meditation.

Donation Receipts Mailed

While we used to try to mail donation receipts to our USA financial supporters, we have reduced that to twice per year.

Anyway, we mailed receipts for donations from 1 January 2024 to 10 July 2024 to our USA supporters. If you are one, you should receive that soon.

Hunger in Kenya

There have been news reports about spreading hunger in Kenya. Evangelist Evans Ochieng

 I’m getting more requests from … poor members and widows…  Even now I received a request from a blind person from Bomet … Our government has made life to be so tough in Kenya. And people are really suffering.

So yes, we provided assistance.

James wrote:

27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, (James 1:27)

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:14-19)

We show our faith and love by doing what the word of God tells us to so.

Africa updates

Moise Nshimiyimana sent the following photo and report:

Dear general Overseer Pastor Dr Bob ,

Greetings from CCOG Rwanda , Congo , and Burundi .

Dear Pastor I want to three reports in different sections .

This past Sabbath I visited the church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and we was a good Sabbath then the brothers and sisters in the Congo they are grateful for the help you gave them to buy a room to gather for worship. So this week we will pay where we will choose , after that we will give you a full report of what was done .

Attached , there is a photo I took this past Sabbath when I was in the Congo.

Moïse.

Moise Nshimiyimana also sent a report along with the first photo we have received related to our first congregation in Burundi:

Dear Pastor , the CCOG in Burundi they are doing well and in past week , brother Norbert from Burundi send to me the picture of their congratulation via his Facebook page. Then he created page of Continuing Church of God Burundi .

Attached there is a photo of Burundian.

Moïse.

In other African news, we received thanks for proving meeting hall assistance in Mozambique from pastor Radson Mulozowa:

Greetings from Malawi and Mozambique church

Thanks for the help for the church of Mozambique …

May God bless you

Best regards

Radson

We try to go through the doors around the world, and various ones have opened in Africa.