On June 9, 2007, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Why the Sacrifices.”

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.

Dr. Jack Kevorkian was recently released from prison, where he served eight years for giving a fatal injection to a 52 year old man who had Lou Gehrig’s disease.  What he did was wrong in the eyes of God (see Q&A below), and the judicial system in the USA agrees, hence the jail time.

The interesting aspect of this whole ordeal is that Kevorkian went into the penal system a rebellious and defiant man of 71 years of age and came out as a 79 year old who was still just as brash, gruff and combative as ever.

While his time in the penitentiary did manage to keep him off the streets, it did little to make the man, known as Dr. Death, penitent.  Of course, this is nothing new. Most do not come out of correctional facilities “corrected.” If anything, some going in come out “better” criminals.

What does it take then to rehabilitate a person from his errant ways?

It takes a conviction that what we are doing is wrong, and then a conversion to become a “new” person.  The only way that this can truly be accomplished is by the power of God working in our lives and giving us the recognition of who and what we are, and then, who and what we can become.  The heart is naturally contrary to the way of God (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:18-20), but with the power of the Holy Spirit, it can be transformed (Psalms 51:10; Ezekiel 11:19).

Some today have been given this insight to see themselves as God sees them.  The question now is, what does He see?  Is it the same attitudes and actions that were present at the beginning of their rehabilitation or is it a “new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24)?

What and Why the G-8 Summit?

Der Spiegel Online described on June 6 the role and reason for the G-8 summit:

“The Group of Eight (G- 8) includes many of the world’s most powerful industrial democracies: the Unites States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and Russia. The European Union also participates, represented by the president of the European Commission and the President of the EU, but is not an official member…

“The G- 8 is an [annual] ‘informal forum of heads of state’ without an administrative structure or offices. The summit agenda is administered by the year’s president and host. As this year’s host country, Germany has announced an agenda which focuses on climate change prevention and the need for a replacement to the Kyoto Protocol, set to expire in 2012. Stabilizing the world economy with sustainable energy policy, development and HIV prevention aid in Africa, anti- product piracy strategy, and security policy are also among topics Germany plans to address…

“This year Germany is hosting the 33rd summit at Heiligendamm, the country’s oldest beach resort, which is in the state of Mecklenberg Vorpommern on the Baltic Sea. The entire resort has been blocked off by a 12- kilometer long, razor wire fence to prevent demonstrators from getting [too] close to the venue…

“The G- 8 originated in 1973, when the oil crisis and subsequent economic recession prompted the US to host informal meetings for world leaders to discuss relevant issues. In 1975, France invited the US, the UK, West Germany, Italy and Japan to a summit, called the Group of Six, where the countries agreed on an annual meeting and rotating presidency. Canada joined the next year, forming the G- 7. In 1997, Russia joined the group — a decision which is still contested by some — forming what is currently known as the G- 8.

“Together, the eight countries produce more than half of the world’s economic production, and represent a powerhouse of political influence. Summit topics have evolved from purely economic concerns to include political agendas such as poverty, terrorism, and climate change.”

Europe Angry With Bush

The Financial Times wrote on June 1:

“Germany and the European Commission reacted angrily to President George W. Bush’s apparent change of heart on climate change on Friday, setting the stage for a stormy G8 summit of rich industrialised countries next week.

“A spokesman for Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor and current G8 president, said Germany’s stance that climate talks should take place within the United Nations was ‘non-negotiable’. Stavros Dimas, the EU environment commissioner, dismissed the proposals for climate talks as vague and ‘the classic US line’…

“Attitudes within Europe hardened on Friday as some politicians and activists accused Mr Bush of trying to wreck next week’s summit, and UN negotiations on climate change, set to take place this December… Sigmar Gabriel, the German environment minister, said Mr Bush’s speech could mark a ‘change in the US position or a manoeuvre aimed at causing confusion.’ A comment by Mr Bush to German media that Ms Merkel ‘will be pleased’ with his proposals, which run counter to her own, was seen as provocative.

“There were signs on Friday night that Mr Bush’s proposals would split the G8, which some sceptics argue is his intention. Stephen Harper, Canada’s prime minister, welcomed the plans, as did Tony Blair, Britain’s outgoing prime minister, and Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister.”

A commentary in Germany’s daily, Die Zeit, stated on June 1:

“Is the US President changing from Saul to Paul? Only Tony Blair seems to believe that… Nothing indicates that Bush had a change of heart… The G-8 countries and the entire world would be well advised not to even consider the tactical games of the Bush Administration… If one was to accept Bush’s proposal, then one would open the door to American delay strategies.”

Britain Isolated?

The Telegraph wrote on June 2:

“The Prime Minister [Tony Blair] will be told by Angela Merkel tomorrow that he faces isolation and a bruising battle over British opposition to new powers for the European Union. At a pre-G8 meeting in Berlin, the German chancellor will warn Mr Blair that he will be under siege if he tries to defend Britain’s sovereignty at a meeting on June 21 in Brussels – where details of a treaty will be thrashed out to replace the constitution that was rejected by French and Dutch voters two years ago.

“Support for the Prime Minister is melting away as key allies such as French president Nicolas Sarkozy rally behind proposals to beef up EU powers ahead of the summit, which is Mr Blair’s last top-level engagement before he hands over power to Gordon Brown on June 27… The German leader will use the summit to fix a basic outline for a new EU treaty and is hoping to commit Mr Blair to firm promises on which Mr Brown will find it difficult to backtrack later.”

Ahead of the G-8 Summit

On Saturday, June 2, The German and international press reported about staggering violent demonstrations in the East German city of Rostock, days ahead of the G-8 summit in Heiligendamm. Deutsche Welle reported:

“As tens of thousands of peaceful anti-globalization demonstrators marched in protest against the upcoming G8 summit in the German town of Rostock Saturday, some clashed violently with police…  The stone-throwing demonstrators were from a far-left anti-globalization group and wore black masks and hoods… Saturday’s clashes bear out fears expressed by the German police that left-wing militants would seek to cause unrest during protests against the summit…. As is now customary for G8 summits, the luxury beachfront hotel on the Baltic coast where US President George W. Bush and his counterparts will hold talks is surrounded by a heavily guarded fence topped with barbed wire. An underwater barrier has been erected to prevent ships approaching the hotel.”

The German press reported on Tuesday that one demonstrator, who had been arrested and charged with throwing stones at police officers, was sentenced to ten months in prison without the possibility of parole. The accelerated procedure and the decision against the 33-year old German citizen, who had not been previously convicted, was meant to have a deterrent effect on future demonstrators. During the clash on Saturday, over 433 police officers were injured, as well as more than 1,000 civilians.

Over the weekend, former German Chancellor, Helmut Schmidt (88), stated in an interview with the German tabloid, Bild, that the G-8 Summit has become nothing more than a spectacle for the media. He pointed out that the original concept was invented by former French President Giscard d’Estaing and himself, to get world leaders together to talk to each other [However, note the excerpt from Der Spiegel Online in this Update, describing the purpose of the G-8 meetings, which portrays a slightly different historical picture as to their origins.] He added that at first, the British and the Americans were opposed to the concept. He continued that in order to be productive, leaders from China and India [in addition to Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the USA] would have to be added now, and that all leaders should appear with a very small entourage–and not with “1,000 people,” as the Americans are doing.

… And During the Summit

Reuters reported on June 6:

“Around 10,000 anti-capitalist protesters clashed with police on Wednesday, injuring eight, as they tried to blockade routes to a summit of major powers in northern Germany. Police used water cannons to push back demonstrators. Delegates from several G8 countries said the protests were limiting their ability to move around at the summit venue, a seaside resort on Germany’s Baltic coast. Eight officers were injured during the clashes with protesters near the town of Bad Doberan, police spokesman Luedger Behrens said. Police ‘used water cannons twice after demonstrators bombarded police with stones,’ he said. Police said 15 protesters had been detained. Protesters were trying to block access to a luxury hotel on the coast in Heiligendamm…”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 7:

“The peaceful blockades by anti G-8 demonstrators at the summit in Heiligendamm have allayed fears of mass violence stoked by last Saturday’s riot in Rostock, and have won praise in the German media.”

Der Stern published a report on June 7 alleging that police officers in civilian clothes had mingled themselves among the demonstrators in Rostock, provoking violence by persuading them to throw stones at police officers.

How Merkel Wants to Lead

Der Spiegel Online reported on June 5:

“US President George W. Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are competing for control of the climate change agenda at the G-8 summit. The minutes of a secret meeting to plan the German government’s strategy… reveal the hard line Merkel plans to take… From the beginning, Merkel and the group had no illusions about the US president’s intentions. The chancellor’s senior economic advisor, Jens Weidmann, had done his own research, and he presented his conclusions to the group. The minutes read: ‘Dr. Weidmann reported that the US president’s advisor on climate issues is currently traveling through a number of emerging nations, the goal being to intervene against Germany’s ambitious G-8 agenda on the subject of climate protection.’… Cooperation with the Russians — against Bush — is another option, the document quotes Merkel as saying…”

“Bush made it clear that the United States would expect to assume the leadership in this process, a role the Chancellery had in fact already claimed for Merkel.

“Anxious as the powerful are to avoid giving this impression, a showdown seems inevitable in Heiligendamm. The smiling photo ops in beautiful, natural surroundings will likely stand in sharp contrast to what happens behind the scenes: America against Germany, a climate change deadbeat against a courageous contender for a better world — he against she… Merkel has no intention to be robbed of the opportunity to shine before the local and global public in Heiligendamm as an energetic champion of a better world…

“There is a lot at stake for the chancellor: her reputation as G-8 chair as well as Germany’s image in the world, but also Merkel’s image as a politician who gets things done. Merkel has promised that the summit will not be about empty words, but will instead examine solutions for the world’s biggest challenges… Merkel’s way of thinking is different from Bush’s, and is very German. She wants the summit to succeed in weakening two preconceptions: her supposed thralldom to the United States is a thorn in her side, as is the supposed lack of environmental commitment on the part of Germany’s conservatives.

“It’s with excitement and a certain amount of schadenfreude [malicious joy] that the Social Democratic members of Merkel’s cabinet watch as the chancellor suddenly finds herself in a new skirmish: Merkel has to defend herself against the Americans’ initiative… Publicly, the looming conflict with the Americans is in no way to be ratcheted up — softening is the order [of] the day… But internally, Merkel’s advisors have told her that reaching a concrete CO2 reduction goal is the decisive yardstick.”

First “Major Success” at G-8 Summit? — Not Really!

Der Spiegel Online reported on June 7:

“G-8 leaders meeting in Heiligendamm have agreed to ‘seriously consider’ a 50 percent cut in global CO2 emissions by 2050, said Chancellor Angela Merkel, hailing the deal as a major success. The summit had also agreed to negotiate a successor treaty to the Kyoto Protocol, which sets cuts in greenhouse gases running to 2012, within the framework of the United Nations, she said…”

Bild Online reported that the German Green Party (former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer is a member of the Green party) strongly criticized the “compromise,” calling it a “laughable fraud” and a “noncommittal triumph.” According to the criticism, rather than agreeing to a clear obligatory commitment, all they came up with was a “hotchpotch.”

Bild Online also quoted Greenpeace as saying that no success was achieved, but just a further delay of dealing with the problems.

Putin Threatens USA and NATO

The Globe and Mail wrote on June 4:

“In a threat not uttered since the Cold War, Vladimir Putin said that Russia intends to aim its missile systems – potentially nuclear weapons – at targets in Europe in retaliation for the U.S. decision to establish antimissile bases there.

“During a lengthy dinner, Russia’s President defended his semi-authoritarian style and insisted he is the world’s only true democrat. In an interview with The Globe and Mail and a small circle of other journalists, he stressed that his country is not moving away from a market economy, refused to consider extraditing a former KGB agent charged with poisoning a dissident in London, and lashed out repeatedly at the United States and NATO for operating in countries previously within Russia’s sphere of influence. Mr. Putin’s remarks, translated from Russian, virtually guarantee much of the G8 summit, due to begin in northern Germany on Wednesday, will be dominated by the growing confrontation between the West and Russia…

“‘It is obvious that if part of the strategic nuclear potential of the United States is located in Europe, and according to our military experts will be threatening us, we will have to respond,’ he said. ‘What kind of steps are we going to take in response? Of course, we are going to get new targets in Europe.’ He suggested that this could include powerful nuclear-capable weapons.”

In response, during a speech in the Czech Republic, President Bush “tried to defuse a worsening dispute with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of the G-8 summit,” according to Der Spiegel Online, dated June 5. The magazine quoted Mr. Bush as saying: “Russia is not the enemy… The Cold War is over. It ended… My message will be: ‘Vladimir’ — I call him Vladimir — you shouldn’t fear a missile defense system. As a matter of fact, why don’t you cooperate with us on a missile defense system?”

It will have to be seen whether “Vladimir” will be impressed by these words.

Another “Success” at the G-8 Summit?

The Associated Press reported on June 7:

“Bush and Putin met privately after days of Cold War-style sparring over U.S. plans to base a missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, essentially in Russia’s back yard. Putin, bitterly opposed to placing such a system in Europe, told Bush that Russia would drop its objections and not seek to retrain its missiles on Europe if the shield were installed in Azerbaijan, a former Soviet satellite in central Asia. Bush’s national security adviser, Steve Hadley, called it an ‘interesting proposal.'”

The Collapse of the US as a Superpower

The ABC Online Network in Australia reported on June 1:

“A US military analyst who’s served in the armed forces and has written on international affairs for more than two decades, is issuing a warning today about the collapse of the United States as a superpower. In his latest book, ‘The Mess They Made: the Middle East After Iraq,’ Gwynne Dyer says there’s no doubt that the US will withdraw its troops from Iraq once President George W. Bush leaves office. But he predicts that already that war has set in motion events that will radically transform not only the Middle East but the role of the United States in the world.”

In an interview with Australia’s “World Today,” Dyer stated the following:

“The regimes of the Arab world, with zero exceptions, except for Iraq, where the Americans overthrew Saddam, have all been in power for at least forty years. They’re all dictatorships or absolute monarchies, most of them are corrupt beyond imagining. So this is a very unstable status quo, maintained by American subsidies, American troops, American guarantees, and when those are withdrawn, I think that there will be very large changes in the Middle East… Congress will be reluctant to vote new funds, Congress will be very suspicious about new commitments to support Arab regimes, and meanwhile the momentum in the streets in the Arab world will be moving very rapidly in the favour of the revolutionaries…

“A senior Japanese diplomat said to me, last year… ‘You know the United States is a twelve year old with a shotgun’. And what he meant was that as the United States begins to suspect that it’s past the apogee of its trajectory, [it is] on the way down, as a great power no longer on the way up or at the top securely, that it is becoming extremely erratic, that is lashing out in all sorts of ways to try and slow or stop what it perceives as insipient decline. So there is concern that we’re getting into rather deep water here, that we may be going into an era where the Americans become highly unpredictable and quite dangerous.”

Republicans Bash President Bush in New Hampshire

The Associated Press reported on June 5, 2007:

“President Bush drew sporadic, startling criticism Tuesday night from Republican White House hopefuls unhappy with his handling of the Iraq war, his diplomatic style and his approach to immigration.

“‘I would certainly not send him to the United Nations to represent the United States’, said Tommy Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor and one-time member of Bush’s Cabinet… Arizona Sen. John McCain… criticized the administration for its handling of the Iraq War, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said, ‘I think we were underprepared and underplanned for what came after we knocked down Saddam Hussein.’

“Rep. Duncan Hunter… of California said the current administration ‘has the slows’ when it comes to building a security fence along the border with Mexico. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado recalled that White House aide Karl Rove had once told him ‘never darken the door of the White House.’ The congressman said he’d tell George W. Bush the same thing.

“The criticism of Bush was more in keeping of the type of rhetoric that could be expected when Democratic presidential contenders debate. Its prominence at the GOP event — while Bush was traveling overseas — was a reflection of his poor poll ratings and the need of even members of his own party to campaign on platforms of change…

“Much of the debate focused on Iraq… McCain drew loud applause from the partisan debate audience when he turned a question about the war in Iraq into criticism of the leading Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

“‘When Senator Clinton says this is… President Bush’s war, she is wrong,’ he said. ‘When President Clinton was in power, I didn’t say Bosnia was President Clinton’s war… Presidents don’t lose wars. Political parties don’t lose wars. Nations lose wars’… Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee added his voice to those criticizing the war effort. He added that the Bush administration ‘lost credibility’ with its response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005…

“Bush’s support for the pending immigration legislation… figured prominently in the debate. McCain… supports the measure, and he sought to fend off criticism from some of his rivals.  ‘We cannot have 12 million people washing around America illegally, my friends,’ he said. But [Rudy] Giuliani [former New York Mayor] said the legislation was flawed, ‘a typical Washington mess.'”

California Is Preparing for a HOT Summer

Reuters reported the following on June 6:

“Los Angeles residents were urged on Wednesday to take shorter showers, reduce lawn sprinklers and stop throwing trash in toilets in a bid to cut water usage by 10 percent in the driest year on record. With downtown Los Angeles seeing a record low of 4 inches of rain since July 2006 — less than a quarter of normal — and with a hot, dry summer ahead, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the city needed ‘to change course and conserve water to steer clear of this perfect storm.’

On June 6, 2007, CNN filed this report:

“… climatologist Bill Patzert of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory… got a rare glimpse into the future by studying the past. He found that in the last 100 years the average daily temperature in this state [of California]  jumped 5 degrees; average nightly temperature jumped 7 degrees; and the annual number of extreme heat days, those over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, multiplied by 12. Even heat waves are up, he said. They are three-to-five times more likely with each passing summer… ‘We’re no longer living in a normal world. We’re living in a warmer world,’ he said.

“So what does all that mean for Californians? It could mean a steamy, smoggy, hot, fiery summer is around the corner, with myriad consequences… with the ground so hot, brush fires no longer occur just a few months a year, but all year long.

“A heightened demand for electricity could tax power companies and their ability to deliver a consistent flow of energy. Last year, when temperatures soared well over 100 degrees, more than one million Californians lost power for more than a week… Before it got so hot in California, one megawatt could power 750 homes. Now it only powers 650 homes. And people are building bigger and bigger homes, megahomes if you will, in inland areas like San Bernardino Valley, which are hotter… It’s getting so bad that California Attorney General Jerry Brown has sued San Bernardino County, one of the fastest growing inland areas in the United States, for failing to account for greenhouse gases when updating its 25-year blueprint for growth.

“Infectious disease experts… suggest extreme heat this summer may even bring tropical diseases to southern California. The flu, which circulates year round in the tropics, could do the same here. And the mosquitoes — look out! They bite more often at night, so the warmer nights are sure to keep them busy.”

40th Anniversary of Israeli-Arab War

AFP reported on June 5:

“The Middle East marks the 40th anniversary on Tuesday of the war which saw Israel defeat three Arab armies in six days but began four decades of occupation — the key obstacle to peace to this day… The 1967 war planted the seeds of the many deep-rooted obstacles that generations of diplomats have found impossible to untangle in their search for peace — from the Jewish settler movement to sovereignty over Jerusalem.

“After weeks of belligerency and brinkmanship from regional and international players, on June 5, 1967 Israel launched what it called a preemptive strike, smashed the armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria, and secured its status as a regional superpower. Its soldiers captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan, the Golan Heights from Syria, and the Gaza Strip and Sinai peninsula from Egypt — an area three and a half times larger than the state of Israel.

“For Israelis, the conquest of east Jerusalem — and with it Judaism’s holiest site, the Western Wall which Jews had been prohibited from visiting since the creation of the state in 1948 — was a messianic victory. For Palestinians, the war brought new depths of despair after the initial ‘catastrophe’ of the creation of the Jewish state: they came under Israeli occupation and their dream of a state of their own seemed to slip out of reach.

“But it also galvanised their often bloody resistance movement and paved the way for most Israelis to accept a two-state solution and for the two sides to sign the 1993 Oslo interim peace accords. Israel eventually signed a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979, under which it returned the Sinai, and a second with Jordan in 1994. In 2005, Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip, but it retains control of its borders, air space and territorial waters and continues to mount incursions into the territory in response to militant attacks. All efforts to resolve the conflict have so far failed, with peace talks moribund since the failure of Camp David negotiations in 2000 and little progress discernible on the horizon from a recently revived Arab peace plan.”

Turkey Invades Iraq–Or Does It?

The Associated Press reported on June 6:

“Several thousand Turkish troops crossed into northern Iraq early Wednesday to chase Kurdish guerrillas who attack Turkey from bases there, two Turkish security officials said… speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media, [they] characterized the action as a ‘hot pursuit’ raid that was limited in scope. They told The Associated Press it did not constitute the kind of large incursion that Turkish leaders have been discussing in recent weeks as Turkish troops built up their force along the border.”

Deutsche Welle reported on June 7:

“Turkey has denied reports that its troops have launched a major incursion into northern Iraq, targeting Kurdish militants. This has also been confirmed by the White House and Baghdad officials. But news agencies quoting unnamed Turkish security officials say that there has been a ‘limited cross-border’ military operation. An estimated 4,000 rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK, are said to be hiding in Iraq. Turkey’s foreign minister Abdullah Gul called reports of a 50,000-strong invasion force ‘disinformation.'”

Assyrian Region in Iraq?

AsiaNews.it reported on June 6:

“Politicized groups are pushing for the creation of an ‘Assyrian region’ in the country’s north, on the border with Kurdistan. To this end, they are exploiting the anti-Christian persecution to confirm the urgency of carrying out their plan. A project being called for by those who know little of the situation in Iraq, it may be on the agenda for meetings between Bush and the Vatican.”

The article continued:

“Closing the Christian community into a ghetto/buffer-zone between Arabs and Kurds in the north seems, for some, the only solution for salvation.  According to local AsiaNews sources, the utmost is being done to make this convincing: religious leaders are being duped, the press is being manipulated; even suffering and sorrow are being exploited.  The latest example is the murder of Fr Ragheed Ganni, Chaldean priest, whose death, along with that of three friends, is at the centre of a media circus in Iraq that even Iraqis themselves are saying is ‘excessive.’  An AsiaNews source says, ‘Ragheed, who lived and died in Mosul, sacrificed himself for the exact opposite: for peaceful coexistence, for the future of the Church in Iraq, not abroad, not caged within political or territorial borders.’

“Ever since the anti-Christian campaign has become violent enough to be in the spotlight of international media, more and more articles and television coverage speak of what would be the unavoidable necessity, at this point, of creating a safe haven for this minority. Yesterday, an article of the Eastern Star News Agency (a Sweden-based Assyrian agency) compared the situation of the ‘Assyrian people’ (a term that is meant to include Chaldeans and Syrians) to that of the Kurds under Saddam: they need protection.  And they go on to say that: ‘Assyrians are calling more and more for an autonomous Christian region in Iraq.’…

“The project for an ‘Assyrian ghetto’ is strongly supported by the Christian diaspora in the United States, which holds a lot of sway over the Baghdad Patriarchate, by Evangelicals and by Kurdistan’s Finance Minister, Sarkis Aghajan, who over the last year has donated large sums of money for the reconstruction of numerous villages and churches in the north.

“In October 2006, American Catholic bishops wrote to Condoleezza Rice to urge Washington to consider the possibility of creating a new ‘administrative region’ around Nineveh, connected directly to the central government in Baghdad, which ‘could provide Christians and other minorities with greater safety and offer more opportunity to control their own affairs.’  And given that numerous Christians are seeking refuge in the country’s north, the document also suggests collaboration between the U.S. government and Kurdish authorities to ensure the security of Christians in these areas.

“It is expected that the Vatican will express its position on this matter on the occasion of the forthcoming meeting – set for June 8 – between President George W. Bush and the Pope…

“Various prominent figures of the Church, as well as ordinary members of the faithful, have, for some time, been pointing out the risks of a ‘Nineveh Project’.   In comments to AsiaNews a few months ago, Monsignor Louis Sako, Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk, acknowledged the need for an ‘end to the violence’ but was nevertheless puzzled about the idea.  ‘The Plains of Nineveh,’ he explained, ‘are surrounded for the most part by Arabs: Christians would be a handy and vulnerable buffer between Arabs and Kurds.  In my opinion, it would be much better to work at the level of the constitution and the single states to guarantee religious freedom and equal rights to the members of all faiths over the entire territory, for Christians too who live throughout Iraq.’…”

It is important to understand that true Christians are called out of this present evil world–its governments, administrations, laws and philosophies–in order to be different. They are set aside for the holy purpose of living a righteous life in this world, and preparing for the soon-coming Kingdom of God, which will be established on this earth when Jesus Christ returns. True Christians are to live under the law of God and His government, to which they must have their first allegiance.

As a consequence, they do not vote in governmental elections or seek governmental offices, nor do they participate in jury duty. They are not fighting in the wars of this world, even if their country orders them to enlist, and they may be labeled as unpatriotic or “cowards,” when they refuse to fight. And, they do not hold a position or a job which would require them to take human life.

Even though God allows man to establish their own form of governments and enact their own rules of conduct–including those which are in direct opposition to His commands–this does not mean that He desires His true children–His very sons and daughters–to participate in activities which violate His perfect and timeless Law. And even though He allows the governments of this world to execute a convicted criminal or to fight in war (compare Romans 13:1-4), He makes it also very clear that His true children are not to engage in such conduct (compare Matthew 26:51-52; Revelation 13:10).

True Christians must not participate in any of the following activities, even though many of these activities are accepted by the standards of this world: Mercy killing or euthanasia; assisting someone to commit suicide; fighting and killing in war; having an abortion or helping someone to have an abortion; condemning someone to death in the legal systems of this world; or executing a convicted felon (who may or may not be guilty of the deed for which fallible men convicted him). The reason being–in one way or another, all these aforementioned activities terminate, or cause the termination of, the life of a human being. True Christians, however, who obey the Law of God, understand that it is not their right, prerogative or even responsibility to end the life of a human being, including their own. David fought and killed in war, but this was not right. God punished him for that, by not allowing him to build Him a temple (compare 1 Chronicles 28:3). Still, David refused to kill King Saul, leaving it to God to end his life. He stated in 1 Samuel 26:10: “As the LORD lives, the LORD shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish.”

Euthanasia, in particular, can be defined as an easy or painless death which brings to an end a lingering, hopeless, painful disease or condition. To engage in such conduct is not in obedience to God. The Bible clearly tells us that it is God’s prerogative–as the One who created human life–to let a person die, or to prolong his life, when He sees fit. It is GOD who gives us life (Ecclesiastes 5:18; 8:15); and it is GOD who takes it away from us (Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6). Of course, no one can kill a human being without God allowing this to happen; but the fact that He does allow it does not mean that He wants all this world’s killing to continue. This is NOT God’s world–but this world is ruled by Satan the devil (John 14:30)–the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2)– the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:3). God allows Satan to rule over this present evil age at this time–but only until Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, will return to this earth to displace and banish Satan and to begin to RULE this earth righteously.

There is no support in Scripture for humans ending prematurely the life of a sick person. The Church of God has taught this for a very long time. However, it has also taught correctly for a very long time that there IS a difference between cutting short a human life and artificially prolonging it. While euthanasia is not a practice in which a true Christian should engage, it is an altogether different matter to decide NOT to prolong the “life” of a clinically dead or comatose person through machines and other equipment, thereby keeping the comatose person “alive” artificially. The Worldwide Church of God explained in an old letter (L 185):

“… the idea that heroic measures must be taken to keep a terminally ill person alive as long as possible is not biblical either. There is no sense prolonging a person’s dying. Many righteous people in the Bible knew when they were dying, got their affairs in order… and simply died. It is not wrong to ask God in His mercy to allow a suffering person to peacefully die.”

The same would be true if a terminally ill person was facing the possibility of a serious and risky operation which might temporarily prolong his life–and its accompanying painful condition. In such a case, it would certainly not be wrong if the person decided against such an operation. It would also not be wrong for a person to set forth in writing, ahead of time, his or her wish as to how doctors or relatives should proceed in case he or she falls into a coma.

Of course, in all these different scenarios, we are to ask God for His mercy to HEAL us from pain and suffering. But if God should choose not to do so in a particular circumstance, we are still not to engage in “mercy killing” or other practices which would terminate human life.

For more information on this vitally important subject, please read our free booklets, “Should You Fight in War?” and “Sickness and Healing–What the Bible Tells Us.” You might also want to read chapter 2 of our free booklet, “Are You Predestined to Be Saved?”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

The final text for our new booklet, “The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days,” has been sent to our graphic designer, Shelly Bruno.

We have completed the second printing for our booklet, “Jesus Christ–A Great Mystery!” as we had run out of stock for this booklet.

Our new format for our StandingWatch programs is steadily progressing. We bought additional equipment to improve the sound, and are still experimenting to achieve the best lighting for the program. Your continued prayers for the success of the programs are appreciated. The following announcement was sent out on June 3, 2007, pertaining to our new StandingWatch program #124:

No Success for the U.S. — Why?

Why is the relationship between the USA and Europe constantly deteriorating? Why have both power blocs hardened their respective positions? Why is the Iraq War so unsuccessful? Could our approach toward the worship of the true God have anything to do with it?

View it now on Google.

On June 2, 2007, Manuela Mitchell of Escondido, California, graduated from Mesa College with an AS degree in Animal Health Technology/Animal Science in Veterinary Medicine. Unfortunately, as June 2 fell on the Sabbath, Manuela was unable to participate in the graduation ceremonies. She will become a RVT upon passing the examination with the Veterinary Medical Board in San Diego. Our heartfelt congratulations to Manuela for her achievement.

On June 2, 2007, Kalon Mitchell and Michael Link will give split sermons, titled, “The Sabbath–A Physical and Spiritual Rest,” and, “In God We Trust.”

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.

We are admonished by Christ in Matthew 5:14-16, that we–as the light of the world–are to let our light shine. We are not to put our lamp under a basket or stool, as it were, but up on the table, where everyone can see and benefit from it. Light has interesting features. It illuminates, thereby driving out the darkness. It doesn’t make any noise and is therefore not intrusive. It allows us to do things which we could not do, once the sun has set. In order to continue a task, we merely turn on the lamps in the room in which we are working.   

As we have seen, we are supposed to let our light shine. Just exactly what did Christ have in mind when He said that? We have heard of the expression, actions speak louder than words, and–sadly–do as I say, but don’t do as I do. The power of a good example is a force to contend with, and it influences what people think about us. We let our light shine by the way we act. We are to walk in the light. Christ also said that men do their evil deeds under the cover of darkness, and Satan and the demons are associated with darkness. 2 Peter 2:4 tells us: “For… God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment…”  Men, following the lead of Satan and his demons, tend to do their dirty deeds under the cover of darkness.

Walking in the light means walking according to the commands and statutes of God, being in submissive obedience to His laws. We of course could never achieve this goal without the help of God’s Spirit in us, which is guiding us and assisting us to make right and correct choices in our lives. The closer we are to God in utilizing the tools He has described for us–prayer, Bible study, fasting and mediation–the more our light will shine as a powerful witness to this dying world.

Is our light shinning forth as a tribute to ourselves? Not at all! The reason why we must let our light shine is clearly spelled out in Matthew 5:16: “ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

The whole purpose is to give glory to God; it is not for the purpose of self aggrandizement. So let us walk in the light, and let us be children of light by our good example–all to the glory of our Great God.

Germany and the “War on Terror”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 30:

“For good historical reasons, Germans tend to get easily nervous about war, and recent violence in Afghanistan and Iraq has caused the nation to reconsider its role in the war on terror. Dozens of gunmen dressed as Iraqi police kidnapped five foreign workers in a brazen daylight raid on Baghdad’s Finance Ministry on Tuesday, and early reports from Iraq had suggested the victims were German. They were, in fact, British, but the raid highlighted ongoing chaos in Iraq and gave German newspapers a reason to mull the violence… The overall conclusion on Wednesday is that it may be too late to pretend that the war in Iraq has nothing to do with Germany.

“The left-leaning Berliner Zeitung writes:

“‘In February a German woman and her son were kidnapped; in mid-April there was a terror alert for Americans in Germany; one month later three German soldiers died in Afghanistan; and yesterday it seemed that three Germans had been taken hostage in Baghdad. Even if this last report is untrue, the reminders that Germany is caught in a steadily-more-hopeless “war on terror” are becoming more frequent. It seems our freedom and security are not being defended in Afghanistan (and wherever else German anti-terrorism forces are stationed) so much as put at risk.’

“‘Deliberating this in public has been made virtually taboo by the German government…. Anyone who, like (Left Party politician) Oskar Lafontaine, dares to characterize as “terrorism” the campaign waged by the United States and others — including Germany — against al-Qaida and the Taliban, finds himself labelled an enemy of the state. It’s time to retire the current culture of debate in Germany that follows President Bush’s maxim: “Who’s not for us is against us,” and make way for a realistic and objective political argument about the point and duration of foreign commitments, anti-terrorism alliances and new security laws.’…

“The conservative daily Die Welt writes: ‘Do critics like the former US Security Advisor Zbigneiew Brzezinski have it right? Months ago he suggested two alternatives to the Bush administration: Either suppress the insurgents quickly and brutally with 300,000 American soldiers, or pull out as fast as possible.'”

US Blamed for Possible Failure at Future Summit

The Financial Times wrote on May 25:

“Political tensions between the US and Germany over climate change have worsened sharply, with Washington threatening to no longer ‘tread lightly’ in negotiations on global warming ahead of the Group of Eight rich nations’ summit next month. The US has sent Germany a harshly worded statement in which it accuses Berlin of ignoring of Washington’s ‘serious, fundamental concerns’ with Germany’s draft climate change communiqué for the Baltic coast summit.

“The statement, written in red ink and obtained by the Financial Times, says: ‘We have tried to “tread lightly” but there is only so far we can go given our fundamental opposition to the German position.’

“Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, would like the summit to agree limits on carbon emissions but the US says climate change should be tackled with technology-based solutions rather than mandatory emissions targets and accuses Berlin of ignoring its stance.

“Washington says… ‘The majority of our comments on the previous draft have not been addressed and some new, problematic text has been added.’ Germany’s proposed text ‘crosses multiple “red lines” in terms of what we simply cannot agree to’, according to the statement… Diplomats said the US outburst confirms that a substantial deal on climate change is no longer possible at the summit, despite the months of diplomatic pressure from Berlin.

“The strains in German-US relations ahead of the June 6-8 summit, to be attended by US President George W. Bush, are also likely to make it tougher for Ms Merkel to achieve progress in other sensitive fields, such as the stalled world trade talks.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 30

“One week ahead of the G-8 summit in Heiligendamm, the US is still refusing to agree on concrete emissions reductions goals. Now, the German environment minister [Sigmar Gabriel] has had enough… On German television on Wednesday, Gabriel finally shed his diplomatic veneer and lashed out.

“‘Now is not the time to merely write in the minutes how well we got along with each other,’ Gabriel said on the news channel N24. ‘Now is not the hour of diplomacy. Now is the hour for real action.’ The German environment minister then took on the US directly, saying ‘the challenge remains that of convincing the Americans that they have a responsibility — also for their own citizens who suffer from climate change. Look at the hurricane in New Orleans.’… Gabriel said on Wednesday that the US position makes it easier for developing nations to sit back and do nothing about reducing their own emissions. Countries such as India and China, said Gabriel, ‘have the attitude: “if the industrialized nations don’t take responsibility, then how should developing countries do so?” The only solution is to continue negotiations with the Americans and to put them under pressure.'”

Ministerial Meeting Ahead of G-8 Summit

AFP reported on May 30:

“Foreign ministers of the Group of Eight nations met Wednesday to lay the groundwork for next week’s summit in Germany as discord over climate change and Kosovo cast a shadow over the talks… Japan poured cold water on one of the issues Germany had placed at the top of its priority list for the summit — a binding agreement on reducing greenhouse gases, [saying that] German proposals to complete negotiations on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gases by 2009 were ‘premature.’

“Japan has been leading efforts among Asian nations to limit global warming. It said it believed major emitters of greenhouse gases such as the United States, China and India should agree to join the process before any timetable was put in place…

“However, faced with the bloodiest internal clashes in Lebanon for decades and the firing of Palestinian rockets into Israel and Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, expectations for the meeting were low… The ministers also addressed the situation in strife-torn Afghanistan.”

Zoellick Nominated as New World Bank President

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 30:

“Robert Zoellick has been designated the new president of the World Bank following Paul Wolfowitz’s departure. Many Germans remember him as the likeable mediator who helped bring about German reunification. But Zoellick’s maxim is still ‘America first.’… In Germany, Zoellick is considered a friend, an ‘Atlanticist’ and a bridge-builder…

“His nomination was quickly interpreted as a technical victory for the moderates, since he was considered the favored candidate of the Europeans, of developing countries and even of the World Bank’s critics. His nomination could therefore be seen as a gesture of reconciliation on the part of US President George W. Bush. But 53-year-old Zoellick knows what he wants — which is to say, he knows what his superior in Washington wants… He is, after all, an old friend of the Bush family — and he shares its conviction that the United States is the only qualified world power today. Zoellick… grew up as a descendant of German immigrants in Illinois…”

Proposed Immigration Bill Under Fire

The New York Times wrote on May 29:

“President Bush today accused opponents of his proposed immigration measure of fear-mongering to defeat it in Congress, and took on his own conservative political base as he did so… The bill, the product of a compromise struck by Republican and Democratic leaders two weeks ago, has encountered stiff resistance from the left and right. Liberal opposition taking aim at the proposal for shifting the system for awarding permanent residence status to give more weight to education and skills and less to family reunification, while conservatives have derided the plan for allowing illegal aliens to legalize their status.

“It was the conservative opponents whom Mr. Bush seemed to address most forcefully in his remarks here today — a rare example of the president crossing swords with key members of the political coalition that helped him attain the Oval Office and then keep it four years later…”

Deadly Strain of Tuberculosis Has Re-entered the USA

The New York Times wrote on May 29:

“Public health officials today urged the passengers and crew of two recent trans-Atlantic flights to get checked for tuberculosis, after learning that a man with an exceptionally deadly and drug-resistant form of the disease had flown on the planes. The man, an American…, flew on May 12 from Atlanta to Paris aboard Air France Flight 385, then traveled on May 24 from Prague to Montreal aboard Czech Air Flight 410 before driving back to the United States… He is currently hospitalized in an isolation ward… While tuberculosis is not highly transmissible, the deadliness of this strain — and the ease of modern transportation — underscored the need for rapid response, as with the SARS virus epidemic of a few years ago… the type of tuberculosis found in the infected American — known as extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, or XDR TB — resists treatment even by three of the six second-line drugs used when first-line drugs fail. Only two cases of the strain were found last year in the United States.

“Tuberculosis is typically spread by sneezing or coughing…  tuberculosis is still deadly, particularly in countries where medical care is lacking, killing about 1.6 million people each year worldwide. It is particularly deadly among those infected with HIV. At any given time, one person in three worldwide is infected with dormant tuberculosis germs… People become ill when the bacteria become active, usually when a person’s immunity declines, whether because of advancing age, HIV infection or some other medical problem.”

Russia Threatens EU and USA

The Associated Press reported on May 29:

“Russia tested new missiles Tuesday that a Kremlin official boasted could penetrate any defense system, and President Vladimir Putin warned that U.S. plans for an anti-missile shield in Europe would turn the region into a ‘powder keg.’ … Russia has bristled at the plans, dismissing U.S. assertions that the system would be aimed at blocking possible attacks by Iran and saying it would destroy the strategic balance of forces in Europe.

“‘We consider it harmful and dangerous to turn Europe into a powder keg and to fill it with new kinds of weapons,’ Putin said…

“Russia is also embroiled in a dispute with the West over another Soviet-era arms pact, the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty. Putin has announced a moratorium on observance of the treaty and threatened to withdraw altogether if the United States and other NATO members do not ratify an 1999 amended version. ”

The Guardian wrote on May 30:

“Russia yesterday threatened a new cold war-style arms race with the United States by announcing that it had successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile capable of penetrating American defences.”

Grim Conditions in Sudan

AFP reported on May 29:

“US President George W. Bush on Tuesday tightened US sanctions on Sudan over ‘genocide’ in Darfur and pushed for a tough new UN Security Council resolution to punish the government in Khartoum.

“‘The people of Darfur are crying out for help, and they deserve it,’ he said. ‘I promise this to the people of Darfur: The United States will not avert our eyes from a crisis that challenges the conscience of the world.’

“China, a veto-wielding permanent council member and one of Sudan’s main allies, criticized the sanctions even before Bush unveiled them. But Britain welcomed the plan, while France proposed a humanitarian corridor through neighboring Chad to get aid to Darfur.

“The violence in Sudan’s western states has left at least 200,000 people dead and forced more than two million people from their homes, according to the United Nations…

“The goal of the sanctions is to force Sudan to allow the full deployment of a UN peacekeeping force; disarm the Janjaweed militias; and let humanitarian aid reach the region, which is roughly the size of France, US officials say…  China also faced pressure from European nations over Darfur.”

Even though the situation is very grim in Darfur, there is no Biblical evidence whatsoever for the concept that Sudan may be the “king of the south,” mentioned in Daniel 11, as some have recently suggested. Such fanciful ideas do not help in any way to gain a proper understanding of prophecy.

Eu vs. Turkey

The Turkish Daily News wrote on May 28:

“As they seemed to forget their comments about Turkey’s membership to the EU, European politicians with an imperialistic arrogance about our domestic politics have recently told Turkey to wait fifty more years; that is after having kept Turkey waiting at the EU door for more than forty-five years… It is time to say stop [to] European injustice and the arrogant European double standard with its old imperialistic traditions. With the mentality ‘I decide everything and everything belongs to me,’ the EU seems to not be satisfied with its economic benefits…

“By making Turkey obey harsh conditions of the Customs Union, Turkey became the fifth largest market of the EU ahead of Japan, Korea and India… Since 1999 when Turkey was granted candidate status, the EU has made visa application and customs laws more difficult instead of easier… Some EU countries like the Netherlands are only open for visa applications between 8:45 – 9:15 a.m. at their consulates…  It is time to say stop to the discriminatory visa application against Turkey…  It is time to… raise the stakes with arrogant Europeans.”

Five Britons Kidnapped in Iraq

AFP reported on May 30:

“Iraqi and British officials scrambled Wednesday to get to the bottom of the brazen daylight kidnapping of five British contractors snatched from a finance ministry building in Baghdad. The Britons… were taken on Tuesday by a large group [of] gunmen in Iraqi police uniforms.

“‘We are pursuing this case very vigorously, I would say, because the nature of this kidnapping is very strange,’ Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told AFP. ‘The location of this finance ministry computer centre and the nature of the operation and the number of people involved, I think all indicate more a militia than a terrorist group, let’s say,’ he added…  the nature of the kidnapping clearly points towards the involvement of one of the Shiite militant groups that has infiltrated Iraqi forces, rather than a Sunni insurgent outfit such as Al-Qaeda, he said…

“Mass kidnappings by uniformed men were common last year and were believed to be the work of Shiite militias with close ties to the police.”

Iraq War With No End in Sight

AFP reported on May 26:

“US President George W. Bush scored a key victory against Democrats in Congress over funding US troops in Iraq, but with no end in sight, the four-year-old war continues to encumber his administration… After battling for weeks, the president’s Democratic foes in Congress had ceded to his demands to strip timelines for troop withdrawals out of the war funding bill… But the bill’s passage was unlikely to reassure a war-weary US public strongly critical of the Bush administration’s Iraq effort and dismayed at the mounting US toll there, with 3,445 US servicemen dead since the March 2003 start of the war.

“A new poll Friday showed a record number of people in the United States are pessimistic about the war’s outcome and now believe it was a mistake. Seventy-six percent of Americans think the Iraq war is going badly, up ten percentage points in one month, according to the CBS News/New York Times opinion poll. And 61 percent said the United States should have stayed out of Iraq…

“The top Republican in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, meanwhile gave the clearest signal yet that Republicans would also be looking for a change of tack by Bush later this year. ‘I think the handwriting is on the wall that we are going in a different direction in the fall, and I expect the president is going to lead it,’ McConnell told reporters.”

“War Is Hell”

USA Today wrote on May 25:

“He said it in 1879, a decade after he led Union forces to victory in our Civil War. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman: ‘War is at best barbarism. … Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell.’

“Those are words to heed as we honor the dead of all our wars on Monday’s Memorial Day. Those who died in the service of our country – and many who served and survived – have been through hell. We have about 147,000 servicemen and women in Iraq now. More than 3,400 have died there…

“On Memorial Day, my memories will be with my buddies who served with me in the 86th Infantry Division in both Europe and the Pacific in World War II. But my hopes and prayers will be for our military in Iraq. It’s already too late to bring them home sooner, as I suggested three years ago. But better late (now) than never.”

President Bush the Only Person Who Understands?

The Herald Tribune published on May 27 the following biting article:

“Never mind how badly the war is going in Iraq. President George W. Bush has been swaggering around like a victorious general because he cowed a wobbly coalition of Democrats into dropping their attempt to impose a time limit on his disastrous misadventure. By week’s end, Bush was acting as though that bit of parliamentary strong-arming had left him free to ignore not just the Democrats, but also the vast majority of Americans, who want him to stop chasing illusions of victory and concentrate on how to stop the sacrifice of young Americans’ lives. And, ever faithful to his illusions, Bush was insisting that he was the only person who understood the true enemy.

“Speaking to graduates of the Coast Guard Academy, Bush declared that Al Qaeda is ‘public enemy No. 1’ in Iraq and that ‘the terrorists’ goal in Iraq is to reignite sectarian violence and break support for the war here at home.’ The next day, in the Rose Garden, Bush turned on a reporter who had the temerity to ask about Bush’s declining credibility with the public, declaring that Al Qaeda is ‘a threat to your children’ and accusing him of naïvely ignoring the danger.

“It’s upsetting to think that Bush believes the raging sectarian violence in Iraq awaits reigniting, or that he does not recognize that Americans’ support for the war broke down many bloody months ago. But we have grown accustomed to this president’s disconnect from reality and his habit of tilting at straw men, like Americans who don’t care about terrorism because they question his mismanagement of the war or don’t worry about what will happen after the United States withdraws, as it inevitably must.

“The really disturbing thing about Bush’s comments is his painting of the war in Iraq as an obvious-to-everyone-but-the-wrongheaded fight between the United States and a young Iraqi democracy on one side, and Al Qaeda on the other. That fails to acknowledge that the Shiite-dominated government of Iraq is not a democracy and is at war with many of its own people. And it removes all pressure from the Iraqi leadership – and Bush – to halt the sectarian fighting and create a real democracy. There is no doubt that organized Islamist terrorism – call it Al Qaeda or by any other name – is a dire threat. There is also no doubt that terrorists entered Iraq – mostly after the war began.

“We, too, believe that Iraq has to be made as stable as possible so the United States can withdraw its troops without unleashing even more chaos and destruction. But Bush is not doing that, and his version of reality only makes it more unlikely. The only solution lies with the Iraqi leaders, who have to stop their sectarian blood feud and make a real attempt to form a united government. That is their best chance to stabilize the country, allow the United States to withdraw and, yes, battle Al Qaeda.

“The Democrats who called for imposing benchmarks for political progress on the Iraqis, combined with a withdrawal date for American soldiers, were trying to start that process. It’s a shame they could not summon the will and discipline to keep going, but we hope they have not given up. As disjointed as the Democrats have been, their approach makes far more sense than Bush’s denial of Iraq’s civil war and his war-without-end against terror.”

Kuwait Drops U.S. Dollar

The Wall Street Journal reported on May 21: “Kuwait dropped its currency’s four-year-old peg to the falling U.S. dollar and switched to a basket of currencies, raising new questions about plans for a currency union with other Gulf Arab oil producers. Kuwait’s central-bank governor said his country was still committed to the union and was acting in the ‘national interest’ to contain inflation. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and the other states of the Gulf Cooperation Council may now be pressed to relax fiscal policy. Saudi Arabia’s central bank said it has no plans to change the exchange rate of its dollar-pegged currency.”

Eurozone Takes Over From USA

The EUObserver wrote on May 25:

“The eurozone will in 2007 take over from the US as the driver of world economic growth, according to Paris-based think tank the OECD, with a strong performance by Germany giving Europe the edge.

“The 13-state strong European currency union will see 2.7 percent GDP growth this year compared to 2.1 percent in the US… ‘Europe [is] taking over the baton from the United States,’ OECD chief economist Jean-Philippe Cotis said. ‘A vibrant German-led recovery has remained on track…[and] the so-far lagging Italian economy has been sharing in the upswing.’…

“By contrast, US results are being held back by problems in the housing market… The European upswing could spell good news for political projects, such as Germany’s attempt to revive the EU constitution… But the European picture is not entirely rosy: unemployment still remains much higher than in the US; inflation risks are likely to see the European Central Bank hike rates again this year and an ageing population is increasing pressure on the public purse.”

Iran Defiant

Y-net-news.com reported on May 25:

“[One] Day after [the] end of [the] deadline to halt uranium enrichment and in light of possibility of additional sanctions, Ahmadinejad says ‘sanctions will hurt Western countries more than they will hurt us’… The Western powers are unable to act against Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Friday morning… On Thursday, the Iranian president ruled out even a brief halt in his country’s nuclear program, saying it would hand a victory to the country’s enemies who seek to prevent Iran from becoming a world power…  the Iranian president referred to the Security Council’s resolutions as ‘having no influence.’…

“Ahmadinejad’s outburst followed Wednesday’s report by the UN nuclear watchdog that said Iran has expanded its controversial uranium enrichment program in defiance of UN demands for a suspension. The report could set the stage for a third round of UN Security Council sanctions against Iran.”

Queen Exasperated Over Blair’s Legacy?

AFP reported on May 26:

“Prime Minister Tony Blair, who steps down in a month after 10 years in power, is leaving a legacy for Britain that has ‘exasperated and frustrated’ Queen Elizabeth II… The queen is worried that London’s close ties with Washington have come at the Commonwealth’s expense and that British troops might have become ‘overstretched’ in Iraq and Afghanistan, The Sunday Telegraph said. The newspaper… said the 81-year-old monarch is especially concerned that the nation has become divided over some New Labour policies, such as the ban on fox hunting and hare coursing. ‘The queen has been left exasperated and frustrated by change for change’s sake,’ one of her friends was quoted as saying…

“Under the constitutional monarchy, the queen, who meets with the prime minister on a weekly basis at Buckingham Palace, has the right to be consulted, to encourage and to warn, the newspaper recalled. The queen, who has ruled for 55 years and worked with 10 prime ministers, is the head of state, head of the Commonwealth — which groups former British colonies — and head of the armed forces…

“John Daw, an influential farmer, recalled telling the queen in May 2002, following the nationwide crisis over foot and mouth disease, that he doubted whether Blair and his government understood the countryside. He told the newspaper that the queen surprised him with her reply: ‘I know. I tell him that every week when I see him.’

“The newspaper said Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the relationship between the queen and the prime minister.”

EU Constitution in the Making–Without Britain?

The Wall Street Journal wrote on May 24:

“Whatever happened to the idea of a European Union constitution? A new cast of characters leading the bloc’s biggest governments may be on the verge of providing an answer.

“Angela Merkel took over from Gerhard Schroeder as Germany’s chancellor last fall, Romano Prodi took back Italy’s premiership from Silvio Berlusconi a year ago, Nicolas Sarkozy succeeded Jacques Chirac as French president last week and Gordon Brown is set to assume Tony Blair’s post in Britain next month. They are all involved in negotiations taking place in several capitals over what to do with the pact scuttled two years ago by French and Dutch referendums — with an eye toward finding a solution in time for an EU summit June 21-22 in Germany. Yesterday, Mr. Sarkozy made his first presidential visit to the EU headquarters in Brussels, [and] expressed support for the new French leader’s idea of a ‘simplified, more compact’ treaty…

“During the French election campaign, Mr. Sarkozy said [he] wanted to keep language that would change the EU to streamline decision making; create an EU presidency that would replace the one currently rotating among nations every six months; and apply majority voting to immigration and some other policy areas where EU member states can’t reach consensus…

“Mr. Sarkozy has also said that this time he would leave ratification to parliament rather than a referendum, and yet with French parliamentary elections set for next month, he may be confident about popular support on the issue since he is giving it such prominence. Still, while the Netherlands also likes the idea of a slimmer constitution, Germany and other EU partners don’t want to abandon altogether the original, far more ambitious version that took so many years to forge. Mr. Prodi — a former commission president — was also in Brussels this week to offer vociferous backing for the constitution, and suggested countries that didn’t like it could be excluded from the faster, fuller pace of integration…

“Ms. Merkel’s team considers Britain one of the biggest obstacles to any agreement… Mr. Brown wants to avoid a referendum ‘at all costs,’ and to win him over, Ms. Merkel may find a way to let the U.K. ‘opt out’ of police, judicial and other legal areas of the treaty as a way to avoid one.”

Israel Arrests 33 Palestinian Officials… While EU Considers Peacekeeping Force in Gaza

The Herald Tribune wrote on May 24:

“The Israeli Army and internal security agency arrested 33 prominent West Bank Palestinians, including a minister, three lawmakers and three mayors, in raids early this morning, army officials said. In a statement, the army described those arrested as ‘senior members of the Hamas terror organization,’ which it said ‘exploits governmental institutions to encourage and support terrorist activity.’ Miri Eisin, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel, said, ‘We have information that connects all those arrested to terrorist activity.’ Another senior Israeli government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the arrests came ‘on the heels of concrete and genuine indications that these individuals – all of them – pose a clear and present danger to the lives of Israelis.’

“But the most senior Palestinian to have been arrested, the Palestinian Authority’s education minister, Nasser Eddin al-Shaer, had already been detained by the Israeli authorities in August… Shaer was released by a military court in late September, because of what the court said was a lack of evidence against him.

“Other Palestinians arrested ran educational and charitable establishments… Forty-one Palestinian legislators have remained in Israeli detention since the summer, including the parliament’s speaker, Aziz Dweik. All were elected in January 2006, having run on Hamas’s ‘Change and Reform’ list, which won a large majority of seats in the 132-member parliament…

“Israel, the Palestinians and the United Nations should consider stationing peacekeepers in the Gaza Strip, Michael Williams, the UN special envoy to the Middle East, said on Thursday… The European Union foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, after talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials, said a peacekeeping force was ‘one of many suggestions’ that the EU would be ‘open to consider’ if proposed by the parties. But he said Egyptian officials made clear during talks this week ‘they don’t see the need for that.'”

China’s Military Ambitions

The Financial Times wrote on May 24:

“The US is increasingly concerned about China’s deployment of mobile land and sea-based ballistic nuclear missiles that have the range to hit the US… The 2007 Pentagon China military power report will highlight the surprising pace of development of a new Jin-class submarine equipped to carry a nuclear ballistic missile with a range of more than 5,000 miles.

“Washington is also concerned about the strategic implications of China’s preparations later this year to start deploying a new mobile, land-based… intercontinental ballistic missile that could target the whole US.

“Robert Gates, US defence secretary, on Thursday said the report would not exaggerate the threat posed by China. ‘It paints a picture of a country that is devoting substantial resources to the military and developing…some very sophisticated capabilities.’

“The report also outlines concerns about the build-up of missiles across the Taiwan Strait, China’s recent anti-satellite missile test and its development of technologies to deny access in space. Beijing has strongly criticised previous Pentagon reports on the Chinese military, which it sees as portraying China as a cold war-style enemy, and points out that the Chinese military budget is a fraction of US defence spending…”

North Korea — the Plot Thickens

The Associated Press reported on May 25:

“North Korea fired several short-range guided missiles Friday into the sea that separates it from Japan in an apparent test launch… Analysts and media reports said the North’s test was in response to South Korea’s launch of its first destroyer equipped with high-tech Aegis radar technology on Friday. South Korea is now one of only five countries armed with the technology, which will make it easier to track and shoot down North Korean aircraft and missiles…

“Last month, North Korea displayed a newly developed ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam during a military parade… North Korea’s missile program has been a constant concern to the region, along with its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

“The hard-line regime test-fired a series of missiles in July last year… which experts believe could reach parts of the United States. The North rattled the world again in October by conducting its first-ever test of a nuclear device.”

Latin–The Language of Europe?

VIS reported on May 24:

“‘Latin Future: the language for building the identity of Europe’ is the theme of an international congress to be held in Rome and the Vatican from May 25 to 26… On the first day Friday, May 25, discussions will focus on the question of ‘the role of Latin in the formation of Europe’… to consider the question of ‘policies to follow in order to support the study of Latin.'”

Biblical or Worldly Pentecost…Which?

On May 27, Zenit published a translation of an address by Benedict XVI, pointing out, inadvertently, the fundamental differences between the Biblical Feast of Pentecost and its worldly counterfeit. His statements regarding the city of Rome are also very remarkable. For more information, please read our free booklets, “The Meaning of God’s Spring Holy Days,” and “Europe in Prophecy“:

“Today we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost. And through today’s liturgy we relive the birth of the Church as it is narrated by Luke in the book of the Acts of the Apostles (2:1-13). Fifty days after Easter, the Holy Spirit descended upon the community of disciples — ‘persevering with one mind in prayer’ — gathered together ‘with Mary, the mother of Jesus’ and with the twelve apostles (cf. Acts 1:14; 2,1)…

“Rome represents the pagan world and therefore all peoples who are outside the ancient people of God. In fact, the Acts conclude with the arrival of the Gospel in Rome. We can say, then, that Rome is the concrete name of the catholicity and missionary spirit of the Church… the first Pentecost happened when Mary Most Holy was present among the disciples in the cenacle in Jerusalem and prayed.”

Health Scare Over Soft Drinks

The Independent wrote on May 27:

“A new health scare erupted over soft drinks last night amid evidence they may cause serious cell damage. Research from a British university suggests a common preservative found in drinks such as Fanta and Pepsi Max has the ability to switch off vital parts of DNA. The problem – more usually associated with ageing and alcohol abuse – can eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s…

“Concerns centre on the safety of E211, known as sodium benzoate, a preservative used for decades by the £74bn global carbonated drinks industry. Sodium benzoate derives from benzoic acid. It occurs naturally in berries, but is used in large quantities to prevent mould in soft drinks such as Sprite, Oasis and Dr Pepper. It is also added to pickles and sauces.

“Sodium benzoate has already been the subject of concern about cancer because when mixed with the additive vitamin C in soft drinks, it causes benzene, a carcinogenic substance…  Coca-Cola and Britvic’s Pepsi Max and Diet Pepsi all contain sodium benzoate.”

Nightmare Scenario Likely in the Near Future

The Daily Mail wrote on May 24:

“Thousands of government web pages suddenly vanish…  thousands of popular websites, from eBay to YouTube, start malfunctioning or are replaced by malicious parodies. Tens of millions of pounds are wiped off the share price of companies like Amazon as fears grow that the whole Internet credit card payment network is now vulnerable and insecure. Eventually, reports start to flood in that hundreds of thousands of personal bank accounts have been raided overnight.

“…thousands of anxious citizens take to the streets, many in tears, and pour angrily into the banks to demand their savings in cash. When the ATM system goes down, the government steps in. A task force is appointed. There is a rush on hard cash that leads to a shortage of notes and coins. Soon, it is clear that the United Kingdom (and much of Europe) has been subjected to a sustained and effective cyber-terrorist attack… Such a scenario, say some experts, is not only possible but likely in the near future…
 
“The Internet, developed as a rather ad hoc joint venture between the American military and academia as a way of sharing information quickly and reliably, has become – 30 years later – a vast worldwide infrastructure. It is now a huge, ungoverned electronic machine upon which we are all more and more dependent. We don’t only bank and shop online, our governments use the infrastructure of the Net to do their business too. Secure information is entrusted to cyberspace, information held by the likes of MI5 and the Pentagon, as well as various financial authorities, health services and treasuries…

“The genie is out of the bottle. Controlling – and policing – the Net, still less trying to shut the thing down, will probably prove to be as impossible as trying to stop the waves and the tides. If you bank online, best keep an eye on your account.”

Although this might be surprising to some at first sight, the answer is clearly, “Yes.” Here is why:

In John 1:1, we read that the “Word” (“Logos” in Greek, meaning Speaker or Spokesman) was with God (the Father), and that the Word was also God. That is, both God (the Father) and the Word were members of the Godhead–they were both God Beings. Verse 3 tells us that “all things were made” through the Word, and verse 14 explains that “the Word BECAME flesh and dwelt among us”–as the “only begotten of the Father.” So, clearly, the “WORD” was none other than the second Member of the Godhead, Who became a human being.

Hebrews 1:1-2 reveals that God spoke in these last days by His Son, “through whom also He made the worlds.” Colossians 1:13-16 explains, too, that God created “all things” through “the Son of His love.” The Son then is clearly identical with the Word, as God made everything through the “Son” and through the “Word.”

Notice, however, that Ephesians 3:9 explains that “God… created all things through Jesus Christ.” This shows that the Word is not only identical with the Son of God, but also with Jesus Christ; or, to put it differently, that the Word, the Son of God and Jesus Christ are all names or designations for the SAME IDENTICAL divine Personage in the Godhead.

The Greek expression, “Jesus”, which is identical with “Joshua” in the Hebrew, means “Savior.” The Greek expression, “Christ,” which is identical with the Hebrew expression, “Messiah,” means, “the Anointed One.”

But since when was the “Logos” or “Spokesman,” the “Son of God,” the second member of the God Family, known to God the Father as “Jesus Christ”? Of course, the proper name that we now use, “Jesus Christ,” is conveyed in the Greek language and has come down through approximately two-thousand years of history in its transliterated form. However, the Son was designated and called as the Anointed Savior long before He became a man.

We read that the “Lamb of God”–another expression for Jesus Christ–was slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). This means that it was clear at least from that moment in time that the Word would come to this earth–as a human being–to die for our sins–to become the Savior of the world. Further, we read that certain individuals have been predestined and chosen IN CHRIST “before the foundation of the world” to be called to salvation in this day and age (compare Ephesians 1:3-4), and that God promised eternal life “before time began” (Titus 1:1-2). It was made clear “before the foundation of the world”–and in a sense even before time began–that the vast majority of man would NOT be called to salvation in this day and age, but that they would have to wait until the time AFTER Christ’s return.

This means, then, that it was already determined a very long time ago that the Word or the Logos would become a man and die for our sins, thereby making it possible that some–those who were predestined–WOULD and COULD be called to salvation here and now, while most would be called later. The only way that anyone could be called to salvation would be for the Logos to die for our sins so that one could have forgiveness of our sins. And so, the Logos was slain “from the foundation of the world”–that is, it was CERTAIN by that time at least–if not earlier–that He, as the Savior of man, WOULD DIE for man.

The angel Gabriel instructed both Joseph and Mary to call the Word, Who was to become a human child, “Jesus,” the “Savior,” (Luke 1:31; Matthew 1:21), as He would “save His people from their sins” (compare again Matthew 1:21). As it was announced to ancient Israel more than 300 years earlier that an Old Testament king with the name of “Josiah” would be born to punish the priests of Baal (compare 1 Kings 13:2; 2 Kings 23:15-16), so it was already known LONG before the human birth of the Logos that His name would become known among men as “Jesus Christ.”

Romans 1:1-3 states: “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised BEFORE through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, CONCERNING HIS SON JESUS CHRIST our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh…” This remarkable summary from Paul acknowledges that the Logos would come as Jesus Christ, as the anointed Savior, and that He was plainly spoken of in the centuries BEFORE His physical birth.

The Bible clearly reveals that Jesus Christ existed–as Jesus Christ–long before He became a man. As we have already seen–in Ephesians 1:3-4–we were chosen IN CHRIST before the foundation of the world. We have also read in Ephesians 3:9 that all things were created through JESUS CHRIST. In addition, please note the following Scriptures:

Philippians 2:5-7 states:

“Let this mind be in you which was also in JESUS CHRIST, who, BEING IN THE FORM OF GOD, did not consider it robbery to BE EQUAL WITH GOD, but made Himself of no reputation, TAKING THE FORM OF A BONDSERVANT, and COMING IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN.”

Please realize WHO was equal with God, and Who became a human being. It was JESUS CHRIST. That is, when He was equal with God, He was ALREADY AT THAT TIME known as Jesus Christ.–the Savior, the Anointed One. This designation applied regardless of the particular language used–whether Greek, Hebrew or even the unique language of the heavenly realm (compare 1 Corinthians 13:1).

Remember that Gabriel, the angel of God, told Mary to name the Child to be born to her “Jesus,” and this was done BEFORE the Child was conceived (compare Luke 2:21). The New Testament record was initially written primarily in Greek. However, the strong indication is that the name that the angel revealed was in the common language of the day–Aramaic, a language closely related to Hebrew and spoken among the Jews at that time. We don’t know the exact language by which Jesus was named, but the evidence strongly suggests that it was not Greek. It is vital that we understand, however, that in whatever “tongue” the name of the Son of God, “Jesus Christ,” was specifically called, that name conveyed His TITLE and ROLE! As we have seen, this stems from God’s plan and purpose–before time began–of “bringing many sons to glory” (compare Hebrews 2:10).

Notice further 1 Corinthians 10:1-4:

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and THAT ROCK WAS CHRIST.”

Realize again Who the Being was in the Godhead Who led ancient Israel in the cloud by day and in the pillar of fire by night, going at times in front of them and following them, giving them thereby total and complete protection. Realize, too, Who it was Who gave them both physical and spiritual food and water. It was none other than the ROCK JESUS CHRIST– the anointed Savior Who would become a man to die for our sins and to offer us salvation.

Also take note of 1 Corinthians 10:8-9:

“Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us TEMPT CHRIST, as SOME OF THEM ALSO TEMPTED, and were destroyed by serpents.”

The literal translation of verse 9 is rendered as: “Neither test Christ, as some of them tried Him…”

Realize again Whom the ancient Israelites tried or tested. It was none other than JESUS CHRIST.

Finally, please take note of 1 Peter 1:10-11:

“Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST WHO WAS IN THEM was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.”

Notice again WHOSE Spirit was in the ancient prophets in Old Testament times. It was the Spirit of CHRIST. That means, the Spirit of the second Member of the Godhead, WHO is identified as Jesus Christ, was already in the Old Testament prophets.

It is important to understand and to realize that none of the above-quoted Scriptures say that the Personage Who dealt directly with ancient Israel and Judah was the One Who would BECOME Jesus Christ. Rather, we read that it WAS the Personage whose NAME WAS Jesus Christ. That was ALREADY His name long before He became a human being.

For further information on the existence of Jesus Christ BEFORE He became a human being, and for additional proof that He was already known as the Son of God PRIOR TO HIS HUMAN BIRTH, please read our free booklet, “God is a Family,” as well as the Q&A in Update #294, titled, “Was Jesus Christ always the Son–even prior to His human birth?” You might also want to listen to Norbert Link’s recent sermon on this topic, titled, “The Son,” dated May 19, 2007, which is posted on our Websites, under Audio.

Based on this awesome truth–that the Word was also the SON of God and Jesus Christ LONG before He became a Man–we understand the undeniable FACT that God IS–and always HAS BEEN–a Family (consisting at this present time of the Father and the Son), and that it is His TIMELESS purpose to reproduce Himself through man, by bringing born-again spirit God beings as sons and daughters into His very Family. Without this priceless knowledge, we cannot really fully comprehend God’s GREAT Master Plan for man–WHY man was created, and WHAT his eternal potential is.

Lead Writers: Norbert Link and Dave Harris

Our new booklet, “The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days,” has entered the final review cycle.

The following announcement was sent out on May 30, 2007, pertaining to our new StandingWatch program #123:

Wars and Conflicts

This world is a dangerous place in which to live. And it is getting worse all the time. What does it all mean?

View it now on Google.

by Simon Akl (18)

Growing up, I have always had fun in participating in many sportive and physical activities.  However, for the past year, due to a recent diagnosis of a herniated disk, I have been limited in the amount of sports that I have been able to do, as well as many related everyday movements.  It has been very tough at times, with constant reminders throughout the days of my physical limitations, what it means to have a normal life.  Movements which I used to take for granted are now things which I look forward to doing again, under strenuous physical therapy and other natural treatments. 

It is so easy to just feel bad and depressed about not being able to do the things that I enjoyed so much.  It is much more difficult to remain positive and have faith in God to work with me, even during times when there seems to be no progress. I know that God’s ways are not my ways and that, in fact, His ways are higher than my ways, just as the heavens are higher than the earth.  In the end it is much more rewarding to know that through tests and times of troubles, I am able to hold fast to my faith and allow God to work with me and teach me whatever lessons I need to learn in my life. 

Instead of feeling down, helpless and depressed, it is important for me to look for the positive points which will not only allow me to feel better psychologically, but also eventually physically.  Even though I have not been able to do many sports this year, I believe that this situation is still a hidden blessing-in-disguise.  My understanding and learning about my current situation have been greatly increased, so that I became fascinated by the treatment related to my herniated disk, which helped me decide what kind of career I want to study, and what I want to do for the rest of my life. 

There are days when I wish I did not have to go through this, but in the end it is, in my opinion, God’s way of teaching me patience and perseverance, which allows me to develop godly character.  God will never give me more than what I can bear.  It is vital for me to remember that whenever I am burdened with any trial, I have always to look to Him for guidance and hope.  I know that when I endure through the obstacles of my temporary physical life, while keeping my faith and looking to God for help, I am becoming ready to be baptized, so that I can ultimately reach my potential of inheriting eternal life in God’s kingdom. In light of this, my present trials become all the more fruitful, gratifying and worthwhile.

On May 26, 2007, Robb Harris will give the sermon, titled “God’s Laws Today?”

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.

On May 27, 2007, is the annual Holy Day of Pentecost.

Rene Messier will give the sermon in the morning, titled, “God’s Spirit,” and Norbert Link will give the sermon in the afternoon, titled, “Pentecost and You.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 9:00 am Pacific Time (which is 11:00 am Central Time) and at 1:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 3:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

In a recent heart wrenching tragedy covered on the local and national news reports, a two year old child was swept away from his mother’s grasp in a flash flood.  This event took place, not in the backcountry of the Colorado mountains, but in the greater city of Denver, on a downtown bike path, and on what started out as a sunny spring day.

As reports stated, the grandfather called to warn his daughter of the impending dangers of the storm and the possibility of flooding.  The daughter continued on her walk and sought shelter from the storm under a nearby bridge.

A fire department official stated, “The mother put the toddler in his stroller to protect him from hail, but torrential rain pushed the stream over its banks. The flood knocked the woman down and tore the stroller, with the boy inside, from her hands…”

It would be inappropriate to second guess and theorize what the young mother should or shouldn’t have done in those circumstances.  In that instant, she tried to safeguard her child as best she could, but the circumstances around her quickly got beyond her ability to control them.

For the most part, we all have “sunny and clear skies” in our spiritual walk.  Nothing should stop us from growing closer to God on a daily basis through prayer and study.  There are always enough hours in the day to devote some time to God. 

But when our adversary strikes us, it’s never with our foreknowledge and according to our schedule.  His attacks, much like a surging and flooding river, can quickly overcome us and draw us down into his waters.  And when we are caught up in those currents, tragedy usually follows. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

We can AND MUST anticipate Satan’s attacks.  This preparation is accomplished by rooting our knowledge in the voices of God’s prophets and the examples they left for us in God’s Word, the Bible.  If we do, our spiritual house will be much like the example of which Christ told us in Luke 6:48: “He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.”

Germany Uses Stasi Practices

The Associated Press reported on May 22:

“German authorities are using scent tracking to keep tabs on possibly violent protesters against next month’s Group of Eight summit–a tactic that is drawing comparisons with the methods of former East Germany’s secret police… The use of scent samples was widely known to be practiced in Germany by the East German secret police, the Stasi, who used the technique to track dissidents. “Petra Pau, a senior lawmaker with the opposition Left Party, a group that includes ex-communists, criticized the practice as ‘another step away from a democratic state of law toward a preventive security state. A state that adopts the methods of the East German Stasi, robs itself of every … legitimacy,’ she said in a statement…

“Earlier this month, police raided 40 offices and apartments used by left-wing protesters in Berlin, Hamburg and elsewhere, which provoked protests. Prosecutors at the time said they were investigating more than 18 people suspected of organizing what they called a terrorist group that planned to carry out firebombings and other violent attacks aimed at hindering or stopping the world leaders from holding the summit… A $17 million fence has been built around Heiligendamm in an attempt to keep protesters away. Security officials also have… announced tighter border controls.”

Attack on German Soldiers in Afghanistan

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 22:

“The death of three German soldiers in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz on Saturday has led to calls in Germany for a rethink of NATO’s entire strategy in Afghanistan… A suicide bomber blew himself up next to the soldiers as they were buying fridges in a busy market in the center of Kunduz. Five other German servicemen were wounded, two of them so seriously that they had to be put into an artificial coma for the flight back in a hospital jet… Seven Afghan civilians were also killed and 13 wounded. It was the deadliest attack on German troops in Afghanistan since 2003 when four were killed in a suicide car bombing in Kabul…

“The German government quickly declared that it remained committed to the Afghan mission. Chancellor Angela Merkel called the attack ‘perfidious murder that fills us all with disgust and horror. The international community is determined to continue helping the people of Afghanistan to build a good future for their country,’ she said in a statement… Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung said German troops wouldn’t be confining themselves to barracks despite Saturday’s attacks.”

In a related article, the magazine wrote that “most [German] newspaper commentators say bringing the boys home would hand the Taliban a triumph.”

Italy Demands Ethiopian Withdrawal

AFP wrote on May 19:

“The Italian government on Saturday pressed Ethiopian troops to pull out from lawless Somalia…  ‘I expressed the position of my government that Ethiopian troops must withdraw,’ [Italy’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Patrizia Sentinelli] told a press conference in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, after visiting Rome’s former colony…

“Ethiopian forces were deployed last year and helped Somali troops expel the Islamists movement from southern and central Somalia at the start of the year.

“But the insurgents continued with attacks that culminated in two offensives by Ethiopia-Somali forces in March and April that killed at least 1,400 people… Apart from the face-to-face fighting, dozens of people — including peacekeepers — have been killed and scores wounded in separate attacks since then, mainly by homemade bombs and grenades… At least 1,500 African Union peacekeepers from Uganda, who are currently in Mogadishu, are due to take over from Ethiopian forces.”

United Europe Full Steam Ahead?

The EUObserver wrote on May 22:

“In the run up to the decisive EU summit on finding a way out of the constitutional impasse, the pro-European camp has started to sound the drum, with Italy’s prime minister [Prodi] calling to ‘preserve as much as possible’ of the draft EU treaty. ‘In the last two years, almost only eurosceptic views have been listened to. It is time to listen to those who ratified the 2004 treaty,’ [Prodi said].

“Mr Prodi – claiming to speak on behalf of 18 EU states which have largely ratified the original text – rejected ‘radical changes’ to the foreseen institutional reforms. He listed the EU foreign minister, a lengthier presidency, the extension of qualified majority voting, the union’s legal personality and the abolition of its three-pillar structure as elements which ‘must be preserved.’

“‘If the compromise does not convince us, we will not sign it,’ he warned, clearly stating that a multi-speed Europe could bring about the long-sought breakthrough on the controversial issue.  ‘At this point, a vanguard of countries could…be the best way to proceed towards a more integrated union, on condition that door remains always open to those countries willing to join later,’ he said.”

EU vs. Russia

The Wall Street Journal wrote on May 18:

“Relations between Moscow and the U.S., as well as the EU, are at their worst since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Moscow on Tuesday… both sides… refused to budge on key disputes, from the placement of a U.S. missile-defense shield in Europe to proposals at the United Nations to make the Serbian province of Kosovo independent…

“Russians increasingly perceive their nation as distinct from Europe, according to opinion polls. More than half of respondents in a February survey by the EU-Russia Center said they viewed the EU as a potential threat to Russia, while 71% said they didn’t regard themselves as Europeans.

“In the U.S. and Europe, Moscow’s assertiveness is viewed with growing concern, particularly because it has been accompanied by a steady rollback of democratic institutions inside Russia and growing use of economic leverage and other means to pressure its neighbors.”

The German daily tabloid, Bild, reported on May 19 that there is “Eiszeit” (Ice Age) between Merkel and Putin.

The Herald Tribune stated on May 19:

“At a summit meeting overshadowed by discord on trade, security and energy issues, Russian and European Union leaders ended two days of talks Friday with a tense exchange over human rights but without an agreement on how to negotiate closer economic links, or even a joint statement… In her ninth meeting with Putin since becoming chancellor in 2005, Merkel was blunt about the lack of cooperation between the EU and Russia. ‘Our talks today showed that we are not cooperating very intensively,’ she said.

“The chancellor, who has consistently challenged Putin about the lack of press freedom and his country’s poor human rights record, criticized the Russian authorities for preventing Garry Kasparov, the former chess champion turned opposition leader, and his supporters from traveling to the summit meeting. They were stopped at the Moscow airport, where the police confiscated their passports and tickets and detained them for five hours.

“‘I say it completely openly that it is my wish that those who wish to demonstrate can do so in Samara,’ said Merkel, who grew up in Communist East Germany, where Putin once served as a KGB officer…

“Putin, who is expected to leave office in March 2008 after serving two terms, said his priority was to defend Russia’s interests. ‘We need each other,’ he said, referring to the EU, Russia’s largest trading partner. ‘We are open for an honest dialogue between Russia and the EU. But we must defend our interests in the same professional way as our partners do that.'”

The Moscow Times.com added on May 21:

“Top EU officials accused a visibly annoyed President Vladimir Putin on Friday of meddling in other countries’ affairs, turning a blind eye to the killings of Kremlin opponents, and muffling voices of criticism.

“No major deals were reached during the one-day Russia-EU summit at this Volga River resort, as expected. While the two sides spoke of a willingness to cooperate, they disagreed over almost everything, including the freedom of assembly, Polish meat and the removal of a Soviet monument in Estonia.”

Poland Is Happy

The EuObserver wrote on May 21:

“Polish politicians and analysts are celebrating EU solidarity after Berlin and Brussels took Warsaw’s line at the EU-Russia summit on Friday. But the meeting irked Russian president Vladimir Putin, damaging further the prospects of a new EU-Russia treaty.

“‘This is a great success for Polish diplomacy, in terms of Russian relations we got what we wanted,’ the chairman of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party, Marek Kuchcinski, said… ‘Our critics should finally admit this.’

“Analyst Andrzej Maciejewski of the Sobieski Institute in Warsaw said the EU ‘taught [Russia] a lesson.’ Rafal Trzaskowski of the European school in Natolin said the EU showed ‘it can speak with one voice, that solidarity is not an empty word.’

“The reactions – yet to be matched at top Polish government level – come after Germany’s Angela Merkel and European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso gave backing to Polish, Estonian and Lithuanian concerns at last week’s meeting in Samara.”

A New Low in Anglo-Russia Relationship

AFP wrote on May 22:

“British prosecutors demanded Tuesday that Russia extradite an ex-KGB agent  [Lugovoi] to face murder charges over the death of former spy Alexander Litvinenko, plunging chilly ties with Moscow to a new low… Moscow has angrily denied having a hand in the killing, and on Tuesday the Russian foreign ministry said extraditing Lugovoi to Britain would contradict the Russian constitution… But Russia’s ambassador Yuri Fedotov was hauled in by the Foreign Office to be told London expects ‘full cooperation’ in bringing Lugovoi to face justice.

“Anglo-Russia ties have hit a post-Cold War low with Litvinenko’s murder and London-based exile Boris Berezovsky’s calls to overthrow Putin. British courts have refused to allow the tycoon to be extradited…

“White House spokesman Tony Snow said the United States was ‘not taking sides’ with either Britain or Russia.”

Michael Moore’s Attack on US HealthCare System

The conservative news agency, Fox News, reported on May 20:

“Filmmaker Michael Moore’s brilliant and uplifting new documentary, ‘Sicko,’ deals with the failings of the U.S. healthcare system, both real and perceived. But this time around, the controversial documentarian seems to be letting the subject matter do the talking, and in the process shows a new maturity…

“‘Sicko’ works because in this one there are no confrontations. Moore smartly lets very articulate average Americans tell their personal horror stories at the hands of insurance companies… Moore criticizes both Democrats and Republicans for their inaction and in some cases their willingness to be bribed by pharmaceutical companies and insurance carriers.

“In a key moment in the film, Moore takes a group of patients by boat to the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba because of its outstanding medical care. When they can’t get into the U.S. naval base, Moore proceeds onto Havana where the patients are treated well and cheaply. This has caused a great deal of controversy, with the federal government launching an investigation into the trip, which officials say was in violation of the trade and commerce embargo against the Communist country… Moore said he made a second master copy of ‘Sicko’ and had it shipped it to France immediately just in case of potential government issues.”

Reuters added on May 20:

“In ‘SiCKO’ he turns his attention to health, asking why 50 million Americans, 9 million of them children, live without cover, while those that are insured are often driven to poverty by spiraling costs or wrongly refused treatment at all.

“But the movie, which has taken Cannes by storm, goes further by portraying a country where the government is more interested in personal profit and protecting big business than caring for its citizens, many of whom cannot afford health insurance…

“One section of the film explains how a U.S. man severed the tip of two fingers in an accident and was told he would have to pay $12,000 to re-attach the end of his ring finger, and $60,000 to re-attach that of his index finger. ‘Being a hopeless romantic, Rick chose his ring finger,’ Moore quipped in a typically sardonic voiceover.

“It also follows a woman whose young daughter falls seriously ill but who said she was refused admission to a general hospital and instructed to go to a private one instead. By the time she got to the second hospital, it was too late to save the girl.

“One of the most controversial passages of the film, due to be released in the United States on June 29, compares health care in the United States to that which Islamic militant suspects receive at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. ‘I think when Americans see this they are not going to focus on Cuba or Fidel Castro,’ Moore said, referring to the controversy surrounding his trip to Cuba, which has prompted a U.S. government investigation.

“‘They are going to say to themselves, “You’re telling me that the al Qaeda detainees are receiving better health care, the people that helped participate in the attacks of 9/11 are receiving better health care from us than those who went down to rescue those who suffered and died on 9/11?”‘”

The International Herald Tribune added on May 23:

“Few of them may become Michael Moore fans. But some insurance industry officials and health policy experts have acknowledged that the film documentary ‘Sicko,’ Moore’s indictment of health care in the United States, taps into widespread public concern that the system does not work for millions of Americans. The movie, which had its first showing at the Cannes Film Festival in France last week and received many favorable reviews, presents a series of heart-rending anecdotes meant to illustrate systemic failures and foul-ups in the U.S. insurance industry – even if many of the major pieces of evidence are ones that have been widely reported elsewhere and in some cases date back 20 years…

“The film, scheduled for release in the United States on June 29 and in Asian countries later this year, is arriving as health care has become a leading policy concern in many polls in the United States, second only to the Iraq war…

“Perhaps not coincidentally, on Sunday, ’60 Minutes,’ the television news-magazine show, took up a scandal that is part of Moore’s film – and has been well chronicled in The Los Angeles Times – about the abandonment by Los Angeles hospitals of homeless patients after they have received medical treatment. Last week, Kaiser Permanente, the largest nonprofit health insurer in the United States, settled criminal and civil lawsuits, agreeing to establish new rules for discharging such patients, and to pay $55,000 in fines and to cover the city attorney’s investigative costs. Kaiser will also contribute $500,000 to a fund to help homeless people with follow-up care and other services.”

Will Gordon Brown End Special Relationship with George Bush?

The Telegraph wrote on May 20:

“Gordon Brown is prepared to risk the future of the ‘special relationship’ with the United States by reversing Tony Blair’s support for the Iraq war, President George W Bush has been warned. He has been briefed by White House officials to expect an announcement on British troop withdrawals from Mr Brown during his first 100 days in power. It would be designed to boost the new prime minister’s popularity in the opinion polls.

“The President recently discussed with a senior White House adviser how to handle the fallout from the expected loss of Washington’s main ally in Iraq [Tony Blair]… senior figures in the National Security Council, the Pentagon and the State Department in Washington have expressed fears about Mr Brown. They believe that cordial relations between the two leaders will be ‘at an end’… President Bush’s aides fear that Mr Brown will boost Democrats’ demands for a timetable for a US pullout from Iraq and encourage wavering Republicans to defect – leaving the President more isolated.”

The Pope Angers Indians in Latin America

Reuters reported on May 19:

“Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez demanded Pope Benedict apologize to Indians in Latin America for saying this month in Brazil that the Roman Catholic Church purified them. Chavez, who regularly clashes with the Catholic Church in Venezuela but had not directly criticized the Pope before, accused the Pontiff on Friday of ignoring the ‘holocaust’ that followed Christopher Columbus’s 1492 landing in the Americas.

“‘With all due respect your Holiness, apologize because there was a real genocide here and, if we were to deny it, we would be denying our very selves,’ Chavez said at an event on freedom of expression.

“In a speech to Latin American and Caribbean bishops at the end of a visit to Venezuela’s neighbor Brazil, the Pope said the Church had not imposed itself on the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Indian leaders in the region were outraged by the comments. Millions of tribal Indians are believed to have died as a result of European colonization backed by the Church, through slaughter, disease or enslavement.”

Human-Animal Hybrids?

BBC News reported on May 17:

“Ministers [in Great Britain] have bowed to pressure to allow the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos for research… The draft bill allows the creation of human embryos that have been physically mixed with one or more animal cells. However, true human-animal hybrids, made by the fusion of sperm and eggs, remain outlawed.  And in all cases it would be illegal to allow embryos to grow for more than 14 days or be implanted into a womb.”

USA Least Desirable Tourist Attraction

Bild reported on May 19, 2007, that the USA has become the LEAST desirable country to visit IN THE WORLD–topping the list even ahead of the Middle East–mainly due to perceived inappropriate conduct of American immigration officials at US airports, as well as American tourist restrictions. The American tourist association TIA reportedly complained that due to American misconduct, many international tourists decline to travel to the USA. At the same time, Europe is perceived to be a very friendly country for tourists, with the exception of France.

Heavy Fighting in Lebanon

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 22:

“The United Nations is warning of a humanitarian crisis as fighting raged for the third straight day at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon… the Lebanese army stopped six relief trucks from entering the camp, saying it was too dangerous to enter. The army has been bombarding the camp since Sunday in a bid to destroy the Palestinian extremist group Fatah Islam, which is holed up inside Nahr el-Bared. Lebanese troops are not allowed to enter the camp, home to 31,000 people… Some 215,000 of the 400,000 Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon are housed in overcrowded camps, with many extremist groups likewise finding refuge there.”

The Associated Press added on May 22:

“People flooded out of a besieged Palestinian refugee camp Tuesday night, waving white flags and telling of bodies lying in the streets and inside wrecked houses after three days of fighting between Lebanese troops and Islamic militants.

“Twenty-nine soldiers and at least 20 militants had been killed since the battle began Sunday in the heaviest internal fighting in Lebanon since the 1975-90 civil war. But the number of civilian casualties remained unknown because relief workers were not able to get inside the camp…

“The military’s attack at the camp also has raised fears the fighting could destabilize Lebanon’s uneasy balance among its many religious sects and factions. Saniora’s Western-backed government already faces a domestic political crisis, with the Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah militant group campaigning for its removal…

“The Bush administration repeated its support for Saniora, a close U.S. ally. It also hinted that it suspected a Syrian role in the turmoil. White House press secretary Tony Snow said the militants wanted to distract international attention from an effort at the United Nations to establish a special tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. He said the U.S. ‘will not tolerate attempts by Syria, terrorist groups or any others to delay or derail Lebanon’s efforts to solidify its sovereignty or seek justice in the Hariri case.’

“Lebanese security officials accuse Syria of using Fatah Islam to destabilize Lebanon, a charge Damascus denies. Syria controlled Lebanon for decades until growing street demonstrations by Lebanese and international pressure forced it to withdraw its troops after Hariri’s assassination.”

U.S. Democrats Lose Fight for Withdrawing Troops

The New York Times wrote on May 22:

“Congressional Democrats relented today on their insistence that a war spending measure sought by President Bush also set a date for withdrawing troops from Iraq. The decision to back down… was a wrenching reversal for some Democrats, who saw their election triumph as a call to force an end to the war. A Democratic effort to include timelines prompted Mr. Bush’s veto of the original bill last month, producing a political impasse… “The Democratic leaders’ concession infuriated one of their own, Senator Russell D. Feingold of Wisconsin, who failed last week in his attempt to win passage of a measure that would have cut off money for the war next spring.

“’I cannot support a bill that contains nothing more than toothless benchmarks and that allows the president to continue what may be the greatest foreign policy blunder in our nation’s history,’ he said. ‘There has been a lot of tough talk from members of Congress about wanting to end this war, but it looks like the desire for political comfort won out over real action. Congress should have stood strong, acknowledged the will of the American people, and insisted on a bill requiring a real change of course in Iraq.’”

U.S. War Games at Iran’s Doorsteps

Reuters reported on May 24:

“The U.S. navy began war games on Iran’s doorstep on Thursday, navy officials said, a day after a large flotilla of U.S. ships entered the Gulf in a dramatic daytime show of military muscle.

“The group includes two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, whose presence adds to the pressure on the Islamic Republic to abandon its own nuclear ambitions, which the West says are an attempt to develop atomic weapons… Asked if any of the American ships carried atomic weapons, a U.S. navy spokesman said the United States routinely did not comment on whether its warships were equipped with nuclear arms.

“On the same day the U.S. ships entered the Gulf, skirting Iran’s coast as they passed the Gulf’s narrowest point, the U.N.’s atomic agency released a report saying Iran was continuing to defy world demands to stop enriching uranium….Oil prices have continued to rise, hitting a nine-month high above $71 on Thursday.

“The ships, carrying about 17,000 personnel and 140 aircraft will take part in war drills over the next two weeks, the group’s leader Rear Admiral Kevin Quinn said on Wednesday, adding that the drills would include exercises to defend against air, surface and submarine threats… The passage of the U.S. ships through the Straits of Hormuz, a narrow channel in the Gulf and major oil shipping lane, was the largest such move in daylight hours since the 2003 Iraq war.”

AFP added on May 24:

“The United States threatened new UN sanctions to punish Iran’s nuclear drive as it ratcheted up tensions with the biggest display of naval power in the Gulf in years.

“Hours after a bristling US armada led by two aircraft carriers steamed into waters near Iran for exercises Wednesday, Iran defied the threats and pledged that its controversial atomic program was expanding.”

The answer may very well be YES! In fact, no matter how many times you may have been ceremonially baptized, the crucial question is whether or not you followed all that the Bible requires in order to have a valid baptism.

It is true that many church organizations that nominally claim to be based on Biblical Christianity also include baptism in one form or another.

Several groups baptize newborn babies by pouring or sprinkling water on their foreheads—this is associated with rites of christening, which also includes naming a child. This practice emerged following the first century A.D. and was institutionalized by the Roman Catholic Church—a practice continuing to this time. According to the Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible (Lockyer, 1986 Edition), “Those who believe in baptismal regeneration (Catholics especially) argue that baptism of infants is necessary. In traditional Roman Catholic teaching, unbaptized infants who die cannot enter heaven in this state, but are instead consigned to a state of limbo. If this fate is to be avoided, they must be baptized in order to remove the guilt of their sins and receive new life.”

Even though the pope recently stated that the concept of “limbo” was a human invention and not a Biblical doctrine, the practice of the Roman Catholic Church continues to include the baptism of infants.

Many Protestant churches also baptize little babies, or they encourage children to become baptized. In fact, there is social pressure within many groups for baptism in order to reflect a better score in Sunday school classes, youth leadership or other church related statistical factors.

Those who have undergone these types of baptismal practices have NOT been properly baptized according to the Word of God, as they did not fulfill the Biblical requirements, as explained below. However, one must also consider the validity of an adult baptism in a church that does not teach the truth of God. In this context, carefully study what Jesus stated:

“‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

The crucial point here is that many claim to represent and to believe in Jesus Christ, but they do not obey Him—they “practice lawlessness.” Simply stated, God does not accept individuals or church organizations, who compromise the truth and who shape their religious practices around human customs and traditions. Unfortunately, this describes the vast majority of those claiming to be Christian!

In Acts 5:29-32, we find this very clear declaration about who can receive God’s Holy Spirit:

“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit [which] God has given to THOSE WHO OBEY HIM.’”

An absolutely crucial ingredient for anyone seeking baptism is to first repent of breaking God’s laws. This is the initial step in obedience to God. This is not something that a baby or an immature child is capable of doing! And unless one is convicted of sinning against God by disobedience to His laws, then even as an adult, true repentance has not occurred!

Note this definition of sin as found in 1 John 3:4: “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and SIN IS LAWLESSNESS,” or, as the Authorized Version renders it, “sin is the TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.”

Here is very clear instruction that Peter proclaimed under the inspiration of God on the day of Pentecost—this is what someone should experience when becoming truly converted to real Christianity:

“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness] of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38).

Consider as well that the Holy Spirit is given through the true ministers of God by the laying on of hands (Compare Acts 8:14-17 and Acts 19:6). As the account in Acts 8:18-24 shows, not just anyone is granted this authority, but only those whom God has called to serve Him in this position (Compare Hebrews 5:4).

One must be careful to avoid being deceived in this all-important matter. Remember that Jesus very directly warned in Matthew 24 that many will claim to be Christian and that the many will be deceived! Also, we have this caution found in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”

These deceptive practices include false conversions! Some experience emotional attachments to the idea of Christianity, but the fruits of their lives do not reflect that God’s Spirit dwells in them. Galatians 5:22-23 reveals the fruit of the Spirit of God, while the preceding verses describe “the works of the flesh.” Truly converted individuals will seek to walk in obedience to God. They will begin to live in accordance with God’s laws by growing “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 3:18).

Remember, Jesus Christ committed no sin! (Compare 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15). He never transgressed the law of God. Jesus taught that He did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill (Compare Matthew 5:17-18). He did just that—He kept the law of God by obeying God. That is why there was no sin found in Him. Note what He says of those who reject God’s law and about those who obey: “‘Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:19).

The baptism that Jesus Christ instituted and that His ministry has carried on is revealed in the Word of God. Regarding the question of whether a particular baptism is sufficient or valid, let’s also take note of what Paul did when he met with people who had only previously followed John the Baptist, as recorded in Acts 19:1-6:

“And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.”

Understand, then, that for baptism to be accepted by God, an individual must be called of God and come to believe in all that Jesus Christ did and will do—accepting Him as Savior. One must also repent of his or her sins—which are breaking the laws of God. All of this can lead to true conversion.

The Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates in Canada and the United Kingdom have prepared a very comprehensive booklet titled “Baptism—A requirement For Salvation” (Available at: www.eternalgod.org, www.churchofgodacf.ca and www.globalchurchofgod.co.uk). This material thoroughly examines the questions and answers about both the need for baptism and the Biblically revealed steps that will assist those who desire to turn to God and who seek to receive eternal life in the coming Kingdom of God!

Set forth below are excerpts from our booklet on baptism, which address the question of “re-baptism”:

“People who have been baptized as a baby or as a young child would need to be ‘re’-baptized, that is, properly baptized for the first time, when they are called by God to genuinely repent of their sins. The same would be true for adult persons who were baptized without realizing what they were really guilty of and what they needed to repent of. For instance, people who do not know the importance of keeping ALL of God’s Ten Commandments, including the commandment to keep God’s Sabbath holy, the commandment not to fight or kill in war, not to worship idols, and not to pray to ‘Mother Mary’ or other ‘heavenly saints,’ have not really repented of their sins. They lack understanding of what sin is and, therefore, do not cease from their sins. They continue to engage in the same wrong conduct, showing that they did not begin to live in “newness of life.”

“When someone is in doubt whether his or her prior ‘baptism’ was valid in God’s eyes and resulted in receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, he or she needs to look at the fruits after that ‘baptism.’ Since God’s commandments regarding idolatry and Sabbath-keeping are of such fundamental importance, the Holy Spirit would lead a person who is called by God to immediately recognize and accept this truth before or at the time of baptism, or very shortly thereafter. The person would immediately feel a compelling desire to keep the Sabbath and to cease from committing idolatry. If such an action did not take place at the time of ‘baptism,’ or at least within a reasonably short time thereafter, we can safely say that such a ‘baptism’ was not valid in God’s eyes and did not lead to the pouring out of God’s Spirit on the person. If the person begins to understand now the importance of keeping all of God’s commandments, is repentant of his or her prior conduct, believes in Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of his or her sins, and is willing to obey whatever God’s Spirit might reveal to him or her in the future, then that person should now consider being properly baptized.

“In order to determine whether a previous ‘baptism’ of an adult person was valid in God’s eyes, we should ask ourselves the following questions:

“(1) When I was baptized by immersion, did I understand what sin is? Did I repent of my sins? Did I ask, in faith, for forgiveness of my sins? Did I understand that forgiveness was bestowed on me because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who died for me, so that I could live for Him?

“(2) Did I understand, at the time of my baptism, what I was—not only what I did—and did I repent of my very evil and carnal nature that is hostile against the law of God? Did I actually bury my old self in the watery grave?

“(3) Did I make a commitment with God to let the Holy Spirit create in me a new heart, to make a new person out of me, to live in me, to guide me, to help me avoid sin, and to give me strength to strive against sin so that I would be able to acquire a new nature—the divine nature of God Himself? Did I actually come up from the watery grave ‘clean,’ a new person, knowing that from then on I would have to strive as never before to avoid sinning and to live righteously, and that I would have to continually work at keeping all of God’s commandments, including those that would be revealed to me in the future?

“If we cannot substantially answer all of the above questions with ‘yes,’ then our previous baptism would not be valid in the eyes of God and we would not have received God’s Holy Spirit at that time.”

Lead Writers: Dave Harris and Norbert Link

The following announcement was sent out on May 23, 2007, pertaining to our new StandingWatch;  program #122:

Be Watchful

Are you aware as to what is going on in the world? Are you on guard? Do you care? Do you understand the signs of the time? Are you courageous enough to resist wrong pressure and false indoctrination? Or, are you sailing on a “ship of fools” full steam ahead toward a cliff of destruction?

View it now on Google

The German translation of our booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God,” has been posted on our German Website, “AufPostenStehen,” under http://www.aufpostenstehen.de/broschure.htm