News of Those Once Affiliated with the Global Church of God
Since the November 1998 takeover of the old GCG by the board in the
U.S., those once with GCG went to many places. Most of the members
and ministers ultimately went with the Living
Church of God (LCG),
8-15% went with the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship (CGCF) and
smaller percentages ended up with David Pack's Restored Church of God (RCG), Harold Smith's
Church of God Fellowship, Northwest (CGFnw), the Continuing Church of God (CCOG), and other groups (at least
one which is outside the U.S. uses the term Global Church of God). On
July 1, 2001, eight ministers resigned from CGCF and formed the Church
of the Eternal God (CEG), similar in name, but not related, to the
Eternal Church of God (ECG--founded by a minister removed from the
original GCG ministry for impropriety). About a month later CGCF (USA)
dissolved and most then with it ended up in the United Church of God (UCG).
One former GCG minister (Ronald Laughland) became pastor of the
Wholeworld Church of God. In 2004, Raymond McNair, having been in GCG,
CGCF, LCG, then went on his own and formed Church of God, 21st Century
(COG21); later he died and that group disbanded. Don Haney, once in GCG/LCG,
formed the Church of God In Peace and Truth, renamed Congregation of God in Peach and Truth--which looks to be legally inactive. In 2005, Ben Faulkner, who
was in GCG/LCG, formed the Church of the Sovereign God (CotSG). In
2006, Charles Bryce who was in GCG/LCG left, and formed the Enduring
Church of God (En COG). In 2010, several of the main leaders who went
to UCG from CGCF left it and went to a group called COGWA. A couple of people, like Norman Edwards (Servants' News/Shepherd's Voice),
left GCG well before the 1998 takeover (he has 'Nashville Christian Media'). On
12/15/11, a minister in good-standing with LCG anointed Bob Thiel with
oil and prayed that God would grant him a double-portion of His Spirit
(see also How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God):
and things have not been the same since (Bob Thiel still, of course,
supports the goals and biblical beliefs of Philadelphia era of the
Church of God). Website links for most of those who were once part of
GCG and that have websites can be found at the COGlinks
page. In 2012, certain heresies were officially introduced,
accepted, and/or promoted by LCG. After concluding that insufficient value was placed on
the truth (and keeing their word) by certain leaders of LCG and that
they no longer held to biblical church governance and could not as is be
used to lead the final phase of the work (see also Why Bob Thiel Left the Living Church of God), on 12/28/12 Bob Thiel was led to form, and then announced, the beginning of the Continuing Church of God (CCOG). In 2013, Rod Reynolds left LCG and formed COG Messenger In August 2020, Sheldon Monson left LCG and was 'marked' by LCG on 8/19/20, and then on 9/05/20 he announced Church of God Assembly (CGA). In 2023, Terry Nelson (former GCG/LCG/CCOG) co-formed Hope of Israel Worldwide Church of God. The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) is the second largest group, in terms of members, of those groups whose leaders were once part of GCG (LCG is largest). This page reports on those groups that somehow once had ties to the old GCG.
12/17/24 a.m. Earlier this year, RCG's David Pack pointed to Jesus returning on 12/16/24. Well, I denounced that on this page (see post dated 11/25/24 p.m.), and of course, Jesus did not return yesterday. However, David Pack is now claiming that the 1335 days of Daniel 12 began then. It has not (for details, see the news post RCG again wrong on the return of Jesus and the start of the 1335 days).
David Pack's switch of the events on/for December 16, 2024 brought to mind what SDA Ellen G. White did when Jesus did not return on October 22, 1844. And her new explanation about her date was also wrong (see SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666)--as is David Pack's.
But while Jesus will return, it will not be for at least seven years. Watch also: Great Tribulation Trends 2025.
12/13/24 a.m. CCOG's latest Letter to the Brethren ends with the following:
Concluding Comments
As mentioned at the beginning of this Letter, the recommended sermon for this Sabbath has to do with the remnant of the Philadelphia church era: The Philadelphia Remnant.
When my wife Joyce and I visited the site of ancient Philadelphia back in 2008, she took the following photo:
Remnant of Ancient Philadelphia
Notice something from the Book of Revelation:
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie — indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 3:7-11)
13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:13-17)
Notice that there are two groups of Christians mentioned. The first group, which is the Philadelphian remnant, which gets persecuted then flees to a place of protection. And the second group of Christians which get persecuted later and do NOT receive protection from the coming hour of trial as that promise was only made by Jesus to the Philadelphians.
Biblically, we realize that there must be a remnant of the Philadelphian church left because:
- The short-work of Romans 9:28 needs to be done.
- Matthew 24:14 still needs to be fulfilled.
- God promised to pour out His Spirit and give dreams and prophecies in the end before Jesus returned (cf. Acts 2:17-18).
- An end time Zerubbabel would be part of the Philadelphia remnant to rebuild the second spiritual temple–which would NOT look anywhere near as impressive as the previous temple physically (Haggai 2:3-4,9).
- All things needed to be restored (Matthew 17:11), and the mantle held. And important truths, such as why God created anything and why He made humans have been restored in the 21st century.
- The full number of Gentiles must come in (Romans 11:25).
- The end time Ezekiel watchman warning must go out (cf. Ezekiel chapters 3, 5, and 6)–and no group has ever done more than what has happened in the CCOG.
- The Philadelphian remnant is targeted by the Beast power before (Daniel 7:25a, 11:29-35; Revelation 12:13-16) before he goes to persecute the rest of the Christians (Revelation 12:17, 13:5-10, 14:12-13).
- Philadelphians are the only one that Jesus promises protection from the coming hour of trial (Revelation 3:10) and that has not happened yet.
Consider also that Jesus promised the Philadelphians more than just physical protection. He also said:
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write … 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, … 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. (Revelation 3:7,10,12)
A new name for those who persevere and who had brotherly love to the end.
Now what does love have to do with having a Philadelphia remnant? Notice the following passage:
1 Let brotherly love continue. (Hebrews 13:1)
The Greek word translated as “brotherly love” is the word Philadelphia. So the following would be an accurate rendering:
1 Let Philadelphia continue. (Hebrews 13:1)
The writer of the Book of Hebrews may have been inspired by God to convey two concepts:
- That brotherly love needs to continue amongst those who believe that they are Christian.
- And perhaps that Philadelphia itself needs to continue, and it can do so, because of its emphasis on love. It is important for all to realize that despite flaws of Christians, that love is what God’s way of life and His kingdom are really all about.
A Philadelphia remnant needs to continue until the end of this age. And the Continuing Church of God expects to do that and believes it has proven that it is succeeding.
Despite what many think, according to Jesus’ words to the churches, PLURAL in Revelation chapter 3, as well as what we read in Revelation 12:13-17, not all Churches of God are the same in God’s eyes.
Sadly, most end time Christians do NOT really react as they should when hearing what the Spirit says to the churches.
You, however, should be one who really does hear and heed.
Sincerely,
Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer
Here is a link to the recommended sermon for this Sabbath by the Continuing Church of God: The Philadelphia Remnant.
12/06/24 a.m. CEG had the following in its newsletter today:
We begin with Australia’s highly controversial and ill-conceived plan to ban children under 16 from social media. ...
Australia Wants to Ban Children Under 16 From Social Media
The Guardian wrote on November 28:
“On Thursday, parliament’s upper house, the Senate, passed a bill by 34 votes to 19 banning children under 16 from social media platforms. But academics, politicians and advocacy groups have warned that the ban – as envisioned by the government – could backfire, driving teenagers to the dark web, or making them feel more isolated… Many worry that the process has been too rushed, and that, if users are asked to prove their age, it could lead to social media companies being handed valuable personal data. Even Elon Musk has weighed in. [‘Seems like a backdoor way to control access to the internet by all Australians.’]
“The [law] bans social media platforms from allowing users under 16 to access their services, threatening companies with fines of up to AU$50m (US$32m) if they fail to comply. However, it contains no details about how it will work, only that the companies will be expected to take reasonable steps to ensure users are aged 16 or over. The detail will come later, through the completion of a trial of age-assurance technology in mid-2025. The bill won’t come into force for another 12 months.
“The bill also does not specify to which companies the legislation would apply, though communications minister Michelle Rowland has said that Snapchat, TikTok, X, Instagram, Reddit and Facebook are likely to be part of the ban. YouTube will not be included because of its ‘significant’ educational purpose, she said.”
Big Brother is up and running…
CEG is correct that this is a 'Big Brother' step being taken by Australia. I also wrote about this in a COGwriter post last week: Australia bans social media for under 16 years of age–a 666 move?
11/25/24 p.m. Former RCG employee Marc Cebrian reported the following related to RCG's David Pack's sermon comments:
David C. Pack Declares
Jesus Christ Will Return
on December 16, 2024
The book of Daniel was unsealed again during “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 545)” on November 16, 2024. The Pastor General of The Restored Church of God gave the brethren “wonderful news” for the 90th time since March 2022. He knows “inarguably” when Jesus Christ will return: December 16 at 9:37 AM ET. This is the moment of sunset in Jerusalem, Israel, beginning Kislev 16.
It has been a little while since I posted about David Pack's false date predictions. Anyway, like his previous ones, this one will be wrong as well.
11/21/24 a.m. In its weekly letter last week (11/14/24), LCG's presiding evangelist Gerald Weston had the following:
Many topics were covered, but there was much discussion on how we can reach a broader audience. We are probably reaching more people than is evident from those who respond by requesting literature, but we recognize that we are only reaching very small segments of the populations in the countries where we have a presence—and that there are more than 8 billion people on earth today. Please beseech God to open doors for us to reach a far greater audience than we currently are reaching.
The limited reach has long been an issue.
Back in 2002, LCG's then presiding evangelist, Roderick Meredith, wrote the following:
I have often mentioned on the sermon tapes from Headquarters that we’re still only "half a peanut shell" in the Pacific Ocean regarding our size as compared to the major religious denominations of this world. Certainly God is able to use us to do a much more powerful work even though we are only a "Gideon’s army" in physical size. ... I pray that He will enable us to get on station after station and to begin to have a genuine impact on this world so that they will know that they have indeed had a "witness" when the very final events occur!" (Meredith, R. Member Letter, June 24, 2002).
Back in November 2002, Dr. Roderick C. Meredith and I had a discussion about that--which was the last time he and I spoke in San Diego. I reminded him that he said that LCG’s influence was like 1/2 a peanut shell in the Pacific Ocean. In our conversation, while I told him it was great that LCG was on television stations, I got him to understand that even if LCG doubled the television coverage it had that this would only be a full 'peanut shell' and would not fulfill Matthew 24:14. I put forth my view that for a short time, the media would focus on the message of the Philadelphian work–particularly after identifying the King of the North and explaining what he would do (cf. Daniel 11:29-43).
He seemed to concur. Later, in subsequent meetings with him and the other LCG evangelists after LCG moved to Charlotte, I repeatedly put forth my view that for a short time, the media would focus on the message of the Philadelphian work–particularly after identifying the King of the North and explaining what that king would be doing (cf. Daniel 11:29-43). All the evangelists seemed like they had not thought of that themselves, but that they agreed with the vision I laid out.
It perhaps should be pointed out that Gerald Weston was NOT part of those discussions as he was not based in Charlotte, NC back then.
That said, notice something that Herbert Armstrong wrote:
When this European empire is perfected, the great Work God is doing through this Church will be quickly completed--finished. (Armstrong HW. Great Significance of Summit Conference. Pastor General's Report, Vol. 2, No. 26, June 27, 1980)
The above is also consistent with the 'Short Work' of Romans 9:28.
Over the telephone in/near 2004, LCG evangelist R.C. Meredith and I were talking and he agreed with various points I was raising about the end time work. And back then, I was able to help lead him to essentially state that in the end it would not mainly be the message of the COG vs. the Protestants (although Protestants need to be reached and sometimes are more open than Greco-Roman Catholics), but it would be the COG basically vs. the ecumenical religion that will rise up in the end that will likely (for a while) refer to itself as "Catholic" (evangelist Richard Ames confirmed the same thing with me on the Last Great Day in 2012). In 2005, during the Feast of Tabernacles in Clearwater Beach, after a private lunch, we and our wives met at his hotel room and I also discussed various aspects of the final phase of the work with Dr. Meredith--and I had other meetings, discussions, and emails related to that with the other Charlotte evangelists through December 14, 2012.
My use of the term The Final Phase of the Work was partially inspired by something that the late evangelist John Ogwyn of LCG who wrote (bolding in original):
The Final Phase of Church History ...
The Church of Philadelphia is characterized by a zeal to do the Work... Satan has sown confusion and discouragement ... the Gospel will be preached to the world in this end-time (Matthew 24:14), and there is a growing assembly of believers that is both zealous for the full Truth and zealous to finish God's Work. Just as God’s people have had to do from the first century onward, so His people today must "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). God states clearly: "He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness" (Romans 9:28). Who will He use to do it? According to Daniel 11:32 it is "the people who know their God [that] shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." (Ogwyn, God's Church through the Ages. LCG booklet, pre-2005, pp. 55,57-58)
The faithful of the Philadelphia remnant who are truly leading the work are the ones that John Ogwyn was referring to in the end. And of course to contend for the faith once for all delivered, having more knowledge about what that original faith was makes such contending more effective. This is part of why knowledge of early church history will help finish the final phase of the work.
Although, according to LCG, this is not happening in LCG, God said He would use dreams and prophets in the end time (Joel 2:28-31; Acts 2:17-20; see also Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18?) and that He would finish the work (Romans 9:28).
Yet, even though Dr. Meredith and others in his church agreed to take many steps related to the final phase of the work, few, if any, of the promised steps were taken by his group--this is a major part of why the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) needed to form. Instead of correcting literature errors that would interfere with the final phase of the work, in that church, these errors have continued and perpetuate Greco-Roman Catholic myths--this is not something that the leader of the final phase of the work would do.
Furthermore, Dr. Meredith and others also made statements to me directly and indirectly that they would NOT teach certain beliefs publicly as they felt that teaching about certain doctrinal subjects would get them kicked off of television stations, especially those stations that were or leaned toward Protestantism--although I tried to work with them on this, they would not budge. To a major degree, they have been in a massive self-censorship mode of operation there. And while prudence is wise, this compromise was another reason that LCG could not be counted on to lead the final phase of the work.
LCG and the other COGs are simply not focused on preparing for the final phase of the work. It reminds me of what an archery instructor said to a hesitant novice: If you aim for nothing, you will hit nothing. CCOG is aiming for the short work and leading the final phase of the work.
Part of that preparation includes looking at church history and explaining why the bulk of the churches that profess Christianity are NOT "contending earnestly for the faith once for all given to the saints" (Jude 3). Our longest books: Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church, Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete?, and Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism help show that.
Of course, there are Jews, atheists, and people other belief systems. Our books Proof Jesus is the Messiah,Is God’s Existence Logical?, and The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? help provide information that they should now. We also put out a book in ten languages to reach Muslims: Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century. With a 20+ percent of the world being Muslim, should not attempts be made to reach them?
Furthermore, we in the CCOG also have literature such as Gospel of the Kingdom of God. We have that booklet translated into nearly 2000 languages/dialects.
In order to "instruct many" God's Philadelphian remnant needs instruction prior to that time and we in the CCOG are preparing and teaching those potential teachers.
Anyway, to support the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 we in the Continuing Church of God have been preparing for the short work of Romans 9:28. See: Preparing for the 'Short Work' and The Famine of the Word.
Those in the COGs, including LCG, should re-evaluate their positions and I pray God will move more to support our efforts to support the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14.
For more some of what we are doing, check out the Continuing Church of God Multimedia page.
11/19/24 p.m. Visited the Church of God Assembly (CGA) website today. Under its beliefs related to the gospel, its website states:
- God’s Church has not forgotten the true Gospel and are preaching it as a witness to the world as Jesus commanded. (Matthew 24:14)
While it is true that God's true church has not forgotten the true Gospel, other than having a website and some members outside the USA, I have yet to see anything from CGA since it formed four years ago that shows that they are "hot" (or trying to be hot) to fulfill Matthew 24:14 and reach the world as a witness. They do not seem to produce a regular magazine, be on radio, nor have they yet seemingly taken the type of actions that demonstrate proclamation is a priority for them.
Hopefully, one day those there (and elsewhere) will accept Philadelphian governance (see The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government) and support the work of the Philadelphian remnant of the Church of God (see The Philadelphia Church Era and Remnant) as we prepare for the short work of Romans 9:28 (see Preparing for the 'Short Work' and The Famine of the Word) and utilize numerous forms of media--for some media proclamation details, check out: Continuing Church of God Multimedia page.
11/10/24 a.m. In my post of 11/03/24 a.m., I mentioned that the Banned by HWA website posted a bunch of accusations from an anonymous source. One of the accusations I did not list then was the claim that supposedly 2,000 attended the Feast of Tabernacles with Hope of Israel in Malawi. As a reminder that source also had the following:
The only really good reports I heard about in Malawi concerning the CCOG is a man by, I think, the name of Sosten whom the people say mainly good things about him and that he cares for them,
Anyway, I knew that claim that 2,000 actually attended with Hope of Israel in Malawi made no sense, so I emailed Sosten Libungwa about this, and last evening got an email from him. He listed how many were at each of the Hope of Israel sites in Malawi, and according to him that totalled 137. A far cry from 2,000.
Regarding attendance at Continuing Church of God (CCOG) sites in Malawi, Sosten Libungwa's email had the following:
I had 8 feast sites in Malawi,7 feast sites in Malawi and one was in Mozambique,at my feast site in Migowi was attended by 650 people,brethren you all know that I have a big church at Migowi than every Church leader in Malawi interns of this 3 churches I have mentioned,brother Wahera ,brother Radson and brother Evans from Kenya knows this very well including Pricilla,some of my feast site was attended more than 300 people,if you can calculate you will see that more than 2500 people attended the feast sites this year as my group,so if we can add with the group lead by Radson who both of us are working with ccog,you can see that may be Radson had 1500 or more that attended the feast in Malawi,if you can add you will see that only in Malawi, more than 4,000 people attended the feast this year only in Malawi,...,I want to thank God
Note: We have not vetted all those associated with Sosten Libungwa. Yet, even ignoring most of those with him, there were many more times the people at the CCOG-related sites than the Banned by HWA website asserted.
Anyway, I continue to tell the truth. Yet many, like many who post at the Banned by HWA website, are not interested in that, but instead seem to glory in lies and being talebearers.
Irrespective of false and other attackes, the Philadelphian remnant of the Church of God will continue (cf. Hebrews 13:1; Revelation 3:7-13). See also The Philadelphia Church Era and Remnant.
11/08/24 a.m. In its newsletter today, CEG has the following:
Trump has won. ...
European Reactions
Breitbart wrote on November 6:
“Donald Trump may have turned the U.S. red, but in Europe the airwaves and front pages turned blue as the very tribally left-wing legacy media vented their disappointment at the American people not voting as wanted. German broadsheet newspaper Die Zeit said it for many in the European media on Wednesday morning with their reaction to the re-election of President-elect Trump, ... The colourful article comparing election night coverage to staring into a nuclear bomb’s mushroom cloud lamented ‘America doesn’t care at all’ about European feelings… the article’s author rhetorically asked whether this was to be the end of America…
The election was a step towards the end of the USA, "but the end is not yet: (cf. Matthew 24:6)--we have at least 3 1/2 years before the end.
However, yes, Europe is concerned. It is concerned about its defense and its economy. And various leaders in Europe are already using Donald Trump's re-election to help further unify Europe as well as to take steps for Europe's military and economy apart from America.
Here are links to some related articles that came out on that this week:
11/03/24 a.m. Noticed today that the Banned by HWA website posted a bunch of accusations yesterday from an anonymous source taking shots at my integrity, and one of our leaders, related to Malawi.
Sources that may be libelous sometimes choose to hide by being anonymous. Let me also add that "source" had not contacted me with proof of the assertions and tales in that post.
The Book of Proverbs teaches:
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you also be like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:4-5)
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. (Proverbs 26:16, KJV)
Because of Proverbs 26:4, I do not respond to most of the lies and false accusations at the Banned By HWA site, but because of Proverbs 26:5, I sometimes will.
In this case, the claim at Banned is basically that I have intentionally overstated the number of CCOG supporters in Malawi. The anonymous source claims 500 is all we have there in the CCOG. That is strange because after being negative towards CCOG pastor Radson Mulozowa, the same source states:
The only really good reports I heard about in Malawi concerning the CCOG is a man by, I think, the name of Sosten whom the people say mainly good things about him and that he cares for them,
Now, Sosten Libungwa has asserted he has multiple thousands with him that are in the CCOG. However, since we have not been able to vet more than several hundred of them, we have not included the rest in any numbers we have put forth as our actual congregants in Malawi. I have not tried to overstate our congregants, otherwise I would have added the multiple thousands that Sosten mentioned to me last year.
That said, the other claim at Banned is that I have not done investigations and hence have been conned. While I can be misled (like when I believed a promise from Terry Nelson which he later admitted that he broke), the fact is that I have done several investigations in different ways in Malawi and other parts of Africa, and have others ongoing.
Perhaps I should add that there is a comment after that Banned post by Terry Nelson of Hope of Israel where he accuses Radson Mulozowa remarrying. Yet, Radson Mulozowa has not remarried. Sadly, some choose to believe such tales over the truth.
Jesus said:
11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (Matthew 5:43-44)
Those who post falsehoods against me and the Continuing Church of God remain in my prayers. The Bible warns about talebearers (e.g. Leviticus 19:16) and those who push love lies (Revelation 22:15).
P.S. After writing the above, I saw that there was another comment posted by Terry Nelson with a lot of false information, including him citing one of Banned's false reason why I left LCG. Those interested in the truth about why I left LCG can read the article: Why Bob Thiel Left the Living Church of God.
10/23/24 a.m. Here is a link to a sermon given today at the Feast of Tabernacles: CCOG Q&A: Prophetic Questions in Galveston.
10/22/24 a.m. The Feast of Tabernacles is more than 1/2 over for 2024. Here are some video messages:
Sermonette: Earth's Core and Earthquakes.
Sermonette: Spiritual aspects of Matthew 25.
Sermonette: Doctors say not to eat it.
Sermonette: Little Things can Kill!
Offertory: Feast of Tabernacles Offertory.
Offerory: Last Great Day Offertory.
10/11/24 a.m. The following was in the CCOG Letter to the Brethren: October 10, 2024:
The Fasting Day of Atonement
This Sabbath is also an annual Holy Day. It is the Day of Atonement. It runs from sunset October 11th through sunset October 12th. Those physically able, fast on this day.
Most of the Greco-Roman churches generally do not keep the biblical holy days that often occur in the Fall. Yet, these Holy Days portray many pivotal events in God’s plan.
Above photo of people fasting on the Day of Atonement on front cover of the Asante Twi translation of the English language booklet Should You Keep God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?
Notice the following scriptures related to the Day of Atonement:
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 27 “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. 28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath.” (Leviticus 23:26-32).
7 ‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall afflict your souls; you shall not do any work. (Numbers 29:7)
Fasting is historically mainly how the phrase “afflict your souls” has been interpreted by the Jewish and Church of God communities (this is also verified by such passages as Psalm 35:13; 69:10 and Isaiah 58:5) to mean fasting, unless one is somehow ill, and thus is already afflicted. Evening to evening means from sunset to sunset.
The New Testament itself calls the Day of Atonement, “the Fast” (Acts 27:9), which not only indicates that the Apostle Paul was keeping it (which he would be per statements in Acts 21:18-24; 28:17), but that Greek-named Theophilus (the Christian which the Book of Acts was addressed to in Acts 1:1), also must have been or another term would have been substituted.
Observant individuals affiliated with the Churches of God will fast from sunset this night until sunset the next night (if they are physically able–nursing mothers, small children, pregnant women, and various afflicted others are not expected to fast–this is consistent with Jewish practices in this area as well). In this fast we go without food or drink.
Oddly, one Protestant report claims that one reason Christians do not need to keep the Day of Atonement is because there is no Jewish temple today (Cocherell BL. SHOULD THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST FAST ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT?). Yet, the biblical reality is that the children of Israel kept the Day of Atonement for centuries before there was a temple and the other reality is that the New Testament shows that Christians are now the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
In the Old Testament, the Day of Atonement included a ceremony where the Azazel goat was sent to the wilderness (Leviticus 16:1-10). Christians see this sending of the Azazel goat away as picturing the time during the millennium when Satan will be bound and sent away for a thousand years in the bottomless pit (Revelation 20:1-4). This means that Satan will not be able to tempt and deceive during that time. The Azazal goat was not slain, nor is Satan pictured being slain.
Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, a goat is not sacrificed by Christians to observe this day (cf. Hebrews 10:1-10).
Yet, although Jesus was our Passover lamb sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7-8) and He was slain only once (Hebrews 9:28), we also see a time other than Passover where Jesus is ceremonially slain.
Why?
Many have speculated, but there could be clues along with the fact that this sacrifice happens before the release of the second goat.
The original Passover only resulted in the children of Israel being passed over for their sins. In this age, those who are true Christians claim the sacrifice of Jesus on His final earthly Passover for paying the penalty for our sins. But real Christians are a small minority of the population of the world (Luke 12:32; Romans 11:5).
Since the Bible calls Satan “the god of this age” who has “blinded” the world (2 Corinthians 4:4), most have been blinded and have not yet been covered by the sacrifice of Jesus. Yet this will happen for nearly all who will be called–either in this age or the age to come (Matthew 12:32). Showing the sacrifice, ceremonially after the church age ends, helps demonstrate that the sacrifice of Jesus was not just for those called in the church age, as God’s plan includes offering salvation to all, and not just today’s elect.
By showing the sacrifice prior to the other goat being released, this shows that Jesus was not taking away the sins of Satan.
Jesus took the penalty of all human beings. But it doesn’t apply to humans until after God calls us and grants us repentance (John 6:44) and we come to be willing to repent and we come to believe. Not only in Jesus, but we believe the Son and we believe the Father, that is, we believe what They say. Also, we prove it by repenting, being baptized, being granted the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) and actually trying to live as They would have us live (cf. 1 John 2:6).
The Day of Atonement was kept in the 4th century according to John Chrysostom who preached against it (John Chrysostom. Homily I Against the Jews I:5;VI:5;VII:2).
This can also be seen in Canon 69/70 of the Syrian Apostolic Canons near this time which tried to ban it (Seaver JE. Persecution of the Jews in the Roman Empire (300-438), Issue 30 of University of Kansas publications: Humanistic studies. University of Kansas Publications, 1952, pp. 34-35).
A Muslim document, dated from the fifth through the tenth century, states that Jesus and His disciples kept the fast on the same days as the Jews. It indicates that Judeo-Christians were still keeping the Day of Atonement while the Greco-Romans came up with a 50 day Lenten-fasting period that Jesus did not keep (Tomson P. Lambers-Petry L. The Image of the Judaeo-Christians in Ancient Jewish and Christian Literature, Volume 158, 2003, pp. 70-72; Stern SM. Quotations from Apocryphal Gospels in ‘Abd Al-Jabbar. Journal of Theological Studies, NS. Vol. XVIII, (1) April 1967: 34-57). Reports from other historians support this view (e.g. Pines, pp. 32-34). Furthermore, we see historical reports that it was still being kept in Transylvania in the 16th century (Liechty, pp. 61-62).
The old Radio Church of God observed the Day of Atonement (and the other Holy Days) throughout the 20th century. We in the Continuing Church of God continue to observe it today.
In its Statement of Beliefs, the Continuing Church of God states:
The Day of Atonement called “the Fast” in the New Testament (Acts 27:9), helps show our own weaknesses and need to be closer to God (Isaiah 58:5,11). This day shows that Jesus was the atoning sacrifice for our sins now (1 John 4:9-10; cf. Leviticus 16:15-16) and those that will be called in the “age to come” (Matthew 12:32; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; cf. Acts 3:21). It also helps picture that Satan has a role in the sins of humankind and that he will be punished by being bound for one thousand years (Revelation 20:1-3; cf. Leviticus 16:20-26; Isaiah 14:12-16).
Yes, the Day of Atonement should be highly relevant for Christians.
The Day of Atonement is one of God’s Feasts per Leviticus 23 and is referred to in the New Testament (cf. Acts 27:9).
Suggested Sabbath Day Services
Here is a suggested Day of Atonement service for our scattered brethren and other interested people:
Here is a suggested Day of Atonement service for our scattered brethren and other interested people who prefer to have two services:
10/03/24 a.m. LCG sent out its latest book to its members, which is titled The Autobiography of Roderick C. Meredith, Called to Do God's Work.
When I was in LCG, I suggested to Dr. Meredith that there were more important topics than that to work on. Dr. Meredith died on May 18, 2017, so it is has taken LCG some time to put out that book.
As far as why I left LCG, check out the article: Why Bob Thiel Left the Living Church of God.
09/13/27 p.m. LCG sent out the following:
AI Is a “Master of Deception”: Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking the world by storm. You can now use AI to learn languages, translate documents, compose music, and even write term papers for school. AI is everywhere, but its potential for danger and harm is still not fully understood—and is often underestimated. In a recent report published in the journal Patterns, researchers studied multiple AI types and found that many employed lies and deception to succeed at their tasks—even when programmers worked to steer the AI toward being honest and truthful (StudyFinds.org, May 12, 2024)! One study author explained that “we think AI deception arises because a deception-based strategy turned out to be the best way to perform well at the given AI’s training task. Deception helps them achieve their goals.” He also warned, “As the deceptive capabilities of AI systems become more advanced, the dangers they pose to society will become increasingly serious.” In a world that is becoming remarkably dependent on AI-driven technology, and in a world where so many people readily believe all the information they are fed by their computers or smartphones, it is not difficult to imagine where this computer-generated deception could lead.
Yes, AI can be deceptive. Some recent news posts on that include the following WCC’s European artificial intelligence conference opens with the question: ‘What is truth?’ and California lawmakers approve legislation to ban deepfakes and regulate Artificial Intelligence, but . . .
09/06/24 a.m. In its newsletter today, CEG had the following:
Russian and Mongolian Cooperation
Reuters wrote on September 3:
“Russian President Vladimir Putin received a red carpet welcome on Tuesday on a state visit to Mongolia, whose failure to arrest him under a warrant from the International Criminal Court was criticised by Ukraine as a blow against justice… The Mongolian leader said he hoped the visit would boost trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
“Mongolia is on the planned route of a major pipeline that Russia wants to construct in order to carry 50 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year from its Yamal region to China. The project, Power of Siberia 2, is part of Russia’s strategy to compensate for the loss of most of its gas sales in Europe since the start of the Ukraine war. It is the planned successor to an existing pipeline of the same name which already supplies Russian gas to China and is due to reach its planned capacity of 38 billion cubic metres per year in 2025.”
Yes, there is cooperation between Russia and Mongoloia. The above left out that Russian President Vladimir Putin also asked Mongolia to come to the BRICS summit in October of 2024 (see Mongolia to join October summit).
A major movement away from the Anglo-American world order is in the process of occurring. And I expect, ultimately, cooperation between the Europeans (which are currently not part of the BRICS+ alliance) and the mainly Eurasian and Middle East nations that are.
08/30/24 p.m. Visited the websites of the Enduring Church of God and the Church of the Sovereign God late today. What looks to be Enduring's latest prophecy article was from 2013 as was one of the newest "current" news items at Sovereign. The reason I report little about them here is that they do not seem to be doing much online. Nor do they look to be having significant impact outside their general area.
Only three groups once part of GCG have much reach (LCG, CCOG, RCG) and one of them (RCG) does not at all appear to be trying on seriously working towards the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14.
08/23/24 a.m. In its newsletter today, CEG has the following:
Ultimately, the Jews WILL occupy the Temple Mount and build the third temple there.
Acccording to its other writings, by "Ultimately," CEG is not saying AFTER Jesus returns, but CEG is teaching that will before Jesus returns as CEG has the following in its 11/10/23 newsletter:
In the near future, a Third Temple will be built on the Temple Mount: Beginning with Chapter 40 of Ezekiel, the plans for what will become the Third Temple are carefully described; Zechariah 6:12-13 notes that the BRANCH (a reference to Jesus Christ) will inspire and guide the construction of the new Temple; Malachi 3:1 reveals that “the Lord” will return and come to the Temple; Paul writes of a future Temple of God being occupied by “the man of sin” (a designation of the “false prophet”—an influential religious personage) in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; and Revelation 11:1-2 speaks of an existing Temple of God at the beginning of the work of the Two Witnesses.
The building of the Third Temple is one of the many things of prophecy which deal specifically with the Jewish People and which will lead up to the return of Jesus Christ.
Related to the "temple of God," the Bible has the following prophecy:
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)
Notice that it is a reference to the "temple of God." Well, the Jews cannot build the temple of God in the church age.
Now it is true that the children of Israel clearly were the people of God in the Hebrew scriptures (e.g. Exodus 3:10) and built “the temple of God” (2 Chronicles 23:9) in Old Testament times.
But let's look at something in the New Testament:
11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. (Hebrews 7:11-13)
There was a change. There is no need for animal sacrifices for sin as Jesus' one sacrifice provides eternal redemption:
11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:11-13)
Jesus' eternal redemption eliminates the need for a temple with animal sacrifices.
The Hebrew scriptures state that the Jews were God’s holy people (Deuteronomy 7:6), yet the New Testament shows that God’s holy people are now Christians:
13 Jesus Christ…15 He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:13, 15-16)
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, (1 Peter 2:9)
Could Christians, God’s holy people (Daniel 12:7), represent God’s holy temple in the end-times?
Does the New Testament connect Christians (Jews or Gentiles) or non-believing Jews with the temple of God?
To determine that, let’s look at those passages in the New Testament that refer to a naos “temple of God” on the earth after Jesus' resurrection.
The Apostle Paul told the Christians in Corinth:
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19, KJV)
16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." (2 Corinthians 6:16)
Notice that the inspired writings of the Apostle Paul demonstrative the view that the naos temple of God now has to do with Christians, not necessarily the Jewish peoples (except those who are Christians and have the Holy Spirit). Additionally, his wording "Do you not know" or “know ye not” indicates that this is something that they already should have known.
Despite scriptures like 1 Corinthians 3:17, some today who claim to be Christians believe that God would consider a Jewish Temple, to be built in defiance of the sacrifice of Jesus, to be holy. It is God's people in the church who are the Holy Temple in the church era, not a Jewish building.
Notice further that the Apostle Paul told the Christians in Ephesus about being God's building:
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)
Thus, Paul’s writings regarding the naos temple have to do with Christian people and not a Jewish building.
And while I do believe that the Bible should normally be interpreted literally, it is clear that the Apostle Paul repeatedly used the term naos metaphorically to refer to true Christians.
Further consider what the deacon and martyr Stephen taught:
44 "Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, 45 which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, 46 who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built Him a house.
48 "However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:
49 'Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
What house will you build for Me? says the Lord,
Or what is the place of My rest?
50 Has My hand not made all these things?' (Acts 7:44-50)
The temple of God in the New Testament are the Christians with God's Holy Spirit (the term temples above was not in the Greek manuscripts in the NA27, however a version of naos, is in the manuscripts known as the Textus Receptus). Christians are to live their lives with the knowledge that God dwells in them (see also Living as a Christian: How and Why?).
While He was on the earth, Jesus taught He was greater than the physical, hieron, Jewish temple:
6 Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. (Matthew 12:6)
And while the following does not use the either of the Greek terms for temple, it seems consistent with the view that the current temple, in God's eyes, is not a physical one as the hieron temple had a sanctuary and tabernacle (1 Kings 8:4-8):
1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. (Hebrews 8:1-2)
Years ago when I had a just taken a class on koine Greek, I attempted (with a lot of book assistance) to translate from the Greek, a second century writing from Church of God Bishop/Pastor Melito of Sardis. It is named Melito On Prophecy and is called the Papyrus Oxyrhynchus I. 5 (the Greek used was as shown in Paulsen H. New Test. Stud. 25, 1979, pp. 443-453). The document is a fragment, but my understanding of it suggests that Melito also taught that Christians were God's temple.
Furthermore, in his Homily on the Passover Melito taught:
44.b. The temple here below once was valuable, but now it is without value because of the Christ from above.
This also shows that Jews cannot make the Temple of God during our time.
Getting back to scripture, here is more from the Apostle Peter:
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
"Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." (1 Peter 2:4-6)
Again, understand that the Apostle Paul wrote:
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ( Corinthians 3:16)
According the the New Testament, in the Christian era, Christians are the temple of God!
In the future, Philadelphian Christians are promised to be pillars in the temple of God:
7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write ,... 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, (Revelation 3:7,12)
Notice something from the old Radio Church of God:
The Pillars in God's Temple
Just as Daniel wrote (Daniel 12:4), knowledge has been increased in this time of the end. Part of the knowledge which God has increased concerns the many prophecies of the Bible.
God has promised that the overcomer of the Philadelphia era of God's Church will become a "pillar" in the temple of God (Rev. 3:12).
This is speaking symbolically of a position of authority in the headquarters of the world, which will be at a new Temple to be built in Jerusalem. Do you know where the pillars are located in God's temple? Most people know that there are two large pillars that stand in front of the temple, but are they the physical types of the offices to which Christ refers?
The saints of this era who do overcome and endure to the end will be right at this temple of God. They will be here for the one thousand year period, and even on through the following one hundred year period (Is. 65:17-25). If you are one of God's faithful saints in this age, you will be assigned at the temple for this whole period. Here is an opportunity for you to have described, right now from your own Bible the description of that wonderful place, God's Temple in prophecy. ...
Ezekiel saw the World Tomorrow
The prophet Ezekiel was projected forward in time through many centuries to the soon-coming world tomorrow (Ezekiel, chapters 40 to 48). In this particular vision he even saw God's temple from which Christ will rule the whole earth! He saw the coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords in His new kingdom, the Kingdom of God. He saw the glory of Christ which will then fill the whole earth. Ezekiel was inspired of God to write of that world tomorrow. It was recorded and handed down to us today so that we might understand the details of the marvelous temple of God in prophecy. (Neff L. God's Temple in Prophecy, Chapter I, March 1961)
Christians are the Temple of God in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 3:16).
For more about the temple matter, check out the article: Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?
08/08/24 a.m. The following is from the CCOG Letter to the Brethren: August 8, 2024:
Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:
Greetings from the Five Cities region of California.
We again received additional translations of our English language booklet, The Gospel of the Kingdom of God as we prepare for the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 and as part of what I have called the Final Phase of the Work.
Cult?
A month or so back, a supporter mentioned to me that one of his relatives was trying to dissuade him from the Continuing Church of God, because his relative was trying to tell him we were some type of weird or heretical cult. I suggested that he read an article I had written at that time. Later, I decided to change and expand it (see Is the true Church of God a Heretical Cult?).
Anyway, it seemed like this might be a good time to make a sermon on that topic, so here is a link to the recommended sermon for this Sabbath: Cults and other Name Calling. Of course, by putting that out, critics who already call us a cult will probably harden their hearts and continue to say bad things about us and that message. But those relatively new to the faith, as well as for some of us who have been around for multiple decades, can benefit from understanding that such name calling is expected and has occurred throughout the entire Christian church age.
Radio
Speaking of name calling, last Summer a former disgruntled WCG member wrote a radio network (Wilkins) we were on and basically told them since we did not accept the Trinity of Emperor Theodosius of the 4th century, they should not broadcast our program. That network succumbed to that.
Interestingly, the owner of that network died in May. The new owner, which is his son Jacob, contacted me several times this week and has asked us to come back on their radio stations. He said that their own internal review of our program had been positive and we should not have been cancelled. He also said he would not listen to negative or name callers against us should any contact them again.
When we spoke on Tuesday, I said I had interest, but needed to see whether we could afford to add them back as we replaced their network with others, plus have had to deal with expenses related to issues in Rwanda. Yesterday, Jacob Wilkins sent a proposal to go on some of their stations, which I am considering. Please pray about whether or not to go through this radio door that looks to be opened to us again.
In other radio news, I spoke with Lee Lancaster, owner of Legacy Broadcasting yesterday. We are on a network of four stations with them and have been since leaving the Wilkins Radio Network:
KYMS 89.9FM – North Idaho
KHKM 98.7FM – Missoula, Montana
WCDG 88.7FM – Dahlonega, Georgia
WCRY 89.9FM – Blairsville, Georgia
Lee Lancaster is expecting to be on a fifth station around the end of 2024 and our contract with them would put us on that for no additional cost.
Anyway, he said that they have received a number of positive responses to our radio broadcast. He says that there is a lot of prophetic interest and he is impressed that we are the only ones explaining the prophecies in Isaiah 22:6-9 related to a confederation of Iran, Syria, and others against the nation of Israel and the prophesied damage to happen to Jerusalem. A witness is going forth.
Here is a link to the entire Letter to the Brethren: August 8, 2024.
08/02/24 p.m. The following is from LCG's Gerald Weston:
Dear Brethren,
Rather than allowing rumor or speculation to occur, I want to let you know about my physical condition at this time. Seven years ago, I had a bout of sciatica—a very painful condition. It lasted about three weeks and went away. ... a few weeks before the Texas Teen Camp this summer, the symptoms started coming back. Though painful, this did not prevent me from traveling to Texas to direct the camp, ...
Sunday morning, I went to the emergency room for some relief from excruciating pain. This situation would be far more complicated for a variety of reasons if I were stuck in Texas.
I have seen several doctors and the diagnosis is that it is a herniated disc causing pressure against the sciatic nerve that runs down from the buttocks, along the leg, all the way down to the foot. I am surprised how many of you have also experienced this and understand exactly what I’m talking about. While similar to past episodes, this time is far more intense.
I am letting you know of this as I am a little sidelined for the moment. This is something that is temporary. It is excruciatingly painful and very unpleasant, but my doctor told me that 80 to 90 percent of people recover without surgery.
Even though I don’t like focusing on my problems, I know that if I don’t say something then rumors and speculation can get started and people start worrying needlessly. It is kind of funny, but when I get a cold, a few members become anxious and wonder who is going to succeed me. Suffice it to say that there are some very fine men here at Headquarters who are thoroughly converted, strategic thinkers. The only concern I have about succession is which one is Christ’s choice. So far, He has not made that obvious, but it is encouraging to know we have men who can step in when and if needed.
This is written to let you know that I may not be as visible for a few weeks. ...
Now may I address another subject—the upcoming fast on August 3. Sometimes people ask the question: Why are we fasting? What is the cause, purpose, or focus of the fast? Sometimes we miss the major focus of fasting, which is to draw close to God. ...
Sincerely, in Christ’s service,
Gerald E. Weston
While I knew LCG was having another church-wide fast, I was not aware that Gerald Weston had a health condition that often results in excruciating pain.
07/13/24 p.m. Former RCG employee Marc Cebrian reported the following related to RCG's David Pack's sermon comments:
Part 523 – July 6, 2024
@ 37:52 You, you have to take ownership of these verses. We're in this together. Don't you dare let yourself, and then boy, if you believe this way, don't you dare let me hear it. “Mr. Pack said.”
@ 39:08 It's deeply foolish and faithless to say, “Mr. Pack said.”
Marc Cebrian later listed the following (the Part Number is an RCG sermon number):
“It’s a cowardly act to say, ‘Well, Mr. Pack says.’
Well then, you don’t believe it. You got a faith problem.”
Part 231 – January 21, 2020
“On God’s Authority, I am right!”
Part 221 – December 7, 2019
“And God allowed certain errors to see who didn’t care about truth.”
Part 172 – April 27, 2019
“So, would it be strange that I would not know when I became a prophet?”
Part 375 – June 12, 2022
“If you nail that day down, it strikes me as particularly arrogant.”
Part 459 – July 15, 2023
“I’m just gonna tell you absolutely on God’s authority …I will stand on this date:
The Kingdom of God comes Abib 1.”
Part 487 – December 23, 2023
“There’s no way we’ve got this wrong.”
Part 429 – March 15, 2023
“But, of course, all of this crashes if Christ does not come this Friday.”
Part 285 – February 1, 2021
“I could never come back to another date.”
Part 460 – July 22, 2023
“I believe absolutely this Wednesday night you will meet Moses and Elijah.”
Part 381 – July 9, 2022
“It’s the single most important message probably ever delivered on Earth.”
Part 275 – December 26, 2019
“…unless God violates His word, two more weeks aren’t possible.”
Part 455 – June 21, 2023
“10-1-7-1000 is immutable. I will die on that hill. That’s the hill I die on.”
Part 447 – June 6, 2023
“So, I know I don’t die. A couple places say that.”
Part 510 – April 27, 2024
“I’ll never ever, ever again say the day.”
Part 172 – April 27, 2019
The above is of a bit more interest than normal to me because I just finished a sermon today titled: NINTH COMMANDMENT: Joys to the World.
Here is a link to the related article: NINTH COMMANDMENT: No False Witness For a Better World .
People like David Pack were warned about long ago:
1
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. (2 Peter 2:1-3)
Yes, you should not believe David Pack is a faithful leader as he has repeatedly born false witness.
07/12/24 a.m. In its newsletter today, CEG posted the following:
The UK in Five Years?
Rebel News wrote on July 5:
“I fear that the new prime minister, Keir Starmer, will be a hard-left activist PM despite his lack of a mandate. He’s got the power, and that’s all communists care about.
“Expect more censorship and more Islamism, as Keir Starmer seeks to stop the draining of votes to his left. Expect the U.K. to change its foreign policy towards Israel, to bring in more grievance-based, ethnic-based law. I think you’ll see more environmental extremism…
“I fear for the U.K. over the next five years, and there will be a tipping point at which it doesn’t matter if you cut off immigration because you’ve already lost control of the country.”
If we see certain events in the Middle East this year, I do not believe that the UK (or USA) will exist in five years. Details are in the article: Might the U.S.A. Be Gone in 2028?
07/05/24 a.m. CCOG pastor Radson Mulozowa wrote that he sent the following to Terry Nelson of Hope of Israel:
Terry I have written this letter that if you see that you have failed just apologize to Dr Bob to forgive you so that you can come back to ccog other than saying many things against me Evans and Dr Bob
I learned from a certain proverb that if someone is talking bad behind your back it means your are the top that's why you are a topic always
You thought that ccog is going to collapse with all the lies you have been saying but the progress of the work is very good and wonderful
Terry you have been saying nonsense always and what you could know is nobody is speaking about hope of Israel but mostly you are speaking about ccog as failure yet failure is what you are doing by posting false information about ccog
Do you remember that you said am dying.now what can you say
Let me tell you that when you started insulting me I had to take the matter to court inorder for the truth to be known but you ran and your lawyer is running from the matter saying you haven't given him any payment to represent your lies
May sure you pray to verify if it is God who told you to start hope of Israel or it is your opinion since I see no growth in Malawi
Look all your leaders are starving as if they are not saying God.
Terry if you see the pictures do you think they are being edited
Let me remind you that my family ended because of you and it's shame on you that Priscilla is life is very hard and ask your fake leaders they will tell you that they are getting assistance from me every day
I planted maize, peas, millet, sunflower for them and they are enjoying the fruit of radson
I know that Priscilla is regretting your foolish advice and one day he will come back to his senses and say to me forgive me
You promised to support but I can see that you have abandoned her with no assistance are you really a man of God. How can you stop assisting her like that.
Terry I don't understand you because nobody in ccog is talking about you only we are busy preaching the gospel so I do wonder your problem last time you said no ccog in Malawi and all the brethren has left ccog.let me ask you to send someone or you come alone and see what God is doing amongst us
The church of God it's not a place to make us rich no
If God is with us who can be against us. After you heard that we want to buy a church hall in Mozambique you told your leaders to block the process so that you can buy it and the brethren that are in the hall can be chased away off which you have failed
Terry how many churches do you have in Malawi and Mozambique
Repentance is the key to breakthrough and the bible say rebellion is the same as witchcraft
Do you remember that you said you are a ccog donor and once you left the church will collapse but what I see now is hope is going down while ccog is going up PRAISE GOD
About my health can you say what you said the am a skeleton dying
Let me tell you that your leaders they do call me except the salvation army leader who doesn't know the truth.
Church of God it's not an NGO,
Let me report that I will continue praying for you to come back to your senses because you don't know what you are doing
I know that your plans It's against the work that Bob is doing and get to know that you are not fighting with us but God himself and believe me that one you will witness my words
Remember that most of the churches who joined you left you eg
I don't want to speak to avoid becoming a fool but I want to remind you about that I know it's not you who is writing but an evil spirit in you
Can you send the pictures of your church es so that we can see the other than saying bad things about Mulozowa and the church c
NB: That is not the way you can get friends to support you fake vision
Best regards
Radson
Those are Radson Mulozowa's views of what happened between him and Terry Nelson. While I did not know of, nor encourage, the writing of the above email, this is not the first time he sent emails to Terry Nelson about events.
07/04/24 p.m. LCG announced that Richard Ames has died:
Dear Ministers,
It is with great sadness that I am sending this email to inform you that Mr. Richard Ames died peacefully this evening, July 4, at 7:23 PM EDT. He was 88 years old, and , accompanied by his wife, Kathryn, the majority of his life was spent serving God and doing the Work of God as a minister of Jesus Christ. He directly touched the lives of many of us ministers and countless Church members around the world. His deeply appreciated experience, wisdom, and contributions to the Work will be greatly missed. His work in this life is complete, and his eternal life will begin when Jesus Christ returns. Please pray for Mrs. Ames’ comfort and for that of his family.
The funeral service is yet to be arranged; we will inform you when it is finalized.
It will be okay for you to share this with your congregations.
Your brother in Christ,
Gerald Weston
Update 07/05/24 a.m. Here is a link to a post related to Richard Ames: LCG’s Richard Ames died.
07/02/24 a.m. In his latest posted letter, LCG's Gerald Weston reported the following:
I’m sure that Mr. Richard Ames and his wife Kathryn are on the minds of all of you. As of this writing, all I can pass on is that Mr. Ames is in critical condition in an intensive care unit.
Richard Ames and his wife Kathryn remain in my prayers. If Richard Ames will let God use him to reveal various facts he is aware of, I believe God will give him that opportunity soon.
06/27/24 a.m. Received the following in an email from a COG leader I know who is not in CCOG or LCG:
Richard Ames is in palliative care with his organs shutting down.
Richard Ames is in my prayers and has remained in them over the years. Someone has just told me that Richard Ames looks to be on his way out and that is consistent with an announcement someone told me that LCG's Gerald Weston made.
06/14/24 p.m. Pentecost is begins at sunset Saturday night and runs through sunset Sunday in 2024. Years ago, our son Michael put together the following: Pentecost Quiz.
He has also developed a variety of Bible games, animations, and quizzes that some might find helpful for themselves and/or their families.
Here are links to more:
Michael's Free Bible Quizzes, Games and Public Domain Animations
Bible Challenger Numerous Bible games.
Bible Challenger Asteroids This is a fast-paced game with similiarities to the old Asteroids video game of last century.
Bible Wheel of Fortune A Bible challenger game similar to the television program.
Bible Challenger Jeopardy A biblically-oriented 'jeopardy' game.
Bible Challenger Sabbath Quiz This illustrated quiz covers topics related to the Christian Sabbath.
Resurrection of Jesus Christ This is one of the Bible Challenger quizzes that goes over facts and teachings some do not understand.
Self Grading Bible Quiz 15 questions and a report card when you finish.
The Good Samaritan A public domain claymation for younger people.
Paul in Damascus Not a quiz, but a Lego-animation.
John 21 Not a quiz, but (other than a Lego suggesting a long-haired Jesus) a biblical story for young people.
David vs. Goliath A higher level animation for older young people.
Solomon's Temple This is a a 5 minute animated film that shows one artist's understanding of the details about Solomon's temple.
Nehemiah Animation A four minute, sometimes silly, Lego-animation related to Nehemiah and rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
Bible Crossword Puzzle
Who Wants to be a Biblical Millionaire? A sophisticated quiz. Now with over 1,000 questions to help challenge and build your knowledge of the Bible.
Night to Be Observed. This is a CCOG animation, not public domain, related to the Night To Be Observed. It provides historical and prophetic information.
Pentecost Quiz This is a Pentecost quiz based upon the Old and New Testaments in the Bible.
The Antichrist Quiz Do you really know much about the Antichrist?
Michael's Feasts and Fasts Quiz 15 questions, amusing wrong answer screens.
The Ten Commandments Quiz Developed by our son Michael.
Michael's Day of Atonement Quiz Another free on-line Bible quiz by our son Michael.
Bible Hangman Michael's most interactive Bible game to date. Another one of his free online Bible games.
Michael's Sabbath Quiz Test and learn a little more about the Sabbath.
While the above can be helpful throughout the year, some might find them particularly helpful on a double-Sabbath weekend.
06/14/24 a.m. David Pack is once again to be wrong about Jesus coming. Former RCG employee Marc Cebrian reported the following related to RCG's David Pack's sermons (the sermons are numbered--I italicized Mark's comments below):
Jesus Christ Returns on Pentecost! June 16, 2024 Or…? David C. Pack of The Restored Church of God changed his mind about not being able to declare the day Jesus Christ will return, giving hope to those in the audience who maybe wanted him to. During “The Greatest Unending Story!” Parts 516 and 517 on June 8, 2024, and Part 518 on June 11, the Pastor General rushed to call out 258 wasted minutes to end the Series once and for all and complete the Mystery of God. Or…?
Part 516 – June 8, 2024
@ 00:42 But, this time, you'll stand up Monday, and you will say. We’ve had a lot of different aborted dates. If you wanna say. While we’ve learned more and more about God’s plan, we’ve never really pinned down when it would start. But, you will stand up on Monday, and you will say after you hear all that I have to say, the sermon and the Bible study, and Monday, and you will say, “This really is the day.” That’s what you will say. You will not doubt it.
Part 517 – June 8, 2024
@ 00:26 But the way to do this is to lay out all all of the places that God talks about Pentecost and then close on Monday. And I think I can devote most of Monday to the proofs that it has to be Pentecost as opposed to all kinds of things that could be a surrogate for some other day. Has to be Pentecost and on Monday, it has to be this year.
Oh no. Doing it again. Cannot stop. Must go back in time. Must remember history.
Flashback Part 172 – April 27, 2019
@ 1:03:50 I’ll never ever, ever again say the day.
Part 517 – June 8, 2024
@ 01:40 And that'll be great because I see right now it has to be Pentecost. And all I can say is the most powerful material in some ways by far will come Monday.
Dave takes another jab at God. He plants the manipulation seed in the brethren's head that they only have God to blame when disappointment arrives Sunday morning.
Part 517 – June 8, 2024 @ 40:11 The the wuh–the evidence becomes overwhelming. It would almost be an act of deception by God to lay out all of this and say, “Sorry. Fooled you. Joke’s on you. All of this is a surrogate for some day you’ll never know even though the Series is ending and, you know, Pentecost is close.” Oh, by the way, what a nice coincidence that is. Oh, iddn’t that nice? How lucky are we? It’s not a coincidence, of course.
None of this is coincidental. It is the perverted expression of a warped mind that cannot come to terms with the reality that God is not using him to preach any of this. David C. Pack is not being moved by the Holy Spirit to declare Pentecost this Sunday or the 81 previous dates since March 2022.
David Pack is wrong and remains wrong. Hopefully, those still with RCG will realize he is wrong by Monday.
06/01/24 p.m. In its recommended sermon for today (watch Christian Meditation), the CCOG announced a new, free online, booklet. Here is a link: Meditation for Faithful Christians.
06/01/24 a.m. David Pack has another new and false date. Former RCG employee Marc Cebrian reported the following related to two of RCG's David Pack's sermons (in bold):
May 11, 2024
@ 07:25 But I know when the Seven Year Kingdom begins. The very day. Absolutely. I know it…
@ 07:47 I’ve got 50 proofs of when this happens. I absolutely know and know that I know and know that I know that I know.
@ 1:40:19 I'll just say one last time and, and nobody gonna get it out of me. I know the date this comes. It’s impossible that it’s wrong. Impossible. ...
Part 514 – May 25, 2024
@ 00:16 Okay. When do the Seven Years begin? ...
Jesus Christ Will Return on Sivan 1!
Or Maybe Pentecost.
(June 7! Or maybe June 16.)
Sivan 1 begins at 8:29 PM ET on June 6
Pentecost begins at 8:39 PM ET on June 15
Take your pick.
... @ 06:26 About three weeks ago, I created a document which I called “Sivan 1.” And a lotta points on it. About 60 different points that pointed to that (no pun intended), but they pointed to to Sivan. ...
@ 32:51 It could easily be saying right before Sivan, right before Sivan 1 at sundown (‘cause He would come to us a little before that), He’s gonna come back same Jesus, same way, same time. ...
@ 38:49 And I’m telling you, it’s impossible to argue with Sivan 1. That’s why it became so important for me…I need to know, are we looking at Christ ascended to heaven for the only time He will ever do that right before Sivan 1? ...
@ 1:13:42 I told you I knew exactly when this was, and that's true. I know it’s in Spring. But I will I will just tell you, if you wanna know where I am, I’m dead down the middle 50/50 whether we’ve got a 12-day wait or 21 minus some hours. I’m dead down the middle. ...
@ 1:14:29 Is that when God would raise Elijah? Would He raise others to power? The world first sees God’s power on Pentecost or Sivan 1? ...
@ 1:31:35 Virtually every point proving Sivan 1 can be tweaked to fit Pentecost equally.
Pentecost in 2024 begins at sunset on June 15. Hence, according to David Pack his seven year period begins then. That is not biblical and will be wrong like many of his other dates. He has a history of claiming 50 proofs f things and then later changing his mind about his proofs.
05/18/24 p.m. Former RCG employee Marc Cebrian continues to listen to many RCG sermons. Here are some of Marc's comments along with an excerpt from one from RCG's David Pack's sermons (in bold):
The only reliable thing about David C. Pack is that he is unreliable. Let the man speak for himself.
Part 512 – May 11, 2024
@ 00:11 Well, I didn’t keep my promise. I said I would be no more messages, but here we are.
The documented oath-breaker admits in his introductory words that nobody should believe anything he says. Iyar 1 failed to produce any of the hysteria he said would befall the world. His denial is so pure he did not mention Iyar 1 or the Kingdom no-show three days prior during Part 512.
So, we see David Pack is admitting that he broke his promise. He has been wrong about so much, hopefully all will see this.
05/16/24 p.m. A reader sent me an email with the following:
Eddie (Ed) Breaux passed away on the 13th of May after a two year long battle with cancer. He was 65 yrs. old I believe. He was responsible for the Mississippi and West Florida LCG congregations for the last 12 years or so and was well loved in the area for his gentle rapport and humble demeanor in leading the congregations. No information on a memorial service yet.
I do not believe I ever knew Eddie (Ed) Breaux, but will pray for his family.
05/08/24 a.m. Former RCG employee Marc Cebrian continues to listen to many RCG sermons. Here are some excerpts from one from RCG's David Pack along with some by Marc's comments. David Pack's statements are the ones after the @ symbol and time listed:
As the calendar crept on, more clarifying had to naturally occur.
Part 509 – April 20, 2024
@ 00:12 I know you're wondering, “Well, Mr. Pack, how do we have time for another message?” Well, I’ll explain that. Fascinating. Fascinating message today.
After Abib 1 raised its hand and said, “Not it.” Passover followed suit, “Not it.”
Hey, Hebrew month of Iyar…we’re looking at you. ...
@ 14:40 Okay. Discomfort and great suspicion returned about something. And I want to explain it. Now, we’re right on track. We understand the year we’re in. We need seven years to get to 2031…
@ 33:33 The idea of Iyar 1, or we could say, “Are you sure it’s Iyar 1?”
@ 37:27 Based on what we know, it’s impossible, it’s impossible for the Father to come before Iyar 1. That’s May 8th. It’s impossible. Or you just you just train wrecked eternity. We could say thousands [chuckles] thousands of generation. You cannot have the Father here until Iyar 1. May 8th. Something just under, you know, eighteen days away. I could stop and say, “Wow in a way the this becoming easy, easy to grasp.”
Nobody should declare something easy and keep getting it wrong.
@ 46:56 Iyar 1’s a Wednesday. So, it fits perfectly. Forever.
@ 55:39 Apparently, He said you do it on Iyar 1. Not Abib 1. Iyar 1. What a shadow foreshadowing that is.
Two points:
- Yes, for Jesus to return in 2031, we would expect to see some prophetic fulfillment this year, but that would be related to the confirmation of the deal in Daniel 9:27, not what David Pack is referring to.
- While tonight after sunset will be Iyar 1, hence it begins the evening of May 8th, no God the Father is not coming this evening.
The RCG (Restored Church of God) has made many prophetic and other doctrinal errors as have been reported on the COGwriter GCG News page for over a decade. The non-arrival of God the Father today wis just another error to be added to the list. I continue to pray that those in RCG will see and respond to the truth.
04/29/24 p.m. I have seen reports suggesting that there has been a split in Hope of Israel and that some in Kenya and Tanzania and Burundi are now with 'Light on the Rock,' with apparently those in Malawi are probably still part of the Hope of Israel.
But that is not the case. Randy Freeze told me that the two are basically together.
Hope of Israel and Light on the Rock have been contacting leaders in CCOG hoping they will go with them and/or work with them--but all I am aware of in the past six months (other than one who left CCOG a about a year ago) have turned them down.
04/23/24 p.m. Evangelist Evans Ochieng just sent the following report:
Pastor Dr Bob,
Greetings from Kenya.
I'm happy to say that the Passover went very well in Kenya and the number that attended Passover this year was large. The Passover was done in many places in Kenya. some congregations joined other congregations eg Oriang, Aora Dak came to Ndhiwa. Achak, Giribe, kituka went to Got kachola, Motosiet went to Daktech. Other centers were chilani, kaplecho, Bomet, kisii, Ngaroni, meregi, Mao, Molo, Njoro, Migori, Nyakach.
The people who took Passover in Kenya were 2958. This year we have the largest number of those who are baptized and were prepared for the Passover.
The number of this year is the largest number ever for the baptized members that attended Passover.
I also received the report from Kisii that 3 member's from Living Church of God joined CCOG in Kisii.
I was talking with Molozwa this afternoon and he told me that the Passover was well attended in Malawi and Mozambique.
Waiting to hear from you.
Evans .
It is fantastic to have nearly 3,000 in the Continuing Church of God who kept Passover this year in Kenya.
04/23/24 a.m. Former RCG employee Marc Cebrian has listened to many RCG sermons. Here are some excerpts from two from RCG's David Pack followed by some of Marc's comments:
Part 500 – March 23, 2024
@ 1:47:01 You think you wanna be in this world? [chuckles] You know, we got people just too stupid to be a First Fruit—What? What? They leave. But I've watched it my whole life.
Part 506 – April 9, 2024
@ 1:33:08 Eight and a half years just seemed too unreasonable, too strange for the self-righteous among us who were just above this, and they left. Followed their own lusts. They left. And I I started all of this to tell you a few more might. And what we've done is not so strange or hard, and that people who've quit, you should not think that's strange because people have been walking away from the way of God since the Garden. ...
@ 1:35:57 The fact that I got a date or two right wrong or something, or some detail wrong, but saw a kingdom nobody else could see.
A date or two? That perfectly encapsulates the mentality of David C. Pack. Talk about lying to yourself.
The homepage of exrcg.org hosts a tally of 79 failed dates proclaimed by David C. Pack, and that is only as of Tammuz 1, 2022. If there were "only two," not including the day before Dave uttered that stupid comment, we could start where it all began on Elul 24 in 2013 and throw in Esther's Fast “Night Watch” in 2019.
RCG (Restored Church of God) has made many prophetic and other doctrinal errors as have been reported on the COGwriter GCG News page for over a decade.
04/06/24 p.m. Since we have many members who are scattered in the USA and Canada, the CCOG has appointed Steve Dupuie to assist with baptismal counseling. If you are in the USA or Canada and need baptismal and sometimes other counseling, etc., normally you should contact Steve Dupuie, who lives in Michigan, but he often travels.
04/05/24 a.m. Yesterday, Edith Bivens told me that her late sister Beverley had told her about a dream that she had where Aleksandar 'Sasah' Veljic walked passed people in the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) to go with another group (which Sasha essentially did in late February 2023). Details about Beverley's dream and other dreams are in the article: Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God.
That said, this looked like a good time to show all who are interested in the truth, why Sasha told me he was leaving the CCOG in early 2023.
On February 24, 2023, I wanted to Skype with Sasha to discuss additional radio opportunities to preach the gospel as part of the Continuing Church of God's Multimedia outreach to work towards the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14, 28:19-20; Romans 9:28, 11:25, etc.
Because of what he was doing at the time, Sasha did not want to speak over Skype, so instead we messaged. I decided that it might be helpful to keep a copy of the messaging so I did. Here is what happened and why Sasha told me he was leaving the CCOG:
February 24, 2023
Aleksandar, 9:05 AM
Sorry, I am in a public place, on return home, so I cannot speak
9:05 AM
Okay. Thanks.
Aleksandar, 9:06 AM
I didn`t make the tree shortwave programs for this week because I took my lap top to services because the noise was unbearable. The fans needed cleaning or replacement. So, I am still waiting for it to be repaired.
9:09 AM
Wanted to let you know that I received a complaint that you wrote that your Hope of Israel Worldwide "is the best religious program out there," hence downgrading the Bible News Prophecy program.
This looks to be a Randy Freeze related project. Now, I do not have a problem with that--but suggest you be careful about what could be seen as downgrading CCOG efforts.
That said, I am open to multiple formats, platforms, etc. I also want to discuss other radio matters with you.
P.S. For the 'Hope of Israel' page, having "Similar Stations" on the bottom of the page that appear to be pagan and/or not COG does not look good.
Aleksandar, 9:16 AM
Sorry, someone just phoned me. Yes, it was description that Randy put out there. And it has nothing to do with me downgrading CCOG efforts.
Also, Similar stations has nothing to do with me or Randy, and there are bunch of pagan stuff online. There are also programs that are broadcast over Miami that are just pagan, but we still use it.
Anyway, I am very tired of someone always having complaints about me and making me guilty for what has nothing to do with me. That has been going on since I became an elder and since I joined that electronic forum.
So, I am very happy to be downsizing any involvement in CCOG efforts. So, I will not want to participate on CCOG radio. Also, I have suspended Skype services because I have also had enough. I directed my efforts for the sake of hoping to provide blessings for God`s people in general, and CCOG in particular. Since there have always been CCOG members who don`t appreciate that, fine.
9:21 AM
What!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aleksandar, 9:21 AM
Let them enjoy all the rest of you who give messages and write, it is OK with me.
9:22 AM
I am now confused.
All I wanted to do was to tell you that and to discuss what doors I now see open in radio.
Aleksandar, 9:22 AM
I thank you for your trust and always getting me involved in projects. I appreciate it and consider myself to be your friend.
9:23 AM
As far as complaints go, people complain about me pretty much daily. They also complained about Jesus and Paul.
Aleksandar, 9:23 AM
However, since there are enough of those who oppose constantly my efforts, that is fine.
9:24 AM
I do not see people constantly opposing your efforts.
Aleksandar, 9:24 AM
So, I am happy for the doors you see and wish you all the best with those. I am happy to let you go through those doors with all might.
Nowhere during our Skyping did Sasha tell me that he had been conspiring with the Hope of Israel or that he was planning to go there and lead that group. But that is what I later found out he basically did immediately after our Skyping session.
The Bible warns:
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ — 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:11-16)
Though many do not see that as a warning, it is.
Seemingly after departing the CCOG (either before or after he told me he was leaving), Sasha was tricked into believing that some powerful witch doctor had been hired by Evans Ochieng of Kenya and Radson Mulozowa of Malawi to put a curse on me so that I would not be able to see the truth about what they were doing.
Scripturally, for me being affected by a witch doctor I never met or by a curse that I never heard (hence no psychological reason either), is impossible (for biblical details that prove that, please see the article: Can Christians Actually be Cursed By Witches or Witch Doctors?).
Yet, that was a doctrine that Sasha not only ended up accepting and teaching, he later wrote that was the final factor in getting him to leave the CCOG.
However, as our Skype transcript shows, that was not the reason he gave. And actually, he never mentioned anything about witch doctors to me before he left nor any time in our last Skyping session.
That said, Sasha had brought up African matters to me from time to time, but mainly that he resented the CCOG paying for building materials so that the Africans could have a place to meet. But, all the CCOG provided were building materials, whereas the Africans supplied the land and the labor as they built the meeting halls. Sasha seemed to resent that some of the Africans had land and farms, without fully realizing that many did not and many were very poor.
Anyway, within a few weeks after he left the CCOG Sasha, got quite bitter. Despite him calling me a friend on February 24, 2023, he put out a long and bitter letter with different reasons for leaving the CCOG than he told me. Let me add that he never sent that letter to me, but others eventually forwarded his 'resignation letter' to me. That letter revealed that he was also bitter against a woman who had financed much of the 2018 Feast of Tabernacle's site in Novi Sad Serbia as well as his bitterness against a man who had been part of the CCOG that had died a couple of years before.
Sasha was also deceived to report early in 2023 that the CCOG lost all of our congregations in more than one African country, as that never happened. While we did lose a few congregations (most of which have come back to the CCOG) in early 2023, we never lost all in any African country. Instead, overall, we gained congregations in Africa in 2023 as we had many more congregants in Africa at the end of 2023 than we had at the beginning of 2023. Various reports from Sasha that we were losing thousands in Malawi in the Fall of 2023 did not happen.
The root of bitterness Sasha had seemed to grow as he took exception to something I wrote in the CCOG Letter to the Brethren: November 23, 2023. Here is what Sasha wrote related mainly to that letter:
For weeks the readers of Bob Thiel’s „Letter to the Brethren“, which should be better called „Lies to the Brethren“, have read various manipulative lies. … Included in “African growth” was a report that CCOG Malawian pastor Radson Mulozowa was ill, but he got well and he visited Mozambique. …
And even though such lies about Africa come from Thiel’s co-workers in Africa, messaged to him by the man who holds the title of an evagelist, those are still lies that Bob Thiel shares with the CCOG membership around the world, thus taking part in such deceptions.
The factual situation is that Radson Mulozowa is indicted for various crimes by the Malawian government which currently cannot imprison him due to his grave health conditions.
The Malawian government sources inform us that Mulozowa is a skeleton as(s) is eating him away. It is interesting to note the three ailments Mulozowa has been diagnosed with so far. Those are: tuberculoses, HIV (AIDS) and some kind of intestinal disease which causes his intestines to come out. Is such a sick person capable of traveling anywhere, let alone to a foreign country (Mozambique)? Radson Mulozowa is actually dying we learn from the Malawian government sources, but Bob Thiel has presented him as alive and kicking, and traveling around to stregthen CCOG.
Despite the accusations, there were no lies from me. Frankly, I do not believe that Sasha actually checked out the facts on this, but was misled when he passed on tales others told him--AFTER LEAVING THE CCOG HE FELL FOR THE TRICKERY OF MEN. His report was wrong and outrageously accusatory. Radson was never formerly indicted for any crime (and I later learned that the place that supposedly tried to do something like that lacked jurisdictional authority). His only 'crime' seems to have been registering the CCOG in Malawi in the wrong office, twice--which of course, is not a crime.
In order to provide proof about Sasha's report being wrong to any with interest in the true facts, particularly related to health concerns, I then emailed Radson Mulozowa, shared with him Sasha’s writing, and asked him to address the health matters.
Radson responded to my email by suggesting that we do a WhatsApp video call for me to actually see how he is doing. So, I did.
When we spoke, I asked Radson about each of the three specific health matters that Aleksandar Veljic brought up.
Radson said that, yes, he had tuberculosis, but has been treated for it and is fine. I can confirm that his voice and breathing were fine, and that he did not cough once during our thirteen minute call as would be expected if he was dying from tuberculosis. Radson also said that he did not have HIV nor is he having any problems with his digestion nor are his intestines falling out.
Radson was outside when I called (hence he was not confined to bed as a dying man could be) and I saw him walking during much of the call. He does not look like a skeleton being eaten away by a deadly illness–he looks like he did when I saw him in person back in 2017, though he may have lost some weight during his tuberculosis battle.
Radson further said that we still have the vast bulk of our previous membership in Malawi, despite what some others want to believe (we also are experiencing growth in Malawi which I plan to report on after Evan Ochieng’s upcoming trip there).
The fact is that Radson is not in bed hiding from being arrested. To the contrary, he is up and about. To see that with your own eyes, below is a short video clip he sent me on Tuesday December 12, 2023, showing him speaking at services in Malawi on the Sabbath, December 9, 2024:
Here is a link to Radson speaking on the Sabbath: Radson Mulozowa speaking in Malawi.
The factual situation is that Radson Mulozowa clearly is NOT gravely bedridden. He said he is NOT awaiting arrest--and several months later he still has never been arrested. Despite many writings from Sasha that Radson was about to be arrrested, that simply never happened. Radson says he is healthy and has been for some time.
Sadly, some have decided to pass on and/or believe many lies about Radson Mulozowa and others in the CCOG.
Radson has been to Mozambique many times, including going recently.
While all people, including myself and Radson Mulozowa are flawed, unless something has dramatically changed since he and I emailed each other yesterday, the truth is that Radson Mulozowa is not bedridden, gravely ill, and as he said, he is not dying from some known and diagnosed illness.
Do not be one who who listens to talebearers instead of believing the facts.
Sadly, I believe that Sasha was tricked and misled (and he may have wondered about that). That is why I reported that he was troubled before his death on March 20, 2024 and referred to Acts 9:5.
So, anyway, hopefully others that have been tricked or otherwise misled will realize that as well.
04/02/24 a.m. Former RCG employee Marc Cebrian has listened to many RCG sermons. Here are some reports about RCG's David Pack pointing towards and away from Vladimit Putin as the sixth king:
During “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 453)” on June 17, 2023, Pastor General David Crowl Pack of The Restored Church of God, located in Wadsworth, Ohio, USA, identified Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin as the prophesied Sixth King of Revelation 17.
@ 41:57 So then, who is the Sixth King? Are we looking for him, or currently are we now staring at him? Three weeks ago, I identified him, and the men around me know that I did. I said, It’s gotta be this man. But I thought, No, it can’t be that man because that man has got to be someone inside the Kingdom. ...
@ 1:03:02 We might ask, Would we expect that the Sixth King would be a Mede? He would be a Russian.
@ 1:03:20 Vladimir Putin is known to admire the great Russian Czars. I’ve read a lot about this man.
@ 1:03:44 Here’s what his first name means: “to rule with greatness” or “peaceful ruler” and “ruler of the world.” ...
@ 1:22:05 “Putin Projects Defiance At Economic Forum.” He’s almost the front page every day of the Wall Street Journal. ...
@ 1:24:44 Somebody thinks it’s some who thinks it’s somebody else. All right. Who else? And what alternative is there? I know it’s him. Everything lines up.
@ 1:25:45 I didn’t just come to this. I finally came to grips with it. That there’s not time for anyone else. The Sixth King now IS. And nobody else has ever known it. We have to know it.
@ 1:30:12 So, this is all faith-building. If your faith didn’t grow as a result of hearing this sermon, then there's something wrong. ...
@ 1:30:36 You’re seeing prophecy fulfilled.
@ 1:31:00 It’s no longer just “Mr. Pack just telling us what will happen.” It’s happened. He’s here now. It’s impossible that it’s anybody else.
@ 1:31:26 I’ve been studying Vladimir Putin since he worked for the KGB. He speaks fluent German and worked in East Germany. I understand the man.
Part 454 – June 17, 2023
@ 09:05 Now, let’s think of one other reason why it’s easy to know it’s Putin. ...
@ 12:59 Why did we only identify the Sixth King now?
@ 1:15:19 So, the Series is over. Simplicity truly reigns. ...
@ 1:23:45 You’re convicted about the Sixth King. That’s what you could look at your own convictions. Who else could it be?And, you know, it’s in some ways it’s an easy thing. It's here, and so I would imagine everybody is convicted about it. I’ll be shocked if people aren’t.
https://www.exrcg.org/blog/putin accessed 04/01/24
Then notice:
Part 461 – July 29, 2023
@ 1:35:00 I’ma throw another thought at you, and I’m gonna be very discrete in how I handle it. I do not believe Vladimir Putin is the Sixth King. That’s all I’m gonna say…
Part 483 – December 2, 2023
@ 1:39:20 And that’s it. If it's not Putin, well, then I wouldn't know who it is. …he's somebody out there, and there's one guy that fits the bill. He’s even real short.
Part 499 – March 21, 2024
@ 10:20 It’s impossible that the Sixth King is anybody today. Remember, we’re making things plain. We’re removing the Mystery. Preparing the way for God. It’s impossible.
https://armstrongismlibrary.blogspot.com/2024/03/rcg-more-apologies-to-mr-putin.html accessed 04/01/24
Russia's Vladimir Putin was not the sixth king, but it is not impossible to know the identity of the sixth king.
The identity of the sixth king is something I have been working on and have consulted with COG leaders in and out of the CCOG on this in 2024 and plan to report more on that later.
03/21/24 p.m. Just received the following email:
We just received a notification from Steven Sookal that Sasha died yesterday.
Thank you all for the prayers you prayed for him.
Dawn
He reportedly had two strokes this year and then went in and out of a coma. Aleksandar 'Sasha' Veljic seemingly was the first person from a Communist country (when it was then called to Yugoslavia) to attend Ambassador College in the 1990s. He was mentioned in the March 1, 1994 edition of old Worldwide News for being part of an Ambassador Foundation project in Ukraine. After leaving WCG, Sasha was once part of UCG, then COG aic, then independent, then CCOG, and then left to become the leader of 'Hope of Israel.'
03/18/24 a.m. Yesterday, another RCG (Restored Church of God) minister resigned. His name is Christophe Binette and he lives in France. His resignation letter began with the following:
March 17, 2024
Dear Mr. David C. Pack,
The purpose of this letter is to tell you and all my brethren around the world that I love you.
Mr. Pack, you were my “father in the Gospel” for many years. Above all is my love for the truth. My responsibility as a minister of Jesus Christ and a shepherd is to protect the sheep of my pastorate. When I joined The Restored Church of God, I was asked to prove all things. That is all our personal responsibility. We cannot accept any compromises when it comes to the truth.
After reading your biography, I realized I had a responsibility to “guard the spiritual well-being of the brethren” in my pastorate.
The Authorized Biography of David C. Pack, Volume One, p625
“Through the early part of 1992, Mr. Pack developed a deeper crisis of conscience. Beyond personal anger, he knew his greater responsibility was to guard the spiritual well-being of the brethren in his congregation.”
Since becoming a minister in RCG, I have also developed a “deeper crisis of conscience.”
In response to that resignation, RCG's F. Jaco Viljoen wrote the following:
Dear brethren,
We recently learned that Christophe Binette removed himself from the Body of Christ due to doctrinal disagreement. ... he still considers himself a minister of Jesus Christ, which is impossible if he is not a member of God’s Church and under an apostle.
God continues revealing vital truths to His Church, and the “god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4
) is not pleased. Remember that the next few weeks are a time of self-examination and assessing your spiritual progress as we near the Passover. Remain sober and vigilant (I Pet. 5:8) and focused on the coming Kingdom we have recently learned even more about.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your minister, who will be happy to assist. You may also want to review the article “When Ministers Disappear...” (https://rcg.org/members/articles/when-ministers-disappear).
F. Jaco Viljoen
Associate Director of Church Administration
The Restored Church of God
No, leaving RCG is not leaving the "body of Christ." I personally have long doubted David Pack's conversion. Plus he has proven himself to be an inaccurate and false apostle.
That said, yes, God has revealed vital truths to the most faithful Philadelphian remnant of the Church of God, but that is not RCG. Here are links to some items which should prove that to those interested in the truth:
RCG: Why Not the Restored Church of God? This group, led by David Pack, claims to be the most faithful. The information in this article suggests otherwise. Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Por qué no la Iglesia de Dios Restaurada?
Continuing Church of God, Elijah, and Restoring All Things Have all things been restored? Is there restoration going on? Is there supposed to be a 21st century Elijah? Here is are links to two related sermons: 21st Century Elijah and CCOG: Restoring All Things. Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: La restauracion de todas las cosas.
On other matters, here is an update of Hope of Israel's Sasha Veljic:
The nurses removed Sasha's ventilator just before noon. [This seems to be on Sabbath.] His doctor, chief resident of neurology, ordered the nurses to give Sasha every medication that could help him to relax his throat, give up fluids, breathe, etc. He is very exhausted and sleeping with the aid of a full mask CPAC machine. His vital signs look good.
Sasha is no longer on any sedation medication. The hospital discontinued his Fentanyl about 9:00am New York time.
Thank you for your prayers for Sasha.
Dawn
03/15/24 p.m. Someone forwarded me the following related to the death of an elder in the Living Church of God:
One prayer update: Dr. Don Roach, long time Elder serving here in Southern California and Las Vegas, passed away yesterday, after an extended health trial. Please continue to pray for Mrs. Alice Roach and the entire family during this difficult time!
My wife and I knew the Roaches. He and I also did a lot of the speaking at the Feast of Tabernacles in Barbados in 2002 as a deacon there died who was supposed to have also spoke. Anyway, my prayers are with Mrs. Roach and her daughters.
03/14/24 a.m. I just saw the following in an email related to Sasha Veljic, leader of 'Hope of Israel':
At 8:28 pm CT {3/13/24} a brief update was sent to me on Sasha’s condition. I am sad to share it was reported to me that Sasha is in a coma. He has a feeding tube and a breathing tube. I was told the doctors want to remove Sasha’s feeding tube and his breathing tube.
Thank you for your prayers for Sasha.
Dawn
While I did learn Sasha was in a coma earlier today, I did not realize he was also on a feeding tube or breathing tube when I reported about him earlier today in the CCOG Letter to the Brethren: March 14, 2024. He remains in my prayers.
03/05/14 a.m. Due to reconstruction being done at the Continuing Church of God office in Grover Beach because of last month's tornado, the CCOG office telephone will not work again for a while. Email, however, still works and can be used.
03/03/24 a.m. Former RCG (Restored Church of God) employee Marc Cebrian posted the following (the @ symobols showing the time in the message from David Pack personally):
Flashback Part 422 – February 18, 2023
@ 35:33 I’m not a hypocrite. I can’t stand up here and undo what I said in the last message.
By his own mouth, he has said it. That summarizes what he has been doing for the past eight years.
During “The Greatest Unending Story! (Part 494)” on February 24, 2024, David C. Pack sat up there and undid what he said in the last message.
The Kingdom of God structure of 4-100-1000 is now 7-100-1000.
69 Weeks of Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy have already occurred.
The last prophetic 7-Year Week will begin on Abib 1, 2024. ...
@ 33:49 I hope I'm going slow enough, being careful enough that this can’t be misunderstood. ...
@ 57:40 Now, we must accept 483 years to Christ's becoming the Messiah on faith in God's word, believing one week remains. And, as I said, seven years really is an eon… Making 69 weeks Christ's death, not His arrival, breaks the math and only leaves three years. ...
@ 1:04:26 We should expect an exact seven years from Jerusalem sundown on Abib 1. The other seven years, 69 times, were exactly seven years…
@ 1:04:46 So, when you get to the last seven years, you should expect an exact moment. And that's why I tell you I think I finally understand why. If the Goodman of the House had known in what hour and what watch the thief would come, he would've watched, and he woulda told his house. So, the only thing I can tell you is exactly seven years, Jerusalem sundown on April 8th is what we’re waiting for. …I'm sorry, it's another, you know, 43 and a half days away.
@ 02:09 I don’t know if I’ve ever been as excited to give a message as I am on this one. This is the game changer. And again, it’s something we’ve been coming to for a long time. ...
No, what David Pack looks to believe is the remaining prophetic week will not begin on April 8th. While we in the CCOG see a prophetic week countdown beginning once a deal in the Middle East (Daniel 9:27) is confirmed by a 'prince' (Daniel 9:26; see also The 'Peace Deal' of Daniel 9:27), we have no reason to believe that can occur in April 2024. Therefore, David Pack will once again be proven wrong.
It is sad that RCG still has people who believe David Pack. This will be a "game-changer" if those still supporting RCG wakeup to the truth.
Which is?
David Pack is not God's apostle.
As I have written here for years, I also doubt his conversion as he has shown himself to be a greedy bully and a false teacher..
02/29/24 a.m. More on LCG and the falling away can be found in the following COGwriter Church of God News post from late yesterday: Gerald Weston pushes LCG’s position on the ‘Falling Away’ closer to the biblical, COGwriter, position.
02/27/24 p.m. Someone tipped me off to an article in the January-February edition of the Living Church News by LCG's Presiding Evangelist Gerald Weston on the falling away. Here is some of what he wrote:
What was the Apostle Paul telling us when he said the coming of Christ would not happen until “the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed” (2 Thessalonians 2:3)? Several ideas have floated about in recent years. Some Church of God groups, and many brethren throughout, see the apostasy in the Worldwide Church of God as fulfilling in full the “falling away” part of the prophecy. More recently, the Living Church of God has taught that it refers to a broad rebellion against God at the end of the age. But, while the rebellion against God in our world is indeed broad, is that interpretation the accurate one? For context, here is the relevant passage:
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [the return of Christ] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4).
There is no doubt that what occurred in the Worldwide Church of God was an apostasy from truth. And, truly, those who fell away in that organization “did not receive the love of the truth” (v. 10). But was that what Paul was describing? Or was he referring to something larger? ...
But when Jude urged the people to get back to the faith once delivered, he was referring to the faith of Christ, His apostles, and early first-century Christianity (Jude 3–4). That kind of Christianity has very little resemblance to trinitarian “Christianity,” no matter the century. Did people have more respect for the Bible in times past? Without a doubt. But, as we know, most of those people were not true Christians. ...
When Paul wrote that the mystery of lawlessness was already at work, he pointed to the origin of the falling away—and to the source from which the man of sin would arise. That falling away began early, ...
While the great rebellion and apostasy set in as far back as the first century AD, there is also a latter-day fulfillment that is yet ahead. It is clear that the prophesied man of sin will not appear until shortly before Christ’s return. This final head of a satanic system, one that has made the world drunk with the wine of its fornication, will take to a new level the claim of divine status. When we read of how he will perform signs, wonders, and deceptive miracles, this is not hard to understand. The world will worship this man. ...
We must not confuse the prophesied falling away from truth with mankind’s prophesied coming to the fullness of iniquity—the time when God will intervene powerfully to stop our madness. Both are important, but they are not the same. When Paul wrote of the “falling away,” he wrote prophetically of the apostasy that false Christianity represents.
Gerald Weston is correct on that last point. Yet, officially in 2012, there was a must-play sermon from Dr. Douglas Winnail where he basically confused "the prophesied falling away from truth with mankind’s prophesied coming to the fullness of iniquity." It is good that Gerald Weston has essentially tried to correct that.
As far as the man of sin goes, LCG still needs to realize that it is the first beast of Revelation 13:1-10 and not the second beast (Revelation 13:13-17) . The second beast is the one who gets the first beast worshiped--that first beast is the man of sin(see also Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2?).
As far as what Dr. Winnail taught would happen with his change, he asserted in an official 'must play' sermon:
Falling Away - Implications
Clarifying this issue and powerfully delivering this prophetic warning about a universal falling away from the fundamentals of biblical Christianity, led by a Beast, a Man of Sin and Miracles will clearly set the Living Church of God apart from false prophets and false apostles who preach the falling away has already occurred in WCG...
This is why a correct understanding of the Falling Away is important!
* Enable LCG to deliver a powerful warning about a major prophetic end time event that is coming in the years just ahead!
* Will set LCG apart from false teachers who are saying this event has already occurred.
(Winnail D. The Falling Away. Must-Play DVD DVE704, June 1, 2012)
And, no, nearly 12 years later that powerful warning, etc., did not happen--Dr. Winnail's falling away position that LCG officially adopted back then was not successful as he was wrong about that. It was when he taught this and related matters and LCG would not change on that which caused me to start to separate myself from LCG. When he was teaching that his doctrinal error was setting LCG apart and defining that church, that was not acceptable--despite my efforts to explain and document why Dr. Winnail's position was in error to LCG's then leadership.
Anyway, eleven plus years after I left, it is good that LCG's top leader has basically written I was right about this.
That said, more on the falling away can be found in the article: The Falling Away: The Bible and WCG Teachings.
02/20/24 a.m.
Received another report about someone pretending to be me (Bob Thiel) on Facebook today.
As reported before, I received several messages from contacts on Facebook who suspected that friend requests that they received which supposedly came from me in December 2023.
While I normally receive Facebook friend requests multiple times per week, I have not sent out any Facebook friend requests myself to anyone for over a decade. Generally speaking, I try to avoid Facebook, and only try to be to it the minimum time possible-which I sometimes need to do for some church matters.
Well, now someone is pretending to be me again on Facebook and is associated with an orphanage ministry in Kenya.
When I learned this connection on today, I sent the orphanage ministry the following message on its contact form:
Someone is sending out fake Facebook posts supposedly from me, Bob Thiel, with a link to your ministry. If you are doing this, please cease and desist. If it is not you, but you know of someone doing this, please tell them to stop bearing false witness.
Although we in the CCOG do support numerous orphans (consistent with James 1:27), this Facebook push to the one promoted was not from me. Now, one easy way anyone can prove that this is not me is if one clicks on the link in the post, one ends up at the page of that orphanage ministry, which has numerous crosses.
Since I and those truly in the Churches of God do not use crosses as a religious symbol (see What is the Origin of the Cross as a Claimed 'Christian' Symbol? ), that will show anyone with that knowledge that this was not me.
As many of you are aware, we have warned about the emergence of deepfakes for some time now. Back in 2021, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) even put out a related video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel: Lies and Deepfakes.
Last March, I was presented with what I considered to be a “deepfake” computer-conversation related to another CCOG leader (Evans Ochieng) that I was able to determine could not have happened as it was presented to myself and others. Sadly, however, some preferred to believe that lie.
The Bible warns against:
15 … idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. (Revelation 22:15)
Jesus once said to some near Him:
44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44-45)
Whoever is pretending to be me has the devil as his/her father.
Many use a variety of techniques to try to deceive.
The Apostle Paul warned:
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: … 13 … evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:1,13)
Yes, the emergence of various fakes is a sign of the last days.
It is sad that some wish to try to deceive others that way and other ways.
The Apostle Paul also warned end-time Christians, “not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, … Let no one deceive you by any means” (2 Thessalonians 2:2,3).
That includes trying not to be deceived by “deepfakes and phony computer requests.”
Yes brethren, I believe that deepfakes will get worse consistent with the prophecies in 2 Timothy 3:13 and 2 Thessalonians 2.
Be on guard.
02/16/24 a.m. In its newsletter today, CEG had the following:
The European Army
National Interest wrote on February 10:
“The idea of a joint European army has long been tossed around in the Continent’s power centers. This would be a separate organization from NATO and answer to the European Union…. A major obstacle is the very nature of the European Union.
“With 27 member states and about 450 million people, the European Union is a modern-day tower of Babel. There are a lot of interests, ideas, and beliefs, and they clash almost daily. Reaching a consensus for a major political decision to create a common military force doesn’t seem likely anytime soon—even after a major geopolitical event such as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia…. Another major hindrance… has to do with command and control.”
This is why a core Europe of 10 nations or groups of nations will develop which will give their power and authority to a totalitarian leader.
Yes, Europe is a type of the tower of Babel. Yes, the Bible shows that Europe will end up with a "great army" (Daniel 11:25).
And yes, the Bible shows that 10 kings who do not yet have a kingdom (these are not simply ten currently existing nations), will give power to a totalitarian leader:
12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Revelation 17:12-13, NKJV throughout unless otherwise specified)
These ten kings have no kingdom, but are to attain one.
And this will happen in Europe.
More on Revelation 17:12-13 can be found in the article: Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?
02/08/24 a.m.
Many of you probably heard about the torrential rains in California. One news report suggested about 8 trillion gallons of rain fell on California.
In our area, we were without electricity for about ten hours on Sunday. Beyond that, we were basically fine until yesterday afternoon when a very windy storm, which may have included a tornado, hit:
A suspected tornado wreaked havoc in Grover Beach on Wednesday afternoon, with trees topple, power lines knocked down, and awnings and shingles torn from buildings. ...
The storm hit businesses and homes on Grand and Ramona Avenues as it moved through Grover Beach. ...
At 7:20 p.m., more than 2,000 PG&E customers remain in the dark. https://calcoastnews.com/2024/02/suspected-tornado-wreaks-havoc-in-grover-beach-photos/
Much of the roof of our building at 1036 W. Grand Avenue in Grover Beach was blown off. A lot of rain came in and there was a lot of water on the ground throughout the entire building when I left last evening. Prior to leaving, a roofing firm came to try to prevent more rain from entering the building. Today, I plan to try to figure out how to remove the water and how to best function after this. It was difficult to make a full assessment with the power out, etc. when I left yesterday. We had to shut off all possible power as a safety precaution as rain was filling up the light fixtures in the ceiling. Today, we will see if there is power to the building and if it is safe to turn the lights back on.
That said, as I have written before, weather changes should serve as a type of 'wake-up call' as they help show us that our personal, local, national, and even international circumstances can change quickly (see also Weather Blessings and Sorrows). But also, that we always need to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
01/26/24 p.m. Here are some excerpts from a Restored Church of God departure-related letter purportedly from Steve Bell in England:
We have been given failed prophecy time and time again by Mr. David C. Pack. From March 2022 to today, we have been given 78 false dates for the return of Christ/God's Kingdom, and each one of those dates has come and gone without consequence.
I don't know how many more dates were given before then, but I know there were many.
Deuteronomy 18:21-22
And if you say in your heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken? When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken, but the prophet has spoken it presumptuously: you shall not be afraid of him.
The word “afraid” in the Hebrew means “to sojourn or abide with.”
2 Peter 1:20
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.
“Private interpretation” in the Greek means “one's own solution or explanation.” And yet, the men at Headquarters sit behind closed doors and privately interpret them, and they fail. God's prophecies NEVER fail. ...
We have all been betrayed and lied to. You should not abide with that false prophet any longer.
It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that my family and I are leaving the organization of The Restored Church of God. I know that you will be told we have left “the Church” or “the Truth.” We are not leaving the Church or the Truth. We are leaving an organization where lies and wickedness abound.
Yes, David Pack is a false teacher, false prophet, and false apostle.
In time, hopefully all who were part of RCG will realize that.
01/13/24 a.m. Tom Turner who handled legal and insurance matters for LCG died last night of cancer-related complications.
I knew Tom Turner and we worked together on some issues years ago when I was part of LCG. He was unmarried and relatively young.
On other LCG matters, it is my understanding that the funeral for Gaylyn Bonjour is scheduled for Monday.
01/10/24 a.m. LCG minister Gaylyn Bonjour was found dead this morning, apparently of natural causes.
I first met him in 1986. He and I have long been friends since we first met in the Fresno, California congregation. Though he moved to Charlotte, NC 15 or more years ago, he often said that he still considered himself a California boy. I last spoke to him a few weeks ago.
Gaylyn Bonjour was a kind, loving, and giving man and will be missed.
01/05/24 a.m. Former RCG (Restored Church of God) employee Marc Cebrian posted the following:
During “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 488)” on December 30, 2023, David C. Pack manipulates, distorts, obfuscates, lies, and blasphemes to serve the purpose of proving that Jesus Christ will return at sunset on April 13 [Abib 15], 2025. “That day” is the Day of the Lord, which begins the 7-Year Kingdom of God.
During Part 488, he teaches that Jesus Christ will return and take the Passover symbols on Abib 15, and for Him to do otherwise would be a terrible, unlawful example.
Despite RCG’s literature explaining the Passover symbols are to be taken on the fourteenth, despite the Spring Holy Day schedule on rcg.org listing that Passover is observed after sunset at the very beginning of the fourteenth, David C. Pack shouts and vigorously points out that the Passover and the Second Passover both take place on the fifteenth of the month.
David Pack will be again proven wrong about the date of the start of the Kingdom of God as that cannot happen for at least seven years from now. Watch also: Tribulation in 2024?
And no, Passover is not on the 15th. Here is a link to an rticle with historical and scriptural proof: TPM: Passover on the 14th or 15th?
01/01/24 a.m. In their latest respective updates, the CCOG and LCG reported about youth camps held in December.
LCG reported:
Living Youth Program
Reports are returning from the Living Youth Program Camps around the world. Dr. Scott Winnail reports that 154 young people plus staff are enjoying the Teen Camp in Kendu Bay, Western Kenya. Campers participated in activities such as a relay race, tug-o-war, and a cooking competition. Mr. Rees Ellis reports that 44 campers and staff traveled from four different countries to the Teen Camp in Porto-Novo, Benin. Activites include swimming instruction, Mölkky, and other activities. The spiritual focus has been the theme "Choose Life." Preteen and Teen Camps are also in session in South Africa and the Philippines. Mr. Joseph Gonzales reports that there are 32 campers in the Philippines, five of them from Malaysia, and it is the first formal camp most of them have attended.
CCOG reported:
Youth Camps, Mozambique, Malawi, and Kenya
Evangelist Evans Ochieng reported that 290 attended the youth camp in Migowi, Malawi last week with Sosten Libungwa. Here is a photograph of the group he sent:
Sosten Libugwa also reported that that camp went well.
Radson Mulozowa sent the following report related to Evans Ochieng’s trip as well as the other youth camp in Malawi:
Let me inform you that when pastor Evans visit Malawi he visited the following places
1. MWANZA
We met with brethren at sambandele house and the meeting was so good and after the meeting we went to hapuwani hotel inorder to sleep close to Mozambique
2. MOZAMBIQUE
On Tuesday we went to Mozambique to meet the brethren and some chiefs who welcome us with joy.
3. NJENJETE
On Wednesday we went to NJENJETE to meet the brethren
YOUTH CAMP MEETING
Thursday and Friday we had a wonderful meeting where by the youth we so happy and they have begged that next year we must do it for seven days. The youth who attended were 320 youth
The meeting ended well
On sabbath we went to chileka to keep sabbath and it was a wonderful day loaded with blessings ...
Thanks for the support to us that has make everything possible both Malawi and Mozambique
May bless God bless you
Best regards
Radson
Radson Mulozowa’s children were with the CCOG in our youth camp with their father. We are also looking to see how to better assist those with hunger in Malawi and Mozambique (cf. Galatians 2:10; James 2:14-16). ...
Youth camps were also held in Kenya. Pastor Tiongik Sawek sent the following:
Receive greetings in Jesus name. We had a wonderful youth camp and it ended successfully. The visitors are still leaving for their homes. The youth groups that were in Chilani learned a lot. I have received a report from North Rift headed by Elder Cheruiyot that they did their meeting well. The brethren from Mau and Bomet did their youth camp well also. These meetings have led to growth of youths in our churches and those that are already in the church are learning a lot. We are grateful to Evangelist Ochieng for arranging the meetings together although he was in Malawi. We also thank the Continuing Church of God for the cooperation and also for allowing the youths camps to be successful. It will be good enough if the new Church is built at Chilani and this will allow them to do the meeting. We will therefore use the old church as rooms that they will stay in the meeting. I will attach the photos of the same. God bless you.
Regards
Pastor Sawek.
We also had a youth camp in Got Kachola, Kenya. Evngelist Evans Ochieng sent the following:
Pastor Dr Bob,
Greetings from Kenya.
I attended the youth camp in Kenya at Got Kachola. I was very happy how youth camp was organized in the camp. Youths choose to be in uniform that promotes and identity continuing church of God. This is very important and we pray next year if all youths worldwide can have the uniforms in every youth camp
The youths were very happy and they flowered the camp highly. The youths attached many subjects including what’s ahead of our children.
So the youth camp was very well done and they were totally disciplined. It shows up the Best and improved Continuing Church of God. I saw some good work in YOUTH CAMP in Malawi and Mozambique. Same to Kenya. When it happens like this, will make church of God to continue even to the next generation. If children are not well taught, then the church will not have good future and growth. But if we continue teaching our youths the ways of God and His commandments then we shall have bright future of the church.
I’m very happy and continue to pray for our youths to learn more about the kingdom of GOD and the resurrection of the first fruits. May the Almighty God bless overseer and president of the church Dr Bob and brethren who are always supporting the YOUTH CAMP.
We are seeing good and perfect growth with in the church.
Evans.
In the end time, we are to work to, “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). Youth camps are just one way to help do that.
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