On August 12, 2006, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Why Not Heaven, Part 2.”

The first part of this two-part series was given on March 4, 2006, and is posted on the Web.

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.

WHY would someone cry?

There are many reasons–some cry for
great loss or for fear, and some cry in a crowning moment of joy! Jesus
Christ experienced this emotion, and we find a record of at least two
occurrences in His life when He, also, wept.

In one instance,
Jesus shed tears as Martha, Mary and their friends mourned the death of
their brother, Lazarus. In the record of this account, found in John
11, it is shown that Jesus was very close to these people–they were
His friends: “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (verse
5). Even knowing that He would resurrect Lazarus through the power of
God, Jesus was deeply moved and felt empathy for those who were so
distraught over their loss (John 11:35).

Another time, the Bible
also records that Jesus wept: “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and
wept over it” (Luke 19:41). In this case, Jesus clearly understood the
horrific future that lay ahead for Jerusalem and its people. He knew
that His countrymen were about to face God’s punishment for their sins,
and even though He also knew that His fellow Jews would seek His death,
He agonized over what they were about to suffer.

In a similar
way, we who are ambassadors of Jesus Christ know what lies in store for
this world! We also know that our fellow citizens–even those who call
themselves “Christians”–may soon seek to kill some of us (Compare
Matthew 24:9-10). Nonetheless, we must do as Jesus did and that is to
deeply love and care for even those who would stand as our enemies
(Compare Matthew 5:43-48).

We live in the beginning events of the
end of this age–in a time of “wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6).
As we watch unspeakable savagery and violence filling the earth, we
might become calloused and hardened to the barrage of news events that
report nothing but greater and greater turmoil all over the world, but
we must not!

Ours is the ONLY message of hope. It is the GOOD
NEWS of God–of the fact that He will intervene by sending Jesus Christ
to SAVE THIS WORLD! As we deliver this truth, some of us will face an
increasing onslaught of terrible trials both personally and in our
communities and nations.

Stay tender hearted! Care deeply!
Recognize, as Jesus did, that there does arise–even a time to cry
(Ecclesiastes 3:4; Romans 12:15).

Mass Murder on an Unimaginable Scale!

BBC News reported early Thursday morning of yet another terrorist plan: “A plot to blow up planes in flight from the UK to the US and commit ‘mass murder on an unimaginable scale’ has been disrupted, Scotland Yard has said.”

The article pointed out that 21 individuals have been arrested. Widespread news coverage also indicated that other suspects were being sought. Additionally, fear of alternate plans by embedded terrorists cells has been voiced.

This latest plot has had immediate and wide-ranging consequences. Bloomberg.com reports: “European airline schedules were disrupted and passengers inconvenienced after U.K. anti-terror police said they foiled a plan to blow up airliners traveling to the U.S. and imposed travel restrictions.

“Delays and cancellations were most severe at London Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest. Flights from European destinations were canceled and some outbound flights were dropped as well. Extra security procedures are causing serious delays on the ground. British Airways Plc canceled all short-haul Heathrow flights.”

In the U.S., stringent new security checks were implemented forcing travelers to avoid many carry-on items. Lines at terminals–both pedestrian and automobile–grew ponderously across North America.

Indeed, nations all over the planet are being affected by this latest terrorist plot. The relative safety and freedom to travel that was enjoyed in the recent past has been severely damaged. People are fearful, and these events are evidence of prophetic warnings found in the Bible. For more information , please read our booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Earthquake Changed Earth’s Gravity

UPI reported on August 3:

“U.S. scientists say they’ve determined Earth’s gravity changed as a result of the giant 2004 Sumatran earthquake… The 9.1-magnitude December 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake in the Indian Ocean produced a tsunami that killed approximately 230,000 people, while displacing more than 1 million others. The event followed the slipping of two continental plates under the seafloor that raised [the] ocean bed in the region by several feet for thousands of square miles.”

The earthquakes, which we have been experiencing so far, are only tiny forerunners of earthquakes which are prophesied to occur in the future. For instance, we read in Revelation 16:18, 20:

“…and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth… Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found…”

Shiites Against Israel and the USA

The Associated Press reported on August 4:

“Hundreds of thousands of Shiites chanting ‘Death to Israel’ and ‘Death to America’ marched through the streets of Baghdad’s biggest Shiite district Friday in a massive show of support for Hezbollah in its battle against Israel… The demonstration was the biggest in the Middle East in support of Hezbollah since Israel launched its attacks against the guerrillas in Lebanon on July 12. The protest was organized by radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr… Al-Sadr followers painted U.S. and Israeli flags on the main road leading to the rally site, and demonstrators stepped on them–a gesture of contempt in Iraq. Alongside the painted flags was written: ‘These are the terrorists.’ “Protesters set fire to American and Israeli flags, as well as effigies of President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, showing the men with Dracula teeth… Iraqi government television said the Defense Ministry had approved the demonstration, a sign of the public anger over Israel’s offensive in Lebanon and of al-Sadr’s stature as a major player in Iraqi politics… Although the rally was about Hezbollah, it was also a show of strength by al-Sadr…”

The wrath of the Muslim world is turning against Israel and the United States of America. To understand why, please read our free booklets, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America,” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Civil War in Iraq

The BBC stated on August 3:

“Civil war is a more likely outcome in Iraq than democracy, Britain’s outgoing ambassador in Baghdad has warned Tony Blair in a confidential memo. William Patey, who left the Iraqi capital last week, also predicted the break-up of Iraq along ethnic lines… BBC correspondent Paul Wood said although the document does not contradict government denials that civil war is imminent, ‘it is a devastating official assessment of the prospects for a peaceful Iraq, and stands in stark contrast to the public rhetoric’…

“Talking about the Shia militias blamed for many killings, Mr Patey added: ‘If we are to avoid a descent into civil war and anarchy then preventing the Jaish al-Mahdi (the Mahdi Army) from developing into a state within a state, as Hezbollah has done in Lebanon, will be a priority.’ The cable says that ‘the next six months are crucial’–an assessment which is shared by the coalition’s military commanders. Senior military sources told the BBC it was ‘make or break’ time in Iraq. The Americans are sending thousands of extra troops to Baghdad, starting next week. “

A King of Germany?

Bild Online reported on August 4, that the respectable Count of Wuerttemberg, Carl Herzog von Wuerttemberg, recommended that Germany embrace a monarchy under a German king. He stated that for him, the monarchy is the best form of government. He added that a king, who would be ruling for life, could accomplish much more than temporary politicians. He also recommended that the new king should be Georg Friedrich Ferdinand von Preußen (30). He would not only be King, but also Emperor (Kaiser), as his great-great-grandfather was Germany’s last Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II., who reigned from 1888 to 1918.

If one is tempted to dismiss this idea as too far-fetched, let’s consider that the Minister President of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Günther Oettinger (52, CDU), showed sympathy for the concept. He was quoted by Bild Online as saying: “I can understand this idea. If we had a king, we could rule under him in a democratic fashion.”

Although it is not necessary for the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy that Germany, as well as other European countries, will be ruled again by literal kings or even emperors, this possibility cannot be ruled out. Revelation 17:12 talks about a coming United States of Europe, comparing its ten leaders with ten horns. The passage states: “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast [a future European military leader].” The next verse predicts that these ten kings–European leaders who MIGHT be literal kings or emperors–“will give their power and authority to the beast.”

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

Germans Interested in Islam

WorldNetDaily reported on August 5:

“More and more Germans are converting to Islam. Last year approximately 4,000 persons became Muslims. According to the Central Islam-Institute in Soest, the numbers have been rising since the turn of the century. Up to the year 2000 the annual number of conversions stagnated at 300, but it has been rising ever since…  there are 3.2 million Muslims in Germany. Most of them are Turkish immigrants… Currently there are 143 full-fledged mosques, with 128 more in the planning or building stages. In addition Muslims gather in 2,600 prayer and meeting places…”

The article continued to state:

“Approximately two-thirds of the 82 million inhabitants [of Germany] are church members. The Protestant Churches have 25.6 million members and the Roman Catholic Church 25.8 million. Approximately 500,000 Germans belong to smaller, often evangelical churches such as Baptists or Pentecostals… It has been noted by the churches that interest in religion is rising in Germany, but it is not focused on Christianity. Today, the citizens in Martin Luther’s home country are equally fascinated by esoteric practices, Buddhism and Islam.”

Today, German “Christianity” is evenly divided between Catholicism and Protestantism, and some Germans are looking for alternatives by embracing non-Christian religions. But in the near future, the religion of Germany–as well as of Europe and the entire world–will become united under the influence of one strong religious power. Revelation 17:18 explains that a worldwide religion, symbolized by a woman who is also identified as a city built on seven hills (verse 9), will reign “over the kings of the earth.” We are also told in the same chapter that she will sit “on many waters” (verse 1), which are “peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues” (verse 15).

Hell On Earth–Again?

WorldNetNews reported on August 7:

“As tens of thousands of people gathered at Hiroshima in Japan to mark the 61st anniversary of the day an atomic bomb created ‘hell on Earth’, Iran yesterday rejected a United Nations resolution calling for Tehran to halt its nuclear programme. Iran said it would expand its efforts to develop nuclear power, which the United States and Europe fear is aimed at making a bomb, and warned that any UN sanctions aimed at halting its uranium enrichment would bring a ‘painful’ response, possibly including a cut in oil exports.

“The news came amid reports that Iran had tried to import bomb-making uranium from the African mine that produced the material used to make the Second World War Hiroshima bomb, which killed 140,000 people. Speaking from near the epicentre of the devastating blast, Tadatoshi Akiba, the mayor of Hiroshima, called for the destruction of all nuclear weapons and expressed concern that a growing number of countries were developing them… A bell rang at 8:15am, marking the time when an American B-29 bomber, Enola Gay, dropped its deadly payload on Hiroshima on 6 August, 1945. It was the first atomic bomb ever used in war.”

The sad news is that we will experience NUCLEAR WAR in the future! Man has not learned the bitter lessons from history, and so he is bound to repeat his past mistakes. In fact, man’s futile attempts to bring peace through war–including nuclear war–will result in the potential destruction of this earth and the potential annihilation of mankind. Christ said that if He was not to return to end the madness of human endeavors, no human being would be saved alive (Matthew 24:21-22). But the good news is that Christ will return to save us from ourselves, by destroying those who destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18). For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.”

Israel’s Leading Author Speaks Out

On August 7, 2006, Der Spiegel Online published an interview with Israel’s leading author, Meir Shalev. Shalev is the son of poet Itzhak Shalev. He studied psychology at the Hebrew University and has produced and hosted several radio and television programs; he is also a regular columnist in the Israeli press. Apart from his novels, some of which have been bestsellers abroad as well as in Israel, Shalev writes books for children and non-fiction. Shalev has received the Bernstein Prize (1989) and the Juliet Club Prize (Italy, 1999). His work has been translated into over 20 languages.

In the interview, Shalev discussed the situation in the Middle East, as follows:

“The cause of the war was a just one, but the conduct has not been. And by this I do not just mean the tragedy of Qana, but also what already happened in the first days: Attacking Beirut like this, killing civilians in Lebanon. From the very first day we should have limited ourselves to attacks against the Hezbollah strongholds along the Israeli-Lebanese border… (Hezbollah leader) Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah drives everybody crazy in Israel… Even if they [the Israelis] warn the people, many people are not able to leave their towns, especially since roads, bridges, ports and the airport have been destroyed. But it is not only a question of morality. These Lebanese are going to be our neighbors forever, but many people are now against Israel. These citizens would support us if we had conducted our fight with the Hezbollah in a more measured way…

“Many Lebanese people were against the Hezbollah. It is a danger to their whole country, especially in a city like Beirut which is very open and liberal. Because the fundamentalists one day will try to forbid this Western way of life. At the beginning of the war you could see from the declarations of various Lebanese leaders that even they were quite satisfied that Israel took care of the Hezbollah. But we went into Lebanon like angry bulls into the arena, attacking anything that moves… In a true democracy, a leader with enough self-assurance does not talk the way [Israel’s Prime Minister] Olmert does… Olmert should have defined the objectives of the war from the beginning. But all he said was: ‘We will be victorious’ without defining what victory means. Also with defense minister Amir Peretz we cannot win… Olmert and Peretz behave like two bullies in a pub… Despite that, we will win at the end, because the Israeli society is smarter than its political leaders.”

The bitter lesson of history is that human wars don’t bring lasting peace. Mankind, including the intellectuals, politicians and brilliant minds of this world, has not yet understood this godly wisdom, erroneously believing that human violence works. But Jesus Christ told us: “Put your sword in its place, for ALL who take the sword will PERISH by the sword!” (Matthew 26:52). Revelation 13:10 confirms that those who kill with the sword “must be killed with the sword.” The passage continues to tell us that we can only deal correctly with challenging situations, when we have “the patience and the faith of the saints.”

The time will come when Christ will rule on this earth, teaching man that human wars don’t bring peace. At that time, “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they LEARN WAR anymore” (Isaiah 2:4).

Christ is already teaching those who have open ears and eyes and who are WILLING to LISTEN to God, that human wars are WRONG. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Should YOU Fight in War?”

Proposed UN Security Council Resolution

Der Spiegel Online reported on August 7:

“The UN Security Council resolution drafted by the United States and France at the weekend calls for Hezbollah to stop all hostile operations and for Israel to stop its military drive into Lebanon. But already being questioned by other Security Council members, the proposal would allow Israel to strike back if Hezbollah were to break a cease-fire. Other Council members have suggested amendments because they feel the draft doesn’t take enough account of Lebanon’s concerns. Lebanon has urged the Council to revise the resolution to demand that Israel pull its forces out of the country once hostilities end and hand over its positions to UN peacekeepers. The draft makes no mention of an Israeli withdrawal…

“Left-wing Die Tageszeitung calls the draft resolution a diplomatic victory for the United States and Israel, but adds that it won’t do much good… The newspaper predicts: ‘The war will continue, despite or because of this resolution. The Shiite militia will nurture its role as resistance army against the invaders and will go on fighting. Even after almost four weeks of fighting it still has enough… fighters. And Israel will continue to justify further offensives by saying they are in reaction to these attacks, but is really fighting to decimate the ranks of Hezbollah…’

“Conservative Die Welt writes that if the Security Council had taken its last Lebanon resolution seriously, Hezbollah wouldn’t have any rockets now. ‘But the UN left it to Israel to put Resolution 1559 into force and disarm Hezbollah. Now it has a war on its hands.’ The paper adds: ‘Perhaps the new document will fare better than 1559. It won’t do any harm. It might end up bringing a peace force into Lebanon. But caution is warranted here too. The soldiers mustn’t operate like the current blue helmets in Lebanon who were smoking and playing cards while Hezbollah fired off rockets and abducted Israelis.’ “Center-left daily Süddeutsche Zeitung writes that America has undermined its credibility in the region by waging, and losing, the war in Iraq. ‘America’s weakness has laden Europe with new, unanticipated burdens. Take Lebanon for example: helping to rebuild it will not only cost French, Italians or Germans money but will also cost some of their soldiers’ lives.'”

Austrian Governor vs. Jewish Community

On August 8, The Gulf Times published an article about an ongoing controversy in Austria between Carinthian Governor Joerg Haider and Jewish Community president Ariel Muzicant. The article stated:

“Without naming Haider directly, Muzicant charged in the government paper Wiener Zeitung on Sunday that in Austria, ‘anti-Semites’ were commenting on the ‘tragedy in the Middle East’ by accusing Israel of ‘war crimes’ even though they knew better. These same people regarded the date of the Nazi capitulation, May 8, 1945, as the beginning of Allied ‘occupation’. They also had difficulties putting up a few bilingual signs, Muzicant said, referring to a struggle between Haider and the Supreme Court, with the governor resisting rulings for more German-Slovenian urban signs in his province.

“Haider reacted promptly. He accused Muzicant of being ‘among those Zionist provocateurs in the West who defend the murder of dozens of children and hundreds of civilians, the blowing up of bridges to cut off flight and aid routes, and the killing of UN soldiers, and thereby justify a senseless war by Israel’. Haider earlier demanded the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador in Vienna, and war-crimes trials for ‘warmongers in Israel.'”

Israel Accused of Preventing Humanitarian Aid

The German press, including Der Stern Online and Der Spiegel Online, have accused Israel of deliberately preventing humanitarian aid and food supplies from reaching the Lebanese people. On August 7, Der Stern ran an article, titled, “Israel Prohibits Humanitarian Aid.” It continued to allege that Israel revoked any permission to humanitarian aid organizations, such as the Red Cross, to distribute food and medical supplies to civilians in southern Lebanon, and tons of food and supplies have been stored at harbors for several days. The Red Cross also charged Israel with having broken their word to provide humanitarian aid organizations with military protection. According to the Red Cross, there are presently 100,000 civilians in southern Lebanon and up to 67,000 civilians in Tyre, who are in dire need of food and medical supplies. It is also charged that Israel prohibited a Greek ship with food and medical supplies to enter the harbor of Tyre.

Der Spiegel Online added on August 8 in its article, titled, “Helpers Accuse Israel of Massive Obstruction,” that Israel is deliberately sabotaging any attempts to bring food or medical supplies into places like Tyre, which has been totally isolated from the outside world.

Whether these reports are true or not, they will assist in turning world opinion against Israel. Ultimately, Israel might find itself in a totally isolated position–a development which is strongly indicated to happen in Biblical prophecy.

VJ Day in Japan

On August 9, The Times Online published an article about Japan’s forthcoming VJ Day on August 15. It was stated:

“There are still six days to go until August 15, the anniversary of Japan’s surrender in the Second World War, and already the right-wing activists are out on the streets in their pseudo-military uniforms emblazoned with the Japanese imperial symbol of the rising sun… It is against this backdrop that the outgoing Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi, has said that he is minded to keep the promise he made during his 2001 election campaign to visit the Yasukuni war shrine on August 15. Mr Koizumi has visited the shrine five times during his tenure as PM, and on each occasion it has sparked a fairly serious international reaction–particularly in China, where there was rioting, and in South Korea, both of which countries suffered badly from Japanese imperialism. None of those visits was, however, made on the actual anniversary of VJ Day, Japan’s surrender, as Mr Koizumi promised he would if he became Prime Minister. Were he to do it, it would be a real bonus for the right-wingers, as most previous PMs have studiously avoided visiting Yasukuni.”

The article continued:

“Japan was fascinated to read leaked memos in the last three weeks that finally explained the reason why neither the current Japanese Emperor, nor Emperor Hirohito, who died in 1989, have visited Yasukuni since 1978. In the memos, Hirohito is quoted in conversation with his chief chamberlain, saying that he can’t understand why the High Priest has recently decided to incorporate into the shrine the names of 14 Class A war criminals convicted at these trials–Japan’s equivalent of Nuremberg–as this has posed a real problem and made a visit unpalatable. Mr Koizumi is stepping down as PM next month, so he has six days in which to decide whether to keep his promise.”

No, it does not mean that at all. Quite to the contrary, we are
clearly told in Scripture, so that we CAN know, what our destiny is. We
read in Ephesians 3:14-19 that it is our destiny to become spirit
members within the Family of God, and that we KNOW that we are to be
filled with “all the fullness of God.”

1 John 3:2 does not tell
us something different. In fact, this passage CONFIRMS, rightly
understood, that we DO know what our destiny is. When we read this
passage in context, it states:

“Beloved, now we are children of
God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we KNOW
that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as
He is.”

This passage tells us that we KNOW that when Christ is
revealed or manifested at His Second Coming, we will be LIKE Him.
Christ will return in glory (Matthew 24:30), and so we, too, will
appear or be manifested with Him in glory (Romans 8:17). Right now, we
are not yet filled with God’s glory, as we are still flesh and blood.
That is, it has not yet been revealed or manifested what we shall be,
because we are not yet powerful glorious God beings. But we do KNOW
that we will be glorious God beings–at the time of Christ’s return.

Notice the following Scriptures which make this understanding perfectly clear:

(1)
We read in 1 John 3:2 about the time when Christ is revealed. We read
about Christ’s revelation–talking about His RETURN–in many additional
places:

— 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 says that when Christ is
“revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,” He will take vengeance
on those who disobey God.

— 1 Peter 4:13 tells us that when Christ’s glory is “revealed,” we will also be glad with exceeding joy.

— Luke 17:30 compares the time when Christ is “revealed” at His return with the time of Noah and Lot (verses 26-29).

(2)
We also read in 1 John 3:2 that when Christ is “revealed,” we will be
LIKE Him. That is, when Christ is revealed in glory, we, too, will be
revealed in glory. Again, note the following additional passages:

—
Romans 8:29 tells us that God “predestined us to be conformed to the
image of His Son,” with the ultimate goal of our glorification (verse
30).

— 1 Corinthians 15:49 adds that we “shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man”–Jesus Christ.

— Philippians 3:21 says that Christ will “transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body.”

So,
we have been TOLD WHAT we will be! But it has not been revealed yet–as
we have not been revealed or manifested yet in power and glory. But we
KNOW that we WILL be REVEALED or manifested as born-again God beings in
the near future. Notice Paul’s words in Romans 8:18-19:

“For I
consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the GLORY which shall be REVEALED in us. For the earnest
expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the REVELATION of the
sons of God.”

Again, when is our glorious revelation going to
take place? At the time of Christ’s Second Coming! Note Colossians 3:4,
as it is correctly translated from the original Greek:

” When
Christ who is our life is manifested [or revealed], then you also will
be manifested [or revealed] with Him in glory” (compare Elberfelder
Uebersetzung). The New Revised Standard Version and the Revised English
Bible translate accurately: “When Christ who is your life is revealed,
then you also will be revealed with him in glory.”

Other
translations say, “when Christ… appears, then you also will appear
with Him in glory,” giving thereby the intended meaning that Christ’s
revelation will occur when He appears at His Second Coming. But all
renderings make it clear that we will be revealed or appear with Him in
glory, when He is revealed or appears. That is why we are to eagerly
wait “for the REVELATION of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians
1:7).

We can and do know our potential. That knowledge has been
revealed to us by God, but it has not been revealed yet to the world,
as we are still flesh and blood–not yet immortal God beings. Rather
than teaching us that we cannot know what we will be, 1 John 3:2 tells
us the exact opposite: We can and do know our potential, but the
manifestation of our potential has not occurred yet. That is, we are
not yet glorified! But when the glorified Jesus Christ is “revealed” or
appears at His Second Coming (1 John 2:28), we KNOW that we will also
appear with Him in glory–provided, however, that we have remained
faithful to God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

For more information on our destiny, please read our free booklets, “The Mysteries of the Bible,” “God Is a Family,” and “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Shelly and Frank Bruno, of Boulder, Colorado, have announced the
forthcoming birth of their first child, and would appreciate prayers for a healthy pregnancy. The due date is March of 2007.
Our congratulations to the Bruno family.

by Shelly Bruno

When I was in college I formulated ideas about
what I wanted to do with my life after graduation. It wasn’t too
detailed—just a basic timeframe for what I wanted and when I wanted to
achieve it. It goes something like this:

Graduate, focus on career
Marry at 28
Have kids around 30
Raise kids
Resume work when kids are in school
Focus on artistic career for retirement

So far my timing hasn’t really worked out—things didn’t happen when I
planned. The older I get the more I realize that my timing isn’t as
important to God as it is to me. He hears my requests, but He grants
them according to His plan for me. That was the case with having kids.
I had almost given up on the idea of having children even though I
continued to ask. And when I was starting to think the answer was no—it
turned out to be a surprising yes! This happened later in my life than
I imagined. And I have to wonder what crossed Sarah’s mind when she was
expecting a child much later than she had thought. God had a definite
plan for her life, and I take comfort in the fact that He has a plan
for mine.

So as I continue looking ahead to the rest of my
list, I’m going to focus more on God’s plan and timing for my life. He
knows far better than I do what is best for me and when the time is
right. I can be sure that with God in charge of the plan, everything
will work out.

On August 5, 2006, Edwin Pope will give the sermon, titled, “No Other Gods.”

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.

When God calls us into His truth, He gives us a Work to do. As far as His Church is concerned, it is a collective Work–to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God and to feed the flock. But each of us is also responsible to fulfill, in this life, our individual Work. God has called you, not just for the purpose of receiving your own personal salvation, but also to fulfill the Work that He has given YOU! We read in Mark 13:34 that Christ, before He went to heaven, “gave authority to His servants, and to each his work.”

In order to fulfill your Work, you need to know what your Work is. For instance, do you know what your Work is within the Church? Do you know what your Work is in your personal life–in your relationship with God, and every time that you come in contact with other people?

God will have to show you what YOUR Work is. And once you accept God’s Will for you, God will help you to DO Your Work. God showed the apostles Paul and Barnabas what kind of Work He wanted them to do (Acts 13:2). And step by step, they completed the Work which God gave THEM (Acts 14:26). Timothy, too, did His part–His special Work–in the overall ongoing and never-ending “Work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 16:10).

Christ knew perfectly well the Work that the Father had given Him to do. His whole human life evolved around His desire to fulfill God’s Work for Him (John 4:34; 9:4). Just before His arrest, He said to the Father: “I have finished the work which you have given Me to do” (John 17:4). And with His last dying breath on the cross, He exclaimed: “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Christ, as a human being, finished HIS Work–the task allotted to Him at that time, while in the flesh. But God’s overall WORK was not over, of course. In the same way, even though the individual Work of some is finished, who died over the centuries, God has given all of us, who are still alive, a Work to do! What is your Work? And are you as determined, as Christ and the apostles were, to fulfill the Work that God has given YOU to do? You need to examine your own Work (Galatians 6:4). And if your examination shows that you are fulfilling the Work that God has given YOU, then you will receive a reward for your Work (1 Corinthians 3:14; 15:58).

You may not be called today for the Work of the ordained ministry (Ephesians 4:12), but you ARE called, for sure, for the Work of ministering to or serving others. And God will not forget your Work and your labor of love in that regard (Hebrews 6:10). We know that God will judge each one of us, without partiality, according to our individual Work (1 Peter 1:17).

Are you a DOER of God’s Work that He gave YOU to DO (James 1:25)?

God, who has begun a good Work in you, is determined to complete it (Philippians 1:6). Are you determined to complete the good Work that you have begun for God? What, then, is YOUR Work, exactly–and how are you DOING?

A New Middle East Being Born?

Newsweek reported on July 28:

“A New York Times/CBS News poll found a strong isolationist streak emerging, with 58 percent saying the United States has no responsibility to resolve the conflict between Israel and other countries in the Middle East, and 56 percent supporting a timetable for getting out of Iraq. A substantial majority of 62 percent say the Iraq war has not been worth it in terms of lives lost and dollars spent… Dale Bishop… taught Iranian studies at Columbia University and for 20 years served as Middle East area executive for the United Church of Christ. He spent much of his time reminding us of Lebanon’s bloody history and how Iraq seems destined to go down the same path.

“Both countries are artifacts of the colonial era. Winston Churchill drew the border lines for Iraq. The first Iraqi king was a Saudi-born royal who had not set foot in the new nation until he was installed. Lebanon was carved out of Syria by the French, who wanted a place for the Christian population… Lebanon has 17 sects, including a variety of Christians, Shiite and Sunni Muslims and Druze, and they fought a prolonged civil war that didn’t end until 1991. It was said that the fighting would continue until only a single Lebanese was left, and he would look at himself in the mirror and shoot the mirror. U.S. troops were in the middle of that mess until 241 American servicemen were ambushed and killed in their barracks in 1983. That was enough for President Reagan. He pulled out U.S. troops…

“The Lebanese continued to fight it out without U.S. forces, an outcome Bishop believes will eventually happen in Iraq. ‘And it’s not going to be pretty,’ he says. ‘We walked into a huge mess, and we’re not going to achieve a military victory—and our pride prevents us from just leaving… it’s a new Middle East that’s being born…”

“Hezbollah Are Cowards”

On July 31, News Herald Sun published several pictures showing that Hezbollah terrorists are using Lebanese civilians as “human shields” in their fight against Israel. The article stated:

“The images… show Hezbollah using high-density residential areas as launch pads for rockets and heavy-calibre weapons. Dressed in civilian clothing so they can quickly disappear, the militants [are] carrying automatic assault rifles and ride in on trucks mounted with cannon… The images include one of a group of men and youths preparing to fire an anti-aircraft gun metres from an apartment block with sheets hanging out on a balcony to dry. The release of the images comes as Hezbollah faces criticism for allegedly using innocent civilians as ‘human shields’. [UN’s humanitarian chief Jan] Egeland blasted Hezbollah as ‘cowards’ for operating among civilians. ‘When I was in Lebanon, in the Hezbollah heartland, I said Hezbollah must stop this cowardly blending in among women and children,’ he said.”

Christ’s Return in Our Lifetime?

On July 28, MSNBC.com published an interview with Tim LaHaye, coauthor of the popular “Left Behind” series. In the interview, LaHaye stated the following:

“Biblically speaking, the very nations that are mentioned in prophecy—and have been mentioned for 2,500 years as occupying the focus of the tension of the last days—are the very nations that are involved in the conflict [in the Middle East] right now. That may be one of the reasons there’s a sudden interest in bible prophecy because all of a sudden they realize end-time events could possibly take place and break forth right now… I have often said that no one knows the day nor the hour that Christ will come, but no generation has had so many signs of the times as our generation. We have more reason to believe that Christ could come in our lifetime than any generation before us…

“We believe that the Bible should be understood literally whenever possible. The next big event is the second coming of Christ. That’s preceded by a number of signs. And some of those signs could be stage-setting right now. They’re not going to come out of nowhere. For example, the Bible predicts when the antichrist comes and sits at his kingdom…, he’s going to have one world economy and one world government and one world religion. We’re already moving rapidly in the direction of those very things.”

Extreme Worldwide Weather Conditions

The Sunday Times reported on July 30:

“It looks like being the hottest July on record but Britain is not alone in experiencing extreme conditions… Hot, arid weather is afflicting millions in America and in dozens of countries across Europe and parts of east Asia. The phenomenon has surprised meteorologists who are used to seeing drought as a regional, not global, problem. This weekend they said early analysis of the hot weather, together with the size of the areas affected, suggested it was linked to global climate change…

“In California the temperature in Death Valley reached 56.5C and in many west coast towns it exceeded 40C. An estimated 130 people have been killed by the heat and demand for power to run air-conditioning overloaded power stations, leaving some areas without electricity for up to three days. In South America, mid-winter temperatures in Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Brazil are up to 7C higher than average. The accompanying drought has reduced the giant Iguazu falls on the Brazil-Argentina border to a trickle. Temperatures are averaging 7C higher than usual across southern England and Scotland… Even Mediterranean countries were caught unawares. Last week Spain and France, hit by temperatures 7-9C above average, had to shut down nuclear power stations as the rivers supplying water for cooling became too warm.

“Pakistan, Bangladesh and southern India hit 3C above normal and much of central China was up by 5C. A drought, the worst for 60 years, is affecting the Chongqing region, leaving 2m short of water.”

Iran and Venezuela–Kindred Spirits?

The Guardian Unlimited reported on July 30:

“The presidents of Iran and Venezuela, leading U.S. critics, pledged Saturday to support one another in disputes with Washington… Iran’s president… said he saw in the Venezuelan president a kindred spirit. Chavez… said he admired the Iranian president for ‘his wisdom and strength.’ He invited Iranian oil companies to invest in Venezuela… Earlier this week [Chavez] secured an arms agreement with Russia that prompted U.S. criticism. Chavez boasted in Moscow on Thursday that Russia had helped his country break a U.S.-imposed ‘blockade’ by agreeing to sell fighter planes and helicopters worth billions of dollars to Venezuela… During his visit to Qatar, which began Friday, Chavez said Venezuela could eventually export guns and ammunition to Bolivia and other allies once these plants were built…”

Haider’s Strong Words

The Austrian Press reported on July 30 about Joerg Haider’s outspoken comments about and strong reaction to the crisis in the Middle East. According to Networld, Haider was quoted as saying in an interview with APA:

“The USA doesn’t fight the axis of evil–they ARE the axis of evil… [As was the case in Iraq] so they want a war in Lebanon at any cost…”

The article continued to point out that Haider remarked that European peace-keeping troops ought to replace the American military in Iraq and Afghanistan; that America is motivated by its interests in oil; and that it is willing to sacrifice the lives of innocent civilians for those interests. He insisted that Austria protest officially against “Israel’s aggression in Lebanon” and he demanded to “dismiss Israel’s ambassador in Austria.”

EU Condemns Israel

On July 31, The Associated Press reported about Europe’s reaction to Israel’s airstrike on the Lebanese city of Qana. The article stated:

“… officials from the Finnish EU presidency, the European Commission as well as EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana agreed to condemn the bombing as ‘unjustifiable.’… Solana declared that ‘nothing can justify’ the attack and the death of innocent civilians in Qana… The leaders of the UK and Germany, prime minister Tony Blair and chancellor Angela Merkel, in a joint statement after the Qana attack stressed the ‘urgency of the need for a ceasefire as soon as possible,’ but refrained from using the word ‘immediate.’ ‘It is now necessary to work in New York on the preconditions for such a ceasefire,’ the Blair-Merkel statement said.”

The Turning Point in Qana

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 31 about the reaction of the German press to Israel’s attack on Qana. The overall consensus was that the incident in Qana hurt Israel and helped Hezbollah. The article stated:

“At the start of Israel’s siege on militants in Lebanon, world opinion tilted toward Jerusalem — even some Arab governments made hushed noises against Hezbollah. But after an attack on a Lebanese village killed over 50 civilians on Sunday, that honeymoon is well and truly over, writes the German press. The deadly strike on the village of Qana on Sunday by Israeli planes has marked a sea-change in the almost three-week war in Lebanon: Not only did Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora publicly [uninvite] Condoleezza Rice to Beirut for peace talks; not only did Lebanese protesters smash windows at the UN building in Beirut; now world opinion seems to have shifted against Israel, and the violence threatens to hand Hezbollah militants a propaganda coup… At least 56 people died in the raid, including 37 children. Israel said it was unaware civilians were in the basement of a building when its planes bombed the village. But the strike outraged Lebanese people who remember a similar attack in Qana ten years ago, when Israel bombed a UN compound there during its so-called ‘Grapes of Wrath’ operation, killing 102 civilians…

“German editorial pages on Monday unanimously argue that the war has moved into a dangerous and perhaps unwinnable phase. The right-wing daily Die Welt suspects that Israel’s military ‘doesn’t know which strategy to take. It attacks, then it retreats.’ The lack of strategy leads to politically ‘tragic mistakes,’ and even an ‘immediate ceasefire’ now may give the terrorists a ‘world-shuddering victory — a victory which would also be expensive for us (in Europe)’… the left-wing daily Die Tageszeitung argues that it’s now too late for a sudden peace… ‘An immediate unconditional cease-fire will be the same as a victory for Hezbollah.’ The paper argues that Israel and the US have already lost ‘on the field of diplomacy,’ and that absent a quick military success, ‘Qana in 2006 will be what Qana in 1996 became: the writing on the wall that led to Israel’s retreat from Lebanon.’

“The Financial Times Deutschland… agrees with other papers that a retreat or a cease-fire will do no good. The last time Israel retreated from Lebanon, in 2000, it was ‘celebrated as a triumph for Hezbollah, and established its mythic status. As everyone can see, it didn’t serve the cause of peace.’ The paper isn’t optimistic about continued fighting, either, because the violence has already hurt Israel’s standing as a diplomatic negotiator. ‘The unprecedented criticism that Arab governments from Egypt to Saudi Arabia expressed against Hezbollah at the start of the current war has gone mute again.’ Although many leaders in the Middle East hate the idea of Iran spreading its influence through Hezbollah, the paper writes, now they have to show ‘solidarity’ with the Lebanese.”

The Pope Condemns Israel

According to an article in the German paper, NetZeitung, dated July 30, the Pope condemned Israel’s attack on Qana and stated: “In the name of God I am asking all responsible for this spiral of violence to immediately put down their weapons.” He continued to state that we “cannot build a new world order and peace with the vehicle of violence.” He asked, in German, to “pray to Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, that the hardness of our hearts would cease and that the weapons would finally be silenced.”

Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon?

The Associated Press reported on August 2:

“Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday that Israel’s three-week-old offensive in Lebanon will stop only after a robust international peacekeeping force is in place in southern Lebanon… His comments on the international force were his clearest indication to date that Israel would resist European pressure for an immediate cease-fire. It’s not clear how long it will take to put such a force together… Turning to Syria to help solve the crisis would be useless, he said.”

In a related article, The Associated Press reported on August 2:

“Dealing a blow to a U.S.-backed strategy for Lebanon, France has refused to participate in a meeting of nations that could send troops to help monitor a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, even though it may join–and possibly even lead–such a force. The French refusal to take part in the meeting, set to take place at the U.N. on Thursday, reflects a wide divergence in views between Washington and Paris about how to impose a lasting peace after three weeks of war between Israel and Hezbollah. France doesn’t even want to talk about sending peacekeepers until fighting halts…

“France, Italy, Germany, Ireland and Turkey have said they are considering joining a multinational force, and France, which has taken a prominent role in diplomacy over Lebanon, could lead it.”

However, according to other news, Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, told German tabloid Bild am Sonntag over the weekend that her country’s military capacities are “largely exhausted” with Berlin already providing peacekeeping contingents to Congo, the western Balkans and Afghanistan.

“The EU Must Act”

On July 29, the EUOberserver wrote a remarkable article, titled, “The EU Must Act.” In the article, it was stated:

“The international conference in Rome on July 26 offered hope that a consensus could be reached on a plan that would end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. But the conference ended without a resolution, and the members of the European Union are scrambling to salvage their first diplomatic attempt to end the current crisis. The EU should not be discouraged; it is capable of conducting a pro-active foreign policy and has the ability to commit the necessary financial, diplomatic, and military resources to bring stability and peace to the region. The EU must act decisively as a counterbalance to US unilateralism by proposing a European solution to the current crisis…  the chief problem is that the EU, which has an unprecedented opportunity to bring regional stability and an end to the deadly conflict between Israel and its neighbours, is holding back, as if it needs a permission slip from the United States before it can act.

The article continued:

“Unlike the US… the EU is still a credible broker in the region; Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority are members of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP)– their relationship yields more than $45 billion in trade annually… The European Union should consider the immediate dispatch of its EU Rapid Reaction Force (RRF)… to southern Lebanon. The RRF is a European military force that can be ‘triggered in situations of crisis and armed conflict’… Its development was predicated on the idea that the EU needs a force that can act independently of US-led NATO missions… The case for an EU force must also take into account Europe’s refusal to list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, which opens the door for direct negotiations with hopes for the possibility that an EU force can maintain the peace without firing a shot.”

Opposition in Israel to the War in Lebanon

News Haaretz reported on July 31:

“The first person to refuse to do army service during the current fighting was sentenced Sunday to 28 days in a military prison. According to the refusal organization Yesh Gvul, which issued a public statement Sunday urging others to follow in Amir Fester’s footsteps, more than 10 other people have contacted the organization about the possibility of refusing to serve… Sunday’s bombing in Qana sparked an immediate surge in Israeli opposition to the fighting in Lebanon. Spontaneous demonstrations and petitions were organized within hours, and drew more people than the organized demonstrations of the previous two weeks…

“More than 600 people… have signed an international petition calling for an immediate, unconditional cease-fire in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank… Thousands of Israeli Arabs took to the streets of Umm al-Fahm on Sunday evening to protest the war in Lebanon following the bombing of the village of Qana.”

IRS Warns Churches

The Associated Press reported on July 18:
 
“The Internal Revenue Service has been warning churches and nonprofit organizations that improper campaigning in the upcoming political season could endanger their tax-exempt status. In notices to more than 15,000 tax-exempt organizations, numerous church denominations and tax preparers, the agency has detailed its new enforcement program, called the Political Activity Compliance Initiative… Under the initiative, the IRS plans to expedite investigations into claims of improper campaigning, no longer waiting for an annual tax return to be filed or the tax year to end before launching a probe. A three-member committee will make an initial review of complaints and then vote on whether to pursue the investigation in detail.”
The article continued:

“Since 2004, the IRS has investigated more than 200 organizations, including All Saints Church in Pasadena. Two days before the 2004 presidential election, the Rev. George F. Regas, the church’s former rector, delivered a guest sermon that pictured Jesus in a debate with George W. Bush and John Kerry. Although Regas didn’t endorse a candidate, he said Jesus would have told Bush that his pre-emptive war policy ‘has led to disaster.’ The church drew national attention when the Rev. Ed Bacon, rector of All Saints, disclosed the IRS investigation and later said the agency believed the church had violated federal tax code barring tax-exempt organizations from intervening in political campaigns and elections. Church leaders have not heard from the IRS since October, when the agency said the investigation was being taken to a higher level, according to Regas. The IRS has not confirmed whether the investigation is still ongoing…

“This month, OMB Watch, a Washington-based nonprofit government watchdog group, issued a report criticizing the IRS enforcement program and said the program could prompt retaliatory and harassment complaints unless the agency develops clear guidelines.”

A: For an in-depth Bible study as to HOW, exactly, our righteousness must exceed the “righteousness” of the scribes and the Pharisees, including their actions, thoughts and motives, please look up and study carefully all the Scriptures quoted in this Q&A, especially those passages in which Jesus Christ condemns the scribes and the Pharisees for their concept of “righteousness.”

We need to understand the types of “righteousness” Christ is referring to in Matthew 5:20. The Bible says that all of God’s commandments constitute righteousness (Psalm 119:172), and that we sin if we transgress just one of His commandments (1 John 3:4, Authorized Version; James 2:10-12). However, Christ was not saying that we will never enter God’s Kingdom if we occasionally sin. If that were the case, then NO ONE would be able to enter God’s Kingdom, as WE ALL sin from time to time (Romans 3:9-10; James 3:2; 1 John 1:8-10). But we can obtain forgiveness for our sins through repentance and faith in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who died FOR US, and who can and will make us righteous, by living in us, as we will explain.

What Christ was addressing first was the self-righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and who despised others (Luke 18:9-14). They erroneously believed that they were without sin, and that they did not need to repent (John 9:40-41). They believed that they could keep the law of God, in the way that they interpreted it, based on their own strength and [self-] righteousness (compare Romans 10:2-3). In addition, even though the scribes and Pharisees appeared to be very righteous to men, they were filled with hypocrisy (Luke 12:1; compare Matthew 23:1-36; Mark 12:13-15). Although they claimed that they kept God’s law and that they were without sin, they, in reality, did NOT keep God’s law at all (Mark 7:1-13; John 7:18-19). First, they neglected the weightier matters of the law, while they appeared to be very diligent in keeping the “smaller” matters (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42). But even insofar as the “smaller” areas of the law were concerned, they kept them only, if at all, to be seen and praised by men (Matthew 23:5).

On the other hand, our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees, in that we have to replace our own [self-] righteousness with the acceptance of God’s GIFT of HIS righteousness (Romans 5:17; compare Philippians 3:8-9). We are to seek GOD’s righteousness, not our own (Matthew 6:33), and we must allow God’s righteousness to REPLACE our own [self-] righteousness. This is only possible if we let Christ live in us through the Holy Spirit, fulfilling for and through us the righteous requirement of the law (Romans 8:3-4). Job had that kind of [pharisaical] self-righteousness which did not allow him to see his sinful nature [which we all have] and which needed to be replaced with the righteousness of God. But Job came to repentance, and so must we (Job 42:1-6).

With God’s righteousness in us comes the ability to keep the law, as well as the attitude of humility–the realization and conviction that we need to repent of our own shortcomings and that we need to let God live His life in us. When we sin, we must repent and obtain forgiveness through the blood of Christ, and the Bible promises us that the living Christ, dwelling within us, will cleanse or purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Without faith in Christ, and what He did, does and will accomplish for us, and without the faith OF Christ–Christ’s faith–in us, enabling us to do what we must (Galatians 2:20, Authorized Version), we could never obtain God’s righteousness (compare Romans 4:13; 10:1-6; Galatians 5:5 and Philippians 3:9). Without God’s Holy Spirit within us, which the scribes and Pharisees did not have, man CANNOT keep God’s law in the spirit. Our human righteousness is like “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) in comparison with the righteousness of God, which God wants to give us through the gift of His Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

Christ promises us that we WILL enter God’s Kingdom if we seek God and HIS righteousness first. In doing so, we are to replace our own self-righteousness–the “righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees”–with the righteousness of God.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Our new book on Prayer has reached the final review cycle. We should be able to finalize the book soon and send it to the printer in Canada.

A new StandingWatch program has been posted on the Web. It is titled: “Why the Hate Against America and Israel?”

Set forth below is a summary of the program:

Israel is being condemned for the tragedy in Qana, during which many civilians were killed. But Hezbollah continues to kill civilians in Israel, without experiencing the same condemnation. The world demands, with the exception of the USA, an immediate cease fire. But wouldn’t such a move only help Hezbollah and its supporters? And why is the world at odds with the USA in regard to almost every major issue, including the situation in the Middle East?

On July 29, 2006, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “The Time of Harvest.”

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.

The amount of money owed by consumers in the UK broke through the symbolic £1 trillion barrier for the first time in 2004. The Bank of England said that consumers owe more than £1,000bn on cards, mortgages and loans. According to the National Consumer Council, about six million families are already struggling to keep up with credit commitments at a time when borrowing is rising. Students are now building up huge debts as they work their way through University. Debt is everywhere and continues to grow by the day.

But debt is not confined to the UK. Debt in the world is a massive problem. At a G-8 finance ministers’ meeting in February last year, the world’s richest nations agreed in principle to cancel up to 100 per cent of the debts of the poorest countries in Africa.

And yet, again referring to the UK, retailers have not been doing well and many businesses have been in serious trouble, some going into bankruptcy. Therefore, encouraging spending is usually part of the overall marketing drive throughout the year, but is particularly strong in the run up to Christmas, thus increasing even further personal debt.  It is a dichotomy. Retailers need sales but customers are up to their neck in debt.

As one expert stated: “The British economic recovery–heralded by Gordon Brown–is hanging by a thread. It rests on the fragile foundations of a consumer boom in Britain, and far more importantly, in the United States. Moreover the US economic bubble is keeping the world afloat at the present time. This is a fact recognised by all the economic pundits.” A very simple piece of Biblical advice is generally ignored by mankind–and to their hurt: “The borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Some debt may be necessary to buy a house or a car, but debt has become such an integral part of almost everyone’s life today that it has spiralled out of control.

Personal situations, and the economy in general, are hanging by a thread. The global economy is so inter-dependent that it could fall like a house of cards. Massive spending fuels personal debt; not spending means that businesses will go out of business. The economy is so fragile that it could fail at any time. Let us make sure that our own house is in order.

“Israel’s Reaction Is Right!”

Der Spiegel Online published an article by Matthias Küntzel, a German political scientist and publicist, arguing that “Israel’s reaction is right.” The article stated:

“German and European public opinion does take sides — and it tends to side with the apparent underdog and against Israel. It has almost become a reflex on the Continent. In 2003, 59 percent of all Europeans pointed to Israel as the country presenting the greatest risk to world peace. On the third day of the current crisis, fully three quarters of all Germans polled were convinced that Israel was overreacting and using too much force in its response to Hezbollah. And since then, the images coming from the war zone have set the tenor: A cease-fire, most believe, should begin as soon as possible.

“I disagree — and have four reasons for doing so.

“First, Israel is fighting a just war. Germany and the European Union should unequivocally back Israel… Islamism has attacked Israel from both the south and the north and Israel has no choice but to react. But there is more to it than that. Israel’s military operation is important for the entire Western world… Islamism isn’t out to change Israeli policy in the region, Islamism is out to completely eradicate the country of Israel…

“Second, Israel wants peace… So far, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s government has succeeded in coupling its military operation with transparent political goals. Every step can be justified. On the one hand, Israel recognizes Lebanon as a sovereign state, thus making it responsible for the Hezbollah attack on July 12 in which the group abducted two Israeli soldiers. On the other hand, Israel’s war aims have been clearly stated… The fighting serves to achieve the following aims: a. The implementation of United Nations resolution 1559, which calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah; b. The implementation of UN resolution 5241, which calls for south Lebanon to be solely under the control of the Lebanese army, and c. The unconditional return of the kidnapped Israeli soldiers…  The infrastructure in Lebanon is being attacked, but only insofar as it is relevant to the arming and operations of Hezbollah. The Lebanese civilian population has been warned with leaflets and radio messages prior to attacks in residential areas. Hezbollah, on the other hand, is marching to a different drummer. Their motto is: ‘You love life, we love death.’… Hezbollah is not only happy to kill as many Jews as possible, it is not bothered by the deaths of Shiite Muslims as well and has thus strategically based many of their rockets directly in the middle of Shiite residential districts.

“Third, there is no alternative to Israel’s current military operation. Will Hezbollah ever willingly give up their weapons? Not a chance! The Jihad against Israel is the foundation of the militant group’s very existence. For Hezbollah members, the destruction of Israel is not only non-negotiable, it is a religious duty. Hezbollah only understands the language of violence and Israel’s military is the only force that is in a position to effectively confront Hezbollah. A United Nations force would never be able to achieve what Israel could… With this in mind, the demand for an immediate cease-fire is the equivalent of a plea for saving Hezbollah.

“Fourth, Israel’s military operation has already resulted in positive effects. One can already see some positive results from the Israeli operation — the strength of which clearly took Hezbollah and its supporters by surprise. Whereas the process of ‘critical dialogue’ — supported especially by Germany — with the Mullah dictatorship in Iran and with anti-Semitic terror groups tended to strengthen those groups, the Israeli offensive seems to have started a paradigm shift in the Middle East: For the first time in the history of the Middle East conflict, an overwhelming majority of the Arab League distanced itself from Hezbollah’s ‘dangerous adventurism.’

“Israel must not be forced to abandon its war against Hezbollah, rather it must win the conflict. Just as Hezbollah is fighting the war as Iran’s proxy, Israel is fighting genocidal Islamism as the proxy for the rest of the Western world. The least Israel should be able to expect from the West is that it not be betrayed.”

Whether Israel–strictly based on human reasoning–is fighting a “righteous war” or not, is not really the most important issue. How does GOD–not man–look at this present situation? For more information, please make sure to view our StandingWatch programs, “War in the Middle East?” and “Why No Peace in the Middle East?”

American Hypocrisy?

The British paper, The Independent, published a thought-provoking article on July 21 about perceived glaring hypocrisy between America’s domestic and foreign policy. The article stated:

“Yesterday US troops killed five people, including two women and a child, in the city of Baquba [Iraq] during a raid, claiming they had been shot at. At best it was a tragic error, at worst it spoke to the cavalier attitude of the US towards Iraqi civilian lives. Local police said that a man had fired from a rooftop at the Americans because he thought a hostile militia force was approaching. While the eyes of the world are elsewhere, Baghdad is still dying and the daily toll is hitting record levels. While the plumes of fire and smoke over Lebanon have dominated headlines for 11 days, with Britain and the US opposing a UN call for an immediate ceasefire, another Bush-Blair foreign policy disaster is unfolding in Iraq.

“Invoking the sanctity of human life, George Bush wielded the presidential veto for the first time in his presidency to halt US embryonic stem cell research in its tracks. He… talked of preventing the ‘taking of innocent human life’. How hollow that sounds to Iraqis. More people are dying here–probably more than 150 a day–in the escalating sectarian civil war between Shia and Sunni Muslims and the continuing war with US troops than in the bombardment of Lebanon.

“In a desperate effort to stem the butchery, the government yesterday imposed an all-day curfew on Baghdad, but tens of thousands of its people have already run for their lives. In some parts of the city, dead bodies are left to rot in the baking summer heat because nobody dares to remove them…Iraqis are terrified in a way that I have never seen before, since I first visited Baghdad in 1978. Sectarian massacres happen almost daily. The UN says 6,000 civilians were slaughtered in May and June, but this month has been far worse. In many districts it has become difficult to buy bread because Sunni assassins have killed all the bakers who are traditionally Shia…

“I never expected the occupation of Iraq by the US and Britain to end happily. But I did not foresee the present catastrophe. Baghdad has survived the Iran-Iraq war, the 1991 Gulf War, UN sanctions, more bombing and, finally, a savage guerrilla war. Now the city is finally splitting apart, and–most surprising of all–this disaster scarcely gets a mention on the news as the world watches the destruction of Beirut so many miles away.”

Cease Fire Or Not?

The British paper, The Independent, wrote on July 21:

“Israeli warplanes continued their bombardment of Lebanon yesterday, defying a demand by Kofi Annan for an immediate end to fighting on the ninth day of a war that has led to the ‘collective punishment of the Lebanese people’. Two countries, the US and Britain, defiantly refused to back the international clamour for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas… [This] has given Israel a powerful signal that it can continue its attacks with impunity… Mr Annan, the secretary general of the United Nations, used his emotive statement to the Security Council to reflect the deep-seated international unease about the human cost of Israel’s response to the onslaught of rockets from Hizbollah guerrillas backed by Syria and Iran. ‘What is most urgently needed is an immediate cessation of hostilities,’ he said. However, he added that there were ‘serious obstacles to reaching a ceasefire, or even to diminishing the violence quickly.’…

“The statement was sharply criticised by Israel and the United States… Britain and the US say they are not opposed to a ceasefire, but that Hizbollah must first stop firing missiles from south Lebanon into Israel and release two abducted soldiers. Countries such as Russia, which are calling for an immediate end to the fighting, have accused Israel of harbouring broader strategic goals than the simple return of the soldiers… The EU said yesterday that a ceasefire was essential before any peacekeeping mission can be deployed to southern Lebanon, and said the two sides were ‘not listening enough’ to calls for an end to violence.”

The Associated Press reported on July 26:

“U.S., European and Arab officials holding crisis talks on Lebanon failed to agree Wednesday on an immediate plan to halt the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas… After listening to a dramatic appeal from Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora for them to stop the killing, the officials said they had agreed on the need to deploy an international force under the aegis of the United Nations in southern Lebanon… The United States and Britain opposed the push for a quick cease-fire, saying any truce should ensure that Hezbollah no longer is a threat to Israel and should ensure a durable peace… The foreign ministers and other senior officials from 15 nations, as well as Annan and representatives from the European Union and the World Bank, agreed on a declaration that expressed ‘deep concern’ for the high number of civilian casualties in Lebanon, where government officials say hundreds of people have been killed… In Brussels, European Union officials said a meeting of foreign ministers would be held Aug. 1 to discuss the violence.”

Der Spiegel Online added on July 27:

“The Rome peace conference was widely derided as a failure on Wednesday, but Israel has claimed its one achievement was to affirm support for a continued bombardment of Lebanon…”

And so, the bloodshed, including the deaths of innocent civilians on both sides, will continue…

International Peacekeepers in Lebanon?

The Associated Press reported on July 23:

“President Bush’s chief of staff said Sunday international peacekeepers might be needed in Lebanon to help end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants, but that U.S. troop involvement was unlikely… Israel’s defense minister said Sunday that his country would accept a temporary international force, preferably headed by NATO, along the Lebanese border to keep Hezbollah guerrillas away from Israel, according to officials in the minister’s office.”

Der Spiegel Online added on July 25:

“CNN also reported that Rice suggested more than 10,000 Turkish and Egyptian soldiers be used and be placed under NATO or UN command after a cease-fire. In a second phase, the contingent would be expanded to 30,000. Rice had discussed the plan with the Israeli government but it was not clear whether Egypt and Turkey had agreed, the report said. Meanwhile Germany continues to agonize about whether it should send troops as part of such a force. The general secretary of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Stephan Kramer, told German radio: ‘There are many Shoah survivors still alive in Israel, fortunately. And I don’t know what they would think if German troops had to take action against an Israeli soldier defending his country.’ Germany’s history made it problematic to send German troops to the region, he said.”

What Do Iranians Think?

On July 23, 2006, the British magazine, “Time,” published an article, titled, “Meanwhile, the view from inside Iran.” In the article, it was pointed out:

“To many observers in the Western world, Hizballah, the Lebanese guerrilla group battling Israel, is a mere puppet of Iran. Some are convinced that Hizballah triggered the crisis on Tehran’s orders to divert world attention away from Iran’s controversial nuclear plans. But client states are not necessarily as docile as one might think. Just as Israel sometimes takes actions that surprise (and even displease) the U.S., Hizballah does things Iran has neither ordered up nor necessarily approves of.

“It’s impossible to know the precise origins of the current crisis in Lebanon, but since it erupted two weeks ago, the mood in Tehran has swung between indifference–the fighting rarely makes the headlines–and resentment over Iran’s longstanding sponsorship of Hizballah. True, there have been officially sponsored rallies declaring support for Hizballah, whose leaders pledge religious allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatullah Ali Khamenei. But the emotional support for Hizballah common throughout the Arab world is largely absent here…

“It’s not only ordinary Iranians who are worried about what the Middle East explosion means for Iran. Even as state infomercials order Iranians to boycott soft drinks, officials in Tehran–pragmatists and conservatives alike–concur that the conflict is bad news for the Iranian regime because it exacerbates the West’s image of Tehran as a regional troublemaker. Rather than helpfully distracting attention from Iran, as many have charged, the conflict ‘undermines Iran’s position,’ says a university professor close to senior Iranian officials.

“The thorny nuclear negotiations with the West are likely to become even trickier. The delay in efforts to enforce a cease-fire in Lebanon is inflaming divisions within the Iranian regime on how to respond to the U.S.-backed package of incentives offered to Tehran in June. Before the crisis erupted, the momentum seemed to favor advocates of a pragmatic, positive response. But now the radicals are using the U.S.-backed Israeli campaign in Lebanon to push their case for a tough line. As an adviser to a senior conservative ayatullah puts it, ‘This has strengthened the hand of those who argue,”If this happened to us, the only thing that would save us is a nuclear deterrent.”‘”

Four UN Observers Killed

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 26 that “United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has accused Israel of deliberately targeting a UN observation post in an air raid which killed four UN observers on Tuesday night…  Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he had told Annan of his ‘deep sorrow’ at the killing of the observers, but voiced shock at Annan’s suggestion the attack was deliberate… China condemned the air raid, in which a Chinese national was killed. Its official Xinhua news agency said the other three observers were from Finland, Austria and Canada.”

America Unable To Solve the World’s Problems

On July 27, MSNBC.com posted an article on its Webpage, titled, “A Mission Unaccomplished.” In the article, it was stated:

“The war unfolding in the Middle East marks a new era. For Israel and the Palestinians, it is the end of any prospect for peace. For Israel and Hizbullah, it is the beginning of a death struggle. For newly reborn Lebanon, led by a West-leaning government that sprang from last year’s anti-Syrian Cedar Revolution, it’s a loss beyond calculation. And for the United States, it’s the last gasp of a cosmically naive pipe dream. A Middle East Pax Americana, topped by a friendly post-Saddam Iraq with democracies popping up like mushrooms across a once autocratic landscape? What rubbish. The United States is now bogged down, Israel is under threat, Lebanon is collapsing, Iraq is on the verge of civil war and Iran is fanning the flames across the region while pursuing its nuclear policy and calling for Israel to be wiped off the map. And in those unfortunate places where elections have indeed been held, Islamists swept the ballots, surfing on popular resentment against America, Israel and the West.”

It’s All President Bush’s Fault…

On July 25, The Russian paper, Pravda, published an overly simplified article by Rodrigue Tremblay, a professor emeritus of economics at the University of Montreal. However, the article shows the willingness of many to blame President Bush for almost everything which goes wrong these days in the world. The article stated:

“Coincidence or not, things started to go bad internationally soon after George W. Bush squeezed into power in January 2001, with the help of a one-member majority of the U.S. Supreme Court. Days after his inauguration, the new president began uttering incendiary statements, seemingly designed to provoke the Muslim world, but also to bully America’s allies… To what extent the al-Qaeda attacks of 9/11 were in response to Bush’s provocations, we will probably never know. One thing is certain, however, and it is that they surely did not help… The U.N.-sanctioned 2001 attacks against the al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan were accepted by the rest of the world as a necessary military mission to extirpate the virus of Islamist terrorism. Such was not the case with the unprovoked 2003 war against Iraq. There were no Islamist terrorists in Iraq before George W. Bush decided on his own to invade and occupy that country militarily…

“Bush II also demonstrated how irremediably caught up he is in the tangled neocon web when, in early July 2006, he ‘authorized’ Israel’s Ehud Olmert to indiscriminately bomb the defenseless country of Lebanon, even though there were 25,000 Americans in that country and hundreds of thousands of other nationals at risk. What’s more, Israeli offensive military forces were dropping American bombs on Beirut and on Lebanese villages. As a consequence, more than 350 Lebanese and other nationals, nearly all of whom were civilians and a third, children, have perished under Israeli bombs… In the Muslim world… [the] advent of democracy has been set back decades because Bush’s illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq has resulted in an Islamist and anti-democracy reaction. This reaction has been exacerbated by the military invasion of Lebanon by the U.S.’s client state, Israel… Even in Turkey, the most pro-Western Islamic country and a member of NATO, the anti-West mood is ‘rising’. The very idea of exporting ‘democracy’ with bombs and tanks was crazy to begin with, more like a cruel hoax. Elections in some of the most extreme Islamic countries were bound to bring anti-West religious parties to power.

“Indeed, in recent general elections in many Middle East countries, Islamist parties have obtained significant victories: for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, for Hamas in Palestine, for Hezbollah in Lebanon, and for a host of Islamist religious parties in Iraq, Somalia, and Afghanistan. As time goes on and the American-led occupation of Iraq and the Israeli occupation of Lebanon persist, and as American puppet Israel continues to kill innocent civilians in Gaza and in Lebanon, radical Islamist parties will gain further in popularity in most, if not all, Muslim countries. The U.S. will lose any following and Western values will be shunted aside in favor of radical Islamism. What a mess! It is really true that under the failed leadership of George W. Bush, the world is going to hell (politically, economically and morally speaking)!”

Why do we find so much anti-Americanism in the world? For answers, please read our free booklets, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” and, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Interview With Lebanese President Emile Lahoud

On July 14, 2006, Der Spiegel published an interview with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud. His statements are remarkable in light of the present war in the Middle East and reflect quite a different mindset than that of the Western World, showing that a peaceful solution for the country of Lebanon is as far away as ever. Lahoud stated:

“I myself built up [the Lebanese] army following the civil war and integrated all the religious groups: Muslims, Christians and Druze. This army is there to secure internal peace, but it is not an army to fight a war… But it wasn’t the army that freed the occupied south of the country, rather it was the resistance which achieved that. Without this resistance Lebanon would still be occupied today… Naturally the strongholds of the resistance [i.e., Hezbollah] are not known [to the Lebanese army or the Israelis]. Despite the hail of bombs, the Israelis have been unable to produce one single photo of a destroyed resistance base, because they don’t know where they are. Army bases, on the other hand, are well known and this is why they are invariably destroying our armed forces and, above all, civilian targets… The Israeli armed forces are destroying Lebanon, and the international community isn’t trying to hold them back, but giving them more time to complete their plan of destruction… The exchange of prisoners has always worked perfectly in the past. The Germans above all were very helpful in this process. It is unclear whether that will happen this time. It’s a charged atmosphere…

“Hezbollah enjoys utmost prestige in Lebanon, because it freed our country. All over the Arab world you hear: Hezbollah maintains Arab honor, and even though it (Hezbollah) is very small, it stands up to Israel… As long as the conflict between Lebanon and Israel remains unresolved, no international force will help, however large it may be. The problems smoulder on: the undetermined status of the Schebaa Farms, the Lebanese prisoners in Israel and above all the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon… We have today around half a million Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, their birth rate is three times higher than the Lebanese. That is a time bomb. It is the basic problem of our country, it led to the outbreak of civil war in 1975 and still remains unsolved today. Everybody today is talking about UN resolution 1559 [United Nations Resolution 1559 demands that the (Lebanese) army should control the whole country], but nobody mentions resolution 194, which recognizes the Palestinians’ right of return (to Israel). Lebanon is small and can’t integrate the Palestinians.”

Catholic Church Does Not Get Involved in Politics?

The Associated Press reported on July 21 about some rather strange comments from Pope Benedict XVI, pertaining to the present crisis in the Middle East:

“Pope Benedict XVI said Friday that he does not plan to intervene diplomatically in the Middle East fighting, but called on people of all religions to join Sunday’s worldwide day of prayers for peace. ‘I think it is best to leave that to the diplomats, because we don’t enter politics. But we do everything for peace. Our goal is simply peace, and we will do everything to help attain peace,’ Benedict told reporters… The pope has set aside Sunday as a worldwide day of prayers for peace, hoping the prayers will bring a halt to the fighting. Benedict invited everyone to pray ‘especially Muslims and Jews.’

“Benedict said he had heard from Catholic communities in Lebanon and Israel. ‘Especially from Lebanon, who implored us, as they have implored the Italian government, to help,’ he said. ‘We will help with our prayers and with the people we have… in Lebanon.'”

Zenit added on July 20:

“A communiqué issued today by the Vatican press office said the decision was due to the ‘great concern’ with which the Holy Father follows ‘the fate of all the affected peoples.’ With this initiative, the Pope invites ‘the pastors and faithful of all the particular Churches, and all believers of the world, to implore from God the precious gift of peace,’ explained the Vatican communiqué. In particular, the Bishop of Rome appeals for prayer to the Lord ‘for an immediate cease-fire between the sides, for humanitarian corridors to be opened in order to bring help to the suffering peoples and for reasonable and responsible negotiations to begin to put an end to objective situations of injustice that exist in that region.’ According to the Pontiff, ‘the Lebanese have the right to see the integrity and sovereignty of their country respected, the Israelis, the right to live in peace in their state, and the Palestinians have the right to have their own free and sovereign homeland.'”

The office of Pope does hold great influence in this world–in fact, the Pope is the most influential religious personality of our day. Biblical prophecy reveals that this office, and the person occupying it, will become more and more powerful in coming years. The Word of God reveals that BOTH a religious and a military entity will soon emerge in continental Europe to jointly dominate events all over the earth! Please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy”, for more of the dramatic details of these future events!

Outrageous U.S. Court Decision in Collaboration With Social Services

The Associated Press reported on July 21 about an outrageous decision with the effect of an intrusion into the rights of religion and privacy of the parents and the victim who is suffering of cancer:

“A [Virginia] judge ruled Friday that a 16-year-old boy fighting to use alternative treatment for his cancer must report to a hospital by Tuesday and accept treatment that doctors deem necessary, the family’s attorney said. The judge also found Starchild Abraham Cherrix’s parents were neglectful for allowing him to pursue alternative treatment of a sugar-free, organic diet and herbal supplements supervised by a clinic in Mexico, lawyer John Stepanovich said. Jay and Rose Cherrix… must continue to share custody of their son with the Accomack County Department of Social Services, as the judge had previously ordered, Stepanovich said. The parents were devastated by the new order and planned to appeal, the lawyer said.”

Just Wait…

USA Today reported on July 22 about the ongoing disagreement between Presidents Bush and Putin. The article stated:

“They’re the two most powerful people in the world. They shared private and public thoughts this past week. Two words summed up the difference in their philosophy, policy and style. This exchange between President Bush and Russian President Putin at a news conference after their private meeting at the Group of Eight summit tells it all:

“Bush: ‘I talked about my desire to promote institutional change in parts of the world like Iraq where there’s a free press and free religion … a lot of people in our country would hope that Russia would do the same thing.’

“Putin: ‘We certainly would not want to have the same kind of democracy as they have in Iraq, I will tell you quite honestly.’

“Bush: ‘Just wait.’

“’Wait’ has been the Bush clarion call in Iraq for years. Wait, we’ll find weapons of mass destruction. Wait, elections will bring a real working democracy. Wait, Iraq’s military will stand up and then our troops can stand down. ‘Wait’ makes Iraq Bush’s Achilles’ heel, which weakens his position with other world leaders on other world problems. The G-8 talked about them all–North Korea, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, the Hezbollah. Most issues produced compromising double talk because the G-8 countries have no strong world leader.”

God’s Holy Spirit is foremost the POWER of God, emanating from both the Father and the Son. But it is also the MIND of God, including all the characteristics of God Himself. When God’s Holy Spirit dwells in us, we are to change, by replacing our human nature with the nature of God (1 Samuel 10:6; Romans 8:13), enabling us to follow God and to be obedient to Him (Numbers 14:24; Ezekiel 11:19-20; 36:27; 1 Peter 1:22).

Let us notice several Scriptures which describe in detail God’s characteristics, which are being conveyed to us through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Please consider that all of these characteristics are GOD’S–that is, when we read that God’s Spirit is a Spirit of Power, it is actually GOD’s Power that is emanating from God (both the Father and the Son) through the Holy Spirit:

— God’s Spirit is a Spirit of Power (Luke 4:14; Micah 3:8; Romans 15:13), of Love (Romans 5:5) and of a Sound Mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

— God’s Spirit is a Spirit of Wisdom (Exodus 28:3) and of the Revelation in the Knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:17; compare 1 Corinthians 2:10-16), as well as of Understanding, Counsel and Might, Knowledge and the Fear of God (Isaiah 11:2).

— God’s Spirit is a Spirit of Truth (John 15:26; 16:13).

— God’s Spirit is a Spirit of Faith (2 Corinthians 4:13).

— God’s Spirit is a Spirit of Joy (1 Thessalonians 1:6) and of Peace (Romans 14:17).

— God’s Spirit is a Spirit of Grace and of Supplication or fervent prayer (Zechariah 12:10).

When God gives us His Holy Spirit, we are to bring forth the fruit of God’s Spirit, which is described as “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Please note that it does not say, “fruits,” but “fruit”–when God’s Spirit dwells in us, we are to produce ALL of these characteristics, as they all–together–are THE FRUIT of God’s Spirit. This means that the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of those characteristics, producing ITS fruit in us. We are told that the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth (Ephesians 5:9). With God’s Spirit within us, we will also bring forth justice in our lives (Isaiah 42:1). God’s Spirit within us gives us comfort (Acts 9:31) and hope (Romans 15:13).

God’s Spirit within us teaches us all things and brings to remembrance all things (John 14:26; 1 John 2:27). With God’s Spirit within us, we can worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24; Philippians 3:3).

God’s Spirit in us is not static. It must be used by us. God’s Holy Spirit is compared with living waters. As living waters flow, so God’s Holy Spirit within us must flow from us toward others–that is, others must be able to recognize the effects of God’s Spirit within us (John 4:10, 13-14; 7:37-39). As God’s Spirit is to flow through us and out of us toward others, it must be renewed on a regular basis (through regular prayer), so that we can be constantly filled with it (Psalm 51:10-11; Philippians 1:19; Ephesians 5:18; compare 2 Corinthians 4:16). Rather than quenching the Holy Spirit within us (1 Thessalonians 5:19), we must be led by and follow the lead of the Spirit (Romans 8:14; Luke 4:1).

In order to learn more about the Biblical truth that the Holy Spirit is NOT a person, and how we can receive God’s Holy Spirit, please read our free booklets, “Is God a Trinity?” and “Baptism–A Requirement for Salvation.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Correction:

In the Q&A of our previous Update #253 (on Matthew 28:1), it was erroneously stated that during the crucifixion week, the annual Holy Day–the First Day of Unleavened Bread–fell on a Wednesday, beginning with sunset on Tuesday. This is incorrect. The annual Holy Day fell on a THURSDAY, BEGINNING with sunset on WEDNESDAY. The version of the Q&A, as posted on the Web, has been corrected.

A new StandingWatch program has been posted on the Web. It is titled, “Why No Peace in the Middle East?” Set forth below is a brief summary:

When observing the current events in the Middle East, a lasting peaceful and prosperous solution seems to be as elusive as ever. We are not here to assess blame, but just to report the events based on Biblical prophecy. The Bible shows indeed, how current events will lead to the ultimate fulfillment of a situation which has been clearly foretold a long time ago. Why is it that we are seemingly unable to create a peaceful and happy world?

StandingWatch responses from Google Video:

The following sets forth some of the all-time high responses to our StandingWatch programs, so far, posted on Google Video (These figures do not include views on and downloads from our StandingWatch Website):

Is Nuclear War Coming? —  1,245 views and 43 downloads
Ghosts of Departed Ones? — 695 views and 1 download
Da Vinci, Judas and a Fish — 613 views and 20 downloads
Afghanistan’s Radical Islam — 602 views and 15 downloads
Germany in Prophecy — 483 views and 13 downloads
666, the Beast and Antichrist — 477 views and 11 downloads
America’s Illegal Aliens — 441 views and 6 downloads
Evolution or the Bible — 379 views and 15 downloads
What Is Happening in Germany — 355 views and 4 downloads
American Hiroshima — 353 views and 13 downloads
The Pope Is Dead–What Is Next? — 330 views and 1 download

Totals of all programs posted on Google Video so far have been 9,308 views and 212 downloads.

Dwight Armstrong Hymns in Public Domain

Worldwide Church of God officials announced on June 26, 2006, that it is placing all Dwight Armstrong composed hymns to which it owns the copyright into the public domain. Effective immediately, any person or group who wishes to copy or use these hymns may do so without receiving permission from the Church. Church officials have said that the works released into the public domain are only those hymns by Dwight Armstrong to which  the Church holds the copyright. No other hymns or materials of any kind are being placed into the public domain, and the responsibility is on the user to ascertain whether the work it wishes to use is one of the released hymns.

With the copyright holder’s expression of intent to abandon the copyright to Dwight Armstrong’s hymns, they have now entered the public domain.

by Eric Rank

As I write this, I’m in the midst of moving my family 1000 miles away from the place we call home. The other night I lay awake, quite overwhelmed, reflecting on the impact of this decision to move. All I could think about were the things we’re leaving behind. We’re leaving my loving parents and family; I’m leaving a good job; we’re moving away from a comfortable house in a neighborhood we enjoy; and we’re leaving some very dear friends. With all this in mind, I summed up my feelings with a single, emotionally charged, frightened, anxious and melancholy sentence. I said out loud to my wife and companion in this adventure, “I’m really happy here.”

At this last minute I realized that I’m giving up a life that I truly enjoy to move to a place where just about everything will be different and few things certain. It’s very scary.

It reminds me of the story of Abram, when God tells him to leave his home to a land to be shown to him by God. When this happened he was 75 years old, and well-established in his life. Yet, because God made a promise to him, he faithfully packed up his household and moved, knowing only that it was commanded by God and that he would be blessed for his obedience.

In my family’s move, the one thing that I am certain of is that we’ll be blessed with the opportunity to grow spiritually. We are moving to an area where we will be building relationships with other brethren, challenging ourselves to grow spiritually in ways that we cannot in the place we’re moving away from.

When I become overwhelmed by the immense changes right now, I find comfort knowing that moving 1000 miles away from here is the best spiritual move that we could possibly make. But that still doesn’t make it easy.

What does make it easier is remembering that Christ told us not to love this life to the death. I have to apply this by always attempting to put spiritual benefits above physical comfort. As God promised Abram, He promises us, that if we succeed in obeying His commandment to live according to the way of His Holy Spirit, we too will be blessed.

On July 22, 2006, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “In The Beginning, Part 3.”

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.

In a recent article about an Associated Press-Ipsos poll, just over
half of those who took the survey said lying was never justified, YET
in the same exact poll nearly two-thirds said it was OK to lie in
particular situations.  One “noted ethicist” even proclaimed that
he was a proponent of lying and we have a moral obligation to lie.

The
most dumbfounding aspect of this was that most would say that lying was
necessary at the most ludicrous of times:  when asked about their
age; whether they were very sick; how someone looked in a dress;
etc. 

Hopefully we can see how ridiculous this is, and
these things would not be an issue for us.  But, what about the
tougher predicaments? What if we were faced with something of a more
dire nature?  Is it OK for us to lie to save someone’s life or in
order to spare our own?

This is where some are more likely to go
off the rail.  The short answer is no.  We do not have the
prerogative to decide when we can lie.  The Bible does not say
that it is OK to lie if a situation warrants it in our mind.  To
believe that the Great God did not conceive of the dilemmas that we
would face when He asked us not to lie is to discount God and to lack
faith in Him.

It is a necessity to worship God in truth (John
4:24), and if we lie, it should go without saying that this is not of
the truth (1 John 2:21). If we consider ourselves to be followers of
what God instructs us in His Word, the Bible, we cannot lie to anyone,
at any time, about anything (Colossians 3:9).

If we are of God,
then we will keep His Word, the Truth.  If we believe that we have
to lie, then we follow the originator of lying, the devil (John 8:44,
47). If we love and believe God and His Word, then we can rest assured
that all will work out for good (Romans 8:28).

ONGOING WAR in the Middle East

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 17:

“A spiral of violence has stymied peace in the Middle East for decades. Now, as bombs are being dropped on Beirut, rockets fired at Haifa and tanks sent into Gaza, Israel and Muslim extremists have brought the region to the brink of all out war…  Israeli fighter jets destroyed the runway at Beirut’s international airport. Then the city’s fuel storage tanks went up in flames. Israeli warships moved into Lebanese waters, blockading the country’s ports. Lebanon, which had just halfway recovered from 15 years of civil war, was bombed back into the last century during hundreds of air strikes in the last week. The simple headline ‘War’ in newspapers on both sides of the border said it all… the Israelis found themselves being bombed back into the days of the wars of 1948-49, 1956, 1967 and 1973, as tens of thousands fled from Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on Israeli territory. Nahariya, a popular Israeli seaside resort, turned into a ghost town in the wake of a barrage of Katyusha rockets. More than a third of the city’s 50,000 inhabitants left after Hezbollah’s attacks caused dozens of injuries and one death.

“For the first time, the apparently upgraded Soviet-era Katyusha rockets hit the port city of Haifa, which had been considered out of range and safe. Eight Israeli railway employees were killed in an attack on Sunday on Israel’s third-largest city, triggering panic among Haifa’s 270,000 inhabitants…

“The most recent escalation of violence in the Middle East is the outcome of a cooperative effort as surprising as it is threatening. It appears that the Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Sunni Hamas in the Palestinian Gaza Strip have for the first time managed to coordinate an operation on two fronts. Despite their bloody clashes in Iraq, the two factions within Islam have apparently set aside their differences in their struggle against common enemy Israel…

“[H]atred for Israel grows with each day, as Israeli fighter jets launch ever more ferocious bombing attacks on targets in Beirut and southern Lebanon, destroying bridges and roads, and as television stations broadcast close-up images of bloody corpses disfigured by shrapnel. Many Lebanese already sympathize with the Shiite militia for having liberated southern Lebanon in its struggle against Israeli occupation.”

In a related article, Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 17:

“The militant Islamist group Hezbollah fire[d] Iranian-built missiles even deeper into northern Israel after Israeli Defense Forces bombarded Hezbollah strongholds and even Lebanese army targets over the weekend. World leaders have called for diplomacy and ‘international forces’ to keep the peace… Attending the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Israel had ‘a right to defend itself,’ but she and other G-8 leaders also called on Israel to stop attacking Lebanon. ‘We don’t want to let the forces of terrorism and those who support them get the chance to create chaos in the Middle East,’ Merkel said in an interview with the German television station ZDF. But German sources told SPIEGEL that, internally, Merkel’s government considered the Israeli bombardments ‘an excessive reaction.’…

“At their meeting in St. Petersburg over the weekend, G-8 leaders had trouble reaching a consensus over how to respond to the Mideast crisis. In a joint statement on Sunday, the G-8 leaders called for ‘an immediate end to the current violence.’ But throughout the weekend, differences of opinion emerged over where criticism should be directed. Bush held Hezbollah responsible for the violence and offered ‘tacit approval’ (New York Times) for Israel’s attack against Hezbollah. ‘Our message to Israel is, look, defend yourself, but as you do so, be mindful of the consequences,’ Bush said on Sunday, ‘And so we’ve urged restraint.’ But Russia’s Putin accused Israel of going further than just defending itself. ‘We do get the impression that the aims of Israel go beyond just recovering their kidnapped soldiers,’ he told reporters…

“Missiles fired from Lebanon late Sunday landed in the Israeli city of Afula — about 50 kilometers from the Israeli-Lebanese border and further south than ever before. At least one missile landed near Nazareth, while others fell in western Galilee, near the coastal city of Akko, and in Haifa. Eight people were killed in the first rocket attack on Haifa on Sunday… Egyptian ministers separately confirmed on Saturday that an Egyptian civilian ship off the coast of Lebanon had been hit during a barrage of rocket fire between Hezbollah militants and Israeli gunships. Hezbollah had launched an attack on a fleet of Israeli military vessels laying siege to Lebanon from the water; Israel said a stray Lebanese missile hit the Egyptian boat. Egypt’s state news agency MENA, however, reported that the ship had been hit by Israeli fire. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said it was too early to say which side had fired the shot…

“Thousands of foreign civilians are currently being evacuated from Lebanon. An estimated 20,000 French, 2,000 Germans and 5,000 Swedes reside in the country. Hundreds were being evacuated on Monday by air and by sea. The American, Israeli, and EU governments have coordinated the evacuations. Tens of thousands of Syrian guest workers, meanwhile, lined up at a Lebanese border crossing to escape the hail of bombs.”

The British paper, The Times, wrote on July 15:

“Regardless of the outcome of the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the clear losers will be the Lebanese who had hoped that their country was shedding its image as a synonym for violence. “

The British paper, The Independent, added on July 15:

“The beautiful viaduct that soars over the mountainside here has become a ‘terrorist’ target. The Israelis attacked the international highway from Beirut to Damascus just after dawn yesterday and dropped a bomb clean through the central span of the Italian-built bridge–a symbol of Lebanon’s co-operation with the European Union–sending concrete crashing hundreds of feet down into the valley beneath. It was the pride of the murdered ex-prime minister Rafik Hariri, the face of a new, emergent Lebanon. And now it is a ‘terrorist’ target.”

The AFP reported on July 19:

“At least 55 civilians were killed as Israeli jets and gunboats pummelled towns and villages across Lebanon and tens of thousands of people fled a conflict that both sides defiantly warned would have no limit. In the bloodiest day since the fighting erupted eight days ago, two Israeli soldiers were also reported killed in clashes with guerrillas from the Shiite Muslim Hezbollah movement as another volley of rockets fell on northern Israel. Streams of Lebanese were fleeing their homes to find safe havens and thousands of foreigners, mainly Westerners, were being evacuated by sea from Beirut to the neighbouring Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

“The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian catastrophe, with 500,000 people displaced by the Israeli onslaught and the air and sea blockade and at least 310 people killed in Lebanon alone since last Wednesday. With the international community unable to agree even on a ceasefire call, Israel vowed its ‘intensive war’ against militants would go on as long it deemed necessary. ‘The security cabinet met this morning and decided on the continuation of the offensives in Lebanon and Gaza with no time limit,’ an Israeli official said. Hezbollah, whose leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed open war against Israel after his Beirut headquarters was bombed, retorted that its guerrillas can continue to strike with ‘an arsenal of rockets for long months, and not just days or weeks.’…

“Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, who took office about a year ago after the first elections since former powerbroker Syria ended its three-decade military presence, accused Israel of ‘committing massacres’ against his people… For many ordinary Lebanese there is little chance of… a rescue and many were fleeing their homes in southern Leb
anon, which has borne the brunt of the Israeli operation, to try to find safe havens.”

The Associated Press reported on July 20 that “Israeli troops met fierce resistance from Hezbollah guerrillas Thursday as they crossed into Lebanon to seek tunnels and weapons for a second straight day, and Israel hinted at a full-scale invasion.”

The Jerusalem Post reported on July 20 that “The Lebanese Minister of Defense warned Israel Thursday that if IDF ground forces are sent into southern Lebanon, Lebanese troops will fight along with the Hizbullah against Israel.”

US Already Bankrupt?

On July 14, the British newspaper, “The Telegraph,” published an article about the financial situation of the United States, titled, “US ‘could be going bankrupt.'” In the article, it was pointed out:

“The United States is heading for bankruptcy, according to an extraordinary paper published by one of the key members of the country’s central bank… Prof Kotlikoff said that, by some measures, the US is already bankrupt. ‘To paraphrase the Oxford English Dictionary, is the United States at the end of its resources, exhausted, stripped bare, destitute, bereft, wanting in property, or wrecked in consequence of failure to pay its creditors?’, he asked. According to his central analysis, ‘the US government is, indeed, bankrupt, insofar as it will be unable to pay its creditors, who, in this context, are current and future generations to whom it has explicitly or implicitly promised future net payments of various kinds.'”

Worldwide Donors to the Catholic Church

On July 13, Zenit published an article, explaining that Mexico belongs to the list of the ten highest donors to the Vatican. According to the article, “the Mexican contribution is ninth in the world, after that of the United States, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, Canada and Korea, and before that of Austria. Mexico is in ninth place both in contributions to ‘Peter’s Pence’ as well as in the contributions of bishops in the collection carried out in their dioceses to support the universal mission of the Church… In previous years, the country of some 90 million Catholics had no significant place in aid to the work of the Church.”

Has the Iraq War Produced A Better Iraq?

On July 19, 2006, The Associated Press reported:

“Nearly 6,000 civilians were slain across Iraq in May and June, a spike in deaths that coincided with rising sectarian attacks across the country… The report from the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq describes a wave of lawlessness and crime, including assassinations, bombings, kidnappings, torture and intimidation. Hundreds of teachers, judges, religious leaders and doctors have been targeted for death, and thousands of people have fled, the report said…

“In the last two days alone, more than 120 people were killed in violence in Iraq. In the worst attacks, fifty-three perished in a suicide bombing Tuesday in Kufa, and 50 were slain Monday in a market in Mahmoudiya… In the first six months of the year, it said 14,338 people had been killed… Women report that their rights have been rolled back by extremist Muslim groups–both Shiite and Sunni. While under Saddam Hussein’s largely secular regime, women faced few social restrictions, they say they are now barred from going to market alone, wearing pants or driving cars. And children are frequently victims, perishing in large crowds or sometimes even targeted themselves, the report said. ‘Violence, corruption, inefficiency of state organs to exert control over security, establish the rule of law and protect individual and collective rights all lead to inability of both the state and the family to meet the needs of children,’ it said. The government still has not pursued many allegations of torture and other inhumane treatment in prisons and detention centers, the U.N. said.”

America In World War III?

On July 15, The Seattle Times quoted former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich as saying that “America is in World War III.” In the article, it was pointed out: “Gingrich said in the coming days he plans to speak out publicly, and to the Administration, about the need to recognize that America is in World War III. He lists wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, this week’s bomb attacks in India, North Korean nuclear threats, terrorist arrests and investigations in Florida, Canada and Britain, and violence in Israel and Lebanon as evidence of World War III… He said people, including some in the Bush Administration, who urge a restrained response from Israel are wrong ‘because they haven’t crossed the bridge of realizing this is a war.’ ‘This is World War III,’ Gingrich said. And once that’s accepted, he said calls for restraint would fall away… Gingrich said that public opinion can change ‘the minute you use the language’ of World War III. The message then, he said, is ‘OK, if we’re in the third world war, which side do you think should win?’ An historian, Gingrich said he has been studying recently how Abraham Lincoln talked to Americans about the Civil War, and what turned out to be a much longer and deadlier war than Lincoln expected.”

Earthquake and Tsunami Hit Java Island

The Associated Press reported on July 17 that “A powerful earthquake sent a two-meter high tsunami crashing into beach resorts along Indonesia’s Java island Monday, killing around 20 people and causing extensive damage to hotels, restaurants and homes, witnesses and officials said [It was subsequently reported that the tsunami killed over 530 people and left more than 50,000 people without home or shelter]… The tsunami followed a quake that struck deep beneath the Indian Ocean 150 miles southwest of Java’s western coast… The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.2, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was followed by a [series of aftershocks, including a] 6.1-magnitude aftershock two hours later.”

According to subsequent reports on July 19, another 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the region on Wednesday.

The article continued:

“Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because of its location on the so-called Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’ an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami killed at least 216,000 people, nearly half of them in Indonesia’s Aceh province. On May 27, a magnitude-5.9 earthquake devastated a large swath of Java Island, killing more than 5,800 people.”

Israel’s Goals in Lebanon

On July 19, Der Spiegel Online discussed the reaction of the German press to Israel’s fight in the Middle East. The magazine quoted numerous German newspapers, as follows:

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung doubts a buffer zone will do much good… ‘The (rocket) attacks on Haifa prove that Hezbollah has weapons to reach Israel even from the hinterlands of Lebanon,’ writes the paper. The idea of disarming Hezbollah and forcing Lebanon to obey Resolution 1559 also seems to be an Israeli pipedream: ‘Until now the Lebanese army has been too weak, and whether they will want or be able to fulfil this task after the terrorists have been decimated in their own country remains an open question.’ Until Hezbollah surrenders, writes the FAZ, even sending UN troops to keep the peace will be ‘an illusion,’ and the risk of escalation remains high…

“The right-wing daily Die Welt runs a guest editorial filed from Tel Aviv, which argues that the international press has focused on Israel’s use of military force but missed the larger point: Israel hasn’t ‘opened’ a war on two fronts (in Lebanon as well as Gaza); Israel has ‘responded on two fronts’ after months of harassment and hundreds of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, the author, conservative US commentator Jeffrey Gedmin, writes…

“The left-wing daily Die Tageszeitung also runs a guest editorial, by the German-born Israeli peace activist and journalist Uri Avnery. It’s a ‘total illusion,’ Avnery writes, to think the Lebanese government would disarm a popular movement like Hezbollah, or that the Lebanese army–full of Shiites sympathetic to the Shiite militants– would fight them. ‘The only solution (for Israel) will be an agreement with the Shiites, and an indirect one with Syria and Iran,’ he argues, warning that Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has started to position himself in the Arab world ‘as a kind of liberator the Palestinians.’ Israel needs to negotiate, Avnery believes…

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung… wonders exactly where the violence will lead. Hezbollah’s rockets are hidden in civilian cellars, and ‘the longer this war of deterrence lasts and the more civilian victims are mourned in Lebanon, the more pictures of destruction will shove the true instigators of this war — Hezbollah — into the background.'”

Anti-Israeli Sentiments Grow

The EUObserver wrote on July 16 that “US foreign affairs chief Condoleezza Rice played down the split between Europe and America on reactions to Israel’s bombing of Lebanon… The US lays blame on Hamas and Hezbollah militants, arguing that Iran and Syria incited and supported the groups in kidnapping Israeli soldiers to halt Lebanon and Palestine’s recent moves toward democracy and peace with Tel Aviv… Mr Bush’s Iraq ally, UK leader Tony Blair, broadly aligned himself with the US after a bilateral meeting on Sunday morning, blaming Iran and Syria for disrupting regional ‘democratisation’ and saying ‘we have got to deal with those underlying conditions.’ But French president Jacques Chirac and Russian leader Vladimir Putin came out on Saturday night with strongly anti-Israeli statements in an international polarisation reminiscent of the divisions around the 2003 Iraq invasion itself.”

The Christian Science Monitor wrote on July 18:

“With Israel’s confrontation with Hizbullah and Lebanon lurching closer to all-out war, winds of anger are blowing through the Middle East that are likely to strengthen the political hand of radical Islamists from Egypt to Saudi Arabia. Since the fighting began, at least 24 Israelis, 12 of them civilians, have been killed and at least 175 Lebanese, nearly all civilians. In recent weeks, about 200 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in a separate showdown between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group who won power in elections earlier this year. The confrontation–coupled with the rising civilian toll–also poses a serious threat to US interests in the region… Anger at Saudi Arabia’s close relationship with the US, and by association Israel, has long generated support for Al Qaeda among many Saudis… The escalating confrontation between Israel and Lebanon is also helping Syria and Iran gain influence and prestige among Arab populations for their strong support of Hizbullah and Hamas.”

Rift Between EU and USA Over Israel?

On July 19, The Associated Press reported:

“A rift is emerging between the European Union and the United States over whether Israel should cease its offensive against Hezbollah guerrillas.

“The Europeans fear mounting civilian casualties will play into the hands of militants and weaken Lebanon’s democratically elected government. The Bush administration, while noting these concerns, is giving Israel a tacit green light to take the time it needs to neutralize the Shiite militant group.

“The mixed message could help Israel in its mission to destroy Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Lebanon and stop the guerrillas’ deadly rocket fire on Israel. But Islamic hard-liners and terrorist groups could be long-term winners, using the vivid television imagery of the death and destruction in Lebanon to win popularity and promote their jihads.”

Iran’s Hezbollah Welcomes World War III

Newsmax.com reported on July 18:

“Iran’s Hezbollah, which claims links to the Lebanese group of the same name, said on Tuesday it stood ready to attack Israeli and U.S. interests worldwide. ‘We have 2,000 volunteers who have registered since last year,’ said Iranian Hezbollah’s spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli… ‘They have been trained and they can become fully armed. We are ready to dispatch them to every corner of the world to jeopardize Israel and America’s interests. We are only waiting for the Supreme Leader’s green light to take action. If America wants to ignite World War Three . . . we welcome it,’ he said… While Iran did fund and support Lebanese Hezbollah during the 1980s, Tehran says it has not contributed troops or weapons in the latest violence. Israel says Iranian armaments have been fired against it.”

Is Lebanon’s Hezbollah Planning Attacks in the USA?

TCV News reported on July 16 that “While many US government officials are deeply concerned over Iran’s nuclear program, according to recent reports, investigations by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department revealed last May that the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah may be plotting attacks. These attacks may be launched by their sleeper cells in New York and several other US cities… Hezbollah, or God’s Party, grew out of the Lebanese civil war in the early 1980s and quickly became the region’s leading radical Islamic movement. Their primary goal was to drive Israeli and American troops out of Lebanon. For many years, Hezbollah was synonymous with terror, suicide bombings and kidnappings.

“In 1983, militants who went on to join Hezbollah’s ranks carried out a suicide bombing attack that killed 241 US marines in Beirut, which lead to President Ronald Reagan’s withdrawal order for all US military peacekeepers. In May 2000 — due to the success of the party’s military arm — one of its main aims was achieved. Israel’s military was forced to end almost 20 years of occupation in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah now serves as an inspiration to Palestinian factions fighting to liberate more territory. The party has embraced the Palestinian cause and has said publicly that it is ready to open a second front against Israel in support of the intifada.”

“Hezbollah’s political rhetoric’s central theme is the total annihilation of the state of Israel. Its definition of Israeli occupation has also encompassed the idea that the whole of Palestine is occupied Muslim land and it has argued that Israel has no right to exist. Hezbollah’s spiritual head Sheikh Fadlallah is close to Iranian government and is believed responsible for the vitriolic speeches of the Iranian president.

“Hezbollah is funded, armed and trained by the Iranians and given free reign by Syria’s ruling Ba’athist Party. Its international network, according to terrorism analysts, is believed to include at least 15,000 operatives in cells in the US, Canada, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, most of Western Europe, Indonesia, Malaysia, and throughout Africa. Western intelligence sources estimate Hezbollah’s annual budget to be approximately $400 million, including almost $100 million annually from Iran.

“Other sources of funding include Syria, charitable organizations, individual donations, legitimate business, and illegitimate businesses such as illegal arms trading, cigarette smuggling, currency counterfeiting, credit card fraud, theft, operating illegal telephone exchanges, and drug trafficking. Recently two men were convicted of running a criminal operation that helped to fund Hezbollah.”

Slow Evacuations of Americans

USA Today reported on July 18:

“Thousands of Americans remained stranded Monday in Lebanon as the State and Defense departments developed plans to evacuate them. By late Monday, 64 Americans had been flown by Marine helicopter to safety on the island of Cyprus. The pace of the evacuation angered some in the USA with relatives in the country… As Israel and the militant Islamic group Hezbollah trade rocket attacks and airstrikes, European nations with citizens in Lebanon have evacuated more of their citizens more quickly than the United States. For example, about 850 Swedes among about 5,000 in Lebanon have been evacuated, and Sweden also chartered three ships to bring Swedes from Beirut to Cyprus… The State Department rejected a land evacuation through Syria because of safety concerns for Americans in that country…

“The Defense and State departments are developing a plan to evacuate those of the 25,000 Americans in Lebanon who want to leave, said Thomas Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Cyprus. A U.S. Embassy statement issued Monday instructed American citizens to be ready to leave immediately. It may be a week or more before the evacuation is fully underway, Miller said. Israeli airstrikes have damaged the international airport, making the sea Americans’ main escape route. The Pentagon has mobilized some ships and troops to aid in the evacuation. The 750-passenger Orient Queen, a Greek cruise ship, has been chartered to ferry evacuees from Beirut to Cyprus.”

As CNN reported on July 18, many Americans begin to compare the slow response of the American government to the crisis in Lebanon with its slow response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.

On July 19, 2006, The Associated Press reported:

“An eight-deck cruise liner [the “Orient Queen”] carrying more than 1,000 Americans sailed out of Beirut’s port Wednesday, the first mass U.S. evacuation from Lebanon since Israeli airstrikes started more than a week ago. The U.S. Marine general coordinating the evacuation says 6,000 Americans will be out of Lebanon by the weekend… Many of those aboard were relieved to depart, after complaints of slow action by the United States compared to European countries that sent cruise ships, ferries and warships over the past three days to move out thousands… The Americans also stepped up evacuations Wednesday by military aircraft from their hilltop embassy, which was expected to stay open. Four Chinook transport helicopters ferried 800 Americans from Beirut to nearby Larnaca airport in Cyprus. The Chinooks can carry twice as many people as the Sea Stallion choppers that have carried evacuees for the past three days… The U.S. State Department said Tuesday it had dropped a plan to make Americans reimburse the government for the transport… An estimated 8,000 of the 25,000 U.S. citizens in Lebanon want to be evacuated. A total of 320 Americans–mostly children, students and the elderly–left Tuesday night by military helicopter and a Norwegian car ferry, which also carried hundreds of Swedes, Norwegians and others… Part of what delayed the Orient Queen was Israel’s blockade of Lebanon’s ports…”

…While Some Other Nations Act More Quickly

AFP reported on July 18:

“World powers have deployed helicopters, warships, chartered ferries and buses to pluck tens of thousands of trapped foreigners from war-torn Lebanon in one of the biggest mass evacuations since World War II. With Beirut’s airport in tatters, foreigners fled by bus to Syria to escape Israeli bombs, missiles and artillery fire, as others were taken away by ship or helicopter to Cyprus. Israel has imposed an air and sea blockade around Lebanon but has said it will co-ordinate with foreign governments to allow their terrified nationals to leave.

“In London, Prime Minister Tony Blair said Britain now had six ships in the region… The British press has put pressure on Blair, saying Britons in Beirut are impatient with preparations to evacuate up to 12,000 British nationals, 10,000 dual nationals, and Commonwealth citizens… By early Tuesday, a chartered French ferry with about 1,250 people aboard — 800 French nationals, including 300 children, 400 from other European Union member states and 50 Americans — had already docked in Larnaca, Cyprus. The French nationals were to return to France on chartered Air France flights… Larnaca will also be the first port of call for nearly 50,000 Canadian citizens trapped by the fighting; Ottawa has chartered three ships — each capable of carrying 900 people — to help in the evacuation. An Italian vessel — with 186 Italians, 58 Lebanese and 49 Swedes and a new-born baby on board — docked there late Monday…

“Russians fleeing southern Lebanon described a harrowing journey along deserted and bombed roads to Beirut as others returned safely to Moscow from the Palestinian territories… Sweden is chartering a 1,600-passenger Greek vessel. Stockholm’s ambassador to Cyprus Ingemar Lindhal said 750 of its 5,000 passport holders are believed to have already escaped overland through Syria… Some 181 Polish nationals escaped to Syria on six buses which also contained about 30 other people, including Americans, Slovaks and Czechs… Spain said Tuesday that 113 people, most of them Spanish, had been brought home on board an armed forces Boeing 707 from Damascus, where they had arrived by bus… At the same time, German, Swiss and Austrian nationals began arriving back in Europe on chartered planes, many again on flights out of Damascus.”

The Costs of the Iraq War

The Associated Press reported on July 14 about the incredible financial costs of the Iraq war. According to the report, “The war in Iraq has cost almost $300 billion and would total almost a half-trillion dollars even if all U.S. troops were withdrawn by the end of 2009, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis released Thursday. Congress has approved $432 billion for military operations and other costs related to combating terror since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks… A recent competing analysis by the Congressional Research Service puts the tally for Iraq at $319 billion with the war in Afghanistan costing another $88 billion.”

No Capable Leaders in this World–While the World Is in Chaos?

 Britain’s “Daily Mail” wrote on July 17 about the G8 summit meeting in Russia, entitling its article: “The eight most powerful people on the planet…but weak, indecisive and utterly incapable of true world leadership.” The paper continued:

“Rarely can the impotence of what is supposed to be the most powerful group of people in the world have been placed in sharper focus. President Bush is limping to the end of his presidency; President Chirac of France and Japan’s Prime Minister Koizumi are both nearing the end of their own terms; Germany’s Chancellor Merkel, the new girl on the block, is already dragged down by mounting criticism at home; and our own Prime Minister Blair–well, say no more. Yet the G8 could hardly be meeting at a more dangerous juncture in world history, with the conflagration in the Middle East escalating virtually by the hour and the crisis over Iran’s uranium enrichment programme reaching a critical point of decision. If ever the state of the world called for united and decisive leadership, it is now…”

The paper made the following additional comments regarding the present war in the Middle East:

“It is wrong to see what has happened in Lebanon as a local skirmish that somehow got out of control. It is rather an attempt by Iran to gain regional dominance, with untold consequences for all of us if it succeeds. Israel is under ferocious attack by Iran and Syria through their proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas. Hezbollah is a kind of unofficial Iranian army, which continues to receive extensive funding and weapons from Tehran–including the arsenal of more than 13,000 rockets which have been pointed at Israel from their launchers in southern Lebanon for years. It was these missiles which hit Haifa yesterday, killing at least eight Israelis. It has been reported that Iranian Revolutionary Guards worked with Hezbollah in Lebanon on these attacks. And it was almost certainly Iran which instigated them. Iran’s President Ahmadinejad has threatened to wipe Israel off the map, as well as posing a mortal threat to the west from his regime’s potential for nuclear terrorism and blackmail. Last Tuesday, Iran dismissed the EU’s attempt to rein in its nuclear programme by saying it was in no hurry to respond…

“True, Israel’s response has been a fierce bombing campaign across Lebanon. It has blown up bridges, roads, Beirut airport and Lebanon’s TV station and many targets which it says were Hezbollah bases. It has choked off Lebanon’s economy, including its growing tourism industry. Tragically, more than 120 Lebanese have been killed so far, including a convoy of fleeing families and a further 23 civilians who died in raids yesterday. This has led to some accusing Israel of a disproportionate response. But in my view this is no more ‘disproportionate’ than, for example, Nato’s bombing of civilian targets in Serbia to force it to withdraw from Kosovo. War is always hell. Innocents always get killed, and where terrorists have deliberately embedded themselves among civilians it is hard to avoid such tragedies.

“It’s important to remember that the reason Iran was able to launch this wave of attacks upon Israel was the world’s abject failure to implement the UN Security Council resolution demanding the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon. Despite all their fierce words, both President Bush and Tony Blair are paralysed over Iran and other rogue states because they have been so politically weakened–and militarily stretched–in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even those of us who supported the war in Iraq have been appalled by the way mistakes made since the fall of Baghdad have left the coalition so powerless. It is that perception of chronic U.S. weakness which has so emboldened Iran and Syria, from whom the U.S. has exacted no price for their role in helping foment the war in Iraq.”

You are referring to the following statements in our above-mentioned booklet:

“In addition, Matthew 28:1 also reveals–correctly translated–that there were actually two ‘Sabbaths’ during the crucifixion week, a weekly Sabbath and an annual Sabbath. Cockrell points out: ‘Matthew makes it plain that two Sabbaths had passed since Jesus was crucified. The KJV [Authorized Version] has this rendering: “In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher” (Matth. 28:1). On this verse nearly all translators have allowed tradition to control their translation. It is not “Sabbath” but “Sabbaths” in the Greek text (the genitive case and the plural number). The verse properly translated would read: “In the end of the Sabbaths…” This allows for an annual Sabbath on Thursday and a regular Sabbath on Saturday.

“The Fenton Bible renders this verse correctly as, ‘after the Sabbaths,’ and it includes the following footnote: ‘The Greek original is in the plural, “Sabbaths,” which is retained.’ Alfred Marshall’s Parallel New Testament in Greek and English likewise translate the clause as, ‘after the Sabbaths.’

“In the Greek, the word for ‘Sabbath’ in the clause, ‘after the Sabbath,’ is ‘sabbata.’ This is the plural form of ‘sabbaton,’ and it is translated elsewhere many times (but unfortunately, not always, and not consistently) in the plural. For instance, we read in Matthew 12:5 (Authorized Version): ‘… how that on the sabbath days [in Greek, ‘sabbata’] the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath [Greek, ‘sabbaton’]. Matthew 12:10 (AV) states: ‘”Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days?”‘ The Greek is, ‘sabbata.’ Luke 4:31 (AV) reads: ‘… and taught them on the sabbath days [Greek, ‘sabbata.’].’ The New King James Bible translates this word quite accurately here as, ‘Sabbaths.’ Further examples can be found in Luke 6:2, 9; Colossians 2:16; and Acts 17:2.”

A good help in regard to the correct original Greek in the above-quoted Scriptures, including Matthew 28:1, can be found in Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible. It lists, under “Sabbath,” the Scriptures which use the word in the singular (“sabbaton”) and in the plural (“sabbata”). Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible is not helpful in this case, as it does not differentiate between the singular and the plural forms. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words is not extremely helpful, either. It does admit that the Greek word “sabbata” is the plural form, but it continues to state rather doubtful artificial reasons for the differentiation between the singular and the plural in the Greek. Quite inconsistently, however, the commentary does admit that the plural is used, and should be translated as such, in passages such as Matthew 12:5 and Acts 16:13.

Further research on the question reveals that the Authorized Version translates many times–but unfortunately not always–the plural for “Sabbaths” as “Sabbath days” (for instance, in Matthew 12:5, 10; Luke 4:31; Luke 6:2, 9; Colossians 2:16; and Acts 17:2). In the original Greek, there is no word for “days”–the correct translation should be “Sabbaths.” The New King James Bible translates most of these passages as “Sabbaths.”

To add to the confusion, the Greek word in Matthew 28:1 (The New King James Bible translates, quite inaccurately: “Now after the Sabbath…”) is “sabbaton,” but it is still the PLURAL form–not the singular form. In the Greek, the genitive plural form is used–and the genitive plural form of “sabbata” is “sabbaton.” In the Original, it says that it was “late on” or “in the end OF” the Sabbaths–that is, it was in the end OF SABBATON. Since SABBATON is here the genitive plural of SABBATA, it is still a plural expression, and in English, it must be correctly translated: “Now in the end of the Sabbaths…”

This shows, as we explain in our booklet, that there were actually TWO Sabbaths during the crucifixion week–a weekly Sabbath (the period from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset), and an annual Holy Day–the First Day of Unleavened Bread, which fell in that week on a Thursday–beginning with sunset on Wednesday. The women came to the grave at the end of the WEEKLY Sabbath, when the annual Sabbath had already ended and the weekly Sabbath was about to end.

In addition, it is correct that the word “week” in Matthew 28:1 is also derived from the Greek plural word for Sabbath, i.e. “SABBATA.” (Even though the Greek in Matthew 28:1 is “sabbaton,” it is again the genitive plural of “sabbata,” since it says, in the original Greek, “… as it was getting dusk toward the first day OF the week…”). Young’s Analytical Concordance of the Bible explains that the phrase “week” in Matthew 28:1 is to be understood as “from Sabbath to Sabbath”–that is, a week is composed of the time from one weekly Sabbath to the next weekly Sabbath. It is mostly used in the plural (“sabbata”), meaning “one OF Sabbaths,” signifying the first day AFTER the weekly Sabbath. Examples where the word “week” is translated from the Greek plural word for Sabbath (i.e., “sabbata”), can be found, in addition to Matthew 28:1, in Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7; and 1 Corinthians 16:2.

In a few cases, such as Luke 18:12 and Mark 16:9, the Greek word for “week” is in the singular form for Sabbath (i.e., “sabbaton”). In Luke 18:12, the Pharisee claims that he is fasting “twice a week.” It literally says: “twice of the Sabbath”; that is, “twice in the days after the weekly Sabbath.”

Rather than abolishing the weekly and annual Sabbaths, the above-quoted examples show that the New Testament clearly upholds the sanctity of God’s weekly and annual Holy Days. For more information, please read our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new member letter has been written and sent out. In the letter,
Edwin Pope discusses the terrible consequences of sin, which can be
seen in this world, and our collective and individual responsibilities.

A new StandingWatch program has been posted on the Web. It is titled, “War in the Middle East.” Set forth below is a brief summary:

We
are observing outright war in the Middle East, which was long in the
making. But its sudden outbreak surprised not only a few commentators.
It was caused by the ongoing provocations of the terrorist organization
Hezbollah, which is operating in Lebanon. Israel’s reaction, however,
has met the condemnation of the Vatican and many countries around the
world, with the notable exception of the USA and Canada. The real
causes for this present crisis are seldom mentioned, and one tragic
consequence of this war–as is the case with every war–is the
suffering of innocent civilians.

A new Study Guide for parents with children has been placed on the Web (under Literature/Study Tools). It is titled “Teaching the Bible to Children.”