LCG World Ahead Weekly Update

During the Spring Holy Days we have the unique opportunity to rehearse again the initial steps in God’s Great Plan of Salvation for mankind and to be reminded of God’s gift of forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins. As we examine ourselves to identify and eliminate sins, we are—as the bride of Christ—being made ready for the long-anticipated “marriage of the Lamb” mentioned in Revelation 19:7.

Here in Charlotte, Mr. Meredith has held a number of meetings. Mr. Wayne Pyle reports that last weekend’s Tomorrow’s World telecast by Mr. Wallace Smith, entitled “Your Incredible Future,” is expected to draw more than 3,700 responses. Mr. Rand Millich’s follow-up Tomorrow’s World Special Presentations last weekend in Omaha, Nebraska and Des Moines, Iowa on the subject of “Where Is the Church Christ Built?” drew 46 visitors. Mr. Jack Lowe made the same follow-up presentation in Atlanta, drawing 14 visitors. This coming weekend, Mr. and Mrs. Ames will be in Anderson and Greenville, South Carolina for the Passover and the first Day of Unleavened Bread; Dr. and Mrs. Will Pierre will be in Haiti and Martinique; Mr. and Mrs. James Meredith will be in the Tampa, Florida area and I will be in Kingston, New York for a combined church observance of the Passover and the first Day of UB. Please pray that God will richly bless His people in the days just ahead.—DSW

Atlanta, Georgia: March 31 was an exciting Sabbath for the Living Church of God in Atlanta, Georgia. Seventy-five people attended the TWSP follow-up presentation, “Where Is the Church Christ Built?,” including 14 visitors—four of whom had not attended the first presentation. The visitors were very enthusiastic and stayed afterwards to enjoy light refreshments and to fellowship with the brethren. Six of the visitors were invited to attend Sabbath services. We thank God for those He is sending to us, and we look forward to having them in our local congregation.—Jack Lowe

Omaha, Nebraska and Des Moines, Iowa: On the Sabbath of March 31 at Bellevue University just outside of Omaha, Mr. Rand Millich presented to 29 guests and 63 members a message of how to identify from the pages of the Bible and from secular history the Church that Jesus Christ founded in the first century. Of the 29 guests who attended, 17 were return visitors and 12 attended for the first time. Again the feedback from guests was very positive. A number asked about Sabbath services so they could attend.

On Sunday, April 1, Mr. Millich traveled to Des Moines to deliver that same message, “Where Is the Church Christ Built?,” to 17 invited guests and 28 brethren for a total of 45 in attendance. All of the guests in attendance were return visitors from the previous week’s presentation. Two couples who had been baptized in a former fellowship asked about attending the Passover this year.—Brian Pomicter

The Night To Be Observed, though not a “commanded assembly” (like the Holy Days listed in Leviticus 23) is nonetheless an important tradition kept by the Church, commemorating Israel’s exodus out of Egypt. It is appropriate (and encouraged) to have a few words said during the evening about the meaning of the observance. To that end, included in this week’s The World Ahead is a sample outline (page 6) as well as a link to a message prepared by Mr. Gerald Weston for this evening. His message may be played as needed. (You can find the “Night To Be Much Observed” message by Mr. Weston in the sermon library at www.lcg.org).

Kalymyo: On January 19 we flew from Yangon to Kalaymyo. A large group of Church members were there to welcome us. The next day we went by motor cycle to get a good view of Kalaymyo University in the valley. While coming back to the hotel, Thomas Tial Hoe wanted to print his copy of The World Ahead from the computer at an Internet Café. The Internet Café lady told Thomas that her sister had opened a new hotel and since it is a new hotel she was willing to give us a special price. We compared it to the hotel we were currently staying in, and found that it was cheaper and new. We immediately moved to the new hotel. I noticed the new hotel had a big hall and asked the manager if we could use it for the Sabbath service. The manager was very kind and I told Tho mas to inform all the Church members from the village. About 41 members, including children, arrived at the hotel at 10:00 a.m. on the Sabbath. All were well dressed and it was like a mini Feast. This was the first time the members ever experienced a Sabbath service in a hotel. All sang very enthusiastically during the song service. We also enjoyed special music singing…. I gave them an update on the Work and gave a sermon on “Faith and Obedience,” which was interpreted to the congregation by Thomas Tial Hoe. All the members were very happy and shook hands with me. This is the first time a minister from the Living Church of God has visited the members in Kalaymyo. Thomas Tial Hoe’s wife served us lunch which she had prepared the previous evening. We ate together and fellowshipped for a long time in the afternoon. I also met the first Burmese member, baptised in 1972. He came about 80 miles to Kalaymyo. He is 72 years old now and was very happy to meet w ith me. We also had other members who travelled far to join us.

Kyarinn village: On Monday, Thomas’ son took me on his motor cycle to his village. The road was very bumpy and in some places very dusty. When we reached the village, all the brethren welcomed me. We had a Bible Study on “Christ the Creator” and the “Kingdom of God.” After the Bible Study, a long-time member who is 75 years old came to me and, in front of the members, cried and told me “Thank you for coming.” Some members told me that they had not had a foreign minister visit them for more than 30 years. Some of the ladies were very emotional and shook hands with me and wanted me to visit again next year. After lunch we had a question and answer session. Some brethren asked about marriage, Sabbath-keeping and about Tomorrow’s World. O ne long-time member who is 75 years old insisted that I should visit his home the next day.

The next day all the Church members visited his home, about two miles from Thomas’ home. We walked through the paddy fields to get there. This member has a fishing pond where he catches fish for his meals. While I was there, he was able to catch two big fish for us. He had never caught fish as big before. He told me it was a miracle. I conducted a Bible Study about the “True Church and the Kingdom of God.” In front of his home there was a nice open space where we had the Bible Study and lunch. All the members sang songs and enjoyed a good meal. A long-time Church member walked 30 miles and took a bus for 124 miles to see us in the village.

where we stayed one night and the next day went on to Myaung Mya. Upon arrival, we met Mr. Saw Htoo Ray and other members waiting for us at the hotel. He was able to get permission from the Immigration Department for me to visit the brethren in the village. They were very happy to see us again. On the Sabbath, January 28, we took a motorboat to visit the Sakhan Gyi brethren. It took us over an hour to reach the village. Many brethren were waiting at the riverside to welcome us. I conducted the Sabbath service and gave the same sermon I gave in Kalaymyo. Saw Htoo Ray played special music. On Sunday, January 29, we left Myaung Mya for Yangon.—Rajan Moses

2013 Feast of Tabernacles Israel Tour: Thank you to everyone who expressed interest in an Israel Tour! Details of the 2013 Feast of Tabernacles Israel Tour are now available for viewing on our cogl.org website. Registration begins this Sunday, April 8, and will be open through Sunday, April 22. For a description of the tour and to register, please log on to your My LCG account at www.cogl.org. There you will find details of the planned itinerary as well as the cost of the land package for single or double occupancy (air fare is not included in these prices). Those who register will not be notified as to whether or not their transfer request has been approved until after registration has closed on Sunday, April 22. Transfer approvals will not be based on the order in which you register. Once approved, you will be directed to complete needed paperwork and submit a $350 per person deposit. Please note that even if you pre-registered, you must still officially register during this two-week registration period. This will be a unique and exciting Festival experience that you won’t want to miss!—Jim Meredith, Festival Office

Editorial:The Editorial Department is looking for a Managing Editor to assist in the planning, editing, design and production of the Church’s periodicals (primarily Tomorrow’s World magazine and the Living Church News). The ideal candidate will have good capability in layout and graphic art and will be comfortable using Adobe InDesign. Experience with MacOS X is also desirable.

Applicants should be truly dedicated to the Church and have an excellent grasp of Church doctrine. The right candidate will have an eye for detail, be comfortable working in a deadline-driven environment and be a “team player” able to cooperate effectively with staff in all headquarters departments. A successful candidate will be expected to relocate to Charlotte, and the Church will pay for reasonable moving expenses. We request that only those applicants who live and can legally work in the United States apply for this position. If you are interested in this position, please send your resume to: Human Resources Department, Living Church of God, PO Box 3810, Charlotte, NC 28227-8010. Fax: 704-844-1973; e-mail: hr@lcg.org.

Satan’s Subtle Devices: The Days of Unleavened Bread are a time for self-examination—to carefully examine the motives in our own heart (1 Corinthians 11:29-32). Are we truly motivated by God’s Spirit or by the attitudes of this world? Unfortunately, after months or many years in the Church of God, we can still be snared by Satan’s devices (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11)—without even realizing what is happening. Satan—who is the accuser of the brethren and the source of doubts, divisions and rebellion against authority—can cleverly beam ideas and attitudes into our minds (Ephesians 2:2) that stir us to criticize, complain, and question decisions, actions and policies of those around us and over us in the Body of Christ. When we see that Satan tempted Christ (Matthew 4:1-10) and then stirred Pet er to sharply rebuke Christ (Matthew 16:22-23), we should realize that we are not immune to Satan’s devices. Jesus said that anyone who criticizes, pours contempt on, or harbors anger against others is actually guilty of spiritual murder (Matthew 5:21-22). At this time of year, we need to ask ourselves if we have the mind and humility of Jesus Christ to esteem others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:1-8). If we accuse, criticize and spread doubt and division among others, we have been snared by a device of the “accuser of our brethren” (Revelation 12:10). Let’s all strive to be real Philadelphia Christians who show love and promote peace and cooperation with others in the Church of God. That is what God is looking for in us at this time (James 3:17-18).

More Severe Weather: On Tuesday, up to a dozen tornadoes ripped through the Dallas, Texas area, injuring 17 people, damaging 650 homes and another 300 structures, and throwing 7-ton tractor-trailers around like toys. At the international airport, more than 100 planes were damaged, grounding 500 flights on Wednesday. Thousands were left without power (Reuters, April 4, 2012; USA Today, April 4, 2012). 2012 has currently seen about double the number of tornadoes of a typical year in this country. Meanwhile, severe drought and subsequent famine continues in the Horn of Africa, where more than a million children are at risk of malnutrition. Hundreds of thousands have already died, and “millions of people are on the threshold of a major crisis.” OXFAM says that “drought, high food prices, severe poverty and regional conflict are causing the crisis.” Without immediate international aid to the region, the situation will become much worse (OneNewsNow.com, March 29, 2012; BBC, March 8, 2012). Bible prophecy foretells increasingly severe weather as the end of the age approaches (Matthew 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11; Revelation 6:3-8). God will allow these events in order to draw humanity’s attention to the fact that the way of man will NOT bring peace, safety or true happiness. For more information on weather events that will continue to make headlines, review our free booklet, Who Controls the Weather?

Will Pope Benedict XVI Resign? The Pope will turn 85 this month. His health issues and comments he has made in the past have some expecting his resignation. In early March, two different reports appeared in Italian newspapers (Il Foglio, March 10; and Libero, March 11), “…advancing the hypothesis that Benedict XVI might resign, in part for the sake of influencing the choice of his successor.” Proponents of the idea that the Pope might resign refer to comments he made in 2010 and to comments he made before becoming pope, that, “If a pope clearly realizes that he is no longer physically, psychologically, and spiritually capable of carrying out the duties of his office, then he has the right, and in some circumstances the obligation, to resign.” Opponents of the idea cite a lack of preceden t, and also the “crisis in faith” that having an acting Pope and a “retired Pope” (both considered the “Vicar of Christ”), would create in the church (VaticanInsider.LaStampa.it, September 25, 2011; chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it, March 16, 2012). It has been said, “Leaders think in terms of years or decades, while popes think in terms of centuries.” The Vatican has long been influential in international politics and the papacy has been an important part of the enterprise. Bible prophecy reveals that a “world church” will play a major role in the formation and backing of the end-time European Beast power (see Revelation 17). Whether the current Pope resigns or not remains to be seen. However, we can rest assured that this intelligent Pope has carefully thought through the implications and impact of any decision he will make.

Persian Gulf Tensions Remain High: “Four [U.S.] Navy minesweepers will soon be on their way to the Persian Gulf… as part of an effort to boost American military capability in the region amid rising tensions with Iran, a Navy official says.” In March, the U.S. Navy moved four airborne mine countermeasure helicopters to the area to assist the British who are already there. The idea is “to beef up the American military presence in the region in the face of Iranian threats to shut down the Strait of Hormuz,” according to a plan set out by General James Mattis, head of the U.S. Central Command. The U.S. also plans to keep two carrier groups near the Strait of Hormuz (security.blogs.cnn.com, March 29, 2012). Bible prophecy indicates an ongoing struggle between Middle Eastern nations and the nations of Europe and beyond (see Daniel 11). The Middle East figures prominently and repeatedly in end-time prophecy. For more information on what will occur in this volatile region, be sure to review our insightful booklet on The Middle East in Prophecy.—Scott Winnail, Dwain Crisman and John Meakin

(Ex. 12:29-33) And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise and go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.” And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.”

(Ex 12:34-39 --King James Version) And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders. And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they p repared for themselves any victual.

(Ex 12:40-42) Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years — on that very same day — it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. It is a night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.

(Numbers 33:1-3) These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the LORD. And these are their journeys according to their starting points: They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians. For the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had killed among them. Also on their gods the LORD had executed judgments.

We learn from this Feast that we cannot stay in Egypt. We are not to be part of this present evil world. Even as God separated His people from Egypt, we must be separated from modern day Egypt with all of its lures and attractions. Just as ancient Israel had to put forth effort to get out of bondage, so we too must put forth effort to remove ourselves from the bondage of this world. Tomorrow we will be hearing more about what it takes to successfully make this journey. Until then, let us rejoice on this very special evening. At this time Mr. __________ will lead us in a prayer of thanks for this occasion and the meal that is before us.

COGwriter 2012

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