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Dear Members and Friends!

This is a very personal letter which I wanted to write in order to clear up some misunderstanding and address some outstanding issues. As many of you know, I stated quite strongly and repeatedly that I was convinced, based on my understanding of biblical prophecy, that Donald Trump would be re-elected in 2020 and that he would stay in office. I have since then apologized for my statements in a recent StandingWatch program, titled, “The Second Impeachment Circus.” 

Nothing in this letter is meant to take away from my apology. That Donald Trump isn’t presently
occupying the White House is obvious. Still, I also promised in the StandingWatch program that more would have to be explained in order to get the entire picture.

This letter is meant to do just that.

When Donald Trump announced that he would run for the Presidency in 2016, I stated with conviction that I believed he would become President. I stated with the same conviction that I believed he would be reelected in 2020. What went wrong? 

Several ministers and numerous members wrote me to tell me or remind me of the fact that they, likewise, were convinced or at least felt very strongly that Mr. Trump would stay in office. How could we all have been so wrong?

In fact, some implied that I must be a false prophet as I said something which did not turn out to be true. Reference was made to Deuteronomy 18:20-22, which says: 

“But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death. You may say to yourselves, ‘How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?’ If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.”

On the face of it, that would mean that the early New Testament apostles would have been false prophets, because they all believed and proclaimed dogmatically, undoubtedly with the conviction that they were inspired by God, that they would still be alive at the time of the return of Jesus Christ. Later it became clear to them that they would all die, but that was not clear to them at first. 

It is obvious that Deuteronomy 18:20-22 does not address these kinds of scenarios. Matthew Henry explains that the false prophet makes wrong predictions, contrary to the plain meaning of Scripture, to encourage people to sin (cp. Jeremiah 23:20-22). The false prophet claims to speak in the name of the LORD, but it is his goal to lead the people to wrong gods. In reality, a false prophet speaks in the name of other gods, either expressly (cp. Deuteronomy 13:1-5), or clandestinely. 

The Nelson Study Bible points out that false prophets might even predict events which do come to pass, while true prophets may predict events which do not materialize.  A classic example is Jonah who proclaimed that God would destroy sinful Nineveh in 40 days. Due to the sincere repentance of the Ninevites, God relented from the calamity which He had planned to bring about (compare Jeremiah 18:7-8; 26:3). This did not make Jonah a false prophet.

This brings me to the next important issue; namely, that God has sometimes changed His mind to bring about a certain event, or that He has delayed certain events, not because of the repentance of the people, but because of lack of repentance. We know that a falling away from the Truth is prophesied, because true members of God’s Church refuse to accept and maintain the love of the Truth
(2 Thessalonians 2:3, 9-10). We read that because lawlessness will abound, the love of God in Church members will grow cold (Matthew 24:12). 

Still, God wants to save as many as are allowing Him to do so. He has patience with us, not willing that any one of us should perish, but that we all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) and the knowledge of the Truth. So, He gives us time to repent, delaying or holding back certain events in the process. The apostle Peter tells us that we can either delay (see again 2 Peter 3:9) or hasten (2 Peter 3:11-12) the return of Jesus Christ. Sadly, it is my assessment, when considering the state of affairs of the entire Church of God, being composed of numerous organizations and splinter groups, that some, if not many, are guilty of delaying Christ’s return, due to their lack of repentance and zeal; and so, it is high time for them to wake up, and any who are within our own fellowship who may be in the same category, and to change their way of life, because God’s patience will come to an end.

This brings me to an all-important question, and it is not being asked to “justify” comments which I made regarding the re-election of Donald Trump in 2020. The question is: Did God delay or postpone certain critical developments of events (compare, for example, Revelation 10:6; Ezekiel 12:21-28; and Habakkuk 2:2-3)?

To put it differently: Did God allow Donald Trump to “lose” the election to give some Church members more time to repent? Is that concept even conceivable?

Consider this:

Many feel that Donald Trump did in actuality win the election, but that it was stolen from him due to massive voter fraud, irregularities and unconstitutional changes regarding the voting system in some states just prior to the election. Much evidence was presented to courts for this claim, but no court looked at the evidence. Instead, all cases were adjudicated based on judicial technicalities… with the idea that nobody, not even the President himself, had any standing to raise the issues. It seems that most politicians (let alone the mass media and Big Tech) are now just too willing to “move on,” without ever addressing the possibility of a massive voter fraud. But does this mean, then, that the current President sitting in the White House may not be the one whom God accepts as rightfully occupying the office? Undoubtedly, in that case, God would have allowed him to be there, without putting him there directly. (Of course, when I stated that Donald Trump would be re-elected, I did not take the possibility of voter fraud into consideration.)

And so, in addressing our times and the situation within the USA, God makes the following stunning announcement in Hosea 8:4:

“They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval.”

IF this statement could be applied to our current situation in the USA, then please allow me to draw another parallel: 

We know of King Nebuchadnezzar who had become like an animal and who lived for seven years with the animals, because God punished him for his pride. However, during that time, God preserved the office of kingship for him, which he would occupy again after his sanity had returned.

Another, perhaps even more striking example is King David. When due to David’s sins, God allowed that his son Absalom rebelled, occupied Jerusalem and was declared to be king of Israel (2 Samuel 16:16-18), the Bible never recognized him or referred to him as king, but it continually referred to David as the King (2 Samuel 16:5-6; 17:17, 21; 18:4-5), including when he fled from Absalom and Jerusalem and did not, technically, occupy the throne in Jerusalem until the death of Absalom and David’s return to Jerusalem. 

So, is it possible that Donald Trump will run again in 2024 and be elected then, thereby reclaiming the office of President? And that this might occur, after the Biden administration will have contributed in the meantime to a complete economic downfall of the USA, as many anticipate? There are certain critical prophecies which must be fulfilled, and it does not appear at all that they will be fulfilled by Joe Biden and his administration. 

As we pointed out many times, the Bible shows that a third Temple will be built in Jerusalem prior to Christ’s return. The relationship between Israel and the USA under Donald Trump had never been better. That is why many felt, especially in Israel, that Donald Trump would in some way help with the building of the third Temple. It appears that Trump, who called himself the “chosen one,” shared and perhaps still shares this belief. The fact that coins were printed in Israel portraying the third Temple together with Trump as the modern King Cyrus who helped the Jews in building the second Temple is surely no coincidence; nor is the letter by the Sanhedrin pleading with Trump to help in building the third Temple. 

We will have to see whether and how all of this may come to fruition. It does not appear that it could come to fruition under Joe Biden.

In addition, the relationship between the USA and the EU is prophesied to deteriorate until the point of outright war, which will be instigated by Europe, not the USA. Again, it appears unlikely that this outcome could be reached under Joe Biden, who wants to be nice to the Europeans, but if Trump (or someone like Trump, even though nobody else seems to be on the horizon to “qualify” for the “job”) were to come to power in 2024, the situation may be quite different. Europe is preparing for such an eventuality and it is determined to increase its military spending and to build a powerful European Army as soon as possible.

Again, nothing in this letter should be misconstrued as saying that I am trying to retract my apology. What I said and believed was objectively false, and for that I am sorry. But is it possible—please bear with me and with a little foolishness on my part—that the substance of what I said—to an extent unknowingly—might have been delayed, but that it still could come to fruition in some way in the future?

God directs His servants to speak for Him, even though they may not fully understand what they are actually saying. The prophets of old did not understand some of the prophecies which they were asked to proclaim (compare Daniel 12:8-9), and they had to learn and recognize that they were not speaking to themselves, but to the early apostles and Church members regarding Christ’s suffering and glorification (1 Peter 1:10-12). The High Priest uttered a prophecy just before Christ’s arrest, not even understanding the meaning as to what he was saying, but God directed it that way (John 11:49-53).

In the recent past, the Church of God, under the human leadership of Herbert Armstrong who died in 1986, powerfully preached during World War II that those events then occurring would culminate in the Great Tribulation. That didn’t happen, but Mr. Armstrong recognized this fact and—based on clear biblical prophecies—continued to proclaim warnings about Germany arising after the war to lead the final resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire. Again, through watching world events, but due to a miscalculation and misunderstanding of “19-year time cycles,” Mr. Armstrong pointed to 1975 as the possible year of Christ’s return. (Mr. Armstrong wrote a booklet, titled, “1975 in Prophecy,” but it was said that the choice of the year was to counter those who proclaimed that certain unbiblical events would take place in 1975). In any event, Christ did not return in 1975, and many Church members walked away from God’s Church and God’s Truth, because they lost sight of the true role of God’s Church. Up until his death, Mr. Armstrong preached the sureness of biblical prophecy regarding events preceding the Great Tribulation and the subsequent return of Jesus Christ. While he initially thought that he would be alive at Christ’s return, he came to understand that another generation would arise to see the fulfillment of end-time events revealed in the Bible.

We, also, will have to wait and see. That is our mission—to proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom of God (that is, the good news which is given to us by God the Father and Jesus Christ) and to stand watch and announce what God reveals to us. Sometimes, we might see dimly as through a dark mirror (1 Corinthians 13:12), not fully comprehending as to what God wants us to say, but the light of understanding will shine brighter and brighter, if we do not refuse to do what God expects of us to do (2 Peter 1:19-21). After all, we have been given the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10), and God promises His servants that He will reveal to them what He is about to do (Amos 3:6-8; also compare John 16:13). 

Mr. Armstrong stated that he would change if proven wrong from the Bible, and that is how we in the Church approach our own calling. When events occur which don’t work out the way we anticipate, or at least not quite yet, our focus remains to go to the Word of God and pray to God for the understanding of His Will—and to faithfully and zealously continue to fulfill our part in the Work of God.

So, please, let us have patience and wait for God to show us more clearly what the future holds. But if the past and the present are guides in any way, an unsuspecting world will soon be confronted with surprising and unexpected developments, culminating in the Great Tribulation. However, God’s people should not be in darkness so that that Day will overtake them as a thief in the night
(1 Thessalonians 5:1-6). 

Your brother in Christ,

Norbert Link

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Dear Members and Friends,

From the end of the cold war in 1991, the Western nations have lived in relative peace. There have been some wars involving the west, but usually not on western soil. Yes, the World Trade Centre was destroyed in 2001, but generally in the West, there has been a semblance of peace. The continuing wars were generally in the Middle East and Africa.

But at the present time the whole world has become very insecure. In many countries there are lockdowns, with vastly increased unemployment, business collapses, border closures and the fear of catching a dangerous virus that has spread throughout the world. It is a very uncertain time and when we consider the prophesied events yet to occur, it becomes even more alarming.

It is also prophesied that some will depart from the faith, especially because of iniquity and false teachings. But it is very encouraging when we see how God cares about us, His called-out people, and what He has promised and desires for us ultimately.

In Job 14:14-15, we find that God has a desire for the work of His hands. We know from the first chapter of Genesis that mankind was created on the sixth day as a part of the work of God (Genesis 1:26). He finished this stage of His work on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). Since we are a part of God’s work, it is evident that He has a desire for us. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 repeats this theme in that God “desires all men to be saved”. This is not just those He has called out now, but everyone who has ever lived. He desires this so greatly that He was willing for His own Son to be a sacrifice to atone for the sins of all who believe so they could have everlasting life (John 3:16).

But it is not just His desire and making a way possible to be saved, for we read in Luke 12:32, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” So, God considers it is His good pleasure for us to be a part of His kingdom. He is certainly not reluctant to fulfill that goal. In fact, God wants us to be in His kingdom, not just as members of it, but to be conformed to the image of His Son, for the purpose that His Son will have many brethren (Romans 8:28-29).

And God’s love for us is so great that as we read in Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Here we see that nothing physical or even spiritual can separate us from God’s love, that’s how strong it is.

We are reminded again in 2 Peter 1:4 that the promises of God are exceedingly great and precious. And those promises are that we may partake of the divine nature of God. It is such an exceedingly great promise that we will have our human nature changed to have divine or godly nature. All of our frailties and weaknesses will be a thing of the past.

And to further emphasise this, we read in Zephaniah 3:17, “The Lord your God is in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” There is so much encouragement in this verse. He is very happy to rejoice over us. The next phrase is stated differently but effectively in the New International Version. “In His love He will no longer rebuke you.” He will never make mention of past sins which, in itself, is a wonderful blessing. But in addition to this, He will rejoice over us with singing. His joyful emotion over us will be so great that He will actually sing in our presence.

We have these wonderful promises and desires of God for us in the future. And we know that He has made other promises for our protection and provision in the times ahead as they become more difficult. There is much in God’s Word for our encouragement and for us to look forward to.

So, all these promises and desires of God should help us never to even contemplate departing from the faith. Instead we will be looking forward to being a part of the God family, sharing in the Divine nature and partaking of eternal life with God, His Son and the rest of the God family.

With much love and concern,

Your brother in Christ’s service.

 Paul Niehoff (Australia)

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

When we look at all of the mounting problems in the world today, it becomes obvious that so many are caused by man’s lust for power.

We can see this in many places around the world and, particularly at this time, the tensions in the USA over the recent presidential election. Many of the accusations and recriminations from all sides of the argument have done nothing but to bring harm to this great country’s reputation. Unfortunately, it is replicated in so many other parts of the world and the advent of Covid-19 has enabled many other people to become decision makers in order to cope with this unfortunate outbreak, and how many seem to revel in their new found authority and control.

What is human power? Power is influence, authority over, personal or political ascendancy with the person having the power being the one in control, the one who makes the decisions and the one who is seen as important. 

Power is the ability to command—to get others to obey, even if they are reluctant. Authority is achieved when other people accept your right to tell them what to do.

There seems to be an in-built desire in so many people to have power and authority over others. And it is not new. It is a phenomenon that can be traced back thousands of years and there seems to be no let up. 

We all know the phrase that “power corrupts—and absolute power corrupts absolutely” and this may be true, to some extent, when addressing power exercised by man. The more you look at the way many people get into high office—and stay there—the more crookedness and power play there seems to be. Politics, because of the power and authority that come with high office, is certainly not the only area where this is evident.

That desire is not confined to politicians alone. It is in every facet of society. There are power struggles in the boardroom, in the factory and within trades unions, in sports clubs, in the entertainment and media industry, in churches and with some religious people—in fact in every nook and cranny of society. And within families too.

But power has been one of the main aims of people like Attila the Hun, Mussolini, Adolph Hitler, Ayotollah Homeini, Fidel Castro, Saddam Hussein, Kim Jong-un and so many others. Why? So that they could impose their will on the populace and basically do anything they want.

Generally, such dictators and autocrats don’t seem to have the well-being of their citizens at heart. They want to hang on to power, irrespective of the consequences. Often power mad—with no thought for anything or anybody but themselves

And when someone is in a position of power and authority, they can become paranoid about holding on to their position. It seems that wielding power is so vitally important to them. 

There is a vast gulf between progressing because of ability, diligence, vision and loyalty, rather than getting on because of power play and politics.

The Bible has many examples about the lust for power: Satan’s rebellion (Isaiah 14:12-14); the rebellion of Korah against Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16); the ambition of James and John (Matthew 20); Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8); and Diotrephes (3 John). All were the antithesis of true belief and faith in the great Creator God.

All of the problems that we see around the world, many caused by self-seeking political leaders, will be changed in the not-too-distant future.

In Acts 1:8 we read: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The power to which Jesus referred here was not political, but spiritual. When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, they were clothed with heavenly power. And we see that chapter two of Acts describes the coming of the Holy Spirit. This is the power that true Christians have been given now. They should not be involved in the power game that seems to envelop every facet of life.

In Matthew 18:1-5, we read about the sort of humble attitude we should have. At Christ’s return, when the Kingdom of God will be instituted, those Church members who have remained faithful to the end and have God’s Holy Spirit together with those who died in the faith, will be changed into spiritual members of the God Family.

In God’s Kingdom we will have power—power to serve—not self-serving. We will have grown and overcome—we will be trusted and trustworthy and God will be able to entrust us with His unlimited power which is something that we couldn’t handle today.

How can we even begin to comprehend the power that God has available? Can we ever begin to appreciate just how great God is? God is watching us now, while we are still relatively powerless, to see how we live. He expects us to take seriously even the smallest details of the Way of Life we have been called to. We must use the Holy Spirit properly—that gift that we were given at baptism—and one day, we will be welcomed by the great Creator God into His Kingdom to live with Him in full brilliance and majesty and share His awesome power forever.

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 realise at this time. It’s the power in the Kingdom of God that we should be eagerly looking forward to, not the selfish, self-serving power that seems to be a high priority with so many today.

We will be given the power to serve humanity, to teach about God and the proper way to live and to help in every way. We will use that power for the good of all concerned.

Just for the time being, man’s appalling rule on earth is being allowed in the short term but in the future, when Jesus Christ will rule as King of kings and Lord of lords, Godly power will be used in the very best interests of all concerned.

That is the time that we can all eagerly look forward to.

With Christian love,

Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

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Dear Members and Friends,

What a time of uncertainty that we are living in right now, especially when focusing on the current elections in the United States. But this has an overall effect on the world scene, according to biblical prophecy. That which is going on in the US at this moment is utter chaos, confusion, corruption, and to think that anything remarkably good will come out of these elections, whoever the next president is going to be, is wishful thinking filled with desperate hope. The core values which this country once put down on paper 225 years ago seem nonexistent today. A very important document was signed in the US which stated this:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” 

These are the famous memorable words that Thomas Jefferson laid down back in 1776 as the core values of the United States of America in what is known as the Declaration of Independence. They still stand at the head of the US Code to this day.

However, the present day does not seem to harmonize with this statement, as we see immorality all around us. This comes as no surprise, as this has been going on for many, many years, but we see how things are getting worse—not just here, but the whole world is affected. Just imagine how the world will react if Donald Trump is in fact re-elected, even after Joe Biden has now been declared to have won? And even if this is the case, to think that Mr. Trump would be out of the picture for the future is very unlikely. Ultimate damage for this nation has not been completed yet. Too many factors are still prophesied to take place which haven’t occurred yet on the world scene.

What used to be the foundation of the United States is not the case anymore. Where in fact is equality, where is freedom? When focusing on God’s people, is there really a freedom of religion anymore, or freedom of speech, or freedom to assemble without the “fear of offending” someone, especially in light of the coronavirus debacle? It is remarkable that God has created all of us equally—meaning that we all have the ability and the same choice to follow Him and His Way of Life. God has called out specific people at this time, like you and me within the Church of God, with the special responsibility of proclaiming the Truth, but the time will come when every single person will ultimately have the chance to know and understand what we are experiencing now.

When it comes to what we believe in, no one should be able to take that away from us, as long as we are determined, making sure that our choices are the correct ones. This country still enjoys the freedom of religion, but the way things are going, that may very well not be the case anymore for long, as the Book of Revelation shows. We also read in 2 Peter 2:18-22 how false teachers will deceive many people, and this is something that we in the Church need to be cautious about as well.

As quoted above, three specific words are mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, and God talks about the same specific words that we should abide by and experience, namely Life, Liberty and Happiness. God tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 that the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

God explains to us what it is that we need to be doing to draw closer to Him in order to gain our freedom. It is quite simple but difficult to do by human standards. Notice what Christ said in John 8:32-36: “‘And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, “You will be made free?”’ Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.’”

Laws change in this world. Since the Declaration was written, so many things have happened in the meantime. Times are not getting any better, as more and more laws are created or changed that affect society, which is certainly not in accordance with God’s spiritual laws or the Way that He operates. God’s spiritual Law has been the same then, now and will continue to be so in the future. “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). Do we want to be part of this perfect Law?

Christ has to make us free through the repentance that God the Father offers us. When we sin, we are not free but slaves to sin. However, one may think that we are also slaves when we submit to God and His Way. But there is a big difference. Being a “slave of sin” does not bring forth good fruit, and it will lead to death. Being “slaves to righteousness” brings everlasting life. Which one do we choose? If we want to have our freedom, we must obey God (compare Romans 6:16-19). And only when Jesus Christ returns to establish His Kingdom here on earth will we finally experience TRUE freedom and liberty.

We can say that we have signed our very own Declaration of Independence, but not of this world. We have devoted our lives to God; we look to divine protection and our lives are in God’s hands, for our citizenship is not of this world (Philippians 3:17-21).

God asks us to choose life and reject death (Deuteronomy 30:15-16, 19-20). The life that God is offering us is everlasting life (Matthew 19:17). It requires that we keep His commandments.

This, in turn, leads to true happiness. Proverbs 29:18 says, “…happy is he who keeps the law.” In John 13:17, Christ confirms that we are happy when we do the right things (Authorized Version). And Psalm 144:15 says that “happy are the people whose God is the LORD!”

When Thomas Jefferson wrote about Life, Liberty and Happiness, he had our physical condition in mind. God is using the same words but He is not just referring to our physical life, but also, and more importantly, to our eternal existence. This is the most vital aspect we need to consider, for whatever happens in the near future, let us continue to have God guide and direct what we need to be focusing on. Let us not make the mistake of falling into a false sense of security, for if we get sidetracked, we could become vulnerable. This is exactly what Satan wants to happen to God’s people—to catch us off guard like a thief in the night. 

Let us continue to be vigilant with ALL our faith in God, and we shall see what will happen next.

In God’s service and with Christian love,

Michael Link

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Dear Members, Co-Workers and Friends,

Our enemy, Satan the Devil, has been very busy. For nearly 6,000 years, he has been deceiving
mankind on a continuous basis. He tricked the first woman into believing that one can disobey God and get away with it. Satan lied to her, being the father of lies in whom is no truth (John 8:44), and in following him, Adam and Eve died. Satan caused their death, being a murderer from the beginning (same verse), and he has had the power of death over sinning mankind ever since (Hebrews 2:14). 

This world is cut off from God. Satan rules this world from his throne here on earth (Revelation 2:13). He has deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:10), which is under his sway (1 John 5:19). His demons are ruling with and under him—evil spirits of darkness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). 

Satan persuaded mankind to follow his evil devices by establishing administrative, governmental, legal, economic and religious systems that are all in opposition to the true God. In this present evil age (Galatians 1:4), not one human government is righteous, and no country is subject to God. Rather, all follow the god of this world —Satan the devil (2 Corinthians 4:4)—the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). 

Satan knows about God’s plan, but he thinks that he can thwart it. As he tried to knock God off His throne before the creation of man, so he tries again just prior to the return of Jesus Christ. He is being thrown down from heaven once more, as he was defeated during his first rebellion (Luke 10:18). And he is extremely angry because he knows that his time is short (Revelation 12:12). 

Out of this evil world—this Babylon of confusion—God has called specially selected chosen people to resist Satan. God expects and requires of them that they love and obey Him more than human beings and governmental officials who may act under Satan’s inspiration. But God also knows that in these end times, many of His people will fall away from Him and from His Truth (Matthew 24:10-12) and believe again the lie (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 11-12)—all under the influence of Satan who disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Already in Paul’s time, some had turned aside after Satan (1 Timothy 5:15). Paul was afraid that others might have too (1 Thessalonians 3:5). In our time, many will do so. 

Satan HATES God, and He hates God’s people. He wants to destroy them. Quite often, he is using human governments in his efforts (1 Corinthians 2:7-8). God’s people must be aware of this, but sadly, some are not. They are willing to follow governmental commands, restrictions and mandates, which violate God’s Law in letter or in spirit. They do so, thinking they can get away with it.

The Feast of Trumpets reminds us that Christ will return soon, and then all will have to appear before His judgment seat to give account for what they have done (2 Corinthians 5:10). Some might be shocked to hear Christ’s words which He also uttered to Adam and Eve, when casting them out of Paradise. 

After He has returned, Christ will imprison Satan for about 1,000 years so that he cannot deceive the nations anymore (Revelation 20:1-3). Then, mankind will be given the opportunity to be at one with God, and the Day of Atonement reminds us of that unique event in human history. Satan and his demons will be held captive in the “abyss”—the “bottomless pit,” and the rule of God here on earth will produce peace, prosperity, happiness and joy, which mankind has NEVER experienced before. We are picturing this glorious and unique time in observing the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days.

But when the Millennium draws to a close, Satan will be freed for a short time, and as the wrathful and hateful being that he is, he will go out to deceive the nations, and millions will follow him to wage war against God and His people (Revelation 20:7-9). God will act quickly and decisively. The rebellious armies will be devoured by fire, and Satan and his demons will be cast into the lake of fire, never being able to deceive anyone anymore (verse 10). Then, the opportunity will be given to ALL of mankind who did not have the chance to accept Christ and God’s Way in this life, to embrace the Truth. Their eyes will be opened, and their ears will hear (Revelation 20:11-12). Today, this is not the case for most people. But it will be then, and the Last Great Day pictures this event, in part.

Sadly, these glorious events of Christ’s return, the banishment of Satan, the Millennium and the time thereafter have not happened yet. We still have work to do, both collectively and individually. Satan is still on his throne, and as the most vicious, evil, devious and mean being in existence, he will try everything he can to destroy YOU. He knows that it is your potential to replace him. He hates you for that, and he may even think that if he can successfully tempt and destroy all of God’s people, then his rule might continue a bit longer. 

Satan asked the Father to sift God’s people as wheat (Luke 22:31). He asked for permission to tempt and plague Job (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7). He was even allowed to tempt Jesus in the wilderness. He entered Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus. He accuses the brethren before God day and night (Revelation 12:10). He tries to take away the Word of God when it is sown in the heart of people (Matthew 13:19). Satan is the destroyer, and if Christ was not to return to shorten the coming days of the horrible Great Tribulation, Satan would have succeeded to see to it that no flesh would be saved alive (Matthew 24:22).

But Satan will not succeed. God allows Satan to tempt us and cause problems for us (1 Thessalonians 2:18), to see whether we will obey God more than men, no matter what. Some are willing to give up right away when trials come upon them. But Christ overcame and prevailed against Satan, commanding him: “Away with you, Satan!” (Matthew 4:10), and Satan had to obey (verse 11). God wants to free us from the power of Satan and to turn us to God (Acts 26:18). God has the greatest confidence in YOU that you will prevail (Philippians 1:6). God wants to crush Satan under your feet shortly (Romans 16:20). Don’t disappoint Him. Don’t compromise! Don’t give in! Don’t give up! Don’t fall away! Hold fast what you have! KEEP God’s Holy Days in the way ordained and ordered by God, including the entire time of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day. As you have opportunity, listen to the important messages which will be delivered during these days. Don’t even miss out on just one of them. 

It will be such a joyous time, even though Satan has been trying hard to convince God’s people that they do not have to keep the Feast in the way as commanded by God. Through governmental restrictions under his influence, he is using the same tactic as he did when deceiving Eve in the Garden of Eden: “Has God indeed said…?” Eve fell for it, and Adam followed his wife, convincing themselves that a “little” disobedience did not really matter. Far too many of God’s people are following today Adam and Eve’s bad example. Don’t you be one of them!

Wishing you a deeply rewarding Holy Day season. We will all be with you—in body and/or in spirit.

With much love, your brother in Christ,

Norbert Link

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

We are fast approaching the Feast of Tabernacles, and how quickly things have changed over the last six months, causing many people to change their plans in regard to where they are going to keep the Feast. Satan has been very strong in attempting to break God’s people through many different circumstances. The attacks so far this pre-Holy Day season have been trying and stressful. As I reflect on my own trials,
I realize that it is not that difficult to get discouraged and at times frustrated and even angry with situations, people and life.

It is easy to look at what we are going through now and understand that these are hard trials, but all of this brings home the point that as we go through them, we are growing in strength, faith, patience, knowledge and perseverance, and that we will be tried harder and harder, sometimes close to the breaking point. We may lose family, friends (Matthew 19:29), and earthen “treasures,” but these things hold no comparison to what God is doing in and through us on a daily basis.

Why is it that especially before God’s Holy Days, Satan makes the hardest attempts to get us to break down? What is it that you personally are facing right now? How personal are you taking the trials you are encountering? How are you getting through your trials? Are you finding yourself banging your head again and again against the same wall? Or are there new things that are being shown to you? When we honestly take the time to self-evaluate and look at the things that are happening (Lamentations, chapter 3), we can begin to see God’s hands crafting and molding us for His purpose and for His service, whatever that may be (Psalm 119:73-80).

One of the things that I am taking away from this time now is that it is God who is in control. I myself do not have the proper strength, wisdom or power, no matter what I face. Rather, it is when I humbly come before Him (Colossians 4:2) and bring the things that are happening before Him, that He then answers. This is not something that most people are willing to do. The act of laying everything before God and asking for His help and His understanding requires an attitude of humility. God wants to see if we are willing to stop thinking we know everything. He wants to find out if we are willing to wait on and for Him (James 4:10).

As we prepare for the fall Holy Days, what is it that we will bring with us into this time? What type of mindset are we cultivating each day? Are we focused on God and on growing our relationship with Him? Or are we so preoccupied with “life” that we are giving no thought to our spiritual state and just mindlessly dealing with the tests and trials that besiege us? It is a mindset that we choose. We choose how close we want to be with God. God will allow trials in our lives to continue to bring us to the point where we recognize that we can no longer rely on ourselves. He will continue to help us in changing and eradicating those things in our lives that prevent us from drawing CLOSE TO HIM. And then He will mend and heal us (1 Peter 5:6).

One of the hardest things to do as a human being is to find joy in trials. James 1:2-5 tells us to be “joyful” that we suffer. In order to do this, we have to have the correct mindset and we have to have the faith of the Father and of Christ living and working in us. We will not find it joyful otherwise. Instead of being frustrated and annoyed or angry at our trials, the right attitude would be to start looking at what we are supposed to be learning. What are we going through that God deems worthy of us suffering (Hebrews 5:8)? James also tells us that tests produce “endurance.” Endurance is not something that one conjures up! Christ told us in Matthew 24:13 that it is the “one who endures to the end who will be saved.” 

There may be situations and trials that we will find ourselves in, when it feels that they are almost impossible to surmount, overcome or endure. But when we start to really trust in God, when we start to place all things into His care, we will become more and more aware of the Truth that God is willing and waiting to help. Paul summed this up in Romans 8:28-30 where he said: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

We hope that all of us will take the time to really think and pray about what it is that God is trying to show each of us in our lives. He is preparing us for the times ahead that we are facing. He is preparing us to stick close to Him through all things. He is preparing us to become God beings in His Family, so that we can help others when the time comes. Our potential is before us. And if we must suffer a little now to bring to fruition the greater good, then so be it.

We pray that each of you will have a deeply rewarding Fall Holy Day Season.

With much thought and love, 

your brother in Christ,

Kalon Mitchell

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually,” according to what the apostle Paul wrote to the Church (1 Corinthians 12:27). In this chapter, he uses the parts of the body as an analogy to show the different functions of people who make up the Church of God.

His point is that every Christian has a function and a vital role in the Church. After all, being Christ’s representatives in this world is the commissioned Work that is being done on His behalf in preparation for His return.

But there is more!

We are in training to rule with Jesus. World government at that time will be God’s government! Our conduct in the Church right now is—undoubtedly—much more important than we may possibly realize. That point comes home when we really take the time to carefully study what Jesus said to churches of God in chapters 2 and 3 of the Book of Revelation.

To each church He gave a very specific message addressing weaknesses and strengths He found in them. We are included for Jesus said that we are “‘to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” You might wonder why all of the messages apply to us? It is because we must learn to do what Jesus also said, and that is to “overcome”—any and everything that would cause us to fail in our calling. You see, in addition to being trained, we are being judged on how well we are doing:

“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’” (1 Peter 4:17-18).

The “ungodly and the sinner” will not appear in the first resurrection, but the righteous members of the Body of Christ will:

“‘Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true sayings of God’” (Revelation 19:7-9).

In the written messages of Revelation 2 and 3, it is quite evident that terrible times of persecution arose against the Church, and some members were martyred while others weren’t. We know that great tribulation lies immediately ahead for this world, and we also know that the Church of God will face these times. Once again, some true Christians will be martyred for the name of Jesus Christ, and some will be given protection by God.

Many scriptures, many prophecies, are for our time, and we have this warning from Jesus, “‘Take heed that no one deceives you’” (Matthew 24:4). We are also told—as an absolute certainty—that some will fall away from the Church of God in our time (2 Thessalonians 2:3; Matthew 24:10-12). That has
happened, and more will leave the Church.

That doesn’t have to happen to any of us. Jesus gives us the key, saying, “‘But he who endures to the end shall be saved’” (Matthew 24:13).

Brethren, we who are members of God’s Church—the true Body of Jesus Christ—must love one another. We must follow the lead of God’s love for us and the love of Jesus Christ, who not only died for us but lives to powerfully watch over the Church.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually”—don’t ever give up, don’t walk away from the Church of God and don’t reject Jesus Christ or God’s incomparable calling to everlasting life in His Kingdom!

In Christ’s Service, 

Dave Harris

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

We are seeing greater worldwide persecution and hostility against individuals that call themselves Christians. The following are news headlines from the past several months:

“Gunmen Kill 27 in Predominantly Christian Villages in Mali,”

“10 Christians, Including a 3-Year-Old Girl, Killed by Extremists in Nigeria,”

“Militant Extremists Kill More Than 80 in Nigerian Village,”

“Gunmen Kill 58 in Attacks Aimed at Christians in Burkina Faso,”

“Christian Boy, 16, Stabbed and Stoned to Death for His Faith in Eastern India.”

These attacks are from extremists in predominantly Muslim-controlled regions. The hatred towards Christianity in these countries is nothing new, but this disdain is not just from Muslim radicals. Earlier this year, Open Doors, an international organization tracking Christian persecution, released their annual report, assessing 50 countries where Christians are at risk. 260 million Christians live in these territories, where they are subjected to high levels of violence because of their beliefs. Based on their practices, we can assume most of those tortured are only Christian in name, but groups that target Christians to persecute don’t care. The tide of persecution is rising, and we must do all that we can not to bring unnecessary persecution upon ourselves.

We know that persecution will take place upon true believers as well. Paul warned Timothy of this, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:12-13). Christ, being perfect, suffered for the message and purpose for why He appeared to mankind. We must have the resolve to stand strong before adversity because adversity is drawing closer to each of our doorsteps.

The protection given to the descendants of Israel, because of Abraham, is quickly being withdrawn. Religious freedoms and tolerances, once considered sacred, are quickly and subtly being dismantled. It isn’t hard to imagine, based upon how rapidly our world has changed recently, that the true body of Christ will soon find itself in the crosshairs of oppression.

Are we prepared to stand up for the same values Christ died for? If we consider ourselves part of the body of Christ, then each of us must be grounded in an affirmative answer. After warning Timothy, Paul continued with encouragement. “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” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).

Taking on the name of Christ, following Him and desiring to have Him live in us is the most important decision of our lives. We cannot steer through the flood of deception that is drowning the world unless Christ is in our sights. With His guidance, the temporary suffering we might face today will never outshine the magnificence of becoming a child in God’s Family. Suffering is human and passing. Paul experienced this throughout his life and found strength in it. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). God promised favor to Abraham and his descendants, the blessings of which we have experienced. But those blessings were for physical nations and are passing like all flesh. We must look to the promise that doesn’t fade—eternity in the Family of God.

Many who prepare themselves for war will say that you don’t know yourself until the heat of battle. Do you cower or fight in the face of adversity? We have the ability to know how we will react to spiritual adversity through our faith in God. Strengthening our relationship with God is a preparatory act that will increase our belief and conviction. Bible study, prayer, fasting and meditation, over time, will lead us to a place of strength and resolve. With strong conviction, God will be at our side when adversity confronts us. Christ gives us this promise. “But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11).

We do not need to focus on those things out of our control. God gave us His truth through the words of His Son and His many prophets to draw strength from. In focusing on that lasting power, we will outlast the short-lived powers of this earth.

With Christian love,

Robb Harris

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Dear brethren and co-workers,

What a difference a few months make. As late as February or the beginning of March, things were going along as usual with no major interruptions in our daily lives; yet all that has changed now since the outbreak of and the reactions to the Coronavirus.

Draconian measures have been implemented by most governments worldwide, including restrictions on travel and individual movements. In some areas, violations to these restrictions and the mandatory requirement to stay home can be punishable by fines and even imprisonment if not adhered to.

In some areas they are not so strict, allowing people to go outside for relaxation, as long as social distancing is maintained, or to work in essential jobs or buy essential goods.

It’s really amazing to consider as to how everyone’s lives have changed so quickly and drastically. It makes one wonder if we are observing the beginning of the very end of the Satanic rule over this earth.

Some major areas to watch for are the sacrifices starting in Jerusalem on the temple mount in conjunction with the building of the third temple; the rise of the false prophet and the beast, following the emergence of ten unified nations or groups of nations in Europe; the downfall of the USA and the UK, as well as countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand; and the occurrence of wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes and other natural disasters, increasing in magnitude and frequency.

Even though some of these events may seem a distance away, if you look at how things have changed so rapidly worldwide in just a few short months, you can visualize prophetic events finding their fulfillment pretty fast.

We are admonished by Christ to pray that we would be protected from the coming calamity which is going to affect the whole world; yet our priority should not be on saving our skins but rather on finishing the Work given to us by Christ of preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God to the world as a witness and of feeding and taking care of the flock.

If we are faithful in doing this, then God will protect us, as He has promised.

As a church, we have to stay the course and be focused on our assigned task for as long as we can and are not prevented to by governments of this world, since they could shut us down anytime, if God were to allow it. We may only look at the restrictions of gathering together for religious services which are currently in place in many countries, to see how quickly God’s people can be negatively affected.

Individually, we cannot let down on the important aspects of prayer, Bible study, fasting and meditation, to keep us in a close relationship with God. The closer we are to God, the faster He might respond to our physical and spiritual needs. Failure to fulfill our part could result in devastating consequences for us, both collectively and individually, by having us go through the great tribulation in order for God to stir us up and to renew our zeal for Him and His Law.

It will be much easier to do now what is required from us, rather than in the tribulation when self-preservation and survival become a priority.

The Sardis attitude is one of having fallen asleep, falsely thinking that one is alive spiritually, and the Laodicean attitude is one of self-sufficiency without the recognized need to change or get zealous. All of that leads to chastisement from God since God wants to minimize His losses. Being corrected is not very pleasant yet a requirement for some in order to be saved both bodily and spiritually.

Even though things will get progressively worse as we go from the beginning of sorrows to the time of the tribulation and beyond, we have the sure promise of God’s protection if we are faithfully committed to finishing the important Work given to us as a church and individually of doing our part in the advancement of the gospel message. We also need to grow and stay close to God since our reward is beyond our imagination. Just as a woman forgets about her labor pains once the baby is born, we will no longer dwell on our present trials and tests once we are in the Kingdom of God, ruling under Christ.

Let’s keep our eyes on the goal ahead and not be distracted by the things in this world which are only temporary and about to vanish. Instead, let us focus on our reward which shall never corrode or vanish away.

In Christian love,

Rene Messier (Canada)