Church of God News

COGwriter

A version of the following news article was on the front page of the local paper this morning:

Majority of Americans distrust the government: survey

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/19/AR2010041900117.html

Essentially this shows that after government scandals, increasing of the size of the government, and additional regulations, more and more Americans no longer trust their government.  However, despite this, Americans keep voting for politicians that normally tend to increase the size and power of government.  Of course, voting is not the way the Bible shows that leaders should get their positions (Should a Christian Vote?).  Christians, however, should pray for their leaders-whether they wanted them or not.

Some have apparently decided that they can possibly change biblical prophecy from coming to pass through government action as the following from the States of Georgia and Virginia:

Lawmakers Are Working On Anti-Brain-Chip Bill

National Public Radio – April 15, 2010

Are you worried that someone is going to implant a microchip in your brain against your will?  If you live in Georgia, your worries will soon be over.

A state House committee approved a measure this week that makes it a misdemeanor to implant microchips, sensors, transmitters or any other manner of tracking devices into individuals against their will. The state Senate has already passed the bill…” http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126023516

Human microchips seen by some in Virginia House as device of antichrist

Washington Post – Feb 9, 2010

By Fredrick Kunkle and Rosalind S. Helderman

RICHMOND, FEB. 9 — The House of Delegates is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a bill that would protect Virginians from attempts by employers or insurance companies to implant microchips in their bodies against their will.

It might also save humanity from the antichrist, some supporters think. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/09/AR2010020903796.html

The Bible is quite clear:

16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name (Revelation 13:16-17)

And the above will come to pass no matter what legislation people try to enact.  Furthermore, what if the mark of the Beast has to do with the day of rest and/or simply carrying a cross (as certain Catholic prophecies suggest) or something not as obvious as a microchip in anything but a credit card?

Antichrist will come, despite American views of governance.

For more information, please check out the following:

Should a Christian Vote? This article gives some of the Biblical rationale on this subject. Would Jesus vote for president? Is voting in the Bible? This is a subject Christians need to understand.
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet”. Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy.
The Antichrist Quiz Do you really know much about the Antichrist?
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies about Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  This is a lengthy article with many prophecies that Barack Obama may end up fulfilling.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”. Might Bible prophecy be fulfilled by him?

COGwriter

Oil is expected to become a problem fairly soon:

Oil crunch by 2012, say military experts

The Courier-Mail, Australia – April 16, 2010   by Paul Syvret

“By 2012, surplus oil production capacity could entirely disappear, and as early as 2015, the shortfall in output could reach nearly 10 million barrels a day.”…

http://www.news.com.au/business/oil-crunch-by-2012-say-military-experts/story-e6frfm1i-1225854353413

Everyone should realize that a growing population will use up too much oil quite soon unless something else replaces oil quickly (and that does not appear to be that likely–though possible).

I would like to add for those who have not read my book yet, that my book mainly focuses on what will happen after 2012.  And while the world will not end in a flood in 2012, it may be a chaotic year, but the time shortly thereafter will be the greatest time of tribulation that the world has ever seen.

Some items of related interest may include:

Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2010, 2011, or 2012? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? What is “the beginning of sorrows”?  Have we begun or are we about ready for “the beginning of sorrows” to begin.
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This is a link related to a book by Bob Thiel (COGwriter). This also has YouTube videos related to 2012.  A book for those who want the facts about what will happen in the next few years.
2012 y el surgimiento de la secta secreta Nuevo libro del Dr. Thiel en Español.
2012 und das Auftreten der geheimen Sekte (German Edition) 2012 Buch von Dr. Thiel in deutscher Sprache.

Ancient Laodicea

COGwriter

UCG blogger John Carmack posted the following:

Further Information Regarding Council Withdrawal of Officers Resolution:

Inquiries have been coming in from several elders asking for more details or specific reasons why the Council of Elders felt it necessary to withdraw the “resolution concerning governance” from the Call and Notice packet for this year’s General Conference of Elders.

I have asked our legal counsel to prepare a statement giving that explanation in response to those inquiries, which should be ready next week.

Roy Holladay

Chairman, Council of Elders

Presuming it is accurate (and John has never shown a tendency to post something official that was not in the past), it seems to mean that after lawyers get more involved, then UCG members will get more answers.

Here are some of John Carmack’s comments:

Um, “legal counsel”?  There were lawyers in Jesus’ day, and it seems He wasn’t all that happy with them.  What is definitely not clear is if this is the internal legal counsel or external.  If external, this could be a big deal for some of the members.  However, at this point, no one is saying.

OK, concerning, maybe even depressing, but not a cause for alarm yet, right?  In reality I want to be optimistic about it all, but bringing in lawyers for “explanations” do not raise my comfort level!

Well, it seems that some people don’t like some of the Facebook groups that have sprung up, either.  In particular, I am looking at United Church of God – current crisis? and I see “There are no admins left in this group!”  It is pretty sad that some cannot get together to try to hash things out.

There are certain rumors circulating out there about all of this that, since they do not come from verifiable sources,  I do not intend to post them here.  One thing that is, however true, is that the letters and the comments that used to be at UCG member Mike Bennett’s website are not longer there (and have not been for several days).

Additionally, unofficially, some UCG members plan to fast about all of this on April 25th.

As regular readers of the COGwriter page are aware, although it is apparently wise for Roy Holladay to be careful, I have always had problems with UCG’s form of governance.  Apparently more in UCG are noticing some of the problems with it during this and perhaps the last one or two governance crises that UCG has had.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Roderick C. Meredith on Church Government What form of governance did the early church have? Was it hierarchical? Which form of governance would one expect to have in the Philadelphia remnant? The people decide and/or committee forms, odd dictatorships, or the same type that the Philadelphia era itself had?
Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God This article provides quotes information from the two largest groups which had their origins in WCG as well as commentary.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG/GCI members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.

COGwriter

A Jewish scholar has found ancient Egyptian writings that support much of the information in parts of the Book of Exodus:

Pharoah’s papyrus scrolls may not seem the most reliable sources for investigating the story of the Israelite’s Exodus, but Egyptologist Galit Dayan has found in them much compelling evidence to support the historicity of the biblical tale…

(Berrin D. Passover proof lies in Egyptian hieroglyphs. Jewish Journal – March 24, 2010. http://www.jewishjournal.com/passover/article/passover_proof_lies_in_egyptian_hieroglyphs_20100324/) There is a chart of interest at: http://ohr.edu/yhiy/article.php/838

Now, while we who believe the Bible realize it is true, some people have been misled by pseudo-scientists who claim that the events did not happen, and were basically just myths and stories that someone in Israel made up.

Thus, hopefully as more and more evidence comes out, less people will be misled and realize that they can and should trust what the Bible says about this and everything else.

Some articles of possibly related information may include:

The Bible: Fact or Fiction? This is a booklet written by Douglas Winnail that answers if the Bible is just a collection of myths and legends or the inspired word of God.
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins?
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well.

VS.

COGwriter

In February 2008, Ron Weinland gave a sermon titled “45 Days to The Seventh Seal”.

Furthermore, notice the following from pages 23 and 116 of his book, 2008 God’s Final Witness:

Yes, I do know the timing of events as the Seals of
Revelation are opening. I do know we are in the end-time and
that six Seals have already been opened. I know the exact day
the First Seal was opened. As will be covered in another
chapter, I know the exact day the Sixth Seal was opened, and
the world will be shocked and in horror on the day that the
Seventh Seal is opened…

Once the Seventh Seal is opened, the first of Seven Trumpets
will be blown. Each Trumpet will announce a specific phase of
great tribulation on the earth. The first four trumpets will
proclaim the demise of the United States and her closest allies.

The world was not in shock and horror on March 18, 2008 when Ronald Weinland claimed that the 1290 days of Daniel 12:11 began and the seventh seal was opened (see also Ronald Weinland: Nothing Happened March 18th Because What Happened Was Spiritual?).  Nor was it on April 17, 2008, when Ronald Weinland claimed that the first trumpet was supposed to have blown and the final 3 1/2 years, the Great Tribulation, was supposed to have began .

When nothing happened, at first Ron Weinland said that it really did, but only those who were spiritual could see it.  Now that is not consistent with him claiming that the world would be in shock and horror seeing the events of those dates.

So, although the final three and one half years according to what RW originally said would happen, was supposed to start two years ago today, instead, he eventually was apparently horrified that it did not.  So, he later shocked some people by claiming that he was off a few months and changed his dates (this is after telling the world via radio that since he claimed he was God’s prophet and one of the two witnesses that he would not change his dates).

Notice what one of his website states:

1290 Days: The Seventh Seal was opened on the 14th of November, 2008, which signified an end to the abomination of desolation that has been working in God’s Church. This marks the beginning of an awakening for spiritual Israel – the final remnant of the Church of God that was scattered (those baptized before December 1994 – approximately 3000), and will continue right up until the return of Jesus Christ. 30 days later we arrived at 1260 days.

1260 Days: The blowing of the First Trumpet occurred on the 14th of December, 2008. That day was the beginning of the final 3 1/2 years that will eventually escalate into WW III and end at the return of Jesus Christ on Pentecost of 2012.

His adjusted dates of November 14, 2008 and December 14, 2008 for the 1290 and 1260 days respectively, have also came and went, and the world was not in shock and horror for either of those as well.  At this time, more than one third of the Great Tribulation is over according to Ron Weinland.

He should be in shock and horror that he still is clinging to his clearly false dates.

Thus events simply HAVE NOT gone the way the book 2008 God’s Final Witness said they would.  The time to stop following Ronald Weinland is clearly here IF his supporters will simply face the facts.

Some articles of related interest may include the following:

Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God Ronald Weinland falsely claims to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up and that the end will come in 2008 (first April 17th, then June 2008, now December 14, 2008). Why does the Bible show that Ron Weinland is a false prophet? He also has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the Church of God.
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2010, 2011, or 2012? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here?

Anne Catherine Emmerich

COGwriter

This morning I received an email from Saint Benedict Press and TAN Books that stated:

Gerard van den Aardweg’s “Hungry Souls” Feeds Longing for Understanding of Purgatory

After a week of hearing ghostly noises, a man is visited in his home by the spirit of his mother, dead for three decades. She reproaches him for his dissolute life and begs him to have Masses said in her name. Then she lays her hand on his sleeve, leaving an indelible burn mark, and departs…

A Lutheran minister, no believer in Purgatory, is the puzzled recipient of repeated visitations from “demons” who come to him seeking prayer, consolation, and refuge in his little German church. But pity for the poor spirits overcomes the man’s skepticism, and he marvels at what kind of departed souls could belong to Christ and yet suffer still…

Hungry Souls recounts these stories and many other trustworthy, Church-verified accounts of earthly visitations from the dead in Purgatory. Accompanying these accounts are images from the Piccolo Museo Del Purgatorio in Rome, which contains relics of encounters with the Holy Souls, including numerous evidences of hand prints burned into clothing and books; burn marks that cannot be explained by natural means or duplicated by artificial ones. Riveting!

Now the above implies demons may have been involved.  And I would tend to think that they have been.

One mystic who claimed to see people in purgatory was Anne Catherine Emmerich.  She also claimed to see Limbo, a place that Pope Benedict XVI says most likely does not exist (see What is Limbo? Is There Such a Place as Limbo? What Happens to Babies When They Die?).  Despite this, she was made a saint by the previous pope on October 3, 2004.

Since Anne Catherine Emmerich’s visions of limbo cannot be relied upon, neither should her visions of purgatory.

The Catholic Encyclopedia itself admits that early Christians did not teach its current concept of its purgatory doctrine:

Some stress too has been laid upon the objection that the ancient Christians had no clear conception of purgatory, and that they thought that the souls departed remained in uncertainty of salvation to the last day…There are several passages in the New Testament that point to a process of purification after death. Thus, Jesus Christ declares (Matthew 12:32): “And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come”…(Hanna, Purgatory. The Catholic Encyclopedia).

So what was taught in the second century?

Essentially after the judgment, it was believed that unsaved humans (those who did not become saints in this life) who did not knowingly reject God’s way of life would have 100 hundred years to live (in accordance with Isaiah 65:20) and that nearly all would then accept God’s offer of salvation (apocatastasis).  Even Catholic saints, such as Irenaeus, taught this.

In the thirteenth century, the famed Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas wrote the following:

Nothing is clearly stated in Scripture about the situation of Purgatory, nor is it possible to offer convincing arguments on this question…

Some say, however, that according to the common law the place of Purgatory is where man sins. This does not seem probable, since a man may be punished at the same time for sins committed in various places. And others say that according to the common law they are punished above us, because they are between us and God, as regards their state. But this is of no account, for they are not punished for being above us, but for that which is lowest in them, namely sin (Aquinas T. The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, Appendix II, Article 1. Second and Revised Edition, 1920. Nihil Obstat. F. Innocentius Apap, O.P., S.T.M., Censor. Theol. Imprimatur. Edus. Canonicus Surmont, Vicarius eneralis. Westmonasterii. APPROBATIO ORDINIS Nihil Obstat. F. Raphael Moss, O.P., S.T.L. and F. Leo Moore, O.P., S.T.L. Imprimatur. F. Beda Jarrett, O.P., S.T.L., A.M., Prior Provincialis Angliæ).

The above shows that even into the Middle Ages, the idea of purgatory was unclear, even amongst the leaders of the Church of Rome.

The Eastern Orthodox never accepted the Roman version of purgatory:

The modern Orthodox Church denies purgatory…(Hanna, Edward J. Transcribed by William G. Bilton, Ph.D. Purgatory. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XII. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, June 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Here are statements from two Eastern Orthodox bishops:

Today most if not all Orthodox theologians reject the idea of Purgatory (Ware T. The Orthodox Church. Penguin Books, London, 1997, p.255).

Disavowing a belief in the Western “Purgatory,” our Church believes that a change is possible during this intermediate state and stage (Aghiorgoussis, Maximos. The Dogmatic Tradition of the Orthodox Church. Copyright:  © 1990-1996. http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article8038.asp  viewed 12/25/07).

Purgatory was essentially adopted after certain teachings associated with Origen were condemned in the 6th century:

From the moment, however, that anti-Origenism prevailed, the doctrine of the apokatastasis was definitely abandoned. St. Augustine protests more strongly than any other writer against an error so contrary to the doctrine of the necessity of grace…(Batiffel, Apocatastassis. The Catholic Encyclopedia).

History suggests that after apocatastasis was condemned in the mid-6th century, something that resembles modern concepts of purgatory were being pronounced by the Roman Bishop Pope Gregory I around 600 A.D.

Partially because of that, I see no point going out of my way to visit a purgatory museum at this time.  The Church of God originally taught apocatastasis, not purgatory.

Some articles for further inquiry may include:

Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory? Is there a place called purgatory? Does God have a plan to help those who did not become saints in this life?
Close Encounters of a ‘Spirit’ Kind discusses some personal experiences I believe were (demon) ‘spirit’ related.
What is Limbo? Is There Such a Place as Limbo? What Happens to Babies When They Die? When did Limbo start being taught? What is the truth about dead babies?
Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this? Will all good things be restored? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account?
Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants How the Living Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background.
What Can We Learn from Private “Catholic” Prophecies? There have been those claiming Catholicism over the centuries that have accurately predicted many events, as well as have made many errors.  What might Catholic prophecies reveal about the future?  Will an antipope help take over the world?

Ancient Laodicea

COGwriter

Last night UCG put out another update on its situation:

April 15, 2010

The Council of Elders of the United Church of God, an International Association, conducted a teleconference on Wednesday evening, April 14. The Board approved Victor Kubik as interim Ministerial Services operation manager and Peter Eddington as interim Media and Communications Services operation manage.

The major topic of discussion was the selection process for choosing the next president of the United Church of God. Chairman Roy Holladay had distributed to the Council earlier in the day numerous documents that have been used in the selection process in the past. The Council indicated the need for time to review the documentation and to develop the Process & Timeline for Selection of the New Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

The Roles and Rules Committee was asked to review the documentation and come prepared to lead the Council in a discussion of the selection process at the May Council meetings. One of the first steps in the process will be to contact the General Conference of Elders to solicit their nomination recommendations. The desire of the Council is to come out of the May meetings with a well defined process that will be shared with the ministry and the membership.

Roy Holladay
Chairman & Interim President

What this will mean for UCG should be seen in time.

UCG blogger John Carmack posted the following:

I found out via Facebook that there are some pushing for a proposal for governance review to be presented to the General Council of Elders (GCE) of UCG.  It appears that there are some not happy with the idea, and there is the insinuation that this is what ultimately caused the latest upheaval.

I have reviewed the document on “Resolution to Establish a Governance Review Task Force”, and, at least at first glance, it sounds like a good idea to me.  If it is true that this caused the latest upheaval, then I have to wonder what is to be feared by simply probing into such a matter.  While one could be cynical and claim that it is an attempt to change governance, it seems to be structured in such a manner that any recommendation to do so would not be done lightly.

Of course, those of us not part of UCG have long tended to believe that their governance structure needed major change.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Roderick C. Meredith on Church Government What form of governance did the early church have? Was it hierarchical? Which form of governance would one expect to have in the Philadelphia remnant? The people decide and/or committee forms, odd dictatorships, or the same type that the Philadelphia era itself had?
Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God This article provides quotes information from the two largest groups which had their origins in WCG as well as commentary.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG/GCI members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.

Brasilia, Brazil

COGwriter

A major multi-national summit is occurring right now in Brasilia:

15 April 2010

Bric countries try to shift global balance of power

By Konstantin Rozhnov

Economists call them the “Bric” countries. Hiding behind the obscure title are some of the world’s fastest growing and potentially largest economies – Brazil, Russia, India and China. Now the leaders of these countries are meeting in Brazil’s capital Brasilia for the second Bric summit.

The inventor of the acronym Bric is Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill. In 2001 he argued that “over the next 10 years, the weight of the Brics and especially China in world GDP will grow” and as a result “world policy making forums should be reorganised” in favour of the Bric countries. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8620178.stm

One of the goal’s of the BRIC nations is to eliminate the US dollar as the global currency, even though they realize it may cost them financially.  People in the USA often have little idea how much other countries want to see the end of the USA’s economic (and other) dominance in the world.

On a related note, someone sent me a photo of USA President Barack Obama carrying a book, that presumably he is reading, titled “The Post-American World” written by Fareed Zakaria.  Various ones around the world are contemplating a future world without the USA.

And there will be such a world relatively soon.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Mexico, Central America, South America, and Brazil in Prophecy [Español: México, America Central, Suramérica, y el Brasil en profecíal] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future? What rule might the various Caribbean nations/territories play?
Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach?
India, Its Biblical Past and Future: Any Witness? The Bible discusses the origins of those of Indian heritage and discusses some of the witness to them (including those in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka).
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for China and the rest of Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.

Richard Ames

COGwriter

In his latest co-worker letter, LCG’s Richard Ames wrote:

Jesus Christ actively continues to lead His Church. We need to humble ourselves and look to Him for the resources and spiritual power to fulfill the mission He gave His Church: to preach the gospel of the Kingdom in all the world; to warn our Western nations (the lost ten tribes of Israel) to repent before the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22); and to feed the flock spiritually (John 21:15-19). That is one reason Dr. Meredith, with the advice and support of the Council of Elders, proclaimed a Church-wide fast for the Sabbath of March 6. Since that time just over six weeks ago, the living Christ has opened exciting media doors for preaching the gospel (see Colossians 4:3; Revelation 3:8). Dr. Meredith will announce those new developments later on. Frankly, one challenge is the high cost of broadcasting on the larger television networks; we sometimes must make the painful decision to wait until more resources become available. We thank our brethren and co-workers for their faithful support in making possible the effective broadcasting and publishing of the true Gospel. Please continue to pray that God will add more co-workers, donors and laborers to accomplish His Work (Matthew 9:37-38)…

God has called His ministry and people to be “watchmen.” We must warn our peoples of their sins and of the consequences that will follow unless they repent. God told the prophet Ezekiel, “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me” (Ezekiel 33:7). God commissioned the prophet Isaiah, “Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). Tomorrow’s World and the Living Church of God are striving to powerfully warn millions that they may be spared from the Great Tribulation soon to come (Matthew 24:21-22)…

Although God promised Noah that He would not again destroy the earth with a flood (Genesis 9:11), He will use “natural disasters” to wake our peoples and nations to the signs of the times in which we are living. The United States Geological Survey includes in its list of “significant earthquakes” the 7.2 magnitude April 4 temblor in Baja California, Mexico, and the 4.4 magnitude March 16 earthquake in Los Angeles, California…

At least 17 earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater have struck our globe in the first four months of 2010!

Repentance is part of the message that the COGwriter site has been trying to get out for many years.  As well as the good news, that after the Great Tribulation, Jesus will return and establish His kingdom on the earth.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.
Are You Saved? Do You Love Jesus? What is a True Christian? What is the Gospel? Evangelist Richard Ames answers those important questions.
Getting the Gospel Out is More than a Local Job Discusses Biblical rationale for doing an international, and not just a local, work.
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2010, 2011, or 2012? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it. Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near?
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG/GCI members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.

Reykjavík, Iceland

COGwriter

Iceland’s volcano impacted much of Northern Europe:

Volcanic ash closes airports across northern Europe

Thousands of travelers are stranded because of an eruption in Iceland. It’s unknown exactly how long the closures will last.

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fg-volcano-flights16-2010apr16,0,7304427.story

Jesus taught:

8 … And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be…troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)

We may be to this point as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions certainly would seem to qualify as “troubles”.

Also notice two recent articles about earthquakes:

Is Earth shaking more?

MSNBC LiveScience – April 14, 2010

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36511690/ns/technology_and_science-science/California sees increase in earthquakes

…Seismologists said they are studying the uptick but cannot fully explain it. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/04/california-sees-increase-in-earthquake-sesimologists-fight-twitter-rumors.html

Instead of being part of the “natural cycle”, earthquakes in various places should be considered that we may be in or near that time that Jesus called “the beginning of sorrows”.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2010, 2011, or 2012? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? What is “the beginning of sorrows”?  Have we begun or are we about ready for “the beginning of sorrows” to begin.