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Dear Members and Friends,

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

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

Continue reading "Letter to the Brethren – October 15, 2021"

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Dear Members and Friends,

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

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

Continue reading "Letter to the Brethren – August 20, 2021"

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

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

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

Continue reading "Letter to the Brethren – July 15, 2021"

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

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

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

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

Continue reading "Letter to the Brethren – June 15, 2021"

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Dear Members and Friends, 

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

Continue reading "Letter to the Brethren – April 16, 2021"

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Dear Brethren and Coworkers,

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

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

Continue reading "Letter to the Brethren – March 21, 2021"

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Dear Members and Friends!

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

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

This letter is meant to do just that.

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

Continue reading "Letter to the Brethren – February 8, 2021"

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Dear Members and Friends,

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

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

Continue reading "Letter to the Brethren – January 6, 2021"

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

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

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

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

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

Continue reading "Letter to the Brethren – December 11, 2020"