Letter to the Brethren: July 9, 2015

World News Items

Greece voted against a European economic proposal and has had a difficult economic week.  Greece would like the Europeans to lend them more money, but Europeans have concerns about that (see Greece voted against EU offer, but now hopes Europeans will loan more money).

Europe is trying how to figure out what to do related to the Greek crisis and other matters. Yesterday, the UK’s Nigel Farage claimed that Greece was showing that the ‘European project is actually beginning to die (see Nigel Farage: ‘The European project is actually beginning to die.’).  But that is not so. Despite problems (Daniel 2:41-43), the Bible tells of at least three reorganizations still to happen in Europe (Revelation 17).

On a related note, a member in Canada sent me a link to an article from New Europe where the writer advocated a reorganization of into regions instead of just nation states (see New Europe: Europe must reorganize into regions and not nation states).  This is  consistent with what we in the Continuing Church of God have been teaching  (see Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?) and is also consistent with the reorganization the Bible tells of in Revelation 17:12 (the Bible tells of ten ‘kingdoms’ or regions).   Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.

Over in Russia, there are meetings related to three organizations there.  Mainly between the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and those part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan; India and Pakistan have been prospective members).  But there was also a presentation related to the Eurasian Union, which is now mainly being called the Eurasian Economic Union ( Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Armenia, with Kyrgyzstan getting closer to being officially part of it).

One of the subjects to be at least unofficially discussed is Greece (see BRICS, Greece, and Germany).  Russia has invited Greece to join the BRICS and the Asians, in general, would like to have more influence in Europe.  Germany and the EU want Greece to remain tied to Europe, hence this will affect what they ultimately will do with Greece.

Speaking of Germany, the Germans are still upset about reports related to USA espionage (see Germany continues to be outraged as it investigates reports of USA espionage; the UK also an issue).  As I wrote a couple of years ago, Germany will not truly get over this.  Because of this, I expect to see more appeasement of the Europeans by the USA–and this will not end well for the USA (Daniel 11:39) or the UK.

Over in the UK, ‘holy water’ from the Jordan river was used to ‘baptize’ the two-month old Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.  This week’s recommended sermonette covers aspects of this (watch Princess Charlotte, Infant Baptism, and Holy Water).  The Anglicans do not practice biblical baptism, but instead incorporate unbiblical practices, many of which they got originally from the Church of Rome.

The leader of the Church of Rome is in South America (see Pope Francis and Ecuador: Will he disappoint the Ecuadorans?).  Notice something that Pope Francis said:

We Christians identify Christ with the sun, and the moon with the Church…May the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to which Ecuador has been consecrated, grant you every grace and blessing.

Of course, the Bible does not teach that Christ is identified with the sun.  That was something that the pagan Mithras-cult did–much of what the followers of Mithras believed became adopted (see also Do You Practice Mithraism?).  And of course, the Bible does not identify the church in with the moon and no one in the Bible was ever consecrated to the ‘Immaculate Heart of Mary’ as no such thing is mentioned in scripture.

The type of faith that Pope Francis is promoting is not the true and original Christian one.

Speaking of promoting false Christianity, former US President Jimmy Carter claimed on Tuesday that Jesus would endorse homosexual marriage (see Jimmy Carter claims Jesus would endorse homosexual marriage).  Jimmy Carter has a twisted view of scriptures, as do many (cf. 2 Peter 3:15-16).  Many modern leaders like Jimmy Carter are endorsing so-called homosexual “rights” and “same-sex marriage.” The Bible, however, warns about such leaders:

12…Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths. (Isaiah 3:12)

16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed (Isaiah 9:16).

Jimmy Carter is supposedly a devout Baptist.  But he is one who is openly promoting sexual sins.  The New Testament not only condemns homosexuality, it condemns those that endorse it in Romans 1:18-32.  This does not bode well for the USA.

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 letter via email will be a recorded one titled: Princess Charlotte, Infant Baptism, and Holy Water. A written article of related interest is titled: Princess Charlotte, ‘Holy Water,’ and Infant Baptism.  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: John 1-3: Anti-unitarian, Wine, Being Born Again, & Heaven. There is no directly related written article, but some may find the articles Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour and Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? of related assistance.  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.

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 new 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.

Concluding Comments

The Bible states:

4 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
Save me, and I shall be saved,
For You are my praise.
15 Indeed they say to me,
“Where is the word of the Lord?
Let it come now!”
16 As for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd who follows You, Nor have I desired the woeful day;
You know what came out of my lips;
It was right there before You.
17 Do not be a terror to me;
You are my hope in the day of doom.
18 Let them be ashamed who persecute me,
But do not let me be put to shame;
Let them be dismayed,
But do not let me be dismayed.
Bring on them the day of doom,
And destroy them with double destruction! (Jeremiah 17:14-18)

Brethren, pray and have faith, even if we have to endure trials and persecutions.

Sincerely,

Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer
Continuing Church of God