On August 11, 2007, Kalon Mitchell and Michael Link will give split sermons, titled, “Acceptance” and “Think Before You Act!”

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.

Are you blessed? Do you even consider yourself blessed? By what standard could you come to the conclusion that you are among those who could say, “I am blessed”?

We are coming up to that very special time of the year when, at the Feast of Tabernacles, little children are brought forward to be specially blessed through prayer to God and the laying on of hands by the ministry. This practice is based on the Biblical example established by Jesus Christ, and as we find recorded in Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16 and Luke 18:15-17.

In what way were those children “blessed” by the actions of Jesus Christ?

Jesus, by blessing the little children who were brought to Him, asked that God would help and watch over them. Implicit in His actions was the fact that God responded by having those children set apart for His unique care. Exactly how all that played out largely depended on the choices the children made throughout their lifetimes.

We can understand how blessings from God are given by considering Adam and Eve. God richly and abundantly blessed them with every physical need, and He offered them the opportunity to be even further blessed with His gift of eternal life. However, both Adam and Eve rejected God’s blessings through their disobedience to Him! By their own actions, they cut themselves off from the blessings of God.

Throughout the Word of God there are stories of individuals who received God’s blessings as well as of those who lost them. Obedience to God is the pivotal issue for having and keeping the blessings that God gives.

In our own time, we have witnessed people who have been tremendously blessed by God but who have rejected His blessings. How? They have rejected His calling, along with the priceless atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the unparalleled gift of God’s Holy Spirit–and they have turned back to this world and its ways. No longer are they set apart from this world to receive the continuing blessings of God!

As these Fall Holy Days approach, let’s make it a point to come before God to thank Him for all that He does for us. Thank Him for the richness of His blessings that are truly brim full and running over–blessings that we have now and blessings that we shall have through His immutable promises.

Let me ask one more time, Are YOU blessed?

Here is the answer, from Psalm 128:1: “Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways.”

160,000 U.S. Road Bridges In Danger of Collapse

The Minneapolis disaster could have been avoided. And future disasters, which appear inevitable, might also be prevented if billions of dollars, which are being wasted, for instance in Iraq (see our reports in this issue), would be used to repair damaged bridges, tunnels, dams and dikes. Unfortunately, as press reports point out, such a drastic and immediate change in thinking is not to be expected from any political party or leader.

On August 3, 2007, Der Spiegel Online wrote:

“The Minneapolis bridge disaster is no isolated incident but a warning signal: More than 160,000 road bridges in the USA are considered to be in danger of collapse. Highways, tunnels, dams and dykes are in such miserable condition that engineers have long been ringing the alarm — so far in vain.

“On April 5, 1987 the Schoharie Creek Bridge in New York state collapsed. The 35-meter-wide highway bridge had only recently been examined. Nevertheless it suddenly gave way, caved in and fell crashing into the river. Five vehicles fell into the river 25 meters below, and ten people died.

“The tragic sequence of events bears grisly similarities to the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis Wednesday, more than 20 years later. The causes of the accident also seem identical after the preliminary investigation: Wear and tear, obsolescence, carelessness, sloppiness.

“It doesn’t surprise experts. ‘The crumbling state of our infrastructure poses a real threat to public safety and the nation’s economy,’ Bill Marcuson, the president of the American Society Of Civil Engineers (ASCE), wrote on his ASCE blog just a few days before the most recent disaster. ‘Financing the urgently needed repairs must become a priority for our nation’s leaders.’ In total, ASCE calculates, at least $1.6 trillion must be invested in order to avoid further disasters like the one that happened this week in Minneapolis.

“Take America’s bridges, for example… Repairing all of America’s bridges would take at least 20 years and would eat up some $10 billion — money which NO ONE WANTS TO SPEND.

“America’s road tunnels are not in any better condition — even the brand new ones… The situation is much worse with the approximately 83,000 dams and dykes in the US. The catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina, which two years ago brought down the inadequate dyke system around New Orleans and caused over 1,800 deaths, revealed problems which are not limited to storm-prone Louisiana. According to the ASCE, the number of ‘unsafe’ dams and dykes has increased by a third to over 3,500 country-wide since 1998. Worryingly, ‘the number of dams identified as unsafe is increasing at a faster rate than those being repaired,’ according to the ASCE.”

The Superstitious Belief in Reincarnation

The following reads like a fairy tale. But sadly, many millions of people believe in the unbiblical concept of reincarnation–so much so that even atheist leaders try to capitalize on it.

Times on Line wrote on August 4:

“Tibet’s living Buddhas have been banned from reincarnation without permission from China’s atheist leaders… ‘The so-called reincarnated living Buddha without government approval is illegal and invalid,’ according to the order, which comes into effect on September 1. The 14-part regulation… is aimed at limiting the influence of Tibet’s exiled god-king, the Dalai Lama, and at preventing the re-incarnation of the 72-year-old monk without approval from Beijing…

“China already insists that only the Government can approve the appointments of Tibet’s two most important monks, the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. The Dalai Lama’s announcement in May 1995 that a search inside Tibet… had identified the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, who died in 1989, enraged Beijing… Several sets of rules on seeking out ‘soul boys’ were promulgated in 1995… All Tibetans believe in reincarnation, but only the holiest or most outstanding individuals are believed to be recognisable — a tulku, or apparent body… The search for a reincarnation is a mystical process involving clues left by the deceased and visions among leading monks on where to look.”

Foot and Mouth Disease in Britain

The Associated Press reported on August 4:

“Britain imposed a voluntary ban on exports of livestock and livestock products [because of an outbreak of the foot-and-mouth disease]… The ministry said the ban applied to animals with cloven hooves such as cows, sheep and pigs. It covers live animals, carcasses, meat and milk and is effective immediately… ‘Our first priority has been to act quickly and decisively,’ said [Prime Minister Gordon] Brown, who cut short a summer holiday to deal with the crisis, which prompted a European Union ban [on] livestock imports from Britain… Japan said earlier that it had banned British pork imports. Beef imports from Britain have been banned in Japan since the outbreak of mad cow disease in the 1990s.”

These outbreaks of diseases, affecting livestock, must have a devastating effect on the British economy.

Iraq’s Ongoing Collapse

The following report reveals the utter failure of the United States to try to create a better, safer and more prosperous Iraq for the Iraqi people.

AFP wrote on August 7:

“As Iraqis queue miserably for food and water, or swelter in homes and hospitals without electricity, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s coalition government is collapsing around him. The latest boycott — by four ministers from a non-sectarian party — brought to 17 the number of members of the Shiite-led coalition to have walked out, tendered their resignations or withdrawn from cabinet meetings… But Maliki further alienated himself from his Sunni political opponents — whose inclusion in government the Americans see as crucial to ending Iraq’s civil conflicts — by accusing them of being insincere and irresponsible… Since the US-led invasion of March 2003, Iraq has plunged into an abyss of overlapping civil conflicts that have divided its rival religious and ethnic communities, and left tens of thousands of civilians dead…

“But in the unbearable heat of Iraq, where temperatures frequently reach 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in summer, many ordinary people are more frustrated with the lack of basic services than political squabbling. Last week, a report by Stuart Bowen, the US chief inspector of Iraqi reconstruction, painted a DAMNING PICTURE OF GOVERNMENT FAILURE, and described the effects of corruption as being akin to a ‘second insurgency’. Baghdad residents say they are sleeping on hard floors or roofs, suffering interminably without fans or air-conditioning, being forced to buy bottled water or drink contaminated water from purification plants without power.

“One of the lucky ones with a job in a country where unemployment stands at well over 50 percent, Yasser Ghazi said he still can’t afford to operate a generator to fill the gaps between the paltry few hours of electricity a day. ‘My sister is pregnant. I sent her with my mother, an old woman, to Syria to give birth because there’s no electricity or clean water. There’s not even a good hospital,’ said Ghazi…”

Weapons Given to Iraq Are Missing

The following report sounds incredible, but it appears to be grim reality in a world which lives and dies by the sword.

The Washington Post wrote on August 6:

“The Pentagon has lost track of about 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005, according to a new government report, raising fears that some of those weapons have fallen into the hands of insurgents fighting U.S. forces in Iraq.

“The author of the report from the Government Accountability Office says U.S. military officials do not know what happened to 30 percent of the weapons the United States distributed to Iraqi forces from 2004 through early this year as part of an effort to train and equip the troops.

“The United States has spent $19.2 billion trying to develop Iraqi security forces since 2003, the GAO said, including at least $2.8 billion to buy and deliver equipment. But the GAO said weapons distribution was haphazard and rushed and failed to follow established procedures, particularly from 2004 to 2005

“… the inability of the United States to track weapons with tools such as serial numbers makes it nearly impossible for the U.S. military to know whether it is battling an enemy equipped by American taxpayers.”

Democratic-Led Congress Approves New U.S. Wiretapping Law

This next story sounds equally unbelievable. It, too, is grim reality, showing the extreme influence and power of political pressure on all politicians, irrespective of party affiliation.

The New York Times wrote on August 6:

“President Bush signed into law on Sunday legislation that broadly expanded the government’s authority to eavesdrop on the international telephone calls and e-mail messages of American citizens without warrants… For example, if a person in Indianapolis calls someone in London, the National Security Agency can eavesdrop on that conversation without a warrant, as long as the N.S.A.’s target is the person in London…

“The legislation to change the surveillance act was rushed through both the House and Senate in the last days before the August recess began… In fact, pressure from the telecommunications companies on the Bush administration has apparently played a major hidden role in the political battle over the surveillance issue over the past few months… Those companies were facing major lawsuits for having secretly cooperated with the warrantless wiretapping program, and now wanted greater legal protections before cooperating further.”

Joint Military Exercise of China and Russia

The Times wrote on August 6:

“Russian and Chinese troops are joining forces this week in the first military exercises by an international organisation that is regarded in some quarters as a potential rival to Nato… Scores of Russian and Chinese aircraft begin joint exercises tomorrow before a week of military manoeuvres from Thursday that will include Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. At least 6,500 troops are involved in what is described as an antiterror exercise…

“MPs on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee expressed fears last year that the West could be on a collision course in the struggle for energy resources with ‘an authoritarian bloc opposed to democracy’ that was based on an alliance between China and Russia. A newly assertive Russia, flush with oil and gas revenues, is moving rapidly to increase its military capability amid tensions with the West over missile defence and Nato expansion. Almost £100 billion has been set aside for rearmament over the next eight years.”

As the Bible foretells, Russia and China, as well as other Far Eastern countries, WILL become a military threat to the West, especially continental Europe.

The New European Superstate

The Daily Mail wrote on August 6:

“… the idea that we [Great Britain] should give up the power to make our own foreign policy in favour of an EU foreign ministry, with its own diplomatic service, is not even half of what this new [European] treaty proposes. Ploughing through its 145 dense pages, what we see emerging is nothing less than the grand design whereby Europe is to be given a new form of supranational government, with far more powers over the lives of the EU’s 480 million citizens than will remain with any national government.

“Nothing reveals this more vividly than the extraordinary new status to be given at the centre of this new government to a body known as the European Council. It is this body that has already agreed [on] the exact wording of the new treaty, and which has, in effect, ordered that it should be rammed through in less than three months without a word being changed. This in itself is wholly without precedent. All the previous treaties which built up the powers of the EU resulted from months of negotiation between national governments. But on this treaty, governments are given no choice. They are obliged simply to accept what they were told to accept by the European Council in June.

“… What is this mysterious body, the European Council? It has, in fact, been taking shape and waxing in importance for more than 30 years. Its meetings are normally described by the media as ‘summits’… Under the new treaty… the Council’s role is to act as the Cabinet of the new ‘government of Europe’. For a start, presiding over its meetings will be a new permanent President of Europe, serving for up to five years (who may also be president of the European Commission). Alongside him, acting as the Union’s foreign minister, will be… the official who will in effect be foreign secretary for all the EU’s 27 members, including Britain.

“But there is another highly significant change in the role of the European Council, which can only be grasped by looking at the treaty’s small print. Until now, when prime ministers attended a meeting of the Council, they spoke on behalf of their own country. However, when the Council becomes a ‘Union institution’, its members will no longer be allowed to do this. Like the members of all other Union institutions, their first loyalty must now be to the Union… And as the new treaty makes clear, the Union will now have the power to decide policy on almost every conceivable issue, from foreign and defence policy to how national economies should be run… The EU will be allowed [to]take new powers over anything it wants, in accordance with those new all-embracing ‘objectives of the Union’… What all this amounts to is that the EU finally wishes to set itself up as the supreme government of Britain and 26 other countries, with virtually UNLIMITED POWERS over every aspect of our lives. This is nothing less than an astonishing coup d’etat.”

A European Superstate is in the making… and no human being will be able to stop it!  For more information, read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Travelers from US Face EU Crackdown

More controversies are developing between the USA and the EU.

The Financial Times wrote on August 7:

“US business travellers and tourists flying to the European Union are facing the threat of the same laborious registration requirements that Washington has demanded of Europeans in the latest US security crackdown. In its first reaction to the new US visa law, the European Commission said it was ‘considering’ a so-called electronic traveller authorisation scheme – similar to the American plan – that would require foreigners heading to the EU to give notice of their travel plans before departure. The threat has been conveyed to senior US officials and lawmakers, with one letter sent last month stressing that a European system would ‘of course operate on a reciprocal basis’… the idea had received ‘new impetus’ by the adoption of a US counter-terrorism bill last week that requires travellers to give US authorities at least 48 hours’ notice of their plans to visit the country.

“George W. Bush, US president, signed the law last Friday in spite of [sharp criticism from and] repeated appeals by the Commission and European business groups to reconsider the measures. The law will tighten scrutiny of travellers from the 26 developed countries whose citizens do not at present require visas to enter the US, including Britain, France, German and most other western European countries… “

Floods Across South Asia Affect Millions

AFP wrote on August 6:

“Many of the millions of people forced from their homes by floods across South Asia were desperate for food and drinking water on Monday as aid workers and army battled to reach them. The flooding, described as the heaviest to hit the region in decades, has affected 31 million people and killed more than 1,600 others in India, Bangladesh and Nepal since monsoon rains began pouring down in June.

“India’s northern Bihar state has been hit hardest by the disaster, and some of the growing number of people marooned by the swirling waters have resorted to fighting for emergency food supplies. The state’s disaster management chief, Manoj Srivastava, put the total number of flood-affected at 11.5 million… ‘This has been an unprecedented flood,’ Srivastava said. ‘The data shows in Bihar in several districts the rainfall has been 250 to 300 percent higher than the average for the last 30 years.'”

The astounding truth is, YES! There are a multitude of prophetic statements throughout the Word of God that very specifically speak of our day–the generation living just before the promised return of Jesus Christ! However, many who claim to be ministers, teachers or students of the Bible dismiss much of the Old Testament as irrelevant and outdated–especially when it comes to prophetic sections.

Isaiah prophesied before the FIRST national captivity of the ten tribes who bore the name, House of Israel. These ten tribes were led into captivity around 722-721 B.C. 2 Kings 17 provides details about how God removed these rebellious tribes from the land of Israel by the hand of the king of Assyria. However, Isaiah prophesied about this captivity years earlier, at the time of King Uzziah. There is a generally accepted date identified by the death of King Uzziah [Azariah] of 740 B.C., and we find that Isaiah mentions this event in association with his calling as a prophet (Compare Isaiah 6:1). Furthermore, Isaiah begins his book: “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jothan, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah” (Isaiah 1:1). These kings reigned in Judah from approximately 792 to 686 B.C.

Although Isaiah evidently lived in Judah, he, nonetheless, also prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel–the ten tribes of the House of Israel. His prophecies went far beyond his lifetime. They transcended the ancient captivity of either the House of Israel or the House of Judah! The remarkable Messianic prophecies from the Book of Isaiah served as a basis for what Jesus read concerning Himself in His hometown of Nazareth. Luke 4:16-20 recounts this occurrence, and in verse 21, Jesus is quoted: “‘… Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.'”

Another account in John 12:37-40 quotes some of Isaiah’s prophecies about Jesus, and in verse 41, John states: “These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.” We should note that these events were over 600 years following the lifetime of Isaiah. So we see by these examples that Isaiah’s prophetic work was intended for times far ahead of his own life.

But did it all stop with Christ’s first appearance when He came in the flesh to die for mankind? Do the prophecies in Isaiah apply in our time?

One poignant example is found in Isaiah 2:2-4:

“Now it shall come to pass in the LATTER DAYS that the mountain of the LORD’S house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.”

The time and events spoken of in this marvelous prophecy have not come to pass–there is yet a future fulfillment to occur!

Just as Isaiah warned of captivity for the houses of Israel and Judah in the past, and those events occurred, so he speaks of a future captivity for the modern houses of Israel and Judah. Note this sobering prophecy given in Isaiah 11:11-12: “It shall come to pass IN THAT DAY That the LORD shall set His hand AGAIN THE SECOND TIME To recover the remnant of His people who are left… He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth.”

The Biblical term “In that Day” ALWAYS refers to a time just prior to the return of Jesus Christ (even though it can include a time subsequent to the return of Christ). For proof, read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.” Just as in the former times, so now, in our generation, the words of warning that God has inspired are rejected by nations that should know better! Please consider what God has so powerfully recorded for our day through Isaiah:

“Now go, write it before them on a tablet, And note it on a scroll, THAT IT MAY BE FOR TIME TO COME, FOREVER AND EVER: That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the LORD; Who say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ And to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from before us'” (Isaiah 30:8-11).

By contrast, the prophet Ezekiel began to see visions from God when he was among the Jews taken captive by the Babylonians. That Jewish captivity occurred many years after the captivity of the House of Israel: “On the fifth day of the month which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar…” (Ezekiel 1:2-3).

The date described in these opening verses of the book of Ezekiel is approximately 593 B.C. The temple and the city of Jerusalem were destroyed in 586 B.C. This destruction occurred following several years of plundering wars fought in the land of Judah.

With this background, take note of the remarkable commission given by God to Ezekiel: “And He said to me: ‘Son of man, I am sending you TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day'” (Ezekiel 2:3); Also, “Then He said to me: ‘Son of man, GO TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL and speak with My words to them'” (Ezekiel 3:4).

As we have already established, the House of Israel had been taken captive by the Assyrians more than 120 years earlier! In effect, the House of Israel at that time had ceased to exist as an identifiable nation that Ezekiel could then contact with this message from God. Moreover, Ezekiel was himself a captive of the Babylonians, incapable of going to the House of Israel.

Chapter 33 of Ezekiel adds even more instructions from God: “‘So you, son of man: I have made you a WATCHMAN FOR THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me'” (Verse 7; Compare Ezekiel 3:17).

To some extent, Ezekiel’s message was heard among his fellow captive Jews, but throughout his writings, the people of Judah, Israel and the nations are being warned! This warning includes the message that God will again punish the modern Houses of Israel and Judah and that they will again suffer national destruction and horrible captivity! This is for an impending future time, and that time is closing upon the modern nations of Israel (especially Ephraim and Manasseh–descendants of Joseph, the son of Jacob, or “Israel”. The descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh have been identified today as the modern nations of the British Empire and the United States of America). Ezekiel’s message is also addressed to the modern nation or House of Judah, which man calls Israel today. (Please read our free booklet, titled “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America,” for a much more detailed account of what is prophesied to happen to these nations.)

Another momentous prophecy awaits fulfillment, and we find it recorded in Ezekiel 39:22-23:

“‘So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward. The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into CAPTIVITY for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.'”

And, in Ezekiel 37, we see a prophecy that has never found fulfillment concerning the Houses of Israel and Judah once again becoming one nation–with one king:

“‘Then say to them, “Thus says the LORD GOD: ‘Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them ONE NATION in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and ONE KING shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again'”‘” (Verses 21-22); Verse 24 adds: “‘”‘David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them.”‘”‘

Biblical prophecy points to these future events with absolute certainty! Many prophecies are finding fulfillment in our day–prophecies that herald the looming end of this age and the emergence of the glorious Kingdom of God.

As we consider these prophecies–both watching and preparing for the times we now live in as well as future events, let’s pay close attention to what God IS REVEALING.

In Isaiah’s time, the people who heard his message said: “‘…Tomorrow will be as today. And much more abundant'” (Isaiah 56:12); When Ezekiel prophesied, here is how his message was viewed: “‘”…The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off”” (Ezekiel 12:27).

Here is how Peter sums it up: “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation'” (2 Peter 3:3-4).

For the scoffers, the prophecies of Isaiah, Ezekiel and all of God’s prophets will have little impact! But will they have impact for us?

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

A new StandingWatch program (#132) was placed on Google Video, titled, “Why Do You Keep Sunday?” In the 10-minute program, Norbert Link discusses the origins of Sunday keeping and asks the challenging question whether God is pleased with such religious worship.

On August 4, 2007, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “The Tabernacle in the Wilderness.”

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.

“God made me so!”–some homosexuals say. “We are born this way! We can’t help it!” Or, as one German politician recently stated, “I am gay, and this is good!” A prominent U.S. actor agreed, postulating that “there is nothing wrong with it.” Due to this kind of thinking, the homosexual lobby has created an atmosphere that allows the proposal of laws, for instance in Europe, which would make it a CRIME to suggest that a homosexual lifestyle may NOT be acceptable in the eyes of God.

Some are living a promiscuous lifestyle, adopting the example of their unfaithful parents–while blaming them for their own misconduct.

Some are poor, and they are proud of it. They may think that somehow their poverty is a sign of their righteousness. This false concept prevents them from trying to change their condition.

Some get into trouble with the law, and they blame the police, the “unrighteous judge” or the “corrupt legal system” for their difficulties. Some are alcoholics or drug addicts, and they shift responsibility for their condition to their alcoholic father or drug-dependent mother.

Whatever happened to accepting individual responsibility? Rather than realizing our own shortcomings and sins, and trying to change, it seems to be much more comfortable and less painful to just blame everyone else for our own misconduct or “misfortune”–whether it may be husbands or wives; parents or children; neighbors or friends; the government, the nation, the economy; Satan; or–if all else fails–God.

God says that homosexual conduct is an abomination to Him (Leviticus 18:22). Surely, then, He did not create homosexuals–they were NOT born that way. And God expects them to change. Further, as no drunkard or fornicator will inherit the kingdom of God, it is obvious that God did not create them as such (Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-6). Rather, people BECAME fornicators, adulterers, alcoholics and drug addicts, through many different factors and circumstances, but they must take personal responsibility for their condition and CHANGE. They are not helpless victims, incapable of making amends (compare 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

In addition, God says that those who do not want to work should not even eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). God expects of us to do everything we can to make a living in this world.

If we violate God’s standards and His directives, we cannot expect help from God. When we convince ourselves that our personal condition is not our responsibility–and that it is hopeless and irreversible–then we have already turned our back on the only Source for meaningful and enduring change.

God expects of us to DEAL with our problems–not to run away from them or try to hide from them, by placing our heads in the sand and just hoping that somehow, miraculously, all our hardships will just disappear and evaporate.

When confronting our situation, depending upon the circumstances, we need to be careful that we don’t act too hastily (Isaiah 52:12). We may have to take time to meditate, pray and fast about a particular situation first, and obtain much appropriate counsel, before implementing a life-changing course of action. Sin, when it comes to our attention, must be eradicated at once, but there are other instances which require careful consideration and analysis.

God will help us, when we do what we can to help ourselves. This may have to involve a painful self-analysis and some really hurtful sacrifices, in order to get our feet back on the ground. But it will be worthwhile in the end.

We must take individual responsibility for our situation! We must stop blaming others–but rather, begin to change ourselves and our condition. And we can–with the help of God. He WILL guide and direct us, when He sees that we seriously BEGIN to obey Him, by changing for the better!

U.S. Jury Duty System Spinning Out of Control!

Recently, more and more pressure has been placed on jurors to serve on a jury, even though they are opposed to doing so, based on their sincere religious convictions. In some cases which came to our attention, not only the clerks and the legal departments of certain courts, but also certain judges have been acting most unreasonably when it came to dismissing jurors for their religious convictions–even though the U.S. Constitution clearly DEMANDS such dismissals.

However, a recent letter from a court in California simply stated: “California law DOES NOT INCLUDE a disqualification or an excuse/exemption from jury service due to religious convictions.” The letter concluded that therefore, Jury Services cannot excuse a juror for his or her religious conviction. Legal precedence which was quoted to the court was summarily dismissed as inapplicable! This is clearly an erroneous position, which is, unfortunately, shared by other courts outside California. THIS POSITION VIOLATES THE U.S. CONSTITUTION!

Please note the following article in the BaltimoreSun.com, dated July 28, clearly confirming the law that jurors who are opposed to jury duty based on their religious convictions, MUST be excused. It is hoped that courts and justices will look more closely into this issue, to avoid unnecessary embarrassment, a mistrial and a hung jury, as described in the following article:

“The jurors in the Baltimore murder case were deadlocked, and when they came into the courtroom to be dismissed, their body language showed the prosecutor that something was amiss with juror No. 10. So Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Shaffer talked to the woman, as attorneys sometimes do after trials. She asked her why she hadn’t wanted to convict, what the problem was.

“The 23-year-old woman answered that ‘there wasn’t enough evidence.’ Then she added, ‘When my brother pled guilty to first-degree murder … ‘

“Every so often, a person who SHOULDN’T BE A JUROR – such as someone whose relative is a convicted felon or someone whose religious beliefs prevent him or her from passing judgment on others – slips onto the panel…  several jurors have listened to entire trials, only to say during deliberations that their religion prevents them from sitting in judgment of others… Another jury deadlocked in a June 2005 murder case when a woman began quoting Scripture to other jurors. They sent a note to the bench: ‘Judge, we are still unable to reach an agreeable verdict as one of the jurors states she cannot judge the defendant because of her religious beliefs.'”

It is becoming obvious that the U.S. Jury Duty System is spinning out of control. It is to be feared that in the future, some unreasonable judge WILL hold jurors in contempt, for refusing to serve on a jury because of their constitutionally protected religious beliefs. IT IS HIGH TIME THAT AMERICA WAKES UP TO WHAT IS GOING ON!

Please take note of the following article, as published by The Associated Press on July 28:

“Madeline Byrne was making a quick trip to the grocery store to buy some cheese when a sheriff approached her car in the parking lot and slipped something through her open window. Byrne didn’t get the cheese, but she did get a jury summons.

“The 64-year-old woman was ordered to report for jury duty a little more than an hour later at the Lee County courthouse in Sanford, N.C. When Byrne protested, the sheriff told her: ‘Be there or you’ll be in contempt.’…

“Some people struggle mightily to get out of jury duty. Earlier this month, a Cape Cod, Mass., judge reprimanded a potential juror and reported him to prosecutors after he tried to get out of jury service by saying he was ‘not a fan of homosexuals and most blacks’ and was ‘frequently found to be a liar, too.'”

Bush Meets Brown–But How DID It Go?

The following serves as an interesting example of how we must be careful when reading published news articles. Both The New York Times and The Independent reported about the recent meeting between President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Gordon Brown–but they differed substantially about the nature of the meeting.

The New York Times wrote on July 30:

“On his first official trip to the United States as Britain’s prime minister, Gordon Brown on Monday displayed what can best be described as a resounding — if dispassionate — show of like-minded camaraderie with President Bush. “The two leaders showed none of the warmth and coziness that Mr. Bush had shared with Mr. Brown’s predecessor, Tony Blair, a closeness that contributed to Mr. Blair’s political tumble at home. But Mr. Brown offered bullish comments on Britain’s relationship with the United States. On Iraq, Mr. Brown said any future British decision to reduce troops and cede control of a sector to the Iraqis ‘will be made on the military advice of our commanders on the ground.’

“Though it was taken by some in the British news media as a signal of Mr. Brown’s independence, it is also a common formulation that President Bush uses in arguing that he will not be driven to withdraw by domestic politics. United States officials have been watching the British presence in Iraq as a gauge of the reliability of the new British leader…

“On relations between their countries, Mr. Brown said, ‘It’s a partnership founded and driven forward by our shared values…’ Mr. Brown stuck closely to a script that included what the Americans took as words of assurance that he had no plans for radical changes in the partnership, dodging several attempts by reporters here to get him to enunciate how his approach to the United States would differ from that of Mr. Blair…

“British analysts said Monday that Mr. Brown’s comments reflected the fact that the two countries share so much at stake in Afghanistan and Iraq, on global trade and with intelligence efforts to combat terrorism that he needs a close relationship with his American counterpart, like most of the recent British prime ministers before him.”

This rather optimistic viewpoint and interpretation by The New York Times was by no means shared by British newspapers, such as The Independent. It wrote on July 30:

“Gordon Brown has paved the way for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq by telling George Bush he would not delay their exit in order to show unity with the United States.

“After four hours of one-to-one talks with the US President at his Camp David retreat, Mr Brown told a joint press conference he would make a Commons statement in October on the future of the 5,500 British troops in the Basra region.

“The Bush administration, under mounting domestic pressure to produce an exit strategy from Iraq, has been nervous that a full British withdrawal would add to the criticism. But Mr Brown made clear – and President Bush accepted – that Britain would go its own way, even if that gave the impression the two countries were diverging.

“Mr Brown’s willingness to pursue an independent British policy in Iraq will be seen as an important break with Tony Blair. Mr Brown said the two leaders had had ‘full and frank discussions – diplomatic code for some disagreements.”

German Newspapers Upset With Planned U.S. Arms Sales…

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 31:

“On Monday, the Bush administration officially announced its plan to provide advanced weapons worth billions to friendly states in the Persian Gulf in order to curb growing Iranian influence in the region. Washington plans to sell $20 billion worth of satellite-guided bombs, and fighter and naval upgrades to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates over the next 10 years. A further $13 billion is pledged to Egypt, and Israel will remain, with $30 billion in arms aid, the greatest recipient in the Middle East of American largesse.

“On Tuesday, German editorial writers criticize the decision, pointing to Saudi links to the insurgency in Iraq and international terrorism.

“The conservative Die Welt [which is usually pro-Bush] writes:

“‘With its plans for weapons shipments worth billions to the Gulf states, Washington has now made it official: The democratization of the Middle East is no longer the focus of American foreign policy. In the name of limiting Iran’s influence and restoring stability in the region, the US is returning to a Cold War strategy: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.’

“‘But doubts about whether this strategy is prudent in the case of Saudi Arabia can be heard beyond Israel and Europe. Many within the US administration are also convinced that international Islamic terrorism is something akin to the Saudis’ exported civil war. Why else would half the foreign fighters traveling to Iraq be Saudis? And of the 19 men responsible for the 9/11 terror attacks, 15 were from Saudi Arabia. From Cologne to Karachi, Saudi embassies very openly operate Wahhabite Koran schools — the most rigid, backward and dangerous form of Islam.’

“‘The strategy’s effectiveness is very doubtful. In the 1980s, people placed their bets on Osama bin Ladin, the Taliban and Saddam Hussein when it came to dealing with the Soviets and Iran. Today we are struggling with the bloody consequences of those strategies. Courting Saudi Arabia is unwise and dangerous.’

“The left-wing Die Tageszeitung writes:

“‘The only thing the Bush administration has left to offer after six and a half years in power is a mixture of fear, helplessness and panic. Out of acute desperation, the US government now wants to provide help and weapons deals over the next 10 years to the countries that are best able to launch a new arms race in the region. No one can seriously believe that the already weapons-satiated Mideast can be satisfied or held in check by yet more weapons.

“‘If Congress approves the plan, the Bush government’s already appalling foreign policy record will only get worse. The only clearly identifiable victor would be the US defense industry — which, incidentally, has considerable influence in Washington.’

“Center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung uses the weapons deal to look at a broader worsening of relations between the US and Riyadh:

“‘No other country in the Middle East is further from the democratic ideals preached by the US than Saudi Arabia. Mildly put, the human rights situation doesn’t meet Western standards. And beyond political realism, the (current) king is far less pro-American than his brother, who ruled before him … The cooling of relations was most obvious when Abdallah described the US presence in Iraq at the last Arab Summit in Riyadh as an ‘illegal foreign occupation.’ Last fall, the king warned he would attack in Iraq if a civil war were to ensue after a withdrawal of US troops. But that’s not the only point of irritation. Washington is also displeased about the Saudis’ desire to create a nuclear partnership with Pakistan even if, as the Saudi’s claim, it would be limited to the exchange of information.'”

… And So Is The German Government…

AFP reported on July 31:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats are worried that reported US plans to send a major arms package to Gulf states could inflame a volatile region, a party leader was quoted as saying Monday.

“The chairman of the German parliament’s foreign affairs committee, Ruprecht Polenz, told the daily Frankfurter Rundschau that the Middle East was already a ‘powder keg’ and that an influx of weapons could set [it] off. ‘If you add more explosives to a powder keg, you increase the risk and do not make the region more secure,’ he said. Polenz said the warning that the United States hoped to send to Iran with the weapons deal could backfire, leading Tehran to step up its own arms drive.”

Another Man-Made Disaster?

First it sounded like a terrorist attack. Upon further investigation, it appears that we did it to ourselves. Several reports claimed that the collapse of a huge bridge in Minneapolis during the peak of rush hour occurred due to governmental negligence, carelessness and incompetence.

On August 1, Der Spiegel Online published an article with the headline, “A Catastrophe of Historic Proportions.” It reported:

“At least nine are dead and 60 injured following the collapse on Wednesday evening of a major freeway bridge in the US city of Minneapolis. Officials say a structural failure likely caused the 40-year-old bridge to give way…
“Between 50 and 60 vehicles were on the bridge and dozens either plunged 18 meters (60 feet) into the Mississippi River or got crushed in a snare of concrete and metal… A number of eyewitnesses described the experience as being ‘like an earthquake.’

“CNN showed dramatic images of cars that had plunged from the bridge and autos in various states of wreckage. They included a school bus carrying 60 children returning from a day camp swimming trip that fell with the bridge but landed safely, missing the water. The children were rescued… The US Department of Homeland Security issued a statement Wednesday saying no signs had been found to indicate a terrorist attack had been involved.”

In a related article, Der Spiegel Online claimed that the catastrophe might have been prevented, if the government had acted upon evidence, showing that the bridge was “structurally  instable.” The magazine quoted an article of the “Star Tribune,” showing that the government was aware of this concern, but allegedly did little or nothing to repair or replace the bridge.

Russia Is At It Again

On August 1, Reuters reported the following:

“Russian explorers dived deep below the North Pole in a submersible on Thursday and planted a national flag on the seabed to stake a symbolic claim to the energy riches of the Arctic… Russia wants to extend right up to the North Pole the territory it controls in the Arctic, believed to hold vast reserves of untapped oil and natural gas.

“But Canada mocked Russia’s ambitions and said the expedition was nothing more than a show. ‘This isn’t the 15th century. You can’t go around the world and just plant flags and say “We’re claiming this territory”,’Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay told CTV television.

“Under international law, the five states with territory inside the Arctic Circle — Canada, Norway, Russia, the United States and Denmark via its control of Greenland — have a 320 km (200 mile) economic zone around the north of their coastline. Russia is claiming a larger slice extending as far as the pole because, Moscow says, the Arctic seabed and Siberia are linked by one continental shelf.”

The article also pointed out:

“A second Russian submersible, manned by Swedish businessman Frederik Paulsen and Australian adventurer Mike McDowell, reached the seabed 27 minutes later. It reached a depth of 4,302 meters. Soviet and U.S. nuclear submarines have often traveled under the polar icecap, but no one had reached the seabed under the Pole, where depths exceed 4,000 meters (13,100 feet).”

Mikhail Gorbachev Criticizes President Bush

Reuters reported on July 27:

“Former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev criticized the United States, and President Bush in particular, on Friday for sowing disorder across the world by seeking to build an empire.

“Gorbachev, who presided over the break-up of the Soviet Union, said Washington had sought to build an empire after the Cold War ended but had failed to understand the changing world… ‘What has followed are unilateral actions, what has followed are wars, what has followed is ignoring the U.N. Security Council, ignoring international law and ignoring the will of the people, even the American people,’ he said…

“Gorbachev, 76, who left politics after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, is deeply unpopular in Russia… he is blamed in Russia for sinking the Soviet empire and plunging millions into poverty…”

Nuclear Cooperation Treaty Between the USA and India?

CNN.com reported on July 27:

“The United States and India announced Friday a landmark deal on nuclear cooperation for civil purposes that they said will benefit both countries and strengthen international non-proliferation efforts.

“But the deal is drawing criticism as being too conciliatory to India and opening the way to the spread of nuclear weapons.

“For the first time in 30 years, India will have access to U.S. nuclear fuel and technology, even though New Delhi, which has tested nuclear weapons, refuses to join international non-proliferation agreements… Non-proliferation experts have said the United States’ willingness to allow India to reprocess nuclear fuel it provides to New Delhi is inconsistent with its drive in the international community to stop Iran from doing so.”

“As a Catholic, I am Ashamed of the Pope…”

The Eastern Star News Agency published the following editorial, on July 26:

“The Vatican claims that only the Catholic Church possesses the truth of the Christian faith. As a Catholic I am ashamed over having a spiritual leader that makes such statements. This shows that the Pope and people in his surroundings haven’t learnt anything from history.

“Conflicts within the church have during nearly 2000 years caused war, misery, fanaticism and the spreading of Islam…

“The Pope’s earlier statement about Islam, were he quoted medieval scripts, where Islam was described as a religion of violence, was followed by his repeated denial and apologies to the Muslim world, and his servile actions in the following visit to Turkey in November 2006. The Pope’s statement, claiming… Catholicism is the only right faith, is an attack and insult against a great part of Christianity, like Orthodox Christianity and Protestantism…

“I am myself a Catholic and pay church tax to the Catholic Church. I get very doubtful in my relation to the Catholic Church when the Vatican acts this way. I condemn this action. I demand from the Vatican and the Pope to apologize to the Orthodox, the Protestants and to… other Christian communities for this statement.”

The Power Of Soccer in Iraq

The Associated Press reported on July 29:

“Iraq won the Asian Cup for the first time Sunday, a beacon of hope for a nation divided by war.

“Iraq’s 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia on a 71st-minute header by captain Younis Mahmoud was an inspirational triumph for a team whose players straddle bitter and violent ethnic divides. After the game, Mahmoud called for the United States to withdraw its troops from his nation. ‘I want America to go out,’ he said. ‘Today, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, but out. I wish the American people didn’t invade Iraq and, hopefully, it will be over soon.’

“Mahmoud also said he will not return to Iraq to celebrate. ‘I don’t want the Iraqi people to be angry with me,’ he said. ‘If I go back with the team, anybody could kill me or try to hurt me.’…

“Elation was juxtaposed against the tragedy in the players’ homeland. Coach Jorvan Vieira and Mahmoud wore black armbands during the postgame news conference to commemorate the dozens of fans killed back home during celebrations following Wednesday’s semifinal victory over South Korea… Vieira, who is Brazilian, resigned after the game…

“Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s office announced that each Iraqi player will receive $10,000.

“About 3,000 Iraqi refugees celebrated in Damascus, Syria. In Dearborn, Mich., Iraqi-Americans gathered in the streets, honking horns, sitting on car roofs and waving flags… Celebratory gunfire resounded across [Iraq] and revelers poured into the streets in defiance of orders from authorities while mosques broadcast calls for the shooting to stop. Security forces enforced a vehicle ban in an effort to prevent a repeat of car bombings that killed dozens celebrating Iraq’s progress to the final.

“‘The players have made us proud, not the greedy politicians,’ said Sabah Shaiyal, a 43-year-old police officer in Baghdad. ‘Once again, our national team has shown that there is only one, united Iraq.'”

Iraq In Turmoil–and Iraq’s Parliament Takes a Summer Break!

MSNBC wrote on July 30:

“Iraq’s parliament on Monday shrugged off U.S. criticism and adjourned for a month, as key lawmakers declared there was no point waiting any longer for the prime minister to deliver Washington-demanded benchmark legislation for their vote… Critics have questioned how Iraqi legislators could take a summer break while U.S. forces are fighting and dying to create conditions under which important laws could be passed in the service of ending sectarian political divisions and bloodshed… In Washington, the State Department was unusually silent on the matter, declining to criticize the lawmakers for the break…

“Meanwhile, [Iraqi’s prime minister] al-Maliki faces a revolt within his party by factions that want him out as Iraqi leader… Ibrahim al-Jaafari, al-Maliki’s predecessor, leads the challenge and already has approached leaders of the country’s two main Kurdish parties… The former prime minister also has approached Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, proposing a ‘national salvation’ government to replace the al-Maliki coalition. The Iranian-born al-Sistani refused to endorse the proposal, the officials said…

“Other officials… said al-Jaafari had only an outside chance of replacing or ousting al-Maliki. But they said the challenge could undermine al-Maliki and further entangle efforts at meeting important legislative benchmarks sought by Washington.”

Reuters added on August 1:

“The main Sunni Arab political bloc quit the Iraqi government on Wednesday in a blow to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s shaky coalition as suicide bombers killed more than 70 people in three attacks across Baghdad. The resignation move pushed the government into a new crisis undermining its efforts to reconcile Iraqis and end sectarian strife… Maliki’s government has already been weakened by the withdrawal of fiery Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s political bloc, one of the biggest in parliament, over his refusal to set a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.”

British Military Withdraws From Ireland–Ending “One of the Darkest Chapters in the Army’s History”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 31:

“The longest deployment of troops in the history of the British military ends at midnight, when the army’s operation in Northern Ireland officially comes to an end. But the 38-year-long deployment will be seen as one of the darkest chapters in the army’s history… The British military’s deployment in Northern Ireland was not a success — in fact, the military quickly became part of the problem… Today it is known that the military’s intelligence service employed agents who were involved in murders, weapons smuggling and bombings with the help of their leadership… More than 3,500 people have died… A total of 763 soldiers were killed, most of them by the IRA.”

The article continued:

“Five thousand [British soldiers] will stay in Ireland, but they will no longer be responsible for policing. The watchtowers along the border have been disassembled; the military base in Bessbrook, one of the largest on the British isles, has been closed; and the Royal Irish Regiment of the British military has been dissolved. The official reason is that the situation in Northern Ireland is sufficiently stable for such measures to be taken. The real reason is the lack of recruits. More than 12,000 soldiers are stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. The British military’s Chief of the General Staff, General Richard Dannatt, said in a secret memorandum that was leaked to the press that the military is overstretched: ‘We now have almost no capacity to react to the unexpected.'”

Amos 8:11-12 reads:

“’Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord God, ‘That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of HEARING the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, But shall not find it.”

Some have concluded that this passage tells us that in the future, God’s Word–the gospel of the kingdom of God–will NOT be preached anymore to the world. However, that conclusion would be inconsistent with Christ’s prophecy in Matthew 24:14, which says: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

In addition, we read that at the time just prior to Christ’s return, the Two Witnesses will preach God’s Word (compare Revelation 11:3-7), and finally, we are told that the third angel has the everlasting gospel to be preached to all nations (compare Revelation 14:6-7). Christ commissioned His Church to preach His Word and to make disciples of all nations, and He promised to be with His Church and its efforts until the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20).

Therefore, these passages don’t seem to allow for the concept that in the end time, just prior to Christ’s return, the preaching of God’s Word will cease.

How, then, are we to understand the above-quoted passage in Amos 8:11-12?

God says in that passage that they – the people – will suffer from a famine of HEARING the words of the LORD. This does not necessarily say that the words of the LORD are not going to be preached or taught any more, but, rather, that those people will not be able to HEAR or understand them – they will not recognize them as God’s Word, which is binding on them, and which needs to be obeyed. The people will have allowed their minds or hearts to harden so much that none of God’s words will find entrance into their minds. This would most certainly include those who once knew and understood God’s Word, but who decided to turn their back on God and exchange His words of truth for the lie (compare 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Romans 1:24-26).

Oh yes, they will still wander from sea to sea to find the Word of God, but, confused as they will be, they won’t recognize it. Remember that Christ taught the people, but many were unable to listen to His words. Their hearts were closed, hardened, incapable of accepting the truth. Many were like sheep, scattered, insecure and uncertain, not knowing where to turn.

God warns us not to look at His Word as a source for a big entertainment–like the people did, when they came to Ezekiel, to listen to him (compare Ezekiel 33:30-33). They did not want to learn from him; they did not want to accept the concept that they had to change their lives for the better. They just wanted to be entertained for a while. They wanted to have a “good time in church,” where they would get cozy and warm feelings. However, God wants us to listen carefully to His Word, with the attitude of wanting to learn, and then we must DO what we are taught.

They heard the words, but they did not do them. They did not think that they had to actually obey what they were told. In other words, they heard with their ears, but their minds, their hearts and their spirit did not accept and retain the words of God. Both in the passage in Amos 8:11-12, and in the passage in Ezekiel 33:30-33, the word for “hear” or “hearing” is “shamea” in the Hebrew.

Note how this word “shamea” is used in other passages:

Proverbs 13:1 reads, in the Authorized Version: “A scoffer does not HEAR rebuke.” The New King James Bible says, “… a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.” In the Hebrew, the word for “hear” or “listen” is “shamea.” The scoffer hears rebuke with his ears, but he does not heed the rebuke, so that he might change and do what is right.

Isaiah 65:12 states: “… when I called, you did not answer; When I spoke, you did not hear…” Compare also Isaiah 66:4.

So, God DID speak, but the people did not HEAR [“shamea” in the Hebrew]. For them, there was a famine of HEARING the Word of God. But it was their fault. THEY had allowed their hearts to be hardened, so that they would not hear or listen to the Word of God, and repent, and obey.

Jeremiah 6:10 explains: “To whom shall I speak and give warning, That they may hear [“shamea” in the Hebrew]? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, And they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the LORD is a reproach to them; They have no delight in it.”

Again, God spoke His Word, through Jeremiah and His other servants, but the people would not hear, since they had uncircumcised ears. They did not take any delight in God’s Word.

Jeremiah 7:13 adds: “… I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear [“shamea”], and I called you, but you did not answer.”

God did speak – but the people did not hear. There was not a famine of SPEAKING of the Word of God, but it was a famine of HEARING, or understanding, or abiding by, the Word of God.

In Jeremiah 19:15, God says: “Behold, I will bring on this city and on all her towns all the doom that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their necks that they might not hear [“shamea”] My words.”

God spoke His words — through His servants — but the people stiffened their necks, so that they would not hear or receive them.

Jeremiah 22:21 adds: “I spoke to you in your prosperity, But you said, ‘I will not hear’ [“shamea”]. This has been your manner from your youth, That you did not obey My voice.”

God did SPEAK His words to them – and they heard them with their ears – but not with their minds and hearts. They refused to accept them as God’s words. They refused to obey them.

When calamity came, they did seek the Word of God; they did cry out to God; but He did not answer. Since they had turned their backs on God, God turned His back on them. God had given them His Word, but they refused to receive it. Now, although the Word was still being preached and available–through God’s servants, such as Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and other prophets–the minds of the people had become so much alienated from God, that they did not recognize any of God’s truth anymore. God says that they broke ALL of His commandments. God gave them over to their perverse minds, and He did not reveal to them the meaning of His Word–He did not show them at that time, where His words could be heard, and what they meant (compare Hosea 4:6). Jeremiah was still preaching, and so was Ezekiel, but most people hated Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and they wanted to see them dead.

The same will happen again in the end time–with global implications. The Word of God will still be preached by God’s Church – the gospel will still be proclaimed as a witness in all the world – but the people will not hear. They will not give attention to it. In their distress, they will seek for God’s Word and deliverance, but – deceived as they will be – they will look for God’s Word in all the wrong places. And there will be, as we read in Matthew 24:11, “many false prophets,” and they will “deceive many.” Unfortunately, this will include many in God’s Church.

We must take this dire warning to heart.

We must be careful that we will not be reckoned among those who will seek the words of God, without being able to find them, as they have shown through their disobedient conduct that they really don’t care for the truth.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new StandingWatch program (#131) was placed on Google Video and on our StandingWatch website. It is titled: “Chaotic Weather in Europe–Why?”

In the program, Norbert Link addresses the following:

While England and Wales have been suffering from the wettest weather since records began in 1766, Western Europe has been plagued by unprecedented heatwaves. What is wrong with our weather–and will it get much worse in the near future?

A special letter was sent this week to the first 80 people in the USA, requesting our booklet, “Mysteries of the Bible,” as advertised on the Internet. The letter explains briefly some of the projects of the Church.

On July 28, 2007, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “The Old Testament.”

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.

From time to time, we may hear politicians use the following expression, when they attempt to address their failures and mistakes: “My apologies to you that I have fallen short.” It appears that the public acknowledgements of shortcomings, errors and mistakes are often summed up as “falling short.” This reminds me of the Biblical admonition in Romans 3:23: “… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Similar sentiments, you might think, but God’s Word clearly outlines man’s capacity to break the law of God and to miss the mark in living a truly Godly life. However, a politician’s remark of “having fallen short” is a euphemism for admitting mistakes without actually saying so.   Pride enters the scene. For many years now in the UK and other Western societies, the political scene has been awash with “spin” and political double talk, much more than in previous times. Man’s way is much different from the way – and the Word – of God.

God says what He means, and His inspired Word pulls no punches. Even the sins, mistakes and shortcomings of Bible heroes are not glossed over. When God speaks, we can totally rely on His Word; when men speak, we cannot have that same assurance.

We are privileged to have been called by God on Whom we can utterly rely. We certainly sin and fall short of the glory of God, and when we do, we need never be frightened to acknowledge our wrongs and to petition God for forgiveness. Pride is something that we must eradicate in our lives, but those who have pride usually find it difficult to say that they have been wrong – “falling short” is often as far as they will go. Unlike politicians of all persuasions, we are not being judged by the electorate, but by the great God of the universe – and how thankful we should be for that!

Terrible Weather Conditions in Britain…

AFP wrote on July 23:

“Thousands of people in Britain were left stranded in villages and towns Monday during the worst flooding here in 60 years… Swathes of central and western England were submerged as rivers swelled and burst their banks during four days of heavy rain, leaving thousands without clean water or electricity and facing the prospect of more rain.

“The largely rural counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire were the worst hit, forcing Royal Air Force (RAF) helicopters to evacuate around 150 people in its biggest-ever peacetime rescue. Speaking after a helicopter visit to the area, Brown linked the floods to climate change and pledged 200 million pounds (298 million euros, 411 million dollars) extra funding, plus a review to address future issues…

“In Gloucestershire, the worst-hit area, at least 350,000 homes were without water after a treatment works flooded, while 40,000 were without power. It could take up to two weeks to restore water supplies to some households, according to some reports. Noting the irony of the situation, the Daily Mail’s headline Monday read: ‘Water, water everywhere but … not a drop to drink!’…”

We received the following memo from one of our members in Britain, on July 23:

“Terrible situation over here in the UK in the Midlands, Yorkshire, Worcestershire, even in Oxfordshire… Floods galore. 400,000 without power, half a million without drinking water, sewage problems; it will take up to a year in many cases before people can move back into their homes once the floods subside, helicopter rescues, food supplies running short…”

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 23:

“Flooding in England has spread to the university city of Oxford where hundreds of homes were evacuated after the River Thames burst its banks. Windsor could be next. Insurers put the damage at more than $7 billion.”

The magazine added on July 26 that more rain is expected, and that because of sewage, the fear of diseases has increased. It stated that meteorologists said the three months from May to July were the wettest in England and Wales since records began in 1766.

AFP added on July 25 that “More rains were forecast Thursday for flood-hit areas in Britain.”

… and in Europe…

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 23:

“In a weekend of extremes, torrential rainfall across Western Europe caused severe flooding and damage, killing one person, while a heatwave in Eastern Europe has already killed 22 people… Many parts of Germany were also badly hit by severe rainfall, with a number of motorways and railway lines closed due to the flooding… And between 300 and 500 homes were estimated to have suffered serious damage in Bavaria. The torrential rain also caused havoc at the European Formula One Grand Prix at the Nürburgring on Sunday. The race had to be stopped and then restarted after six cars skidded off the track.

“In Switzerland mudslides and floods caused havoc in Berne, while a motorway near Interlaken was shut after a rockfall. Firemen raced to build emergency barriers against the rising water and clear the roads.”

APF reported on July 25:

“Southeastern Europe was a tinderbox Wednesday in the grip of an unrelenting heatwave that has claimed hundreds of lives… Italy was sweltering under temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit)… and suffering devastating wildfires in central and southern regions… More than 5,000 hectares (12,500 acres) of farmland have been destroyed, worth some one billion euros (1.4 billion dollars)…

“In Romania authorities said the heatwave-related death toll rose to 33 with three more people succumbing on Tuesday… In Slovakia a lightning strike sparked a huge forest fire on Sunday… Meanwhile the mercury reached 46 degrees Celsius (115 F) in parts of Greece, where a dozen forest fires were burning and up to five people have died from heat-related causes since Monday… The heatwave caused a spike in smog pollution in Athens, with ozone levels above emergency limits in several districts, prompting the government to urge motorists to avoid the city centre. Ozone levels were not expected to improve on Thursday…

“Hungary, where up to 500 people may have died last week from heat-related causes, enjoyed a significant drop in temperatures overnight with the welcome arrival of a cool front… A third degree heat alert — the highest ever applied in the country before last week — ended on Tuesday.”

Bild Online wrote on July 25: “Weather Chaos in Europe–And It’s Our Fault.” It added: “Experts are sure–the catastrophes are man-made.”

… and in Indonesia…

The Associated Press reported on July 23:

“Flash floods and landslides in central Indonesia inundated villages, destroyed bridges and roads, and sent thousands fleeing their homes, officials said Monday. At least 39 people were killed. The toll was expected to rise following days of torrential rain, with dozens more missing and rescuers only starting to reach isolated areas in the disaster zone… Rescuers struggled to get rice, instant noodles, blankets, medicine and other emergency supplies to some 16,000 forced from their homes… roads have been cut off and bridges destroyed.”

… and in China…

Reuters reported on July 23:

“Storms are expected to batter large swathes of China again on Monday after floods, landslides and lightning killed more than 150 people last week alone, state media said… Since the start of the annual rainy season in May, floods have hit nearly half of China and killed at least 400 people… Flooding and typhoons killed 2,704 people last year, according to the China Meteorological Administration. That was the second-deadliest year on record after 1998, when summer floods killed 4,150.”

Turkey’s Election

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 23 on the outcome of the Turkish election. The magazine stated:

“Turkey’s ruling Islamist[s]… won Sunday’s election by a landslide with 47 percent of the vote. The country has voted for stability, economic growth and — if the campaign pledges of Prime Minister… Erdogan are to be believed — further democratic reforms…

“The army will now play a decisive role in determining whether or not Turkey succeeds, with this clear result, in overcoming the political crisis prompted by the failed presidential election. Will the military now accept [Erdogan] against whom they intervened with a memorandum in April?…

“Erdogan will soon have to decide whether or not to invade northern Iraq under pressure from the military… by doing so, Erdogan would be risking a further escalation of the conflict in war-torn Iraq. The West has been following these developments with great concern.

“How forcefully Turkey now continues on its path towards Europe… depends on Europe too. How long can Turkey be strung along when it is becoming increasingly clear that, at the end of the day, Europe doesn’t want it to join the European Union? After all, Turkey’s real dilemma has far more to do with its path to Europe than it does with the debate over headscarves and mini-skirts.”

Libya–A Reliable Partner?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 26:

“Now that the Bulgarian nurses have been released, the rush to do business with Libya has begun. French President Nicolas Sarkozy was first off the mark, flying to Tripoli to meet with Moammar Gadhafi and sign a number of agreements — including a deal on building a French nuclear reactor in Libya… Sarkozy… promised to boost relations between the two countries.

“The trip came just 24 hours after Cecilia Sarkozy accompanied five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor out of Libya on a French presidential plane. The six medics had been imprisoned for eight years on charges of infecting over 400 Libyan children with HIV in the late 1990s.

“The Libyans have been scrambling to get out of international isolation since accepting responsibility for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in Scotland and agreeing to dismantle its nuclear weapons program in 2003. The move prompted the United States and European Union to lift sanctions, and Washington reopened its embassy there in 2006. Since then international investment has been flowing into Libya’s oil sector, which provides the bulk of the country’s gross domestic product.

“But the continuing incarceration of the six foreign medics had been a stumbling block to further ties. Now, following their release, foreign investment in the North African country is likely to increase dramatically.”

Will Civil War Break Out in the Balkans?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 26:

“As six nations [the “Contract group,” consisting of Germany, France, Great Britain, the United States, Italy and Russia] start a period of shuttle diplomacy over Kosovo’s fate, Serbian enclaves within the breakaway province threaten to plunge the region into civil war… Most of Kosovo’s ethnic Albanians want independence, something Serbia’s parliament voted to oppose Wednesday by a massive majority (217 to 2), ahead of revived talks by major powers in Vienna. Most of the six-nation ‘Contact group’ –except Russia–favors independence, too…

“About 20,000 Serbs live in the north of the province, an area that has long since slipped out of control of the UN’s administration and NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR). The fate of the roughly 1,500 to 2,000 Albanians living in the Serb-dominated north is hardly different from the fate of Serbs in the Albanian south: They live in ghettoes and are terrified of what the future could bring. And Serb officials have threatened that northern Kosovo would secede from the rest of the province if Kosovo wins independence… Last week Moscow rejected another proposal for a new UN resolution that would have brought an internationally monitored independence to the troubled province… Washington intends to be just as stubborn.”

Protestants Condemn Vatican

On July 23, The Adventist Press Service published an open letter from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) to the Vatican, dated July 10, “questioning Rome’s clarification on the status of non-Catholic churches.”

In the letter, WARC pointed out:

“We have seen the statement made by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and ratified and confirmed by Pope Benedict XVI concerning certain aspects of the Doctrine of the Church on 10 July 2007. We are puzzled by the release of a statement of this kind at this time in the history of the church… The statement… unfortunately gives an interpretation… which takes us back to the kind of thinking and atmosphere that was prevalent prior to the Second Vatican Council. This is not good for the mutual trust that is being developed through our bilateral dialogues.

“We especially find problematic the statement that, ‘These ecclesial Communities which, specifically because of the absence of the sacramental priesthood, have not preserved the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic Mystery cannot, according to Catholic doctrine, be called “Churches” in the proper sense.’… An exclusive claim that identifies the Roman Catholic Church as the one church of Jesus Christ, as we read in the statement released today, goes against the spirit of our Christian calling towards oneness in Christ. It makes us question the seriousness with which the Roman Catholic Church takes its dialogues with the Reformed family and other families of the church. It makes us question whether we are indeed praying together for Christian unity.

“For now, we are thankful to God that our calling to be part of the church of Jesus Christ is not dependent on the interpretation of the Vatican. It is a gift of God. Receiving this gift, we appreciate the Roman Catholic Church as a part of this family… We pray for the day that the Roman Catholic Church moves beyond exclusivist claims so that we can further the cause of Christian unity for which our Lord Jesus Christ prayed…”

In spite of the Pope’s offensive statements, it is clear from the foregoing that the Reformed Lutheran Churches (also called the Protestant Church) is anxious to unify with the Roman Catholic Church. The Bible predicts that this will happen–with catastrophic consequences for the entire world. Please be sure to listen to our StandingWatch program, “The Pope Angers the World.”

Is the U.S. Draft Coming?

On July 21, Time published an article, discussing the possibility of a mandatory draft in the USA in light of the catastrophic conditions in Iraq and the present failure of the USA  to bring peace to the region. The article pointed out:

“So then what about the… most controversial option — is it time to reinstitute the draft? That option has a certain appeal as the Army fell short of its active-duty recruiting goal for June by about 15%. It is the second consecutive month the service’s enlistment effort has slipped as public discontent grows over the war in Iraq.

“Bringing back mandatory service has been the refrain of many who want to put the brakes on the Iraq war; if every young man is suddenly a potential grunt on his way to Baghdad, the thinking goes, the war would end rather quickly. It’s also an argument made by those who are uneasy that the burden of this war is being unfairly shouldered by the 1.4-million-strong U.S. military and no one else.”

This nonsensical reasoning–however ludicrous it may be–might very well induce Republicans and Democrats alike, albeit for different reasons and motives, to reinstate the draft. Let us pray to God Almighty–the God of PEACE–that that dreadful day never comes!

Environmentally Friendly Aviation Fuel

On July 18, www.stuff.co.nz published the following amazing article, showing that where there is a WILL, there IS a way:

“Air New Zealand and airliner manufacturer Boeing are secretly working with Blenheim-based biofuel developer Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation to create the world’s first environmentally friendly aviation fuel, made of wild algae. If the project pans out the small and relatively new New Zealand company could lead the world in environmentally sustainable aviation fuel. It’s understood Air NZ is undertaking risk analysis. If everything stacks up it will make an aircraft available on the Tasman to test the biofuel.”

A New Temple and the House of Levi

On July 15, Israel Today reported the following:

 “Jews belonging to the Tribe of Levi, and particularly the Kohen clan, came together for a mass gathering in Jerusalem on Sunday. It was the first large-scale gathering of biblically-mandated Israelite priests since the time of the Second Temple. The gathering included lectures and seminars on the history and future of the Temple, and culminated with all of the participants declaring the priestly blessing over Israel from the Western Wall.

“Genetic research over the past several decades has succeeded in isolating a particular DNA signature shared by all members of the Tribe of Levi, making the reinstitution of Israel’s priestly caste a relatively simple endeavor once the Temple is rebuilt.”

The Bible predicts that in the near future, priests from the Tribe of Levi will officiate over sacrifices, and that apparently a new Temple will be built in Jerusalem, just prior to the return of Jesus Christ. For more information, please read our free booklets, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” and “And Lawlessness Will Abound…”

1984 In Prophecy–Has It Arrived?

The Associated Press reported on July 20:

“CityWatcher.com, a provider of surveillance equipment, attracted little notice itself — until a year ago, when two of its employees had glass-encapsulated microchips with miniature antennas embedded in their forearms.

“The ‘chipping’ of two workers with RFIDs — radio frequency identification tags as long as two grains of rice, as thick as a toothpick — was merely a way of restricting access to vaults that held sensitive data and images for police departments, a layer of security beyond key cards and clearance codes, the company said.

“… the news that Americans had, for the first time, been injected with electronic identifiers to perform their jobs fired up a debate over the proliferation of ever-more-precise tracking technologies and their ability to erode privacy in the digital age.

“To some, the microchip was a wondrous invention — a high-tech helper that could increase security at nuclear plants and military bases, help authorities identify wandering Alzheimer’s patients, allow consumers to buy their groceries, literally, with the wave of a chipped hand.

“To others, the notion of tagging people was Orwellian, a departure from centuries of history and tradition in which people had the right to go and do as they pleased, without being tracked, unless they were harming someone else. Chipping, these critics said, might start with Alzheimer’s patients or Army Rangers, but would eventually be suggested for convicts, then parolees, then sex offenders, then illegal aliens — until one day, a majority of Americans, falling into one category or another, would find themselves electronically tagged.

“The concept of making all things traceable isn’t alien to Americans. Thirty years ago, the first electronic tags were fixed to the ears of cattle, to permit ranchers to track a herd’s reproductive and eating habits. In the 1990s, millions of chips were implanted in livestock, fish, dogs, cats, even racehorses.

“Microchips are now fixed to car windshields as toll-paying devices, on ‘contactless’ payment cards (Chase’s ‘Blink,’ or MasterCard’s ‘PayPass’). They’re embedded in Michelin tires, library books, passports, work uniforms, luggage, and, unbeknownst to many consumers, on a host of individual items, from Hewlett Packard printers to Sanyo TVs, at Wal-Mart and Best Buy.”

It is true that the Old Testament contains references to God using the term “Father.” It is also true that, most generally, the One who dealt DIRECTLY with Israel was the same Personage who was the Son, Jesus Christ–not the One known today as “the Father.”

However, in Isaiah 9:6, we find a notable prophecy about Jesus Christ that includes several of His “names” or “designations”:

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

On the other hand, there are several other instances in which the Old Testament uses the name or designation, “Father.” In those additional instances, the reference is NOT to Christ. Please note the following comments from our free booklet, “God Is A Family“:

“Did Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, David, Daniel, and the other prophets understand that God, or ‘Elohim,’ is more than one person? The Bible reveals that they did know. “Acts 3:13 states that the ‘God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His servant Jesus.’ Abraham, Isaac and Jacob understood that their God was the Father, who would later glorify Jesus Christ, the Son. They also understood… that the God being who directly dealt with and appeared to them, was Jesus Christ—not the Father…

“In addition, we find a few Scriptures in the Old Testament that refer to Christ—the second being in the God Family—as the Son (compare Psalm 2:1–2, 7, 11–12; Proverbs 30:4).

“Generally, however, this terminology is not used in the Old Testament, as God was not clearly revealed as Father and Son in ancient times.

“Christ, as the Son of God, had to come to reveal the Father. The Jews were under the misimpression that they were worshipping ‘the Father.’ They did not understand that the God being functioning as the Messenger or Spokesperson of the Father and the God Family, who had been dealing directly with the ancients, was actually Jesus Christ. (Compare Christ’s words in John 8:54, ‘It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.’)

“Still, there are Old Testament passages that speak about God as ‘the Father.’ References to ‘the Father’ in the Old Testament can be found in Isaiah 63:16; Malachi 1:6; 2:10; 2 Samuel 7:13–14; 1 Chronicles 22:10; and Deuteronomy 32:6. In those passages, Christ—the ‘Word’ or Spokesman for the Father—communicated to the people the words of the Father.”

We might also add the reference in Isaiah 64:8: “But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.”

Also, God specifically instructs Moses what he should say to the leader of Egypt regarding the captive Israelites: “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn”‘” (Exodus 4:22).

Throughout His dealings with Israel, God has been a Father to them, fulfilling His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Compare Deuteronomy 1:31; Isaiah 46:3-4; Jeremiah 3:19).

Israel as a nation did not seem to understand that it was actually the Son, Jesus Christ, who dealt with them directly–erroneously thinking that it was the Father who was in direct communication with Moses and other leaders. They did not realize that it was the Son, the Word of God, who communicated the words of the Father to their leaders and to them.

You might find our booklet, titled “Jesus Christ, A Great Mystery,” helpful for a careful study in this regard. In addition, we have written extensively in numerous Q&A’s concerning Jesus Christ, and these are available by searching on our web site, www.eternalgod.org.

Please consider what John stated: “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18; 1 John 4:12). It is further explained that Jesus Christ revealed the heavenly Father–the God that Israel of old did not directly deal with. Here is the testimony of Jesus Himself: “‘Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father'” (John 6:46; compare Matthew 11:27).

In the New Testament, when the Father is spoken of, it is the One called God the Father, God our Father, our Father, the Father, etc. Unmistakably, the New Testament reveals more information about both the Son and the Father! Yet, Jesus challenged the Pharisees concerning their lack of true understanding about the Messiah–the Deliverer and Savior that they awaited.

“While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?’ They said to Him, ‘The Son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How then does David in the Spirit call Him “Lord,” saying: “The LORD said to my Lord,” ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool'”? If David then calls Him “Lord,” how is He his Son?’ And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore” (Matthew 22:41-46).

This exchange serves to highlight the terrible misunderstanding that both the Jews of that time had, and the strange Trinitarian description of the Family of God that has so deceived modern followers of “Christianity”–so called!

With this background, let us review the above-quoted passage in Isaiah 9:6. To cite from our booklet, “God Is A Family“:

“Since God [the Father] created everything through Christ, it is also said in Isaiah 9:6 that Christ will be called in the future—after His Second Coming—the ‘Everlasting Father.’ This statement proves, too, that Christ existed for all eternity. He is referred to here as the ‘everlasting Father’ or ‘the everlasting Source’ of everything—the ‘beginning of the creation of God.’ However, when the Bible speaks of the ‘Father,’ it normally refers strictly and exclusively to the highest God being in the God Family.”

Understand that the Son is without beginning of days (Hebrews 7:3); He has eternal life (Compare Colossians 1:15-18; John 1:1-3, 10; Revelation 1:11, 18); His roles relative to mankind have involved many different aspects, and that includes coming as Savior of the world as well as being God and “Father” or “Source” to Israel and all mankind–a role both of the past as revealed in the Old Testament and the future when He will establish God’s government on this earth and restore the nation of Israel, bringing peace to all peoples!

The role of “father” is even applied by Paul to himself: “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel” (1 Corinthians 4:15).

This metaphorical usage of “father” reveals an effective key of understanding when we consider what is mentioned in the Bible–especially regarding the role of the Son, Jesus Christ, in following God the Father’s directive to choose Abraham and then making the nation of Israel from his descendants.

The fatherhood of God the Father is not just an implicit comparison! He is indeed revealed as the Father of Jesus Christ (compare Matthew 3:17; 17:5). God the Father is also revealed as OUR FATHER: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14; compare Revelation 21:7).

Jesus, who as the Son was also a “Father” or better “Source” in the creation of mankind–especially for the people of Israel–acknowledged the ultimate authority of God the Father: “…’My Father is GREATER than I'” (John 14:28). Paul makes this supporting statement:

“For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:27-28).

Just as Jesus is subject to the Father, so must we be. Here is an admonition for us to consider from Hebrews 12:9:

“Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?”

Lead Writers: Dave Harris and Norbert Link

A new member letter has been written and posted on the Web. In the letter, Brian Gale discusses the signs of the times, indicating the imminent return of Jesus Christ. The letter will be sent out by mail early next week.

Our new booklet, “The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days,” has been posted on the Web. Hard copies will be sent out in the USA and Canada, together with the new member letter, early next week.

A new StandingWatch program (#130) was placed on Google Video by the end of last week. It is titled, “Are We Destroying Ourselves?”

In the program, Norbert Link made the following observations:

As we heard about this week’s terrible earthquakes in Japan and the radio-active damage which they caused, it became obvious how man, motivated by his greed, originally attempted to suppress and hide the full truth. However, such unspeakable nightmare scenarios can also happen in Europe and in America–and it stands to reason that they will soon occur. Are we facing the total extinction of mankind?

Our Internet ad campaign in the USA for our booklet, “Mysteries of the Bible,”  has received so far about 100 requests.