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Dear Brethren, Co-Workers and Friends:

In less than two weeks, my wife and I will be flying to Germany for the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day, after having observed the Feast of Trumpets with the brethren in the United States. It is hard to believe that the autumn festival season of 2013 has arrived—since the 2012 autumn season and the 2013 spring season seem to have just passed. But this shows how FAST time goes by… and how SOON Jesus Christ will return.

Recently, my wife and I discussed the fact that days come and go and that we could just become victims of a never-ending repetitious cycle—if we are not careful. That is why God—in His ultimate wisdom—has given us His weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days to remind us of the truth that this physical temporary existence is not all there is. In fact, it’s only a short training ground to prepare us for a much better and valuable everlasting life to come.

As the weekly Sabbath reminds us of God’s creation and also foreshadows a Millennium of peace, prosperity and true liberty, the spring festivals of Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost show us that God has chosen us to be freed from the slavery and captivity of this vicious living routine of misguided zeal and false priorities, and to be changed to become more like God is and wants us to be. The autumn festivals picture the completion of the plan of God for us and all of mankind. They symbolize our total change into immortal God beings, the abandonment of Satan’s rule and the establishment of God’s government on earth for all of mankind—offering them at that time what God is offering us today.

God predestined us from the foundation of the world—actually, before time began—to be called to salvation in this present day and age—not because of what we have done, but because of His grace. But our calling leads to and includes responsibility. God wants us to fulfill our commission of preaching the gospel of the kingdom and Family of God in all the world as a witness, so that the end of this present evil age can come and Christ can return to usher in the beautiful world tomorrow.

When we enter the autumn festival season, let us also reflect on the purpose of our calling and the task which is still ahead of us. The earlier the preaching of the true gospel message is being completed, the sooner Christ will return. And every member and prospective member of the spiritual body of Christ has his or her role to play in this process. Never underestimate your personal responsibility!

When we observe, especially, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day, while attending one of God’s designated Feast sites, we will be a “spectacle” or “theater” or showcase for those who are looking in from the outside (1 Corinthians 4:9). Our every step will be closely observed. Let us make sure that we give glory to God and His people—and not dishonor and shame. Christ warned us that if we, by our conduct, become stumbling blocks for others and motivate or cause them to sin, it would be better for us to be drowned in the depth of the sea (Matthew 18:6).

God called us to become teachers in the world tomorrow, but this requires that we allow Christ, through His Church, to teach us today. We are to become rulers in the Millennium and beyond… which means that we must first learn to be ruled. We must become what God is… and God is love (1 John 4:8). Love is the sincere outgoing concern for the welfare and benefit of others. Rather than harboring and manifesting grudges, envy and jealousy, we are to show and reflect joy and peace and humility, considering others “higher” or more important than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). We are to look out not only for the fulfillment of our own needs and interests, but also for the needs of others (verse 4). When we manifest such godly attitudes at our feast sites, then observant people will ultimately recognize that the Father does His works through us, and they will glorify HIM (Matthew 5:16).

Dear brethren, co-workers and friends, let us deeply reflect on the tremendous meaning of the autumn Holy Days… and when we observe them with a true and sincere heart, let us glorify God in our body, mind and spirit. Let us all rejoice and be thankful for what God is doing in our lives. God will be so pleased when He sees brethren and friends being assembled together in peaceful unity (Psalm 133:1).

Your brother in Christ,

Norbert Link

PS As a special treat, we intend to distribute newly printed booklets at our Feast sites in Colorado and Germany. Regular subscribers will receive their copies after the Feast.

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Dear Brethren and Co-Workers:

Having just returned from my trip to Kenya for the purpose of visiting the brethren and meeting with some who have shown interest in the Church, I have come to appreciate what we take for granted in the Western World, including the USA, Canada and Great Britain, as far as possessions and wealth are concerned. Even our ever-decreasing freedom is remarkable in comparison with the repression and dictatorship in African countries.

Let us reflect for a moment on our physical possessions. Some of us own houses, and most have one to three cars; some have boats, motorcycles and several computers. Children have (far too) many electronic toys and gadgets, and it’s a chore trying to keep up with the expanding technology because everyone wants the latest, fastest gadget on the market, and children and teens put a lot of pressure on their parents to buy them the most recent inventions and products.

On the Sabbath of July 22, I conducted Sabbath services in Nairobi. There were seventeen in attendance—sixteen adults and one child.

Not one of those present had a vehicle, not one had a computer. They relied on public transportation to get around. The young people at the front desk worked twelve hours a day, seven days a week, and they took public transportation to work. One of the young men told me that at the end of the month, he sometimes gets up at 4am to walk to work because money is short.

They are stuck in this rut with no means of getting out. We really do not realize just how fortunate and well off we in the Western world still are.

When waiting at the airport for my departure plane, I met a nice young man from England who works in Kenya. He was telling me how corrupt the politicians are, and also the police and the judges. They are there to further themselves, not for the good of the people.

Thinking about this, I had to become more fervent in praying for God’s Kingdom to come to remove the oppression that most people in the world experience.

But even though we still enjoy much freedom in the Western world, we must realize that “freedom” can be terribly abused. Freedom should never be thought of as a license to sin. Turning to conditions in the United States and Great Britain, there occurred, what I describe as a Titanic event recently, and that event was the enactment of the law in regard to same-sex marriages. Of course, Canada already passed such a terrible law in 2005 as the fourth country in the world at the time, and the first country outside Europe, legalizing same-sex marriages nationwide and providing a gender-neutral definition of marriage.

Such a law is an abomination to God. Focusing especially on the USA and Great Britain, I believe that this enactment is tantamount to what happened to the Titanic. People boasted that the Titanic could not be sunk, until it hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic which sealed its fate.

The ship was doomed to sink, yet the captain brought out the orchestra to play music and arranged deck chairs as if nothing was wrong.  This façade and window dressing, which was instigated to calm down the passengers, did not prevent the ship from sinking; it just gave the deceitful appearance that everything was fine and that there was nothing to be concerned about.

To Canada, America and Great Britain, the same-sex marriage laws are akin to these countries hitting an iceberg. The inevitable result is that they will be going down—a conclusion which is shared by an author of an article which I recently read.

There may be a lot of window dressing and chest thumping of achieving such a “milestone” of re-defining the godly concept of marriage and the legalization of same-sex marriages, but the ship is going down. This development is of course only one factor. A related cause is the breakdown of our marriages—not to speak of our insurmountable and unsustainable debt, crime, violence and a host of other problems bombarding our English-speaking nations in especially the Western world.

UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron boasted about supporting similar legislation towards same-sex marriages in other European countries, when he should be ashamed of himself and his country.

Fortunately, real solutions for mankind are coming, but they will not be achieved and ushered in by anything man does, but by the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of God’s Kingdom and His rule here on earth, and this cannot come soon enough.

Let us stay focused on the task we have been given. Soon all this present madness will end, and people will be able to enjoy the fruit of their labour. They will not be in an inescapable rut for the rest of their lives. Corrupt politicians will be replaced with just and fair leaders, and freedom will not be abused anymore by sin and the concept of God-defying lifestyles. Rather, godly and biblical laws regarding marriage will be instituted and kept.

In the meantime, let us in the Western world use the wealth and the freedom which we have been given to be able to proclaim the gospel in all the world as a witness, knowing that only after this has occurred, Jesus Christ will return. An objective realization of the terrible state of affairs in “our” countries and a glimpse of what life in many other countries, including Kenya, is like makes it so much easier to fervently pray for God’s Kingdom to come.

In Christ Service

Rene Messier
(Canada)

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

Good, true and godly leadership is what this world of ours is crying out for. But, first of all, just what is leadership? For example, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development defines it in this way: “Leadership may be defined as the capacity to influence people, by means of personal attributes and/or behaviors, to achieve a common goal. However, while leadership is currently much discussed, and academic studies on the topic have multiplied since the 1970s, there is no single definition or concept of leadership that satisfies all commentators.”

The problem with such definitions, and there are many, is that God is almost always left out of the picture, and unless leadership is God centered, it will always fail and not live up to expectations, even of those of a secular mind set and disposition.

When we look at leadership in nations all around the world, it is not an encouraging situation. One issue that has recently surfaced in both the USA and UK is that of transparency. This is something that seems to be in vogue and has been promised by the leaders of both the USA and the UK. It appears that such promises have not been kept.

President Obama promised transparency in his United States government. On the website whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/TransparencyandOpenGovernment, a “Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies – SUBJECT: Transparency and Open Government” states the following: “My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government. Government should be transparent. Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing.”

Has President Obama delivered on that pledge? The Huffington Post reported on April 19th this year in an article entitled “The Allure and Hazards of Secrecy” that “a growing chorus of critics suggest that has not happened. Instead, the administration has been repeatedly decried for its obsessive insistence on ‘off-the-record’ and ‘background only’ conversations with reporters; for its reflexive demand that all official quotes be ‘approved’ by agency flacks; and for its abysmally slow, unresponsive or militantly piecemeal approach to requests for materials under the federal Freedom of Information Act.”

The Mail on Line (June 8th 2013) stated that “David Cameron is to attend a meeting of the secretive Bilderberg Group tonight – but will not say who he meets. The Prime Minister (of the UK) will take part in a debate on the global economy with an unknown group of ministers, business leaders and academics from around the world. But his attendance at the heavily-guarded event is certain to spark controversy after Mr. Cameron once promised to lead the ‘most open and transparent government in the world.’”

The leadership in both the USA and the UK point out the problems that they are having to address, but then tell the electorate that they can be solved, by them, given enough time. Unfortunately, experience shows us that, generally, things are getting much worse financially, morally, and in just about every sphere in the current social order as the Bible has predicted, but “God’s instruction manual” is a resource neglected by those who simply “know better” than their Creator! It is not just in transparency and the failure to deliver what was promised, but failure in just about every other area, as no man has the answers in a world where society is gradually breaking down.

Some years ago, a booklet entitled “Britain in Sin” wrote: “The United Kingdom today is in deep decline. Social and economic trends and the UK crime statistics reveal a nation beset by rising crime, family breakdown, infertility, drug-taking, debt, indecency, profligacy and perversion.” Since that was written, things have spiraled downwards even further. Of course that is, unfortunately, mirrored by so many nations around the world today, showing what a real mess we are in.

But high quality leadership, integrity and proper values are hard to be found anywhere on earth! What about the “Arab Spring” which was to revolutionize the Middle East? One despised regime seemed to be replaced by one equally as bad or even worse. Leadership in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Turkey cannot solve the problems currently being experienced and where so many people are dying by in-fighting. Egypt’s military has just intervened this week in their country’s affairs and have removed President Morsi who is now in custody as the protestors feel that their government and leadership, although democratically elected, has failed to live up to expectations. Brazil is another country where very recent local uprisings are causing problems for their government. What about the posturing by the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, who was breathing fire and brimstone against South Korea not long ago?  The huge continent of Africa has so many problems, too. The list could go on and on!

There are many problems in every part of the world and on the website bizforum.org/hotspot.htm there is a list of 40 current hot spots of conflict—war, insurrection, terrorism and genocide. The leaders in all of these conflicts, it seems, are impotent and completely unable to resolve the issues necessary for lasting peace.

But this lack of leadership is also shown at other levels—in banks and businesses, in companies, in local governments and in families and is fuelled by Satan the devil who is the god of this age and who deceives the whole world (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 12:9).

Muslim talk show host, Adnan Oktar said: “World leaders must select a teacher of love for the solution of problems.” That’s a nice sentiment; however, there is not one leader in any nation around the world who has God’s Holy Spirit, and only the return of Jesus Christ will solve all of the current unsolvable problems, not some fallible human being.

We have been taught in the true Church of God that those faithful to their calling will become members of God’s Family at Christ’s return. In God’s Kingdom we will have power, but our power will be used to serve others, not to serve ourselves, which is the way of many of those in power today. We will have grown and overcome so that we will be trusted, and trustworthy, and God will be able to entrust us with His power which is something carnal human beings couldn’t possibly handle (compare Revelation 5:10).

We may not have much power now, but in the future, as members of the God Family, we will have more power than we can ever realize at this time. Today, we are fighting as Christian soldiers. And what are we fighting? Amongst so many things, we are fighting materialism, attitudes that permeate the whole of society, media influence which includes atheists, agnostics, Bible-rejecting liberals and Bible-misinterpreting conservatives in spheres of influence who slant the reporting of news according to their own agenda.

In short, we are fighting human nature, Satan the devil and his demons and the society which is completely under their influence and domination.

Sometimes, I look out of my study window at home and everything looks peaceful. Leaves on the trees, people going about their business, children playing happily, dogs being gently walked. We can get lulled into a false sense of security. Let us be very careful not to get trapped into thinking that the world is really not all that bad after all. That’s what Satan wants us to believe, as he tries to deceive us. He is the biggest con-artist in the world.

However, there is one small nation that has been trying to do a few things in a way that will be commonplace in the Kingdom of God. The tiny, landlocked nation of Bhutan, sandwiched between Tibet and India in the Himalayas has a philosophy that could be taken straight from the pages of the Bible. In a Buddhist country of around 700,000 people, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck decreed, when he ascended the throne in 1972, that instead of seeking gross national product, the official goal was to be gross national happiness.

A journalist with the Bhutan Broadcasting Service made the following observation about the King’s edict: “He basically meant, let my people be happy, you know. And how do you be happy? Well, if kids go to school, kids that live healthy, and if the forests are there, you take them out on walks on the weekends.” And that, he agreed, is the opposite of a consumer society. Selfishness is exactly what “gross national happiness” is trying to avoid; the “excesses of consumerism experienced by many nations of the world.”

That was a highly commendable aim but without the Holy Spirit and the rule of Jesus Christ, even such laudable ambitions are doomed to failure in the long term. There is only one solution to the leadership problems that each nation, and the world suffer from today, and that is the return of the King of kings and Lord of lords to set up the Kingdom of God as has been promised (see Revelation 19:11-16).

All true Christians and many others long for a better world, but only the return of Christ can solve the problems that are unsolvable to human beings. Contrary to scoffers (compare 2 Peter 3:3), Jesus Christ will return to earth when it is exactly the right time to do so. We have to wait on the Lord and pray, “Your Kingdom Come,” and it will come when the Father decides that the time has finally arrived. Let us all pray that time is not too far away, so that all of mankind will soon enjoy true leadership as never before!

With Christian love,

Brian Gale
(United Kingdom)

PS Our weekly Updates are right up to date with the latest news written in the light of biblical prophecy, plus other features. Many of you receiving this letter will already be receiving this by e-mail. However, if you are not yet on our circulation list and would like to be, please go to one of the following of our websites for the UK, Canada, the USA or continental Europe: globalchurchofgod.co.uk; churchofgodacf.ca; eternalgod.org; aufpostenstehen.de.

Just fill in your name and e-mail address at the top left where it says “Free Subscription to the Update” or write or telephone us.

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

What does the Bible mean to you?

Do you accept it as the very Word of God? Do you find in its pages the godly standards by which you seek to live your life? There are certainly other books claiming divine inspiration, and there are followers of the teaching of those volumes who zealously—even fanatically—dedicate themselves in unwavering obedience.

As Christians, we should have proven beyond all doubt that God has inspired, preserved and is continuing to utilize His written Word as a means of revealing Himself to us. The Bible testifies of itself:

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12-13).

The apostle Paul, in writing to Timothy regarding his ministerial responsibility, encouraged him to stay anchored to the Word of God:

“But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

In the same letter, Paul stated, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Throughout the years, the ministry in the Church of God has challenged us to check out in our own Bibles whether what was being said matched up to the Word of God. This test has remained true from the start—consider what the Bereans did:

“Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.  These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men” (Acts 17:10-12).

God even says to test Him by first obeying what He commands us to do. An example of this is in tithing:

“‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it’” (Malachi 3:10).

This principle applies to all of God’s Word—we must first obey Him:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever” (Psalm 111:10).

Also:

«‘But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word’” (Isaiah 66:2).

Do we really and truly tremble at God’s Word? Are we afraid to wrongly apply Scripture—to suit our view, our own personal interpretation? Peter wrote of this wrong and deadly approach:

“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:14-18).

Consider the age in which we now live. If we are close to God and if we believe His written Word, then we also know that this is the time of the end—the closing generation foretold throughout biblical prophecy. A part of what we must guard against is found in Paul’s warning of what would be occurring, in which he said, “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13).

This is most emphatically a fundamental reason for the carnage brought upon the Church of God in recent years! And as we have been warned, Satan’s attacks will continue—and people will still give into deception and fall away from the Truth of God, even up to the time of Christ’s return!

How then, in the face of overwhelming confusion, can we be certain of our own standing—our relationship with the Father, with Jesus Christ and with our being able to comprehend the Bible, truthfully?

In his recent sermon, titled, “Not Just For Women,” Mr. Norbert Link spoke of how we are to handle situations where compromise is threatened. He stated: “In a situation of conflict, we always have to follow God”; also, adding that we are to “never, ever follow anyone or anything which is contrary to God’s Will!”

Being able to accept this advice requires the kind of humility that comes through yielding to the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit. It takes having the mind of Christ, which means allowing Him to live within us—learning to think as He thinks, to react as He would and always being found imitating Him.

Jesus Christ told each of the seven Churches of God, identified in chapters two and three of the Book of Revelation, it would be to those who overcome that His promises would be given!

In another place, when speaking of the end of the age, Jesus warned His followers not to give up and turn away from God’s calling. He stated:

“‘But he who endures to the end shall be saved’” (Matthew 24:13).

Many disciples were initially attracted to Jesus, but they didn’t stick it out. We have their record in John, chapter 6. Here is what Jesus said in answer:

“When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, ‘Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit [which] gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe’” (John 6:61-64).

Peter was not one of those who didn’t believe; rather, carefully note how he answered Christ:

“But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (John 6:68-69).

Is that what all of the Words of God mean to us? Are they the key to eternal life for us?

Let us remember that just as we go to the Bible for proof of God’s Will, so is the Word of God the measure by which Christians are now being judged (compare 1 Peter 4:17-18). Jesus understood this reality, and when He was tempted by the devil to commit sin, His response was as ours should also always be:

“But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”’” (Matthew 4:4).

In Christ’s Service,

Dave Harris

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Dear Members, Co-Workers and Friends,

How much longer do we have until Jesus Christ returns to usher in the wonderful world tomorrow, and to establish God’s rule and government here on earth? The answer is, no man knows the times or seasons, the day or the hour—but Christ gave us signs to watch for, and He said that when we see certain events take place, we should know that the time is near. He gave us an outline in Matthew 24, and judging by His words, the next spectacular event will be the beginning of the Great Tribulation. Again, we don’t know the exact timing of that event—and those who claim that they have been given such insightful knowledge are deceiving you—but we should be able to see that it could happen very soon.

While Europe is uniting, America and the UK are losing all glimmer of hope that they could restore their past greatness, and the powder keg in the Middle East could explode any time. The beast and the false prophet are alive and may be working eagerly behind the scenes—even though they have not yet manifested themselves on the world scene, and no man knows at this point who they are—and those who claim they have been given such insightful knowledge are deceiving you.

At the same time, the two witnesses are also alive and are being trained by God for their future prophetic and prophesied task. No man knows who they are, and they themselves might not know it either, and those who claim that they have been given such insightful knowledge are deceiving you, and those who claim that they are the two witnesses are not telling you the truth. But as we are approaching the final chapter of the history of this world’s civilization, we must take to heart Christ’s words to work while it is day, and to pray to God the Father to send laborers into His harvest.

The Church of God has been given the ongoing commission to preach the gospel in all the world as a witness, and only then will the end come. It appears that God is opening mighty doors for the proclamation of the gospel in Germany and Europe, and perhaps in other parts of the world. While we are continuing with our efforts to preach the gospel to the modern descendants of the lost tribes of the House of Israel, we must also go through the doors which God is opening in other parts of the world. In addition to observing the Feast of Tabernacles in Vail, Colorado, we will be celebrating this year, for the first time, the Feast in Germany. Further information is posted on our Website, www.eternalgod.org. For this Passover in Germany, we already had 21 members in attendance (last year, there were 8 members), and several more prospective members are counseling with us for baptism.

Following Paul’s instruction to Timothy to appoint qualified elders in every city and in realization of the fact that God has answered our prayers to send more laborers into His harvest, the ministry ordained two deacons to the rank and office of elder, and one member to the office of deacon. One of the new elders was born in Germany and will be used more and more in the service of God’s Work in Germany. We are glad to see God’s mighty hand in all of these developments—and it is always sad to see when somebody does not seem to grasp how the living Jesus Christ is leading His Church in these end times. I am reminded of Herbert Armstrong’s experiences when he started to build Ambassador College. Mr. Armstrong had enough vision and godly inspiration, as well as will power, so that he didn’t allow others to throw him off track when they thought that he was wrong in going in such a direction, and when they stated that the college was going nowhere. There may be those who might think in similar vein to the approach that we are taking today. Mr. Armstrong responded to them that the college would prosper (which it did), but it would prosper without them—it was they who were going nowhere.

We completed a very successful and harmonious annual Church Conference, and being mindful of the task ahead of us, we were led to make important decisions in order to further the Work, knowing that we can either delay or hasten Christ’s coming (compare 2 Peter 3:9, 12). Our Canadian minister, Mr. Rene Messier, is planning a trip to Kenya to visit our members and meet with new people and prospective members. Both Mr. Messier and Mr. Brian Gale (our UK minister) will begin short Internet audio broadcasts in Canada and the UK, respectively, to promote our literature. Mr. Messier will do so in English and French. Of course, the production and posting of our weekly video-recorded German sermons and our AufPostenStehen programs, as well as our video-recorded English sermons will continue, as will our weekly StandingWatch programs.

We are also going to print German booklets, while at the same time completing the writing of our next booklet on the ten revivals of the ancient Roman Empire in Europe. Other planned booklets for this year will concentrate on the return of Jesus Christ as well as on the Ten Commandments. We are investigating how we can implement our decision to broadcast live Sabbath services from San Diego via video, instead of audio. We will also have monthly ministerial meetings via Skype to make sure that we most efficiently carry out God’s Work of preaching the gospel and feeding the flock. Many more technical decisions were made in furtherance of our two-fold commission.

As you can see, we have set wide-reaching goals for ourselves, realizing that we need vision and that the time is short. Dear brethren and friends, please understand that God will be doing a short work of raising the modern-day Chaldeans (compare Habakkuk 1:5-6, referring to the final European revival of the ancient Roman Empire) and of proclaiming His Word (compare Acts 13:38-41; Romans 9:28). We must not be found lacking in zeal and dedication. Cursed is the one who does the Work of God with slackness (Jeremiah 48:10, RSV). Over the years and decades, many former brethren have left the truth and turned to fables; however, the prophesied “falling away” is not over yet, but is ongoing.

Dear brethren and friends, keep yourself in the truth, and pray for one another and for God’s ministers and also for me that we can speak and preach God’s Word boldly, in season and out-of-season, as we must. Satan is alive and walking about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he can devour. We must not be ignorant of his many devices. He wants nothing more than to destroy God’s Church—which he cannot—and to separate you from the vine, knowing that in that case, you will wither away. You must not let that happen. Christ is the vine and we are the branches, being called out of this world to bring much fruit. Christ is the Head of His Church, and when we believe that, we will not leave His Church to go our separate ways, thinking that we could make it on our own into the Kingdom. We definitely cannot do this. Even if we might not understand everything which is going on, and why things are done in the way that they are, IF we believe that the living Jesus Christ is leading His Church, then let us submit to Him and His Will. If we don’t but seek to have it our way, we WILL fail!

Thank you, dear brethren, for your dedication and loyalty, and for remaining faithful. We know—or ought to know—that if we shrink back, God will have no pleasure in us. But to end with the words of Paul, “we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:39).

In Jesus’ Name

Norbert Link

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Dear Members and Friends:

As the sun lingers in the sky for longer periods of time and as the snow melts here in Fort Collins, I anxiously anticipate the springtime. I can’t say that this winter has been any colder than any other, but I won’t hesitate to admit that I have enjoyed enough of the brisk, crisp winter air to last me until next year. Even though the imminent warmer weather is something to look forward to, much more than that, God’s Spring Holy Days offer us all a much-needed regular opportunity to reflect on the plan of God unfolding before our very eyes.

As I write to you now, the annual Passover—the first event we observe in God’s Spring Holy Day season, which is followed immediately by the Feast of Unleavened Bread—is just around the corner. This solemn memorial was established thousands of years ago when Moses led Israel out of Egypt, and it remains in effect for Christians today. When the Passover was initiated, the nation of Israel was instructed to sacrifice a lamb, consume the meat, and prepare to leave their situation of bondage in the land of Egypt. Thousands of years after Israel fled from the slavery of Egypt, Jesus Christ gave Himself to be our Passover lamb, so that we might obtain freedom from the slavery of sin. It turns out that this was God’s plan from the very beginning of man’s creation.

As converted Christians, you and I are the fortunate benefactors of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. The benefit that we have, if we believe in Jesus Christ and the effect of His sacrifice, and obey Him, is no less than eternal life (compare John 3:16-17, 36, Revised Standard Version). Can we fathom what that means? It may seem obvious, but let’s take a moment to consider that if Jesus Christ returns within our lifetime, we will have an opportunity to never experience death in the way that we understand it today. Because Jesus Christ sacrificed His life for the sake of converted and faithful Christians, at the end of the age those who are alive will be changed into spirit in the blink of an eye (compare 1 Corinthians 15:52). This is not to say that those who are alive when Jesus Christ returns are any more blessed than those who will be resurrected to eternal life. “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10). The gift of eternal life is there for the taking for all who accept the tremendous and awesome sacrifice offered by Jesus Christ. This season serves as our regular reminder of this fabulous truth.

If we have this understanding, we also have a responsibility and will be held accountable for it. What this means is that accepting the gift of eternal life offered by Jesus Christ requires that we make every effort to live in a manner so that we are worthy of it. Preparation for the participation in the Passover service involves honest, genuine self-examination. We all must test ourselves to see if we are doing all that we can to free ourselves from sin—knowing that God will do it for and through us, if we allow Him to do so (compare Philippians 2:13). Paul wrote to the Corinthians about this very topic: “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (1 Corinthians 11:28-31). Paul may have written these words for Church members who lived a very long time ago in very different circumstances, but the meaning applies directly to you and me. For our own benefit and salvation, we need to take the time and effort to meditate on the magnitude of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, how we ought to work to honor that sacrifice, and the greatness of the gift that comes from it all.

The solemnity of the occasion of the Passover, and the great size of the meaning should not intimidate you if you discover that you have a lot to work on. The fact of the matter is that until we become perfect, we all sin, and therefore we all have a lot to work on. However, we must remember that if we have been called and have accepted the calling, we are very blessed. Giving up now is not the intended result of our self-examination. We can be encouraged to know that God would not have called us if He did not think that we would succeed. Rather, we can be “…confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in [us] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). We must commit ourselves to ever improving our behavior so that we may bring glory and honor to God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

I expect that this message should be familiar, and perhaps even repetitive. Indeed, I have not written anything that has not been written before. But this is intentional. Since last year at this time, we have changed, and the world around us has changed. Because of this, we need to test ourselves against the immutable standard of God, which does not change, to make sure that we are changing in the right direction. Now is the time, more than any other point of time during the course of the year, to carefully consider our calling and the greatness of the gift set before us.

On behalf of the Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliations, be encouraged to know that you have hope. Please have a fulfilling, meaningful, and enlightening Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. As a special gift, we are pleased to enclose a new appealing booklet, “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever.” This extraordinary booklet explains what is ahead of us, and why we are created in the first place. Even though this world is facing terrible times of unparalleled calamity, God offers and promises us a tremendous and incredible future. We trust that you will find great comfort in reading this booklet—especially during this time of year.

In Christian love,

Eric Rank

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

Recently I received an email which enclosed an article, describing the horrid state of the city of Detroit, Michigan. While it was once a thriving metropolis with a population of 1.8 million, it now stands at just over 900,000. The city reminds one of a town in a third-world country. Here are some quotes from the article, which was authored by Frosty Wooldridge, a US journalist, writer, environmentalist and traveler:

“For 15 years, from the mid 1970’s to 1990, I worked in Detroit, Michigan. I watched it descend into the abyss of crime, debauchery, gun play, drugs, school truancy, car-jacking, gangs and human depravity. I watched entire city blocks burned out. I watched graffiti explode on buildings, cars, trucks, buses and school yards. Trash everywhere!

“Detroiters walked through it, tossed more into it, and ignored it. Tens of thousands, and then hundreds of thousands today exist on federal welfare, free housing, and food stamps!

“Unemployment hit 28.9 percent in 2009 as the auto industry vacated the city. In Time Magazine’s [article of] October 4, 2009, ‘The Tragedy of Detroit: How a great city fell, and how it can rise again,’ I choked on the writer’s description of what happened. ‘If Detroit had been ravaged by a hurricane, and submerged by a ravenous flood, we’d know a lot more about it,’ said Daniel O’Krent. ‘If drought and carelessness had spread brush fires across the city, we’d see it on the evening news every night.’ Earthquake, tornadoes, you name it, if natural disaster had devastated the city that was once the living proof of American prosperity, the rest of the country might take notice.

“‘By any quantifiable standard, the city is on life support. Detroit ‘s treasury is $300 million short of the funds needed to provide the barest municipal services,’ O’Krent said. ‘The school system, which six years ago was compelled by the teachers’ union to reject a philanthropist’s offer of $200 million to build 15 small, independent charter high schools, is in receivership. The murder rate is soaring, and 7 out of 10 remain unsolved. Three years after Katrina devastated New Orleans, unemployment in that city hit a peak of 11%. In Detroit today, the unemployment rate is 28.9%. That’s worth spelling out: twenty-eight point nine percent. If what was once the most prosperous manufacturing city in the nation has been brought to its knees, what does that say about our recent past? And if it can’t find a way to get up, what does that say about America’s future?’”

The above quotes are just a microcosm of the situation not only in America, but many of America’s problems can be found in Canada and the UK as well. Just what is the future of America and the English-speaking nations of the world?

America has a $16 trillion debt which is unsustainable. This means that the nation will have a financial meltdown in the near future. A twelve-year-old child could tell you that if your expenditures exceeded your income, you were accumulating your debt. The only way to balance a family budget or a national one is to reduce spending or increase income, or do both, until the income is equal to or less than the expenditures. You cannot economically live on your credit forever.  One day the creditors will call in the debt. And so, the US is heading towards an inevitable, predictable financial crisis which will affect the world economy.

Let us also look at other insurmountable problems that the USA is plagued with:

Many in the US are more worried about how you treat your dog than killing millions of the unborn. America is the biggest consumer of legal and illegal drugs in the world.  Crime is rampant in many major cities, with gangs creating havoc on its citizens.  Same sex marriage (an abomination to God) is becoming more prevalent, and more and more TV programs portray sexual sins as normal or alternate life styles. Premarital sex seems to be the norm, and if a person is a virgin in their twenty’s, they are looked upon as being abnormal. Marriage—the very foundation of a society—is belittled; divorce is on the rise, and marriage breakdown and the suffering of many unhappy children are the tragic results.

Many Americans have a love for guns, and violent crimes and multiple killings are the inevitable consequence.

Since I am living in Canada, murder and marriage breakdown are no strangers here as well. Last October, one of the worst serial killers in Canada’s history died in prison. Canada also has problems with crime and drugs in which the “Hells Angels” motorcycle gangs play a big part. And here is a quote from a Canadian government report on divorce: “Although the number of divorces has shown recent declines, in 2008 it was estimated that 41 per cent of marriages will end in divorce before the 30th year of marriage, an increase from 36 per cent in 1998.”

Canadian ministers have to be extra careful what they say from the pulpit because of the laws protecting same sex marriage and homosexuality. These falsely labeled “discrimination” or “hate laws” are becoming more and more popular in the USA as well.

Being politically correct is destroying our nations. The truth is: The future looks rather bleak. The Bible says it will only get worse. Matthew 24:12 exclaims: “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.”

This is not talking about man’s love of those in the world, but it refers to godly love of many in the church—and that all because of lawlessness or sin.

If that was not enough, there will also be martyrdom of the saints. We read in Matthew 24:9-10: “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.”

What is our personal response and responsibility to these prophesied events?  Matthew 24:13 tells us: “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

Enduring to the end is more than just hanging on and passively waiting for Christ’s return. Rather, we must be engaged in finishing the Work that God has given His end-time Church. The true gospel of the Kingdom of God must be proclaimed—the good news of the establishment of a better future, coupled with a warning to our nations and the world of impending doom because of their sins and turning their backs on God.

Individually and collectively, we must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ. We must stay close to God, and those in the Church of God who are counted worthy will be protected and saved alive during the soon-coming Great Tribulation. Revelation 3:10 states: “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial [tribulation] which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

But saving our physical lives in the times ahead should not be our main concern. Notice how Christ continues in verse 11: “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

The admonition is to not let anyone take your crown which is laid up for us in heaven. This crown will be given, when Christ returns to this earth to put an end to wars, crimes, violence, abortions and the other abominable and wrongly accepted practices of mankind. Our soon-to-be-published new booklet, “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever,” will describe these future events and the conditions during the Millennium in much more detail.

We have an exceedingly important job to do at this time and also as rulers under Christ in the future, so no matter what the trial and no matter what Satan throws at us to discourage us, let us look forward to our reward in the Kingdom and stay focused on the responsibilities we have been given. If we remain faithful and committed, we will win in the end.

In Christ’s service,

Rene Messier

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

Since the last letter written by Mr Dave Harris on December 10, 2012, many things have happened that show how fast-paced this world has become. We may think of the terrible shootings on December 14 in an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, USA, where twenty children and six adults were shot and killed; the “fiscal cliff” that the USA flirted with; and the latest in a very long list of failures that predicted the end of the world on December 21, 2012, simply because it was the “end” of a cycle of the Mayan calendar.

As we enter 2013, what can we expect to happen this year? Unfortunately, it is certain that things won’t improve with the parlous state of the world’s economy and so many other problems, wherever we look.

These problems have been forecast for millennia within the pages of the world’s best-selling book, the Bible, with many people either unaware or unconcerned except for their own or family predicament. Others scoff when Christ’s return is mentioned. But that was prophesied, and so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of us. Of course, with a number of recently failed predictions, such scoffing is encouraged and date-setters never learn the lessons of the past, that every such prediction to date has been wrong!

We are told to discern the sign of the times, but not to engage in endless speculation about the precise date of Christ’s return. Those who don’t accept the need for Christ to come to clear up the terrible state of this world, must surely accept that society is self-destructing in so many ways. Reviewing the situation from a secular standpoint might help to get across this serious problem that must be self-evident for those with eyes to see.

Some years ago in one of the Church of God publications, the following question was asked: “I have often heard you compare the United States and Britain with ancient Rome. Are we really going the way of Rome?” The reply said: “Indeed we are” – and then went on to state the following: “The five cardinal sins of Rome – and of all past great nations – are described in Edward Gibbon’s work (in 1788) ‘The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’. These five reasons are as follows:

The increase of divorce and breakdown of the family

The spiraling rise of taxes and extravagant spending

The mounting craze for pleasure and brutality in sports

The building of gigantic armaments while failing to realise that the real enemy was the moral decay from within

The decay of religion into a mere form, leaving the people without any guide.”
If we, very briefly, review just these five areas (there are certainly many more), we will see that this is so true of the United States, the UK and so many other countries, especially in our Western world today.

The increase of divorce and the breakdown of the family are now at a frightening level. One author wrote: “Historically, family was defined as ‘married partners and children residing in a household.’ Over time there is no doubt that there has been a shift in the societal definition of families to include single parents, biracial couples, blended families, biologically unrelated individuals living cooperatively, and gay and lesbian couples, among others.” With feckless men fathering children with different women in a promiscuous and liberal environment, is it any wonder that we are experiencing the breakdown of the family?

In a note entitled, “The Home in the Heart of Scripture,” the author wrote: “At the dawn of creation, God’s first institution was not the church but the home. The garden paradise was prepared, and the entirety of God’s creative handiwork was accomplished in the preparation for man. Throughout Scripture is found concern and careful direction in timeless principles governing this primary institution which binds a man and a woman together as one to engage in spiritual ministry, including companionship, dominion, procreation, and worship. This institution we call the home.” This truth seems lost on mankind today.

In October of last year, the UK’s Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, threatened a new Coalition row by demanding the immediate introduction of a tax break for married couples. He wanted (Chancellor) George Osborne to make the change in next year’s Budget to show that the Government was serious about promoting marriage. But Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, himself an atheist, had accused the Conservative party of trying to “preserve in aspic a 1950s model of suit-wearing, bread-winning dad and aproned, home-making mother”. That was his way of trying to demean the different roles in marriage and the importance of the family.

A month later, in November of last year, The Daily Telegraph reported that the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, launched an emphatic defence of gay marriage, saying that the Tories will not win the next election unless they drop their opposition to it. The report continued: “He urged the party to emulate US President Barack Obama by appealing to young voters and women with a socially liberal message.” Mr Osborne said most voters support gay marriage and politicians should reflect the modern societies they aspire to lead.   He said the party should heed the lessons of Mr Obama’s election success despite poor economic conditions. He continued: “I wouldn’t change the current abortion laws and I strongly support gay marriage on principle. I am proud to be part of a government that will introduce a Bill to allow gay marriage.” He said he was “proud” to be part of a Government that planned to introduce a law to redefine marriage and claimed that a “clear majority” of the public backed a change. Personal convictions and integrity matter little, it seems—just give the people what they want and wait for the votes to roll in!

And we wonder why we have problems when such people are appointed to high offices!

Considering the second area mentioned above, the spiraling rise of taxes and extravagant spending is plain for all to see, with the debt crisis in United States, Britain and around the world no being closer to any real solution. The latest debt figure for the United States is around $16 trillion or more, and the UK more than £1 trillion, although the figures vary depending on the source, and with interest accruing, the amounts will vary from day to day. Our governments have been very able at spending money with never a thought for the “rainy day”, and the results are now clearly evident. Our debts are at the highest they have ever been, and interest has to be paid on them.

The third area addresses the mounting craze for pleasure and brutality in sports. With all of the latest technology, users can play games on smart TV’s, computers, consoles, Wii, mobile phones, Ipods and other technical marvels. Most television sets in the United States, Britain and many other countries around the world have access, 24 hours a day, to hundreds of different channels, which broadcast some of the most brutal, violent and horribly destructive programs of demonic inspiration. The craze for pleasure is relentless and sports and entertainment stars are paid huge amounts of money and are seen as “role models” in spite of the appalling behaviour of many of them. Cage fighting and other brutal sports become ever more popular, as boundaries are continually pushed out further and further.

The fourth reason given by Edward Gibbon was the building of gigantic armaments, while failing to realise that the real enemy was the moral decay from within. Of course, these two aspects of moral depravity and lust for violence go hand in hand. The Guardian newspaper revealed that the US remains by far the biggest military spender, with a defence budget of $711bn last year. The UK’s defense budget was over £62bn. Neither of which would be necessary if they put their trust in God! But no nation does, and all nations spent a total of $1.7 trillion annually on defence.

It is very true that the moral decay within our countries is destroying us. Immorality is rampant, perversion is approved as is the murder of the unborn. We have towns and cities with no-go areas; drug gangs proliferate, and many are too frightened to go out at night. Callousness and cruelty to human beings and animals is a continual source of evil, and all of God’s Commandments are broken with impunity. We have the worship of “celebrities” instead of the great God; blasphemy is everywhere; murder, adultery and rape are commonplace; and stealing in all of its many forms continues unabated. People lie and covet, and the character of once great nations suffers as a consequence. There is much more that is wrong, and we should be “crying and sighing over the abominations” that are in our lands (see Ezekiel 9:4). In Isaiah 5:20 we read a very telling and accurate description of today: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” The moral decay of our societies today is either not appreciated or ignored by our ruling elite, but God will only let this go on for so long.

According to Edward Gibbon, the fifth reason that we cannot survive based on historical data is the decay of religion into a mere form, leaving the people without any guide. Today we see many “Christian” churches accepting those things that the Bible condemns as part of their “teaching” as they reflect society around them. Even many of the leaders in mainstream Christianity seem loathe to preach and teach the Bible when there is conflict with the now accepted norms of society.  Generally, they have become part of society and have accommodated change within their church, which allows them to function without criticism and maintain their position and congregations. However, the true Church of God must teach the whole truth of God without fear or favour. God has commissioned it to do so right through to the end of this age, but He also warns us that many within the different Church of God organizations will fail in this task and become victims of a climate of compromise.

Members of the Church of God have long understood the need for Christ to return to set up a society where all of the evils mentioned in this letter will be a thing of the past. But even those with no interest in the Bible at all must surely see, even from a secular viewpoint, that America, the UK and its former Commonwealth, as well as many other nations, are going the way of Rome in the five points mentioned today as highlighted by Edward Gibbon. And there are many more parallels signalizing the demise and downfall of the nations of this present age. To deny these arguments would be to argue with reality, and that will surely apply to many in spite of the overwhelming evidence, who are and want to remain to be “willingly ignorant.” It is not that we don’t love the people who have become victims of our ill-ruled societies—just the opposite is true—but we must hate the evil deeds and opinions of God-defying men and women. Our position is based on prophecy and reality, which we can see and observe on a daily basis.

This world is following the lead of Satan. And that is why we should pray to God, for everyone’s sake, “Thy Kingdom Come!”

With Christian love,

Brian Gale
(United Kingdom)

PS “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever,” is the title of our newest booklet. Written by Norbert Link, this publication gives a specific time line of prophecy and addresses, among many other things, the end of this age, Christ’s second coming, the establishment of the Kingdom of God here on earth, and God’s rule over His creation for all eternity. The booklet will soon be ready for distribution. Please contact us for your own free copy, if you are not already on our mailing list.

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

Christians of the first century didn’t know exactly WHEN, but many believed that Jesus Christ would return in their lifetimes. For a while, that anticipation created tremendous zeal!

The apostle Paul initially wrote in ways that seem to indicate he expected to be alive when Jesus returned (compare 1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; and 2 Thessalonians 1:7). However, later on, his writing reveals that he knew that he would die, and that meant he would live again to then meet Christ in the first resurrection—along with other faithful saints (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

As years turned into decades, and Jesus Christ did not appear, many lost their fervor, and some turned completely away from their incomparable calling. This is what Jesus said of that era of His Church: “‘…I have this against you, that you have left your FIRST LOVE’” (Revelation 2:4).

He and God’s Way of Life, as taught by Him, were their “first love,” and they quit seeking Him and what He represented—no longer passionately looking forward to His return!

Jesus knew this would happen, and He warned both them and us about losing focus on God’s Kingdom being established on the earth:

“And the Lord said, ‘Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, “My master is delaying his coming,” and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more’” (Luke 12:42-48).

Herbert W. Armstrong, along with those contemporary with him, zealously believed at one time that Jesus Christ’s return was imminent—that it was about to happen very, very soon! Sermons were given; articles and letters were written; it became an underlying buzz among the membership; the “place of safety” was a hot topic—all were caught up earnestly assuming that theirs was the correct understanding.

However, that timeline was premature and Christ has not returned, yet. For some, the disappointment has proven catastrophic—just as it did in the first era of God’s Church!

Peter came to understand that the timing of Jesus Christ’s return would remain a problem for the Church when dates were set and the events would not take place at the expected times, and he warned:

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

Peter also teaches us the proper approach while we wait for Jesus:

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless…

“You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 3:10-14, 17-18).

Nothing in the Word of God tells us to NOT rally in the knowledge that Jesus Christ will be sent back to the earth by the Father! The astonishing truth is that quite the opposite is the case!

Jesus, Himself, gave His disciples a framework within which to watch for and be prepared for His return:

“‘Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away’” (Matthew 24:32-35).

As Jesus so emphatically states, there is a generation—that is, a certain span of time—in which His return will culminate! A “generation” might include the full lifetime of an individual and his peers, but not necessarily so.

In one of our Q&A’s, we addressed this very question and stated:

“We might wonder how long a ‘generation’ lasts, according to the Bible. We find a biblical definition for the approximate length of a human life in this modern day and age in Psalm 90:10, where we read: ‘The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.’ We also read in God’s Word that God sometimes shortens or prolongs human life, and that bloodthirsty and deceitful men may not live out HALF their days (Psalm 55:23). This is an interesting statement in light of the fact that men will be so bloodthirsty and destructive in the end time that Christ will HAVE to come and SHORTEN the days of worldwide warfare, lest ANY man would be saved alive or survive (Matthew 24:22).

“At this moment in time, we have not yet seen the beginning of the Great Tribulation, but we have been witnessing ever-increasing religious deception, wars, earthquakes, famines and disease epidemics—events which are described by Christ as the ‘beginning of sorrows’ (Matthew 24:8). These will become more and more visible and frightening in the years to come. We do not know the exact time of Christ’s return, but based on the parable of the fig tree, we CAN say that we ARE living today in the very last generation, and that Christ WILL return BEFORE this present generation has ‘passed away.’ It is therefore important for us to watch and pray, and to be ‘ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an HOUR [we] do NOT expect’ (Matthew 24:44).”

As His disciples, we are to remain vigilant and never let down in our role as Christians!

Paul urges and challenges us in Romans to continue in the love of God and His laws, saying:

“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Romans 13:11-14).

If indeed Paul had the sense of Christ’s return growing ever closer in his time (over nineteen-hundred years earlier), how much more applicable is this now, for us?

Here is a key approach and understanding—one which many have completely lost: Jesus Christ’s return will seem to Paul and to all who have lived their lives and died as happening in their own times! The dead know nothing and have no consciousness (Ecclesiastes 9:5), but all of the righteous who died will be resurrected to immortality at the same time when those of the righteous who actually are living will be changed to eternal Spirit beings when Jesus returns!

The absolutely critical issue for us is to examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) and to know that we are faithfully doing those things which will allow us to be counted worthy to be in this better resurrection (Luke 21:34-36).

Brethren, much has been given to us. We have understanding that is from God! We have been called to succeed in the Work commissioned to ALL OF US—each fulfilling his or her part in the Body of Christ, the Church of God!

MUCH MORE is and will be required of us as we draw closer to the visible return of Jesus Christ to establish His rule over the entire earth! The world will fight Him at that time, and the societies of this generation will NOT accept our presentation of the Good News of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Brethren, as never before, PRAY for this Work of God in which we all have a part. Pray that God may send more laborers into His harvest. Pray for one another. Grow in the love of God and Jesus Christ and for each other, and never lose sight of our goal—the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of God’s glorious Kingdom on this war-weary earth!

In Christ’s Service,

Dave Harris

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Dear Members and Friends:

The Feast of Tabernacles 2012 is now a thing of the past. How many more Feasts will we be able to observe before the Great Tribulation will begin—a time so terrible that mankind’s very survival will be at stake? When that night arrives, travel and peaceful gatherings will have become virtually impossible.

In light of the prophesied darkness of the future, our Feast celebrations this year reflected relief and joy and a happy anticipation of the wonderful world to come, when the powers of the evil forces will have been replaced by the rule of the true Light—the Prince of Peace and the establishment of the Kingdom of God here on earth. At the same time, a sense of urgency permeated the Feast attendees who were reminded that we must work today as much and as long as we can. We distributed our newest booklet at both Feast sites, titled, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy,” as well as a special copy of a Feast-related magazine, “Millennial Times,” imagining how the world might look like 20 years after the beginning of the Millennium. (For our general subscribers in the US, we have enclosed a copy of the new booklet with this member letter).

The following two Feast reports from California and North Wales reflect that sense of joy,
urgency and our longing for a better world.

First, the Feast Report from California:

Once again brethren and visitors from the United States and Canada observed the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day in Pismo Beach, California, which was conducted by the Church of the Eternal God in the USA, in collaboration with the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada. Most of the brethren stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn where our meetings were conducted. Being in close proximity allowed for extended opportunities to socialize—especially during breakfast time.

The messages this year were presented by Bob Bourque, Joe Bourque, Kalon Mitchell, Michael Link, Robb Harris, Eric Rank, Rene Messier and Dave Harris—along with a special recorded Feast sermon from Norbert Link. These are available on our Church Website.

Special music by the adult and children’s choir in addition to individual performances from our talented members greatly added to the services. Several had diligently prepared in the time leading up to the Feast to be able to participate, and we are very grateful for their personal contributions.

Highlights also included a Dinner Dance with the theme of “animation”—hosted by Michael Link. Both adults and children really went all-out with costumes, and the entire evening was truly a fun-filled time. That enjoyment continued the next evening during our Talent Show—hosted by John Amorelli and Kalon Mitchell. Both young and old gave it their all to entertain one another in a family-like atmosphere!

On Friday afternoon, several assembled together at Avila Beach to enjoy the sand and waves of the beautiful California coast. That evening the ministry conducted a Bible Study discussing the fulfillment of biblical prophecies that we are currently witnessing. On Monday evening, many of the brethren gathered for a meal in a nearby restaurant as a way to cap off the tremendous experience of observing this Feast.

This year’s Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day were especially marked by a willingness to participate and serve one another, and we give God our thanks for His protection and blessings during this very special time!

Following is the Feast Report from North Wales:

For the sixteenth time, the Global Church of God held the Feast of Tabernacles in the UK, and this was the 3rd consecutive year at Deganwy in North Wales. This year, a 6 foot high Global Church of God banner was displayed for the first time and added to the proceedings.

Daily services were held in the Tegid Suite at the Quay Hotel, which is perfectly situated on the idyllic Conwy Estuary. On the hotel’s website, they state: “The Quay Hotel commands awe-inspiring views of the most magical scenery in North Wales and is located within easy reach of Snowdonia National Park, the neighbouring medieval town of Conwy and Victorian Llandudno, all within close access from Chester and the North.” This is no exaggeration as the hotel is beautifully situated where the harbour, countryside and Conwy Castle can all be seen quite clearly.

A number of brethren were welcomed from the USA and from Germany. For several of the German brethren, this was their first Feast. They had seen Mr Link’s German StandingWatch programs and heard his German sermons on the Church’s German website, aufpostenstehen.de. Several baptisms had been performed in Germany before the Feast and a further two baptisms took place during the Feast, much to the delight of all concerned. In addition, a young child was blessed during the Feast.

A PowerPoint slide show, which was similar to the one presented in California, was much appreciated and drew additional visitors from another church organization. Further messages were presented by Doug Mitchell, Andrew Burns, Brian Gale and Norbert Link—in addition to the pre-recorded video Feast sermon by Mr Link on the importance of true and genuine love. Norbert and Johanna Link provided simultaneous German translations of all the messages for our German brethren in attendance.

God has commanded His people to faithfully keep the Feast of Tabernacles, and the spiritual food is the most important aspect of this important time. However, many activities were enjoyed. Again the Conwy Golf Club hosted the Feast Dinner, which again provided a superb meal. An organised coach tour visited a number of places in the Snowdonia region and included a train journey on the Ffestiniog Railway which is the oldest independent railway company in the world—being founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832. Also a social was held and was enjoyed by everybody, including a number of guests from another Church organization.

Conditions in the world continue to go rapidly downhill, and no one knows how many more Feasts will be held in this age. We have to make the most of any opportunities that we are afforded, and the brethren certainly took full advantage of everything on offer at this Feast site. There was certainly much spiritual teaching in an area of beauty, peace and serenity and many other activities that were enjoyed.

Meeting others of a like mind and with the same goals is always a wonderful experience, and we are all now waiting for the Feast of Tabernacles to become reality, when Christ returns to set up the Kingdom of God in what we hope is in the not-too-distant future!

Even though we do not know how many Feasts we still are able to observe, we must plan ahead. And so, given the increasing number of German-speaking brethren and visitors, we will to try to find a Feast site in Germany in 2013 for attendees from the UK (and hopefully the US) and German speaking areas. We will also try to find a Feast site in or near Colorado for attendees from the US and Canada. Your prayers for God’s guidance in this regard are truly appreciated.

Further plans have been initiated to conduct our 2013 Ministerial Conference in Colorado after the Passover (evening of March 24) and the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread (March 26-April 1). The conference is scheduled to begin on Friday, April 12, through Tuesday, April 16. Norbert and Johanna Link intend to fly to Germany before the Passover, to conduct further meetings, campaigns, and counseling for anticipated baptisms, and to observe the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread with the German brethren, while Brian and Jill Gale will travel to San Diego for the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread. We are also in the process of establishing regular German church services in hotels, rather than in private homes, as we have been doing so far.

World conditions are getting darker by the day, with wars looming on the horizon, and terrible economic conditions raising their ugly head. The US Presidential Election on November 6 will have no substantial positive impact whatsoever on the future of the USA—no matter who will win—as God has decreed that this country must fall. Misguided faith in politicians, their empty promises and their destructive deeds, must come to an end. The sins of the nation have become too grievous to be overlooked any longer. The abominable and increasingly popular celebration of Halloween on October 31—a feast openly dedicated to Satan the devil and his demonic forces—is only one example, showing how far this nation has turned its back on and removed itself from God.

Brethren and friends, time is short as never before. Satan knows it too. His wrath is great. His activities, influences and hate can be clearly seen these days all over the world. But as Norbert Link explained in his recent video-recorded sermon, “Satan Is Alive,” the devil is especially interested in the destruction of God’s people. He will not stop at anything. He will bring temptations and deceptions; he will bombard them with physical and spiritual fiery darts of wickedness. He is a liar and murderer. For the world, he is their angel of light and even their very god—for us, he is our mortal deadly enemy. Make no mistake! The prophesied apostasy for the last days has not ended—it is ongoing and directed at the Church of God organizations. We will see, once again, more and more deceptive and false teachings being infiltrated into the churches in the weeks and months to come. And we are warned that MANY in the Church of God will be deceived and that their love—the love of God within them—will grow cold. They will hate and betray one another, and former friends will become cruel and unforgiving enemies.

We must be on guard. We must be clothed with God’s spiritual armor to stand and to fight Satan. When we resist him and draw near to God, Satan must flee from us. He had nothing in Christ—he must have nothing in us.

This world is built on the foundation of Satan’s deceptions. It can’t be improved—it must be replaced. Thanks be to God that Christ will return very soon to establish God’s rule on earth. In the meantime, we must stay strong and do the Work of God. Having been rejuvenated during the Feast of Tabernacles, let us not lose this necessary zeal and love for God. Let us not give place to the devil, and let us not allow him to discourage us through problems, trials and difficulties. Too much—our eternity—is at stake.

In Christian love,

Norbert Link

Dave Harris

Rene Messier

Brian Gale

Eric Rank