On Saturday, December 27, 2008, Eric Rank and Robb Harris will give split sermons, titled, respectively, “Feedback Loops” and “Serving God”.

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.

During this time of year it’s difficult to not hear bell ringers outside of stores asking you to donate your spare change.  Bins are conveniently placed in supermarkets to donate cans of food for those who are hungry.  Trucks will even show up at your door and pick up clothing to help warm people in this cold wintery season.

It would take very little effort on our part to help the disadvantaged during this season.  Shouldn’t we then take advantage of this easy way to alleviate at least some suffering in this world?  After all, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble…” (James 1:27).  It would SEEM right to give during this time of the year, but we must not fail to take into consideration the latter part of verse 27, “…and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

As good as donations might be in helping those who suffer, most given during this holiday season will be used to propagate pagan traditions.  We are warned about taking part in this kind of activity: “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:  ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me’” (Matthew 15:7-8).  No matter how good giving might feel, if we are adding to the traditions of men, we will also be driving people away from God—something we must strive NOT to do!

The poor are still hungry and in need of help outside of this season, and giving our assistance shouldn’t merely be emptying our cupboards and pockets of unwanted items during the month leading to Christmas. 

Christ said we should have a giving attitude to those who demand something of us.  We should walk an extra mile or offer our shirt in addition to our coat.  Service to our brother means sacrifice of ourselves—not the superficial offerings that this season inspires.

Incredible SCANDAL–How Bailed-Out Banks Pilfer Taxpayers’ Money

The Associated Press reported on December 21:

“Banks that are getting taxpayer bailouts awarded their top executives nearly $1.6 billion in salaries, bonuses, and other benefits last year… The AP compiled total compensation based on annual reports that the banks file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The 116 banks have so far received $188 billion in taxpayer help. Among the findings:

“–The average paid to each of the banks’ top executives was $2.6 million in salary, bonuses and benefits.

“–Lloyd Blankfein, president and chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs, took home nearly $54 million in compensation last year. The company’s top five executives received a total of $242 million.

“–This year, Goldman will forgo cash and stock bonuses for its seven top-paid executives. They will work for their base salaries of $600,000, the company said… It received $10 billion in taxpayer money on Oct. 28.

“– Even where banks cut back on pay, some executives were left with seven- or eight-figure compensation that most people can only dream about. Richard D. Fairbank, the chairman of Capital One Financial Corp… took a $1 million hit in compensation after his company had a disappointing year, but still got $17 million in stock options. The McLean, Va.-based company received $3.56 billion in bailout money on Nov. 14.

“–John A. Thain, chief executive officer of Merrill Lynch, topped all corporate bank bosses with $83 million in earnings last year… Like Goldman, Merrill got $10 billion from taxpayers on Oct. 28…”

Incredible SCANDAL–“Where’d the Bailout Money Go? Shhhh, It’s a Secret…”

The Associated Press reported on December 22:

“… after receiving billions in aid from U.S. taxpayers, the nation’s largest banks say they can’t track exactly how they’re spending the money or they simply refuse to discuss it. The Associated Press contacted 21 banks that received at least $1 billion in government money and asked four questions: How much has been spent? What was it spent on? How much is being held in savings, and what’s the plan for the rest? None of the banks provided specific answers…

“There has been no accounting of how banks spend that money. Lawmakers summoned bank executives to Capitol Hill last month and implored them to lend the money… But there is no process in place to make sure that’s happening and there are no consequences for banks who don’t comply… Congress attached nearly no strings on the $700 billion bailout in October. And the Treasury Department, which doles out the money, never asked banks how it would be spent.”

Where Are Today’s Political Leaders with Convictions?

Welt On Line, a conservative German paper with friendly support of Germany’s conservative party, the CDU, published a remarkable article about former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt who is a member of the center-left SPD party. The article is especially remarkable, as it contrasts Schmidt’s strong convictions–which were and are not always popular–with the faltering temporary political “preferences” of many present-day political leaders. We are quoting the following excerpts:

“Helmut Schmidt, a chain-smoking former German chancellor, celebrates his 90th birthday on Tuesday amid an improbable revival in popularity for a prickly man with no-nonsense views that contrast sharply to many current leaders. Schmidt may not have scaled the heights of popularity while Chancellor of West Germany for eight turbulent years. ‘Schmidt is the star of German politics, its icon. No one is admired as much as he is,’ Der Spiegel wrote…

“According to a survey by the Forsa polling institute, Schmidt ranks as the ‘coolest guy in Germany’ and he tops several other polls as the country’s most popular leader… Schmidt, married to his high school sweetheart for 66 years, made his mark as a local crisis manager in 1962 Hamburg floods. That reputation he burnished as chancellor with his handling of economic crises and his mastery of a 1970s leftwing urban guerrilla campaign of bombing and assassination — a test of fire for a still relatively young German democracy…

“ZDF television commented: ‘Schmidt is a completely different leader compared to this generation that knows firm convictions today will lead to certain electoral defeat tomorrow.’

“The Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper marvelled at Schmidt’s popularity, saying his tenacity and crisis management makes current Chancellor Angela Merkel pale by comparison. ‘We’ve now got a chancellor whose greatest achievement is that she is Germany’s first woman chancellor,’ the paper wrote. ‘It seems this grumpy gentleman with the cane fulfills a deep yearning for strong and confident political leadership… None of today’s professional politicians accomplished anything in their lives, except perhaps graduating from university.’“

“Worst Financial Crisis Since Great Depression”

AFP reported on December 21:

“The governor of the Bank of Spain on Sunday issued a bleak assessment of the economic crisis, warning that the world faced a ‘total’ financial meltdown unseen since the Great Depression. ‘The lack of confidence is total,’ Miguel Angel Fernandez Ordonez said…

“‘The inter-bank (lending) market is not functioning and this is generating vicious cycles: consumers are not consuming, businessmen are not taking on workers, investors are not investing and the banks are not lending. There is an almost total paralysis from which no-one is escaping,’ he said, adding that any recovery — pencilled in by optimists for the end of 2009 and the start of 2010 — could be delayed if confidence is not restored… ‘This is the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression’ of 1929, he added.”

Reuters reported on December 24 that “The United States fell deeper into recession, data showed on Wednesday, as the number of people filing for jobless benefits hit a 26-year high last week and consumers cut spending for the fifth consecutive month… Nearly 2 million U.S. workers have lost jobs this year, driving the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent…”

The article continued:

“Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso said, ‘Japan cannot avoid the tsunami of the world recession… The world economy is in a once-in-a-hundred-years recession. We need extraordinary measures to deal with an extraordinary situation,’ he said.”

AFP added on December 24:

“Russia and China issued stark warnings on Wednesday about the impact of the crisis on their recently booming economies in 2009, with Moscow saying the downturn could spark unrest in the streets. Japan also approved a record-high budget aimed at avoiding the worst effects of the crisis and Germany prepared to pump [40] billions of euros into the economy in a new rescue plan in a holiday season marred by a slew of economic bad news…

“Economists have warned that the global downturn could mean that China will end 2008 with its weakest economic growth for nearly two decades. China has not posted annual growth of less than 7.6 percent since 1991.”

Germany–“The Calm Before the Storm”

On December 18, 2008, Der Spiegel Online wrote the following:

“As the year draws to a close, and as the world faces recession, a credit crunch and job worries, the economic outlook is the bleakest it has been in postwar history. The next year is expected be a test of strength for the German economy…
“Economists are predicting new alarming scenarios for 2009 almost every day…

“Despite the crisis, the coalition government in Berlin has not shown much leadership strength. Officially, Chancellor Angela Merkel of the conservative Christian Democrats continues to oppose additional large-scale government bailout programs. Merkel’s finance minister, Peer Steinbrück of the center-left Social Democrats, seems to prefer quarreling with the British and French who, he insists, are frittering away their money with their bailout packages. In doing so, he has also angered many…

“As Bavaria’s new governor, Seehofer is trying to demonstrate his strength in the run-up to next September’s federal election. Party politics, it seems, has distorted much of the government’s response to the crisis. In November, the chancellor warned the public to be prepared for ‘a year of bad news.’ Never in the 60-year history of the Federal Republic of Germany have citizens been this anxious as they enter a new year, plagued by worries of how much worse things can get and, most of all, how safe their jobs are…

“What is most astonishing is the incredible speed with which the crisis is spreading from one company to the next… The Americans, deeply in debt, can no longer afford products made in Germany…

“Over the course of the year, well-known German companies like retailer Hertie, watchmaker Junghans and fashion house Wehmeyer have become insolvent, and another wave of bankruptcies could follow in 2009… the government cannot set everything straight. In fact, it is probably far less capable of doing so than politicians believe.”

Germany’s Schizophrenic Role in the Iraq War

Der Spiegel Online reported on December 19:

“German lawmakers have been probing the schizophrenic role of the Schröder administration in resisting America’s invasion of Iraq. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was in the hot seat this week, and German commentators don’t believe everything he’s said. The grilling received on Thursday by Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s foreign minister and a candidate for chancellor in 2009, was intense. He was answering to a parliamentary committee investigating whether German intelligence provided meaningful assistance to the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 [as has been claimed by former US military leaders, including Generals Tommy Franks and James Marks]. And his credibility is on the line…

“Steinmeier is under the gun because Berlin was so emphatic about being against the US-led invasion. His boss at the time, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, ran for re-election in 2002 on an anti-war platform. Were it proven that German agents had provided valuable intelligence that helped that invasion, it would cast a shadow on those who were part of that government, including Steinmeier, who at the time was Schröder’s chief of staff, and Joschka Fischer, who was Schröder’s foreign minister. Such a revelation certainly would do nothing to help Steinmeier’s 2009 campaign for the Chancellery as the Social Democratic candidate.

“Fischer also testified on Thursday, but the media spotlight was trained firmly on Steinmeier. And he stuck to his guns, calling the comments from the US military leaders ‘outlandish’ and ‘ludicrous.’…”

But–the question is: WHOSE comments are ludicrous and outlandish?

War Against Somali Pirates

The International Herald Tribune wrote on December 23:

“Germany called Tuesday for an international court to be set up to prosecute Somali pirates who have attacked scores of vessels this year, threatening global trade in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes… German lawmakers agreed last week to send up to 1,400 soldiers and a frigate… to the Gulf of Aden as part of the EU mission.

“Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung of Germany… said the German soldiers, who will provide protection to ships delivering food aid to Somalia would have a ‘robust’ mandate. ‘Obviously there will be combat situations,’ he said.”

In a related article, the paper stated on December 23:

“Chinese warships on a mission to protect their country’s vessels and crews from pirate attacks off Somalia will depart Friday, armed with special forces, helicopters and plans to share information with other countries working in the area.

“The operation, China’s first major naval mission abroad, will include the destroyers Haikou and Wuhan as well as a large supply ship… On board will be two helicopters and traditional weapons like missiles and cannons… China announced it was sending warships to the area after the United Nations Security Council authorized nations to conduct land and air attacks on pirate bases.”

Belgium Again In Political and MORAL Crisis

Deutsche Welle reported on December 22:

“Belgium’s King Albert II accepted Leterme’s resignation following a Belgian Supreme Court report on allegations that his aides had sought to influence a court ruling connected with the break-up of Belgian bank Fortis. The collapse of the government was the country’s third political crisis in under a year, and leaves five coalition parties to fight over who should pick up where Leterme left off.

“The political crisis leaves Belgium facing a period of deep uncertainty at the worst possible time, with the economy sliding into recession and investors’ confidence at a low as a result of the global financial crisis.”

Russia Threatens the West

Mail-on-Line reported on December 23:

“Vladimir Putin has unveiled a triple whammy of threats and provocation for Britain and the West… In moves certain to further undermine diplomatic ties with London and Washington, Mr Putin… [w]arned that Britain faced winter gas shortages if supplies from Russia were disrupted because of his bitter dispute with Ukraine; [t]hreatened to supply surface-to-air missiles to Iran, despite Western concerns over its nuclear ambitions; and [l]ined himself up to be appointed president for a third term after Moscow’s parliament rubber stamped constitutional changes overturning a law that only allowed two four-year periods as leader…

“Russia also said last night it plans a massive increase in armaments. It will spend £100billion from 2009 to 2011 on 400 new types of weapons, including 300 tanks, 14 warships and almost 50 planes… Russia will continue to rely on its huge arsenal of nuclear weapons, commissioning 70 strategic nuclear missiles over the next three years.”

Anti-Semitic Internet Statements Against Madoff and Jewish Community

AFP reported on December 19, 2008:

“Anti-Jewish commentary is flooding the Internet in the wake of Bernard Madoff’s arrest on charges of masterminding one of the biggest Wall Street frauds in history… Madoff, 70, is Jewish and a prominent member of the powerful US Jewish community. He is alleged to have defrauded investors, including a number of Jewish-related charities, of some 50 billion dollars.
 
“‘Site users have posted comments ranging from deeply offensive stereotypical statements about Jews and money — with some suggesting that only Jews could perpetrate a fraud on such a scale — to conspiracy theories about Jews stealing money to benefit Israel,’ the [Anti-Defamation League] said in a statement.”

Worldwide Internet Services Not THAT Reliable

Deutsche Welle reported on December 20:

“Internet and phone connections between Europe, the Middle East and Asia have been severely disrupted after three underwater cables were severed and it may take until Dec 31 before normal service is re-established… It is thought that 65 percent of traffic to India was down, while services to Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Taiwan and Pakistan have also been severely affected…

“An afternoon toll [sic] released by France Telecom said that 100 percent of traffic was lost in the Maldives Indian Ocean islands, with the Gulf state of Qatar and Djibouti, on the Gulf of Aden, also losing over 70 percent of their traffic.

“The submarine cables are jointly owned by several dozen different countries… ‘If there was just one cable down we could have used the other two,’ said France Telecom spokesman Louis-Michel Aymard. ‘But all three are down so this puts us in a very difficult situation. This is a very rare situation,’ he said.”

The Pope Speaks Out Against Homosexual Conduct

The Herald International Tribune wrote on December 22:

“Pope Benedict said Monday that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction…

“The Catholic Church teaches that… homosexual acts are [sinful]. It opposes gay marriage… The pope said humanity needed to ‘listen to the language of creation’ to understand the intended roles of man and woman. He compared behavior beyond traditional heterosexual relations as ‘a destruction of God’s work.’

“He also defended the Church’s right to ‘speak of human nature as man and woman, and ask that this order of creation be respected.'”

The reaction of Europe’s gay community to the Pope’s speech was predictable and swift.

Der Spiegel Online reported on December 24:

“In Germany, Volker Beck, an out gay man with the Green Party, described the pope’s statements as ‘agitating words.’ And Uta Ranke-Heinemann, a prominent German critic of the pope, described Benedict’s words as ‘a threatening message to homosexuals.’ She said his views could not be left unchallenged, adding that the history of homosexuals in Christianity has been a ‘bitter one.’

“‘As soon as the Christians came to power, they immediately sought to eradicate homosexuals,’ the theologian told SPIEGEL ONLINE. Ranke-Heinemann was the world’s first woman to be given a professorship as a Catholic theologian. For one and a half millennia, she said, Christians ‘burned homosexuals on the pope’s orders.’

“Meanwhile, Rev. Sharon Ferguson of Britain’s Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement described his statements as ‘totally irresponsible.’ The head of the Inclusive Church in England, accused the pope of ‘spreading fear that gay people somehow threaten the planet.’ That, he said, ‘is just absurd.’

“Aurelio Mancuso, the head of the Italian gay rights organization Arcigay… said he was deeply disturbed by such church-directed discrimination. ‘Last year was a bad enough year for homosexuals in Italy, and we are very concerned.’ The number of violent attacks in the country against gays and their organizations has risen dramatically in Italy in the past year. ‘All signs are pointing towards a confrontation,’ said Mancuso. ‘People are really scared.'”

Frightening Greek Christmas Myths–“Twelve Days of Christmas or Hell”?

On December 19, Der Spiegel Online reported the following:

“Who says Santa Claus is the only one trying to come down your chimney during the festive season? According to Greek mythology, a gaggle of goblin-like spirits are trying to slide into homes — and instead of presents they are intent on leaving a trail of destruction.

“As the Greeks tell it, it wouldn’t be hard to confuse the Twelve Days of Christmas with the Twelve Days of Hell. That is if you believe in the Kallikantzaroi. These mythical, goblin-like spirits are said to pop up between Christ’s birthday and Epiphany on Jan. 6, days they devote to wreaking their unique brand of havoc…

“Opinions differ on what they look like… [Some] say the Kallikantzaroi resemble humans with dark complexions, ugly, very tall beings that sport iron clogs. Others say they’re short and swarthy, with red eyes, cleft hooves, monkeys’ arms, and hair-covered bodies…

“For most of the year the Kallikantzaroi live in the bowels of the earth, but they creep out during the Twelve Days of Christmas, venturing out under the cover of night…

“In recent years, the Christmas tree has grown in popularity throughout Greece. But some Greeks prefer the old ways, opting instead for a sprig of basil suspended over a water-filled bowl. Once a day someone in the home, usually the mother of the family, uses the sprig to sprinkle water throughout the house to ward off the creatures.

“The only reliable cure-all, however, is when village priests bless the waters on the eve of Epiphany, which marks the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas. They have been known to visit homes to sprinkle holy water fragranced with sweet basil to chase away the evil spirits for another year. On the eve of Epiphany in Cyprus, villagers scatter pancakes on the roof to give the Kallikantzaroi something sweet to eat as they prepare to head out of town, perhaps to show there are no hard feelings.”

Samuele Bacchiocchi Died at Age 70

On December 21, 2008, WorldNetDaily wrote:

“Biblical scholar [and theology professor] Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi, best known for his teachings on how Sabbath observance shifted toward Sunday worship in much of Christendom, died yesterday [Saturday, December 20] at his Michigan home at the age of 70 after a two-year battle with fourth-stage liver cancer…

“Bacchiocchi earned his doctorate in Church History at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and was awarded a gold medal by Pope Paul VI for his summa cum laude class work and dissertation, ‘From Sabbath to Sunday: A Historical Investigation of the Rise of Sunday Observance in Early Christianity.’ A Seventh-Day Adventist, Bacchiocchi believed there was no Scriptural mandate to change or eliminate Sabbath-keeping, and he singled out the Catholic Church for its role in changing the day.

“‘The Church of the capital of the empire, whose authority was already felt far and wide in the second century, appears to be the most likely birthplace of Sunday observance,’ he wrote. Bacchiocchi previously told WND: ‘Anti-Judaism caused the abandonment of the Sabbath, and pagan sun worship influenced the adoption of Sunday.’… Bacchiocchi also explained the influence of pagan sun worship provides a ‘plausible explanation for the Christian choice of Sunday’ over the day of Saturn. Its effect wasn’t just limited to Sunday. It apparently led to the placement of Jesus’ birth in late December.

“‘The adoption of the 25th of December for the celebration of Christmas is perhaps the most explicit example of sun worship’s influence on the Christian liturgical calendar,’ Bacchiocchi wrote. ‘It is a known fact that the pagan feast of the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti – the birthday of the Invincible Sun, was held on that date.'”

As we will see, the entire Word of God that was written down to become a part of what is called the “Bible,” has been preserved through various copies and translations and is available to us, today!

However, the question arises as to which manuscripts should be included and actually constitute the true Scriptures of the Bible. Major religions differ on this most vital consideration. For instance, the Jewish religion uses only those books commonly called the Old Testament, Hebrew Bible or Tanakh. Modern copies are primarily based on the Masoretic Text that dates from between the seventh and tenth centuries AD. None of the New Testament books are accepted as a part of the Hebrew Bible.

A Greek translation of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint, was developed sometime during the 3rd and 2nd century B.C. While this was commonly used by Jewish communities throughout the Middle East well past the time of the founding of the Church of God on Pentecost in 31 A.D., additional, spurious books (called the “apocrypha”) were also translated and included in some copies. Of the 15 apocryphal books then extant, all appear in this Greek translation with the exception of 2 Esdras. They were not included in the canonical Hebrew Bible (Masoretic Text).

Not understanding the prophetic declarations from the Scriptures concerning the Messiah, the Jewish nation still looks for a Deliverer. However, the record of Jesus precisely and exactly fulfilling the messianic prophecies is revealed in the New Testament (compare Matthew 21:33-46; Acts 4:8-12). Jesus very boldly declared that He fulfilled the promises of God, as recorded in the Old Testament (John 5:37-40; Luke 24:25-27, 44). Based on the fact the Jews have utterly rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah, they have cut themselves off from the entire, written Word of God—they do not have the complete Bible!

On the other hand, let us also understand that the preservation of the Old Testament was a responsibility that was given to the Jews, and it is one that they certainly fulfilled.

Paul states, “What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles [sayings, Scriptures] of God” (Romans 3:1-2).

We have this additional statement from Jesus regarding the role given to those of Judah (including Levites): “Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes AND TO HIS DISCIPLES, saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do’” (Matthew 23:1-3). As mentioned, they did not include or preserve the apocryphal writings in the Old Testament Scriptures, showing that they are not part of the inspired Hebrew Bible.

One other example of applying this is in the keeping of the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days. True Christians who observe these commanded Feast Days still refer to the Jewish oversight of the Hebrew calendar.

Next, we need to consider the New Testament. Is it complete, or have some important books been left out? On the other hand, does the New Testament contain apocryphal additions like the Septuagint? The Bible itself provides foundational answers to these questions! Consider what the apostle John wrote concerning his own account of Jesus Christ in the book of John:

“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31).

By John’s statement we understand that only certain aspects of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ were recorded—that many other things could have been written. Furthermore, what is written is for the purpose of revealing God’s plan of Salvation.

As time went on in the first generation of the Church of God, letters were written and circulated to the churches in various areas (compare Colossians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; and 2 Peter 3:15-16). Some of these letters also now make up a part of the New Testament. Peter referred to Paul’s epistles as part of Scripture (compare again 2 Peter 3:16). By writing down the record of events about Jesus Christ and of His teachings, the authors were doing exactly what they were commissioned by Jesus to accomplish:

“‘But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth’” (Acts 1:8; also, compare Luke 24:46-48; Acts 10:39-43; 13:31).

We have four accounts, called the gospels, which introduce the New Testament. A reason for this might include a principle given in the Old and New Testament, “‘”…by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established”’” (Matthew 18:16; compare Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15; 2 Corinthians 13:1). Luke substantiates this need—echoing the same objective for his account as we have already read from John:

“Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed” (Luke 1:1-4).

Yet, there arose those individuals who sought to change the teachings of these witnesses. Paul warned that “‘…from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves’” (Acts 20:30; also, compare 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). False ministers also wrote counterfeit letters—even forging Paul’s name to them (2 Thessalonians 2:2). John was confronted by such a false leader who rejected John and any who were brethren of his—the true followers of Christ (compare 3 John 9-10).

It is the apostle John who is credited with assembling the final canon of the New Testament. In Floyd Nolen Jones’ book, “Which Version Is The Bible?,” this remarkable statement is made: “The apostle John’s long life enabled him to bear apostolic witness to the true text of Scripture and canon until almost the year 100 at which time his hand-trained associates carried forward that same witness. Upon returning from his banishment to the isle of Patmos, John completed the sacred Canon by composing his Gospel, epistles and Apocalypse. Then combining these with the writings of the other Evangelists, he sanctioned them all with apostolic authority.”

While this quote reflects the studied opinion of the author following extensive research, his view is supported by Halley’s Bible Handbook, 24th edition, 1965, page 743, in which writers such as Clement of Rome (95 A.D.), Polycarp (110 A.D.) and Ignatius (110 A.D.) already quote various books that are a part of the New Testament canon.

John was most likely the last of the apostles to die, and he is the one who received the vision of the Book of Revelation—the final book of the New Testament (Revelation 1:1-2). Consider, though, that the true Church of God was being supplanted by a false Christianity, and those who remained faithful did so out of public—and for the most part—historical view.

While we don’t have many specific historical records beyond the books of the New Testament themselves concerning the writing of the New Testament, we do find many documents that date from after the time of the apostles and those who were their contemporaries. Later writers make reference to the books of the New Testament, but there are also many spurious writings claiming to have equal status. Examples of early apocryphal works are the Gospel of Thomas, the Epistle of Barnabas and the Epistle to the Laodiceans.

Partial copies of the New Testament proliferated in the centuries following the founding of the Church of God, along with an abundance of apocryphal writings—especially, the second and third centuries. Deciding what was true and what was false fell on issues of historical accuracy along with whether or not there was agreement with the doctrines of the Bible—both Old and New Testaments.

John 17:17 states, “‘…Your word is truth.” Based on this consistent teaching throughout Scripture, there can be no example of opposing doctrines being taught. Christ emphasized that Scripture cannot be broken or contradictory (John 10:35). This fact has helped to rule out the inclusion of those fanciful stories and legends that arose from humanly conceived philosophies and religions.

A guiding admonition about the written Word of God is given in the Bible:

“‘Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it’” (Deuteronomy 12:32; also, Deuteronomy 4:2).

Note, too, Revelation 22:18-19: “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Those who break this solemn warning not only bring judgment upon themselves, but they will be held accountable for deceiving others with their falsehoods. People who rely on extraneous writings do not have the complete Bible!

Remember what the purpose of the written Word of God is [and we have this promise from Jesus Christ—our way of proving what is “…that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2)]: “‘…If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free’” (John 8:31-32). Also, note Christ’s statement in John 7:17: “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether [someone speaks] on [his] own authority.”

(NOTE: Discussion of this question will be continued in a future Q&A).

Lead Writers: Dave Harris and Norbert Link

Reminder–US Contributions for 2008:

Donations and contributions received with letters postmarked in 2008 AND with enclosed written checks, dated in 2008, will be included in the detailed donation receipts for 2008. These receipts will be printed and sent out in mid-January of 2009. Cash contributions must also be received prior to January 1, 2009 (or, if sent by letter, the letter must be postmarked in 2008), in order to be included in the donation receipts for 2008. All contributions not falling into the categories described above will not be included in the donation receipts for 2008.

New Sermon and StandingWatch program:

Norbert Link’s sermon, “Bible Study: Live in Peace, Part 2,” dated December 20, 2008, has been posted on Google Video and on our Websites.

A new StandingWatch program was posted on StandingWatch, Google Video and YouTube. It is titled, “Our Terrible Healthcare System.” In the program, Norbert Link is asking the question, Why are political promises to provide universal healthcare illusionary and unrealistic? Insurance companies are charging astronomical figures for premiums which very few can afford. Many doctors and hospitals seem to be incapable of correctly diagnosing certain sicknesses, let alone curing them. Listen to some personal examples regarding incompetent or outrageous treatment of sick persons. Is there no way out of this disastrous spiral, which is destroying our nation?

Recent comments from our StandingWatch viewers:

Program on “No Christmas in the Early Church”.

— Thank you for reminding everyone of the REAL truth about christmas! I don’t understand how the whole world is in the worst economic financial crisis since the Great Depression ( maybe even surpass that!) and people are still spending money they don’t have on christmas gifts, which will bring the debt even higher. People can’t and will not let go of christmas! It’s a hoax and a lie!!!!

— Praise the Lord! I am happy to know brothers in Christ around the world don’t celebrate this. Let’s pray that God [will] open the eyes of many more Christians.

Program on “Our Terrible Healthcare System” [Google Video and YouTube]:

— As a former healthcare worker, I could not agree more with your assessment on this country’s healthcare system The fact that Congress had to enact the “Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act” earlier this year supports your critique as well. Now that my husband and I are self-employed, we have gone without health insurance for a number of years because of the premium and deductible costs. Fortunately, we’ve been relatively healthy and have not incurred debt as a result of medical bills.

— What I find sad is the only place we have “In God We Trust” is on money. I really think it is not sincere and only a sick joke from whoever put it there. As if the money is their god.

— I like this video and it’s so true. I was sick for a long time with unforgiveness in my heart, when I finally forgave and asked for forgiveness I was healed very rapidly. I like your vid[eo]s, keep posting!

by Shelly Bruno
 
Almost missing the Feast of Tabernacles this year, due to a sudden sickness of my son, has given me a new perspective about my church family. Frankly, I had been taking attendance at the Feast for granted. I am blessed with a place to attend services every Sabbath and fellowship with other believers. Unfortunately, I wasn’t fully appreciating that blessing until I was faced with the reality of observing the Feast alone. As much as I tried to have a “Feast spirit” over 1,000 miles away from the brethren—what I really wanted was to share that spirit with my church family—in person!
 
Spending time every Sabbath and on Holy Days with those who are led by God’s Spirit strengthens my resolve during the week and throughout the year. I know that my spiritual brothers and sisters also face trials or experience times of joy, and we can share that. Many times in conversation at church services, someone has said something to me that stuck. It might have been a few simple words of encouragement, or even some challenging words that helped me rethink my approach to overcoming a problem.

I’ve been inspired by others’ ability to tackle their trials, encouraged by supportive words, and simply been made to feel connected to God’s spiritual family. We don’t always know how we can affect one another, but we do. Thankfully, as it turned out, I was able to attend the second half of the Feast with God’s family. Although members of this family may not all share the same blood, what we do share is so much more important–God’s Holy Spirit. This blessing of family is something I now appreciate more fully, and as I look forward to Sabbath services each week, I’ll remember that family matters!

On Saturday, December 20, 2008, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Live in Peace, Part 2.”

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.

Perhaps no other need for us is greater than achieving a clear focus about our role as Christians in the darkening days of the end of this age!

As the world teeters on the edge of ever-unfolding volatile and dangerous events, we know that there is more to come—much more! In very direct and sobering terms, Jesus said that we would come to a time of trouble that would be taking place all over the world, calling this period just “‘…the beginning of sorrows’” (Matthew 24:8).

He went on to address His disciples—who would be alive in this prophetic period—saying that they would not know exact dates, but that they must watch and be ready. The inference is to live in a constant state of readiness.

One danger we are warned about is to think that Jesus is delaying His return. The fruits of that attitude would cause us to start losing our focus on God’s Kingdom.

In Matthew 24, Jesus spoke of an “‘evil servant’” who “‘…begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards’” (verses 48 and 49).

In Luke 21, Jesus is quoted in more detail about those living in this tumultuous generation: “‘But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly’” (verse 34); and, “‘Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man’” (verse 36).

One way we can sharpen our focus to be able to clearly understand the unfolding of end time events is to be a part of the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of God. We need to participate by reading, listening to and watching the messages given through the Church: member letters; weekly updates; booklets; StandingWatch programs; sermons and sermonettes; and building the bonds of fellowship to strengthen one another. On this last point, we have this reminder:

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, AND SO MUCH THE MORE as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Those who do these things—and continue to do them—are the “chosen ones,” the “special treasure” of God. We have God’s promise to those of His servants who remain faithful in these awesome times of trial: “‘And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but FOR THE ELECT’S SAKE those days will be shortened’” (Matthew 24:22). Never lose sight of God the Father; of our Savior Jesus Christ; of our need to use mightily and consistently the power of the Holy Spirit; and of the promise that awaits us in the everlasting Kingdom of God–the focus for Christians, clearly.

The Demonic Origin of Christmas Traditions

As we reported in Update 371, the Austrian Krampus–the demonic “alter ego” of “St. Nicholas”–finds its counterpart in Germany in a demonic personage accompanying “St. Nicholas,” known as “Knecht Ruprecht.” He performs the same function as the Austrian Krampus, terrifying and punishing children.

But Austria and Germany are not the only European countries which manifest clear and obvious evidence of the demonic and pagan origins of our modern Christmas traditions and celebrations.

Der Spiegel Online reported on December 12, 2008, about the Italian “witch of Christmas,” as follows:

“Italy has its own Father Christmas. But it’s La Befana, the ugly, broom-flying and present-wielding witch who keeps children on their toes in many parts of the country. Like St. Nick, Befana knows who’s been naughty and nice.

“A strange post-Christmas pilgrimage takes place each year in the hills of northeastern Italy’s Le Marche, when thousands of kids flock to a small medieval town called Urbania to sit on the lap of an ugly old witch. On the eve of Jan. 6, La Befana flies down chimneys or through keyholes throughout Italy to have her say over who’s been naughty or nice…

“Like many Christian traditions, Befana has pagan roots, as a good witch who played the role of Mother Nature and was celebrated in December for providing life throughout the year.”

In addition to Italy’s “good” WITCH of Christmas, please take note of the “Black Pete” of Netherlands–another counterfeit of Krampus and Knecht Ruprecht. Der Spiegel Online wrote on December 5, 2008:

“Myths about Santa’s sinister helpers are as widespread in Europe as Grimm’s Fairy Tales. In parts of Germany, Knecht Ruprecht brings terror into the hearts of naughty children when the gift-giving season arrives. In Austria it’s Krampus, the horned devil who torments adolescents with asocial tendencies. In France, Pere Foutard does the proverbial whipping… But in no country is the tale of Santa’s diabolical sidekick as bizarre as in the Netherlands, home to Zwarte Piet (‘Black Pete’).

“The story of Black Pete is unique on the continent and it is also one of Europe’s oddest and most titilating Christmas traditions — one that tends to raise the eyebrows of foreign visitors and local immigrants. No small number of people see the yuletide character as a racist emblem of Holland’s colonial past… Many say it was Holland’s Sinterklaas who inspired America’s modern-day Santa… Unlike Santa, who lives at the North Pole, Sinterklaas resides in sunny Spain… With his gold crosier, red bishop’s dress and red mitre, he’s far more ecclesiastical looking than his portly American counterpart…

“Perpetually in tow is Sinterklaas’ slave, Black Pete. At least that’s what he was called from his 19th century origins up until the 1950s… In the new tale told to children each year, that pesky black face paint on Zwarte Piet’s face comes from soot collected as Santa’s helper wriggles down chimneys to deposit branches in the shoes of badly behaving kids or to help deliver presents from Sinterklaas for the good ones. Some whitewashers of this racist little tale also like to say he’s a chimney sweep. ‘It’s just an excuse used by people because they don’t like to be reminded of the dark nature of Black Pete’…”

However, the real origin of the “dark nature” of Black Pete has nothing to do with his color. Notice the following comments by the Wikipedia Encyclopedia, pointing at the REAL ORIGIN of the Black Peter of the Netherlands (“Schwarze Piet”):

“According to myths current before the beginning of the 19th century, Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas) operated by himself or in the companionship of a devil… Some sources indicate that in Germanic Europe, Zwarte Piet originally was such an enslaved devil forced to assist his captor… The character is believed to have been derived from pagan traditions of evil spirits… The traditions of the Saint Nicholas feast are in part at least of medieval origin, if not much older. St. Nicholas himself, as described in the Dutch tradition shows some similarities to Wuotan/Odin, which suggests that the duo have a pre-Christian origin.”

Our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” explains in detail the relationship between Nordic pagan gods, such as Wotan or Odin, and the modern Santa Claus.

Obama Stimulus Could Reach $1 Trillion

Reuters reported on December 13:

“President-elect Barack Obama’s team is considering a plan to boost the recession-hit U.S. economy that could be far larger than previous estimates and might reach $1 trillion over two years…

“The administration of President George W. Bush has been given authority by Congress to spend up to $700 billion in taxpayer money to rescue the nation’s banking system…”

“Most of the Largest U.S. Banks Are Totally Bankrupt”

Reuters reported on December 11:

“Jim Rogers, one of the world’s most prominent international investors, on Thursday called most of the largest U.S. banks ‘totally bankrupt,’ and said government efforts to fix the sector are wrongheaded… [He] said the government’s $700 billion rescue package for the sector doesn’t address how banks manage their balance sheets, and instead rewards weaker lenders with new capital…

“‘What is outrageous economically and is outrageous morally is that normally in times like this, people who are competent and who saw it coming and who kept their powder dry go and take over the assets from the incompetent,’ he said. ‘What’s happening this time is that the government is taking the assets from the competent people and giving them to the incompetent people and saying, now you can compete with the competent people. It is horrible economics.’…

“Many analysts cite Lehman’s Sept 15 bankruptcy as a trigger for the recent cratering in the economy and stock markets. Rogers called that idea ‘laughable’… ‘Governments are making mistakes,’ he said. ‘They’re saying to all the banks, you don’t have to tell us your situation. You can continue to use your balance sheet that is phony…. All these guys are bankrupt, they’re still worrying about their bonuses, they’re still trying to pay their dividends, and the whole system is weakened.'”

Alleged Wall Street Investment Scam Affects Banks Worldwide

AFP reported on December 15:

“Top world financial groups on Monday revealed massive potential losses from an alleged scam run by Wall Street trader Bernard Madoff, admitting they were fooled by a classic pyramid investment fraud.

“British, French, Japanese and Spanish banks and funds said investments totalling billions of dollars (euros) could be wiped off their balance sheets by a scandal that is set to affect some of the richest people in the world.

“Royal Bank of Scotland said it could lose about 400 million pounds (598 million dollars, 444 million euros), joining a growing list of banks and investors in Europe, Asia and the United States struck by the scandal…

“Madoff, a 70-year-old Wall Street veteran, was arrested last Thursday. He is alleged by US prosecutors to have confessed to defrauding investors of 50 billion dollars in a long-running scam that collapsed after clients asked for their money back as a result of the global financial crisis… US authorities allege that Madoff delivered consistently strong returns to clients by secretly using the principal investment from new investors to pay out to other investors in the scheme, a version of what is known as ‘pyramid fraud’… This fraud is also known as a ‘Ponzi scheme’…”

U.S. Housing Market–How Bad Is It Really?

USA Today reported on December 12:

“As painful as the decline has been, history suggests home values still may have a long way to drop and may take decades to return to the heights of 2½ years ago… So far, home values nationally have tumbled an average of 19% from their peak. As bad as that is, prices would need to fall at least 17% more to reach their traditional relationship to household income… In that scenario, a $300,000 house in 2006 could be worth about $200,000 when real estate prices hit bottom.

“The price plunge has wiped out trillions of dollars in home equity and caused the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression… Wachovia economist Adam York expects home values to keep falling until 2010 but is optimistic they will recover… Consider a couple with $20,000 cash. In 2006, they easily could get a 5% down mortgage to buy a $400,000 house. Today, a 10% down payment would limit the couple to a $200,000 house.”

Depression in Canada Possible

AFP reported on December 16:

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered a grim forecast for the Canadian economy, saying… a depression is possible. “‘The truth is, I’ve never seen such uncertainty in terms of looking forward to the future,’ Harper told CTV. ‘I’m very worried about the Canadian economy’… Harper also said his finance minister’s budget on January 27 would include billions of dollars in stimulus spending… ‘Obviously, we’re going to have to run a deficit,’ Harper said. ‘We’re talking about spending billions of dollars that was not planned.'”

Mr. Obama’s Race–and the American Melting Pot

On December 14, The Associated Press wrote the following:

“A perplexing new chapter is unfolding in Barack Obama’s racial saga: Many people insist that ‘the first black president’ is actually not black. Debate over whether to call this son of a white Kansan and a black Kenyan biracial, African-American, mixed-race, half-and-half, multiracial — or, in Obama’s own words, a ‘mutt’ — has reached a crescendo since Obama’s election shattered assumptions about race.

“Obama has said, ‘I identify as African-American — that’s how I’m treated and that’s how I’m viewed. I’m proud of it.’ In other words, the world gave Obama no choice but to be black, and he was happy to oblige. But the world has changed since the young Obama found his place in it.

“Intermarriage and the decline of racism are dissolving ancient definitions. The candidate Obama, in achieving what many thought impossible, was treated differently from previous black generations. And many white and mixed-race people now view President-elect Obama as something other than black…

“Rebecca Walker, a 38-year-old writer with light brown skin who is of Russian, African, Irish, Scottish and Native American descent, said she used to identify herself as ‘human,’ which upset people of all backgrounds… ‘Of course Obama is black. And he’s not black, too,’ Walker said. ‘He’s white, and he’s not white, too. Obama is whatever people project onto him … he’s a lot of things, and neither of them necessarily exclude the other.’

“But U.S. Rep. G. K. Butterfield, a black man who by all appearances is white, feels differently… ‘Obama has chosen the heritage he feels comfortable with,’ he said. ‘His physical appearance is black. I don’t know how he could have chosen to be any other race. Let’s just say he decided to be white — people would have laughed at him’…

“The entire issue balances precariously on the ‘one-drop’ rule, which sprang from the slaveowner habit of dropping by the slave quarters and producing brown babies. One drop of black blood meant that person, and his or her descendants, could never be a full citizen. Today, the spectrum of skin tones among African-Americans — even those with two black parents — is evidence of widespread white ancestry. Also, since blacks were often light enough to pass for white, unknown numbers of white Americans today have blacks hidden in their family trees. One book, ‘Black People and their Place in World History,’ by Dr. Leroy Vaughn, even claims that five past presidents — Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge — had black ancestors, which would make Obama the sixth of his kind…

“‘We do not have our first black president,’ the author Christopher Hitchens said on the BBC program ‘Newsnight.’ ‘He is not black. He is as black as he is white’…

“Latinos, whom the census identifies as an ethnic group and not a race, were not counted separately by the government until the 1970s. After the 1990 census, many people complained that the four racial categories — white, black, Asian, and American Indian/Alaska native — did not fit them. The government then allowed people to check more than one box. (It also added a fifth category, for Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders.)

“Six million people, or 2 percent of the population, now say they belong to more than one race, according to the most recent census figures. Another 19 million people, or 6 percent of the population, identify themselves as ‘some other race’ than the five available choices.”

Arab World Hails Shoe Attack on President Bush

AFP reported on December 15:

“Iraq faced mounting calls on Monday to release the journalist who hurled his shoes at George W. Bush [during Mr. Bush’s recent visit and press conference in Iraq], an action branded shameful by the government but hailed by many in the Arab world as an ideal parting gift to the unpopular US president… Soles of shoes are considered the ultimate insult in Arab culture. After Saddam’s statue was toppled in Baghdad in April 2003, many onlookers beat the statue’s face with their soles…
 
“‘The flying shoe speaks more for Arab public opinion than all the despots/puppets that Bush meets with during his travels in the Middle East,’ said Asad Abu Khalil, a popular Lebanese-American blogger and professor at Stanislaus University in California…”

Israel Warns the World Against Iran

Haaretz.com reported on December 18:

“Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned Wednesday that if Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, it could try to attack the United States… ‘If it built even a primitive nuclear weapon like the type that destroyed Hiroshima, Iran would not hesitate to load it on a ship, arm it with a detonator operated by GPS and sail it into a vital port on the east coast of North America,’ Barak told the audience.

“Indicating the possibility of a military strike, Barak said, ‘We are not taking any option off the table, and we recommend to the world not to take any option off the table, and we mean what we say.'”

German Right-Wing Extremism on the Rise

Der Spiegel Online wrote on December 15:

“Right-wing extremism is widely perceived as a problem confined to eastern Germany. Yet Saturday’s knife attack on the police chief of Passau [Alois Mannichl] shows it is well established in Bavaria too… Mannichl is regarded as a committed enemy of the violent far-right scene…

“Bavaria’s interior minister, Joachim Herrmann, said the assault showed that far-right violence had reached a new level… ‘We must take this escalation of violence very seriously.’

“Bavaria has a well-established neo-Nazi scene. The domestic intelligence service estimates that there are around 1,100 violent neo-Nazis in Bavaria and around 10,000 in Germany. In Passau alone, the number of far-right crimes doubled to 83 this year compared with 2007.”

“Germany’s Weakest Economic Performance Since World War II”

Deutsche Welle reported on December 13:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier have dampened expectations of a second economic rescue package, saying there won’t be any speedy decisions…

“Meanwhile, the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel reported that government experts expect Europe’s largest economy to contract by two percent next year. This would be Germany’s weakest economic performance since World War II.”

“Germany Against the Rest of the World”

Welt On Line wrote on December 13:

“German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck vilifies Britain’s financial stimulus plan in an interview with American magazine Newsweek, saying that making VAT cuts won’t solve the problem, but rather will build a national debt that will take at least a generation to pay off. The problem? Everyone seems to be against Germany’s solution. German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck has angered some by openly criticizing European economic rescue packages. The tone seems to be getting bitter in the discussion about what is the correct reaction to the global economic downturn.

“After Britain invited French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso for talks ahead of the EU summit, and didn’t invite German Chancellor Angela Merkel, German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck hit back.

“’Are you really going to buy a DVD player because it now costs £39.10 instead of £39.90?’ he asks, taking a gibe at British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in an interview with American magazine Newsweek. Brown has cut the interest rate from 17.5 percent to 15 percent to relieve the financial burden slightly for the British population in addition to stimulating the nation’s economy. Yet, in Steinbrueck’s opinion, all Brown’s plan can achieve ‘is raise Britain’s debt to a level that will take a whole generation to work off’.

“Steinbrueck’s comments are the best proof for the differences in opinion between Germany and its partners. The French and the British want to stimulate the economy with public funds, but Germany refuses to abide. This causes irritation not only because Germany, as Europe’s leading economy, should lead the stimulus-movement, but also because the global export champion had made profits from the boom of the others.

“Paul Krugman, the recent recipient of the Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences, referred to Steinbrueck as dumb, saying that a refusal to cooperate with debt-financed stimulus packages can cause severe damage. Steinbrueck’s interview also left a sour taste in Britain, where the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) described it as an ‘unusual break of diplomatic customs’…”

Anglo-German Dispute Deepens

The Independent wrote on December 13:

“Britain has formally protested to the German government about the stinging attack on Gordon Brown by its Finance Minister, deepening the Anglo-German dispute over the Prime Minister’s economic strategy. Sir Michael Arthur, the British ambassador in Berlin, raised strong objections with the German Finance Ministry over the remarks by Peer Steinbrück, who branded Mr Brown’s £20bn fiscal stimulus ‘crass’ and ‘breathtaking’.

“David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, denied knowledge of the complaint. But the British embassy in Berlin confirmed that Mr Steinbrück’s criticism was raised by Sir Michael, a clear sign that the Brown Government was rattled by the attack. A spokesman said the ambassador had made it clear that, ‘we fundamentally disagreed with the comments made by Peer Steinbrück’.

“Yesterday, the pound fell to a record low against the euro for the fifth day running, dropping to €1.1191 amid fears that the British economy would be among the hardest hit by the recession…”

Pound and Dollar Drop Further Against the Euro

The Telegraph wrote on December 15:

“Sterling slumped further this morning, leaving the currency worth just 90p against the euro for the first time since the launch of Europe’s single currency, as concern about the depth of Britain’s recession dominates foreign-exchange markets…

“Steve Barrow, currency strategist at Standard Bank said he was ‘fearful’ for the pound which he believes could fall to parity against the euro in 2009.”

The Financial Times added on December 17:

“The US currency suffered its biggest one-day slide against the euro since the birth of the single European currency in January 1999 as the euro jumped from under $1.40 to above $1.44… Following the Fed meeting on Tuesday, which reduced interest rates to a range of zero per cent to 0.25 per cent, US rates are now lower than those in Japan for the first time since 1993…”

Bloomberg elaborated on December 17:

“The world’s biggest currency-trading firms say the dollar’s appeal as a haven amid the financial crisis all but evaporated… The dollar is likely to decline ‘longer term,’ analysts including New York-based Ashraf Laidi at CMC Markets wrote in a report… The Fed’s debt purchases will cause the dollar to weaken…, analysts led by Robert Sinche, New York-based head of global currency strategy at Bank of America Corp., wrote in a report yesterday… ‘Those temporary supports for the dollar appear to have eroded,’ Sinche wrote. ‘Aggressive quantitative easing by the Fed should add to U.S. dollar supply globally and undermine the value of the dollar’…

“The dollar’s decline against the euro compares with a similar move in the early 1990s, indicating the U.S. currency may weaken to a record low… next year, Citigroup Inc. strategists Tom Fitzpatrick in New York and Shyam Devani in London wrote in a research note… The U.S. currency’s drop is becoming ‘broader-based,’ Jens Nordvig a New York-based strategist for the U.S. securities firm, wrote today. ‘Temporary dollar demand from deleveraging and funding flows has come to an end.'”

Deadly Disease Affects Great Britain

The Daily Express wrote on December 15:

“Millions face being struck down by a deadly winter vomiting bug sweeping the country. Scores of hospitals have been forced to close wards to new patients as they struggle to cope with the influx of norovirus sufferers…

“As the crisis deepens, health campaigners are warning that hospitals face going into ‘complete meltdown’ over Christmas and New Year. Last year more than three million people were struck down by the bug as it reached epidemic levels. Now experts are warning that the virus could affect even more this year.

“It appears to be taking hold much earlier than usual… At its height last year the virus, which causes projectile vomiting, diarrhoea, mild fever and headaches, was striking down more than 200,000 a week. The illness can prove deadly for the vulnerable –  children and the elderly.”

Secret Talks on New EU President and EU Foreign Affairs Minister

The Telegraph wrote on December 12:

“EU leaders have agreed a ‘path’ offering Ireland concessions ‘with a view to enabling the Treaty to enter into force by the end of 2009’. Negotiations on the EU President and Foreign Affairs posts created under the Lisbon Treaty stopped in June when the Irish [voted] ‘No’.

“… with a new Ireland deal done, diplomats have confirmed secret talks on the job description of the EU President and the size of a new European diplomatic service, will now begin – months before the Irish vote again… Candidates for the two top EU jobs will be chosen at a summit in December 2009 after intense work is carried on throughout next year…

“EU leaders will promise that under the deal, Ireland will keep a permanent European Commissioner along with legal guarantees that Brussels will not interfere with the country’s military neutrality, taxation, social and ethical issues… The second Irish referendum is expected to take place next autumn once details of opt-outs and concession are concluded in June 2009.”

The Irish Government “Betrayed” Its People

The EUObserver wrote on December 11:

“The French president yesterday told the group leaders of the European parliament that he has made a deal with the Irish government to hold a second referendum in Ireland to ratify the Lisbon treaty first rejected on 12 June by 53 percent of Irish voters. None of the representatives of the Irish people who voted No to the Lisbon Treaty were consulted by the Irish government before they struck a deal with the French Presidency. The Irish government has simply ignored the result of the referendum and betrayed those people who voted No in the majority…”

There are indeed numerous Scriptures in the Old Testament, including in the book of Zechariah, which give precise details on the appearance of the Messiah about 2,000 years ago. As those passages can be found throughout the pages of the Old Testament, this fact alone proves the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures.

For instance, we find literally dozens of biblical references to Christ’s First Coming in the book of Isaiah. We are just quoting a few selected examples:

Isaiah 7:14 states that “the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel (which means, literally, God with us.)” This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, as Matthew 1:18-23 tells us. Isaiah 6:9-10 foretells the fact that the people would not listen to the Messiah’s preaching and warnings (compare Matthew 13:14-15). Isaiah 9:1-2 states that the Messiah would stay temporarily in the land of Zebulon and Naphtali (compare Matthew 4:13-16). Isaiah 11:1 foretold that the Messiah would be a descendant of Jesse and David (compare Matthew 1:5-6, 25; Luke 3:23, 31-32). Isaiah 29:13 foretold that the people had rejected the commandments of God and replaced them with the traditions of men (compare Matthew 15:7-9). Isaiah 42:1-4 foretold the exact manner of the Messiah’s preaching (compare Matthew 12:16-21). Isaiah 49:8-9 [and also Isaiah 61:1-2] foretold that the Messiah would preach the gospel and proclaim spiritual liberty (compare Luke 4:16-19).

Isaiah 50:6 prophesied that Christ would be beaten and spit on (compare Matthew 27:26, 30). Isaiah 53:1 prophesied that the people would not believe the report or warning message brought by the Messiah (compare John 12:37-38). Isaiah 53:3-5 prophesied that the Messiah would heal people, due to His own physical suffering and the stripes, which He would receive from the Romans (compare Matthew 8:16-17). Isaiah 53:8 stated that He would be “taken from prison and from judgment,” foretelling that His “trial” and “conviction” would be illegal even according to human law (For more information on these startling prophecies, see Part 4 of our free booklet, “Jesus Christ–A Great Mystery,” pages 41-65).

Isaiah 53:12 foretold that He would pray for the transgressors at the time of His death (Luke 23:34). Isaiah 53:12 also stated that “He was numbered with the transgressors.” This was fulfilled in more than one way, by the two robbers crucified with Him, and by His own disciples, compare Matthew 27:38 and Luke 22:35-38. Isaiah 53:12 also foretold that He would bear “the sin of many,” which found its obvious fulfillment in Christ’s death (compare Hebrews 1:1-3; 1 Peter 2:24).

The books of Psalms are also filled with prophetic references to Christ’s First Coming.

Psalm 8:2 foretold that children would greet and welcome the Messiah at His First Coming (compare Matthew 21:16). Psalm 16:10 foretold that the Messiah would not stay in the grave, but that He would be resurrected soon after His death so His body would not see corruption (Acts 2:25-35). Psalm 22:7 revealed in advance that He would be ridiculed, while dying on the cross (Matthew 27:39-44). Psalm 22:14, 17 prophesied that the Messiah would be crucified (Matthew 27:26; John 12:32-33). Psalm 22:18 stated that soldiers would cast lots and divide His garment among themselves (Matthew 27:35). Psalm 34:20 foretold that none of Christ’s bones would be broken (compare John 19:33, 36).

Psalm 41:9 foretold that the Messiah would be betrayed by one of His friends who would eat bread with Him (Luke 22:21; John 13:18). Psalm 69:21 prophesied that He would be given vinegar to drink for His thirst (John 19:28-30). Psalm 78:2 foretold that the Messiah would speak in parables (compare Matthew 13:34-35). Psalm 118:22-23 prophesied that the Messiah would be rejected by the builders, but that He would become the chief cornerstone for His Church (compare Matthew 21:42; Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:6-10). Psalm 118:26 foretold in advance the exact words with which the people in Jerusalem would greet the Messiah (compare Matthew 21:9).

We find in the book of Numbers (24:17) that, in relationship to the birth of the Messiah, a star would come out of Jacob (compare Matthew 2:2). In addition, a striking prophecy can be found in the book of Micah (5:2), referring to Christ’s birth: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” Compare the record of the fulfillment of this prophecy in Matthew 2:1-12.

Hosea 11:1 foretold that the Messiah, as a child, would stay temporarily in Egypt (compare Matthew 2:14-15). And Jeremiah 31:15 told us in advance about the horrible murder of the Jewish children at the time of Herod (compare Matthew 2:16-18).

Malachi 3:1 prophesied the appearance of a messenger just prior to the manifestation of the Messiah’s First Coming to prepare a people for Him. This prophecy found its fulfillment in John the Baptist, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (compare Matthew 11:7-10; Mark 1:2-4).

Even though the book of Zechariah deals foremost with the time of Christ’s Return–the Second Coming of the Messiah–it also contains several references to events which took place during His First Coming.

Zechariah 9:9 reports that Christ, the just King offering salvation, would appear lowly, “riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” The fulfillment of that prophecy is recorded in John 12:14-15. Zechariah 9:9 also shows that His entrance in Jerusalem would be triumphant, as we read: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!” This prophecy was fulfilled just prior to Christ’s betrayal and arrest, compare Mark 11:8-10.

In Zechariah 11:12-13, we are told that Jesus would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (compare Matthew 26:14-16), and that the money would be thrown into the house of the LORD–the temple–for the potter. This was fulfilled, exactly as stated; compare Matthew 27:3-10. Please note that Matthew 27:9 says that Jeremiah, too, gave this prophecy in advance. But it says that Jeremiah the prophet SPOKE those words, apparently, without writing them down in the book of Jeremiah. The prophecy was RECORDED, however, in Zechariah 11:13, as we have seen.

Zechariah 12:10 refers to the fact that the Messiah would be pierced. We are told in the New Testament that a soldier pierced Christ’s side with a spear, causing His death on the cross (John 19:34-37). For the exact manner of Christ’s death, please read our free booklet, “Jesus Christ–a Great Mystery,” pages 78-79. The passage in Zechariah 12:10 is quoted in Revelation 1:7, referring to Jesus Christ.

Another possible reference to the piercing of Christ’s hands at the time of His crucifixion (compare John 20:25) can be found in Zechariah 13:6, where we read, in the Authorized Version: “And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.”

Finally, Zechariah 13:7 foretells that all of Christ’s disciples would leave Him at the time of His arrest, prior to His crucifixion and resurrection: “… Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered…” Compare, for the exact fulfillment of that prophecy, Matthew 26:31-32 and Mark 14:27-28.

It is truly remarkable how these and many other Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus Christ at the time of His First Coming. Jesus Himself insisted that ALL prophecies written about His earthly life were, and had to be fulfilled (Luke 24:25-27, 44-46; compare Matthew 26:51-56).

Based on this testimony of Scripture regarding things which are past, we can have complete and total confidence in the infallibility of prophecies dealing with the future. As Christ came as a humble servant to die for us, so He WILL come again as the KING of kings to rule for and with us (Revelation 5:8-10; 20:4, 6; Daniel 7:13-14, 26-27). He said time and again that He WILL return–and soon (John 14:3; James 5:8-9; Revelation 22:12, 20).

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Terry McQuire’s Funeral

Terry McQuire’s funeral took place on Monday, December 15, at Beeston Cemetery Chapel, near Nottingham, England. Terry, who was 72, had been a faithful and loyal member of the Church of God since the 1960’s. Brian Gale officiated at the service, which was followed by interment at a nearby cemetery. Terry was buried alongside his wife, Jean, who died in June of 2005 from a brain tumor. Terry is survived by two children, Kathryn and Mark, and 4 grandchildren. 

The chapel for the service was full, with all the standing room at the back of the chapel completely occupied which is an indication of the love and esteem in which he was held. He will be greatly missed.

Terry had said that the Feast of Tabernacles at Chatsworth House just a few weeks ago was the best Feast he had ever had. Even though he was terminally ill at the Feast, he shared his chalet with others and was still of service to everyone, as he had always been. During the Feast he, alongside with John Dunn, was interviewed by Norbert Link for the StandingWatch program (“Comfort in Terminal Sickness”), which can be seen on our Website and on Google Video and YouTube.

Norbert Link’s sermon, “Bible Study: Live in Peace,” dated December 13, 2008, has been posted on Google Video and on our Websites.

The German video program on Christmas was posted on our Web (www.AufPostenStehen.de) and on YouTube.

Our Technical Team is developing an outstanding new layout and design for our StandingWatch Website. More information will be announced very soon.

Recent Comments from our StandingWatch Viewers:

— Thanks for another great program [on No Christmas in the Early Church]. This message needs to be heard in the whole world. I’ll keep praying that these programs find their way to those that have an ear to hear.

— Good job. As a Christian I have not celebrated it for twenty two years, and I abhor it more and more every year.
 
— Fear mongering has its place in the rhetorical toolbox; however, you shouldn’t use it [referring to Food Shortage in the USA]. You sound too much like Hitler. Sorry.

— He sounds like Stalin, but he is right about the self-destruction caused by those who break and rebuild the structures and the systems of the nations and the world [and] the life of the poor.

On Saturday, December 13, 2008, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, respectively, “Live in Peace.”

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.

We read in Deuteronomy 31:6-7 that Moses turned his leadership of Israel over to Joshua. In that transition he told Joshua to be “strong and of good courage.” God repeats these same instructions in Joshua 1:7:

“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.”

Joshua was to place his full trust in God.

These days we see people putting their trust in various places–frankly, in just about anything. They may put their trust in money, which Christ warned against (Mark 10:24); or, they may put their trust in other human beings (but compare Micah 7:5). But these areas of trust cannot hold up to the passage of time.

Where can we put our trust and not have it fail? Who is it that will never let us down?

The answer, of course, is God. But it may not be that simple. Isn’t it interesting that in times of national disaster, we may hear people talk about God. And they may start “praying.” Unfortunately, many fail to realize that this is not real trust. One cannot go on ignoring that there is a God–let alone the one and only TRUE God–and then expect Him to help in times of devastation.

We read in the book of Judges that the children of Israel did this dance over and over again. They would face calamity, “repent” and feel sorry for their circumstances, but after God had saved them, they would return to their old ways. The problem was that they “trusted” in God only at certain times. Their “trust” was only temporary and self-serving.

Really trusting in God was not easy for the children of Israel, partly because they did not have God’s Holy Spirit to help guide them. When they did have dedicated leaders, they followed their good example. But they did not endure. When the righteous leaders died, they forgot all about their own righteousness.

What about today? All of us who are being led by the Holy Spirit should be able to put our trust in God with no problem, right? In a perfect world this might be true. Unfortunately, Satan is the ruler and god of this world, and he tries to get us to doubt God. Christ said that trusting in God and walking the straight and narrow way would not be easy (compare Matthew 7:13-14). He said that His true disciples would be persecuted and would have trials. But He also said that there is nothing that God cannot help us through.

Where is it that we put our real and enduring trust? Will we put it in the money and people of this world? Or will we put it in God, the One who created this world and sustains it? It’s our choice. We are to choose wisely.  Proverbs 3:5-7 gives all of us this lasting admonition: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.”

Nuclear War in the Middle East–Soon?

Haaretz.com reported on December 12:

“U.S. President-elect Barack Obama’s administration will offer Israel a ‘nuclear umbrella’ against the threat of a nuclear attack by Iran, a well-placed American source said earlier this week. The source, who is close to the new administration, said the U.S. will declare that an attack on Israel by Tehran would result in a devastating U.S. nuclear response against Iran.

“But America’s nuclear guarantee to Israel could also be interpreted as a sign the U.S. believes Iran will eventually acquire nuclear arms. Secretary of state-designate Hillary Clinton had raised the idea of a nuclear guarantee to Israel during her campaign for the Democratic Party’s nomination for the presidency…

“Granting Israel a nuclear guarantee essentially suggests the U.S. is willing to come to terms with a nuclear Iran. For its part, Israel opposes any such development… ‘What is the significance of such guarantee when it comes from those who hesitated to deal with a non-nuclear Iran?’ asked a senior Israeli security source. ‘What kind of credibility would this [guarantee have] when Iran is nuclear-capable?’

“The same source noted that the fact that there is talk about the possibility of a nuclear Iran undermines efforts to prevent Tehran from acquiring such arms. A senior Bush administration source said that the proposal for an American nuclear umbrella for Israel was ridiculous and lacked credibility. ‘Who will convince the citizen in Kansas that the U.S. needs to get mixed up in a nuclear war because Haifa was bombed? And what is the point of an American response, after Israel’s cities are destroyed in an Iranian nuclear strike?’

“The current debate is taking place in light of the Military Intelligence assessment that Iran has passed beyond the point of no return, and has mastered the technology of uranium enrichment. The decision to proceed toward the development of nuclear arms is now purely a matter for Iran’s leaders to decide.”

On October 10, 2008, the paper had speculated what Iran’s next move might be, stating:

“French agencies are divided over what Iran is likely to do once it has this uranium. One view is that the Iranians will immediately make a nuclear bomb, in order to demonstrate their capability. The other is that Iran will continue enriching uranium without making a bomb – at least until it has enough enriched uranium for several bombs.”

“Now For a World Government”

The Financial Times wrote on December 8:

“I have never believed that there is a secret United Nations plot to take over the US. I have never seen black helicopters hovering in the sky above Montana. But, for the first time in my life, I think the formation of some sort of world government is plausible. A ‘world government’ would involve much more than co-operation between nations. It would be an entity with state-like characteristics, backed by a body of laws.

“The European Union has already set up a continental government for 27 countries, which could be a model. The EU has a supreme court, a currency, thousands of pages of law, a large civil service and the ability to deploy military force. So could the European model go global? There are three reasons for thinking that it might.

“First, it is increasingly clear that the most difficult issues facing national governments are international in nature: there is global warming, a global financial crisis and a ‘global war on terror’.

“Second, it could be done… Geoffrey Blainey, an eminent Australian historian, has written: ‘For the first time in human history, world government of some sort is now possible.’ Mr Blainey foresees an attempt to form a world government at some point in the next two centuries, which is an unusually long time horizon for the average newspaper column.

“But – the third point – a change in the political atmosphere suggests that ‘global governance’ could come much sooner than that. The financial crisis and climate change are pushing national governments towards global solutions, even in countries such as China and the US that are traditionally fierce guardians of national sovereignty.

“… it seems, everything is in place. For the first time… there is an argument, an opportunity and a means to make serious steps towards a world government…”

World government, in one form or another, will come. First, man will attempt to create it (Revelation 13:3-9; 17:1-2; 18:3), but his temporary success will end in war and total disaster, as well as terrible worldwide destruction (Matthew 24:21-22). The Bible does say, however, that Jesus Christ will intervene and set up a peaceful world government which will never be destroyed–and of His government and peace there will be no end (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Growing Fault Lines Between Europe and USA

On December 9, the Asia Times Online published a highly controversial article–in fact, much of what was written must be rejected as propaganda. However, the following comments are worth quoting:

“North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ministers in Brussels have decided to ignore the wishes of the United States and delay the admission of Georgia and the Ukraine, in effect indefinitely, in what the George W Bush administration is sheepishly trying to claim is a positive ‘compromise’. The decision follows the alarm which peaked among European Union member states last August over the prospect of having to go to war with Russia…

“The decision deepens growing fault lines across the Atlantic, and next year will be clearly more turbulent even than 2008 in terms of global geopolitics. The Brussels decision is even more remarkable if taken as indication of Washington’s diminishing power over European NATO members… Washington has undergone a stunning setback in its agenda of encircling Russia with NATO. Despite the fact that president-elect Obama retained Bush Administration Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and named a person to be Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, who has strongly supported bringing Georgia and Ukraine into NATO, key European NATO members, led by Germany and France, blocked what must be a unanimous membership decision.”

“War of Words” Between Britain and Germany

Deutsche Welle reported on December 11:

“Angela Merkel may have shrugged off the apparent snub of not being invited to Monday’s mini-summit between Britain and France but it is unlikely that new comments from the British government will be dismissed as easily.

“The simmering war of words between Berlin and Downing Street heated up Thursday as both Merkel and Prime Minister Gordon Brown prepared to fly to Brussels for a crucial EU summit.

“Responding to claims by German finance minister Peer Steinbrueck that Britain’s conversion from economic and financial prudence to heavy state borrowing was… of ‘breathtaking’ proportions, representatives of Brown’s government said that Germany’s ability to respond effectively to the global economic downturn was being hampered by domestic politics…

“Steinbrueck criticized the 2.5 percent cut in Value Added Tax (VAT), to 15 percent, introduced by the British government from December 1 in an outspoken interview with US magazine Newsweek. ‘All this will do is raise Britain’s debt to a level that will take a whole generation to work off,’ Steinbrueck said, echoing criticism leveled at Brown by the Conservative opposition in Britain…

“Speculation of a rift increased this week after Merkel — in charge of Europe’s biggest economy — was left out of the London summit on Monday involving Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso.”

Welt On Line wrote on December 11:

“German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck has criticised countries for rushing through what he called crass and untested economic rescue packages at a ‘breathtaking and depressing’ pace. Steinbrueck particularly singled out British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, accusing him of switching to economic policies that would saddle a generation with debt…”

Owner of Los Angeles Times and KTLA Channel 5 Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

The Los Angeles Times reported on December 9:

“Tribune Co., the owner of the Los Angeles Times, KTLA Channel 5 and dozens of other daily newspapers and television stations across the country, filed Monday for bankruptcy protection from creditors, in the latest indication of deteriorating economics for the news business…

“In recent weeks, the McClatchy newspaper chain put its Miami Herald up for sale, the Christian Science Monitor said it would abandon daily print publication in favor of Web operation, the Philadelphia Inquirer and Minneapolis Star-Tribune have flirted with or entered default, and the New York Times said it would mortgage its headquarters skyscraper in midtown Manhattan to help cover operating costs.”

Politics at Its Worst

The Chicago Tribune wrote on December 9:

“Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested by FBI agents [but later released on bail] on federal corruption charges Tuesday morning… In one charge related to the appointment of a senator to replace Barack Obama, prosecutors allege that Blagojevich sought appointment for himself as secretary of Health and Human Services in the new Obama administration, or a lucrative job with a union, in exchange for appointing a union-preferred candidate.

“Another charge alleges Blagojevich and Harris conspired to demand the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members responsible for editorials critical of him in exchange for state help with the sale of Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs baseball stadium owned by Tribune Co. Blagojevich and Harris, along with others, obtained and sought to gain financial benefits for the governor, members of his family and his campaign fund in exchange for appointments to state boards and commissions, state jobs and state contracts, according to the charges.

“‘The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering,’ U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement…”

Corruption in US Politics–Nothing New

USA Today reported on December 11:

“Its largest city is legendary for machine-style politics and its elected leaders have been under investigation for years, but by one measure, Illinois is not even close to the nation’s most-corrupt state…

“On a per-capita basis… Illinois ranks 18th for the number of public corruption convictions the federal government has won from 1998 through 2007…

“Louisiana, Alaska and North Dakota all fared worse than the Land of Lincoln… The analysis does not include corruption cases handled by state law enforcement and it considers only convictions. Corruption may run more rampant in some states but go undetected…

“New York… is ranked just after Illinois for corruption convictions…”

Did Barack Obama Know?

ABC News wrote on December 9:

“‘Obviously like the rest of the people of Illinois I am saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the US attorney’s office today,’ said President-elect Obama this afternoon in Chicago, speaking of the criminal complaint against Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich for corruption… Asked what contact he’d had with the governor’s office about his replacement in the Senate, President-elect Obama today said ‘I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening.’

“But on November 23, 2008, his senior adviser David Axelrod appeared on Fox News Chicago and said something quite different. While insisting that the President-elect had not expressed a favorite to replace him, and his inclination was to avoid being a ‘kingmaker,’ Axelrod said, ‘I know he’s talked to the governor and there are a whole range of names many of which have surfaced, and I think he has a fondness for a lot of them.’…

“Axelrod this evening issued a statement saying, ‘I was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the President-elect has spoken directly to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then or at any time discuss the subject.’

“There are no allegations that President-elect Obama or anyone close to him had anything to do with any of the crimes Gov. Blagojevich is accused of having committed…

“But there remain questions about how Blagojevich knew that Mr. Obama was not willing to give him anything in exchange for the Senate seat — with whom was Blagojevich speaking? Did that person report the governor to the authorities? And, it should be pointed out, Mr. Obama has a relationship with Mr. Blagojevich, having not only endorsed Blagojevich in 2002 and 2006, but having served as a top adviser to the Illinois governor in his first 2002 run for the state house…”

Consequences of Political Scandal in Illinois Widen

The Los Angeles Times wrote on December 11:

“Barack Obama and federal lawmakers maneuvered Wednesday to force Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich to step down after his arrest in a payoff scandal and prevent him from naming the president-elect’s successor in the Senate… Majority Leader Harry Reid… and others said the Senate might block any Blagojevich appointee from taking office.

“A leading contender for the seat, Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr…. said Wednesday that he would meet with prosecutors this week to share what he knew about the case. Jackson, who denied wrongdoing, has hired a Chicago lawyer to represent him.

“The congressman… has been widely reported to be the man named in an FBI affidavit as ‘Senate Candidate 5’… In wiretapped conversations, the governor said allies of ‘Senate Candidate 5’ had promised to raise as much as $1 million for him in a ‘pay-to-play’ trade for the appointment, the FBI said…

“Obama called on state lawmakers to ‘put in place a process to select a new senator that will have the trust and confidence of the people of Illinois.’ The Legislature plans to convene Monday to pass a bill calling for a special election to fill Obama’s Senate seat. In theory, Blagojevich could veto the measure, and lawmakers could enact it through an override.”

2008 Nobel Economics Prize Recipient Predicts End of Major U.S. Auto Companies

Welt On Line reported on December 8:

“Paul Krugman, [economics professor at Princeton University and columnist for The New York Times and] winner of the 2008 Nobel economics prize, said on Sunday policy makers would be unable to prevent the global economic crisis from inflicting serious damage… ‘The simple mechanics of producing a rescue for the world economy are very hard. The pace at which things are getting worse is so great that it’s difficult to see how rescue measures can come… Even with the best of understanding it can’t come fast enough to prevent a great deal of damage… I’m very worried what next year will look like.’…

“Krugman also said he doubted the U.S. auto sector would survive in the long run…  ‘It’s…the unwillingness, I believe a correct lack of willingness, to accept the failure of a large industrial sector — even if it’s an industrial sector in decline — in the midst of a very very severe recession. In the end these companies will probably disappear.’…”

Bailouts for the Auto Industry…

Newmax wrote on December 8:

“With congressional Democrats and the Bush administration agreeing in principle during the weekend to drop a few billion on General Motors and Chrysler, all signs point to a government-backed auto industry bailout [and] an unprecedented investment in private industry…

“Ford’s chief executive Alan Mulally earned $22 million in total compensation last year – a year that helped push the company toward oblivion…  Plenty other uniquely American industries are taking it on the chin, and no one is calling for a bailout of those sectors… the high end of the bailout range keeps them [the Big Three] in business for about a year. Then what? Without major changes in their business model, they’ll simply be coming back to Washington with their hands out again.

“… this current ‘bailout’ bears no resemblance to the rescue of Chrysler in 1980. In 1980, Congress passed, and President Carter signed, a law giving a U.S. government guarantee of a private $1.5 billion loan to Chrysler. Not one dollar of taxpayer funds was ever used in the deal…”

… Maybe Not…

The Associated Press reported on December 11:

“A House-passed bill to speed $14 billion in loans to Detroit’s automakers stands on shaky ground in a bailout-weary Congress, undermined by Republican opposition that could derail the emergency aid in the Senate.

“Republicans are challenging lame-duck President George W. Bush on the proposal, arguing that any support for the domestic auto industry should carry significant concessions from autoworkers and creditors and reject tougher environmental rules imposed by House Democrats.

“The House approved the plan late Wednesday on a vote of 237-170. It would infuse money within days into cash-starved General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. Ford Motor Co., which has said it has enough cash to make it through 2009, would also be eligible for federal aid.

“Supporters cited dire warnings from GM and Chrysler executives, who have said they could run out of cash within weeks, and concerns that a carmaker collapse would erase tens of thousands of jobs and jolt an already bleak economy.

“Democrats and the Bush White House hoped the Senate would vote on the legislation as early as Thursday. But based on concerns raised by GOP senators – and a still-uncertain level of support even among Democrats – they had a lot of work to do.

“A leading Senate Republican opponent said Thursday that he cannot back spending $14 billion of taxpayer money on a plan that would call for a restructuring of the industry, but which fails to detail just how that would be accomplished…

“The measure’s murky outlook reflected the difficulty of approving another federal financial rescue on the heels of the deeply unpopular, $700 billion Wall Street bailout, as the clock ticks down on the current Congress and Bush’s influence is at a low ebb… Opposition wasn’t limited to Republicans… The automakers initially asked Congress for $25 billion, then returned two weeks later to plead for as much as $34 billion…”

Grim Outlook for US Economy

The following facts, as reported in the quoted article below, should serve as a wake-up call for those who didn’t or don’t expect the U.S. economy to face tough times ahead. Even the article’s use of words such as “unexpected” or “more than expected,” in relationship to bad developments within our economy, shows how little our financial experts are in touch with reality.

The Associated Press reported on December 11:

“New claims for jobless benefits rose more than expected last week, exceeding even gloomy expectations for an economy stuck in a recession that seems to be deepening… New jobless claims last week reached their highest level since November 1982, though the labor force has grown by about half since then… Also Thursday, the U.S. trade deficit rose unexpectedly in October as a spreading global recession dampened sales of U.S. products overseas…

“In just the first two months of the budget year that started Oct. 1, the budget deficit totaled $401.6 billion, nearly matching the record gap of $455 billion posted for all of last year… Economists expect the deficit will top $1 trillion in the current budget year, which would be a post-World War II high when measured as a percentage of the economy…

“The Labor Department said last week that employers cut a net total of 533,000 jobs in November and the unemployment rate reached 6.7 percent, a 15-year high. The rate would have been higher, except that more than 400,000 Americans gave up looking for a new job and weren’t counted in the labor force.

“Companies have eliminated a net total of 1.9 million jobs this year, and some economists project the total cuts could reach 3 million by the spring of 2010.”

Bleak Outlook for World Economy

The Telegraph wrote on December 9:

“Politicians must prepare themselves for the possibility that global economic growth shrinks for the first time since the Second World War, according to the World Bank. In comments which underline the scale of the international recession, the Washington-based institution said even as things stand growth next year will be the worst since comparable records began in 1970… The warning will be seen as a final blow for those who held out hope that some countries would be insulated from the recession…

“As the recession spreads far beyond the borders of the United States, both rich and poor countries will suffer a slump of unprecedented scale, the Bank said in its latest review of the world’s economic prospects. Global trade, the real engine of wealth generation, will contract for the first time since 1982. “

Cybersecurity One of Most Urgent National Security Problems

DailyTech wrote on December 9:

“A new report issued by the Center for Strategic and International Studies urges President-elect Barack Obama to create a new White House department aimed at protecting U.S. cyber interests from hackers and other foreign agents. ‘America’s failure to protect cyberspace is one of the most urgent national security problems facing the new administration that will take office in January 2009,’ the report states.  Cyber safety is ‘a battle fought mainly in the shadows.  It is a battle we are losing’…

“‘The United States must treat cybersecurity as one of the most important national security challenges it faces,’ according to the report… the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not been able to properly secure U.S. government computers from cyber attacks, and should no longer have the responsibility.  DHS isn’t suited to handle technology issues, as the agency uses ‘archaic’ methods that cannot keep up with new attacks.”

President Bush Confused About the Bible

The New York Times reported on December 8:

“President George W. Bush said his belief that God created the world is not incompatible with scientific proof of evolution… ‘I think you can have both… I think that God created the earth, created the world; I think the creation of the world is so mysterious it requires something as large as an [A]lmighty and I don’t think it’s incompatible with the scientific proof that there is evolution… I happen to believe that evolution doesn’t fully explain the mystery of life.’

“Interviewer Cynthia McFadden asked Bush if the Bible was literally true… ‘Probably not. … No, I’m not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it… the important lesson is “God sent a son”‘… The president also said that he prays to the same God as those with different religious beliefs.”

Tensions Are Mounting Between India and Pakistan

AFP wrote on December 9:

“Pakistan said Tuesday it would not hand over suspects in the Mumbai [formerly Bombay] terror strikes to India and warned that while it wanted peace with its neighbour, it was ready for war if New Delhi decided to attack.

“The remarks came as Indian police on Tuesday released the names of nine suspected gunmen killed in the carnage, reiterating that all of them came from Pakistan.

“Tensions have been mounting between the nuclear-armed neighbours after India said it was keeping all options open following last month’s attacks on its financial capital, where 172 people were killed and more than 300 wounded…

“Indian officials say the hardline Lashkar-e-Taiba group, which is based in Pakistan despite being banned by the government, is behind the bloodshed, and Indian media have suggested there could be Indian strikes on militant camps…

“The minister said India’s demands for the extradition of suspects in the Mumbai attacks were out of the question and that Pakistan, which has arrested 16 people since Saturday, would keep them on home soil…

“India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence from Britain and nearly came to a fourth in 2001 after an attack on the Indian parliament that was blamed on Lashkar-e-Taiba…”

Greece’s Worst Civil Unrest in Decades

Deutsche Welle reported on December 8:

“Rioting and protests over the shooting of a teenager by police continued to spread across Greece Monday, leaving authorities frustrated by their inability to stop the country’s worst civil unrest in decades…

“Hundreds of students, armed with fire bombs and stones, clashed with police and smashed storefronts in the northern port city of Thessaloniki on Monday while gangs of youths attacked police stations and government buildings in Athens. From the northern city of Veria to the central city of Trikala, students battled riot police who retaliated by firing tear gas. On Crete, gangs of high school students threw chairs, wood and rocks at security forces…

“Confrontations between protesters and police also broke out in Berlin, London and Cyprus as youths occupied Greek diplomatic missions… University professors [in Greece] meanwhile began a three-day walkout on Monday and tens of thousands of students refused… to attend classes, in protest.”

Der Spiegel Online described the situation in Greece on December 9 as the “Nightmare before Christmas.”

It added on December 11:

“As Greece entered its sixth day of unrest sparked by the police shooting of a 15-year-old boy, violence spread to other parts of Europe on Thursday. Solidarity protests in cities including Rome, Madrid and Copenhagen turned into skirmishes between demonstrators [mainly left-wing radicals] and police.”

Bible translations are most certainly the way we can understand the Word of God in our own language. The Bible offers proof of this fact, and it further reveals additional keys that will determine whether or not we have true understanding of what is written.

On the Day of Pentecost, miraculous events took place that included the giving of God’s Holy Spirit. Note what occurred:

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with OTHER TONGUES, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone HEARD THEM SPEAK IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, EACH IN OUR OWN LANGUAGE IN WHICH WE WERE BORN? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking IN OUR OWN TONGUES the wonderful works of God.’ So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘Whatever could this mean?’” (Acts 2:4-12).

What those assembled heard was the Gospel being preached. They heard the truth of God in their own language, and as the account shows, there were many who came from other countries and who spoke other languages.

The very fact that God caused this miracle in order to teach His truth also places great importance on the fact that people would be able to understand God’s Word as it was taught in their own native tongue.

Remember, it is God Who first caused a mixture of languages to be spoken (compare Genesis 11:7, 9).

At different times various disciples spoke in tongues (compare Acts 10:46; 19:6); that is, God supernaturally enabled them on those occasions to speak in another human tongue or language which they had not studied before. These miraculous occurrences served to reinforce what happened on the Day of Pentecost—that the Gospel would be able to be taught in all of the world and in all languages.

Paul had apparently studied many different languages and was able to speak and understand them (compare 1 Corinthians 14:18)—including Hebrew, the ancient language used by the religious leaders of Judah (compare Acts 21:37-40). However, he made a point of explaining that the spoken words should be easy to understand:

“There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me” (1 Corinthians 14:10-11).

At the present time, no original manuscripts of the Bible in either Hebrew or Greek are extant. Rather, we have faithfully preserved copies that have survived impossible odds over many, many centuries! None of the original writings from any of the writers of the New or Old Testament are available today. And, yet, we do have the Bible, and we have it, partly because it was translated into understandable languages.

An example is the Septuagint, a Greek translation from the Hebrew that was popular among Greek-speaking Jews around the time of Christ. It contains more books than the accepted Hebrew (Masoretic) text, but through careful scholarship, those have been classified as apocryphal and are not a part of the accepted books that comprise the Old Testament—at least, among translations that follow the pattern of those such as the Authorized or King James Version. One reason is that the apocrypha contradict the inspired and preserved Word of God–and God’s Word cannot and does not contain errors or contradictions (compare John 10:35).

Early Christians were more familiar with the Greek and Aramaic languages than that of Hebrew. The online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, in an article about the New Testament, points out: “The common languages spoken by both Jews and Gentiles in the Holy Land at the time of Jesus were Aramaic, Koine Greek, and to a limited extent a colloquial dialect of Mishnaic Hebrew. Despite this, it is generally believed that the original text of the New Testament was most likely written in Koine Greek, the vernacular dialect in 1st century Roman provinces of the Eastern Mediterranean, and later translated into other languages, most notably, Latin, Syriac, and Coptic.”

Bible translation has occupied entire lifetimes of countless individuals, and it has been the focus of various religious organizations as well as kings and governments. Translations available to us, today, fall into three general categories: (1.) a literal, word for word translation from the earliest known copies in Hebrew and Greek into modern languages–such as The Authorized Version and The New King James Bible; (2.) so called “thought for thought” translations, or, dynamic-equivalent versions, that focus on contemporary language usage in equivalent words and phrases–such as The New International Version; (3.) paraphrased editions that attempt to restate words and phrases with the introduction of added statements–such as The Living Bible.

While using all three types of translations when studying the Bible can be beneficial, only literally translated editions—such as the New King James Version (for English)—should be depended on for doctrinal clarity. But even they may contain errors due to inaccurate translations, and it is therefore necessary and important that a faithful minister of God explains and corrects such errors (compare Romans 10:14-15). Study Bibles providing added cross references and historical explanations along with Bible Dictionaries also are helpful aids and can be very useful.

Undoubtedly, our resources for Bible study are virtually unlimited. We have computer programs that make commentaries and the myriad of translations instantly accessible in a variety of languages. For example, www.searchgodsword.com along with www.e-sword.com and www.biblegateway.com are some of the sites that expand our ability to research the Word of God.

Yet for all of these remarkable resources, to truly understand the original meaning of Scripture, another dimension must be available to us!

We must stand in awe of the true Author of the Bible, for it is God Who has both inspired and then preserved His Word throughout man’s history. His Word also reveals the starting point for anyone who seeks to know about God and what He has written:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments” (Psalm 111:10).

Obedience to God is the unfaltering key that we must have if we really do want to understand. In addition, God decides WHEN to reveal certain aspects of His understanding:

Daniel was told by Michael, an archangel and spirit being of immense power and responsibility before God, to, “‘…Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end’” (Daniel 12:9). Daniel wrote what he saw, but, at that time, he didn’t understand—nor could he! (verse 8). Compare also Matthew 13:16-17 and Ephesians 3:8-12.

More is explained by Peter about the fact that the Word of God has been preserved to reveal God’s Will at the times of His choosing: “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ [which] was in them was indicating when [it] testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven–things which angels desire to look into” (1 Peter 1:10-12).

Please also note–in passing–that “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). Compare also Psalm 45:1.

In another example, we find that the disciples of Jesus Christ–those who had followed Him throughout His ministry–did not understand certain prophecies in the Old Testament about Christ until He opened their minds: ”And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45).

On the other hand, Peter testified at one time that Jesus was “‘…the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Matthew 16:16). How did he know? Jesus explained to him: “‘…Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father, who is in heaven’” (verse 17).

Paul understood that the record of God’s Word holds a tremendous purpose and that God is communicating to us through it: “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

In the book of Revelation, we find this explanation about the purpose of the Book: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:1-3).

Consider how few really do understand the book of Revelation or any of the books of the Bible! While estimates range into the billions of Bibles that have been printed and distributed all over the earth in all the major languages, still, understanding remains the issue, because people are not willing to obey what God says (compare John 7:17).

God can reveal His Will to you! He can do it through the voice of a true minister; through the example of a true follower of Christ; or, through His written Word—and even through words written about the Bible! To help you understand the momentous times we are now living in–called the “end of the age” in the Bible, please read our free booklet, titled, “Is That in the Bible?–The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

Lead Writers: Dave Harris and Norbert Link

US Contributions for 2008:

Donations and contributions received with letters postmarked in 2008 AND with enclosed written checks, dated in 2008, will be included in the detailed donation receipts for 2008. These receipts will be printed and sent out in mid-January of 2009. Cash contributions must also be received prior to January 1, 2009 (or, if sent by letter, the letter must be postmarked in 2008), in order to be included in the donation receipts for 2008. All contributions not falling into the categories described above will not be included in the donation receipts for 2008.

New StandingWatch programs and German translation:

A new StandingWatch program was posted on StandingWatch, Google Video and YouTube. It is titled, “No Christmas in the Early Church.” In the program, Norbert Link asks the following questions: Why did Christians fail to observe Christmas until the fourth century? Why did, at times, England and the USA outlaw Christmas celebrations? Why and when was December 25 chosen as the birthday of Christ? What does the Christmas tree have to do with the birth of Jesus? The answers might surprise and challenge you.

Norbert Link recorded a German version of the program on Christmas, which will be posted shortly on You Tube and our German Website, “AufPostenStehen.”

In addition, the new German translation of our booklet on Christmas was also posted on our German Website.

Recent comments from our StandingWatch viewers:

— Personally I take offense to people celebrating this pagan holiday and pretending that my Lord has anything to do with it. The word Christ means “anointed one or messiah”– now tell me how you can have an “anointed one” tree?

— We live in a blind and weak society. Blind because we refuse to see the truth, and weak because some see the truth and refuse to live by it.

— The origins of Christmas and other man-made holidays are so easy to find, but people really don’t want to know the truth. They would rather engage in holiday activities for the sheer entertainment and self-indulgence than adhere to God’s Word.