In his autobiography, volume 1, pages 299-300, Herbert W. Armstrong recounted a story from the late 1920’s of the head librarian of the technical and science department of a very large library. That librarian believed in the theory of evolution. “Mr. Armstrong,” she said, “you have an uncanny knack of getting right to the crux of a problem. Yes, I have to admit you have chopped down the trunk of the tree. You have robbed me of PROOF! But, Mr. Armstrong, I still have to go on believing in evolution… I am so STEEPED in it that I could not root it from my mind.”

That episode reminds me of the old saying that “there are none so blind as those who WON’T see.”

We can gasp at such an attitude, but can we be the same? At times, we can easily–far too easily–refuse to see or apply clear biblical instruction. Love covers all sins  (Proverbs 10:12), but we can disseminate gossip to the hurt of others. Love suffers long and is kind (1 Corinthians 13:4), but we can be unkind in our approach to others. We are told to bridle our tongue (James 1:26), but how often are we steeped in ingrained behavior so that we tolerate our own wrong actions?

The Bereans proved that which was so (Acts 17:11). This was a positive approach whereas, today, there are some who look at things in a negative way. They search the literature of others in order to expose “error” as they see it. Some can be self appointed “watchmen,” but Jesus gave us solid teaching about the plank and the speck (Matthew 7:3-5). When this is mentioned in sermons, letters, editorials, personal comments or in any other written form, there can be those who indulge in such activities–like the evolutionist–who continue in their ways. They are seemingly unable to see that it can apply to them (and indeed to all of us), and they refuse to root out such actions that are both unhelpful and sinful.  

Let us ALL see OUR shortcomings and failings in whatever areas they may be, and not be blind to their significance. Unfortunately, there may be those who read this Editorial who have a form of spiritual blindness or arrogance that may not allow them to see that they may be missing the mark.

The Church of God will be celebrating the Feast of Pentecost on Sunday, June 8. It was on the Day of Pentecost when God poured out His Spirit on the New Testament Church–God’s same Spirit that is available today to His called-out-ones. Let us make sure that we exercise God’s Spirit in our everyday lives and that the problems mentioned in this Editorial do not apply to us. And that the phrase “there are none so blind as those who WON’T see” simply does not describe us!

The USA Is in a Lonely Spot…

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 27:

“Reality has taught America a bitter lesson. Years after the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, the wars in those countries are still raging… The United States is in a lonely spot, even in the West. When Tony Blair resigned as British prime Minister, the US lost its last European vassal. In Asia, home to half the world’s population, America has many military bases but virtually no friends. To make matters worse, the weak dollar has made oil-rich Moscow and Tehran both strong and impudent.”

Shift in Global Power NOT in America’s Favor

The New York Times wrote on May 21:

“There has been much debate in this campaign about which of our enemies the next US president should deign to talk to. The real story, the next president may discover, though, is how few countries are waiting around for us to call. It is hard to remember a time when more shifts in the global balance of power are happening at once — with so few in America’s favor…

“[In] ‘The Post-American World,’ by Fareed Zakaria, the editor of Newsweek International, [the following is discussed:]

“Mr. Zakaria’s central thesis is that while the US still has many unique assets, ‘the rise of the rest’ — the Chinas, the Indias, the Brazils and even smaller nonstate actors — is creating a world where many other countries are slowly moving up to America’s level of economic clout and self-assertion, in every realm…”

None of this should surprise us. We have warned for decades that this development would come upon us. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America”

U.S. Housing Slump Continues to Deepen

The Associated Press reported on May 27:

“U.S. home prices dropped at the sharpest rate in two decades during the first quarter, a closely watched index showed Tuesday, a somber indication that the housing slump continues to deepen.

“Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller said its national home price index fell 14.1 percent in the first quarter compared with a year earlier, the lowest since its inception in 1988. The quarterly index covers all nine U.S. Census divisions.”

In a follow-up article, the Associated Press reported on the same day:

“Sales of new homes rose in April for the first time in six months although the unexpected increase still left activity near the lowest level in 17 years.

“The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that sales of new homes rose 3.3 percent in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 526,000 units. But the government revised March activity lower to show an even bigger drop of 11 percent to an annual rate of 509,000, which was the weakest pace for sales since April 1991…

“The Commerce report showed that the median price of a new home sold in April dropped to $246,100 in April, down 4.2 percent from April 2007… Many analysts don’t expect to see a rebound in prices until sometime next year.”

“USA Already In Recession”

On May 28, Der Spiegel Online published a revealing interview with US billionaire Warren Buffett. Buffett does not share the optimism of some regarding an alleged recent improvement of the U.S. economy. We are bringing you the following excerpts:

“I do believe that we are already in a recession. Maybe not according to the economists’ definition. That would require two consecutive quarters of negative growth. We haven’t reached that point yet. But people are already feeling the effects of the recession. It will be deeper and last longer than many believe.

“… the Germans know something about business. In fact, the strong euro works against Germany. But if an exporting nation like Germany is still strong, it proves that the supply and quality are right.”

The Associated Press reported on May 29:

“Consumers — whose spending is the economy’s lifeblood — are feeling the pressure from the economy’s problems. They increased spending at just a 1 percent pace in the first quarter. That was the slowest since the last recession in 2001. Consumers are pulling back as high energy and food prices leave them with less money to spend on other things. Falling home values are making many homeowners feel less wealthy and less inclined to spend. And, the credit crunch has made it harder to finance big-ticket purchases…

“Even if economic activity strengthens later this year, the unemployment rate — now at 5 percent — is expected to climb to 6 percent or higher early next year… An inflation measure linked to the GDP report showed that prices grew at a rate of 3.5 percent in the first quarter… Excluding food and energy prices, ‘core’ inflation increased at 2.1 percent pace in the first quarter… The core inflation figure… is still outside the Fed’s comfort zone. The upper level of the Fed’s inflation tolerance is 2 percent… Looking forward, inflation pressures could get worse given surging food and energy prices.”

No Freedom of Conscience for California County Clerks?

The Associated Press reported on May 20:

“The city attorney said Monday that county workers authorized to perform marriage ceremonies must be willing to conduct same-sex marriages under last week’s landmark court ruling, regardless of their personal views on homosexuality. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo said in similar letters to the Secretary of State and Los Angeles County Supervisors that any policy that would allow certain workers to conduct only marriages between a man and a woman would be inconsistent with Thursday’s state Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriages in California… ‘County clerks have no legal standing to grant county employees the authority or ability to choose which marriage they wish not to officiate at, based on their personal views or biases,’ he wrote.”

German Government Can’t Rule Effectively

More and more German newspapers and magazines admit now what we have stated from the outset in the pages of this weekly Update: That the German grand coalition under Angela Merkel is unable to rule effectively. Note the following article:

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 27:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government will limp on to the next general election in 2009 but is too divided to rule the country effectively… The Social Democrats’ decision on Monday to nominate political professor Gesine Schwan to challenge conservative President Horst Köhler in Germany’s presidential election next May (May 23, 2009) has angered Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and rammed another nail in the coffin of their grand coalition government…

“Merkel’s left-right government is unlikely to fall because neither party will dare to withdraw from the coalition and risk being blamed for its collapse. Both the Social Democrats (SPD) and the CDU know that German voters would punish the perceived culprit at the ballot box. Nevertheless, this government is now too weak and divided to take any major decisions in the remaining 16 months of its term, say commentators…

“The left-wing Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘The coalition crisis will remain absurd because neither the conservatives nor the SPD will dare to break it up. After all, they haven’t got any alternative coalition partners, and an early election can be ruled out because it would undermine the credibility of both parties if they dissolved parliament prematurely yet again. But this grand coalition won’t be taking any more major decisions. Or put another way: this government has turned into a non-government organization, with immediate effect… The grand coalition was no successful model for Germany…'”

Germany Without Leadership

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 27:

“Politically, Germany seems rudderless these days. The government and the ruling parties’ leaders are unable to get their projects through or no longer have any policies to agree on.

“… what is the grand coalition good for? What will it do with its remaining 18 months? The government only has two grand projects, a difficult budget and an even more difficult healthcare reform program. The government lacks the strength to tackle any more than that…”

High Gasoline Prices in Europe

Time magazine reported on May 28:

“American motorists are understandably grumbling over skyrocketing oil prices as the summer travel season approaches. But their pain hardly registers against the rage afoot in Europe these days. Fishermen, truck drivers, and farmers are threatening to bring entire economic sectors to a halt with protests against crippling fuel costs. The wave of angry action is expected to spread further across Europe in coming days, despite efforts by political leaders to feel the pain and figure out what, if anything, they can do to alleviate it.

“Strikes and blockades staged over the past three weeks by French fishermen spread this week to Spanish ports; Italy, Portugal, and Greece expect more of the same on Friday as mariners seek to force national governments to offset marine diesel prices, which have shot up by 40% since January. Single boat owners and entire trawler fleets face a real threat of bankruptcy…

“On Tuesday, hundreds of British truck drivers in London and Cardiff brought traffic to a crawl in a campaign to get their government to lower taxes on diesel fuel, which now costs over $11 per U.S. gallon (3.8 liters). Other businesses owners who rely heavily on gas use – including farmers, ambulance and taxi drivers, and private bus companies – have joined the protest movement or are preparing to do so.

“Those labor protests reflect the hit millions of Europeans are taking at the gas pump. As American drivers groan over prices nearing $4 a gallon, the French are paying $8.67 for a gallon of super, compared to $7.10 in January, 2007. A gallon of diesel in French gas stations averages $8.54, up from $5.35 just a year ago. And in the U.K. diesel costs $11.50 per gallon, compared to around $3.90 in the U.S. Across the European Union, the average cost of a gallon of gas runs to about $8.70 – more than twice what Americans are shelling out to fill ‘er up. And Europe’s dizzying fuel costs would be even worse if it weren’t for the considerable appreciation of the euro and the British pound against the dollar over the past year, which has partially off-set the price escalation in dollar-traded oil.

“One big reason for the difference is that European governments put a much higher tax burden on fuel than the U.S. does. State and federal taxes currently make up just 11% of the pump price in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration; in France and the U.K., taxes account for an average of around 70%.

“Given the growing chorus of angry protests, it isn’t surprising that leaders across Europe have begun scurrying for ways to provide some relief at the pump. But their margin for maneuver is limited. On Tuesday, for example, French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed suspending most value added tax (VAT) on gas, a measure he said would mean as much as $267 million in savings per quarter to those hit hardest by fuel price increases… But as Sarkozy himself acknowledged, no nation among the European Union’s 27 member states can make such a move without the unanimous approval of the others.”

How Europeans Would Vote in U.S. Presidential Election

The Telegraph reported on May 29:

“Senator Barack Obama emerged as Europe’s favourite candidate for America’s presidency today when a poll conducted for Telegraph.co.uk gave him 52 per cent support across five of the world’s richest nations, including Britain. John McCain, the presumed Republican nominee, received only 15 per cent of the vote in [an] unprecedented survey covering Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Russia.

“The poll also found a striking level of anti-American feeling in every country. A clear majority of Russians – 56 per cent – believe the US is a ‘force for evil’ in the world. In Britain, only 33 per cent see America as a ‘force for good’.

“Opinion towards America has become steadily more hostile throughout the presidency of George W Bush, with the Iraq war probably being the single most important factor. Mr Bush’s unpopularity appears to have rubbed off on Republican presidential candidates in general. This might explain why Mr McCain, a strong supporter of the Iraq war, is the least popular potential president in all the countries surveyed.

“Meanwhile, Mr Obama, the only consistent opponent of the Iraq war in the race for the presidency, commands a clear lead. He is especially popular in Italy, where a remarkable 70 per cent would vote for him if they could. In France, historically the European country with the strongest anti-American sentiment, 65 per cent would back Mr Obama. In Germany, the Democratic Senator would get 67 per cent of the vote – while Mr McCain would receive a derisory six per cent. Mr Obama appears to have made less of an impact in Britain than elsewhere in Europe. A relatively modest 49 per cent of Britons would vote for him, while 14 per cent would back Mr McCain – twice the totals favouring the Republican candidate in Germany or France.”

“Hezbollah Triumphs in Lebanon”

The Associated Press reported on May 26:

“Lebanon’s new president got a red carpet welcome Monday, but was quickly thrust into the political thicket as Hezbollah’s leader warned against any efforts to disarm his Iranian-backed guerrilla group. Sheik Hassan Nasrallah delivered his stern message after military bands and an honor guard saluted President Michel Suleiman on his first day on the job… The Shiite militant group has rejected demands it disarm, insisting its weapons are needed to protect Lebanon from Israel…

“Pro-Western political groups, which hold a small majority in parliament, have repeatedly called for a defense arrangement that would eventually integrate Hezbollah’s fighters and weapons into the national army. Hezbollah rejects the idea…”

Der Spiegel Online reported on May 29:

“A new civil war has been averted in Lebanon, and Israel and Syria are back at the negotiating table. But Hezbollah is stronger than ever, and its arsenal is brimming with weapons — partly because the United Nations monitoring program has failed…

“Hezbollah has further expanded its position as a state within a state… Hezbollah and its allies… are expected to receive 11 cabinet posts in the new government of national unity to be formed in Beirut. This bloc will be large enough to veto any cabinet decisions in the future. Most of all, the Qatar agreement allows Hezbollah to keep its weapons, a sensitive issue that all parties to the talks were quick to remove from the agenda…

“Various intelligence services have long been warning of Hezbollah’s regaining strength. Intelligence experts believe that the militia replenished, and even doubled, its arsenal after the summer war against Israel in 2006. Hezbollah is now believed to have 27,000 medium-range missiles, some of which could even reach Tel Aviv… The weapons were purchased with the help of funds from Iran and Syria. In 2007 alone, Hezbollah is believed to have received anti-tank weapons and rocket launchers worth $800 million (€516 million) from Tehran. The weapons were delivered overland through Syria.

“Observers consider it a foregone conclusion that [Hezbollah’s leader] Nasrallah is both capable and willing to engage in a new round of fighting with Israel. Political scientist Saad-Ghureib believes that it is not a question of if, but when, this could occur.”

“Unwinnable War in Afghanistan”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 29:

“Forty nations are embroiled in an unwinnable war in Afghanistan. Anyone who travels through the country with Western troops soon realizes that NATO forces would have to be increased tenfold for peace to be even a remote possibility.”

The article continued:

“Good days are in short supply in Afghanistan, a country at war — or involved in several wars, to be exact. There is constant fighting on many fronts, hard and soft. The newspapers, and there are many of them in Kabul now, serve up pages of chaotic images every day. Their reports are about bombs and drinking water, holy warriors and wheat prices, NATO air attacks and schoolbooks, kidnapped children, refugees and bandits.

“Almost seven years have passed since the overthrow of the Taliban regime, and in those seven years half of the world has tried to bring a better future and, most of all, peace to this new country, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. As part of the NATO military operation known as the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), 40 nations have 60,000 soldiers deployed in the country. There are 26 United Nations organizations in Afghanistan, and hundreds of private and government agencies are pumping money, materials and know-how into the country’s 34 provinces. But anyone seeking success stories or asking about failures will encounter reports that do not seem to be coming from the same country…

“There is no peace anywhere in Afghanistan, not even in the north, which officials repeatedly insist has been pacified… The United States and Europe have stumbled their way into a new type of international war, one in which all of today’s global and regional powers are involved…

“Since the fall of the Taliban regime almost seven years ago, the country’s opium harvest has been more abundant in almost each successive year. Last year, 93 percent of the heroin traded in the world came from Afghanistan… For fear of triggering hostility against foreign troops among the local population, the powers that be agreed early on that the Afghans would have sole responsibility for waging the drug war, with no NATO involvement whatsoever.”

And There WILL BE Earthquakes in Different Places…

On May 25, AFP wrote the following:

“A major quake such as the one that left at least 60,000 dead in southwestern China this month can trigger other earthquakes half way around the world, according to a study released Sunday… A team of geologists in the United States found that 12 out of 15 major quakes — registering a magnitude of 7.0 or higher — since 1990 generated surface waves that set off smaller seismic events in fault systems on distant continents… The terrible December 2004 mega-quake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, for example, provoked seismic events as far away as Alaska, California and Ecuador.

“There is a better than 95 percent likelihood that the earthquake rate in distant areas will be much higher in the immediate aftermath of a big quake than before or after, the study found. And while the seismic movements triggered by far away quakes were generally smaller — in the three-to-five magnitude range — there is no reason they could not be as big or bigger than the first.”

When the “Big One” Hits…

The Associated Press wrote on May 21:

“The ‘Big One,’ as earthquake scientists imagine it in a detailed, first-of-its-kind script, unzips California’s mighty San Andreas Fault north of the Mexican border. In less than two minutes, Los Angeles and its sprawling suburbs are shaking like a bowl of jelly. The jolt from the 7.8-magnitude temblor lasts for three minutes –15 times longer than the disastrous 1994 Northridge quake.

“Water and sewer pipes crack. Power fails. Part of major highways break. Some high-rise steel frame buildings and older concrete and brick structures collapse. Hospitals are swamped with 50,000 injured as all of Southern California reels from a blow on par with the Sept. 11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina: $200 billion in damage to the economy, and 1,800 dead. Only about 700 of those people are victims of building collapses. Many others are lost to the 1,600 fires burning across the region — too many for firefighters to tackle at once.

“A team of about 300 scientists, governments, first responders and industries worked for more than a year to create a realistic crisis scenario… The scenario is focused on the San Andreas Fault… [which] is the source of some of the largest earthquakes in state history, including the monstrous magnitude-7.8 quake that reduced San Francisco to ashes and killed 3,000 people in 1906…”

Even though these are frightening figures, it appears that they are far too conservative and optimistic. The reality will be MUCH grimmer–and who is to say that the earthquake which WILL hit Southern California in the not-too-distant future [and much sooner than 30 years from now] will not exceed a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale? The Bible predicts terrible calamities in the USA and around the world. Notice Jesus’ warning in Luke 21:11, 25-26:

“And there will be GREAT earthquakes in VARIOUS places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven… And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on earth DISTRESS OF NATIONS, with PERPLEXITY, the SEA AND THE WAVES ROARING; men’s hearts failing them from FEAR AND EXPECTATION of those things which ARE COMING on the earth, for the powers of the heavens WILL BE shaken.”

For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord“

The answer to this question might be quite surprising to some who have never heard the truth before. The fact is, a Roman soldier KILLED Christ by piercing His side with a spear. Notice what happened.

The following is excerpted from our free booklet, “Jesus Christ–A Great Mystery,” pages 78 and 79:

“How Did Christ Die?

“… Christ died by shedding His blood (Mark 14:24), and it is through His precious shed blood that we can be saved (1 Peter 1:18–19).

“When we read Matthew’s account, in the New King James Bible, we will not find exactly how Christ died. The reason is that this translation omits a crucial verse, at the end of Matthew 27:49. Several translations, as well as many old manuscripts, have retained this missing verse. For instance, verses 49 and 50 read in the Moffat translation: ‘But the others said, “Stop, let us see if Elijah does come to save him!” (Seizing a lance, another pricked [better, pierced] his side, and out came water and blood.) Jesus again uttered a loud scream, and gave up his spirit.’

“The Fenton Bible translates the missing verse as follows: ‘But another taking a spear pierced His side, when blood and water came out.’

“A.T. Robertson, Harmony of the Gospels, states in a footnote to Matthew 27:49: ‘Many ancient authorities add: And another took a spear and pierced his side, and there came out water and blood.’

“The Revised Standard Version, and the New Revised Standard Version, add the following footnote: ‘Other ancient authorities insert, And another took a spear and pierced his side, and out came water and blood.’

“The Vaticanus–a Greek New Testament written in the 300’s A.D.–contains the missing verse as well. It reads: ‘And another took a spear and pierced his side and there came forth water and blood.’ The Sinaiticus Codex also contains the verse, and so does the Codex Ephraemi. According to The Testament in Greek, by Wescott and Hort, published in 1896, the missing verse also appears in most Syrian, Egyptian, Armenian, Gothic, and Ethiopic translations. It also appears in Origen’s work [around 200 A.D.]. Walton’s Biblia Sacra Polyglotta, published in 1657, claims, in Vol. VI, on page 6 of the appendix, that this missing verse was still a marginal reading of the Greek text when the King James Version was made.”

Do we know WHY the inspired passage in Matthew 27:49 was deleted from the sacred text? The deletion occurred when a spurious version of the book of Matthew, which was allegedly written by Barnabas, was found, which did not include the passage in Matthew 27:49. Note the following excerpts from Westcott and Hort:

“In a letter partially preserved in Syriac… [Severus] mentions the reading [of the missing passage] as having been vigorously debated at Constantinople in connexion with the matter of the patriarch Macedonius, when the… [spurious] copy of… Matthew’s Gospel said to have been discovered in Cyprus with the body of… Barnabas in the reign of Zeno (?477) was consulted and found not to contain the sentence in question … at Constantinople the holy Gospels were by command of the emperor censored,” and the passage in question was deleted from the sacred text of the gospel according to Matthew.

Of course, no emperor–nor ANY MAN, for that purpose–has any divine authority to add to or delete from the Word of God. And so, God saw to it that the missing passage WAS preserved–and anyone with an open mind can read it today in its original form.

To continue with our quote from our booklet, “Jesus Christ–A Great Mystery“:

“We need to take note of an additional passage in John’s account. We read in John 19:32–34: ‘Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.’

“This Scripture, the way it is rendered, seems to say that the soldier pierced Christ’s side after He had already died. However, the word ‘pierced’ is in the aorist tense in the original Greek, designating a kind of action, not the time of action. It describes an action done at a single moment, and not continuously, but it does not tell us when the action takes place. Only the context can make this clear. Therefore, in John 19:34, the passage could also be correctly translated as, ‘But one of the soldiers HAD PIERCED His side with a spear.’ From the missing verse in Matthew 27:49, we know that John 19:34 has to be translated, in fact, in the past tense.”

There is, in addition, another possibility as to how to read this particular passage in John 19:30-34. It has been suggested that the original inspired ORDER of verses 30 – 34 was subsequently changed, and that the original reading of these verses was as follows:

“(30a) So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ (34) But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. (30b) And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. (31) Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. (32) Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. (33) But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.”

To conclude from our afore-mentioned booklet:

“Christ shed His blood and died when a soldier pierced His side… We also read, in Luke 2:34–35: ‘Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul ALSO), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”‘ Finally, Isaiah 53:5 prophesied about Christ: ‘But He was wounded [margin, pierced through] for our transgressions.’ The New Testament record confirms that this is how Christ died.”

Christ died when a soldier pierced His side with a spear. This fact is also confirmed in other passages in the Old and the New Testament. Zechariah 12:10, in referring to the return of Jesus Christ, elaborates on the importance of the exact nature of Christ’s death, stating: “… then they will look on Me whom they have pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”

Some might argue that the reference to Christ being pierced might apply just to His hands and feet. The fact that His hands and feet were pierced is most certainly included. Psalm 22:16, 18 gives the following prophecy regarding the suffering Christ: “They pierced My hands and My feet… They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”

However, the piercing includes much more, and is primarily describing the very nature and moment of His death–not only the time several hours before, when His crucifixion began. Christ CRIED out when the soldier pierced His side with the spear.

And so, we read in Revelation 1:7: “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

We are saddened to report that Paul Voss died peacefully at 2:30 am on Friday morning, May 23 (his 76th birthday), after battling with painful cancer for a while. Norbert and Johanna Link were able to visit with Paul in Oregon on Wednesday evening, as well as with his wife Joan and Paul’s family and all the brethren in Oregon. Norbert anointed Paul, praying that God would relieve him from his pain and suffering. Joan reports that after the anointing, Paul fell asleep, had apparently no more pain, and never woke up until he died.

We are planning a memorial service for Paul in or near San Diego, California, on Sunday, July 13. More details as to the exact time and place will be announced soon.

All our members were spared from the recent tornado in Colorado. However, the tornado did a lot of damage in the city of Windsor, 15 miles south or southeast of Fort Collins, where many of our members live. Its path took it just about 5 miles east of Fort Collins, as it moved toward the northwest. Its original path, as shown on the map, would have brought it right into Fort Collins, but it changed its path before reaching the city.

A new StandingWatch program (#167) has been posted on StandingWatch or Google Video or YouTube.

The program is titled, “Corrupt Communication–Why Not?” In the program, Norbert Link asks the question whether your language reveals your character. Do your words benefit or offend others? Do you blaspheme God with foul conversation? Are you using God’s name in vain? Do you know what words NOT to use in your daily talk?

Each of our recent StandingWatch programs, “Food Shortage in the USA” and “Coming–The Great Depression,” have been viewed more than 2,000 times on YouTube.

We realize that there are negative influences in our life that make our walk in the Way considerably more difficult. The problem is that this situation can be compounded by the fact that we do not accept responsibility for our own actions, but rather place blame where it does not belong.

We know that Satan is alive, active and doing everything possible to cause us to stumble. We also have others at large who can sway us in the wrong direction, whether intentionally or not. But what if the person we are looking at in the mirror is the only one at fault?  

One of the signs that we are sinning is when we blame others. If  we put the culpability on Satan and society and dismiss our own guilt, we will not be able to grow in the areas that are inhibiting us. We will continue to make the same type of errors, if not the same exact one.  

We should start looking inwardly first, before imputing sin elsewhere. We should ask God to open our eyes and show us the responsibility that lies with us. In order to move forward and “go on to perfection,” we must be ready and willing to accept our part–especially in our own wrongdoing.

War Profiteers–USA, Russia and Germany

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 16:

“According to a recent study, only the United States and Russia export more military goods than Germany — and the supposedly pacifist nation leads the EU in such sales. The rise in weapons profits is part of a global trend. Once one of the world’s most aggressive powers, Germany today likes to project a pacifist image. From the German army’s reluctance to fight abroad to a foreign policy that promotes peaceful intentions and global harmony, Germany regards itself as a model the world should follow.

“But a report released yesterday by the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC), a German think tank, reveals a different side of Germany’s relationship to war… Germany, it turns out, exports nearly a billion euros worth of military goods each year ($1.55 billion) to developing countries. In fact, the BICC estimates, Germany’s total defense sales in 2006 made it the world’s third largest arms exporter. ‘That makes Germany the European Union’s biggest military goods exporter…'”

Trouble for the Germans in Afghanistan

On May 19, Der Spiegel Online reported:

“German special forces had an important Taliban commander in their sights in Afghanistan. But he escaped — because the Germans were not authorized to use lethal force. The German government’s hands-tied approach to the war is causing friction with its NATO allies.”

The article continued:

“The Taliban commander is regarded as a brutal extremist with excellent connections to terror cells across the border in Pakistan… He is also thought to be behind one of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan’s history, the Nov. 6, 2007 attack on a sugar factory in the northwest province of Baghlan. The attack killed 79 people, including dozens of children and many parliamentarians and other politicians, as they celebrated the factory’s reopening.

“Germany’s KSK special forces have been charged with capturing the terrorist, in cooperation with the Afghan secret service organization NDS and the Afghan army… The dangerous terrorist escaped. It would, however, have been possible for the Germans to kill him — but the KSK were not authorized to do so.

“… even in a time of growing threats in Afghanistan, Berlin is sticking to its ‘principle of proportionality,’ stressed one high-ranking official in the Defense Ministry. A fugitive like the Baghlan bomber is not an aggressor and should not be shot unless necessary, the official explains. Soldiers from Britain’s British Special Air Service or the US’s Delta Force are less bothered about such hair-splitting. For them, this is a war in which it comes down to ‘kill or be killed,’ say sources in military circles in Kabul. The ‘targets’ are identified, tracked down and — often with the help of laser-guided weapons systems — ‘eliminated.’ The Germans have considerable misgivings about such an approach…

“The case of the Baghlan bomber is not the end of the story. More trouble has been brewing for the Germans in Afghanistan… The battalion will be relieving the Norwegian Quick Reaction Force in northern Afghanistan as of July 1. Then, at the latest, the Germans will be on the frontline.”

Germany is DESTINED to become the leading player within a United States of Europe; and as such, it WILL play a major MILITARY role on the world scene. However, this will not be good news. For further information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Germany and Iran–A Crazy Relationship

The Wall Street Journal wrote on May 15:

“[Germany’s] position toward Tehran seems to be at a crossroads. The ‘grand coalition’ government looks at Iran through different prisms. While Chancellor Angela Merkel argues for tougher sanctions if necessary to stop the Iranian bomb, Germany’s foreign policy establishment, including a key advisor to Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, preaches accommodation, even a ‘strategic partnership’ with Iran.

“The diplomatic dissonance is striking. In March, Ms. Merkel declared in what has been called a historic speech to the Israeli parliament that she won’t shy away from ‘using additional, tougher sanctions to convince Iran to stop its nuclear program.’ If we Europeans were to shrink from tougher sanctions, said the Christian-Democratic chancellor, ‘we would have neither understood our historical responsibilities nor developed an awareness of the challenges of our time.’ This clear statement was welcomed in Israel and the U.S.

“Not so in Germany itself. ‘Sanctions get us nowhere!’ countered Christoph Bertram in the weekly Der Spiegel last month. ‘Chancellor Angela Merkel should not back every Israeli warning of catastrophe.’ Mr. Bertram’s voice carries weight. He used to head the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London and later the German Foundation for Science and Politics, a think tank that advises the government and parliament on foreign policy. According to Mr. Bertram, the West must recognize ‘the immense advantage of a close and cooperative relationship with this country [Iran].’…

“Amid these politically uncertain times, business relations between the two countries are strong. After slowing between 2005-2007, German exports surged 13% in January. With Ä3.6 billion of goods going to Iran last year, backed by Ä500 million of export guarantees from Berlin, Germany is the world’s second largest exporter to Iran, and its products crucial for Iran’s economic survival… Germany is Iran’s No. 1 supplier of almost all types of machinery except for power systems and the building sector, where Italian manufacturers dominate the Iranian market…

“An unbridgeable gap lies between Ms. Merkel’s promise and the geopolitical approach of her domestic opponents, primarily among Social Democrats but also in her own party. While the German proponents of tougher sanctions seek an alliance with the West in order to confront Islamist terror, the ‘partner’ proposal implies a strategic alliance with Islamism and an estrangement — to say the least — from America and Israel.”

Germany’s Conscription Policy–Fundamentally Unfair

“A 21-year-old man has begun a hunger strike to protest his conscription into the army. The case throws the spotlight anew on Germany’s conscription policy, which many view as unfair. Mathias Schirmer, stationed at a Bundeswehr base in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pommerania, has refused to eat for a week, saying conscription is ‘not compatible with democracy and freedom as well as with human rights.’  

“According to the German Peace Society, Schirmer was ordered to report to the Bundeswehr on April 1. When he did not show up, he was picked up by military police and sent to a base in the town of Viereck in north-eastern Germany. But Schirmer refused to wear a uniform… He rejects both military service or civilian alternative service, which is an option for conscripts who do not want to serve in the armed forces. After 12 days of confinement to his quarters, Schirmer was sentenced to a further 21 days of detention. As his standpoint did not change, the military imposed a 21-day arrest sentence on him, which began on May 9. It was then that he began the hunger strike… The Bundeswehr has said releasing Schirmer from his duty can only be decided once his 21-day sentence is completed, or if ‘other circumstances’ arise… There is one other conscientious objector serving a sentence in Germany, although he is not on a hunger strike.

“The cases are likely to again raise the question of the fairness of Germany’s conscription program. For years, fewer then one-third of those of draft age are called into the armed forces. Calls regularly go out that the Bundeswehr should be converted into a voluntary, professional body. Most of Germany’s major NATO partners have done away with mandatory service. However, the federal government in Berlin has resisted calls to do away with conscription all together…”

For a short time, it seemed that Germany HAD learned a temporary lesson after it had caused the terrible devastation of World War II, PROHIBITING conscription in Germany. Later, however, under Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, that prohibition was lifted and, regrettably, a mandatory draft was instituted which remains in force and effect to this very day. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Should You Fight in War?” Also, make sure to read the next article, titled, “The Curse of War.”

The Curse of War

AFP wrote on May 16:

“Matthis Chiroux is the kind of young American US military recruiters love… Chiroux joined the army straight out of high school nearly six years ago, and worked his way up from private to sergeant. He served in Afghanistan, Germany, Japan, and the Philippines before he was honorably discharged and placed in the reserves.

“As a reservist, he was due to be deployed next month in Iraq. On Thursday, he refused to go. ‘I stand before you today with the strength and clarity and resolve to declare to the military, my government and the world that this soldier will not be deploying to Iraq,’ Chiroux said in the sun-filled rotunda of a congressional building in Washington. ‘My decision is based on my desire to no longer continue violating my core values to support an illegal and unconstitutional occupation… I refuse to participate in the Iraq occupation,’ he said, as a dozen veterans of the five-year-old Iraq war looked on…

“Former army sergeant Kristofer Goldsmith told the landmark hearing of ‘lawless murders, looting and the abuse of countless Iraqis.’ He spoke of the psychologically fragile men and women who return from Iraq to find little help or treatment offered from official circles… Some 300,000 of the 1.6 million US soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression or both, an independent study showed last month.

“A group of veterans in the packed hearing room gazed blankly as their comrades’ testimonies shattered the official version that the US effort in Iraq is succeeding. Almost to a man, the testifiers denounced serious flaws in the chain of command in Iraq.

“Luis Montalvan, a former army captain, accused high-ranking US officers of numerous failures in Iraq, including turning a blind eye to massive fraud on the part of US contractors. Ex-Marine Jason Lemieux told how a senior officer had altered a report he had written because it slammed US troops for using excessive force in the face of a feeble attack — they took four rounds of enemy fire. Goldsmith accused US officials of censorship.” 

“You Will Hear of Wars and Rumors of Wars…”

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 20:

“US President George W. Bush intends to attack Iran in the upcoming months, before the end of his term, Army Radio quoted a senior official in Jerusalem as saying Tuesday. The official claimed that a senior member of the president’s entourage, which concluded a trip to Israel last week, said during a closed meeting that Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were of the opinion that military action was called for.

“However, the official continued, ‘the hesitancy of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’ was preventing the administration from deciding to launch such an attack on the Islamic Republic, for the time being.

“The report stated that according to assessments in Israel, recent turmoil in Lebanon, where Hizbullah de facto established control of the country, was advancing an American attack. Bush, the officials said, opined that Hizbullah’s show of strength was evidence of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s growing influence. They said that according to Bush, ‘the disease must be treated – not its
symptoms.”

In a follow-up article, the magazine added on May 20:

“The White House on Tuesday flatly denied an Army Radio report that claimed US President George W. Bush intends to attack Iran before the end of his term. It said that while the military option had not been taken off the table, the administration preferred to resolve concerns about Iran’s push for a nuclear weapon ‘through peaceful diplomatic means.'”

Lebanon Braces for War

Time Magazine wrote on May 20:

“Almost as soon as Lebanon’s leaders boarded planes for Qatar on Friday for talks to resolve their most dangerous political showdown since the end of the civil war, the Lebanese took a collective sigh of relief. Not because anyone thinks that peace is about to break out, but because Lebanon is arguably safer as long as most of the top men are out of town…

“Unfortunately for the Lebanese, their leaders are almost certainly coming back soon, and probably without a workable agreement. That’s because 18 months into the stalemate between the U.S. and Saudi-backed government, on the one hand, and the Syrian and Iranian supported opposition on the other, the differences between the two camps appear to be irreconcilable for now…

“With a vacuum in government – a new president is yet to be elected – the streets are reasserting themselves. Already the country is dividing up neighborhood-by-neighborhood, town-by-town, with gangs forming to protect their turf and screen outsiders. Unable to confront Hizballah directly, Sunni gangs may be tempted to seek revenge on Shi’ite civilians. Al-Qaeda-inspired groups are clamoring to come to Lebanon and kill Shi’ites, just as they have done in Iraq…”

How Burma’s Military Junta Blackmails the Submissive West

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 15:

“The stubbornness of Burma’s military junta puts the West into a hopeless situation. If the international community wants to provide relief to victims of Cyclone Nargis, then it has to play by the regime’s rules. But the West’s submissiveness sends a dangerous signal to despots everywhere.”

The article continued:

“Everyone wants to help. And everyone needs to help, if thousands more deaths from disease and hunger are to be prevented. But nobody is able to help — at least as long as the regime does not want them to. Support for the victims of the disaster can only take place in cooperation with the junta, not in opposition to it. That’s something that Burma’s military rulers have made abundantly clear to the world… Burmese generals are able to dictate the conditions under which aid can be given…

“US first lady Laura Bush and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner expressed themselves with strong words at the beginning of the crisis. Now Western diplomats are expressing an equally strong submissiveness. ‘We cannot make any more criticisms,’ says one Western diplomat, who preferred not to be identified. ‘If we did so, the door through which further relief supplies to the cyclone victims must past could slam shut.’… So no criticism of the junta, then. No critical words about a police state, where citizens are always put in second place — even after a devastating cyclone, in which, according to the latest estimates, as many as 250,000 people may have died…

“If many people’s lives are at risks, then criticizing the government becomes taboo: This is the uncomfortable subtext of the new soft Burma policy. It is also an all-too-reassuring signal to despots everywhere. It appears possible that the regime will now be given carte blanche for as long as the victims’ situation remains precarious. However one should not forget that it was precisely the mismanagement by the Burmese junta that greatly aggravated the crisis situation in the Irrawaddy Delta…

“The administration of US President George W. Bush may have taken a hard line on Burma in the past. But now it is taking a strikingly passive stance… The Germans have not done much better.”

Vladimir Putin–The New Russian Tsar

The Daily Mail wrote on May 17:

“As ex-President Putin settles in to his new role as Prime Minister, he has every reason to congratulate himself. After all, he has not only written the script for his constitutional coup d’etat, but staged the play and given himself the starring role as well. Of course, he has given a walk-on role to Dmitry Medvedev, his personally anointed successor.

“But the transfer of power from Putin to his Little Sir Echo, Medvedev, and the show of military strength with those soldiers and clapped-out missiles in Red Square on Victory Day which followed it last week, made it clear who is really in charge. No decision of any significance for the Russian people or the rest of us will be made in the foreseeable future without the say – so of Medvedev’s unsmiling master…

“Despite the fact that Putin’s Russia is increasingly autocratic and irredeemably corrupt, the man himself – their born-again Tsar – is overwhelmingly regarded as the answer to the nation’s prayers. Russia has a bloody and tormented history. Its centuries of suffering – its brutalities, its wars and revolutions, culminating in the collapse of communism and the anarchic buffoonery of the Yeltsin years – have taken a terrible psychological toll. Cynicism and fatalism which eat away at the human psyche have wormed their way into the very DNA of the Russian soul. In a nation that has not tasted and – with very few exceptions – does not expect or demand justice or freedom, all that matters is stability and security. And, to a degree, Putin has delivered these twin blessings. But the price has been exorbitant…

“An autocratic and resurgent Russia that feels bruised and threatened is an unstable beast. The Kremlin’s growing rapprochement with Beijing (the adversaries of a generation ago are now not only major trading partners, but conduct joint military exercises) shifts the balance of power in the world. And as life on earth becomes less and less secure, with evermore people competing for a dwindling supply of vital resources, Russia, as an energy giant, is once again a big player on the world stage. Make no mistake, we are in for a very bumpy ride.”

Catholic Church Must “Evangelize,” Pope Says

Zenit wrote in May 18:

“The evangelizing mission of the Church remains ‘urgent and necessary,’ Benedict XVI told members of the general assembly of the Pontifical Missionary Works… he reaffirmed that ‘the whole Church is missionary by nature’ and that ‘mission regards all Christians.’… [He] invited every local Church to collaborate with other Churches, becoming the interpreter of a ‘mission of communion.’ ‘… Mission is a duty about which one must say “Woe to me if I do not evangelize” (1 Corinthians 9:16),’ the Pope added, citing the words of the Apostle Paul…”

Will the Adoration of “the Virgin Mary” Unite Catholics and Protestants?

Catholic.Net reported the following in its February-March 2008 edition:

“When Anglicans and Catholics agreed in May 2005 that Marian dogmas were consonant with Scripture, few guessed the accord would signal a veritable Marian regeneration. Yet, in the nearly three years that have followed, the increasing acceptance of Mary among Christians has been witnessed in everything from theology to pop culture… Mary’s inspiration has been most spectacular, however, in the process of conversion.

“In a move that amazed evangelical Protestants and Catholics alike, and continues to rock Christian blogs, Francis Beckwith resigned his high-profile post as president of the Evangelical Theological Society, revealing that he was returning to full communion with the Catholic Church… ‘Many Protestants are asking: Can we honor Mary in a way that’s not so adoring as Catholics but acknowledges that she was the greatest Christian?’ he said… ‘The necessity of the Immaculate Conception protects the Church from second-guessing Christ’s divinity and humanity; it protects us against Docetism and Arianism. Evangelicals are realizing this’… Protestants have returned to the Church Fathers with renewed vigor to understand the devotion proper to Mary.”

The Bible prophesies that most Christian denominations WILL unite with the Roman Catholic Church. They will adopt Roman Catholic teaching, and they will acknowledge the pope as their spiritual leader. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.” Also, note the next article on Pastor Hagee’s apology to the Catholic Church.

Hagee Apologizes for Anti-Catholic Remarks

The Associated Press reported on May 13:

“John Hagee, an influential Texas televangelist who endorsed John McCain, apologized to Catholics Tuesday for his stinging criticism of the Roman Catholic Church and for having ’emphasized the darkest chapters in the history of Catholic and Protestant relations with the Jews.’

“Hagee’s support for McCain has drawn cries of outrage from some Catholic leaders who have called on McCain to reject Hagee’s endorsement. The likely Republican nominee has said he does not agree with some of Hagee’s past comments, but did not reject his support. In a letter to William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights, Hagee wrote: ‘Out of a desire to advance a greater unity among Catholics and evangelicals in promoting the common good, I want to express my deep regret for any comments that Catholics have found hurtful.’…

“Hagee has cited the Inquisition and the Crusades as evidence of anti-Semitism within the Catholic church and has suggested that Catholic anti-Semitism shaped Adolf Hitler’s views of Jews. ‘In my zeal to oppose anti-Semitism and bigotry in all its ugly forms, I have often emphasized the darkest chapters in the history of Catholics and Protestant relations with the Jews,'” Hagee wrote. ‘In the process, I may have contributed to the mistaken impression that the anti-Jewish violence of the Crusades and the Inquisition defines the Catholic Church. It most certainly does not.”

“Hagee has often made references to ‘the apostate church’ and the ‘great whore,’ terms that Catholics say are slurs aimed at the Roman Catholic Church. In his letter, Hagee said he now better understood that the Book of Revelation’s reference to the Catholic Church as ‘the apostate church’ and the ‘great whore’ are ‘a rhetorical device long employed in anti-Catholic literature and commentary.’ He stressed that in his use, ‘neither of these phrases can be synonymous with the Catholic Church.’…

“In a statement posted in the Catholic League’s Web site, Donohue added: ‘What Hagee has done takes courage and quite frankly I never expected him to demonstrate such sensitivity to our concerns.'”

Frankenstein in the Making…

Times On Line wrote on May 19:

“British scientists will be allowed to research devastating diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s using human-animal embryos, after the House of Commons tonight rejected a ban.

“An amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill that would have outlawed the creation of ‘human admixed embryos’ for medical research was defeated in a free vote by a majority of 160… A second amendment, that would have banned the creation… of ‘true hybrids’ made by fertilising an animal egg with human sperm, or vice-versa, was also defeated by a majority of 63.”

Gay Marriages–A Blessing or a Curse?

AFP reported on May 17:

“California’s Supreme Court quashed a ban on gay marriage in a historic ruling here Thursday, effectively leaving same-sex couples in America’s most populous state free to tie the knot. In an opinion that analysts say could have nationwide implications for the issue, the seven-member panel voted 4-3 in favor of plaintiffs who argued that restricting marriage to men and women was discriminatory. ‘Limiting the designation of marriage to a union “between a man and a woman” is unconstitutional and must be stricken from the statute,’ California Chief Justice Ron George said in the written opinion…

“Legal analysts say Thursday’s court ruling could have wide-ranging implications for other US states, noting the California Supreme Court’s history of landmark rulings. ‘The California Supreme Court’s example is often emulated and it often is sort of a groundbreaker,’ said David Cruz, a law professor at the University of Southern California and an expert in constitutional law. ‘In the 20th century California was the first state to strike down laws against inter-racial marriage. They did that 19 years before the US Supreme Court got around to it.'”

Reuters added on May 17:

“As gay and lesbian couples made plans to marry, activists opposed to the California Supreme Court’s decision legalizing same-sex marriage said on Friday they would escalate efforts for a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to heterosexuals. An amendment to the state constitution would override Thursday’s decision, which superseded state laws from 1977 and 2000 that defined marriage as a union between a man and woman. Californians could vote in November on an amendment cementing that definition in the state constitution.”

An appalling article and “commentary” was published on May 18 by Erica Jung on the left-liberal Website of HuffingtonPost.com, stating:

“I’ve never understood the objection to gay marriage… In the past, gay people had to adopt their lovers to leave them their goodies… All sorts of legal mumbo-jumbo was required because marriage was forbidden. And why? Because a BIGOTED OLD BIBLE SEEMED TO IMPLY that God made Adam and Eve — not Adam and Steve — as the anti-gay faction likes to say.

“I’ve often found that gay people are better at marriage than straight people. They don’t get all bent out of shape about sex for sex’s sake. At least this is true for gay men. And they don’t run to bust up a perfectly cozy union because one member of the couple — or both — has a fling. Some couples are faithful and some not. And they seem to practice this without the territoriality and hypocrisy of mixed-sex couples. Actually, THEY SHOULD BE OUR ROLE MODELS IN MARRIAGE. They take it far more seriously than straight people — perhaps because it was forbidden for so long.

“So hurrah for California and Massachusetts. Let’s hope the anti-gay lunatic fringe eventually sees GAY MARRIAGE IS A BLESSING not a curse. It certainly PROMOTES STABILITY AND FAMILY. AND IT’S CERTAINLY GOOD FOR KIDS.”

Of course, in our liberal Western society, it has become increasingly unpopular to uphold the STANDARDS OF THE BIBLE. It is much safer and acceptable to embrace opinions like the one above. But let us ask this question: What has our nation come to when unbiblical and ungodly opinions like the one quoted above become accepted? The Bible calls marriage a blessing and condemns sexual relationships outside the sanctity of marriage. The Apostle Paul said very clearly that no practicing homosexual will inherit the Kingdom of God! No left-winged liberal commentator, calling good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20), will change the mind of Almighty God.

No wonder that the Bible has this to say about our modern western societies, and especially the United States of America, Canada and Great Britain:

“Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked Him to anger… They have turned away backward… The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints… Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good…” (Isaiah 1:4-5, 16-17).

If you want to learn the TRUTH of God in this matter, rather than the human philosophy of misguided commentators, newspaper reporters and newscasters, politicians, sociologists, lawyers and judges, please read our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families.”

Philippians 1:12-18 reads, in context:

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ EVEN FROM ENVY AND STRIFE, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ FROM SELFISH AMBITION, NOT SINCERELY, supposing to add infliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether IN PRETENSE or in truth, CHRIST IS PREACHED; and in this I REJOICE, YES, AND WILL REJOICE.”

We see from the context of the passage that the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ was preached even by those who did so with improper motives. Paul did not address a situation when a false Christ or a false gospel was preached. He pronounced a CURSE on all those who did or would be doing so (Galatians 1:6-9; compare 2 Corinthians 11:4). Here, ministers preached the truth–but some preached the truth with improper motives!

WHY did Paul rejoice, then? He did NOT rejoice over the fact that those ministers had improper motives–but he DID rejoice that the true gospel was preached. There is a FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE: The preaching of the gospel helped OTHERS, who heard the truth–but it did NOT help those ministers who preached “from selfish ambition” and “in pretense.”

Some–if not many–ministers in the modern Church of God did preach the gospel to others at one time, but they did NOT do so with a true and sincere heart. They might have acted in that way as part of their job description with their human organization–acting within the course and scope of their employment–to secure or maintain a paying job and/or to just gain prestige within the Church. But when the time of trial and testing came, they failed miserably, leaving the truth behind and adopting error and apostasy (compare 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Timothy 4:3-4)–again sometimes in order to maintain their job or their “position.” They were not sincere to begin with–they were mere hirelings (compare John 10:11-13). Sadly, this is still true today for some. There are those who taught the truth; subsequently adopted error and taught heresy; lost their job with their employer who propagated such apostasy; had a sudden “awakening”; got employed by another Church organization; and “rediscovered” the truth which they are now teaching. BUT, is it wrong to ask: HOW SINCERE were they then, and HOW SINCERE are they now?

What we have been observing in recent years in the Church of God is not different from what Paul is describing in the first chapter of the letter to the Philippians. Yes, as Paul rejoiced then, so we should rejoice today when the truth is being preached–but this does NOT in any way exculpate or justify those who preach the truth with IMPROPER motives.

The Life Application Bible explains Philippians 1 as follows:

“Paul had an amazingly selfless attitude. He knew that some were preaching to build their own reputations, taking advantage of Paul’s imprisonment to try to make a name for themselves. Regardless of the motives of these preachers, Paul rejoiced that the gospel was being preached. Some Christians serve for the wrong reasons. Paul wouldn’t condone, nor does God excuse, their motives, but we should be glad if God uses their message regardless of their motives.”

The Nelson Study Bible adds:

“Those preaching from envy and strife were not heretics… But apparently they were jealous of the attention Paul received, and they determined to sow seeds of dissension in order to cause him trouble.”

Note, too, the following comments from John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible:

“… [These ministers did not act because] of ‘envy’ to Christ, whom they preached, but of envy to the apostle; they envied his gifts, his usefulness and success in the ministry; and he being now in bonds, they thought it a proper opportunity to exert themselves… hoping they should meet with the same success, and gain great honour and applause in the church…”

Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible elaborates:

“It would seem… there was a party which was jealous of the influence of Paul, and which supposed that this was a good opportunity to diminish his influence, and to strengthen their own cause…”

The commentary of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown agrees, stating:

“Some indeed [were] preaching Christ even for envy, that is, to carry out the envy which they felt towards Paul… they wished through envy to transfer the credit of its progress from him to themselves.”

Finally, The Broadman Bible Commentary gives the following succinct explanation:

“There is no hint that Paul’s rivals were considered heretical… in question was not the soundness of their gospel but their motives. These may have been jealous of the attention given Paul, even as a prisoner… Presumably Paul’s opponents thought that their success would afflict Paul by making him jealous. To the contrary, Paul could rejoice that they at least proclaimed Christ, even if for unworthy motives. This is not to discount the importance of motive, but it is to recognize that the gospel has its own power even when proclaimed by people lacking in motive and character.”

Jesus Christ faced a very similar kind of issue during His ministry. He constantly warned about the approach of the scribes and Pharisees; however, He also recognized that they were fulfilling a role for which God would hold them accountable:

“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).

The preaching of those ministers of Paul’s day might in fact have helped others—but it did not do THEM any good. The same can be said today. True ministers of God must preach the gospel and feed the flock with a pure and clean heart–their motives must be sincere and in furtherance of the Will of God. Ministers are not to look for prestige and human glory; they are not to embrace titles that are reserved for God; or which they are not qualified to possess. Still, if and when the truth is preached, we should rejoice–but we should not, even in our minds, justify their wrong motives and REASONS for preaching the gospel–including such motives as pride, self-aggrandizement, envy towards others, recognition within the Church or community; or the desire for a position and a well-paid job.

For more information and further discussion on Philippians 1 and related passages, please watch our recent sermon, which is posted on Google Video, titled, “Envy – A Deadly Poison”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Norbert and Johanna Link  traveled to Portland, Oregon, this week to visit brethren in the area. Long time member and deacon, Paul Voss, is suffering from terminal cancer, and the Links were able to visit the Voss family. The health of Mr. Voss is extremely fragile, and prayers on his behalf as well as for his family are deeply appreciated.

This is a brief report regarding our Internet advertisement campaign in the USA. We have sent out so far in excess of 80 copies of our booklet on “Human Suffering;” over 35 copies of our booklet on “The Mysteries of the Bible,” and over 95 copies of our booklet on “And Lawlessness Will Abound.” Over 70 people requested to be placed on our email list for receipt of our weekly Update.

The following video-recorded sermon by Norbert Link has been posted on Google Video:

Bible Study: Envy–A Deadly Poison (May 17, 2008)

Eric and Shana Rank are happy to announce the birth of their second son, Nolan Sterling Rank. Nolan was born on May 19th, 2008 at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, CO without complication. The Rank family is currently home and enjoying the warmth and glee of a newborn child.

On Saturday, May 17, 2008, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Envy–A Deadly Poison.”
    
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
    
This is to remind everyone that the 2nd Passover falls on Sunday evening, May 18, 2008. As Numbers 9:1-14 explains, it is for those baptized members of the Church who were prevented, due to extraordinary unforeseen circumstances, from participating in the first Passover which was held one month (30 days) earlier (on Friday evening, April 18, 2008).

Especially children seem to possess an inner curiosity as to how things work or function. I think God built into all of us a desire to want to know. For example, we might wonder, how does the relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ work, and why does it run so smoothly?  What makes that relationship work is the fact that Christ willingly, not grudgingly or by coercion, submits to the authority of the Father. Even as a human being, He submitted His will to the will of the Father (Matthew 26:42).
    
There has never been a conflict between the Father and the Son because Christ knows that the dictates from the Father are based on love for the good of others. Christ’s conviction gives Him total peace of mind  and confidence. We must have that same kind of conviction, even if we sometimes do not fully understand some of the trials and tests we go through.
    
There are currently scatterings amongst the churches of God, which are not caused by God–yet they are allowed by God. The Church is not a corporate entity but a spiritual organism. When God’s Spirit dwells in begotten members of the God Family, they are true converted Christians–and we believe that there are true Christians within the various corporate organizations. Some groups erroneously and quite foolishly claim that only they comprise the Body of Christ. This arrogant and divisive position is totally contradicted in Scripture.
    
In spite of all this, there are some, claiming to be Spirit-begotten members of the God Family, who will not come under the authority of Church government which God placed in His Church (compare Ephesians 4:11).  Their mindset is like this: “I will submit to no man.” They think they are spiritually mature and no longer in need of the ministry to tell them anything. Yet God works through His faithful ministers for the benefit of the members (Ephesians 4:13).
    
Postulating their belief in “individual Christianity,” they don’t realize that by separating themselves from the trunk of the tree and becoming independent, they drift away and are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. They suffer from self-aggrandizement and have become prey for their adversary, the devil, who loves to divide and conquer.
    
God tells us that iron sharpens iron, yet they believe they are spiritually strong enough to sharpen themselves. This is a dangerous condition to drift into. Those who do firmly stick to the trunk of the tree and do not neglect assembling on the Sabbath with members of the Church, continue to grow in grace and knowledge and spiritual understanding of Jesus Christ, the HEAD of the Church.
    
The truth of the matter is that if we want things to work out for us spiritually, we have to willingly submit now at this time to the authority of the faithful ministry in the Church of God.  If we fail to do so now, how can we be entrusted to be submissive to Christ and the Father in the Millennium and then on throughout eternity?
    
God does things in steps. We are physical now, but it is our potential to become spirit beings in the near future. If we submit now in the flesh, we will submit in the future in the spirit. Some self-willed individuals may disagree with this concept, but that’s how it works; how it has always worked; and how it will work for all eternity.

Israel Celebrates 60 Years

With much fanfare, the state of Israel has this week marked its 60th year of existence as a nation. However, the enemies of Israel continue to threaten this small nation. The Associated Press stated in an article on May 13 the following:

“Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that Israel is dying and that its 60th anniversary celebrations are an attempt to prevent its ‘annihilation.’

“He spoke hours after President Bush arrived in Israel for the anniversary celebrations.

“‘The Zionist (Israeli) regime is dying,’ said Ahmadinejad during a speech in northern Iran. ‘The criminals assume that by holding celebrations … they can save the sinister Zionist regime from death and annihilation.'”

Coinciding with the arrival of US president, George Bush, Palestinians remained defiant. Reuters, May 15, 2008, ran this headline: “Palestinians mark Israel’s 60th angry and split.” The article commented about the angry mood of Israel’s waring neighbors:

“Protests highlighted the plight of Palestinian refugees and their descendants, 4.5 million of whom now live in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, or further afield, many in grim camps.

“In Ramallah, school children walked the flag-lined streets in black t-shirts that read ‘1948’ on the back and ‘Not for Sale’ on the front. Some held old, rusty metal keys of homes their families were expelled from or fled.

“Thousands of black balloons, denoting each day since Israel was established on May 15, 1948, were released above the West Bank. Organisers hope they will darken the sky over Jerusalem for Bush, who will mark the Jewish state’s founding with a congratulatory speech to parliament.”

Bush’s Middle East Prophecy?

President Bush may have inadvertently made statements in line with Bible prophecy on his most recent trip to Israel to celebrate the 6oth anniversary of the state.

Bloomberg (5/15/08) stated, “President George W. Bush said the Palestinians ‘will have the homeland they have long dreamed of’ — without saying when — in a speech to Israel’s parliament prophesying a peaceful Middle East 60 years from now.

“Bush gave no timeframe for the establishment of such a state, which earlier in his presidency he pledged would be born before he leaves office next January.

“Focused on the distant future rather than the current state of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, Bush predicted in the next 60 years, a new Middle East will take shape that will be ‘characterized by a new period of tolerance and integration.'”

We are definitely looking forward to the time when peace will come to the Middle East…hopefully it will be much sooner than 60 years and it will come in a manner other than outlined by man.  For more information on the developments soon to happen, have a look at our booklet entitled, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord” which addresses this and other related subjects.

Coming–A European Army

The EUObserver reported on May 8:
    
“Germany’s foreign minister [and possibly the Social Democratic Party’s candidate for the next German Chancellor] Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has indicated he would like to see a European army established… German daily Tagespiegel reported Mr Steinmeier as referring to the fact that the EU’s new treaty, currently undergoing ratification across the European Union, allows for the possibility of a group of member states to ‘move ahead’ in defence policy. He noted that from Berlin’s point of view, France is the key partner for this. Mr Steinmeier said he had already spoken with his French counterpart, Bernard Kouchner, on concrete steps to improve common areas in the military field… The end result of a consolidation of military capacities must be a European army, said Mr Steinmeier…

“At the same conference, other leading politicians from the Social Democratic party – which currently forms part of the governing coalition with the Christian Democrats in Germany – also spoke out in favour of the idea. Former defence minister and head of the SPD group Peter Struck said: ‘There will still be opposition to the idea of a European army as there once was against the single currency, the euro…’

“The German politicians’ comments appear to be in line with the views of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has in the past made several statements on the need for common European defence. The French president has more recently not been so vocal on the issue. This is being seen as a deliberate ploy not to upset the EU treaty ratification process, particularly in neutral Ireland – the only country to have a referendum on the charter and where military issues are highly sensitive with the electorate… But Mr Sarkozy is expected to return to the issue in the second half of this year, during his stint at the EU helm.

“The EU treaty, which has to be ratified by all 27 countries to come into force, allows for a group of member states who are politically willing to go forward to structured cooperation in defence.”

Deutsche Welle added on May 8:
    
“In today’s world, many believe, an EU military force can tackle problems national armies cannot… The SPD laid out its arguments for a common armed force and its suggestions toward moving its military in the same direction that Europe did with its currency. Money is one principle reason for the move, proponents of a joint fighting force say, adding that running 27 different militaries with 27 different sets of equipment represents an enormous waste of resources… the 27 members of the European Union spent 201 billion euros ($308 billion) on defense in 2007, second only to the 491 billion euros spent by the United States. However, the cumulative effect of these expenditures is lessened because of the duplication of capacities in individual national militaries… The European army has a good deal of support among German and European leaders.”
    
Many may not think that a European Army could be a problem. And from a human standpoint, a concerted unified fight against terrorism may sound feasible. However, the future of the world looks grim, once Europe is fully united. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Successful Ecumenical Dialogue Continues

VIS reported on May 9:
    
“This morning the Pope received… Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. He then met with the bishops in the patriarch’s delegation who were from many diverse countries. At noon in the Clementine Hall, the [pope] presided over the celebration of the Middle Hour (hora media), which was attended by Karekin II,  the Armenian bishops, and a group of faithful apostolic Armenians from a number of countries in the East and West… Benedict XVI emphasized that in ecumenical dialogue ‘important progress has been made in clarifying the doctrinal controversies that have traditionally divided us, particularly over questions of Christology. During the last five years, much has been achieved by the Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, of which the Catholicosate of All Armenians is a full member’… [The pope] added that ‘we pray that its activity will bring us closer to full and visible communion, and that the day will come when our unity in faith makes possible a common celebration of the Eucharist…'”
    
Why does this cause concern–or does it? Isn’t ecumenical dialogue and religious unification something to be desired? Humanly speaking, perhaps–but God does not see like man sees. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Deadly Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease in China

CNN reported on May 9:
    
“The death toll from China’s outbreak of hand-foot-mouth disease has risen to 32 — all of them children… Authorities reported 24,934 cases of the disease on Thursday — a 25 percent increase from a day earlier. The official count of infections has increased dramatically in recent days, since an order issued late last week by the Ministry of Health mandating that all cases be reported… The deaths are blamed on enterovirus 71, or EV-71, one of the most common causes of HFMD… HFMD is not related to foot-and-mouth disease, which affects farm animals. HFMD can be caused by a number of intestinal viruses, of which EV-71 and Coxsackie A16 are among the most common.

“In mild cases, EV-71 causes cold-like symptoms, diarrhea, and sores on the hands, feet and mouth. Severe cases can cause fluid to accumulate on the brain, resulting in polio-like paralysis and death. There is NO TREATMENT for severe EV-71 infections NOR DOES A VACCINE EXIST. Adults with well-developed immune systems can usually fend off the virus, but children are particularly vulnerable to it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Public health officials expect the number of cases to peak this summer, since the disease thrives in warm weather. The virus is a concern for Chinese officials as the nation prepares to host the Summer Olympic Games starting August 8. A large outbreak of HFMD occurred in Taiwan in 1998 with 78 deaths, and smaller outbreaks recurred there in 2000 and 2001, according to the CDC.”

Man-Made Disaster in Burma

The Sun reported on May 9:
    
“The death toll in cyclone-ravaged Burma could hit 500,000 – more than TWICE the total killed by the Boxing Day Tsunami… Sources said 200,000 people were already dead or dying. But the figure could rise to HALF A MILLION through disease and hunger if the nation’s hardline army rulers continue to block aid for the devastated lowlands of the Irrawaddy Delta. That would dwarf the 230,000 deaths across South East Asia in the 2004 catastrophe.

“Nyo Ohn Myint, of exiled opposition party The National League for Democracy, told The Sun at a border crisis centre: ‘Much of this will be a man-made disaster, caused by the military regime. The bodies need to be collected and burnt as soon as possible or disease will claim many more lives. But the government has organised nothing and its 400,000 soldiers are doing nothing while undistributed aid piles up. ‘They are hoping bodies will be washed out to sea so the final count is smaller – but it could kill half a million people within a matter of weeks. The world must know what is going on.’”

EU Condemns Violence in Beirut

Deutsche Welle reported on May 10:
    
“The European Union strongly condemned the fierce outbreak of violence in Beirut and voiced support for the Lebanese government, the EU’s foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Friday night… Radical Shiite group Hezbollah and allies took control of broad parts of Beirut on Friday, laid siege to areas that included government buildings and clashed with security forces…
    
“German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier phoned Lebanese Premier Fouad Seniora on Friday to express his concern at what he termed ‘the escalation of violence. I urgently call on all parties to withdraw their armed factions, lay down their weapons and recognise the Lebanese state’s exclusive right to use force,’ Steinmeier said in a statement. ‘The developments of the last few days have shown that a resolution to the political conflict in Lebanon cannot wait any longer.’… With the escalation of violence this week, Lebanon has seen the the worst sectarian bloodshed since the 1975-1990 civil war.”

“Russia Is Not Threatening Anyone”?

The New York Times wrote on May 10:
    
“Nuclear missile launchers and columns of tanks rolled through Red Square on Friday in a display of martial hardware not seen since the Soviet Union’s waning days. The parade… marked the 63rd anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, which is observed in Russia as Victory Day, a solemn state holiday… The Kremlin’s decision to parade its military hardware has been a subject of competing interpretations, viewed variously as symbolic confirmation of Russia’s pride, or aggressiveness, as a marketing show of Russian arms, and as a nationalistic festival ordered by Mr. Putin, for Mr. Putin.

“Mr. Putin insisted earlier in the week that the parade should not be viewed as ‘saber rattling.’ ‘It is not a warlike gesture,’ he said. ‘Russia is not threatening anyone.’ But it followed a year during which the Kremlin asserted its case against what it regarded as reckless American foreign policies. Mr. Putin has strongly protested an American-led plan to install a missile-defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. As tensions rose, Russia’s aging strategic bombers conducted international patrols, entered British airspace and approached American carrier groups on the high seas.

“Russian state-controlled television stations have featured extensive coverage of small-scale exercises of Russia’s navy, and of supposedly new weapons systems. Mr. Putin, who firmly opposed the American-led invasion of Iraq five years ago, also endorsed a doctrine of pre-emptive strikes against threats to Russian soil… The United States expressed no alarm over the parade.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 9:
    
“For the first time since the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moscow has put on an arms parade to celebrate the defeat of Nazi Germany. Russians are impressed with the military show of strength, but in Eastern Europe the parade has reawakened old fears… it seemed as if Russia was searching for its future in the past. European diplomats spoke privately of ‘the wrong signal.’…
    
“It will take a while to judge if Russia did itself any favors in terms of foreign policy. Its biggest problem is not the West, but its relationship with the countries of the former Warsaw Pact in Eastern Europe and the states that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Poland and tiny Lithuania are now blocking the start of negotiations between Russia and the European Union on a new partnership agreement, while Georgia has been delaying Russia’s long overdue accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

“And it is in these countries that parades that ape the style of the former Communist power are viewed with horror… In countries such as Georgia, the show of strength in Moscow will probably increase rather than decrease the determination to seek protection by joining the Western defence alliance NATO. But most Russians approved of the demonstration of military strength…

“According to aviation expert Ruslan Puchow, ‘Many of the weapon systems which were on display [during the parade] are more often sold abroad than given to our army.’ That is why the respected business newspaper Vedomosti ran a story on the parade with the derisive headline ‘Parade for Export.’ Comments from Washington were particularly sneering, if not entirely inaccurate.”

It may perhaps come as a surprise to some, but it is the future United States of Europe–and not so much the United States of America–which will look at Russia as a threat. And it will be Europe which will act and respond forcefully to that perceived threat. We read in Daniel 11:44: “But news from the east and the north [an area north-east of Jerusalem, referring to nations such as Russia, China, India, and Japan] shall trouble him [the soon-coming military leader of a United Europe]; therefore he shall go out [or try to invade those countries] with great fury to destroy and annihilate many.”

Vatican: It’s OK to Believe in Aliens

After persecuting Galileo nearly 400 years ago in a clash between religion and science, the pendulum has now swung too far in the opposite direction.  According to the AP on May 13th, 2008:

“Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican’s chief astronomer said in an interview published Tuesday.

“The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.

“In the interview by the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Funes said that such a notion ‘doesn’t contradict our faith’ because aliens would still be God’s creatures. Ruling out the existence of aliens would be like ‘putting limits’ on God’s creative freedom, he said.

“The Vatican Observatory has been at the forefront of efforts to bridge the gap between religion and science. Its scientist-clerics have generated top-notch research and its meteorite collection is considered one of the world’s best.”

The Bible is clear that there are no extraterrestrial beings or aliens, but rather there are demons posing as such.  These “fallen” beings, once a part of the angelic realm, are no doubt taking advantage of this fact.  For more information on this please see our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.”

7.9 Earthquake Slams China

On May 15, 2008, Reuters reports, “The death toll from China’s massive earthquake could reach more than 50,000, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday, quoting rescue headquarters.

“Already some 20,000 are confirmed dead as a result of Monday’s 7.9 magnitude quake, but tens of thousands more remain buried in rubble in areas of the worst-hit province of Sichuan that rescuers are only just beginning to reach.”

While the Chinese look for possible survivors, another Reuters article dated the same day speaks to other impending danger:

“Thousands of Chinese troops have rushed to plug cracks in a massive dam, amid fears that the city of Dujiangyan and much of the Chengdu Plain would be swamped by floods.

“The Zipingpu dam, above Dujiangyan, which has a population of 600,000, was at one stage on Wednesday in an ‘extremely dangerous state’ with cracks more than 10 centimetres long. The Water Resources Ministry later said it was stable for the time being.

“Some 391 reservoirs, two of them major bodies, were in ‘dangerous situations’ across five provinces, including Sichuan which was the worst hit, officials of the National Development and Reform Commission were quoted as saying. Tulong dam, north of Dujiangyan on the Min River, was said to be near collapse. Its destruction would have a knock-on effect on a series of dams and power stations downstream, officials said.

“Experts said these dams, around the Longmen Shan fault, may have damage that could cause them to fail even weeks in the future.”
    
This powerful earthquake follows on the heels of the punishing Cyclone Nargis which has caused the death of tens of thousands in Myanmar. The aftermath of both of these terrible disasters pose only added problems with disease and starvation looming in Myanmar and grueling living conditions in the heavily destroyed counties of China. Jesus Christ warned that at the end of the age there would be shocking and catastrophic occurrences.

As prophesied in Matthew 24:7-9, earthquakes like this will precede the Great Tribulation and is one of several telltale signs that we are in the end-time.  Listen to Norbert Link speak on another prophesied event of Matthew 24 in our most recent StandingWatch programs, “Famine in the USA” and “Food Shortage in the USA.”

Let us read Christ’s sayings in Matthew 8:21-22 in context, beginning with verse 19:

“Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, ‘Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.’… Then another of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.'”

The parallel passage in Luke 9:59-60 reveals that Christ was calling this man into the ministry, challenging Him to “Follow Me… [and to] go and preach the kingdom of God.”

Christ was not prohibiting this disciple from attending his father’s funeral. The passage does not say that his father had died and needed to be buried. We read in Luke 7:11-15 how Christ Himself showed kindness to a mother during a funeral procession of her only son.

What Christ was addressing here was the desire of His disciple to stay with his elderly father UNTIL he had died, rather than following Christ’s invitation to become a minister and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God wherever he would be sent. This man tried to make excuses for not following the call to the ministry at that moment in time. He wanted to wait for a more “appropriate” time. As the early apostles forsook everything they had in order to follow Christ, so this disciple was challenged to do the same. But he refused.

The Commentary of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown points out:

“Was his father actually dead – lying a corpse – having only to be buried? Impossible. As it was the practice… to bury on the day of death, it is not very likely that this disciple would have been here at all if his father had just breathed his last; nor would the Lord, if He was there, have hindered him discharging the last duties of a son to a father. No doubt it was the common case of a son having a frail or aged father, not [supposed] to live long…”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible agrees, stating (in regard to Luke 9:60):

“The excuse he made: ‘Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. I have an aged father at home, who cannot live long, and will need me while he does live; let me go and attend on him until he is dead, and I have performed my last office of love to him, and then I will do any thing.’… It is a plausible excuse indeed: ‘Let me go and bury my father, – let me take care of my family, and provide for my children, and then I will think of serving Christ;’ whereas the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof must be sought and minded in the first place… Not that Christ would have his followers or his ministers to be unnatural; our religion teaches us to be kind and good in every relation, to show piety at home, and to requite our parents. But we must not make these offices an excuse from our duty to God… This disciple was called to be a minister, and therefore must not entangle himself with the affairs of this world [2 Timothy 2:4].”

The Nelson Study Bible explains Matthew 8:21-22 as follows:

“This passage most likely describes a follower whose father was still alive, because by Levitical law the man would not be out in public if his father had just died. His father was aged. So the man wanted to go to his home, wait for his father to die, and then follow Christ. Jesus’ answer means that we must never make excuses for refusing to follow Him. There is no better time than the present.”

The same commentary makes the following comments to the parallel account in Luke 9:59-60:

“This aspiring disciple placed family responsibilities ahead of following Jesus. The concerns of home were this man’s stumbling block… Jesus emphasized that a disciple must have clear priorities. The call of God should receive priority over everything else.”

Christ is teaching us that we are not to allow physical concerns to prevent us from serving Him. In His parable of the Sower, He addresses a category of people who receive the word but become unfruitful due to the “cares of this world” (Matthew 13:22).

The Life Application Bible adds this thought regarding Matthew 8:22: “As God’s Son, Jesus did not hesitate to demand complete loyalty. Even family loyalty was not to take priority over the demands of obedience.”

As we pointed out in the Q&A in Update 343, nothing and no one must prevent us from following Christ and obeying His Word. As those called and chosen by God, we are God’s Spirit-begotten children whose first and foremost responsibility is to love GOD with all of our heart, might and soul. Christ said that no one is “fit” for the Kingdom of God, who puts his hand to the plow and looks back (Luke 9:62)–wanting to return to where he came from.

Christ showed the difference to His disciple who wanted to wait until his father had died, before following Christ, by explaining that the spiritual dead can take care of his father, including his brothers and other family members who were apparently not called at that time.

Christ was not saying, of course, that the father should not be buried when he died. He was talking about spiritually dead relatives who would be in a position to take care of the funeral arrangements. We were all, at one time, “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), but God has made us “alive” in Jesus Christ (same verse), having forgiven us all of our trespasses (Colossians 2:13). For us, who have been made spiritually alive, nothing must be more important than to follow Christ wherever He goes and wants us to go (Revelation 14:4).

John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible gives the following explanation, when discussing the “dead” who can “bury their dead”:

“Our Lord is not to be understood, as speaking against, or disrespectfully of burying the dead; his words suppose it ought to be done: only it was not proper, that this person should be concerned in it at this time, who was called to an higher employment; and therefore should leave this to be done by persons, whom it better became. And however strange and odd such a phrase may sound in the ears of some, of one dead man’s burying another, it was easily understood by a Jew; with whom it is common to say… ‘that a sinner is counted as… dead, and that ungodly persons, even while they are alive’,… are ‘called dead’… And in this sense is the word used, in the former part of this phrase; and Christ’s meaning is, let such who are dead in trespasses and sins… bury those who are dead in a natural or corporal sense… there were enough of them to take care of this service: and therefore, there was no need why he should neglect the ministry of the Gospel to attend that…”

The Ryrie Study Bible elaborates on Christ’s saying, as follows (commenting on Luke 9:59-60):

“The father had not died; the speaker meant that he was obligated to care for him until he died… [Christ replied:] let those who are spiritually dead bury those who die physically. The claims of the kingdom are paramount.”

In conclusion, Christ tells us that the concern for an elderly parent who might or might not die soon must not prevent us from doing the Will of God for us. Even though it may appear that only we can and must deal with certain physical situations, upon deeper analysis, we might find that others, who are not called to God’s Way of Life at this point, might be in a better position to do so, while God wants us–and especially those called into His ministry–to fulfill much more important tasks at this time.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new StandingWatch program (#168) has been posted on StandingWatch, Google Video and YouTube.
    
The program is titled, “Famine in the USA.” In the program, Norbert Link is challenging the audience not to believe those who tell us that the food situation in the USA isn’t all that bad. It is much worse than many might imagine. Some astonishing FACTS are presented proving HOW BAD our food supply really is. And HOW terrible devastations–such as the recent cyclone in Burma or Myanmar–will affect ALL of us. But there are solutions, even though they are not that popular today.

The following video-recorded sermon by Norbert Link has been posted on Google Video:
    
Bible Study: Why Not Heaven?, Part 2 (August 12, 2006)      
    
The following video-recorded sermon by Edwin Pope has been posted on Google Video:
    
Bible Study: The Key to Faithfulness (February 18, 2006)

by Tom Shadoin
    
I have been wondering over the years why God allowed Job’s children to die–and what this may mean for me. We are told that Job’s children were eating and drinking in their older brother’s house when a wind, perhaps a tornado, made the house cave in and kill all the occupants. This came about when Satan had challenged God to remove the hedge God had put around Job and all he had.
    
I asked myself, wasn’t it unfair of God to allow the death of Job’s innocent children? But then, I wondered, were they really innocent? We don’t know in detail what their behavior and character was, but we are told that Job would sanctify them and offer burnt offerings for them. He was concerned that they may have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. As a righteous man, he seemed to have reason to believe this.
    
We have all probably heard the old slang of “preacher’s kids,” and how bad they can be. We might think of Aaron and his sons; Eli and his sons; David and his sons; or Hezekiah and his son Manasseh. There are more examples, to be sure.
    
What I had to realize from all of this is that righteous Godly character is not hereditary. I had to accept the fact that no one makes it into God’s kingdom by virtue of who his parents were or what his parents did. To qualify, I cannot rely on others. I am told to overcome my shortcomings, without blaming others for them or relying on the righteousness of others. I am challenged to take to heart and personalize Christ’s response to Peter that–no matter whether many or few will enter the Kingdom at His return–I need to strive to enter it.