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Dear Co-workers and Brethren,

Coming to the end of the calendar year, many people are contemplative of the events of the past 12 months. There’s not much argument about it being an especially eventful year. Covid 19 dominates headlines daily; lockdowns and fear cause psychological damage by isolating people in their time of need; political maneuverings abound following administration changes in the US and European nations; racial tensions are magnified. Sadly, the things that stand out the most are grim.

What emerges as a theme for the year is that ideologies have become bastions that polarize the populous. Picking a side to affiliate with is an expectation in our society, while holding a balanced point of view is considered weak. Or at least, this is what our media outlets would have us believe. It is the extreme points of view, with the loudest voices that get the most attention because of their titillating, sensationalist presentations of the so-called “truth”. Of course, we observe the opposing sides present a different “truth” with equally strong rhetoric vigor. While the so-called “truth” is everywhere, the actual Truth gets no attention by the media, whatsoever.

The problem is that we live in a world where deception of all kinds proliferates. As a result, the Truth becomes hidden in plain sight. People cannot generally see the Truth because of the swarm of lies that clouds the view. The Bible explains the reason why this is so. “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:19-20). Satan has a stranglehold on the world right now, controlling the minds of the unwitting who are swindled into believing the lie.

The lies take many shapes, all designed to turn people away from the teachings of God. All of these lies pervert reality and twist facts in the name of virtue to promote the kinds of effects Satan desires. He sows hatred, division, discouragement, and disobedience that have an ultimate end in death, rather than life.

During this time of year, the most prevalent lie involves the Christmas holiday. The world at large presents the holiday as one that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ in ways that honor Him. But nothing could be further from the Truth. It doesn’t take very much research to discover that the origins of this holiday have no roots at all in the Bible. On the contrary, everything having to do with Christmas is made up by man, and even worse, directly traces back to the worship of pagan gods. Why would Christians participate in the holiday celebrations, knowing these facts? The reason has to do with the deception of Satan, that convinces people that it is no big deal. We present this, and other common lies, in a recent StandingWatch program titled, “Why Do We Lie to Our Children?”

The contemporary politicians who run the nations of the world have never been known for their truth-telling virtues. Yet, their lies become more egregious with each passing day. Whether those lies involve commitments to other countries, the so-called facts surrounding the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the effectiveness of Covid 19 measures, or just about anything else, it is many times difficult to know what to believe. Facts are figuratively and literally redacted, being hidden from view.

The media is perhaps the worst culprit when it comes to the presentation of deception. Each outlet selectively presents facts to draw their pictures, and colors them with strongly biased interpretations, which push forward an agenda aimed to influence the hearts and minds of the consumer. These presentations are undeniably slick and seemingly convincing. While claiming adherence to truth and invoking science, the presentations by the mass media mostly deceive. Big tech is complicit as well, implementing gatekeeping policies to prevent any facts from coming to the surface, which might contradict the narratives of their agenda. What’s crazy is that these biases are generally known by media consumers! People are effectively choosing to be deceived.

These examples of the deception that surround us could go on and on. The whole point is that we live in a world where it is hard to know what to believe. With Satan in control of the narrative, we shouldn’t be surprised. “… He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44). As a result, while living in this world, as we wait for the return of Jesus Christ, we cannot escape the influence of deception.

The question then becomes, what do we need to do to protect ourselves? Jesus Christ Himself warns us about the need to be on guard against deception. “‘Then if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Christ!” or “There!” do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, “Look, He is in the desert!” do not go out; or “Look, He is in the inner rooms!” do not believe it’” (Matthew 24:23-26). We need to be aware that as those converted, baptized, begotten members of the Family of God, we are in Satan’s crosshairs. We are his most valuable targets, and he will do whatever he can to prevent us from completing our journey, with faith, to inherit eternal life.

Our protection of course involves our close adherence to the Truth. The very first item in the armor of God that protects us is the Truth (compare Ephesians 6:14). By becoming intimately familiar with the Word of God, and praying to God for understanding, we will build for ourselves a foundation of knowledge that we can use to guide our decisions and actions. By putting the Holy Spirit to work to help us develop the mind of Christ, we will learn how to correctly apply what we learn so that we can walk in the Spirit (compare Galatians 5:16). Our love for the Truth is our base layer of protection against the deception espoused in the world around us.

We in the Church of the Eternal God and our international affiliates have a commitment to support your search for the Truth. With the Word of God as our source, the Holy Spirit as our guide, and the history of the Church doctrine as our benchmark, we work to fulfill the commission given to us by God – to feed the flock and preach the gospel to the world as a witness. We continue to use the resources that God grants us, knowing that we are accountable to God the Father and Jesus Christ to share the Truth as strongly as we can. It takes a great deal of work, but it is our great privilege to have the opportunity.

We face a dire situation in the world right now. The noise of deceit drowns out the voices that speak the Truth. The world has little tolerance for hearing the Truth, and cannot even recognize it. “Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter” (Isaiah 59:14). Yet, we cannot give up. We all work together to hold fast to the Truth and participate in the ways that we can to amplify it. The work of the ministry will continue to present the Truth with a strong, unified, and clear voice. And you as co-workers have an important job as well. Your prayers for the work of the Church are vital. Only by working together can we be effective in fulfilling the job that God has given us – to uphold the Truth without compromise.

In Christ’s Service,

Eric Rank

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

I have thought, for a long time, that it must take more faith to believe in the theory of evolution than in the great Creator God.

The theory of evolution challenges the idea that God is the designer of the universe and that the beauty, order and complexity of the universe is evidence of a superior supernatural being. And yet, there are those who deny the evidence before their very eyes of a creation that demands a Creator and cling on to an unprovable notion that evolution is responsible for all that we see on earth and in a hugely impressive solar system that boggles the imagination in its size and complexity.

I want to quote a short piece entitled “Swallow that one! Showing how ridiculous the theory of evolution is”:

“This false religious movement is called ‘Evolution’. It has no scientific basis, despite its claims to the contrary. It is a belief system teaching that everything came into being by chance, that billions of years ago, out of nothing, an atom, no larger than a ‘dot’ on this page, made itself. Then after millions of years it started spinning and spun so fast that it blew up. Out of this big bang the entire vast universe was formed, including the millions of Galaxies, Space and everything that exists. After further millions of years primitive life evolved from ‘Pond Scum’ and eventually into living creatures. Then by their own shoe straps they pulled themselves up, finally developing into a diversity of living things, with mankind originating from an ape-like creature millions of years ago. This is a belief system of a fool, for only a fool can believe that nothing created something.” 

You really do have to have unimaginable faith to believe that what is taught by Evolution and quoted above is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

I have no recollection as to who wrote that excellent piece, but it is a quotation that I saved because, to me, it demolishes the absurd theory in just 152 words.

Why do I raise this matter at this time? It is because the belief in the Great God whom we acknowledge and worship is under threat as never before. Belief in God seems to get a lower rating each time a poll is taken. Man now seems to be his own god; many of his inventions are astonishing and even space-exploration seems to be a further area to engage in and develop while conditions on earth continue to deteriorate. We have only to look around us to see that current conditions cannot continue as they are for very much longer.

The Coronavirus pandemic and man’s attempts to deal with it have caused havoc in a worldwide system already sinking in unimaginable debt. Shortages are becoming commonplace, prices soaring, violence and war are the norm in many places, and we see worldwide terrorism, poverty, drug abuse, disease, pollution, much sexual deviancy and more. 

In today’s educational system, students are fed the “theory of evolution” as a matter of course, and any belief that they may have in God is undermined at an early stage in their lives.

Those of us who are privileged to have been called into the true Church of God know that Satan must realise that his time is short (compare Revelation 12:12), and his attacks on the people of God will increase as we near the end of this age.

But we can have a peace of mind that society is not able to enjoy at this time because they have no idea about the Master Plan that God has for His people now and for the rest of the world, past and present, in the future. 

When we see the acceleration in world events and how international, national and local woes continue to intensify in an increasingly godless society, we have the comfort and joy of knowing that this is but for a short time only and that it will all be replaced by the Kingdom of God at the soon-coming return of Jesus Christ which will supersede the current state of affairs, where no world leader has the answers to the current woes being experienced worldwide.

Those atheistic proponents of evolution and God-deniers will have some explaining to do when Jesus Christ, who they believe does not exist, returns to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords, but most will have their opportunity to repent and be in God’s Kingdom for eternity.

We should delight that some or many of our current opponents may one day “see the light” and enjoy, with us, the wonderful eternity that God has on offer for those who seek His Way.

Now is not the time to let down or let go of the Truth that has been revealed to us. Our calling is a wonderful gift, and we must always treasure it. Let us move forward knowing that, not too long from now, there will be such a wonderful future for us to enjoy, for eternity!

With Christian love,

Brian Gale
(United Kingdom)

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Dear Members and Friends,

We have just returned from celebrating what Church of God members have been looking forward to the whole year—when we could put our everyday lives on hold and when we could worship together in peace and harmony; exactly, what the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day picture. But being able to observe these days didn’t come without its challenges, for we couldn’t celebrate them in a way we used to in times past, without restrictions and other complications we hadn’t faced before. This already started to become evident last Feast. The world as we once knew it has changed and it doesn’t appear that it will get any better or return back “to normal.”

In my message on the Last Great Day, titled “Right Now,” I mentioned that we have all witnessed a miracle this Feast. By being able to observe God’s Holy Days like we did, under various circumstances and challenges that we had to go through to even make it to the Feast, and still having had the privilege to meet together is considered a miracle. And yet there were brethren among us who weren’t able to attend the Feast due to illness.

We have heard many examples and have had many prayer requests about the trials that many of the brethren in virtually every Church organization within the Body of Christ had to go through in order to keep the Feast, like the need for vaccinations in order to travel, Covid tests, and persistent problems with requesting time off from school and work, which is still an issue for some every single year. And now, throwing the pandemic in the mix has added to the challenges in ways we probably would have never thought possible. This is where we really needed and need to place everything into God’s hands. 

Now we have returned and the challenges continue, especially for the brethren in the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries in Europe. Many have come back with the Covid virus and other complications. God’s people are suffering. But God is very aware of it all, and He continues to test us in various ways to see how we respond. This mirrors the way His chosen ones were tested in the examples we read about in the Bible. Jesus Christ also suffered just as we do, and He knows exactly what we go through. Peter states it this way: “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10). The sufferings we go through are only temporary but they are a necessary step to achieve what we have been destined for. 

We may ask ourselves why these things are taking place, why so many in God’s Church have been affected beyond and above the sacrifices we have already had to make so we could attend the Feast, and now we continue to suffer after we have returned. The answer should be quite clear. Satan doesn’t rest until he has done all he can to dissuade us, to the point where we could lose our drive to continue on. But Satan can only do what God allows. And while Satan tries to influence us to sin, God allows that we go through trials and tests to show ourselves approved—by resisting and overcoming sin. That is where we have a choice to make, and God wants to see us make the right choice, looking to Him and putting our faith and confidence in Him to provide for our every need. John gives us this assurance: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14). So, we must continue to pray for His intervention.

I ended my message on the Last Great Day by stating that this was NO time to sleep, NO time to sit back and relax when it comes to our spiritual lives. What is going on in the world right now is just the beginning and it is frustrating. It will get more frustrating, and this is exactly what Satan wants. He wants to break us apart. He wants to discourage us and wear us down, and he may be using political and religious leaders of this world to do so. We read in Daniel 7:25 that the “little horn” shall “persecute the saints of the Most High.” The word for “persecute” literally means, “to wear out.” It describes wearing out by degrees, like a garment is worn out. That is Satan’s strategy by confronting us with constant harassment and ongoing persecution in one way or another. We cannot let Satan win! We are stronger than he because we have God on our side. God assures us that we can resist Satan and that we can live through every problem—with God’s help. We should be praying for Christ’s speedy return to finally put an end to all this madness. But would we be ready for His return? That is a question we each must ask and answer for ourselves, for God is also waiting on us to act right now, as Paul states in Romans 13:11 “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 times we are in now should be a wake-up call for what we know is coming in the not-too-distant future, as prophecy unfolds before our eyes. We don’t know for sure what next year will bring, where or IF we will be able to observe God’s Feast days together as a Church as we have been doing every year up to this point. With this uncertainty, we can be certain that God is well aware of this situation, and He is with us, guiding, leading and directing us, as long as we remain faithful, diligent and trustworthy, and as long as we fully embrace His plan for us and His Church. May God be with all of US!

In God’s service and with Christian love,

Michael Link

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Dear Members and Friends,

It is only a few weeks now until the Feast of Trumpets occurs, which will be followed by the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day. We can certainly look forward especially to this Feast of Trumpets because of what we read in Revelation 11:15. This pictures the culmination of the blowing of the seven trumpets after the Great Tribulation and the Day of the LORD: “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our LORD and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’”

To us, this is a wonderful day to look forward to. It pictures what is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: “For the LORD Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air. And thus we shall always be with the LORD.” This is the time of the beginning of our eternal life—a time of great rejoicing when we will meet up with all of those we have known in God’s Church who have endured to the end. We will also meet up with many others, including prophets and members of God’s Church throughout the ages.

However, the Feast of Trumpets does not only have importance for us—not just for those called by God. But it points at the time when the whole world will begin to be changed. Today, this world is ruled by Satan who is called the god of this age and who has blinded the minds of almost every person (2 Corinthians 4:4). We have just published a new free booklet, titled, “Evil Empires and Evil People—Wild Beasts of the Bible.” In this booklet, we show many biblical references of wild beasts that are used to depict evil people and evil empires in this world. This booklet explains these symbolic references as they apply to dramatic prophecies given for our time.

The world today is in many ways very insecure and at times quite frightening. As is mentioned in the prophecy that Christ delivered on the Mount of Olives, there would be religious deception and earthquakes, as well as wars and rumors of wars.

When we look up historical reports, there are listings of many wars over the centuries. And as for rumors of wars, in magazines of the 1960s, there were many articles on building fallout shelters in case there was a nuclear war between the Soviet Union and the USA. Even today, there are suggestions or rumors of a war between China and USA. In the real wars, multiple tens of millions of people have been killed, both in the military and also innocent civilians.

But when the events, symbolized by the Feast of Trumpets, are being fulfilled, when Christ returns to earth as Lord of lords and King of kings, He will overcome everyone who tries to fight against Him (Revelation 17:14). There will be a world of peace for a thousand years, beginning in Jerusalem. Zechariah 14:3-4 also describes this time period when the nations are gathered together to fight against Jerusalem: “Then the LORD will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east….”

However, Jesus Christ did not only prophesy about religious deception, earthquakes and wars when He spoke on the Mount of Olives. He also spoke about famines and pestilences. Again, when we look through history, there are many records of pestilences over the centuries. Some notable ones that come to mind are the black death or bubonic plague in the fourteenth century, which killed over seventy-five million people. There have also been repeated episodes of this plague since then, although not killing as many. In 1918, at the end of the Great War (World War I), a severe influenza killed around fifty million people, mostly young adults. This was explained with wartime conditions which caused famine and other diseases like consumption (tuberculosis) to be combined with this flu to make it more deadly. Deuteronomy 28:22 describes this for Israelites who do not obey God, although it would apply to others as well. Even today, we are suffering through a pestilence called Covid19, which is reported so far to have killed over four million people (even though it must be admitted that those figures are highly inflated. Further, many suffer more from governmental restrictions imposed on the people than from the disease itself.)

But after the fulfillment of the events, pictured by the Feast of Trumpets, these conditions will be ended for a thousand years. Some verses in Isaiah 33 show us examples of this wonderful time. Verse 20 says: “Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts…” This includes the Feasts, which we will be observing in the next few weeks. Verse 20 continues: “Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home…” Certainly, Jerusalem is not like this today. Continuing: “A tabernacle that will not be taken down….” Verse 21 reads: “But there the majestic LORD will be for us A place of broad rivers and streams, In which no galley with oars will sail, Nor majestic ships pass by.” This implies that no ships of war will be around, again starting at Jerusalem and then spreading to the rest of the world. Verse 24 is also inspiring: “And the inhabitant will not say ‘I am sick’; The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.” Again, after Christ has returned, there will be abundant health. As we read in Ezekiel 47:12, if medicine is needed, the trees beside the river will have leaves for medicine.

As we live in this world which is not God’s world, we are told to pray for God’s Kingdom to come and His will to be done “on earth as in heaven” (Matthew 6:10; Revised English Bible). We are also told to seek first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). And what is God’s own attitude in this? Isaiah chapter 62 makes this very clear. Verse 1 informs us that God will not hold His peace or rest until the righteousness of Jerusalem goes forth as brightness. Verses 6 and 7 inform us that God has set up watchers who will never hold their peace day or night until He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. So, as well as telling us to desire His Kingdom to be established on the earth, He also greatly desires it.     

As these soon-coming Feast days approach, we should be reminded that they signify our change to immortal Spirit beings, but also the time when this world will no longer be ruled by Satan. It will be a time when God’s Kingdom of truth and righteousness, peace and health, will be established. It will begin at Jerusalem and ultimately cover the whole earth.

With much love and concern,

Your brother in Christ’s service, 

Paul Niehoff (Australia)

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

With summer upon us and the restrictions of Covid-19 being laxed by some governments of this world (while others begin again to impose more restrictions), there is an increase in travel and entertainment. People have been cooped up and are anxious to get back into the groove of things. There could be a downside to all of this, and that is the neglect of spiritual matters, because now we may become really busy and God may at times take a back seat to our activities.

This could take us away from our task at hand, given to us by God, which is to preach and publish the gospel to the world as a witness, watch and pray, and grow in grace and knowledge, and we could instead become distracted by our busy lives and lose focus.

It is almost as though we need blinders on to keep us focused. They use blinders for horses for that purpose, as described on the internet:

“Blinkers, sometimes known as blinders, are a piece of horse tack that prevent the horse seeing to the rear and, in some cases, to the side.”

They help the horse to focus on what is in front of them and reduces distractions.

God’s instructions to us have not changed. Let us look at God’s command to Israel before going into the Promised Land:

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess” (Deuteronomy 30:15-16).

These same rules apply for us today in that we may be blessed physically for obedience. Israel was God’s nation that would be blessed physically for obeying. We are God’s begotten children, described by Peter in the following manner:

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…”
(1 Peter 2:9).

Our future is so much greater than just being blessed physically; it is eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Revelation 5:10 promises us: “And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

The manner or method has not changed. We are to “walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.” 

For us, the “land” which we are to possess, is ruling on and over this entire earth. And we are also promised as a free gift, if we are and remain faithful, entrance into the Family of God—the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 25:34 says: “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…’”

We want to be in this group hearing these words since God has no pleasure in those who do not fulfill their precious calling, as we read in Luke 9:62: “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’”

If we are called, our commitment is to see the job through. The rules have not changed from what Israel was given but God’s free gift and His reward for us are so much better.

Let us ensure we do not get distracted by developments in this world which are seemingly giving us more temporary “freedom,” but rather stay focused on our commitment to obey and love God and complete the task of sending this precious Gospel out to the world. Then we will receive God’s great gift and shall reap our glorious reward which is greater than any physical reward we can imagine. To rule as Kings and Priests in the Kingdom of God is our promised destiny, and that is a goal to which we must remain completely focused.  

In Christian Love

Rene Messier (Canada)

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

How do we measure up when it comes to living a faithful life before God? Can it be said of us that we have “walked with God”—as did Enoch (Genesis 5:22), or that we are “the friend of God”—as was Abraham (James 2:23)? Can we, like the Apostle Paul, say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7)?

Also, consider David, who has been chosen to be ruler over Israel “forever” (Ezekiel 37:25), and he is memorialized with these words from God: “‘“I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will”’” (Acts 13:22).

Of these people—and others—it is revealed that they, “having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise” (Hebrews 11:39). [That promise is God’s immutable assurance of eternal life in His Kingdom (Titus 1:2).] Consider, also, what applies to Christians, to us, in verse 40 of Hebrews 11: “God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

One Person has attained perfection after completely overcoming sin, Jesus Christ. And “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:8-9).

The righteous men and women who have preceded us serve as our examples, but Jesus Christ serves as our great High Priest:

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Jesus Christ became human so that we could become God beings:

“Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-18).

In chapter 6 of Hebrews, Paul reminds us that we must build upon the foundation of our calling from God. He also warns us of our grave responsibility and our accountability in having received the Holy Spirit of God, but he adds this encouraging assurance for us:

“But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:9-12).

We are told, ”But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Let me ask again, “How do we measure up when it comes to living a faithful life before God?”

Our criteria is godliness—to live as Jesus Christ lived, for He is our example to imitate:

“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, Nor was guile found in His mouth’” (1 Peter 2:21-22).

It may seem daunting and even something which we can’t do in the way Jesus did, but remember, God has promised to help us! Let’s make sure we ask for His help and really work harder than ever before to overcome sin! We are the servants of the Father and Jesus Christ—we can have absolute faith in their help!

If we do this, then we have God’s promise that we will be made perfect—like Enoch, Abraham, Paul and David will be, and, yes, even like Jesus Christ has been (1 John 3:1-3).

Finally, let us all fervently love one another (John 13:34-35) and diligently pray for and, as much as we have opportunity, be involved in the Work of God given to us to accomplish (James 1:25).

In Christ’s Service,

Dave Harris

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Dear Members and Friends, 

While the world has changed in trying to cope with the pandemic, with new measures put into place as to what one is allowed to do and what not do, and how churches all around the world have been affected in the way services are to be conducted, we are led to ask the question as to what God wants us to do. The world is changing and that is self-evident. However, that which is consistent, or ought to be, is the way we are to obey God. That should not change. Observing God’s commanded annual Holy Days, as we have just done in the celebration of the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, is something that we must do on a consistent basis, no matter what is happening all around us, just as we must consistently observe His Sabbath Day every week.

The world does not understand or believe in the observance of God’s weekly and annual Holy Days and Festivals. Instead, it does ignorantly believe in celebrating holidays derived from paganism which has just been the case with the observance of Easter. The Bible warns those who engage in such pagan worship and who completely disregard God’s specific commands to keep His Word (Deuteronomy 11 and 28). But this will not last forever. The world will not continue to observe these ungodly man-made days, for the time will come in the very near future when the Truth will be revealed to all, and then they will know what God’s Law and His Holy Days are all about. In the meantime, those of us who have been called out of this world now have to remain obedient and observant as we eagerly wait for Christ’s return. 

We read in the Bible that Christ explained during the Passover ceremony an important aspect of His coming and how critical it is to have Him in our lives. He stated in John 6:51, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” Having Christ as a part of us is crucial for our eternal life, which is guaranteed as long as we remain faithful in obeying Him.  

God explained very succinctly in the Old Testament to Moses and the Israelites that we must obey Him—and He was not referring to temporary rituals and ordinances, but to His lasting and enduring injunctions. “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29).  

It is not man whom we should fear, especially when he stands for something which contradicts what God specifically commands, but it is our knowledge of God’s Law that is put to the test often to see how we will decide. Yet we gain wisdom when we fear or respect God. Psalm 111:10 states, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.”  David understood this quite well, and he knew what the Truth was all about—that God’s spiritual Law would always remain as long as there are human beings—and he admits this in Psalm 119:160 where he says, “The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

The contrast between materialistic and eternal is described in 1 John 2:17: “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” We understand that the world we are living in is only temporary with all the material things that it’s composed of, and we also understand that a new world is coming for which we are all eagerly waiting with long-suffering.

As we prepare ourselves for our eternal gift of immortal life, while enduring necessary sufferings, we look forward to the greatest sense of relief we couldn’t even possibly imagine but which we will experience when the time of Christ’s return will have finally arrived. What an incredible feeling of accomplishment that will be, knowing that we will have made it. This is something we should always have on our minds, for this is our destiny. The times just ahead of us will lead to destruction. But God’s faithful people do not need to fear, for they will be triumphant, and this is something that will last forever! 

In God’s service and with Christian love,

Michael Link

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Dear Brethren and Coworkers,

Those of us living in the northern hemisphere are beginning to see the days get longer and feel the weather become more comfortable as Winter turns to Spring. Perhaps the phenomenon of the turning season bringing an expectant hope along with the improving climate is personal to me, but I believe that there are others who feel the same optimism. After what seems like a year-long winter of shutdowns and orders to stay home, with the world virtually imprisoned, people everywhere share the opinion that it’s about time for things to improve. Of course, whether the worldly circumstances in the coming months will improve or not remains to be seen.

The question to consider is about what the object of our hope is. What do you hope for? Are you hoping for the ability to go out into public without fear of catching a disease? Are you hoping for the ability to see the smiles on strangers’ faces again? Are you hoping that you can carry out your activities in life without concern about being the target of judgment from people who have different opinions as to what constitutes “proper social conduct”?  All of these are things that I hope for, and I’m sure that many of you can relate.

Yet, we must be aware that these kinds of changes for an improved quality of life that we hear about in the media and from the people in our communities are very short-sighted. Sure, lifting lockdowns and improved health in our communities are good things, but they are nothing more than momentary in the grand plan of God. To hope for worldly improvements is not wrong, but we need to hope for much, much more. Our hope must be focused on the long-term fulfillment of God’s plan.

Long-term thinking doesn’t come very easily to most people in this age. With technology enabling the flow of information so rapidly, an idea sparked in conversation can turn very quickly into an immediate purchase with same-day delivery. We don’t have to wait for much of anything these days. Why would anyone have the patience to wait for God’s plan to come to fruition to improve the state of the world when politicians and business magnates sell the promise of making the world better now? Sadly, Satan has deceived the world to believe that our state of being will improve at the hands of man. The patience of so many has grown so thin as to discount God’s intervention entirely. The world doesn’t want God’s solutions, but that is truly the only hope we have.

Perhaps our circumstances affected by the COVID-19 pandemic will improve temporarily—time will tell. But we know that whatever worldly improvements we might benefit from will be short-lived, and that they aren’t worth much anyway. Even more, the Bible instructs us not to place our love in worldly things at all! “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17). Any hope that we have for an improved quality of life must be tempered with the knowledge that the true hope for a better life requires long-term thinking, patience, and faith in God, not man.

Moses provides us with a great example of the kind of long-term thinking that we must have. When he was in Egypt, he made a choice. As the adopted son of Pharoah’s daughter, he was effectively a member of the royal family. Yet, he knew that he was a Hebrew and that his heritage belonged with his own people. Moses made a decision to forsake the privileges and comforts of life for something he considered to be much greater. “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them” (Hebrews 11:24-28). As prevalent as his trials were, Moses dedicated his life to the hope for a better future for his people. He could have taken a much easier path in life, choosing a way of privilege rather than hardship. But instead, he believed in God. Moses trusted that His Way was the best way, even if it meant enduring indefinite adversity. And then he acted upon those beliefs.

From this example of Moses enduring trials and dedicating his life to godly obedience, we can draw inspiration. Are we likewise focused on the long-term goal set before us—to turn our lives away from the sin and spiritual slavery? Or are we distracted by what’s right in front of us? Are we trying to improve the uncomfortable worldly circumstances? The Israelites had a similar goal that Moses had—to flee the bondage of Egypt, but they were not focused on the reasons why it was important to leave that bondage. Moses knew that it was critical to leave Egypt so Israel could draw near to God, but the Israelites were only thinking about the short-term benefit. As a result, when they wandered in the wilderness, they quickly found cause to complain. Had they been thinking about the ultimate goal of life in the Promised Land, the difficulties they faced would have been much more tolerable. Considering this example, we are obliged to evaluate our own focus. Do we really have anything to complain about? Certainly, we can easily come up with things in our lives that we don’t like, but are they worth our investment of time, attention, and other resources? However, it should be clear that we are better off placing our hope into a future that’s eternally and infinitely better.

With the Passover and Spring Holy Days upon us, it is time to consider our dedication to God. So much of this season involves evaluating ourselves so we can uncover the sins that lurk in the dark corners of our lives and remove them. There may be sins in our life that masquerade as righteous acts, but instead only serve our all-too-human short-term thinking. We may have sins that have become rote habit, turning invisible to our own eyes. We may have sins that are simply very difficult to overcome. Whatever we face now, we need to remember that the improvement we are called to work on is the long-term kind that begins with overcoming sin, not the short-term change that feels good for a moment. The world will tell us otherwise, but we know better. Our investment for our great future involves making payments today in the currency of righteousness.

With the emergence of Spring, we all have tremendous hope. But not the kind of hope that results in a little more comfortable life. Quite the contrary. Those minor improvements in the quality of life are nothing, comparatively speaking. We have something much greater. We have hope for God’s Way of Life to prevail. We have hope that our sins will be forgiven through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We have hope for an eternal life, ruling with Christ in the Kingdom of God. To fulfill this hope, our job is to follow the examples set before us, and invest into the great future, while forsaking the distractions of the world. Our job is to think big.

In Christ’s Service,

Eric Rank