On September 4, 2010, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “To the Ephesians, Part 9.” This sermon will conclude his series on Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church.

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

On September 9, 2010, is the Feast of Trumpets.

Dave Harris will give the sermon in the morning from Colorado, and Norbert Link will give the sermon in the afternoon from California.

The morning services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (9:30 am Pacific Time; 10:30 am Mountain Time; 11:30 am Central Time; 12:30 pm Eastern time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

The afternoon services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (1:30 pm Pacific Time; 2:30 pm Mountain Time; 3:30 pm Central Time; 4:30 pm Eastern time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

The Feast of Tabernacles is fast approaching. For our Feast sites and other information, please look at our Website (www.eternalgod.org), under “Feasts.”

“I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (Romans 7:21-23).

These are the words written by Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, and these are truly the thoughts of every Christian who struggles to overcome sin. They are mine, and I just imagine yours, as well!

In the next chapter, Paul continues: “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5).

Paul speaks of living a way of life that is either consumed by the ways of this world or by one that reflects walking in the Spirit of God. He addresses the classic challenge man has always faced—to choose right over wrong, obedience instead of disobedience and life rather than death!

Being called into Christianity means that we must learn to think differently. We are cautioned with this teaching from Proverbs 23:7: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…”

Our victory over sin begins through a change in the way we think. It is summed up in the new spiritual way of living we have embarked on: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

Paul recognized his battle to overcome sin and how he would achieve it—something for each of us to do as well:

“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of death? I thank God–THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:24-25).

We are beginning with reports about fears of a future destructive solar storm in 2012 or 2013, as well as current devastating catastrophes. While President Obama’s approval rate is slipping and the outlook for the U.S. economy is grim, fears of an attack on Iran and a civil war in “abandoned” Iraq are mounting.

Focusing on Germany, a leading member of Germany’s central bank is coming under fire for controversial remarks and a new best-selling book against Jews and Muslims; Germany’s Bundeswehr might soon become more powerful; and Germany’s constitutional court strengthened the EU and its institutions.

Destructive Solar Storm in 2012?

On August 26, Yahoo India News published an article by Australasian Science (ANI), stating the following:

“Astronomers are predicting that a massive solar storm, much bigger in potential than the one that caused spectacular light shows on Earth earlier this month, is to strike our planet in 2012 with a force of 100 million hydrogen bombs… Similar storms back in 1859 and 1921 caused worldwide chaos, wiping out telegraph wires on a massive scale. The 2012 storm has the potential to be even more disruptive.

“‘The general consensus among general astronomers (and certainly solar astronomers) is that this coming Solar maximum (2012 but possibly later into 2013) will be the most violent in 100 years,’ News.com.au quoted astronomy lecturer and columnist Dave Reneke as saying…

“No one really knows what effect the 2012-2013 Solar Max will have on today’s digital-reliant society. Dr Richard Fisher, director of NASA’s Heliophysics division, told Reneke the super storm would hit like ‘a bolt of lightning’, causing catastrophic consequences for the world’s health, emergency services and national security unless precautions are taken.

“NASA said that a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences found that if a similar storm occurred today, it could cause ‘1 to 2 trillion dollars in damages to society’s high-tech infrastructure and require four to 10 years for complete recovery.'”

Volcano Erupts after 400 Years

The Associated Press reported on August 30:

“An Indonesian volcano dormant for four centuries erupted for the second straight day Monday, shooting clouds of hot ash more than a mile into the air and forcing 30,000 people to flee. Some domestic airplanes had to be diverted because of poor visibility. Many villagers living along the slopes of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra province wore masks as they packed their belongings and headed to emergency shelters, mosques and churches… Their abandoned homes and crops were blanketed in gray soot and the air was thick with the smell of sulfur…

“Sinabung last erupted in 1600… Indonesia is spread across 17,500 islands and is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes because of its location within the so-called ‘Ring of Fire’ — a series of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and Southeast Asia.

“It is also home to some of the largest eruptions in recorded history. The 1815 explosion of Mount Tambora buried the inhabitants of Sumbawa Island under searing ash, gas and rock, killing an estimated 88,000 people. The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa could be heard 2,000 miles away and blackened skies region-wide for months. At least 36,000 people were killed in the blast and the tsunami that followed.”

For more information on volcanic eruptions, as well as past space impacts, as discussed in the next article, please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution… A Fairy Tale for Adults.”

The Destruction of the Dinosaurs

BBC reported on August 27:

“The dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago by at least two space impacts, rather than a single strike, a new study suggests. Previously, scientists had identified a huge impact crater in the Gulf of Mexico as the event that spelled doom for the dinosaurs. Now evidence for a second impact in Ukraine has been uncovered. This raises the possibility that the Earth may have been bombarded by a whole shower of space rocks…

“What might have caused this bombardment is highly uncertain.”

However, the Bible explains what caused the devastation in the past.

Devastation in Pakistan Continues…

The New York Times wrote on August 27:

“Hundreds of thousands more Pakistanis fled their homes as high floodwaters reached the southernmost region of the country and inundated several more districts… Almost one million people have been displaced since midweek in Sindh Province, adding to the estimated six million already made homeless countrywide over the last three weeks in Pakistan’s worst floods in living memory…

“Health workers setting up clinics in the major centers of displacement reported a sharp increase in cases of acute diarrhea. The numbers represent an increase of 30 percent compared with the same period last year… A high incidence of malaria is also being reported in the southern provinces…”

America’s Grim Economic Future

The Daily Mail wrote on August 27:

“America was heading for a second recession last night as gloomy figures showed its economy grinding to a halt. Slowing growth and rising unemployment across the Atlantic cast a long shadow over a small improvement in the UK economy –which grew at its fastest rate for nine years this spring…

“Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke described the financial outlook yesterday as ‘inherently uncertain’ and said the economy ‘remains vulnerable to unexpected developments’… Any worldwide slowdown led by an American slump would hurt Chancellor George Osborne’s hopes of leading the UK to a recovery led by exports.”

President Obama Dismissive

Politico wrote on August 29:

“President Barack Obama dismissed a recent poll showing that a third of Americans don’t know he’s a Christian — and blamed an online campaign of misinformation by his conservative enemies for perpetuating the myth that he’s a Muslim.

“Obama, speaking with NBC ‘Nightly News’ anchor Brian Williams on Sunday afternoon, was equally dismissive of conservative talk show host Glenn Beck — saying he didn’t watch the Fox host’s Saturday rally in Washington but wasn’t surprised that Beck was able to ‘stir up’ people during uncertain economic times…

“‘I can’t spend all of my time with my birth certificate plastered on my forehead,’ quipped Obama, who took a deep breath to gather his thoughts when asked if the poll reflected his inability to communicate with voters. ‘The facts are the facts. We went through some of this during the campaign — there is a mechanism, a network of misinformation that in a new media era can get churned out there constantly,’ said a visibly annoyed Obama, referring to ‘birthers,’ who have waged a guerrilla campaign questioning either the existence or the validity of his Hawaiian birth certificate…

” A stunning 18 percent of Americans identify Obama as Muslim… Only a third identify Obama, who speaks passionately about his faith in his autobiography, as Christian…”

“Six Days to War” With Iran

Newsmax reported on August 27:

“Iran expert Kenneth R. Timmerman… lays out the scenario likely to unfold if the United States and Iran go to war. In Timmerman’s report, you’ll find out why ‘Six Days to War’ could happen sooner than you think — as many American assets are already ‘in position’ for an attack…

“Timmerman’s report on the looming war with Iran is based on sources including top Israeli intelligence officers, military, and political leaders interviewed in Israel and Washington, D.C., and a key planning document… developed by the Iranian navy.”

In a SPIEGEL interview, which was published on August 30, Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki discussed the “risk” of a military strike against Iran. We are bringing you the following excerpts:

“SPIEGEL: There are growing calls in Israel for a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities — with or without Washington’s approval.

“Mottaki: Israel has been talking about this for years. The Zionist regime knows exactly what fate awaits it here. The regime would be putting its own existence at stake with an attack.

“SPIEGEL: You would attack Israel?

“Mottaki: I have just told you what would happen.

“SPIEGEL: Your first reactor, in Bushehr, is scheduled to go online on Sept. 26 after more than 30 years of construction. Do you really want to see the Israelis reduce it to rubble?

“Mottaki: Do you have evidence that Bushehr will be attacked? How probable do you think such an attack is?

“SPIEGEL: The likelihood is considered high.

“Mottaki: We don’t see this likelihood.

“SPIEGEL: Do you want to ignore reality? Don’t you recognize the military threat? Don’t you see the worldwide protest against the impending stoning of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani [accused of adultery and sentenced to death]?

“Mottaki: What is the point of these questions? You would be better advised to listen to us. It was our interpretations of the situation in this region that have proved to be right. We predicted that the United States would capitulate in Iraq, and that’s what has happened. Instead, you are playing the human rights game. You ask me about the possible killing of a human being. But you show no sensitivity for the many, many people that are being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. How long does the West intend to live with this contradiction?”

Iraq’s Dire Situation–Waste of U.S. Taxpayer Money

The Associated Press reported on August 29:

“A $40 million prison sits in the desert north of Baghdad, empty. A $165 million children’s hospital goes unused in the south. A $100 million waste water treatment system in Fallujah has cost three times more than projected, yet sewage still runs through the streets

“As the U.S. draws down in Iraq, it is leaving behind hundreds of abandoned or incomplete projects. More than $5 billion in American taxpayer funds has been wasted — more than 10 percent of the some $50 billion the U.S. has spent on reconstruction in Iraq, according to audits from a U.S. watchdog agency.

“That amount is likely an underestimate, based on an analysis of more than 300 reports by auditors with the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. And it does not take into account security costs, which have run almost 17 percent for some projects…

“Even completed projects for the most part fell far short of original goals… And the verdict is still out on whether the program reached its goal of generating Iraqi good will toward the United States instead of the insurgents…

“The reconstruction program in Iraq has been troubled since its birth shortly after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. The U.S. was forced to scale back many projects even as they spiked in cost, sometimes to more than double or triple initial projections…”

Iraq’s Dire Situation–Fears of Civil War

Der Spiegel Online wrote on August 30:

“US combat troops are withdrawing from Iraq, where terrorist attacks are once again part of everyday life. The Iraqi population is suddenly mourning the departure of the once-hated occupiers, as fears of a civil war grow…

“Only 50,000 US troops will remain in the country, out of a total of over 170,000 soldiers that were in Iraq at the high point of the American deployment. They are staying mainly to support the Iraqi security forces as advisers and trainers, and are also due to return to their homeland at the end of 2011.

“The withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraq’s urban centers just over a year ago was welcomed euphorically… Visitors to Baghdad can sense the fear [now] that many people have of a new civil war. That fear is underscored by the daily news reports on television. Last week, at least 56 Iraqis died at the hands of suicide bombers and snipers in around two dozen terrorist attacks. In August, an average of five policemen or soldiers died every day…

“Given the violence that is flaring up again, many Iraqis want their occupiers to stay longer… The uncertainty about what will happen now is so far-reaching that it has even affected the former arch-enemies of the US Army. Abu Mujahid lost a leg in 2004 when he fought against the invaders in the battle of Fallujah. Shrapnel fragments are lodged in his head, the legacy of a US missile strike. ‘Yes, we fought them to the death,’ Mujahid, who is a Sunni Muslim, told the news agency Reuters. ‘We dreamed of the day when they would leave Iraq. But their withdrawal at this time is not in Iraq’s interests’…

“The US forces, for their part, are observing the sudden regret over their departure with interest. ‘We are seeing that very clearly,’ says Brigadier General Mark Corson, speaking in the US military base in Balad about 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of Baghdad… The decision to leave the country has not been called into question for one moment, despite the Iraqis’ new-found affection for their occupiers, Corson says. ‘You can’t please the Iraqis. If you’re here, you are the evil occupier. If you leave, you are letting them down. Then it’s better to just leave at some point.'”

Iraq’s Dire Situation–President Obama’s Oval Office Speech

The Associated Press reported on September 1:

“Despite President Barack Obama’s declaration Tuesday of an end to the combat mission in Iraq, combat almost certainly lies ahead. And in asserting the U.S. has met its responsibilities in Iraq, the president opened the door wide to a debate about the meaning of success in the muddle that most – but not all – American troops are leaving behind.

“A look at some of the statements Obama made in his Oval Office speech and how they compare with the facts:

“OBAMA: ‘Tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended.’

“THE FACTS: Peril remains for the tens of thousands of U.S. troops still in Iraq, who are likely if not certain to engage violent foes. Counterterrorism is chief among their continuing missions, pitting them against a lethal enemy. Several thousand special operations forces, including Army Green Berets and Navy SEALs, will continue to hunt and attempt to kill al-Qaida and other terrorist fighters – working closely with Iraqi forces. Obama said, ‘Of course, violence will not end with our combat mission,’ while stopping short of a full accounting of the hazards ahead for U.S. troops.

“OBAMA: ‘We have met our responsibility.’

“THE FACTS: That depends entirely on how the U.S. responsibility is defined. Sectarian division – the danger that Obama said as a presidential candidate had to be addressed before Iraq could succeed – continues to deprive the country of a fully functioning government. U.S. goals for reconstruction are unmet. And although the U.S. says Iraqi forces can handle the insurgency largely on their own, Iraq is expected to need U.S. air power and other military support for years to control its own air space and to deter a possible attack by a neighboring state.

“It was the U.S. that invaded Iraq, overthrew its government, disbanded its security forces and failed in the early phases of the conflict to understand the depth of Iraq’s sectarian and ethnic divisions and its political paralysis… today Iraq has no permanent government and its security forces arguably are not fully prepared to defend the country’s skies and borders…

“OBAMA: ‘Within Afghanistan, I have ordered the deployment of additional troops who – under the command of Gen. David Petraeus – are fighting to break the Taliban’s momentum. As with the surge in Iraq, these forces will be in place for a limited time to provide space for the Afghans to build their capacity and secure their own future.’

“THE FACTS: Obama is reciting almost the exact language of the Bush administration’s rationale for the Iraq surge: to buy time and space for the Iraqis to reach political accommodations and to strengthen their own security forces. That’s quite a change from Obama’s stand as a presidential candidate, when he criticized it. Obama seems to be embracing the troop surge logic now, even though it’s clear that the Iraqis have yet to achieve the necessary level of reconciliation to form an enduring government.”

Leader of Germany’s Central Bank under Fire over “Attacking” Jews and Muslims

The Daily Mail reported on August 30:

“A leading member of Germany’s central bank has caused outrage by claiming that Jews are identified by a particular gene. Thilo Sarrazin, who is on the board of the Bundesbank in Frankfurt, said in a newspaper interview: ‘All Jews share a certain gene. Basques (Spanish separatists) have particular genes, that distinguishes them from others.’

“Germany’s Jewish community today reacted with horror and accused him of anti-Semitism and attempted racial profiling. Germany’s deputy Chancellor Guido Westerwelle accused the banker of stoking up hatred… Another member of the German cabinet, defence minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, said Sarrazin had ‘overstepped the borders of provocation’. German Chancellor Angela Merkel tonight condemned Sarrazin for making ‘stupid and pointless’ statements…

“Sarrazin gave an interview to the respected Welt am Sonntag Sunday newspaper to promote his book entitled ‘Deutschland schafft sich ab’, which can be translated as ‘Germany does away with itself.’ In the book he claims the country is on the road to ruin because of the influx of immigrants from the Middle East which would overwhelm the indigenous population and create a nation of ‘dunces’. In particular he singles out Muslims for failing to integrate and having low IQs… He asserts the result has been a ‘dramatic fall’ in literacy and numeracy. ‘Germany is becoming more stupid,’ he said.

“‘Muslim immigrants don’t integrate as well as other immigrant groups across Europe. The reasons for this are apparently not based on their ethnicity, but are rooted in their culture of Islam,’ he told Welt am Sonntag. Germany has strict laws which ban inciting racial hatred. These include denying the Holocaust, using the Heil Hitler salute and displaying a Swastika. Making anti-Semitic remarks is also an offence but Sarrazin’s comments – while distasteful – are unlikely to lead to a prosecution.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on August 30:

“Sarrazin, a member of the center-left Social Democrats [and] a former minister of finance for the city-state of Berlin, has repeatedly caused controversy by criticising Turks and Arabs in Germany… In his book, Sarrazin argues that Muslims undermine German society and that young Muslim men are aggressive due to sexual frustration…

“Left-wing Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘He is without doubt a racist. Unlike other opponents of Islam, Sarrazin doesn’t just believe in a “clash of cultures” and voice shrill warnings about “over-alienation” by Muslims. He goes further by attributing cultural and social differences mainly to genetic dispositions… What should be done if 65 years after the banning of “Mein Kampf” another treatise of racial theory turns into a bestseller in Germany?’

“Conservative Die Welt writes: ‘He is right on many counts… One has to be appalled at a growing, passive-aggressive underclass, about miserable educational achievements and also about Turkish and Arab immigrants who refuse to integrate and to get an education. Even if many people claim that all this has long been known, nothing has been done. We still lack the political will to tackle this unpleasant conflict… One has to be tough and honest, but one mustn’t argue in static technocratic terms like Sarrazin…’

“Left-wing Frankfurter Rundschau writes: ‘The hobby author Sarrazin is responsible for risk control in the most important central bank of the euro zone. Such an office cannot seriously be carried out by someone who no one takes seriously anymore in the financial sector.'”

Germans Sympathetic Towards Sarrazin

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 30:

“Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) on Monday said it would begin proceedings for the expulsion of longstanding member Thilo Sarrazin over comments in his new book. Sarrazin… officially launched his book ‘Deutschland schafft sich ab’ (‘Germany does away with itself’) at a press conference in Berlin on Monday…

“At the launch, Sarrazin reiterated his beliefs about the threat of Muslim culture to European societies. He told reporters that Germans were in danger of becoming ‘strangers in their own country’ and demanded stronger checks on immigrants…

“Advance orders have sent the book to the top of German sales charts.”

Der Spiegel added on August 31:

“Thilo Sarrazin’s comments about Muslims have triggered outrage in Germany and abroad, but have met with willing listeners among the general public. His rhetoric is slowly bringing about change in Germany, transforming it from a tolerant society into one dominated by fear and Islamophobia…

“Of course, these fears are not completely unfounded. Conditions in areas like Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood give rise to very real, justified concerns. There are schoolrooms where three-quarters of the students are from immigrant families, students whose German is barely good enough to get by. There are Arab and Albanian family clans that control crime syndicates and receive welfare benefits. There are phenomena like forced marriages and honor killings. In some mosques, imams are encouraging the faithful to engage in Islamist terror. All of this exists, and yet it has nothing to do with ordinary Islam and the day-to-day lives of well over 90 percent of Germany’s Muslims. And yet these are precisely the kinds of things that fuel cheap attempts to create stereotypes of Muslims as the enemy…

“There is no question that there are Muslims in Germany who sympathize with Islamist ideas… It is also undeniable that suicide bombers worldwide frequently invoke Islam — a deplorable but not an isolated phenomenon. Every monotheistic religion, through its claim to exclusivity, contains the potential for violence.

“But no one condemns Christianity as a whole when Northern Irish breakaway factions commit murder in the name of God. We don’t blame all Catholics when some of them kill abortion doctors while invoking their faith. And we don’t take all of Judaism to task when a Jewish terrorist named Baruch Goldstein slaughters dozens of Muslims during prayers in Hebron while invoking Yahweh. But we do condemn Islam, whose holy book contains about as many passages glorifying violence as the Old Testament (which, unlike the Koran, does mention stoning as a punishment).”

The false claim that the Old Testament glorifies violence is absolutely outrageous and blasphemous. For more information, please read our free booklets, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…” and “Should YOU Fight in War?” .

Changes in German Bundeswehr?

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 28:

“German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has announced plans to reduce the size of the German military by about a third of the current 250,000 troops, and to end Germany’s mandatory military service. At the same time, however, he said he also wants to see an increase in the number of troops available for active duty, which is currently 7,000.

“Outlining his plans to make military service more attractive, Guttenberg told the mass market Bild am Sonntag newspaper that despite ending conscription, a trial period for potential volunteer troops could be an option to avoid a shortage of service members… In an interview with ARD television, German Chancellor Angela Merkel supported Guttenberg’s ideas to reform the Bundeswehr, saying she’d like to see a ‘culture of volunteerism’ and that signing up for the Bundeswehr should be made more attractive for young people.

“Guttenberg estimates the German military would need between 7,500 and 15,000 short-term volunteer troops. Additionally, the defense ministry said he is looking into various means of compensation for volunteers who would serve between 12 months and 23 months. This could include a salary, pension or educational opportunities, he said.

“The interview was published while Guttenberg was paying a surprise visit to German troops in the Baghlan province of Afghanistan… He emphasized his support for the troops’ efforts, but wouldn’t comment on a possible date for the withdrawal of German soldiers from Afghanistan.

“The idea of ending Germany’s long-standing tradition of mandatory military service has not been without criticism. In a speech to the Marine Officer’s School in Ploen, Peter Harry Carstensen, the state premier of Schleswig-Holstein, said he considered Germany’s mandatory military service an integral part of society. ‘This is not something we can sacrifice easily,’ he said.

“But Guttenberg said only a small percentage of German men were actually called on to perform mandatory service… adding that only 13 to 16 percent of men are drafted into temporary service.”

Germany Strengthens EU

The EUObserver wrote on August 26:

“Germany’s constitutional court has laid down the ground rules for controlling decisions by the EU’s top court… Thursday’s pronouncement backed by seven of the eight judges not only avoids a direct conflict with the EU’s Luxembourg court but also appears to strengthen it. Germany’s court stated that EU decisions may only be checked if European institutions seriously overstep their powers. A headline in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung says: ‘Karlsruhe (the court) restricts its own powers’…”

First, let us explain what the two trees in the Garden of Eden symbolized.

We are quoting the following excerpts from chapter 2 of our free booklet, “Human Suffering–Why…And How Much Longer?” :

“When God created the first human being, Adam, and his wife, Eve, He placed them in a garden—the Garden of Eden, also called Paradise. God also created two special trees in this garden—the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He told man that he was allowed to eat from all the trees in the garden with the exception of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This means that man could eat, and should have eaten, from the tree of life.

“These two trees had special symbolic meaning. They represented two ways of life: Eating from the tree of life would have meant following God in obedience to His Word, thereby reaping the benefits of happiness, joy and peace. Eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil meant disobeying God, and listening to and following Satan instead, thereby reaping the curses of unhappiness, sadness, suffering and war!…

“God said that man could eat FREELY from the tree of life. If man had done that, he would have received the free gift of the Holy Spirit of God, and with it, godly understanding and wisdom as to how to live. He would have received a down payment—a guarantee—of future eternal life, and he would have been changed—in due time—to an immortal Spirit being.

“God WANTED Adam and Eve to partake of the tree of life—the Holy Spirit. Today also, God wants us—those He has specifically called for His salvation—to partake of the Holy Spirit, and to teach others about it. When man partakes of the tree of life—symbolic of the Holy Spirit—then he reaps the benefits and responsibilities already in this life, as well as the gift of future eternal life…

“Adam and Eve did not eat from the tree of life, but they did eat, instead, from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God CREATED that tree, too, but He told man NOT to eat from it. He did not tempt man to sin, but He did test man, and by offering an opportunity to man to eat from the tree of life, He enabled man to obey Him. However, man decided to disobey God and to obey, instead, the serpent—Satan the devil.

“In not eating from the tree of life, and in eating, instead, from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, man made the decision to reject godly wisdom and eternal life, and to accept the wisdom of this world, which leads only to death. Man rejected God (Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13) and became the slave of Satan. God had informed man of the consequences of his decision well in advance. Genesis 2:17 reports that God told them that they would die if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Presumably, He had also told them that they would have to live in sorrow and pain (compare Genesis 3:16–19)…

“Suffering, pain, misery, and even death entered this physical world with Adam and Eve’s decision to disobey God and follow Satan instead. And since man has, in general, continued to disregard God’s injunctions, suffering continues to this day.”

In addition, let us quote the following comments from Herbert W. Armstrong’s book, “Mystery of the Ages”:

“What if Adam had taken of the tree of life?… That symbolic tree is offered today to those called and drawn by God to Jesus Christ. There is one difference between the original Adam and the called Christian. Adam had not yet sinned and no repentance was necessary if he had chosen the tree of life. Otherwise the repentant and believing Spirit-begotten Christian is in the same position Adam would have been had he taken of the tree of life.

“Adam would have received the Holy Spirit of the immortal God to join with his human spirit. Of course, since Adam was required to make a choice, he would have rejected the way of Satan by taking the tree of life…

“He would have received the Holy Spirit of God to unite with his human spirit. The man was not mentally or spiritually complete until receiving the Spirit of God. This would have united him, mentally and spiritually, with God. He would have been begotten as a child of God, just as is the converted Spirit-begotten Christian.

“He would have received the Holy Spirit of God to join with his human spirit, begetting him as a son of God, imparting to him the earnest of immortal life, and making him at one with God… the very mind of the Eternal would have been in Adam. But instead the mind and attitude of Satan entered into him and worked in him, even as it has in all his children that have composed this whole world…

“God would have revealed to Adam God’s way of life—which is God’s spiritual law… But, even as a human embryo has been begotten by human parents, and just as the embryo must develop through the process of gestation before being born, so is the Spirit-led Christian, and so would have been Adam.

“But he would have experienced a direct connection and contact with God… So Adam would have had the in-depth spiritual knowledge to live God’s way, and also would have been supplied with the divine love that, only, can fulfill that perfect law of love and put it into action.

“He would also have received by the Spirit of God the very faith of God. He would have received knowledge, guidance and help from God. He would have had reliance on God to intervene in matters beyond his control. In such matters God supernaturally does for us what we are unable to do for ourselves. In other words, God fights our battles for us.”

Also, notice this quote from the Worldwide Church of God’s old publication, “Answers from Genesis”:

“If Adam and Eve would have eaten the fruit of this tree [of life], God would have given them His Holy Spirit and ultimately eternal life. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, on the other hand, symbolized disobedience. When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of this tree, their disobedience cut them off from their Creator and they embarked on a course of false education that produced sin and death.”

Based on this understanding, we see that if Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of life and refused to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, our world–this world’s present societies–would have been quite different.

Again, let us continue with quoting from our booklet, “Human Suffering–Why… and How Much Longer?”:

“This brings up a hypothetical question. What would have happened IF Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of life, while also refusing to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thus fully obeying God?

“There would have been, presumably, no weapons or war; no killing of Abel through Cain; no hunger, famine, hard labor, misery or pain; no slavery; and no vicious animals. Instead, this earth would have been a happy place—a peaceful, prosperous, free world!

“BUT—due to Adam and Eve’s wrong decision, this world witnessed murder when Cain killed his brother, Abel. It witnessed polygamy (Genesis 4:19); weapons made of bronze and iron (Genesis 4:22); more violence and murder (Genesis 4:23); and finally, grievous worldwide wickedness (Genesis 6:5–6, 11–13).”

God created Adam and Eve with the express purpose of bringing forth offspring. They were commanded to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth (Genesis 1:28). If Adam and Eve had shown obedience to God and rejected Satan, then their descendants–mankind–would not have been cut off from God and His Holy Spirit, as is generally the case today. The fact that mankind was cut off from God was God’s punishment for Adam and Eve’s disobedience–a direct consequence of Adam and Eve’s conduct. After they sinned, the tree of life was no longer accessible to them and in general, to mankind as a whole, and mankind was allowed, under the sway and deception of Satan, to create his own societies, which are ALL in opposition to God’s Way of Life.

Today, the entire world is under Satan’s rule. This includes ALL countries, including the United States of America, South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Great Britain, continental Europe, the Middle East and the Far East, including India, Russia, China, Japan and Korea. This means, no human government today is righteous in God’s eyes. This is one reason WHY true Christians are to come out of the “Babylon” of this world and its politics; to be separate; and not to touch or associate with or embrace or adopt or feed on the uncleanness of this world’s economic, military, educational or religious systems.

Focusing on Adam and Eve, this does not mean that they would have been changed to immortal beings immediately upon their partaking of the fruit of the tree of life. As explained above, eating from the tree of life symbolized receiving the Holy Spirit, which is a downpayment, an earnest, a guaranty for eternal life. But they still would have had to continue to live a godly way of life (as we all must do today), to PROVE to God that they were willing to live under His rule. They still would have had to develop godly righteous character, by continuously rejecting the wrong and accepting and living the right–as we all must do. Please read our Q&As [http://eternalgod.org/qa/7809 and http://eternalgod.org/qa/7837] on character development.

Beyond this, it is hard to say what else would have been different. The Bible does not dwell too much on this possibility, as the fact of the matter is that Adam and Eve DID eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and became thereby responsible for a world cut off from God.

Would Adam and Eve have stayed sinless? Would they have continued to reject eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil–that is, would they have been always obedient to God, without ever violating any of His commandments? If they had sinned, we would be safe to conclude that Jesus Christ would still have had to come to die for them and all of mankind, to make possible the gift of forgiveness and eternal life for man, as the wages of sin is eternal death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord (Romans 6:23).

Since the Bible tells us that there is no man who does not sin, it is to be assumed that Adam and Eve would have slipped into sin from time to time, as we all do today. Nevertheless, the entire situation for them and their children and descendants–the “world”–would have been quite different. Assuming that mankind would have followed Adam and Eve’s good example, the world would not have ended up in total opposition and rebellion to God, as it is today. When we receive the Holy Spirit, after we have shown to God that we are willing to obey Him, we are basically on the same wavelength with God. We WANT to obey Him ever more perfectly. We do not WANT to sin. We do not WANT to live in abject defiance or total lack of interest in His Word.

Maybe Satan would have been replaced and dethroned at the time of Adam and Eve. Maybe God would have used Adam and Eve to rule this world, as He later used David to rule Israel. The circumstances might have been comparable with those which will be prevalent during the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment period. At that time, Satan will be banned so that he cannot deceive the nations anymore. The world’s spiritual and mental condition will be very similar then, as it was at the time of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, before Satan tempted Eve to sin.

Still, as it is the case today for called-out Christians, mankind will have to prove to God during the Millennium and the Great White Throne judgment period that they will be willing to obey Him. Those who will be willing to repent and obey God and accept the Sacrifice of Christ will be given the Holy Spirit, but they will not, at that moment in time, be changed to immortality. Rather (as it is true for converted Christians today), they will have to live with the lead of the Holy Spirit within them for a certain amount of time to show God that they are willing to eat continuously from the tree of life, while rejecting the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Based on the biblical description of what will happen in the future, when Satan is banned, we can deduct, to an extent, what would have happened to Adam and Eve and their children and descendants, IF they had obeyed God and eaten from the tree of life, while rejecting to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new member letter has been written and will be sent out shortly. In the letter, Rene Messier addresses the meaning of the fall festivals and our responsibilities in that regard.

A new StandingWatch program was posted on the Web, titled, “Bible Prophecy and World Events”:  Will there be another war in the Middle East? Will Israel attack Iran? Will the USA get involved? Did the USA win in Iraq? Will the USA win in Afghanistan? Will the USA solve its economic problems? Will Jesus Christ return in our time? Can we know the year of His return? What does the Bible say about these and other questions?

A new German sermon was posted on the Web, discussing character development. It is titled, “Charakterentwicklung.”

by Laura Harris

Last weekend I saw the movie “Eat, Pray, Love,” a New York Times best-selling memoir turned into a block buster summer movie. The appeal of Julia Roberts traveling the world to exotic locations lured me in, but I was soon disappointed by a self-indulgent journey of divorce, adultery and misguided spiritual enlightenment. 

I left the theater feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness, knowing the movie has become inspirational for legions of female followers trying to find happiness, meaning and purpose in this world.  I have read that women by the droves are consuming “Eat Pray Love” themed merchandise (such as clothing, tea, perfume, jewelry and home furnishings), enrolling in self-help workshops, and touring the countries sojourned by the movie’s main character. 

The movie reinforced the fact that I cannot find truth and enlightenment in a commercialized manuscript. Once again, I am reminded that I can only find authentic happiness and a true understanding of God’s holy Plan, when I follow God’s laws, as revealed in His book – the Bible.

On August 28, 2010, Eric Rank will give the sermon, titled, “Fear and Faith.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

I love to watch “magicians.” To be sure, I don’t like fakes or charlatans–or hypnotists or those whose performances make you wonder whether they are under some kind of spiritual influence or have “extra” help–especially if they claim that this is the case.

But I like to watch those who are really good “illusionists.” I know that there is an explanation for their tricks, but I am baffled by the way they present them–apart from the fact that I can’t really figure out how they do it.

Then, of course, there are “magicians” who put on a bad performance. Their “tricks” are easily discernable and predictable. We can quickly see through them–especially when they make mistakes, such as pulling a white rabbit out of a hat when it should have been a white dove.

However, I don’t like to watch or listen to ANY of the church “magicians” or “illusionists.” Most of their performances are poor or just plain fakes. Some claim that they may have special speculative insight information, but I wonder about the source–especially when their speculation contradicts Scripture. There are those who like to dazzle others with their “unique” understanding, proclaiming that their mere human speculation is tantamount to godly revelation. Many times, we can immediately see through their illusions and magic tricks, but at other times, they seem to be more subtle.

In my last Editorial (“The Day of Christ’s Return“), I showed that Jesus Christ, in the Holy Bible, proclaims that only the Father knows the “day” or the “hour” or the “times” or the “seasons” of Christ’s return. If we can believe it–not even Christ knows the exact year of His Second Coming. In fact, trusting in the accuracy of Christ’s very own words, His return will come as an UNEXPECTED surprise to everyone–including His disciples.

It was noted that someone responded to my editorial by writing on the Internet: “I am not claiming that I know the exact year… just that Jesus likely does… When will Jesus return? 2018 or 2019?”

Can we see through this cheap magic trick? Jesus “likely” does know? So does He, or doesn’t He? And insofar as the self-proclaimed humility of that “magician” is concerned, he does not claim that he knows–except that, with a revealing twinkle in his eye, he suggests that he does know–it’s 2018 or 2019!!!

If you are not convinced yet, why don’t you join the circus of church illusionists and toss or pick up some more coins. Because competing church magicians have postulated other years–2012 or 2014 or 2017. Some recently announced a year for Christ’s return, which by now has already passed. So, their illusions were just that–illusions!

By default, somebody will happen to be correct one of these days, as we know, from the signs of the time, that Jesus’ return IS near. But some, with great swelling words of emptiness, are even trying to become hypnotists, attempting to draw a following after themselves due to their “humbly” professed “insight” knowledge.

What many of those church magicians, illusionists, performers, hypnotists or plain fakes don’t seem to realize is that they need to focus on something altogether different–as we all must do. Rather than trying to be a self-proclaimed recipient of “hidden knowledge” as to the exact year and month and day of Christ’s return (which knowledge is restricted to the Father), they should concentrate on what it takes to be able to stand before Christ when He returns. Many, I fear, are forgetting the weightier matters of the law. To be a church magician or illusionist, merely pulling black rabbits of speculations out of a little shabby hat, won’t cut it. We must not forget that obedience and faith is much more important than “insight” knowledge. And those who believe that they can disbelieve the Father’s and Jesus’ words and still be in God’s Kingdom, may have a surprise awakening coming.

PS You might want to read my Editorial from June 5, 2009, titled, “The Last Days…”

The German press reported on America’s withdrawal from Iraq and nearly universally concluded that Washington’s image has suffered; that America did not win the Iraq war; that America’s leadership role in the Middle East is over; and that no peace is in sight for Iraq. In other words, that the war was wrong, useless and a complete failure.

We are focusing on President Obama’s loss of popularity in the USA and abroad, and reporting about serious consequences of a conversion from Islam to Christianity under Muslim law. We also report on the economic downfall of the United States, with voices being heard now that we are in a great DEPRESSION.

We write about the increasing threat of Israel’s military action against Iran, due to Iran’s provocative actions and Russia’s dubious role in the matter.

We conclude with an interesting article in USA Today about the Second Coming of Christ, mixing some truth with a lot of error.

Iraq War Damaged American Credibility

Der Spiegel Online wrote on August 20:

“Has American credibility been severely damaged by the Iraq War? One day after the last US combat unit left the country, some in the German press say that it has. Commentators are pessimistic about Iraq’s ability to cope alone.

“It has been seven and a half years since Shock and Awe, the military campaign launched by US and UK forces to topple Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. On Thursday, the last US combat unit crossed the border into Kuwait with far less fanfare than when those first coalition forces arrived in March 2003…

“Yet the cost of the war has been enormous both financially and in terms of human lives. Over 4,400 US troops and 100,000 Iraqi civilians died during the conflict. And the country is by no means completely pacified, with sectarian and ethnic tensions still present and insurgents thought to be regaining strength…

“According to a US-Iraq military pact from 2009, US troops must be out of the country by Jan. 1, 2012 yet last week Robert Gates, Obama’s defense secretary, said that if a new Iraqi government is formed ‘and they want to talk about beyond 2011, we’re obviously open to that discussion.’ Those comments are not likely to have been welcomed by much of the Democratic party, which faces tough midterm elections in November. The US public is weary of almost a decade of war in Afghanistan and Iraq and Obama, who is up for re-election in 2012, will have to tread carefully.

“Just last week Iraq’s military commander, Lieutenant-General Babakir Zebari, caused consternation when he said his troops would not be in a position to protect the country until 2020 and that Washington should keep its forces in Iraq until then.

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘… The invasion of Iraq was wrong, unjust and damaging. For the Iraqi people one inscrutable, violent regime has been replaced by another. And the promises of freedom and democracy are worthless if they can’t run a generator or help buy food. This practical disillusion is paired with the strategic defeats that America has suffered… the US has also weakened itself, where it was classically strong: as a hard power. America showed itself to be helpless during the worst years of the Iraq civil war and incapable of dealing with the complex insurgency… America’s claim to leadership is broken, its credibility severely damaged. The world has become more confusing and less safe. That is the legacy of this war.’

“The business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘The Iraqi Army is hardly in a position to provide security. The people will have to suffer much bloodshed in the future because the roots of terrorism have not been dealt with. Iraq is not able to deal with this by itself. It still doesn’t have a functioning government after the elections in March. This double vacuum provides a fertile breeding ground for extremist groups. Washington has suffered terrible damage to its image in the Middle East. Iraq is not pacified and the Taliban is resurgent in Afghanistan because the US concentrated its military capacity in Iraq. Neighboring Iran is playing cat and mouse on the nuclear issue while peace between the Israelis and Palestinians is out of reach. The Iraqis have few grounds for optimism. The US is not only leaving behind a security gap, but also a political mess. The institutional structures are too weak and the army too inexperienced to prevent the country from descending into chaos and anarchy.’

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘… The war is far from over, never mind [who] won… Around 50,000 American soldiers are staying in Iraq and contrary to what the government seems to be suggesting, they are full-fledged soldiers who will attack if need be. The Iraqi soldiers and police are not able to provide security everywhere in the country … and the number of terrorist attacks has increased recently, while five months of attempts to form a government have failed so far’…

“The left-leaning Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘The Anglo-American war in Iraq and the subsequent occupation was a severe breach of international law. The collected justifications by the Bush and Blair governments for the war were lies from the beginning. A later attempted justification was the deposing of Saddam Hussein, a dictator who the West and the Soviet Union had backed in the late 70s and armed for his war against the Islamic revolutionary regime in neigboring [sic] Iran. What price was paid for the overthrow of Saddam? Over 100,000 civilians have died as a direct consequence of the war and other acts of violence since March 2003. In Iraq 4,419 US soldiers lost their lives and tens of thousands came home injured or with terrible trauma. The Pentagon budget since 2003 for the war and occupation was over $740 billion. Some experts put the actual cost for the US economy at $3 trillion. Yet despite these huge costs and victims, Iraq is neither pacified in the long-term nor politically stable.'”

America won its last war a long time ago. It has not won the Iraq war, nor will it win the Afghan war, nor any other war to come. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Obama vs. Bush

Newsmax wrote on August 22:

“When George W. Bush departed the White House on Jan. 20, 2009, he left as one of the most unpopular presidents in history. At the time, a Gallup poll found President Bush tallied a mere 34 percent approval. That put him only slightly above the two most unpopular presidents in the era of modern polling: Harry Truman (32 percent when he left office), and Richard Nixon (22 percent when he resigned in disgrace in August 1974.)

“Close to two years into President Barack Obama’s term, Bush’s mojo with the American public appears on the rise… Nationally, Obama continues to be the more popular politician. Gallup’s latest poll shows Obama’s favorability at 52 percent, compared with Bush’s 45 percent. Yet, these numbers show steady improvement for the one-time Texas governor who led the nation’s ‘war on terror.’

“Since March 2009, Bush’s Gallup rating has climbed 10 points. Obama’s favorability during the same period: down by more than 20 points… For the moment, Bush’s Rocky Balboa-like comeback is happening despite the fact that Bush left the country in the worst financial shape since the Great Depression and ramped up social spending to dizzying heights while nearly doubling the national debt and embroiling the nation in two foreign wars.

“The cause for this GOP windfall could be because of the fact that Obama seems to have fallen so far short of the ‘hope and change’ message he promised voters. His actions during his first two years have alienated independent voters in a manner that go well beyond any of Bush’s errant ways.”

America’s leadership is no longer respected, regardless as to who might lead.

Jewish Voters Disassociate Themselves from Obama

In a related article, Newsmax reported on August 22:

“Barack Obama won nearly 80 percent of the Jewish vote in 2008, but his support among Jews has been declining in part because of concerns over his Israeli policies. A study of Jewish voters by McLaughlin & Associates this past spring found that only 42 percent of respondents would support Obama’s re-election, while 46 percent said they would support another candidate.

“Among Orthodox Jews, 69 percent would likely support another candidate, and just 17 percent would back Obama. Among those affiliated with Conservative Judaism, only 38 percent would support Obama, as would a slim majority of Reform Jews, 52 percent.

“Overall, 50 percent said they approved and 39 percent disapproved of Obama’s handling of American relations with Israel. ‘We are not only witnessing a sharpening of the divide within the community, but a radicalization of the Jewish political right, accompanied by a corresponding disengagement of the Jewish liberal sector from the Israel discourse,’ The Jewish Journal observed in an Aug. 10 article… ‘Not only worried about their own economic status, this constituency is deeply concerned by what they observe as the erosion of support for Israel’…

“Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, tells Newsmax: ‘The majority of Jews now realize that this guy is bad for Israel, let alone bad for America.'”

The relationship between America and the state of Israel will steadily deteriorate.

Islam’s Laws and “President Apostate?”

On August 20, 2010, the Drudge Report re-published an article, which had been originally published on May 12, 2008, stating the following:

“Senator Obama is half African by birth and Africans can understandably identify with him. In Islam, however, there is no such thing as a half-Muslim. Like all monotheistic religions, Islam is an exclusive faith. As the son of the Muslim father, Senator Obama was born a Muslim under Muslim law as it is universally understood. It makes no difference that, as Senator Obama has written, his father said he renounced his religion. Likewise, under Muslim law based on the Koran his mother’s Christian background is irrelevant.

“Of course, as most Americans understand it, Senator Obama is not a Muslim. He chose to become a Christian, and indeed has written convincingly to explain how he arrived at his choice and how important his Christian faith is to him. His conversion, however, was a crime in Muslim eyes; it is ‘irtidad’ or ‘ridda,’ usually translated from the Arabic as ‘apostasy,’ but with connotations of rebellion and treason. Indeed, it is the worst of all crimes that a Muslim can commit, worse than murder (which the victim’s family may choose to forgive).

“With few exceptions, the jurists of all Sunni and Shiite schools prescribe execution for all adults who leave the faith not under duress; the recommended punishment is beheading at the hands of a cleric, although in recent years there have been both stonings and hangings.

“… in Iran in 1994 the intervention of Pope John Paul II and others won a Christian convert a last-minute reprieve, but the man was abducted and killed shortly after his release. Likewise, in 2006 in Afghanistan, a Christian convert had to be declared insane to prevent his execution, and he was still forced to flee to Italy.

“Because no government is likely to allow the prosecution of a President Obama — not even those of Iran and Saudi Arabia, the only two countries where Islamic religious courts dominate over secular law — another provision of Muslim law is perhaps more relevant: it prohibits punishment for any Muslim who kills any apostate, and effectively prohibits interference with such a killing.”

Based on this fact and other factors, we cannot expect that the relationship between the Obama administration and the Muslim world will steadily improve.

America IS in a Depression!!!!

CNBC wrote on August 24:

“Positive gross domestic product readings and other mildly hopeful signs are masking an ugly truth: The US economy is in a 1930s-style Depression, Gluskin Sheff economist David Rosenberg said Tuesday… then as now… signs of recovery were unsustainable and only provided a false sense of stability, said Rosenberg.

“Rosenberg calls current economic conditions ‘a depression, and not just some garden-variety recession,’ and notes that any good news both during the initial 1929-33 recession and the one that began in 2008 triggered ‘euphoric response.’

“‘Such is human nature and nobody can be blamed for trying to be optimistic; however, in the money management business, we have a fiduciary responsibility to be as realistic as possible about the outlook for the economy and the market at all times,’ he said…

“Rosenberg’s warning comes as a slew of major analysts—Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan among them—have slashed GDP projections for 2010 to the 1.5 to 2 percent range. Chicago Federal Reserve President Charles Evans said in a speech Tuesday that the risk of a double-dip recession has escalated. He said government programs to help distressed homeowners have been ineffective and aren’t helping the pivotal housing sector recover.

“The dour outlooks come on the same day that the National Association of Realtors said home sales reached a 15-year low in June, dousing hopes that the industry had reached a bottoming point. Rosenberg points out that the ‘overall economic malaise’ has come despite aggressive efforts by the Federal Reserve to stimulate the economy through rate cuts…”

CNBC added on August 24:

“The Dow Jones Industrial Average will lose about half of its value over the next couple of years… according to Charles Nenner, founder and president of Charles Nenner research. Stocks are currently in a bear-market rally, and looking at charts and past trends, unemployment and leading indicators suggest the Dow will drop to 5,000 in the next two to two-and-a-half years, Nenner told CNBC in an e-mail.

“Deflation will arrive… pushing the Dow lower… ‘Things look really bad for the next 10 years,’ Nenner said.”

As we are apparently experiencing a depression–not unlike the one in 1929–please listen again to our StandingWatch program, “Coming–The Great Depression?” giving helpful tips as to how to cope in such dire circumstances.

Iran’s “Ambassador of Death”

The Associated Press reported on August 22:

“Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday inaugurated the country’s first domestically built unmanned bomber aircraft, calling it an ‘ambassador of death’ to Iran’s enemies. The 4-meter-long drone aircraft can carry up to four cruise missiles and will have a range of 620 miles (1,000 kilometers)…

“The ceremony came a day after Iran began to fuel its first nuclear power reactor, with the help of Russia, amid international concerns over the possibility of a military dimension to its nuclear program… Referring to Israel’s occasional threats against Iran’s nuclear facilities, Ahmadinejad called any attack unlikely, but he said if Israel did, the reaction would be overwhelming. ‘The scope of Iran’s reaction will include the entire… earth,’ said Ahmadinejad. ‘We also tell you — the West — that all options are on the table.'”

The Jerusalem Post and the Associated Press wrote on August 21:

“Nationwide celebrations were planned for Saturday’s fuel loading at Bushehr. ‘I thank the Russian government and nation, which cooperated with the great Iranian nation and registered their name in Islamic Iran’s golden history,’ Salehi said. ‘Today is a historic day and will be remembered in history.’

“Iran says it plans to build other reactors and says designs for a second [reactor] in southwestern Iran are taking shape. The Bushehr project dates backs to 1974, when Iran’s US-backed Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi contracted with the German company Siemens to build the reactor. The company withdrew from the project after the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled the shah.

“The partially finished plant later sustained damages after it was bombed by Iraq during its 1980-88 war against Iran. Before making the Russian deal to complete Bushehr, Iran signed pacts with Argentina, Spain and other countries only to see them canceled under US pressure.”

“Israel Says Iranian Reactor Use ‘Totally Unacceptable'”

y-net news, Reuters and AFP reported on August 21:

“Israel on Saturday denounced Iran’s fueling up of its first nuclear power plant as ‘totally unacceptable’ and called for more international pressure to force Tehran to cease any uranium enrichment. Israel, widely assumed to be the only Middle East country to have nuclear weapons, has said a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its existence, raising concerns Israel could attack Iran’s nuclear sites… Also on Saturday, US State Department spokesman Darby Holladay said the reactor ‘underscores that Iran does not need an indigenous enrichment capability if its intentions are purely peaceful.'”

Bild Online added the following on August 22:

“There is evidence that Iran is working on a rocket which could reach Berlin… According to unverified reports, the US aircraft carrier ‘USS Truman’ is heading towards the Persian Gulf, rather than Afghanistan… Professor Michael Wolffsohn (Military University Munich): ‘I have not the slightest doubt that Israel will attack before Iran has the bomb. When we add two and two, we can see that Israel and perhaps also the USA are preparing for the event of emergency.'”

Welt Online added on August 22:

“It is a terrible signal that Russia supports this development in Iran… And it is further proof that Russia has been playing the hypocrite for years… According to the New York Times, the American government is trying to persuade Israel that there is no immediate present danger emanating from Iran, because the country would need one more year to build the bomb. It is a mystery what is supposedly comforting regarding this. It would mean that Iran can only be stopped militarily and that such an attack would happen within a year, at the latest… The Iranian messages this weekend prove all by themselves why Iran must never be allowed to have the bomb.”

It is likely, as we have said for years, that Israel will attack Iran and that as a consequence, an outright war in the Middle East will ensue. The Bible says in Hosea 5:13 that in the future, Judah or the state of Israel will receive a wound. It also says that Judah will not find rescue or help as God will “take them away” (verse 14). Does this wound refer to Israel’s attack on Iran and Iran’s retaliation (with the possible help of others) and the world’s condemnation of Israel?

Israel Prepares for War Against Iran

WND wrote on August 22:

“While Israel is hoping for a peaceful resolution to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the Jewish state is also preparing for ‘a time of war,’ declared a Knesset member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party… Likud Knesset Member Danny Danon… the deputy speaker of Israel’s parliament… hinted that Israel may take action if the world does not stop the Iranian nuclear threat, recalling Israel’s lone strike on Iraq’s nuclear reactor in 1981.

“Stated Danon: ‘We are ready for all scenarios, and we are able to defend our civilian population. I cannot tell you how long we can wait more. But we prefer to wait and see if the international bodies are acting, or [whether] it will be only the burden of Israel, like it was in the early ’80s, when the great leader, Menachem Begin, [made] the great decision to bomb the nuclear reactor in Iraq.'”

Al-Qaida Prepares for Israel-Iran War

The Jerusalem Post wrote on August 20:

“Al-Qaida is ready to exploit a war ‘by the Jews against Iran,’ the Sunni group’s second-in-command in Yemen, Saeed al-Shehri, said in an audio message this month, according to the Daily Beast.

“The mostly Shi’ite nation of Iran is an enemy to Al-Qaida, and al-Shehri predicted that after Israel attacked Iranian nuclear installations, Iran would blame Saudi Arabia – which reports say may let Israel fly through its airspace to attack Iran – and use the opportunity to seize the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

“Al-Shehri said Israel would then seize territory from surrounding Arab nations to establish ‘the greater state of Israel,’ and the Sunni Arab population of the Middle East would be trapped between the ‘Jews in the Middle East and Iran in the Peninsula,’ the Daily Beast reported.

“According to the Daily Beast, Al-Qaida would benefit from an Israel-Iran war because if Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear installations, Iran would use its proxies to lash back at Americans in the Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The Daily Beast is a news aggregator and original content website owned by a former Wall Street Journal editor.”

Iran Prepared to Supply Lebanon with Weapons Against Israel

Haaretz reported on August 25:

“Iran is prepared to sell weapons to Lebanon if Beirut asks for help in equipping its military, the Islamic Republic’s defense minister said Wednesday. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi’s comments come one day after the leader of Lebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah group, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, called on the Lebanese government to formally seek military assistance from Iran.

“‘Lebanon is our friend,’ Vahidi was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency. ‘If there is a demand in this respect, we are ready to help that country and conduct weapons transactions with it.’ In a televised speech on Tuesday, Nasrallah vowed that his Iranian-backed group could help secure the aid for Lebanon’s poorly equipped army.

“The Hezbollah leader made his suggestion after a U.S. congressman suspended $100 million of American military aid to Lebanon earlier this month over concerns the weapons could be used against Israel and that Hezbollah may have influence over the Lebanese army.

“Lebanon’s government has since opened an account at the central bank to receive donations to help it purchase weapons for the military. But Beirut is not entirely dependent on U.S. military assistance, and has turned to other countries, including Russia and Arab nations, for assistance in the past.

“Iran is a key supporter of Hezbollah, believed to funnel it weapons and millions of dollars in funding, though Tehran denies arming the Shiite group. Hezbollah, also closely allied to Syria, boasts a heavy arsenal of rockets capable of reaching deep inside Israel.”

The End Is Near–But What End?

USA Today wrote on August 23:

“When some Christians look into the near future, they see a wondrous fate for themselves and fellow evangelical believers: a rapture in which God sweeps the true Christians up to heaven. According to this reading of the bible’s Book of Revelation, what awaits those on the wrong side of the ecclesiastical line is not so wondrous: seven years of unimaginable suffering, war and destruction that ends with the Second Coming of Jesus.

“Opinion surveys over the past decade show that more than half the American public believes that the end times are coming. A new poll from the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press finds that roughly four in 10 Americans believe the Second Coming will happen by 2050. Those enraptured by the rapture tend to view current events through the lens of biblical prophesy, reading everything from the Obama election to the oil disaster in the Gulf Coast as fulfillment of one or another cryptic passage from Revelation…”

The Bible does not teach a “rapture,” nor a period of seven years of “unimaginable suffering.” For the truth on what the Bible really teaches, please read our free commentary, “Is That in the Bible?–The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

In John 17:13, we read: “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they [His disciples] may have MY JOY fulfilled in them.”

Joy is one ingredient of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22; compare 1 Thessalonians 1:6). When Christ, through the Holy Spirit, lives in us, then HIS joy is in us and will remain in us, and our joy will become more and more full or fulfilled (John 15:11). As we need to ask God the Father for the daily renewal of the Holy Spirit, so we need to ask for the fullness of God’s and Christ’s joy in our lives (compare John 16:24). It is God who can fill us with all joy (Romans 15:13)–even and especially in times of trials and difficulties. It is possible for us, then, to rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16; compare 2 Corinthians 6:10).

We must be careful, however, not to confuse godly and right joy with worldly and wrong “joy.” Solomon rejoiced in his labor, but it was the wrong kind of labor (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11). The ancient Israelites rejoiced in the works of their hands–but it was the work of building the golden calf (Acts 7:41). It would be the wrong kind of joy to trust in great physical wealth (Job 31:24-25, 28), or to rejoice when our enemies are destroyed or fall (Job 31:29; Proverbs 24:17-18). It would also be wrong to rejoice about our sinful ways (compare James 4:8-9).

When Christ works with us and when He lives in us through the Holy Spirit, then our joy will be godly and right. We rejoice because we know the truth about the kingdom of God (Matthew 13:44). We rejoice in the truth of God (1 Corinthians 13:6). We rejoice over God’s statutes (Psalm 19:8). We rejoice over the way of God’s testimonies (Psalm 119:14). And we rejoice over God’s Word in general, appreciating and embracing it as great treasure (Psalm 119:162). Jeremiah said that God’s Word was the joy of his heart (Jeremiah 15:16).

With Christ’s joy in us, we rejoice over the fact that we belong to God–that God is our Father and that we are His children. We rejoice that our names are already written in God’s Book of Life (Luke 10:20), and that we have fellowship with God the Father and His Son and our brethren (1 John 1:1-4). We also rejoice over the fact that we are to inherit God’s glory (Romans 5:1-2).

In addition, we rejoice because we understand that at the time of our resurrection and change, we will enter into God’s joy–we will experience the very same joy which God has. His kingdom is defined and described as “joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17); and we will enter into the joy of our Lord (Matthew 25:21). There will be exceeding joy–or fullness of joy–when we stand in God’s presence (Jude 24-25; Psalm 16:11). Even though these passages talk about experiencing God’s joy in the future, the knowledge and anticipation of that experience can give us already today exceeding or “inexpressible” joy (1 Peter 1:8).

Christ’s joy in us must be put to use. We do something with it. We serve God joyfully today, especially, but not exclusively, on the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days (Deuteronomy 16:13-15; Ezra 6:22; Nehemiah 12:43; Isaiah 56:7; but compare also Deuteronomy 28:47). We pray to God with joyful lips (Psalm 63:5). In addition, we rejoice when we put our trust in God and when we love Him (Psalm 5:11), and when we are righteous (Psalm 33:1). Put differently, God and the things of God are to be our exceeding joy (Psalm 43:4).

With this kind of joy dwelling in us, we should even be joyful in times of trials, when we focus on our eternal future and not on our present temporary problems. We should leap for joy when men persecute us because we are righteous and serve God (Luke 6:22-23; Acts 5:40-41). We should rejoice in our trials, knowing that we partake of Christ’s suffering, so that we can partake of His exceeding joy, when His glory is revealed (1 Peter 4:12-13). We should rejoice in our trials, knowing that they help us to become more perfect (James 1:2-4). We should even endure joyfully the plundering of our goods, knowing that a better and enduring possession is awaiting us (Hebrews 10:32, 34).

Paul was exceedingly joyful in all his tribulation (2 Corinthians 7:4), knowing that we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). He wanted to finish his race with joy (Acts 20:22-24), even though he knew that “chains and tribulations” were awaiting him. He knew that those who sow in tears shall reap in joy (Psalm 126:5), and that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5).

Christ’s joy in us must endure. We cannot receive God’s Word with joy, only to stumble when persecution comes (Matthew 13:20-21). We cannot be like those who only rejoiced in John the Baptist’s presence for a while (John 5:35). Rather, we must hold fast the rejoicing of the hope firm to the very end (Hebrews 3:5-6).

To fully appreciate Christ’s joy in us, and how it works, we must realize that it is not selfish, but outgoing. Even when we rejoice that we understand the truth and have fellowship with God, we ought to realize that this is for a greater purpose. God called us today to train us to become teachers to teach others His truth when the time comes. Our salvation is not selfish–God is saving us today for a purpose. We are to help in proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness, making it thereby possible for Christ to return and establish that very Kingdom here on earth to bring truth and peace and understanding and prosperity to this miserable and down-trodden hopeless humanity.

Jesus rejoiced and thanked the Father that He revealed His truth to “babes” (Luke 10:21). He was willing to become a man and to die for us, “for the joy that was set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus was willing to set aside His divine attributes for a while, so that we could have eternal life with Him in the Family of God. This thought and this anticipation filled Him with joy, which was so strong that it motivated Him to suffer and die for us to make our salvation possible.

Jesus’ joy was in His true disciples as well. They greatly rejoiced when they heard about the conversion of Gentiles (Acts 15:3). Paul was filled with joy when he looked at the faith of those in Philippi, being confident that they would make it into the Kingdom (Philippians 1:3-6). He said that the brethren fulfilled his joy when they were likeminded (Philippians 2:1-2). He said that even though he had to die, the brethren should rejoice with him, knowing that they would see each other again at the “Day” of Christ’s Second Coming (Philippians 2:14-18). Paul rejoiced when he heard about the steadfastness of the faith of the brethren (Colossians 2:5). He said that the faithful enduring brethren were his joy and crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).

John said too that he had no greater joy than to hear that the brethren–his spiritual “children”–walked in truth (3 John 4). We even read that there is joy in heaven when a sinner repents (Luke 15:7). God and the angels rejoice when a sinner turns to God and lives righteously. And that, in turn, should fill us with joy – we, too, should rejoice with God and the angels when a sinner repents and turns to the truth.

A true Christian is a happy person. He has so much for which he should be thankful. What a terrible tragedy it would be if he gave up and replaced the joy which he once had with feelings of doom and gloom. There is really no reason for a true Christian to despair or become depressed. When we have the joy of God in our lives, we should be glowing examples of joy and happiness.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new StandingWatch program was posted on the Web, titled, Germany Is Back–Why Now?: . Germany is called “Europe’s growth locomotive” and is experiencing a “little job miracle.” The New York Times speaks of “core Europe, led by Germany.” Der Spiegel recalls the “miracle” of Germany’s postwar reconstruction. At the same time, the U.S. economy looks bleak, and the U.S. government has spent so far in fiscal 2010 “$1.169 trillion more than it made.” “Analysts” are surprised about these events, but we need not be. God is working out His plan, as He has set it forth in His Word, the Bible.

A new German AufPostenStehen program was posted on the Web, titled, “Sodoms Loveparade, Teil 2” [“Sodom’s Love Parade, Part 2”].

A new German sermon was posted on the Web, titled, “Gideons Leben” [Gideon’s Life”].

Our new booklet, “To The Ephesians,” has entered the first review cycle.