The world may be producing as much as 5 exabytes of NEW information each year.  That is 5 billion gigabytes, which is estimated to be more than what was produced during the almost 6,000 years of man’s past history combined.  Technology is increasing exponentially such that by the year 2010 it is predicted to double every 72 hours, which is unfathomable.

In an attempt to access a portion of this nearly incomprehensible amount of information, there are 2.7 billion searches on Google alone each month… give or take a few.  Yet, has mankind come up with or found the answers to the truly important questions in life?

Paul actually addresses this exact subject in his second letter to Timothy.  In talking about the end time in chapter 3, he continues a thought in verse 7, “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  This has never been more true than it is today.  Current rates of new information production roughly equal 1 gigabyte of unique information per person per year, or, to put it another way, about 1000 Bibles worth of data.

But in reality, all that is needed is just ONE Bible. When it comes to the search for truth, the Book of books is the only foundation that we require.  We do not need to run to and fro looking here and there in pursuit of this and that.  We already have the inspired Word of God and the Truth that is not going to change. 

As we seek to simplify our lives, let us make sure that we invest our time and energy into what is profitable and right, and what will stand the test of time.

Russian Democracy Dead

Canada.com Network wrote on March 10:

“A message has been communicated to anyone who wants to speak out against the Kremlin: ‘If you do, no matter who you are, where you are, we will find you and we will silence you in the most horrible way possible.’ Those words come from an interview broadcast on NBC’s Dateline on Feb. 26. They were spoken by Paul Joyal, a Washington consultant who studies the former Soviet Union. Joyal was talking about the murder of his friend Alexander Litvinenko, the KGB defector who died painfully in London on Nov. 23 from radiation poisoning.

“Four nights after his Dateline interview, Joyal met another prominent KGB defector, Oleg Kalugin, for dinner at a restaurant in downtown Washington. Joyal returned to his home in suburban Maryland about 7:30 pm, stepped out of his car — and was shot in the groin. Neither his wallet nor his briefcase were taken. His shooter has not been found.

“Happily, the shooting was not fatal. Ivan Safronov, a military affairs writer for the Russian daily Kommersant, was less fortunate. Safronov had been working on a big story about a secret Russian deal to ship highly advanced Iskander missiles to Syria. The day after the Joyal shooting, Safronov fell out of a fifth story window in Moscow. Safronov is the 89th journalist to have died violently in Russia over the past 10 years.

“We do not know how many of those deaths were ordered by the Russian government. (And indeed Joyal’s shooting may well have been an ordinary crime.) But we do know that over the past half dozen years, Vladimir Putin’s government has extinguished all of Russia’s independent broadcast media and severely curbed most print media. We do know that Putin has ended elections for local government and centralized all power in the Kremlin. We do know that he has used administrative powers to seize some of Russia’s largest corporations and transfer ownership to his supporters — and to confiscate gas fields leased to foreign investors.

“And now we have a clearer idea of how Putin has been able to get away with these dangerous moves toward dictatorship: The Russian people support him. Last week, the EU-Russia Centre released the results of a major new survey of Russian public opinion. Only 16% of those surveyed identified the ‘Western model’ of democracy as the ideal. More than twice as many, 35%, said they ‘prefer the Soviet system before the 1990s.’ Only 10% of Russians regarded their country as belonging to the West. 71% said that Russia was not part of Europe. Almost half of Russians, 45%, regard Europe as a threat… As an institution, Russian democracy is dying. Inside the minds of the Russians, it is already dead.

“We have no shortage of things to worry about in our troubled world… Now add one more. A potentially great power, endowed with vast energy wealth and inheriting a vast nuclear arsenal, is deliberately and with the approval of the majority of its people turning its back on democracy and freedom. Instead of joining the West, Russia is finding its way to dangerous alliances with Iran, Syria, China… This grouping of anti-democratic states is extending its reach around the world…”

Europe Without Britain?

The EUObserver reported on March 10:

“The EU should go ahead and further integrate without the UK if it attempts to block a new constitutional treaty, Belgium’s prime minister Guy Verhofstadt has said. In an interview with German daily Die Welt, he said he expected the German EU presidency ‘not just to have put down a roadmap for the new constitution by the end of June, but also an outline of the content… Asked about what the EU should do if the UK blocks an agreement on a new treaty, Mr Verhofstadt said then the train has to drive on anyway… [and] ‘the European Union must progress without Great Britain.’… Drawing parallels from across the Atlantic, he said ‘the United States of America also did not come about in unison. At the time, only nine of the 13 British crown colonies voted in favour. The rest tailed behind and accepted the agreement later.'”

Watchdogs or Lapdogs?

On March 13, News.com published a revealing interview with famous journalist, Dan Rather. We are bringing you the following excerpts from Rather’s insightful comments–which can also be applied to the ongoing role and commission of God’s Church:

“Rather opined at length on the state of his profession, in which too many journalists have become lapdogs to power, rather than watchdogs… he spent most of his time on stage talking about why he thinks many people have lost faith in journalists. One reason, Rather said, is that questioning power, especially at a time of war, can be perceived as unpatriotic or unsupportive of America’s fighting troops. ‘That’s ‘a very serious charge in this country,’ Rather said. ‘We’ve brought it on ourselves,’ he added, ‘partly because we’ve lost the sense that (the) patriotic journalist will be on his or her feet asking the tough questions.’ “Indeed, Rather’s ascent to the pinnacles of power in journalism came as a result of his reputation for asking very tough questions and… not being afraid to ask follow-up questions, of powerful people like President Richard Nixon, the first President George Bush, current President Bush, Saddam Hussein, and many others. ‘In many ways,’ said Rather to loud applause, ‘what we in journalism need is a spine transplant.’ …

“It is incumbent on journalists to be willing to risk their access to power to seek out the truth behind a story, he said. And they shouldn’t be willing to water down the truth to protect their access to power. Rather also said that the consolidation of power in a small number of media companies has hurt the search for the truth… As media conglomerates get bigger… the goal becomes satisfying shareholders, not citizens, he said.

“Rather reiterated the journalist’s role as a watchdog. ‘Not as an attack dog… But what does the lapdog do? He just crawls into someone’s lap,’ he said. ‘A good watchdog barks at everything that’s suspicious. I submit to you, the American press’ role is to be a watchdog.'”

This choice of words is quite remarkable. The media IS supposed to tell the people the truth about relevant issues, but this is often not the case. God has said that He has called WATCHMEN for the purpose of WARNING the nations. It is actually God’s CHURCH today which is to fulfill the role of the watchman or a “watchdog”–with the duty to BARK at wrong things!

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

The Chicago Tribune wrote on March 13:

“The ranking Republican of the Senate Armed Services Committee sharply rebuked the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Tuesday, taking issue with General Peter Pace’s view that homosexual acts are immoral. Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), a former Secretary of the Navy, said, ‘I respectfully but strongly disagree with the chairman’s view that homosexuality is immoral…’ Pace told The Chicago Tribune Tuesday that ‘I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts.’ He said he supports the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell policy,’’ explaining that ‘I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way. As an individual, I would not want [acceptance of gay behavior] to be our policy, just like I would not want it to be our policy that if we were to find out that so-and-so was sleeping with somebody else’s wife, that we would just look the other way, which we do not. We prosecute that kind of immoral behavior,’ Pace said.

“The general was responding to a question about the Clinton-era policy that is coming under renewed scrutiny amid fears of future U.S. troop shortages. Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), a candidate for president, for example, has sharply criticized the policy and called for it to be dismantled. So has Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president. Pace said the Pentagon should not ‘condone’ immoral behavior by allowing gay soldiers to serve openly. He said his views were based on his personal ‘upbringing,’ in which he was taught that certain types of conduct are immoral.”

Reuters added on March 13:

“The top U.S. military officer, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, tried on Tuesday to calm anger that erupted after he described homosexual acts as immoral, saying he was expressing only his personal views. Gay rights activists and Democrats criticized the chairman of the U.S. military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff for his comments and a veteran Republican senator voiced his disagreement… Under the policy, commanders may not ask the sexual orientation of service members, but gays and lesbians can serve only if they keep their sexual orientation private and do not engage in homosexual acts. Later, Pace issued a statement saying he had made a mistake in devoting so much time to his personal views… House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was ‘disappointed in the moral judgment’ voiced by Pace and the military should consider changing policy on allowing gays to serve in its ranks.”

It is interesting that in all of this political debate and sword-rattling, no word is mentioned about GOD’s view point. The Bible is VERY clear on the issue, and supports General Pace’s sentiments. Sadly, political pressure forced him to “clarify” his position.

British Schoolchildren to Be Taught Wrong Values?

Der Spiegel Online published the following piece regarding unbelievable indoctrination of British schoolchildren. The magazine supports this unfortunate development; so we have chosen to just publish those excerpts from the article which state the facts, while omitting the unacceptable “opinions” of the author. The magazine wrote on March 13:

“Once upon a time a prince was looking for a suitable queen to be. He was introduced to one princess, two princesses … and fell in love with another prince. They married each other in a dream wedding and lived together happily ever after. Sounds like an underground gay comic? It isn’t — the text in question is a schoolbook.

“School children in Britain learn about sexual diversity and alternative family structures from an early age. A state-supported pilot scheme run at 14 elementary schools — attended by children from the age of four to 11 — is stirring up trouble with its sexually liberal message… Apart from ‘King & King’, there will be other books addressing same-sex parenthood. ‘And Tango Makes Three’ features a baby penguin with two fathers while ‘Spacegirl Pukes’ is a picture book about two mothers who send their daughter on a space trip. The texts are listed on the recommended reading list for the schoolchildren… If successful, the scheme will be extended nationwide. It is supported with £600,000 in funding from the state-run Economic and Social Research Council and is backed by the National Union of Teachers and General Teaching Council… the liberal Blair government has been much more tolerant towards homosexuality than its predecessors… homosexual marriage was legalized in 2005…”

The Pope’s Tough Stance

AFP wrote on March 13 about the Roman Catholic Church’s renewed and confirmed tough stance on the dogma of “celibacy”–the man-made prohibition for Catholic priests to get married and produce children. The French news agency reported:

“Celibacy ‘remains obligatory’ for Roman Catholic priests, Pope Benedict XVI stated Tuesday in a long-awaited text… ‘I reaffirm the beauty and importance of a priestly life lived in celibacy as a sign expressing total and exclusive devotion to Christ, to the Church and to the Kingdom of God,’ reads the apostolic exhortation, the first of Benedict’s papacy and second in importance only to an encyclical. ‘I therefore confirm that it remains obligatory in the Latin tradition,’ the pope wrote in the document reflecting the conclusions of an October 2005 synod of bishops. Benedict, who was elected pope in 2005, wrote: ‘The fact that Christ himself, the eternal priest, lived his mission even to the sacrifice of the Cross in the state of virginity constitutes the sure point of reference for understanding the meaning of the tradition of the Latin Church.'”

The article continued:

“The pope also reaffirmed that Catholics who divorce and remarry are barred from taking communion, unless they ‘commit to living their relationship… as friends, as brother and sister.”

According to further news reported in the German press, the Pope also reconfirmed his prohibition for Catholics and Protestants to take the communion together.

The Pope’s harsh line enforcing “celibacy” and prohibiting communion for divorced and remarried Catholics does not surprise those who might have studied Benedict’s positions, when he was still known as Cardinal Ratzinger. It will undoubtedly disappoint many Catholics. In addition, it is–in both respects–against Biblical teaching. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, prophesied in 1 Timothy 4:1-3 that false teachings would arise, “forbidding to marry,” and Jesus Christ and Paul made it clear that there ARE legitimate reasons for divorce and subsequent remarriage–not just for “annulment” (compare Matthew 19:9; 1 Corinthians 7:12-15).

Is the German Army Becoming Americans’ Foot Soldiers?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on March 9:

“Afghanistan is back in the German headlines after a German aid worker is murdered and the German government formally approves sending six Tornado jets to support troops in volatile south Afghanistan… Business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘The German army must not become the Americans’ foot soldiers. Whether this happens or not does not depend on the deployment of Tornados. Even without the reconnaissance jets, it’s very likely that the German soldiers will become fully involved in combat, and in autumn there will probably be a call for ground troops. … The more convincingly Berlin proves that it wants to achieve success in Afghanistan, the more its NATO partners will understand German politicians’ desire for German troops to not be under American command. But if the suspicion grows that Germany just wants to avoid a difficult domestic political debate, then Berlin will just reap increasing disappointment and frustration.'”

German Interview with Governor Schwarzenegger

On March 13, Der Spiegel Online published an interesting interview with Republican Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. We are bringing you the following excerpts from his comments:

On Air Pollution:

“The message I am trying to get across is exactly this: Protecting the environment does not require us to be against large SUVs or trucks. Instead we should develop technology to cut down greenhouse gas emissions because that is where the action is — it’s not about what the size of the car is. We just have to redo the vehicles… Those oil rigs you see out there will be gone eventually because we now know that environmental pollution is counterproductive and that we could be slowly killing ourselves with climate change… We do not like the fact that we must rely on fossil fuels. This dependence is a huge mistake. It’s as bad as having an investor who only invests in a single product or company. You have to diversify. You have to invest in 30 different companies because that is the only way you can guarantee that your investment will grow. We have not done that with our energy… The most interesting thing politically is that Republicans are now supporting environmental protection. We’ve always expected nothing less from the Democrats. As a Republican, people expected me to protect the oil companies and business. Now they are surprised that I talk about greenhouse gases. But it’s true that the documentary has now given Gore tremendous legitimacy. California is now passing new environmental laws that Gore was actually talking about 20 years ago. He was right, but people called him a tree hugger because he’s a Democrat.”

On President Bush and the Iraq War:

“I’m not sure things are that simple with Bush. When he was still governor of Texas, he ran his state in the most bipartisan of ways. I do not know why it has gone so differently [in] Washington. I think Washington just does something to people… I gave him some suggestions about what he should do. It is very clear that we have to work together in order to do a good job. What is really hurting the country is the way they are governing in Washington at the moment… You change your positions as things change. I had different information from the president. I only get the information that Washington shares with us and that is broadcast in the media. It seemed clear at the time that Iraq was sheltering terrorists. Saddam Hussein’s regime was a dictatorship that cost a lot of lives. There was good justification to invade, especially after 9/11… Four years later, we have to look at it and ask if Iraq is becoming another Vietnam, and I do not want it to become another Vietnam. I think we have now helped the Iraqi government long enough. We have trained their soldiers. We have done everything that we can, so now let’s talk about a timeline of withdrawal… We should have an end in sight for this war. It costs a fortune and it costs a lot of lives.”

On his own future:

“I never like to think more than just a few days ahead. The reason I chose to come to the US is because there is no safety net here. I chose making movies over doing TV series because I didn’t want to know what my next move would be. I like the idea of the risk — if a movie goes in the toilet then you get no new offers. If the movie does well, then you have 15 scripts in front of you. I always feel that if you pay 100 percent attention to what you are doing then you have every option available in the future. These things fall into place. I have total faith in my future… When I was 15 years old I felt totally confident I would become a world champion and the greatest bodybuilder in the world. The same was true of show business — I knew that one day I would make more money than anyone else in the industry and I did. For that you need the willingness to work and do everything it takes to make the vision turn into reality. Those are the kinds of things that you also need in politics. There are thousands of experts here in Sacramento, but at the end of the day, it’s all about taking something on and seeing it through to the end. That’s the perfect job for me.”

Are Scotsmen English–After All?

The International Herald Tribune wrote on March 11:

“The one sure way to irritate a Scotsman is to call him an Englishman… But now comes the intriguing evidence from geneticists… that the people of the British Isles are more closely related than the history books had suggested. According to [this evidence], the core populations of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales are of very much the same stock, with only minor add-ons at the edge from Viking and other invasions. So being Scottish is not, in genetic terms, all that different from being English… if that is shown… to be true, then the differences — however profound and important to cultural identity — are demoted to the incidental variations that flow from living in separate places and developing distinct local cultures… The more we are shown to be related, the more our sense of shared humanity must come to the fore. That may be hopelessly idealistic, but it was very much the message that the great poet Robert Burns gave to the world. And he was Scottish. Or was he?”

Surprising as it may sound to some, the Bible nowhere identifies a particular person as “the Antichrist.” Even though religious preachers and programs may be talking about the “coming Antichrist,” they really misapply certain Scriptures to promulgate such a false concept.

It is correct that the Bible says that two individuals, called the “beast” and the “false prophet,” will appear on the world scene, and that Satan will use them, as his instruments, to bring havoc to this world. Scriptures also refer to the “false prophet” as the “man of sin,” and they speak of the “beast” as the “king of the north” or “King Jareb of Assyria.” But the Bible nowhere says that either one of those two persons–either the “beast” or the “false prophet”– is “THE Antichrist.”

To give just one example, the following explanation of the “antichrist” in the “Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words,” by W.E.Vine, must be rejected, as totally lacking all Scriptural support and being actually in contradiction with Scripture: “What the apostle [John] says of him [antichrist] so closely resembles what he says of the first beast in Rev. 13, and what the apostle Paul says of the Man of Sin in 2 Thess. 2, that the same person seems to be in view in all these passages.”

The idea that “antichrist” applies to an end-time ruler fighting God did not originate in Scripture, but in human tradition. The idea to limit “antichrist” to one individual has also given rise to the most wide-spread interpretations. As Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia points out, “Different interpreters have at various times identified the Antichrist with the Roman emperors Nero, Diocletian, Julian, and Caligula; with the Samaritan sorcerer Simon Magus (see Acts 8:9-24); and with Muhammad, the founder of Islam. At the time of the Reformation, Protestants quite generally held the pope to be the antichrist, and Roman Catholics regarded Martin Luther similarly. In the controversy between the Roman church and the Greek church, the name was applied, by those who opposed them, to popes and Byzantine emperors.”

It is a fundamental mistake to limit the concept of “antichrist” to just one particular person.

The word “antichrist” is used exclusively by John in four places. The context shows what is meant by “antichrist.” Let us review these four passages, as quoted from the Authorized Version:

1 John 2:18: “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now there are many antichrists…”

1 John 2:22: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”

1 John 4:3: “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”

2 John 7: “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come [literally: coming] in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”

From these passages, we see that “antichrist” is not limited to a particular person, but that it describes a wrong “spirit” or false teaching, pertaining to Jesus Christ and God the Father. The word “antichrist” literally means, “an opponent to Christ.” John says that there are MANY “antichrists” in the world, not just one. And he explains that “antichrist” is not limited to the identification of a person still to come in the future, but that the spirit of antichrist was already active at the time of John. It has been in the world ever since. And so, the spirit of antichrist will most certainly permeate, influence and possess the “beast” and the “false prophet,” but it is not limited to just those two individuals.

The spirit of antichrist denies that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God the Father (1 John 2:22). It denies that Jesus came in the flesh (1 John 4:3)–that is, that He became a human being (John 1:14). It denies that God the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit, impregnated the virgin Mary to bring forth Jesus the Christ. It denies that Christ, the Son of God who had lived for all eternity as the second member of the God Family, became fully man to be able to overcome sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3) and to DIE for us (Philippians 2:5-8; Revelation 1:18), so that we could obtain forgiveness of our sins, release from the death penalty for our sins, reconciliation with God the Father, and hope of eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 6:23).

And finally, the spirit of antichrist denies that Christ is coming, today, in the flesh (2 John 7). That is, as will be explained, Christ is living His life spiritually, through the Holy Spirit, in the physical bodies–the “flesh”–of His disciples. The New King James Bible says, accurately: “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” The Williams translation says that Christ “continues to come” in the flesh.

Some commentaries claim that this means that Jesus Christ will appear at His Second Coming as a man. This is a terrible misapplication of Scripture. Even though Jesus Christ is called at times the “Man Jesus Christ” (1 Timothy 2:5), the context shows that such a passage refers to His present function as High Priest, intervening on our behalf, as He lived as a man and as He can therefore sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:14-15). The Bible does NOT say that Christ will return or come again as a man. As a man, He could die, but the Bible says that Christ has died once and will NEVER die again (Revelation 1:18). Christ is today an immortal glorified God Being in the Family of God, and this is how He will return (1 Corinthians 15:45; Titus 2:13).

When the Bible says that antichrist denies that Christ is coming in the flesh, something altogether different is being addressed. The spirit of antichrist denies that Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, lives in His disciples today (compare Galatians 2:20). It denies that Christ is, in that sense, coming into His disciples; that is, flesh and blood human beings. It denies that Christ is coming right now in the flesh or the physical bodies of His disciples by living His life spiritually in His people. It denies that others should be able to look at Christ’s disciples and recognize Christ living in them. It denies that, even though we have been reconciled with God the Father by the death of His Son, we “shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10). It is only because Christ was resurrected from the dead and lives His life in us today, that we are able to inherit eternal life. Christ said in John 14:19: “Because I live, you will live also.”

By extension, the spirit of antichrist denies that we have to keep God’s commandments, because Christ only lives in us if we obey Him. 1 John 3:24 says: “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, AND HE IN HIM. And by this we know that He ABIDES IN US, by the Spirit [which] He has given us.” Christ said in John 14:15-18: “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper that [it] may abide with you forever–the Spirit of truth… I will not leave you orphans, I WILL COME TO YOU.”

The spirit of antichrist DENIES the entire saving work of Jesus Christ–who He was before He became a man; who He was when in the flesh; who He is today; what He DOES today; and that He lives His life in the flesh of His disciples who OBEY Him.

Rather than limiting “Antichrist” to just one person to appear on the world scene in the future, the Bible warns of the spirit of antichrist which has been in this world for a long time, and which will prevent us, if we fall prey to it, from inheriting eternal life.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new member letter has been written and sent out this week. It is also posted on the Web. In the letter, Dave Harris discusses the annual memorial services of Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, and addresses in that context the importance of having the right perspective regarding growing in knowledge and applying the understanding which we do have.

A new StandingWatch program has been posted on Google Video and on our Website. It is titled, “The Disappointing Libby Trial.” Norbert Link is addressing the questions why did the world look with so much interest at the Libby Trial, and why was the outcome so disappointing? Why is it that so many unanswered questions remain?

Paul gives us the following admonition in Philippians 2:5: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” We know full well that without “this mind,” we could not reach our future goal of partaking in the resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ. The mind Paul was referring to was none other than the mind of God the Father which was also in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit, which Christ had “without measure.”

This mind enters our minds when one of God’s true ministers lays hands upon us at baptism. We start off as mere “babes in Christ.” As we grow spiritually, we approach the maturity that God expects of us, by “growing  in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

In due time the expansion of the mind of God and of Christ displaces our carnal mind, which is enmity against God. By its very nature, our carnal mind doesn’t want to be told what to do. Romans 8:7 tells us: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” It is impossible for our carnal mind to be subject to God and to even want to obey Him. That is precisely the reason why we should seek to be baptized once God is revealing His truth to us. It is only through proper baptism that we can receive the Godly mind, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, which facilitates spiritual growth until we become more and more Christ-like. We know that this process will be completed at the resurrection. At that time, we will not be able to sin anymore.

Today, we need to concentrate on overcoming sin and developing the mind of Jesus Christ in our lives. As we approach the Passover in less than a month, we should take the opportunity to examine ourselves and put sin out of our lives, so that we will be able to take the Passover in a worthy manner. And as we continue to draw near to God the Father and to Christ, we can be assured that, as a result, “this mind” which was in Christ Jesus, will be truly in us.

Is Russia Resurrecting a By-Gone Era?

On March 7, The New York Times published the following commentary by Marshall Billingslea, a former assistant secretary general of NATO and former chairman of the NATO-Russia Council’s ad hoc working group on theater missile defense. It was pointed out:

“Russian reactions to the discussions among Poland, the Czech Republic and the United States on a missile defense system in Europe have been disconcerting. Some of the rhetoric in past days — such as Monday’s blunt threats by Lt. Gen. Igor Khvorov to target European missile defense sites with bombers, or intimations by other Russian officials of scrapping the 1987 INF Treaty (which bans short- and medium-range nuclear missiles) — is a throwback to a bygone era that needs to stay gone.

“Moscow should be well aware that the proposed defense installations are focused on the emerging Iranian threat. Russian defense planners surely understand the physics and geography of the potential deployment, and know that a Czech radar facing south and 10 interceptors in Poland pose no threat to the credibility of the Russian deterrent of thousands of warheads. It would be physically impossible for interceptors in Poland to chase down Russian ICBMs headed toward North America. The Russian ICBMs move too fast, and defensive interceptors cannot win such a ‘tail chase.’

“Nor could they get out of their silos fast enough to protect Europe from a Russian missile attack, even if the radar were facing in that direction, which it wouldn’t be. The radar would not be able to see incoming Russian missiles in time, and — again — the interceptors would be thrown into a losing tail chase. In other words, the system proposed for Poland and the Czech Republic is clearly designed to protect against Iran, and not against Russia. No doubt about it. Unlike the NATO nations, who are in the early stages of developing missile defenses, Russia has long possessed its own antiballistic missile defense for its capital, making recent Russian protests even more perplexing.”

China’s Military Ambitions

The Wall Street Journal reported on March 7:

“For more than a decade, China has boosted defense spending by double digits every year and won’t explain why or for what exactly. The bad news for Beijing is that it is now reaping the unintended consequence of its stonewall tactics. Some of the region’s biggest players — the U.S., Japan and even India — are increasingly skeptical of China’s ‘peaceful development’ campaign and are building up their own defenses accordingly… China’s military advances are no longer just about attacking Taiwan. As January’s test of an anti-satellite weapon demonstrated, they are about protecting all of China’s interests and countering anyone who may interfere with them.”

Turkey vs. Freedom of Expression

The Associated Press reported on March 7:

“A Turkish court ordered access to YouTube’s Web site blocked on Wednesday, after a prosecutor recommended the ban because of videos allegedly insulting the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Paul Doany, head of Turk Telekom, Turkey’s largest telecommunications provider, said his company had begun immediately enforcing the ban… On its front page on Wednesday, the newspaper Hurriyet said thousands of people had written YouTube and that the Ataturk videos had been removed from the site. ‘YouTube got the message,’ the headline said. Insulting Ataturk or ‘Turkishness’ is a crime in Turkey punishable by prison. Turkey, which hopes to join the European Union, has been roundly condemned for not doing enough to curb extreme nationalist sentiments and to protect freedom of expression.”

If Turkey ever wants to join the EU, either those practices will have to change, or the current practices of the EU will.

Libby’s Conviction

The Associated Press reported on March 6, 2007:

“The case laid bare the inner workings of a presidency under siege and the secretive world of Vice President Dick Cheney. It showed the lengths to which Cheney went in early summer 2003 to discredit administration critic Joseph Wilson. The former ambassador’s assertions had cast doubt on the administration’s justification for having taken the country to war in Iraq. And the Libby case showed the president assisting Cheney in the leaked attacks on Wilson. Libby, who was Cheney’s chief of staff, was found guilty on Tuesday of four of five counts of obstructing justice, lying and perjury during an investigation into the administration’s disclosure of the identity of undercover CIA official Valerie Plame, Wilson’s wife. The verdict ‘does great damage to the Bush administration,’ said Paul C. Light, professor of public service at New York University. ‘It undermines the president’s pledge of ethical conduct. But the most serious consequence is that it will raise questions about Cheney’s durability in office. It may be time for Cheney to submit his resignation.'”

The article continued:

“The trial, which included a month of testimony, is also relevant as the U.S. seeks to build a case that Iran is providing sophisticated munitions to Shiite insurgents in Iraq who are using them against U.S. troops. Administration critics have suggested the administration is trying to lay the groundwork for isolating or even attacking Iran — using flawed intelligence, like in Iraq. Wilson, a retired career diplomat, had accused the administration of manipulating intelligence to build its case to invade Iraq.”

Unanswered Questions in the Libby Trial

The Associated Press reported on March 7:

“Former White House aide I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby’s conviction capped a four-year, politically charged investigation but did not seal Libby’s fate or resolve some of the lingering questions in the CIA leak case… the case offered little new information about whether President Bush was involved or whether he authorized any leaks. Defense attorneys never delivered Cheney or Libby to the witness stand as promised to discuss the White House effort to undermine the credibility of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, a campaign that resulted in the disclosure of his wife Valerie Plame’s job at the CIA. Libby’s attorneys offered few details about a supposed White House conspiracy to protect Bush adviser Karl Rove from prosecution. It also was never explained why former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, who originally leaked Plame’s identity, was never charged.”

On March 7, Townhall.com added the following comments by Patrick J. Buchanan:

“However, this was about a larger issue than the narrow question of whether Libby lied about leaking the role of Valerie Plame in having her husband sent to Niger to investigate a report that Iraq had been seeking ‘yellowcake,’ a critical component in a uranium enrichment program.
 
“That larger issue is this: Were we misled, were we deceived by our government, as the White House made the case for invading and occupying Iraq? Did neoconservatives at the Pentagon cherry-pick the intelligence, stovepipe it to the vice president’s office and Libby, and then feed it to sympathizers and collaborators in the media, to stampede our country into a war against a nation that, no matter how odious its regime, did not threaten us, did not attack us and did not want war with us? In short, were we lied into a war in Mesopotamia that is breaking our Army, has crippled an administration, and has bled and divided our country as it has not been since the days of Vietnam?

“And why has the Democratic Congress, on taking power in January, not begun a broad investigation into how we got into this war? This is the dog that didn’t bark. And the reason the dog is silent suggests itself. The Congress, in voting President Bush the authority to take us to war against Iraq at a time and place of his own choosing, failed to do its duty by the Constitution… The dilemma a Democratic Congress faces in any investigation into whether we were lied into war is that Congress would be investigating why a Democratic Senate failed its constitutional duty to determine the necessity for war.

“And, lest we forget, the media, too, played a supporting role in pushing this nation into an unnecessary war. Columnists and commentators assured us there was a nexus between Saddam, al-Qaida and 9-11, a ‘Prague connection’ between Muhammad Atta and Iraqi intelligence. We were told Saddam had stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction and was working on nuclear weapons, that enrichment of uranium was being done secretly around the country, that if we did not act now, we faced a nuclear-armed Iraq that would surely transfer atomic weapons to al-Qaida terrorists. Said Condi Rice, our proof of WMD might well come in the form of a mushroom cloud above an American city… in the end, we are unlikely to know the truth of why it was we went to war. For that record is sealed in minds and souls.”

CO’s and the Army

Der Spiegel Online reported on March 7:

“Is it possible to become a conscientious objector once you have signed up to fight a war? According to United States military regulations, the answer is yes. But as confirmed by a US Army court martial in the case of former Army Specialist Agustin Aguayo near the western German city of Würzburg on Tuesday, the Army also reserves the right to answer no. Aguayo, a 35-year-old Mexican-American from Los Angeles, served a tour of duty in Iraq as a combat medic from 2004 to 2005. Early on in basic training, however, he began to realize that he was opposed to war. When his unit was ordered to return to Iraq for a second tour of duty in the war-torn country, Aguayo decided he simply could not obey with a clear conscience… In a small cramped courtroom on the Leighton Barracks near Würzburg, Germany on Tuesday, Aguayo was found guilty of desertion, slapped with a bad-conduct discharge, stripped of pay and benefits and sent to the brig for eight months…

“Aguayo has become the latest in an ever-growing list of US soldiers hitting the headlines for refusing to fight in Iraq. Some, like Lt. Ehren Wutada — who recently became the first US officer to be court martialed for opting not to obey orders sending him to Iraq — argue that the fight is illegal. Others, like Aguayo — and Mark Wilkerson, who was sentenced to seven months behind bars in February for desertion — choose the conscientious objector route, saying that their belief systems have changed… ‘Those who take a public stand give support to those (still in the military) who are against the war and thinking of resisting,’ Kelly Dougherty, executive director of Iraq Veterans Against the War, told SPIEGEL ONLINE. ‘The only ones who can destroy the myth (that the Iraq War is necessary) are the military.’… nearly 1,600 active soldiers have now signed a petition to the US Congress that reads in part: ‘Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price.’ Likewise, according to the War Resisters Support Campaign in Canada, there may be as many as 200 to 300 US soldiers who have headed north across the border to escape deployment.”

Roman Catholic Bishops vs. Israel

Der Spiegel Online reported on March 7:

“Comments by Germany’s Catholic bishops during a pilgrimage to Israel and the Palestinian territories have sparked fury among the Jewish community in Germany, who have accused the bishops of making anti-Semitic remarks… According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the bishop of Eichstätt, Gregor Maria Hanke, remarked during a visit to Bethlehem, ‘This morning in Yad Vashem the photos of the inhuman Warsaw Ghetto, and this evening we travel to the ghetto in Ramallah. That makes you angry.’ The Bishop of Augsburg Walter Mixa then remarked that it was a ‘ghetto-like’ situation and that it was ‘almost racism.’

“The President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Charlotte Knobloch, has reacted with anger and disappointment to the remarks, which she describes as ‘awful and completely unacceptable.’ Comparing the fate of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto with the situation of the Palestinians in Ramallah belied ‘either a questionable shortfall in historical knowledge,’ or an attempt to turn the Jewish victims of the Holocaust and their children into today’s perpetrators, she said.

“Israel’s ambassador to Germany, Shimon Stein, spoke of a demonization of Israel and said that those who used the term ‘Warsaw Ghetto’ in connection with Israeli or Palestinian politics, had ‘forgotten everything, or learnt nothing, or failed morally.’

“Bishop Mixa also came in for criticism for ascribing racist motives to the Israeli state and government in their dealings with the Palestinians. ‘It says more about the bishop’s mentality than about the actual situation in the Middle East,’ Knobloch said, adding that it not only misjudges the facts of the Middle East conflict and Israel’s security situation, but it also makes use of clichés ‘that border on anti-Semitism.’ …

“The Catholic Church in Germany is now trying to diffuse the row with a number of apologies… Bishop Mixa denied that the opinions given during the trip could be interpreted as politically one-sided. He expressed his concerns about the future of the peace process and Palestinians and Israelis living together, and emphasized the Church’s position of supporting the right of Israel to exist and the right of the Palestinians to their own state.”

A Permanent European President and Foreign Minister?

The Telegraph wrote on March 7:

“Ahead of an EU summit in Brussels that opens tomorrow the Germans vowed to resurrect plans for a full-time EU president and dedicated EU foreign minister…Last night, Downing Street attempted to play down the German intervention, saying it would not react in detail until the full Berlin plan on what to do about updating the EU’s institutions is revealed at another summit at the end of June…

“Germany’s fresh push was spelt out in detail by Wolfgang Ischinger, the country’s ambassador to London, in a briefing with journalists. Mr Ischinger said ‘the first step’ to make an enlarged EU work better should be to end the system of six-month rotating presidencies of the EU, and give the community ‘a permanent, professional presidency.’ It was also high time the EU had a full-time foreign minister who could be the public face of a European foreign policy abroad.

“‘Why can’t we get our act together and have a European foreign minister who can travel to Malaysia, or Washington or some other country and say this is what the EU believes,’ he said.”

How NOT to Save the Planet

Der Spiegel Online wrote on March 5:

“Germany in its capacity as president of the European Union and G8 is leading a drive to slash CO2 emissions. But German media commentators want to know why their country should take the leading role while the world’s biggest polluters, the United States and China, stand idly by… While Merkel has committed Germany to an emissions reduction of more than 20 percent by 2020, both China and the United States have indicated that their emissions will continue to increase in the coming years. German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who sees Germany as a driving force in climate protection, has suggested anchoring it as a goal in a future European Union constitution. Following an Australian initiative, Gabriel has proposed a German ban of standard issue light bulbs, and the introduction of new EU energy efficiency guidelines for lamps and household appliances. The German press has responded skeptically to the leading role that Merkel and Gabriel want Germany to adopt, questionning the political motivations behind the grandstanding and calling for greater international pressure on the true offenders: China and the USA.

“The business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘The discussion lacks all sense of proportion. Germany contributes roughly 6 percent to CO2 production worldwide and the figure is declining. Roughly half of all emissions come from the USA and China, where the output continues to grow at double-digit rates… The perfect insulation of all German homes will save one million tonnes of greenhouse gases per year, and exchanging all lightbulbs will save a similar amount. But when Germany shuts down its nuclear plants, their output will in part have to be taken over by coal and gas-fired power stations which will produce up to 160 million tonnes of CO2 additionally per year. We’re saving in the wrong places.’

“Mass circulation Bild in a front-page story headlined: ‘Are We Germans Supposed to Save the World on our own?’ writes: ‘We Germans are for environmental protection! We’re also prepared to make sacrifices for the environment. But sometimes one gets the impression: We’re supposed to save the earth ourselves! What are the biggest polluters, the USA, Russia and China, doing to save the planet?’

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: ‘The Christian Social Union wants to ban cars with combustion engines. The Social Democrats wants air travellers to pay a climate tax. The Greens want to slap a tax on air fuel and Greenpeace wants to ban all budget air travel. What’s peculiar is that the so-called climate-protectors are punishing mobility and little else. Of course, the environmental costs of traffic are significant and the energy efficiency of travel has to be improved. But much more energy is being consumed by industry and private households… The issue of how the energy needs of billions of people can be satisfied without destroying the environment and the climate is far too important to be left to politicians intent on self-promotion.”

Out-Of-Body Experiences?

The Telegraph wrote on March 3:

“People who have out-of-body experiences, such as flying along a tunnel towards a heavenly light, are more likely to suffer a strange effect called sleep paralysis, according to a survey that adds to mounting evidence for a biological explanation for the experience.

“During sleep paralysis, people experience a kind of breakdown between states of consciousness which takes place on the fringe of sleep, either when falling asleep or waking. Because the brain turns off the body’s ability to move during dreaming, muscles can lose their tone, or tension, causing paralysis.

“The details of sleep paralysis vary from person to person. Some hear vague sounds, indistinct voices and demonic gibberish. Others see hallucinations of humans, animals and supernatural creatures. There is a striking inability to move or to speak, or a weight on the chest.

“Also common are feelings of rising off the bed or flying. In addition, people report out-of-body experiences, sometimes accompanied by ‘autoscopy’ when they look down on themselves. Not surprisingly, these moments are accompanied by fear. Throughout history, there have also been accounts of people having visions on the brink of death – what are now called ‘near-death experiences’.

“Today, the two odd effects are linked by a study that backs the idea that the near-death experience is a biological experience, rather than anything to do with a spiritual dimension, a glimpse of heaven or the existence of the soul… The sleep paralysis linked with out-of-body experiences was thought rare, but may strike between 40 per cent and 60 per cent of people at least once. They report sensations of floating, flying, falling or leaving one’s body. It ranges from relatively tranquil floating experiences to horrible feelings of falling or rising at high speed.”

Over the years, there has been much speculation about the identify of the “two witnesses.” Some fanciful and some down-right ridiculous concepts have been advanced, and there have been people at all times–it seems–claiming that they are one of the “two witnesses”, or that they know who they are.

The truth is that it has not been revealed yet who the two witnesses will be–and we strongly hold that those who may believe that THEY ARE the two witnesses are misled and are misleading others.

Some claim today, thereby inadvertently adopting the opinion of some confused Catholic “church fathers,” that the two witnesses are or will be ancient Moses and ancient Elijah or ancient Enoch, who will either be resurrected from the dead, or who have been kept alive for thousands of years in a state of “limbo”–not really being alive, and not really being dead, either. Apparently, this latter concept is alluded to in the uninspired Book of Enoch–a Jewish legend and fairy tale which has correctly been rejected as part of the inspired Word of God. Others feel that the two witnesses are two angels. However, there is absolutely NO indication in the Bible that any of these foregoing human ideas are accurate.

Let us carefully review what we CAN safely say about the two witnesses, by just reviewing God’s revealed Scripture. Everything beyond that belongs in the realm of speculation, which is not revealed Godly knowledge, but rather human ideas and fabrications.

We read in the 11th chapter of the Book of Revelation that Jerusalem will be occupied by Gentiles for 42 months or 3 1/2 years or 1260 days(Revelation 11:1-3; compare Luke 21:23-24; Daniel 2:44). This Gentile rule will occur under two future political and religious leaders of the final resurrection of the ancient Holy Roman Empire. These political and religious leaders are also referred to in Scripture as the “beast” and the “false prophet” (Daniel 11:45; 2 Thessalonians 2:4).

We are told in Scripture that during that future time of Jerusalem’s occupation, “two witnesses” will prophesy for 1260 days or 3 1/2 years (compare Revelation 11:3). This will apparently happen at the same time when certain Church members will be at a “place of safety” here on earth to be protected from the beast and the false prophet (compare Revelation 12:14). The time frame for the testimony of the two witnesses of 1260 days or 3 1/2 years corresponds with “a time and times and half a time” or 3 1/2 years in Revelation 12:14, describing the duration of stay of Church members at the place of safety (Please remember that one year has 360 days according to the Hebrew calendar, and that the term “time” means “year”, compare Daniel 4:16).

These two witnesses are called in Revelation 11:4 “the two olive trees and the two lamp stands.” This is an obvious reference to a passage in Zechariah 4:3, 11-14.

The commentary of JFB points out:

“They are described by symbol as ‘the two olive trees’ and ‘the two candlesticks,’ or lamp-stands, ‘standing before the God of the earth.’ The reference is to Zec. 4:3, Zec. 4:12, where two individuals are meant, Joshua and Zerubbabel, who ministered to the Jewish Church, just as the two olive trees emptied the oil out of themselves into the bowl of the candlestick. So in the final apostasy God will raise up two inspired witnesses to minister encouragement…”

Even though it is true that the book of Zechariah might refer, in one sense, to Joshua and Zerubbabel who were alive at the time of Zechariah’s writing, both the books of Zechariah and of Revelation are primarily prophetic in nature. The fact, then, that it says in both passages that the two witnesses “stand” beside or before the Lord does not mean that they were already alive when Zechariah or John wrote down the visions which they received from God. Since the books of Zechariah and Revelation contain prophecies for our time, they cannot be used to prove that the two witnesses of the end time were alive at the time of Zechariah and John. They cannot be used, either, to prove that the two witnesses are Moses and Enoch or Elijah, whom God kept alive supernaturally in some unexplained way, because we are clearly told that Moses and Enoch DIED (compare Hebrews 11:5, 13, 23-29, 39-40; Deuteronomy 34:7). To postulate that God will resurrect Moses and Enoch or Elijah to physical life again in these endtimes is without any biblical basis whatever.

For the same reason, the statement in the books of Zechariah and of Revelation, that the two witnesses “stand” before God, cannot be used to prove that they are angels. We read in the 11th chapter of the book of Revelation that the beast or military ruler will kill the two witnesses, and that their dead bodies will lie in Jerusalem for 3 ½ days (Revelation 11:7-10). Since they will be killed, they cannot be angels, as angels cannot die (Luke 20:35-36).

Unger’s Bible Handbook points out:

“Although the two witnesses are commonly identified as Moses and Enoch or Moses and Elijah, such identifications are scarcely tenable… These witnesses are evidently two members of the latter-day remnant. They are Christ’s witnesses… Their message is Christ’s lordship over the earth… proclaiming the soon coming of the King of kings to take possession of the earth… they are killed by the beast (head of the revived Roman Empire, Rev. 13:1-10; 17:8)… but not until they have completed their testimony…”

Following their death, they will be resurrected and ascend to heaven in a cloud, at the end of the “second woe,” and at the beginning of the “third” and final “woe,” when the seventh angel sounds (Revelation 11:11-15, 19—compare Revelation 16:17-18; both passages speak about lightnings, noises, thunderings and an earthquake, showing that both passages describe the same event and the same time setting). The resurrection of the two witnesses will take place, then, at the same time as the first resurrection of the just to immortality, when the seventh or last angel sounds (compare 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Matthew 24:30-31). At that time, those who died in Christ will be resurrected to immortality and–together with those in Christ who will still be alive and changed to immortality at that moment–they will ascend “in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). This will include the two witnesses who were killed, but who will be resurrected 3 1/2 days later to immortality and who will ascend “to heaven in a cloud” (Revelation 11:11-12) to meet the Lord in the air, together with all the other resurrected and changed saints.

In conclusion, the Bible tells us that at the very end, just prior to the return of Jesus Christ to this earth, two extraordinary human beings will prophesy and warn this world for 3 1/2 years. During the time of their testimony, no one can harm them, as they will have supernatural protection and powers from God. Although the powers described remind us of acts performed by Moses and Elijah, “it is not necessary to assume that John expected them to return literally” (Broadman Bible Commentary, vol. 12, page 303). Rather, they will be human beings, sent by God to give this world a last warning, going before the returning Christ “in the spirit and power of Elijah” and Moses (compare Luke 1:17).

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new StandingWatch program was placed on Google Video and on our Website. It is titled, “Jesus’ Burial Cave–Found?” In the program, Norbert Link discusses a “documentary,” which claims that a burial casket was found containing the bones of Jesus Christ. Certain scientists and archeologists question this claim, but whom are we to believe? And is it correct that the Shroud of Turin portrays the face of Jesus, and that the Virgin Mary appeared to women and children with important messages? How can you know what is true or false?

by Robb Harris

As a young boy, I used to love to build models. When my allowance would suffice, I would ride my bike several miles to the local drugstore to buy my next project. 

Growing up in Pasadena, California, I was exposed from an early age to traffic and a busy lifestyle. Part of my freedom of going out on these short trips, was the assumption that I would also abide by the directions of my parents. I was given clear instruction how to cross the streets, the routes I should take, and how long I would be away.

In order to get to the drugstore from my house, I had to cross a large boulevard with six lanes of very fast traffic.  Having made this trip many times before, following my parents’ direction, I was one day exposed to a shortcut. A few friends took this same bike ride with me, but they knew a shorter path, one that saved 10 minutes by crossing that boulevard, NOT using the crosswalk.

In my young mind, taking shortcuts to reach my goal seemed logical. I had no fear of the real dangers around me; only the desire to get what I wanted. Although the story turned out well, in hindsight it impressed on me the need to be careful not to take the same attitude in this spiritual race I am running. The precautions God has given to me to be followed, although they may seem unreasonable at times, will eventually lead me safely to my goal.

On March 3, 2007, Norbert Link will give the second part of his sermon series on “The Church of God–A Great Mystery.”

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.

How many wouldn’t love to win the Lottery? If you asked the average person, the answer would be a resounding YES! It has become a national pastime buying weekly tickets, especially a few times of the year when the grand prize reaches amounts that garner national attention.

Most of the winners begin with great aspirations when they win a prize of that sort, becoming instant multi-millionaires. But looking at the lives of many of those people today, years after they were awarded that grand prize, we frequently see ruined lives: stories of divorces, family members suing one another, and suicides are not uncommon. Even with the greatest of expectations, lack of financial maturity and planning lead many away from what they thought was a dream come true.

Among the billions of people on earth today, we have been given a precious spiritual gift. The gift of God’s Spirit is rare and priceless, and one that can and does change our lives for the better. But without proper spiritual guidance and planning, God’s Spirit within us can disappear from our grasp. And squandering His Spirit can lead to a much greater ruin than squandering money, much worse than those whose lives were shattered from lost fortunes.

We are told in Proverbs 11:14: “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Foremost, God’s Word should give us daily counsel. The Ministry and our brethren, secondly, can help to guide our paths.

With these counselors the “dream come true” that has been given to us can become a reality.  But we can’t cash the check just yet!

In Revelation 3:18, 21, we read: “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see… To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

Unlike the winners of the Lottery, our gift is despised by the world. Christ was slandered and killed because of His uncompromising willingness to be led by God’s Spirit within Him, and likewise, we will be slandered and hated as well. But we must continue to overcome, continue to strive for that “payout” that is awaiting us. And we will only achieve it if we allow God’s righteous counsel to open our eyes, guiding us away from that which harms and towards our cherished reward.

Jesus’ Burial Cave Found? — Utter Nonsense!

The Associated Press reported on February 26:

“Archaeologists and clergymen in the Holy Land derided claims in a new documentary produced by James Cameron that contradict major Christian tenets, but the Oscar-winning director said the evidence was based on sound statistics. ‘The Lost Tomb of Christ,’ which the Discovery Channel will run on March 4, argues that 10 ancient ossuaries–small caskets used to store bones–discovered in a suburb of Jerusalem in 1980 may have contained the bones of Jesus and his family, according to a press release issued by the Discovery Channel. One of the caskets even bears the title, ‘Judah, son of Jesus,’ hinting that Jesus may have had a son, according to the documentary. And the very fact that Jesus had an ossuary would contradict the Christian belief that he was resurrected and ascended to heaven…

“Stephen Pfann, a biblical scholar at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem who was interviewed in the documentary, said the film’s hypothesis holds little weight. ‘I don’t think that Christians are going to buy into this,’ Pfann said. ‘But skeptics, in general, would like to see something that pokes holes into the story that so many people hold dear.’… Pfann is even unsure that the name ‘Jesus’ on the caskets was read correctly. He thinks it’s more likely the name ‘Hanun.’ Ancient Semitic script is notoriously difficult to decipher. [Amos Kloner, the first archaeologist to examine the site] said the filmmakers’ assertions are false. ‘It was an ordinary middle-class Jerusalem burial cave,’ Kloner said. ‘The names on the caskets are the most common names found among Jews at the time.'”

The claims of this “documentary” are utter nonsense. As with the infamous Da Vinci Code postulations, this is another Satanic attempt to discredit the Holy Word of God–the Bible–and the very foundation of Christianity. If Christ did not rise from the dead, our faith is futile and we are still in our sins. In that case, we have no hope for life after death through a resurrection.

The issue is quite simple: Either we are willing to believe God and His unshakable promises, or the assertions of human skeptics and ignorant filmmakers willing to make merchandise of people.

Embarrassment for Washington

Deutsche Welle reported on February 21:

“Stuttgarter Zeitung took a tough line on Tony Blair’s announcement he would reduce troops in Iraq. ‘…Blair will hardly be able to improve his image in history books,’ the paper wrote. ‘He said himself that he had wanted to lead Great Britain into the Euro zone, into the heart of Europe, but what he’s ended up doing is turning the United Kingdom into an aircraft carrier for the United States,’ the paper wrote. It also pointed out that British voters will punish Blair’s Labour Party just like American voters did with the Republicans in Congressional elections in November.

“The Obermain-Tagblatt got right to the point: ‘The signal from London couldn’t be more embarrassing for Washington — Tony Blair, the US’ closest ally, disentangles himself from the circle of unity.’ Berlin’s Tagesspiegel pondered the dilemma: ‘…Sir Richard Dannatt, the new, unusually upfront British Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, even believes that the mere presence of his soldiers in Basra triggers more violence than they prevent,’ the paper wrote…The paper said the US’ most loyal allies were following on the heels of the tens of thousands of Iraqis who have fled their country.’

“Braunschweiger Zeitung said withdrawing troops from Iraq is the right thing to do. ‘The West has lost. That should be openly acknowledged,’ the paper opined. ‘The war against Saddam Hussein was based on lies, and the war is ending with lies,’ the paper continued.”

Killing In the Name of God

On February 23, Der Spiegel Online published a provocative article with the title, “Violence in the Name of God.” We do not agree with much of the author’s anti-religious premises, nor his false interpretations of especially the Old and New Testaments. But we do find that the following factual historical observations are worthwhile repeating:

“Religious fanaticism has existed in all ages and all religions. It is the sinister side of faith, and its explanation remains elusive. Such extremism – which is usually unleashed in spasms of violence against dissenters – can even be found in so-called ‘gentle’ faiths like Hinduism and Buddhism. It is most prolific in the three Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam, i.e. the religions that trace their roots to Abraham (or Ibrahim, as he is called by the Muslims). Abraham’s son Isaac is considered the progenitor of the Jews. The Arabs regard his half-brother Ismael (whom Abraham conceived with Hagar, a maidservant, and not his wife Sarah) as their progenitor… Both the Koran and the Bible’s Old and New Testaments bear witness to a good and merciful God. They urge humans to live in peace and harmony. This is reflected most clearly in the instruction attributed to Jesus in the Hebrew Bible: ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself.’…

“Killing in the name of the Lord? Look no further than the Crusades and the Inquisition. Deus lo vult (‘It is God’s will’) was the Crusaders’ battle cry. Popes had called upon Christendom to liberate Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim rule. Beyond the prospect of rich plunder, the Crusaders could expect forgiveness for all their crimes. The Christian armies weren’t content to pillage Palestine during at least six crusades between 1096 and 1291… At home, they butchered Jews who got in their way. All for the glory of their God… When conquering Jerusalem in 1099, the Crusaders embarked on a ruthless rampage on the Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif). ‘Our men waded in blood up to their ankles,’ one witness reported. All told, an estimated 5 million Muslims, Jews, Christians from the Byzantine Church and Christian invaders died in the Crusades.

“And these unholy campaigns were no exception. For five centuries, various popes joined forces with bishops, emperors, kings and dukes to persecute anyone who deviated from the prescribed methods of worship. >From the 13th century until after the Enlightenment, the Inquisition left a trail of carnage across Europe. At least 1 million are thought to have died at the hands of its tribunals… The bloodletting was particularly horrendous in Spain. The Spanish Inquisition, which started around 1570, claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of conversos, Jews who had converted to Christianity, and Moors. The Spanish conquistadors meted out similar treatment to the ‘heathens’ they encountered in the New World. Millions of indigenous Central and South Americans were slaughtered for refusing to accept the conquerors’ God…

“The Protestants were no better than the Catholics. Just as many women died in Protestant countries as in Catholic areas… Yet the Catholic Church probably incurred its greatest burden of guilt through its treatment of the Jews. Even in early Christendom, anti-Jewish sentiment against the ‘murderers of Christ’ was widespread, and the Church adhered to this course until well into the 20th century… The Holocaust might never have happened, had it not been for this Christian legacy of anti-Semitism…

“A chronicle describing the spread of Islam bears the words: ‘See, I was sent with the sword (by God) to bring debasement and dishonor to those who oppose his word.’ When he died in 632, Mohammed controlled nearly the whole of the Arab peninsula. Twenty years later, the entire Middle East was under Islamic rule. In its early days, Islam was a bellicose religion – and an incredibly progressive one… The decline began with the orgy of violence inflicted by Christian crusaders in Jerusalem in 1099… Islam… degenerated into an alibi for unscrupulous Ottoman dictators… Islamic law only permits holy war under extreme circumstances, for instance when a person needs to defend him- or herself, or when the Islamic world is under attack and its very existence threatened. But the Koran also says: ‘So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush!'”

Animal Behavior May Disprove Evolution Theory

The Associated Press reported on February 23:

“Researchers report witnessing a chimpanzee skewering a tree creature for supper with a spearlike tool, a rare observation of a long-studied primate in the wild. ‘It’s not uncommon to have chimps use tools. But to use them in the context of hunting’ is nearly unheard of, said Jill Pruetz, an anthropology professor from Iowa State University… Pruetz said the chimpanzees stripped leaves from tree branches and modified the tip with their incisors, ‘effectively making a point.’ Then the chimpanzees jabbed the tool into a cavity to snag a bushbaby. Chimpanzees commonly use sticks to get food, such as termites, said Ian Gilby, a postdoctoral fellow who studies chimpanzee hunting at Harvard University.”

If these new findings are confirmed, they would show an interesting piece of truth. Even though certain scientists will use these findings, no doubt, as “proof” for the evolution theory, postulating that man developed from apes, the facts would actually show the opposite: That is, they would establish that certain animals were created to use “tools.” Pre-Adamic “human-like” remains would then show nothing else but animals with certain “advanced” abilities. That would be in total harmony with what the Bible actually teaches, namely that God created the first human beings about 6,000 years ago. This means that alleged human-like findings of an older age were either animals without the human spirit, or the age given to those findings was simply untrue. As the age of many fossils is determined by the unreliable Radio Carbon 14 method, the latter alternative is a distinct possibility.

For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution–a Fairy Tale for Adults.” If you read German, you might want to read our German booklet, “EVOLUTION–ein MÄRCHEN für Erwachsene,” which is published on our German Website (www.aufpostenstehen.de). This booklet includes additional information and discusses in detail the problems, difficulties and unreliability of “scientific methods,” including the Radio Carbon 14 method, which are used to determine the age of fossils.

Disappearance of Bees Threatens American Economy

The New York Times wrote on February 27:

David Bradshaw has endured countless stings during his life as a beekeeper, but he got the shock of his career when he opened his boxes last month and found half of his 100 million bees missing. In 24 states throughout the country, beekeepers have gone through similar shocks as their bees have been disappearing inexplicably at an alarming rate, threatening not only their livelihoods but also the production of numerous crops, including California almonds, one of the nation’s most profitable…

“The sudden mysterious losses are highlighting the critical link that honeybees play in the long chain that gets fruit and vegetables to supermarkets and dinner tables across the country. Beekeepers have fought regional bee crises before, but this is the first national affliction. Now, in a mystery worthy of Agatha Christie, bees are flying off in search of pollen and nectar and simply never returning to their colonies. And nobody knows why… A Cornell University study has estimated that honeybees annually pollinate more than $14 billion worth of seeds and crops in the United States, mostly fruits, vegetables and nuts. ‘Every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent on a honeybee to pollinate that food,’ said Zac Browning, vice president of the American Beekeeping Federation. The bee losses are ranging from 30 to 60 percent on the West Coast, with some beekeepers on the East Coast and in Texas reporting losses of more than 70 percent; beekeepers consider a loss of up to 20 percent in the offseason to be normal.”

The Growing Exodus Out of the U.S. Dollar

On February 28, swissamerica.com wrote:

“First it was Warren Buffet, then Bill Gates, then George Soros who began shedding dollars. Now China, Japan, Russia, OPEC and even central banks are chiming in, one by one, with plans to diversify out of U.S. dollars. Who can blame them? Here are a few examples of recent headlines and quotes reported at swissamerica.com which will help explain why there’s a growing exodus out of U.S. dollars and into foreign currencies and commodities like gold.

“Peoples Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said at a recent Frankfurt conference that China has very clear plans to diversify its currency reserves, which now stand at more than $1 trillion. A wide range of instruments are under consideration, including gold and oil, reports Marketwatch… Hong Kong billionaire Lee Shau Kee says, ‘I am a bear on the U.S. dollar. The U.S. has a mountain of debt. I don’t believe in debt. Ever since I was young, I have seen how paper money has suffered. If a country is encouraging a lot of debt, at the end of the day, they have to repay. If they don’t, there will be big turmoil,’ reports Forbes… ‘The head of the United Arab Emirates central bank said it will convert 8% of its reserves of U.S. assets into the European currency,’ reported Bloomberg…

“The Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) is agreeable to replacing the US dollar with the euro in Iranian foreign transactions, said a member of the Majlis Planning and Budget Commission, Morteza Tamaddon. In case the West pulls through with its planned economic sanctions on Iran, Tamaddon said the country would still have access to its monetary accounts based on the euro, reports IRNA… The dollar has suffered weakness because of concerns about global imbalances and the future course of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy, reports London Financial Times… Japanese life insurers, who manage the equivalent of $1.6 trillion in assets, will cut holdings of U.S. Treasuries, according to Calyon Securities… ‘The dollar lost nearly 12 percent against the euro in 2006, as investors became concerned that U.S. economic growth was slowing and that the interest rate differential with Europe may narrow. You should hold as few dollars as possible. The dollar’s decline would go on for years to come,’ Commodity expert Jim Rogers told Reuters…

“‘Two analysts who have reconstructed money supply data after the Fed stopped publishing it argue a coming dollar collapse will set the stage for creating the amero as a North American currency to replace the dollar,’ reports WND… ‘We are entering a critical new phase of the dollar’s decline, which may: – drive up the interest rates on bonds, commercial loans and all forms of mortgages … – crack open the U.S. housing market — not only because of rising mortgage rates, but also because fewer foreigners are willing to speculate on American real estate …- force the Fed to start a whole new round of interest rate hikes to attract foreign money back to the U.S., and … – send contra-dollar investments — gold, silver, oil and other commodities — into a new, rip-roaring surge,’ writes Safe Haven’s Martin Weiss…”

The article continued:

“As central banks and other major investors in global asset markets shift away from holding US dollars, severe implications for the U.S. may become reality:… difficulty for the U.S. in financing its ballooning deficits… a possible collapse in the traded value of the dollar… higher interest rates in order to attract international lenders… compromising of the dollar’s reserve currency status… slower growth in the US economy given our dependence on debt financing.”

More “Hick-Ups” Between Europe and the USA

The Associated Press reported on February 28:

“A senior U.S. administration official on Wednesday warned that ongoing inquiries into secret CIA activities in the European Union may undermine intelligence cooperation between the United States and European nations. The European Parliament accused Britain, Poland, Italy and other nations in mid-February of colluding with the CIA to transport terror suspects to clandestine prisons in third countries. In a report that concluded a yearlong investigation, the parliament identified 1,254 secret CIA flights that entered the European airspace since the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States. It said that these flights were against international air traffic rules and suggested some of them may have carried terror suspects on board in violation of human rights principles.

“John Bellinger, legal adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, called the European Parliament report ‘unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair’ and called on the EU governments to challenge the suggestion that Europeans need to be concerned about secret CIA flights… Germany, Italy and several other EU countries have been carrying out their own inquiries into secret CIA activities in Europe, probes Bellinger said ‘have not been helpful with respect to necessary cooperation between the United States and Europe. I do think these continuing investigations can harm intelligence cooperation, that’s simply a fact of life,’ Bellinger told reporters…

“EU parliamentarians have rejected Bellinger’s criticism and called on the United States to address concerns that some flights have carried kidnapped terror suspects. Bellinger also said the United States would refuse any Italian extradition request for CIA agents indicted in the alleged abduction of an Egyptian cleric in Milan, one of the cases the European Parliament focused on in its inquiry… Bellinger also said the U.S. government was keen on closing the Guantanamo detention center in Cuba but has not yet figured out what to do with the inmates… ‘We have not seen Europe has been willing to help. We have seen many statements from European governments saying Guantanamo must be closed immediately. It’s not clear how Guantanamo would be immediately closed. Europe has been prepared to criticize … but has not been prepared to offer a constructive suggestion,’ Bellinger said. He added that the United States has been looking to Europe for help with inmates from the Middle East who cannot, for various reasons, return to their home countries, but has not received any offers from European countries to accept these people.”

Prince Charles Wants McDonald’s Fast Food Banned

The Associated Press reported on February 28:

“Prince Charles suggested Tuesday on a visit to the United Arab Emirates that banning McDonald’s fast food was crucial for improving people’s diets, a British news agency reported. Charles made the comments while visiting the Imperial College London Diabetes Center in Abu Dhabi…’Have you got anywhere with McDonald’s? Have you tried getting it banned? That’s the key,’ Charles was quoted as asking one of the center’s nutritionists… Charles, who is first in line to the British throne, is an active advocate of organic food and in 1986 set up a farm on his Highgrove Estate that does not use artificial pesticides or fertilizers… The United Arab Emirates has the world’s second highest number of diabetes cases per capita, with more than 20 percent of those aged 20 to 79 already diagnosed with the illness, while 40 percent of the population are at risk.”

The website of “thisislondonco.uk” added:

“Princess Diana often took sons William and Harry to the McDonald’s restaurant opposite Windsor Castle. Charles’s comments will fuel the debate about obesity in Britain. He has already called for a total ban on GM food, which he considers a health risk – a stance that has left him at odds with the Government… He immediately laid himself open to charges of hypocrisy after it was pointed out that the company’s signature Big Mac contains fewer calories, fats and salt than some products in his own organic Duchy Originals food range… His Cornish pasty contains 264 calories per 100g compared to the burger’s 229 calories, and 5.5g of saturated fat as opposed to the Big Mac’s 4.14g.”

Pentecostals a Threat to Catholic Church

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 28:

“Pentecostal ministers in Latin America are luring increasing numbers of Roman Catholics away from their faith with modern marketing tactics… Hordes of believers from the world’s largest Catholic country are defecting to the evangelicals. The archbishop of São Paulo, Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, estimates that the Catholic churches have lost one-third of their members over the past 40 years. Seven out of 10 former Catholics are seeking salvation in a Protestant community… The trend is running rife throughout Latin America, once a Third World bulwark of Roman Catholicism. From Mexico to Argentina, the Church is in retreat. In just a few years, over half the populations of Guatemala and El Salvador are expected to be Protestant.”

Italian’s Prodi “Back-Pedals”–and Stays On

AFP reported on February 28:

“Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Wednesday survived a close vote of confidence in the Senate, ending a weeklong political crisis after his shock resignation. The 67-year-old former European Commission chief, serving his second stint as prime minister, is expected to sail through another vote Friday in the Chamber of Deputies, where he has a comfortable majority… Prodi’s disparate centre-left coalition, which won a general election 10 months ago by a hair’s breadth, was thrown into crisis last week when the prime minister resigned after losing a vote of support on foreign policy issues…

“Prodi rallied his coalition around a 12-point ‘non-negotiable’ pact before agreeing to stay on. Taking the floor as the debate opened Wednesday, the embattled prime minister back-pedalled on a bill that would grant legal status to unmarried couples including gays. In an apparent gamble aimed at garnering support from the Catholic centrists in his centre-left majority and the opposition — at the expense of far-left groups who promote the legislation — Prodi said that in presenting the bill to parliament, the government ‘has done its duty.'”

There is no inconsistency, but we must understand the context of the passages involved.

Titus 1:2 tells us: “… in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.” God CANNOT lie. In other words, it is IMPOSSIBLE for Him to do so. Malachi 3:6 adds: “For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” God’s character does not–CANNOT–change, because God has WILLED not to change in that respect. Since He has a perfect Will and a perfect character, He CANNOT do something against His own nature. It is impossible for God to sin because He has WILLED never to sin. And His Will is perfect. To put it still differently, God CAN DECIDE to make something impossible with Him.

Note another example when something has BECOME unalterable–so that even God cannot change it. Due to a perfect unconditional promise, He binds Himself never to deviate from it. Since breaking an unconditional promise is tantamount to lying, it is impossible for God to break His unconditional Word. We read in Genesis 9:11 about one of God’s unconditional promises in this way: “Thus I establish My covenant with you:… never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

It may be difficult for the human mind to grasp that Someone can have such a perfect Will that He can decree never to sin–and that because of this, it is impossible for Him to sin. Based on our human experiences, we find ourselves sinning, even if we have set our minds against doing so. Paul had to struggle with sin, as every Christian has to do. He tells us in Romans 7:15-17, 22-23:

“For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me… For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

Paul did not want to sin. He willed not to sin. But weak as we are as human beings, our will does not make it impossible for us to do something which is against our will. Christ admonished the disciples to pray to God for help, as their mind or spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak (compare Matthew 26:41). Even Christ had to fight against sin, but He was the only human being who, through the power of God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within Him without measure, submitted perfectly to God’s Will in all things, and never sinned. But He still had to fight against His human nature (Romans 8:3), tempting Him to sin (compare Luke 22:40-44; Hebrews 5:6-10).

Paul sinned, as was and is the case with every other Christian except Jesus Christ. And so, he asked the question: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). He himself gives the answer: It will be accomplished “through Jesus Christ our Lord” (verse 25). Christ, living in us through the Holy Spirit, helps us more and more to overcome sin. And when we are changed from flesh and blood to spirit–at the time of Christ’s return– then we will not be able to sin anymore. Then, we will have become born-again members of the Family of God–God beings–and as such, it will be impossible for us to sin, as it is impossible for God the Father and the Son of God, Jesus Christ, to sin. Then, our will not to sin will be perfect–as God’s Will is perfect (Matthew 5:48)–and we will not be able to sin anymore. 1 John 3:9 confirms this, when it says: “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”

Matthew 19:26 tells us: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” But what is Jesus referring to here? Verses 23-25 tell us it is the question of a rich man having the potential of entering God’s Kingdom. Jesus is not saying that it is possible for God to lie or to sin, when making the point that nothing is impossible with God. God’s power is limitless, but this does not mean that He would or could do something which would be against His Will and His very character. God CANNOT sin, because He has WILLED not to sin. His very character makes it impossible for Him to sin. And this is the character which God wants you and me to develop.

Lead Writers: Norbert Link and Tom Shadoin

A new StandingWatch program was placed on Google Video and on our Website. It is titled, “Nuclear War Between Russia and America?”
 
In the program, Norbert Link discusses the fact that in light of Vladimir Putin’s recent verbal attacks on the USA, many observers feel that we are entering a new cold war between Russia and America. Some even ask whether we will experience soon a nuclear war between these two countries. The Bible clearly tells us what will happen in the near future–but it is not at all what most people think.

On February 24, 2007, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “The Work.”

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.

People say it this way, “Let me play the devil’s advocate…” The thought is to introduce an opposing viewpoint–to present the other side of an issue.

This not-so-innocent approach in public debate has become so common place that no one really gives it a second thought. However, the startling truth is, the devil has enlisted the whole world to play his advocate–societies all over the planet both favor and approve of the cause of the devil!

It is even further astonishing that so few are advocates of truth–of God’s Way, which leads to peace, to abundant blessings of families and nations and to eternal life!

For those of us who have responded to God’s calling, understanding the kind of world we live in is absolutely vital. We know from God’s revelation in His Word that we live as sojourners, as strangers even in our native countries and as ambassadors of Jesus Christ–that is, as representatives of a Kingdom that will utterly replace the governments of this world (Compare Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 2:11 and 2 Corinthians 5:20).

Our message represents the only real hope for mankind, but it stands in stark contrast to what this world believes. Paul understood the difficulty he faced in fulfilling the work given to him by Jesus Christ, and what he said is still true for us, today:

“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

Jesus also warned of the difficulty that lies ahead for us when we present the true gospel: “‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake'” (Matthew 24:9).

Right now, our advocacy for God and His Way does not bring on the kind of persecution that Jesus has warned us about–at least, not yet in our Western societies. However, already, being a Christian in many countries could bring about terrible trials and even death, and this will eventually be the case all over the earth!

We need to be clear about whose advocates we are. The greatest proof of our standing will be found in our conduct–both in our personal lives and in our fulfillment of God’s calling to be a part of the Work of God in announcing the good news of the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of God’s Kingdom here on this dying world!

We don’t hear most people say it this way, “Let me be God’s advocate”–but that day is coming, and may God hasten the time when no one will any longer be blinded and deceived and unknowingly stand as “the devil’s advocate.”

Religious Confusion in Europe…WHY?

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 16 about an almost incredible phenomenon in Germany and Europe: A growing minority of Catholic and Protestant “Christians” doesn’t believe in God and is looking for “alternative” belief systems.

The magazine stated:

“… in Germany… [one] in three [Germans] is no longer officially registered as a Christian. Just one in four eastern Germans believes that Christ was actually crucified. Only two-thirds of registered Catholics say they believe in God – and only one of two Protestants do. Finally, if pressed on their views, 11 percent of officially registered Protestants actually turn out to be card-carrying atheists.

“‘The church is just an option now, nothing more,’ says religious sociologist Klaus-Peter Jörns, who compiled these statistics some years back. According to a study conducted by Shell, one in five youths today belongs to a breed that Jörns calls ‘transcendence believers’: They admit that supernatural forces may exist, but are unwilling to pin the word ‘god’ on them – let alone put faith in concepts like the epiphany, sin and salvation.

“Simultaneously, adults raised within a Christian culture are increasingly expecting to be reincarnated. More than a quarter of all churchgoing Swiss Catholics say they can relate to Buddhist ideas on the subject. Heiner Barz, a professor for educational science at Düsseldorf University, has identified the ‘displacement of the resurrection doctrine by the reincarnation doctrine’ as a key religious trend in contemporary Europe – albeit with the caveat that it lacks ‘the doctrine of karma that is associated with it in the Eastern cultural sphere’ and its personal accounting system.

“… almost anything goes today… Innocuous supernatural phenomena which do not strike the fear of God into people have proven the most popular… ‘Our modern world is far less enlightened than we think,’ says Hartmut Böhme, a Berlin-based cultural scientist who sees palpable evidence of ‘fetishism’ in the modern European mindset.”

The magazine asked whether something is missing in all of this confusion. The answer is distinctively, YES! What is missing is the TRUE UNDERSTANDING of who and what God is, what He is doing TODAY, WHY we are experiencing so much suffering, and WHAT is the ultimate potential and fate of man! WHY was man created in the first place? There is only ONE source which gives you the answers to all these questions–and unfortunately, this source is not “orthodox” or traditional Christianity with their false teachings of heaven and hell, Easter bunnies and Christmas carols; nor can it be found in eastern religions with their esoteric concepts of reincarnation, or transcendental meditation practices falsely postulating that they can bring about “enlightenment.” Rightly understood, many of these practices are not only useless, but they could be terribly DANGEROUS for some engaging in them.

Do YOU want to know the answers to these all-important life-determining questions?

If you do, please read our free booklets, “God Is A Family,” and “Human Suffering–Why… And How Much Longer?“

Germany’s Wrong Attempts to Deal with Holocaust Deniers

On February 16, Der Spiegel Online reported about the conviction and sentencing of a Holocaust denier in Germany, raising the important question whether such procedures do “more harm than good.” The short answer is: They certainly do. It is an unfortunate lesson of history that Germany has still not learned to act with BALANCE–they are either too strict or too lenient. To charge a Holocaust denier with a crime and sentence him to jail is –in American eyes — just plain ridiculous. And so, Germany WILL learn the hard way that their attempts of dealing with Holocaust deniers is just not working and will become counter-productive–regardless as to how laudable and noble the underlying intentions might be.

Der Spiegel Online wrote:

“Historical revisionist Ernst Zündel has been convicted for denying the Holocaust and sent to jail for five years. But many in Germany suspect such trials may do more harm than good… Center-left daily Süddeutsche Zeitung [states:]… ‘Freedom of opinion is a fundamentally far-reaching basic right… It’s not concerned with the validity of the thoughts expressed; it applies to any old nonsense, covering witlessness and idiocy no less than extraordinary stupidity…’

“The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung is even less convinced the trial and the sentence were justified. The piece, printed on the conservative daily’s front page, begins by stressing that this and previous trials — including one in Canada which Zündel won — have helped create a platform for Holocaust deniers. ‘Ernst Zündel has become world-famous. He’s become well-known not just via his publications but also thanks to court proceedings… He was granted the same freedom of speech as every other Canadian, albeit reluctantly…’ [Even though he won the court case in Canada, where he lived, Zündel was subsequently deported from Canada to Germany.] The legal basis for Zündel’s conviction in a German court is questionable, the paper argues: ‘Guilt has now been extended to include a person’s views… it likely fosters the very thing it wants to fight.’

“The left-wing daily Die Tageszeitung is especially disturbed by how the trial was conducted. ‘The trial was intolerable for all those who don’t belong to the extreme right. The right-wingers associated with Jürgen Rieger — the lawyer who is also an activist for the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) — used the trial as a platform for their revanchism and in order to publicize their claimed scientific “discoveries” on “the Auschwitz lie.” The lawyers also repeatedly tried to provoke the presiding judge … and turn the court proceedings into chaos. ‘Perhaps it would be better not to give Holocaust deniers and their supporters the satisfaction of taking them to court,’ the commentator concludes.

“‘Maximum Penalty — What Else?’ is the headline in conservative daily Die Welt. But the commentator is more concerned about the trial and its possible consequences than the title suggests. ‘The circumstances of the trial were often intolerable, at least for the non-confused among us. The fact that one of Zündel’s lawyers signed a document with the words “Heil Hitler” is just one of the more grotesque lapses.’ The commentator goes on to ponder a proposal currently being debated within the European Union — that of making ‘racism and xenophobia’ a punishable crime in all of the EU’s member countries. He takes a critical view of the proposal. ‘Should all Polish glorifiers of Stalinism and all French deniers of the murder of Armenians be taken to court in the EU, regardless of which country they are active in? That, from the German point of view, doesn’t seem like a good idea…'”

Neither does it seem to be a good idea to punish as criminals and sentence to jail those misled and misleading agitators who falsely deny the Holocaust–however blatantly objectionable and offensive such denial may be. To criminalize the expression of thought in this world–even of wrong thought–is VERY dangerous. It has backfired before in Germany and Europe, as well as in the former Soviet Union–and it will without doubt backfire again. Germany’s and Europe’s attempts to fight totalitarian thoughts by suppressing and criminalizing them with the “sword of the law” harbors the lurking danger of becoming totalitarian themselves–and Europe is, tragically, marching into that very frightening direction!

For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Italian-US Relations Hit New Low

The Telegraph.co.uk reported on February 17 that “Italian-US relations hit new low after protests.” It continued:

“Italian pacifists and Left-wingers staged a 50,000-strong protest yesterday against the presence of a new large-scale US air force base. A former civilian airport in the northern city of Vicenza has been earmarked, with the base replacing two in Germany and acting as a departure point for US tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. The £500 million American plan to convert the Dal Molin airport, one and a half miles from the city centre, has come under fire from Italians who have long been opposed to America’s wars.

“The mass demonstration in Vicenza follows a series of diplomatic spats which have plunged relations between Italy and America to a new low. On Friday, an Italian court ordered 26 CIA agents to stand trial for the ‘rendition’ of a Muslim cleric allegedly kidnapped in Milan. Earlier this month, another judge ruled that Mario Lozano, a US marine, face trial for the fatal shooting of Nicola Calipari, an Italian spy.”

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi Resigns

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 22:

“There are certain things you can rely on in Italy, like good food, nice weather and sharp dressers. So it is reassuring that Italian politics seem to be back to normal as well, after the blip that was Silvio Berlusconi’s recently ended five-year stint in power: With Romano Prodi’s resignation, we are back to the volatile Italian governments that we know and love. Italian Prime Minister Prodi stepped down on Wednesday after his center-left coalition suffered a Senate defeat on foreign policy… The governing coalition, ‘The Union,’ ranges from Catholic centrists to communists and greens, and it was its diverse nature which ultimately led to Prodi’s demise. In the past he has often resorted to confidence votes to bring his unruly allies into line over issues including the budget, gay rights — which brought the pro- and anti-Vatican factions into conflict — and Italian involvement abroad. The development is typical of Italy’s notoriously unstable coalition governments. Prodi’s government was Italy’s 61st since 1945 — an average of one government per year… Prodi’s proposal to keep Italian troops in Afghanistan, on the heels of his having allowed the expansion of a US military base in Italy, proved too much for his coalition to handle… Italy’s President Giorgio Napolitano accepted Prodi’s resignation but the beleaguered prime minister may still stay in power if he can bring his unruly coalition into line.”

Major Setback to American Efforts Against Al Qaeda

The New York Times reported on February 19:

“Senior leaders of Al Qaeda operating from Pakistan have re-established significant control over their once-battered worldwide terror network and over the past year have set up a band of training camps in the tribal regions near the Afghan border, according to American intelligence and counterterrorism officials… The concern about a resurgent Al Qaeda has been the subject of intensive discussion at high levels of the Bush administration, the officials said, and has reignited debate about how to address Pakistan’s role as a haven for militants without undermining the government of Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistani president… Officials from several different American intelligence and counterterrorism agencies presented a consistent picture in describing the developments as a major setback to American efforts against Al Qaeda.

“…debates within the administration about how best to deal with the threat have yet to yield any good solutions, officials in Washington said… American intelligence and counterterrorism officials said that most of the men receiving training in Pakistan had been carrying out attacks inside Afghanistan, but that Al Qaeda had also strengthened its ties to groups in Iraq… Over the past year, insurgent tactics from Iraq have migrated to Afghanistan, where suicide bombings have increased fivefold and roadside bomb attacks have doubled… Last fall, the Algerian group renamed itself Al Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb. Officials in Washington say they believe that the group is linked to a recent string of sophisticated car bombings and other attacks in Algeria.”

Reunification of Anglican and Roman Catholic Church?

The Times On Line reported on February 19:

“Radical proposals to reunite Anglicans with the Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope are to be published this year, The Times has learnt… The proposals have been agreed by senior bishops of both churches. In a 42-page statement prepared by an international commission of both churches, Anglicans and Roman Catholics are urged to explore how they might reunite under the Pope… Rome has already shown itself willing to be flexible on the subject of celibacy when it received dozens of married priests from the Church of England into the Catholic priesthood after they left over the issue of women’s ordination.

“There are about 78 million Anglicans, compared with a billion Roman Catholics, worldwide. In England and Wales, the Catholic Church is set to overtake Anglicanism as the predominant Christian denomination for the first time since the Reformation, thanks to immigration from Catholic countries…

“In one significant passage the report notes: ‘The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the ministry of the Bishop of Rome [the Pope] as universal primate is in accordance with Christ’s will for the Church and an essential element of maintaining it in unity and truth.’ Anglicans rejected the Bishop of Rome as universal primate in the 16th century. Today, however, some Anglicans are beginning to see the potential value of a ministry of universal primacy, which would be exercised by the Bishop of Rome, as a sign and focus of unity within a reunited Church… Anglicans are also urged to begin praying for the Pope during the intercessionary prayers in church services, and Catholics are asked also to pray publicly for the Archbishop of Canterbury.”

America in Turmoil

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 19:

“Republican Senators foiled a Democratic bid to have Congress criticize President George W. Bush’s troop increase in Iraq. But with a clear majority of politicians on Capitol Hill opposing the White House’s war strategy, is this a defeat for the president or for the Democrats?”

The magazine continued:

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘For four years any criticism of the war was seen as a betrayal of the troops. This taboo has now been broken … the vote marks a decisive change in American politics. The Bush Administration has not only forfeited its credibility internationally — now it is also fighting a losing battle on the home front… But a US government that has suffered such a loss of authority is a weakness for the whole West. Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Iran and North Korea are the big conflicts in international politics. Bush — morally disavowed and increasingly abandoned by his own party colleagues — will not be able to do much to solve them. So who will?’

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘The damage to Bush is enormous. Congress has made clear to the president: this war has increasingly become his war and not a mission in the name of the nation. Congress has to vote on the defense budget in March — and whoever dares refuse the troops the money will be criticized by the government for lacking patriotism. The trick has always worked before. The Democrats are already ensnared in tactical manoeuvers — torn between loyalty to the military and their anger over the botched Bush war … Four years after the disastrous march on Baghdad it is not only Iraq that is collapsing. The war also threatens to split America into friend and foe.’

“The left-wing Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘The US Democrats have failed their first big test. They won’t be able to end the US mission in Iraq in the foreseeable future … That is a disappointment but not a surprise … It was never really their aim to use all their might to stop Bush. That was finally clear when the liberals agreed that the Iraq resolution would be ‘non-binding.’… The majority of Democrats wanted to do something symbolic without taking on the responsibility for the disastrous war in Iraq. It is pure electoral politics… The Democrats could now refuse to approve the president’s war budget. But that plan looks unlikely in the face of the recent defeat. It would mean that the Democrats had a plan to get out of Iraq without setting the entire region alight. There is no such plan in sight — neither from the Democrats nor from the Republicans. And certainly not from the White House.”

“The conservative daily Die Welt writes: ‘George W. Bush suffered a defeat in Congress that will resonate in some way or another. Either it was the beginning of a political avalanche which will bury Bush’s Iraq policy and with it seal his presidency’s foreign policy failure. Or it was an error on the part of the opposition in Congress, which could end in a rude awakening for those candidates who want to succeed Bush in the White House.'”

US Coalition Allies On Opposite Track

The Associated Press reported on February 21:

“Britain will withdraw around 1,600 troops from Iraq in the coming months and aims to further cut its 7,100-strong contingent by late summer if Iraqi forces can secure the country’s south, Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday. The announcement, which came as Denmark said it would withdraw its 460 troops and Lithuania said it was considering pulling out its small contingent, comes as the U.S. is implementing an increase of 21,000 more troops for Iraq — putting Washington on an opposite track as its main coalition allies… Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice played down the British pullback, saying it is consistent with the U.S. plan to turn over more control to Iraqi forces.”

The article continued:

“But opposition Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell said Blair’s plan fell a long way short of a promise to leave Iraq as a ‘beacon of democracy’ for the region. ‘The unpalatable truth is this … we will leave behind a country on the brink of civil war, where reconstruction has stalled, where corruption is endemic and a region which is a lot less stable than it was in 2003,’ Campbell said.

“Besides the United States, Britain and Denmark, the major partners in the coalition include South Korea (2,300 troops), Poland (900), Australia and Georgia (both 800) and Romania (600), according to the Brookings Institution. South Korea plans to halve its 2,300-member contingent in the northern city of Irbil by April, and is under pressure from parliament to devise a plan for a complete withdrawal by year’s end. Polish President Lech Kaczynski has said that his country’s troops would stay no longer than December.

“Blair, who has said he will step down by September after a decade in power, has seen his foreign-policy record overshadowed by his role as Bush’s leading ally in the unpopular war. As recently as last month, Blair rejected opposition calls to withdraw British troops by October, calling such a plan irresponsible.”

Less Than 15 Years?

The Financial Times reported on February 22:

“The world has less than 15 years to take urgent action against global warming through the use of new technology if it is to prevent a climate catastrophe, the United Nations warns in the as yet unpublished third part of its World Climate Report [due to be published in May]. If carbon emissions are not substantially reduced by 2020, the report warns, global warming will set in motion irreversible natural processes such as the melting of the ice shields in Greenland and the over-acidification of the oceans… The scientists who compiled the report propose a range of measures, including the much increased use of biofuels and hybrid cars, as well as the construction of new nuclear power stations… The first part of the ­Climate Report, which looked at the physical basis of climate change, caused a global discussion about global warming when it was published this month. The scientists warned of a future characterised by extreme weather events – long and intense droughts, fierce hurricanes, heatwaves and rising sea levels – as a result of rising temperatures… The second part, expected to be published in April, will look more specifically at the effects of climate change on humans and nature.”

Tensions Intensify Between Washington, Moscow and Europe

The Financial Times reported on February 21:

“Tensions intensified on Wednesday over US plans for missile defence bases in Poland and the Czech Republic, as Washington called on Europe to take a tougher stance towards the Kremlin. The Bush administration’s two top foreign policy officials lashed out at Moscow’s campaign against the bases, which Washington insists are aimed at possible threats from Iran rather than Russia. Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state, said the suggestion this week by Russia’s head of strategic rocket forces that Russia could target the two central European countries if they agreed to host the bases was ‘very unfortunate’. She also dismissed comments by Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s foreign minister, who said this week Moscow should have been consulted more about the sites, given their proximity to Russia’s borders… Mr Steinmeier’s spokesman said the minister was aware that ‘technical talks’ had taken place between Moscow and Washington, but said he had been warning against a return to the type of security stand-offs of the cold war era.

“Separately in Brussels, Stephen Hadley, US national security adviser, emphasised Washington’s dismay at a speech this month in which Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, hit out at the missile defence plans and the US’s ‘unilateral’ use of force… The EU has consistently struggled to forge a common line on Russia. Countries such as Poland, which are suspicious of the Kremlin’s intentions, are pitted against big western European states such as Germany and France, which are often keen to deepen ties with Moscow.”

Beware of the Hornets

The Telegraph.co.uk reported on February 21:

“Swarms of giant [Asian] hornets renowned for their vicious stings and skill at massacring honeybees have settled in France. And there are now so many of the insects that entomologists fear it will just be a matter of time before they cross to Britain… Thousands of football-shaped hornet nests are now dotted all over the forests of Aquitaine, the south-western region of France hugely popular with British tourists… A handful can destroy a nest of 30,000 bees in just a couple of hours — a major concern among the beekeeping industry.”

When reading this, one is reminded of God’s promise to defeat ancient Israel’s enemies with hornets (Exodus 23:28; Deuteronomy 7:20; Joshua 24:12). Hornets can be a powerful enemy for humans.

Smoking Much More Dangerous Than Originally Thought

Reuters reported on February 20:

“Smoking causes long-lasting changes in the brain similar to changes seen in animals when they are given cocaine, heroin and other addictive drugs, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. A study of the brain tissue of smokers and nonsmokers who had died showed that smokers had the changes, even if they had quit years before… A team led by Bruce Hope of NIDA, one of the National Institutes of Health, analyzed levels of two enzymes found inside brain cells known as neurons… Smokers and former smokers had high levels of these enzymes… Hope said other studies had seen the same thing in animals given cocaine and heroin — and it was clear that the drugs were causing the effects… Experts on smoking have long said that nicotine is at least as addictive as heroin.”

As we point out in our booklet, “Should You Fight in War?,” it is wrong for a Christian to take the life of another human being in war or otherwise, including in “self-defense.” But does this mean that a Christian must do NOTHING when he or a loved one is being attacked? The Bible does not say that at all. In fact, we have a tremendous responsibility for action in those kinds of circumstances–but we must know what exactly is required of us. Most will disagree with the following comments, because human nature is unwilling and incapable of obeying God and His Law. True Christians have no alternative but to do exactly what God commands–however unpopular and difficult and even wrong in the eyes of man this approach might be.

For an answer to this important question, we are quoting at length from our free booklet, “Should You Fight in War?“:

“The question boils down to this:… Do we believe in God and rely on Him for our protection, having the faith that it is GOD who is our protecting shield…? Do we think that God is incapable of helping us in certain circumstances?…

“The most important of all the things you can do to avoid using violence is to pray to God, on a daily basis: ‘Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil’ (compare Matthew 6:13). We are to plead with God daily to NOT ALLOW a tempting situation that might be too difficult for us to bear, to overtake us.

“However, we read in the Bible that righteous persons have sometimes found themselves being attacked by others. What did they do, and what should YOU do, if God allows it?

“First, realize that God would NOT allow it if you were not able to bear it, as 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us. And when God does allow it, He will also provide a way of escape for you. This is sometimes literally the case. Sometimes you need to actually flee, to run away! Christ did so on occasion. We read in John 10:39: ‘Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.’… When we find ourselves, or others, in a dangerous, challenging, life-threatening situation, we must PRAY to God, with faith, to HELP us out of that situation. To fight our fight for us! To give us the wisdom and the power NOT to do the WRONG thing, however tempting it may be.

“We must realize that no matter what harm we may WANT to do physically in a given situation, we must not seriously injure or kill the attacker. But unless we understand beforehand, and have in our mind that we are not to do something with the intent to seriously injure or kill the attacker, we might very well do so when the occasion presents itself. If we carry a gun with us or have one handy, say, next to our bed, we will certainly try to use it, but then may be killed in the process.

“People who disagree with the foregoing may ask you what you would do if you came home and a robber was in the process of raping your wife or killing your husband… Realistically, how many times does this happen? But if it does happen, do you really think that you can take a gun and shoot the attacker, and that the attacker would let you do it without any resistance? Chances are, he will use his gun first. In any case, to use a gun and shoot the attacker would be against the clear Biblical teaching of prohibiting killing. But what about just trying to injure him? In the heat of the moment, you may not be able to do just that, even if you wanted to. And if the attacker would only be injured, he would still have the chance to kill you or others who are with you. Christ told Peter, when he pulled his sword in defense of Christ and just injured the servant, to put his sword away. Christ’s protection did not depend on human weapons. It depended on God the Father and His angels. So, too, with us. Our real protection comes from the same source…

“The whole issue really comes down to where we place our trust and confidence for our protection, in EVERY situation… When man places his trust and confidence in God, God will protect man. Ultimately though, no matter the consequences, we must be living a life pleasing to God. We must never fear the ones who can take our physical life from us, but we must fear, or deeply respect, the One who can refuse to give us ETERNAL LIFE… Remember what the angels told the shepherds when Christ was born: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests’ (Luke 2, 14, NIV), or, as the NRSV renders it, ‘ … with whom He is pleased.’… When God is pleased with us, when His favor rests on us, THEN He will be our shield and protection in times of impending battles. We must trust in God (compare Psalm 56:3-4, 8-11), AND we must be willing to obey His commandments, no matter what the situation, circumstance or consequence. God tells us: ‘You shall not kill!'”

As we mentioned earlier, many disagree with this teaching, thinking that they must do something physically, by resorting to violence themselves, to fight a violent attacker. But when we react this way, do we REALLY believe at that moment that God is there to help us in every situation? A true Christian must allow God to fight his battles for him. The Bible contains numerous examples when God did just that.

When the ancient Israelites left the slavery of Egypt and were pursued by the Egyptians, God fought their battle for them, by drowning the enemy in the Red Sea. Moses told the Israelites at that time: “The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (Exodus 14:14).

On another occasion, when the king of Syria sent his army to capture the prophet Elisha, God intervened in this–humanly speaking–hopeless situation. The Bible reports in 2 Kings 6:14-18:

“Therefore he [the king of Syria] sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, ‘Strike the people, I pray, with blindness.’ And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.”

This account is very interesting in several respects. It shows first of all that God is protecting His people with angels. But in this case, the angels did not even have to do anything. God did it all. He intervened directly by striking the enemy with blindness and rendering him incapable of doing any harm to Elisha and his servant. Do we believe that God has lost His power to do likewise today for His people, if the situation warrants it, and if it is His Will? And if it is not His Will to intervene, do we really think that we then have to take matters in our own hands, by resorting to violence ourselves?

On another occasion, a great multitude of enemies attacked Judah. King Jehoshaphat in front of all the people prayed to God for His intervention. He was not too proud to humble himself publicly, and he was not too ashamed to confess that Judah’s only help would have to come from God. He said in 2 Chronicles 20:12: “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

God inspired a prophet to assure them of His protection, reminding the people that “the battle is not yours, but God’s” (verse 15). They were also promised that they did not have to fight (verse 17). Because the King and the people believed in God and His power, as well as in His servants the prophets who taught the people God’s Word (compare verse 20), God set ambushes against the enemy and used other means to destroy him (verses 22-23). This episode lead to lasting peace for Judah during the reign of King Jehoshaphat (verse 30), as “the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel” (verse 29).

These are not some nice bed-time stories for little children. They are accurate accounts and give us timeless testimony of what God DID accomplish for His people–and what He is willing and capable of doing TODAY for you and me–if we trust in His protection. He protected Daniel in the lions’ den, and He protected Daniel’s three friends in the fiery furnace. All these things recorded in the Old Testament “were written for our admonition [or instruction], upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). Christ told us that we must not take the sword or resort to violence. God and His mighty angels are always there to help us (compare Psalm 34:7; 91:11). But we must believe and be persuaded that no matter what the circumstances, we have to remain peaceful, while praying to God to fight our battles for us!

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new member letter was written by the ministry and posted on the Web. The hard copy was sent out this week, together with a copy of our new booklet, “The Meaning of God’s Spring Holy Days.”

Joan Pope is happy to report that on Saturday morning, February 17, her granddaughter Christina gave birth to Louise Marie Rae Nalder. At the time of birth, Louise weighed seven pounds and four ounces and was 18 1/2 inches long. She has blue eyes and dark-brown hair. Everybody is doing fine.

Rene and Delia Messier report that the surgery of their twelve-year-old granddaughter Brittany went very well.