Church of God News

The BBC reported the following:

4 June 2025

Gaza has become worse …, according to the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric.

Speaking in a BBC interview at the ICRC headquarters in Geneva, Spoljaric says humanity is failing. States are not doing enough to end the war, end the suffering of Palestinians and release Israeli hostages, she adds.

Palestinians, she says, have been stripped of human dignity. International humanitarian law is being hollowed out.

What is happening in Gaza, she says, surpasses any acceptable legal, moral and humane standard.

The ICRC … surgical hospital in Rafah, in southern Gaza, is the closest medical facility to the area where many Palestinians have been killed during chaotic aid distribution in the last few days near sites run by the Israel and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). …

The ICRC is considered the custodian of the Geneva Conventions. The fourth, agreed after World War Two, is designed to protect civilians in wars.

The rules of war, Spoljaric says, apply to all parties.

The Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023 were no justification for current events, she says. Spoljarić says the ICRC is deeply concerned about talk of victory at all costs, total war and dehumanisation. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cvg5vyp33j1t

We should have compassion on those who are in Gaza as well as the Israeli hostages. Most of whom have faced hunger and fear issues. The people in Gaza are suffering. The BBC reported the Israeli hostages have been treated cruelly:

Parents of four young female Israeli hostages freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza have told the BBC about how their daughters were abused, including being starved, intimidated and threatened by armed men, and forced to cook and clean.

They recounted how the hostages were held in underground tunnels and buildings, witnessed physical abuse and were made to participate in Hamas propaganda videos, including, in one case, by faking her own death. …

The hostages’ access to food and their treatment by male guards varied over the 15 months they were held, their parents said. They were moved between locations, rarely seeing sunlight. …

Some of the places had good food, some had “very bad food… they just tried to survive,” Shlomi Berger said. …

When Daniella watched the release of three male hostages … – who came out thin and emaciated – she told her mother: “If I had been released two months ago I would have probably looked like them.” 02/13/25 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxnwnz1ldko

All, including Israel and Hamas should be heeding the words of the Bible:

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
And the Lord will reward you. (Proverbs 25:21-22)

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (Matthew 5:43-44)

One way to assist the suffering is to pray as Jesus’ instructed:

9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.  (Matthew 6:9-10)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,  (Matthew 6:10)

In addition to praying for others, supporting the work of proclaiming the good news of the coming Kingdom of God, will bring the end of this suffering (cf. Matthew 24:14; Revelation 21:1-4).

Regarding compassion, consider also that Jesus taught:

30 … “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ 36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:30-37)

We should also have compassion on those in other areas of conflict around the world such as the Russia-Ukraine situation, Sudan, Yemen, the Congo, Nigeria, and Haiti. As well the persecuted, such as the Rohingy, Tibetans, and Uyghurs.

Related to compassion, the old Worldwide Church of God published the following:

Where does it come from, this capacity to share another’s grief or feel another’s pain? I remember hearing a sermon on that most famous or all compusion stories,, the parable of the good Samaritan. What made the Samaritan respond when the other travelers who saw that crumpled figure on the road t0 Jericho simply walk by on the other side?

There were three character traits that made the good Samaritan the way he was, the minister pointed out. The first was empathy, the projection or one’s own consciouness into another being. When the Samaritan saw the battered victim lying there he didn’t merely observe him, he became a part of him. This identification was so strong that when he went to help the man, he was helping part of himself.

The second was courage. Those who walked by were afraid, afraid of anything strange, afraid of getting involved , afraid that the robbers might come back. The Samaritan had the courage to push those fears aside.

The third trait was the habit of helping. This was no isolated incident in the Samaritan’s life . Through the years be had trained himself to respond affirmatively t0 other’s needs. How? In the same way any or us can, not so much by heroic sacrifice. but by the endless repetition of small efforts.

By going the extra mile. By giving someone in trouble a hand- if you can. At work and in our neighborhood (dare I say even in our local church, maybe even in our own home?) arc broken hearts and lives, people suffering from deep-felt needs. We rub shoulders with hurting. lonely people daily. Do we practice Zechariah 7 :9 – 10?

Compassion – the word means “suffering wi1h” – is lacking in all of us. Lack or real compassion is dangerous to our spiritual health.

When were you last “moved with compassion? To find out if we lack compassion we might ask ourselves how we react when we hear that one or our friends or Christian brothers or sisters, young or old, is ill.

Is our attitude one of “so what”? Or are we moved with compassion to pray and even fast for that person’s recovery? When we hear of others in need because of disaster or misfortune, do we we say “well they deserve it.” God must be teaching them a lesson, or I don’t have time to bother with their problems, I have problems of my own?

And what about our enemies’! Do we have compassion on them and pray for them daily even though they continue to wrong us?

Remember, it was compassion that caused God to send Christ into our world. It was compassion that caused Christ to die for our sins. Significantly “bowels of mercies,” or compassion. is the first of the “things that are above” that Paul tells us to seek:. (Colossians 3:, 1,12).

From compassion flows kindness, lowliness, meekness, patience, forgiveness. These virtues are various expressions of love, which bind everything in perfect harmony (verse 14). (Faulkner D. Worldwide News, February 23, 1981)

Philadelphia means love of the brethren.

Like the Samaritan, we in the Continuing Church of God have a habit of helping.

We send much of the income we receive to the physically and spiritually hungry, including widows and orphans, in places like Africa and Haiti (see also the CCOG Donations page which documents that). We also have a mutually beneficial arrangement that helps orphans in Pakistan–though most of our funds support those associated with the household of faith.

The Apostle Paul wrote

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:6-9)

Do not be deceived. Do not be lukewarm. Some Christians think that since they/we cannot solve all the hunger and other problems, there is no point.

Yet, the Apostle Paul also wrote:

13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.  (2 Thessalonians 3:13)

Hence, we in the CCOG provide support, even while knowing that it will take the return of Jesus to fix what is wrong on this earth.

The Apostle James wrote:

27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, (James 1:27)

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.  (James 2:14-26)

Compassion is something we are to have and to act on–it is one of the works of real faith.

Are you truly living as a Philadelphian Christian?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Why is there a Philadelphian remnant of the true Christian Church of God? Did the old Worldwide Church of God essentially predict a Philadelphian remnant? Is a Philadelphian remnant needed for end-time prophecies to be fulfilled? Here is a link to a related sermon: The Philadelphia Remnant.
What is a Philadelphian? Many claim to be part of the Philadelphia era of the Church, but is claiming enough? This article has biblical and historical evidence about who really are the Philadelphians.
The Philadelphia Remnant: It’s All About Love This is what CCOG teaches. It is important to remember.Two elated videos are available: Nairobi Conference: All About Love and CCOG: It’s All About Love.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to four related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui? Here is a link to a short animation: Which Church would Jesus Choose?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have. Here is a link to two related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan and Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan.