Join us as Dave Harris speaks on Serving God. Services will begin at 2:30pm CT.

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at the appropriate time, just click on “Connect to Live Stream”.
 

How balanced are we – including in our approach to God’s truth? The Bible warns against extremes. Solomon cautions us in Ecclesiastes 7:16-17, “Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself? Do not be overly wicked, Nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time?”

During the many years in the Church, I have seen people jump from one extreme to the other. Some of those who seemed to be extremely conservative turned out to be extremely liberal. They did not really change – all they did was to replace one extreme with another.

The Bible encourages us to hold fast to the truth that we have (cp. Revelation 3:11; Jude 3), and, at the same time, to increase in God’s knowledge of the truth (cp. 2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:13). To be complacent with what we got (cp. Revelation 3:17) – thereby resisting the acceptance of newly revealed understanding – is as wrong as rejecting the truth that has been delivered to us (cp. 2 Peter 2:15, 21; 3:17). And, if we have rejected aspects of God’s truth, we must return to it. We are told in Jeremiah 6:16, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.’ But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.'”

We will be celebrating Pentecost in a very few weeks, reminding us that we have received God’s Holy Spirit. It is God’s Spirit that leads us into all truth (John 16:13) – showing that we do not have all of it yet. Even the apostle Paul said, prior to his death, that “now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Jesus came to teach us new understanding – He came to exalt the law and make it more honorable (cp. Isaiah 42:21), showing us how we need to keep it, not just in the letter, but also in the spirit. He knew that some would resist that new understanding. It takes time to let God’s truth sink in – and some are unwilling to do that. Notice Luke 5:37-39, “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. AND NO ONE, HAVING DRUNK OLD WINE, IMMEDIATELY DESIRES NEW; FOR HE SAYS, ‘THE OLD IS BETTER.'”

Some went so far as not to even follow Christ any more when they could not understand aspects of the teaching that He brought (cp. John 6:53-60, 66). We must never make the same mistake of ceasing to follow Christ when He, through the Holy Spirit, reveals new aspects of the truth to us.

A balanced person will be able to combine “the old” with “the new,” seeing how it all fits together. Christ said in Matthew 13:52, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

Let’s continue to do so.

WORLD NEWS HEADLINES

Catholicism
This week has seen momentous focus on the Church in Rome.

Press coverage has revealed a church originally content to “wash its dirty laundry at home” now grappling for a consistent and acceptable public position. Even with the spotlight on priests guilty of activities reviled by both American Catholics and American non-Catholics, the official church position had been cautious and restrained. To a degree, that ended with the American Cardinals summoned to Italy for a conference before the Pope.

Even though there were politically correct statements from the Pope concerning the criminal nature of acts by some of its priests, there remains an intransigent undercurrent supporting church authority.

These events have created more attention worldwide for the Catholic church than even Papal visits. Expect to see this international religion actually rebounding as a moral leader in the near future. Prophecy clearly shows dominance in the end-times by a great religion claiming “Christianity” as its origin and authority.

Russia
There is an alarming sense of inattention now extant in the United States concerning Russia. Because of our press reports depicting a Soviet system defeated by Western ethics and values–much less its dollars–Americans, in particular, view the remaining nucleus of Russia as harmless.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Especially when we consider the near future. Right now, Russia is very active in furthering its own interest. It draws on a historic and deep perseverance of national character. News reports gleaned from almost incidental entries reveal a steady flow of international influence. Nowhere is this truer than among many of those nations which emerged out of the Soviet Union and its former allies.

Mr. Putin of Russia has shown that he is willing to go all the way when it serves Russia’s interests. His recent invasion of Georgia has been described, by some, as outright occupation in violation of human rights, but it has received little coverage in the European or American press. Germany’s decision to forgive Russia in excess of seven billion (!) Euro dollars has enraged some Germans, but this must be seen within the bigger picture of prophecy, indicating an original, howbeit fragile, alliance between Germany and Russia.

Continental Europe
The powerful current of prophetic events has once again revealed a glimpse of the impending hazards of this world’s looming final troubles.

Political events in Continental Europe received fresh focus as a right wing contender for the leadership of France emerged this week. Extreme-right leader and candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen (73) of the National Front gained second place and bolted into contention with incumbent Jacques Chirac. The run-off election for the French presidency will be held on May 5th. Regardless of the outcome (that Chirac will be reelected as French President is considered as almost certain), the Jewish community in France is already afraid of ensuing anti-Semitic attacks. Le Pen, who considers the Holocaust as a footnote in history, is being compared to Austria’s “leader-in-waiting,” Joerg Haider.

Haider is a declared enemy of Jacques Chirac. He immediately congratulated his friend Le Pen on his victory. “This is a victory of democracy,” Haider said. He also announced that it is his goal to become Austria’s chancellor. Next elections are scheduled for the fall of 2003, and Haider said that he would run for chancellorship if the Austrian people want him to.

One year earlier, in September of 2002, Germany will face its election for a new Chancellor. Last Sunday, Edmund Stoiber’s chances might have increased dramatically, when Gerhard Schroeder’s party suffered a stunning defeat in elections in Saxony-Anhalt in East Germany, ending up far behind the Christian Democrats (CDU). (Edmund Stoiber’s party, the CSU, is the Bavarian sister party of the non-Bavarian CDU).

Distressful, persistent problems underlie current political shifts in Western Europe: Lax immigration policy which feeds a steady stream of cheap labor; regional and national interests versus European integration; and, most fundamentally, a concern about monetary stability and distrust of the stability of the Euro dollar all keep politics on the explosive front burner!

Yet, in spite of these problems, Europe as a force is taking shape. Europe is negotiating, forming alliances and moving within global perspectives in nothing short of astonishing ways. All of these events continue in breath-taking leaps that can only find their parallel in the sudden demise of the Iron Curtain and the staggering fall of the Berlin wall that separated a then divided Germany. In just little more than a decade, the face of Europe has forever changed.
 

In light of explosive current events, Norbert Link will be continuing his series on prophecy. Services will begin at 2:30pm CT.

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at the appropriate time, just click on “Connect to Live Stream”.
 

When Christ admonished us to “pray that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things” it should be understood in the larger context of our responsibilities as Christians to “preach and publish the Gospel as a witness ” and “grow in grace and knowledge”. To the shepherds you can also add, “feed my sheep”.

We all have a responsibility in the areas God has assigned to us. We in the ministry are to feed the flock. Members are to pray for and support the work of getting the Gospel out. One should never underestimate the power of prayer in this regard. One thing to consider in the larger context is making sure everything we do and pray for is according to God’s will and not our own. It is nice to pray that we escape future trials and go to the place of safety for what I believe is final training and also to get the spots and wrinkles out but this should not be a means unto itself, that is, it must always be according to God’s will. I am sure Stephen was not looking forward to being stoned to death so early in his walk as a deacon in the church but history shows us it was God’s will and God gave him the strength to say what was needed at the time prior to his death.

Therefore our focus should not be to pray that our hides be spared but rather pray that God’s will be done in our lives. If our lives are spared in the future that is good — if not, that is good also. Whether we live or die at the end we all want to stand before our Lord and Savior at His return to rule the earth.
 

WORLD NEWS HEADLINES

Judah in the End Times

The nation of Israel that now resides in the Middle East is more appropriately identified as the descendants of Judah, and there are specific prophecies in the book of Zechariah that indicate a fiery, pugnacious role for this tribe of Israel.

In line with end-time prophecies found in Zechariah 12:1-9 a recent opinion column in the Denver Post revealed some surprising statistics about this tiny nation:

“…The Israeli Defense Force, as it is called, is now the world’s fourth-strongest military machine.
“Besides an awesome array of American-supplied weapons, it has the largest and most sophisticated nuclear arsenal outside the five declared nuclear powers-the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain–estimated at up to 2,000 warheads.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has successfully withstood America’s dictation of its security policy. But this will not come without a price. More and more, this area of the world will be the focus of events culminating in the return of Jesus Christ. However, this time, Judah will recognize their Messiah (Zech 12:10-14). At that future time, Jews will find themselves on the brink of destruction–along with a rebellious world inspired and dominated by Satan and his evil followers.

As never before, prophecy is cascading into dramatic fulfillment. Let us continue to WATCH and prepare for these fearful times!

Catholic Church

Although some within the Catholic Church are hoping to gain some positive interest from all of the negative press, Rome has finally had to step up to the issue of pedophilia and the Pope has called for a meeting with key American Church leaders.

Coupled with declining Church interest, huge monetary expenditures for lost court cases and an alarming lack of new candidates for the priesthood, there is a grudging admission growing that Catholicism is facing an embarrassing crisis.

Considering Biblical prophecies picturing the dominant role of this end time religion, we can expect this current debacle to be displaced with a very positive international presence. The current Pope’s ill health has left him unable to aggressively confront issues. In light of the irrepressible geo-political events now flooding onto the world stage, the Catholic Church will soon be allowed to step forward in a much more dynamic, policy setting presence. The most obvious path in this direction will be fostered by a NEW POPE coming to power!

Terrorist Attack

German officials are now convinced that the explosion of a synagogue in Djerba, Tunisia, on April 11, was another terror attack, that was carried out by a group close to Isama Bin Laden. Eleven German tourists were killed during the attack.

Update on the Middle East

The Los Angeles Times ran an insightful article on April 18, 2002, regarding Mr. Powell’s unsuccessful mission in the Middle East. When reading this analysis, one should clearly see that there will be more bloodshed and violence in the Middle East. Although some are hopeful for a peaceful solution, there really seems to be “no peace” in sight. Given the failure of the United States’ mission, voices are already becoming louder for a European intervention. Although at this point, Europe is not willing to get directly involved, it might not have the luxury to stand at the sidelines for much longer.

“The Blame Game Goes On” (L.A. Times)

“JERUSALEM — There is no evidence on the ground here that Secretary of State Colin L. Powell’s shuttle diplomacy between Israelis and Palestinians did anything to defuse the conflict he left seething behind him Wednesday. And it is far from clear that either Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat or Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is entirely unhappy with Powell’s failure. Powell secured neither an Israeli military withdrawal from Palestinian areas nor a clear statement from Arafat that he was renouncing violence and recommitting himself to negotiations. In Bethlehem, Israeli tanks remain pointed at the Church of the Nativity, where more than 100 Palestinian gunmen are holed up. In Ramallah, Israeli soldiers are still bunking down on the grounds of Arafat’s battered and increasingly fetid headquarters…

“…during his final, stormy meeting with Powell on Wednesday, the Palestinian leader refused to meet Israel’s demand that he hand over the alleged killers of an Israeli Cabinet minister or accept an Israeli proposal that the gunmen in the Church of the Nativity surrender and face trial in Israel or go into exile…

“In his defiance, Arafat gains points with both his own increasingly embittered people and across an Arab world appalled by the scenes of destruction in the West Bank that they see on their television screens each night.

“Arafat’s insistence that he will offer no concessions until Israel ends its incursion has put moderate Arab regimes on the hot seat, hard-pressed to explain to their angry citizens why neither the Arabs nor the United States is forcing Israel to pull back…

“Israeli commentators said Powell’s failure to achieve a cease-fire offered certain political advantages for Sharon, who has declared Arafat an enemy of Israel and appears bent on dismantling not only armed militias in Palestinian areas but also the infrastructure of the Palestinian Authority that Arafat leads.

“Powell said Sharon promised that Israel will pull out of all areas except Bethlehem and Ramallah in the coming week. Sharon, commentators here say, will spend that week inflicting greater damage on Arafat’s administration. And in comments to reporters after Powell’s departure, Sharon said Israeli tanks and troops will continue to ring Palestinian cities, poised to reenter whenever Israel feels it needs to…

“Arab moderates warned that the Bush administration’s prestige was damaged by its failure to compel Israel’s withdrawal from recaptured Palestinian areas…

“POWELL NEEDS TO ENLIST THE HELP OF MODERATE ARAB STATES AND THE EUROPEAN UNION to pressure Arafat by threatening to cut off funding and end diplomatic support, [Israeli strategic analyst Joseph] Alpher said. The Secretary also needs to lean on Israel by holding up funding for some projects and publicly criticizing Sharon’s politics.”

UN Considers Military Intervention in Middle East
(excerpted from News Corp article “Sharon a man of peace”)

 

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan asked the UN security council to consider sending an armed multi-national force to help end violence. Annan’s Middle East envoy said the devastation was “horrific beyond belief” as he toured ruins in the West Bank, still mostly in the grip of Israeli troops despite Bush’s calls for an immediate withdrawal.

UN chief Annan said: “I believe the deployment of a multi-national force deserves serious consideration. The situation is so dangerous that the international community has an obligation to provide this assistance.”

But Israel quickly rejected his call. “We do not want it and I think also the United States do not want it,” government spokesman Avi Pazner said.

Erakat said: “This idea is the only right way to start fighting Israeli aggression.”

Annan’s special envoy to the Middle East, Terje Roed-Larsen, toured the remains of the shattered Jenin refugee camp, site of the fiercest battles in Israel’s West Bank campaign, and denounced the horror he saw. “It is totally unacceptable and horrific beyond belief,” he said. “The stench of death is horrible. We have expert people here who have been in war zones and earthquakes and they say they have never seen anything like it.”
 

This week Edwin Pope will be giving a sermon…Building Blocks for Character. Services will begin at 2:30 P.M.CT.

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at the appropriate time, just click on “Connect to Live Stream”.

We are all aware that April 15 here in the U.S. is income tax day. It is settlement time for one more year with Uncle Sam. Of course, he makes it relatively painless for a majority of taxpayers with the current withholding system established to collect taxes at the time a person gets paid, thus transferring a good part of the burden of the collection effort to the employers in this country.

God has a system of collection for funds due Him to be used in carrying out His work on the earth. He calls that system tithing. The big difference in the two systems is that God depends on the honor of the individual, thus allowing the individual to properly pay the funds due Him.

The thing many do not consider is that the obligation to pay God’s tithes is just as binding under God’s system as is the obligation to pay the U.S. Government for taxes due. Most people, today, are not even aware that such an obligation is due from them. But those called of God have been apprised of the truth in this matter. Yet, many have begun looking for any and every reason not to pay God’s tithes. This is a serious error!

Christ tells us in Luke 20: 25 to “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

God told Adam, in the Garden of Eden, that he was not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, lest he die. (Gen 2: 16-17) He and his wife chose to go contrary to that command and established a pattern of death.

Today, God raises the question in Malachi 3: 8 … “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. When asked the question, “Wherein have we robbed You?” … The answer comes back … “In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.”

This nation is cursed, brethren, because it has failed God in the payment of His tithes. But even more critical, many in God’s Church, today, are suffering from this same curse, because of disobedience. Let us not be guilty of committing this sin against our Creator.
 

WORLD NEWS HEADLINES

Update on the Middle East

The headlines of this week’s European magazines and newspapers are quite telling. Germany’s Der Spiegel wrote on April 11, under “Worldwide Appeal for Holy War Against Israel”, that Islamic groups have asked all Muslims to join a Holy War against Israel and the West. Signers of this “appeal” are terrorist groups like “Hezbollah,” the “Brotherhood of Muslims,” “Hamas,” and other fundamentalist groups. One additional signer is allegedly Turkey’s former Prime Minister, Necmettin Erkaban. However, Mr. Erkaban’s lawyer denied that his client signed the appeal.

In another article, titled, “And the Tanks Keep Rolling,” Der Spiegel pointed out: “Israel is not impressed by the strong appeal of the international community. While withdrawing from 24 Palestinian villages, they attacked two new ones.”

Der Spiegel also interviewed Paul Spiegel, president of the Jewish community in Germany. He stated that the one-sided condemnation of Israel by Germany and the Europeans is shortsighted and not helpful. The critics, according to Mr. Spiegel, do not understand what terror really is. He also said: “The people who are condemning Israel in this country are at the same time sitting in restaurants that are not blown into pieces.”

Still stronger words were uttered to Der Spiegel by Michel Friedman, Vice-President of the Jewish community in Germany. He stated, “The Europeans are hypocrites.” He continued, “Europe has always been reluctant to strongly criticize the Arab world, and especially the oil-exporting countries, even if they are dictatorships…. Terror comes from Syria, Iran and Iraq… At best, Arafat is unable to stop the terror. At worst, he is a participant… Saudi Arabia and others could have solved a long time ago the problem of Palestinians living in slums… 73% of the Jews in Israel believe that there must be a Palestinian state… We cannot rule out that this thing will get bloodier. We need a change in generations to bring about peace.”

The German magazine, “Stern,” stated that Secretary of State Powell plans to meet with Mr. Sharon, as well as with Mr. Arafat. Mr. Sharon described a meeting between Mr. Powell and Mr. Arafat as a “tragic mistake.” The magazine continued that the United States, The European Union, the United Nations and Russia have demanded of Israel to immediately withdraw from occupied Palestinian regions, including Ramallah.

The LA Times reported on Thursday, April 11, that “Israel on Wednesday again refused to withdraw from the West Bank cities it invaded thirteen days ago and said a deadly suicide bombing on a bus earlier today showed why the offensive must continue. ‘I hope our great friend the United States understands that this is a war of survival for us,’ Sharon told reporters.”

On Wednesday, CNN carried live an address of former Prime Minister of Israel, B. Netanyahu, to several US Senators. He reminded Europe that 60 years ago, they did not lift a finger when millions of Jews were exterminated on European soil. He continued that now, when Israel is trying to fight against terrorists, Europe is again turning their back on Israel. He described this as shameful, stating at the same time that he did not expect more from most of the European governments, but that he is anticipating a lot more support from the United States.

Some observers are reminded, however, of the United States’ rejections of boat loads of Jewish refugees at the time of World War II, and are wondering what the United States, as well as Europe and Russia, will ultimately do to stop this present war in the Middle East.

What’s Next?

Although we all are focused on the daily barrage of mind blurring news stories out of the Middle East, huge events are waiting in the wings.

American policy seems squarely focused on the removal of Saddam Hussein. The public display by the U.S. President to placate Arab countries by calling on Israel’s Ariel Sharon to immediately withdraw from Palestinian enclaves is considered by many to be a less than veiled policy to hold onto Arab support for a future attack.

Iraq, more than Israel and Palestine, is poised to draw in worldwide involvement of nations who have both political and, more importantly, financial considerations of epic importance.

Historically, the nations of Israel and Judah never truly prospered in their alliances with other nations. What the modern nations of America, Britain and Israel are seeking still follows the same misguided approach. These modern coalitions do not address the core problem which is that of national sins and national punishment from God.

In the current episodes of international intrigue, we have just witnessed a kind of double standard in the war on terror. All of these events continue to set the stage for the time of the end prophesied throughout God’s Word. Let’s make sure we are watching with a committed sense of readiness as momentous prophecies now unfold before us!