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Dear Members, Co-Workers and Friends,

We have finished our annual Church Conference, and all in attendance felt that this was the most profitable and peaceful conference we have had for a long time. Even though some might doubt the accuracy of this assessment, as it may sound too good to be true, we are confident that our statement reflects objectively what we have experienced. We are all on the same page and dedicated to the Work of preaching the Gospel and feeding the Flock in the way that God would want us to do—something which could not always be said for all prior years with that same kind of emphasis. This kind of unity reflects growth through the help of God’s Holy Spirit, along with the fact that Jesus Christ continues to guide those who yield to Him.

Among many topics, we discussed the most obvious and some more subtle examples of doctrinal and administrative differences between our organizations and other church groups within the Body of Christ. We addressed our Internet presence and our ever-increasing and hard-working technical team, as well as plans and options for expansions, including on Facebook. We had a short look at our stunning new national and international websites, which are being prepared and which will show a unified design to better establish our identities. We confirmed our biblical understanding of John 7:37-39 and discussed, based on the Bible, how Jesus—the glorious immortal God Being—became a mortal Man. We evaluated plans for the Feast of Tabernacles in 2015, with the possibility of perhaps opening up a third Feast site. We also expressed our intent to write and publish a few more booklets this year—including one on the return of Christ and one on the fall and rise of the House of Judah. We decided to begin posting all video-recorded sermons on the Web. We will continue to address some of the doctrinal issues, as discussed in our Conference, in upcoming Q&A’s.

Even though statistics could be manufactured—and quite often are in certain circles—we objectively viewed and analyzed our presence on our different national and international websites for the last 12 months and made observations about trends that will help us to improve our efficacy in fulfilling the commission of the Church. We also decided to continue with our radio broadcasts, realizing that it may take some time to receive many meaningful responses. It was pointed out that we are blessed with many responses and encouraging growth in attendance in the German Work, but we must not forget that we have been regularly posting weekly video-recorded German sermons since December of 2008.

Statistics can help us to evaluate where we could do more and implement slightly different actions, while always remembering that it is not our job to convert others but simply to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14). God will draw people to Christ and His Church (John 6:44, 65) whose hearts are being opened to the truth (Acts 13:48; 14:27; 15:8). When we diligently sow the seed, God will give the increase in those whom He chooses (Matthew 13:1-23)—many times in ways we will not understand (Isaiah 55:10-11).

When this letter reaches you, there will be only a few more days left before the Spring Holy Day season begins. As was pointed out in recent Editorials in our weekly Updates, we must prepare and be ready for the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread.

In our Editorial of February 28, 2014, we stated that “It is important for baptized members of the true Church of God to partake of the Passover (in the evening of Sunday, April 13). It is equally important for them to use the light of God to reveal their sins, so that they can repent and partake of the Passover in a worthy manner, thus pleasing their Creator God and their Savior Jesus Christ.”

We stated in our subsequent Editorial of March 14, 2014, that in preparation for the Passover “true Christians ought to make an extra and diligent effort to examine themselves to determine whether and how Jesus is living in them (2 Corinthians 13:5), so that they do not partake of the Passover symbols in an unworthy manner (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). This self-examination should show us how we lived throughout the year—and if we are honest enough, we WILL find fault with ourselves. This realization must prompt us to repent, change, and make amends PRIOR to Passover eve.”

We also stated that “Paul tells us to examine ourselves, as to how we are doing, and to TAKE the Passover. But before partaking of the Passover symbols, we must repent of wrong conduct and wrong thinking, and we must understand and appreciate what the Sacrifice of Christ really means for us. Christ died for us to free us from sin. He did not die for us to give us license to sin. We must be willing to live our lives worthy of God and our holy calling, and obey God in everything.”

In addition, when addressing the Days of Unleavened Bread in our Editorial of April 3, 2014, we stated that “At times, the Bible compares sin with leaven, and if leaven is not removed, it grows and permeates the whole lump. In the same way, sin grows and spreads in our lives. The Days of Unleavened Bread picture our complete departure from sin, but this is impossible without God’s help. It is God who must fight our battles. According to tradition, Israel stood in front of the Red Sea on the Last Day of Unleavened Bread. They were completely helpless and in despair, when they saw Pharaoh’s army pursuing them. But God intervened miraculously and saved them from physical death or renewed physical captivity. Today, God is giving us—spiritual Israelites—spiritual victory over sin, if we submit to Him and let Him fight our spiritual battles for us.”

With God’s Holy Spirit living within us (the gift of the Holy Spirit to God’s Church is pictured by the annual Holy Day of Pentecost), we can be obedient to God. We stated in the above-mentioned Editorial:

“When we, as baptized members of the Church of God, keep the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, while focusing already on the Day of Pentecost, we ought to remember that everything we accomplish in this life is not because of our might and strength, but because of God’s grace and favor. Because of Christ’s great love for us, He died for us, when we were still sinners and God’s enemies. We did not deserve to be forgiven—God forgave us because of unmerited pardon. It is God who shows us the way out of sin and who enables us to follow His path. And it is God who gives us His Holy Spirit to empower us to obey Him in spirit and truth. In doing this, we can gladly focus on the Holy Days in the Autumn, beginning with the next dramatic event in the plan of God. This earth-shaking occurrence is pictured by the Feast of Trumpets and describes the return of Jesus Christ to establish God’s rule here on earth and to give us His gift of eternal life, by changing us from mortal human beings to immortal members of God’s Family.”

How thankful we ought to be that we do understand the meaning and importance of God’s annual Holy Days which reveal to us His plan for us and all of mankind. Let us show God our thankfulness by doing His Will for us—collectively and individually.

We thank YOU for your continued love and support and wish you a very meaningful and
rewarding Spring Holy Day season.

With Christian love,

Norbert Link

Dave Harris

Rene Messier

Brian Gale

Eric Rank

Robb Harris

Michael Link

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Dear Brethren, Co-Workers and Friends:

As we are bombarded with terrible news from around the world, showing the perilous times and the lives of self-centered human beings in these last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5), those called by God to His Way of Life must be different. True Christians are to be happy people, reflecting and manifesting their inner joy which is focused on their future as glorified eternal Spirit beings in the very Family and Kingdom of God (John 17:13; Galatians 5:22; Romans 14:17). As we walk through this dark valley of human suffering and death, we must not allow ourselves to become frustrated and depressed; rather, we are to lift up our heads in anticipation of entering a spiritual world of splendor and beauty, joy and peace (Luke 21:28). In short, we are looking forward to the soon-coming time of our change (1 Corinthians 15:50-57).

Even when preparing for the sobering and serious Passover evening, we need to understand that our required self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:28) should produce thankfulness and happiness (John 15:11)—realizing that our sins have been forgiven because of the Father and Christ’s mercy, grace and selfless love for us and all of mankind. While this world is living a life of selfish pursuits and idle and vain endeavors, we—God’s people—are to exemplify a life of unselfish love and concern for the welfare and benefit of others. We do understand, of course, that we cannot change the world or convert others—nor should we ever try to do this—but we can help in whatever way possible to perhaps assist God in opening the minds of those who are being called (Matthew 5:16).

Prayer, Bible Study, Meditation on God’s Word and His Way of Life and occasional Fasting are in fact major pillars in the life of a Christian—part of the foundation on which a Christian stands. But sometimes, when we are confronted with “pressing” daily needs and “important” tasks, it might become difficult to “find the time” to pray or study God’s Word, and it may become far too easy to “convince” ourselves that it may not be that important. Also, we may be shocked to discover that our prayers have become “routine”—a habitual repetition of certain words—and our Bible Studies may lack quality and just consist of a superficial “reading” of a few verses in a randomly selected chapter.

Several years ago, we published a free booklet, “Teach Us to Pray,” to help our readers in their daily task of praying meaningful and successful prayers. This booklet is still available upon request. When we want answers to our prayers, we have certain obligations, and this booklet tells us what they are. We are now pleased to offer a brand-new booklet, which should help you to make your Bible Studies more interesting. It is titled, “Hidden Secrets in the Bible,” and was written to show you marvelous things from God’s Word.

We say in the introduction: “Based on the title of this booklet, if you are expecting to read about secret ‘Bible codes’ or obscure ‘biblical’ messages, you might be disappointed. Instead, we are going to lay out some interesting hidden secrets in the pages of the Holy Scriptures which might otherwise escape the casual reader.

“In Part 1 of this booklet, we will show you the beauty of Old Testament poetry and how it lends a deeper understanding of the Scriptures.

“In Part 2, we will explain the often overlooked significance of certain biblical numbers, while also clearing up some misunderstandings in this regard.

“In Part 3, we will discuss a hidden message in the book of Psalms. Rather than viewing this book as a collection of unrelated passages, you will see a story flow that reveals God’s plan of salvation.”

This booklet should be of great help to you to make your Bible Study more delightful. It also includes several boxes with related material, including an outline and overview of the psalms, briefly listing the topic of each psalm; and the identification of the seven psalms of repentance and the fourteen “psalms of ascent”; as well as those psalms which are focusing on and are related to a particular annual Holy Day, such as the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles.

For our subscribers in the USA, we enclose a copy of our new booklet with this letter. In other parts of the world, this booklet will be sent out shortly to those on the circulation list to receive new booklets. We trust that you will make good use of the discussed material. You will realize that it proves to you the unmistakable fact that it was indeed God who inspired the writings of the Bible—no human being and no human committee could have remotely accomplished what God did; and He left us His Holy Word for our benefit and learning (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

And so, we conclude this booklet with the following observation:

“For many, the Bible is a book ‘with seven seals’—a book which they seem to be unable to understand. Indeed, God must open our minds to see, but when He does, the Word of God will shine as a bright light in utter darkness, and it will truly reveal a whole world of previously unseen secrets which are not hidden any longer from those who want to understand…”

But as it is the case with prayer, we also have obligations and responsibilities when we want to study the Bible successfully. John 7:17 tells us that we must want to DO what we learn in God’s Word, and we are only privileged to be called Christ’s friends if we DO whatever He commands us (John 15:14).

With Christian love,

Norbert Link

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Dear Brethren, Co-Workers and Friends.

God commands us to examine ourselves on an annual basis prior to partaking of the Passover in the spring of the year. We are to analyse how we have been doing spiritually during the year that has just past, and how we are doing now by comparison. This is similar to checking your pulse to get an indication as to your health, and if you discover a physical problem, you need to find out what you can do to alleviate it.

To go a step further, let us take the pulse of English-speaking nations such as the USA, Canada and the UK (some of the modern descendants of the ancient house of Israel) to determine just how they are doing.

A few days ago, it was reported that since Wade vs. Roe (the decision that a woman could have an abortion on demand), fifty-five million abortions took place in the USA from 1973 to 2013—within a forty year period. That amounts to 1,375,000 abortions a year or 114,583 a month or 3,819 a day. That is more than the total population of Canada. This is nothing less than appalling to realize that so many innocent potential children of God are being butchered in the US alone. This does not include Canada or the UK, or other countries in Europe (not to speak of the rest of the world), which would put the figures much higher.

Our nations are the biggest users of illegal drugs and also prescription drugs. I worked in a prison for almost five years before being called, and I talked to and met a lot of drug addicts who told me about their miserable lives. While the drug producers may be happy about the increase in drug consumption, God is not at all pleased.

The USA has an insurmountable 17 trillion dollar debt, which works out to around $50,000.00 for every man, every woman and every child in the USA. Imagine this: Every child being born now has an automatic debt of $50,000.00 attached to him or her. This is unsustainable and will one day cause the collapse of the economy, and it will drag down Canada and other nations and may cause a worldwide economic depression, for which the US will not be very popular.

Added to the above is the dismantling of the biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman, and replacing it with the concept of premarital cohabitation and same-sex marriages which are being legalized in more and more states in the USA, as well as in Canada, the UK and other countries around the world.

Is it any wonder that especially the nations of the modern house of Israel will be going into captivity?

Where does that leave us in God’s Church? It should give us an urgency to finish the Work of God (the proclamation of the Gospel and the feeding of the Flock) that was started by Jesus Christ and the New Testament Church. The Bible tells us that in these last days, we need to get the warning message out to the world. Nothing is more important. Our focus has to be on finishing this Work.

The gospel of the Kingdom of God has to be announced, as God opens doors for us, and we should be praying that God will open more doors. We should also be praying for “physical” growth that God would provide us with more labourers to shoulder this responsibility with us. We also need to be praying for spiritual growth, since we are to be growing in grace and knowledge. We are to pray for the ministry—for their health, safety and strength, and also, that God would inspire them to feed the membership with the needed spiritual food, as things will get tougher.

Look at how Paul admonished Titus in Titus 2:11-15:

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.”

God’s ministers are to “exhort” and “rebuke,” but also to “encourage” to push on to finish this race. Look at what Paul had to endure. We read Paul’s description of a true minister of God who is willing to suffer for the Work of God, in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28:

“Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.”

Even in the face of such hardships, Paul pushed on to finish the race. He stated in Hebrews 12:1-4:

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.”

As far as we know, none of God’s disciples has been martyred for God’s Way of Life in this century, but we know that difficult times are coming with persecution, betrayal and death for some.

These facts should not discourage us but rather make us more zealous to finish the job we have been given collectively and individually, and to look to our future resurrection, when the Kingdom of God will rule this earth to make it a better place—after Satan, the current ruler over this world, will have been banished. Knowing all of this, we must remain focused on God’s Work which is still ahead of us, realizing that our reward will be great for us when we endure till the end.

In Christ’s service

Rene Messier

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

In our weekly Update of the 6th December, I wrote an editorial entitled “Getting On Together”. In this I wrote: “The Church of God should be a homogenous group, all pulling in the same direction, with the same goal of growing and overcoming so that we ‘may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man’ (Luke 21:36). In order to achieve that goal, we must pull together as the people of God, not pull apart.”

I have observed over 40 years in the Church of God that many have come and gone, including those whom we may have thought were “pillars in the Church” only to be disappointed. Without regurgitating that editorial, I would just repeat one part that I thought should concentrate our focus: “We see world events coming to a climax with seemingly little time left before Christ’s return and it is futile to concentrate on anything that will detract us from looking forward to that wonderful event and all that it means.”

How seriously do we take all of the warnings that we see in the four Gospel accounts, the Book of Revelation and many other biblical books?

Our head knowledge may help us to remember many of the warnings that we have been given, and the fact that we are reading this letter hopefully means that we have taken them to heart. For example: “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another” (Matthew 24:10). Our understanding is that this passage of Scripture applies to the Church. With all of the problems following the apostasy of the 1990’s, and since, many have been offended and gone off in different and wrong directions, and many more will be offended and leave in the future, but we shouldn’t be surprised because it has been prophesied.

We further read: “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:11-12). This is addressing those in the Church who at one time had the love of God, but who have begun to let it slip. That’s why it says that the love of God will grow or become cold and so, presumably, it was hot at one time.

Offences can and do occur and will be a challenge for the true Church at the end of this age. The Church does not have perfect people; if it did, there would be no offences, but we know, by practical experience, that some are easily offended, some have problems in forgiving others and some will not be entreated. Peter asked Jesus about forgiving others, as recorded in Matthew 18:21-22: “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” This was recorded just after Jesus had given the action required for conflict resolution.

Jesus also tells us: “‘Blessed are the peacemakers’” (Matthew 5:9), not the peace-breakers, and the second part of Psalm 34:14 tells us to “seek peace and pursue it.”

In a perfect Church we wouldn’t need such guidelines, but the fact that these are recorded show that we need to learn from such examples (compare 1 Corinthians 10:11).

But do we?

It is prophesied that many will be offended, will betray one another and will hate one another; that many false prophets will rise up and deceive many; and that the love of many will grow cold. It is not a pretty picture when we put all of these end-time traits together in one sentence, but if the Bible is true as we believe it is from cover to cover, then we had better take this information seriously. Head knowledge is not enough; it needs to penetrate every fibre of our being, taking it to heart as a matter of urgency.

It has always struck me as somewhat contradictory that some who espouse the way that Jesus taught agree with the theory but have big problems with the practice. We know that our adversary is on the prowl (see 1 Peter 5:8), and he is much cleverer than we are, but with the help of God’s Holy Spirit that we received at baptism, we can successfully withstand those spiritual forces that are arrayed against us. Satan and his demons will fight furiously to throw us off track, but with God’s help we can all win through.

Of course, our human nature can be another source of trouble for us, as we may struggle with the fact that someone else may be right and we may be wrong. The thought of losing face (which is only vanity if we have to apologise) may have no appeal, and it is sheer stubbornness and contrary to the way that we have been taught, if we hold a grudge against anyone.

Why am I raising this? It is because it is prophesied to happen, and we need to be truly aware of it so that Satan cannot craftily and cleverly suck us into his wrong ways of doing things. If we do have any of the problems, or situations as mentioned in this letter, it is of paramount importance to rectify such matters immediately and bring us back in line with what God expects of each and every one of us.

What is the alternative? Such occurrences happened in the time of Christ, and this is a warning for us all: “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’” (John 6:66-68).

Having committed ourselves to the way of God at baptism, God expects nothing less than conforming willingly to His complete Way of Life as we read in His Word. Falling short must not be an option for us. Many have, regretfully, fallen by the wayside in the past and many more will do so in the future. We should make sure that that doesn’t happen to us. There is a lot at stake, and God is watching each one of us.

Let none of us be found wanting.

With Christian love.

Brian Gale
(United Kingdom)

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

Daniel was made aware of future events that were beyond his grasp, and he said to the angel, “‘My lord, what shall be the end of these things?’” (Daniel 12:8). Responding to statements made by Jesus, His disciples asked Him: “‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?’” (Matthew 24:3).

Unlike Daniel or the disciples of Jesus, we are NOW living in the time of the end which they marveled at and which is culminating into “‘“…a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation”’” (Daniel 12:1). Prophecies given by God are coming to pass, and they will be completely fulfilled according to His Word!

In this light, consider the opening statements found in the Book of Revelation:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:1-3).

The angel concluded the “Revelation” with these admonitions to John:

“Then he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.’ And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. ‘Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book’” (Revelation 22:6-7).

Also, unlike the command given to Daniel, saying, “‘…the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end’” (Daniel 12:9, John was told, “‘…Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand’” (Revelation 22:10). Even though some prophecies still await further godly explanation (Revelation 10:1-7), the overall sequence of events and their meaning have been made known to us (You might want to read our free booklet, “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever.”).

Having received God’s calling to salvation, we believe His Word. We have come to know that events in the world are propelling us into the quagmire of unparalleled danger and suffering spoken of in so many detailed prophecies of the Bible.

Circumstances in the Church of God—among people who have been given God’s Holy Spirit—likewise attest to end-time events! On the one hand, apostasy has overwhelmed the many—those who once were viewed as faithful to the Truth of God! That insidious attack on the people of God has continued and will never cease until the return of Jesus Christ! We are warned of an ongoing apostasy in God’s Church just prior to Christ’s return—self-willed and self-righteous people will fall away from the Truth, and they will even accuse, hate and betray one another.

On the other hand, there are the few who continue in the love of God; who endure trials; who overcome the problems of this age; and who continue in the true faith and  “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Among the many prophecies that herald the close of this age and the establishing of God’s glorious Kingdom, we also have the promise Jesus Christ made regarding His Church:

“‘…I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the grave, death) shall not prevail against it’” (Matthew 16:18).

Jesus Christ has given His Church a Work to accomplish. After its establishment on the Day of Pentecost, the Church of God began eagerly to fulfill its commission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God—to announce and publish the good news of God’s approaching Kingdom, and then to teach those whom God called as they were brought into the Church of God. But soon, persecution set in, and the Church had to flee and exist and survive “in hiding.” For many centuries, the true gospel was not proclaimed anymore to the world. Christ said however that the time would arrive when His Church would fulfill again its commission to preach the gospel in all the world as a witness, and then the end of this present evil age would come (Matthew 24:14). We are today living in these prophetic times.

With all confidence we know that the Church of God and its Work will continue and be abundantly successful. We know this because Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church! He did not fail in the Work God gave Him to accomplish in His first appearance—He finished it! (compare John 17:4).

He will finish His Work in our time, as well!

How is He using us to accomplish this?

The Church of the Eternal God (in the United States with its operations in Europe, including in German-speaking areas), the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship (Canada) and the Global Church of God (United Kingdom) co-exist to fulfill the Work given to the Church Jesus Christ sustains. It is through the fruit of unity in God’s Holy Spirit that we strive to be of one mind in both purpose and practice.

Building on this spirit of unity, our common charter is to avoid any compromise with the Truth of God. Because of this, God has opened the way for us to continue proclaiming His Gospel.

We understand that the future will grow worse and worse. As evil and corrupt as this world currently is, violence of an unimagined scale will lead into the period of time described as “‘…great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be’” (Matthew 24:21; compare Revelation 7:14).

We are preparing now for what lies ahead by striving all the more to be obedient servants to God. Our part in the Work of God will become more demanding, and it will require of us the kind of strength that only comes from God—the resolve by which Jesus was able to persevere so valiantly to become the Savior of the world!

In times past, many have found themselves confronted with seemingly impossible and frightening struggles, and every indication from God’s Word is that our future will likewise require the utmost faith. Yet, even with this reality looming on the horizon, God has given us promises to be able to face anything that comes! Consider these reassurances from Him.

“A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you” (Psalm 91:7).

“For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

And carefully note the next verse:

“So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:6).

Brethren, thank you for the bond of faith you keep as we all work to do whatever we can to stand together in the Work of God—each doing our part, whether it is seemingly little or much.

Let none of us ever lose sight of the love of the Father, for “God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased… Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually” (1 Corinthians 12:18, 27).

Be content with what God has given you; do your part faithfully and joyfully; and Christ will give you the crown of life when He returns.

In Christ’s Service,

Dave Harris

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Dear Members, Co-Workers and Friends:

Something remarkable about the patriarchs of the Bible is their frequent movement from one place to another. It seems like they rarely stayed in one place for very long, and wherever they did stay, they were considered to be foreigners. The Bible describes Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob each living out of tents in lands that they considered to be far from home. When Jacob fled hundreds of miles from his home, in fear of his brother Esau’s wrath, he even used a stone as a pillow to rest his head (Genesis 28:11). The eventual place to where God individually led them all—the land of Canaan—was a foreign land that He had promised to them as an inheritance. It did not become their homeland at that time. Rather, it had been occupied primarily by other people, and the patriarchs were foreigners in the land where they dwelled.

How did these men and their families feel as they made a living in a foreign and frequently hostile environment? One can only imagine that it made them quite uncomfortable. Reading about the patriarchs is useful because these records help us to consider the stark contrast between the righteous way of living instructed by God, and the environment in which we are placed to live. The patriarchs did not always live righteously; they had to learn how to live godly in an evil society. Similarly, we are here living in this world, but we are not to be a part of it. When we are called into God’s Family, when we begin to live according to the perfect law of God, and when we become baptized, we also become sanctified. That is, we are set aside for a holy purpose; we are set apart from the world where we live, just as the patriarchs were separate from the inhabitants of the land where they dwelt.

It is normally an uncomfortable feeling to be a foreigner. Ironically, this is a feeling that a true Christian needs to become comfortable with. Jesus Christ, in speaking with a prospective disciple brings this fact to light. In Matthew 8:18-20 we read, “And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, ‘Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’” Jesus knew that there would be occasions when He would not even have shelter. (At that time, the Samaritans, because of their hostility towards the Jews, had refused to grant Him and His disciples a place to reside because they were on their way to Jerusalem.) Jesus points this out here to emphasize that in order to fully follow Him, one must not trust in the comforts of this world. It is much more than many can manage, but it is an important step in learning to live a spiritual life. The spiritual ways of God stand diametrically opposed to the carnal ways of this world, and indeed are quite foreign. This difference is no accident, but rather, it is intentionally designed that way by God.

When we live our lives in a way that is spiritually motivated, living in obedience to God, accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as an important requirement for our salvation, we take a part in the inheritance of the promise given to Abraham. This means that we too are foreigners in a strange land, citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20), and ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). If it makes us uncomfortable, like our forefathers, to be aliens in a world that is so different

than the way that we live, that’s a good thing. The world is ruled by Satan right now, and it should not be a surprise that it is hostile to the truly righteous way of life. Jesus Christ reminds us in John 15:19, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” When we become too comfortable in the world we live in, we need to begin asking ourselves whether we might be compromising with the truth.

Fortunately, we don’t have to live forever in a state of discomfort and frustration while we dwell in this world. The good news is that this is not our final destination. There is a better kingdom that we can expect to be established on this Earth, under the righteous rulership of Jesus Christ. At that time, we will receive the inheritance of eternal life in the Kingdom of God. It is truly something to look forward to. This vision that we have is the very same vision that was shared by the patriarchs of the Bible. They knew that they would not be foreigners for long. Hebrews 11:13-16 tells us, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” The city described here—the heavenly Jerusalem which will come down to a new earth—is what we look forward to.

It is important that we remember not to get wrapped up in the cares of this world, because it will pass away very soon (1 John 2:17), and give way to a much better age. If you can keep a tight grip on that valuable truth, with the faith of Christ working within you, you will have the strength that it takes to make it through anything this world might threaten you with.

Your brother in Christ

Eric Rank

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Dear Members, Co-Workers and Friends,

It is hard to believe that the Feast of Tabernacles 2013 has ended over three weeks ago. We have returned from a marvelous occasion which portrayed a time of universal peace and happiness, and we must cope now once again with trials and persecutions in this present evil world, which is ruled by Satan the devil.

In our first weekly Update after the Feast (No. 607, dated October 4), Brian Gale wrote in his Editorial: “We have just kept the Feast of Tabernacles which pictures the coming reign of Jesus Christ on this earth. Then there will be no leadership problems at all. But until then, in this world, do we have leadership problems? There’s proof galore for those with eyes to see and ears to hear!”

In the following Update (No. 608, dated October 11), Michael Link wrote in his Editorial, “How are we doing since returning from the Feast? Has that attitude we experienced just a couple of weeks ago diminished now that we are ‘back to reality?’” And in that same Update, the Q&A reminded us that it is not the task of a true Christian today to try to make this a better world, but to prepare for the time when Christ rules on earth.

In Update No. 609, dated October 17, Norbert Link warned us in his Editorial that a falling away from the truth is still prophesied to occur in the Church of God prior to Christ’s return, and that the beginning signs of that falling away can already be observed.

It is most certainly of paramount importance to take in the encouragement and admonition to not be overcome by this world, especially after we have celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles. Yet, with those thoughts in mind, we would like to reflect on the time just about three or four weeks ago when we kept the Feast, to remind us how it was, and to show us what it will be like at next year’s Feast, so we do not lose heart.

Beginning with the Feast in the USA, here is a report from Dave Harris:

The Church of the Eternal God observed the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day in Vail, Colorado. We were privileged to secure accommodations in the beautiful Lion Square Lodge, a condominium complex located alongside Gore Creek. Our meeting room was also located in this facility.

We had three dozen people attending, and one of our special highlights was being able to host one another for meals and fellowship in our condominiums. That included one evening featuring a South of the Border theme. Many ventured into Vail Village to take advantage of fine dining and shopping and a visit to the Vail Farmer’s Market on Sunday afternoon. A combination talent show and game night took place on Sunday evening, and several bravely took their turn as Karaoke entertainers.

Several commented on the very special experience of this Feast, emphasizing the fellowship and especially their appreciation for the meaningful sermonettes and sermons along with the contribution made by those giving special music.

With the Feast falling in mid-October of next year, Vail will not be an option; however, we have already begun looking at other locations in the Western United States, and we will update everyone as these plans go forward.

Turning to our Feast site in Germany, here is a combined report from Norbert Link, Rene Messier and Brian Gale:

After 16 years of having the Feast in the UK, it was decided to hold the Feast this year in Freudenstadt, a town in Baden-Württemberg in the Black Forest southern area of Germany which accommodated the many new people in Germany who are responding positively to the Church’s message. It is a beautiful area with many interesting places to visit for both the local Germans as well as those attending from the UK, USA and Canada.

In addition to our StandingWatch programs, Evangelist Norbert Link has been announcing the good news of God’s coming Kingdom in the German AufPostenStehen Internet broadcasts, as well as in weekly German sermons, for over seven years. Many new people have become interested in the message of the Church.

There were in excess of 70 zealous and enthusiastic people attending (many of whom attended the Feast of Tabernacles for the very first time). On the Last Great Day, five baptisms took place. Apart from daily services with truly inspiring and meaningful messages, Bible Studies were also held along with a bus trip, Feast dinner, a talent show and other well attended activities. Services were conducted in both English and German, with five interpreters taking it in turns to translate. On the Sabbath after the Feast, most people attended with another full house near Speyer, Germany.

The excitement of seeing so many young people and families being called provided a joyous and very happy atmosphere, and it is expected that the Feast next year may well attract many more new people. The potential growth was really inspiring to witness, as more are eagerly preparing themselves for baptism at the spring festival season next year. We also were privileged to have a blessing of little children ceremony, and Rene Messier and Brian Gale were raised in rank to Pastor on the Last Great Day.

But this is just the beginning. We expect further growth, knowing that the time is short. And so, we are preparing for great tasks ahead. In addition to our live audio broadcasts, we are also video-broadcasting some of our live Sabbath services in the USA, as well as in Germany, and people all over the world can tune in to watch and listen. Brian Gale and Rene Messier are giving their voices to StandingWatch programs for especially the British and Canadian audiences.

We are observing the fall of the United States and Great Britain and the rise of Europe under German leadership. A new booklet has been prepared, titled, “The Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire,” which was distributed to our Feast attendees. We are pleased to enclose herewith a copy of this new booklet to our subscribers who did not attend the Feast with us (the booklets were already distributed in the UK). With this booklet, we have by now published 37 free booklets—all of which are available upon request.

We have also begun to print our German booklets, which are being posted on our German web site. We are currently printing the German version of our booklet on the Book of Revelation.

As the time of Christ’s return draws nearer, we must be about our Father’s business. Our weekly radio programs continue, as well as the publication of our weekly Updates. More and more people are responding, and with it, more attention is being given to us. Satan, the prince and ruler of this world, knows this too, and his wrath is great. He will try everything he can to create problems for us. But he will not succeed, because God, who is with us, is mightier than the god of this world.

Brethren and Friends, be aware that during these coming cold, rainy, and snowy winter months, our work is cut out for us. We must never give up, and we will not fail, when and as long as our lives are built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. When we increase in grace and knowledge of Christ, working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, waiting with anticipation for God’s rule to be established here on earth, then we have every reason to look forward to next year’s Spring and Fall Holy Day seasons—and beyond—until the reality of all that is pictured by these Festivals is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.

With brotherly love,

Norbert Link

Dave Harris

Rene Messier

Brian Gale

Eric Rank

Robb Harris

Michael Link

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Dear Brethren, Co-Workers and Friends:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your brother in Christ,

Norbert Link

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

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Dear Brethren and Co-Workers:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Christ Service

Rene Messier
(Canada)

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With Christian love,

Brian Gale
(United Kingdom)

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

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