Church of God News

“I will break the pride of your power” (Leviticus 26:19)

COGwriter

The US Congress has a couple of budget proposals, but the reality is that the debt for the US federal government will still rise:

March 12, 2013

Dueling budgets: Key takeaways

Democrats and Republicans have put together their dream budgets — political documents that are more like wish lists than usable road maps for the future of government spending.

Both have no chance of becoming law, but they do help explain the impasse over spending and debt in Washington…Ryan’s budget shoots to balance the budget in 10 years by slashing health care spending

Democrats aren’t trying to balance the budget, as Republicans are. In the Democrats’ view, it’s enough to reduce the deficit — and not even for its own sake, but to change spending priorities to help middle-class families and create jobs…

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“While House Republicans are doubling down on the extreme budget that the American people already rejected, Senate Democrats are going to be working on a responsible pro-growth budget that reflects the values and priorities of middle-class families across the country,” Murray said in a statement.

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/dueling-budgets-key-takeaways-88774.html#ixzz2NMqL0paL

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House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan proposes a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans refer to as “Obamacare.”  http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/12/174126064/ryan-budget-proposal-echoes-obamacare-while-rejecting-it

Without going into the details of the Ryan bill’s merits and/or demerits, the reality is that US President Barack Obama is not going to sign a bill getting rid of what he considers one of his major accomplishments (the “Affordable Care Act”).  And the Republicans simply do not have enough Congressional votes to override a presidential veto.

So, the bottom line remains that the debt in the USA will rise.

Bible, in the Book of Habakkuk teaches the following about debt in general and end time debt in particular:

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry…5 Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, He is a proud man… 6 “Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases What is not his–how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges’? 7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you (Habakkuk 2:3,5,6-8).

Actually, with an admitted $16+ trillion dollar debt and plans to increase that much further, the USA has increased pledges more than any nation in the history of the planet.  And on a per capita basis, the United Kingdom is one of the most indebted nations on the earth itself.

Since the above prophecy in Habakkuk will be fulfilled at the time of the end (cf. “The message was true, but the appointed time was long…in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come”, Daniel 10:1,14). Daniel 8:19, 11:27,29,35 use same the Hebrew term for “appointed time” as Habakkuk 2:3, while Daniel 10, using a different term, ties the latter days to the time in Daniel 8:19. Habakkuk 2 was not fulfilled in its entirety anciently.  Also, it makes little sense that Habakkuk would be directed towards the modern nation of Israel as it does not have enemy creditors. It must be a nation or group of nations with some prominence at the appointed time of the end. As far as “violence of the land” as a contributing factor, this would seem to include crime, military missions, and perhaps riots/civil unrest, but might it also include promotion of violent sports?

Do you believe the words that God inspired Habakkuk to write?  If so, do you really understand what is going to happen to the USA, UK, and their Anglo-descended allies relatively soon?

Those who believe that the Republicans or the Democrats will actually stop the debt from rising to the point that the USA will be defeated are in error.

The budget politics in Washington, D.C. do not bode well for the USA.

To learn more, please check out the following:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
Is American Football Evil? Is the most popular spectator sport in the USA something that Christians should watch? What do the Bible and early writings show? There is also a YouTube video available titled Should Christians watch American football?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.

(By Eric Gaba)

COGwriter

The results of the vote by those living in the Falkland Islands are in, and they wish to remain British:

March 12, 2013

Only three vote against staying British in unsurprising landslide, which Argentina dismisses as irrelevant…

The prime minister said Argentina should take “careful note” of the referendum result and that Britain would always be there to defend the Falkland Islanders.

Despite near zero temperatures and flurries of snow and rain, the turnout was 92% from an electorate of 1,650. All but three people voted yes to the question posed on the ballots: “Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom?”

Nobody expected anything but a landslide in a vote that the Argentinian government had dismissed as illegal.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/mar/12/falkland-islands-referendum-votes-yes

The Falkland Islands are located in the South Atlantic Ocean on a projection of the Patagonian Shelf about 310 miles (500 kilometers) east of the Patagonian/Argentinian coastline.  They consist of two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, along with about 700 smaller islands. Stanley, which is on East Falkland, is the capital and largest city.  Less than 3,000 people live on them.

Although the voting people of the Falklands have again made their preferences known, I believe that the Bible suggests that the UK will end up losing the Falklands as well as Gibraltar (which is near Spain).

The war for the Falkland Islands was from 2 April 1982 – 14 June 1982. The Falkland Islands is one of the old British empire’s remaining “sea gates” and Argentina has tried a variety of tactics to obtain it over the years. And Spain wants another sea gate, the UK’s Gibraltar.

Both Argentina and Spain petitioned the UN against the UK keeping territorial sea gates last June.

The UK has has controlled the Falkland Islands since the 1830′s and it is obvious that most who live there want to remain under British rule. What might any of this have to do with the Bible?

Notice a prophecy about what was told to the wife of Isaac:

“Our sister, may you become The mother of thousands of ten thousands; And may your descendants possess The gates of those who hate them” (Genesis 24:60).

We in the Church of God have been teaching for decades that the United Kingdom and USA would ultimately lose many of their sea gates–we believe they possessed them because of blessings from God and would lose them because of blatant disobedience.

And despite British hopes, this will also ultimately include the loss of the Falkland Islands, which the Argentinians refer to as the Malvinas.  Notice a couple of prophetic warnings that are consistent with that:

24 ‘Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you. 25 For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants. 26 You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you 27 (for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), 28 lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you.  (Leviticus 18:24-29)

23 ‘And if by these things you are not reformed by Me, but walk contrary to Me, 24 then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins. 25 And I will bring a sword against you that will execute the vengeance of the covenant; when you are gathered together within your cities I will send pestilence among you; and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.  (Leviticus 26:23-25)

63 And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess. (Deuteronomy 28:63)

For many years, the major sea gates of the world were possessed/controlled by the United States (Panama Canal and certain locations in the Pacific ocean) and the British Empire (Straits of Malacca, Singapore, Suez Canal, Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Simon’s Town/Cape of Good Hope, etc.). And while that is no longer the case for many of them, they seem to have been prophesied to be taken away for disobedience as well (cf. Deuteronomy 28)—and certainly these nations have disobeyed the God of Abraham, as well as actually have lost many of those gates. Thus, it seems logical to conclude that the remaining “sea gates” that the UK has such as Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands will be separated from UK control. Spain directly, or perhaps, through the EU (or some other European confederation) indirectly, will force out British control over Gibraltar.

The fact of the losses so far of many of the Anglo sea gates should show us that various curses have began to hit the Anglo-nations.  More will as well until the Anglo nations (including the USA) will be no more.

As far as South America itself goes, it is my belief that based upon biblical prophecy that most of South America will ultimately align itself with the rising European power (which will ultimately not be nice to the British).  And it would strongly appear that Argentina will be one of the nations that will support the final European power.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Mexico, Central America, South America, Brazil, and the Caribbean in Prophecy [Español: México, America Central, Suramérica, y el Brasil en profecíal] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future? What rule might the various Caribbean nations/territories play?
Islands and Bible Prophecy What’s ahead for islands? What does the Bible prophesy about them?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English-British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?

Palace of Westminster in London

COGwriter

The “Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms” is believed to be supporting what some suggest is pro-homosexual language:

Queen Elizabeth expected to sign Commonwealth Charter, which could support gay rights and gender equality on the throne

The charter ‘opposed’ discrimination rooted in gender, race, color, creed, political belief or other grounds, with the ‘other grounds’ expected to include gay rights and equal rights for boys and girls to ascend to the throne.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/queen-elizabeth-expected-sign-support-gay-rights-gender-equality-article-1.1284291#ixzz2NH9vjhXM

Others have complained that the reference to homosexuality is not explicit enough and they question the depth of the Queen’s commitment to their cause:

Queen fights for gay rights, declared the Mail on Sunday‘s front page yesterday…

Her “historic pledge to promote gay rights” as the paper put it (or “historic step forward” as Stonewall’s Ben Summerskill had it), will comprise her signing a new Commonwealth charter, which states:

“We are implacably opposed to all forms of discrimination, whether rooted in gender, race, colour, creed, political belief or other grounds.”

Fighting for gay rights? The Queen won’t even mention them…Gay people of the Commonwealth deserve more than an inference; they need its head to speak of them and to them, to protect them.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/11/queen-gay-rights-commonwealth

Despite the vagueness, I would suggest that homosexual advocates will still see this as an opportunity to push the homosexual agenda (or at least some of their lawyers/solicitors/barristers will).  So, it is not just the top official in the USA (e.g. Obama Administration pleads that the Supreme Court should overturn DOMA and California’s anti-homosexual marriage law) that is allowing the homosexual agenda to move forward (though the USA leadership is being more direct).  The Queen, whether she states it or not, is allowing the homosexual agenda to move ahead within the Commonwealth.

Homosexual marriage, itself, is currently unlawful in the United Kingdom itself, but bills in the British and Scottish parliaments are currently aiming to make such “marriages” legal.

Sadly, the nations descended from Ephraim and Manasseh are going in directions away from biblical morality on this subject.

This does not bode well for the Anglo-descended nations (cf. Jude 7).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality?  Can homosexuals change?
Is Tony Blair Apocalyptic? The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom converted to Catholicism shortly after leaving his office and has been active in European affairs. What role might he play?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.
Prophecy Obama: Prophecies of Barack Obama? Reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.

Vatican City (photo by Joyce Thiel)

COGwriter

The cardinals of the Church of Rome are to start voting in not too many hours for the next pope:

March 11, 2013

Rome (CNN) — Preparations, both spiritual and practical, neared completion at the Vatican on Monday, where Roman Catholic cardinals will gather to begin the process of selecting the next pope.

The conclave — the secret papal election — begins Tuesday in the Sistine Chapel, which has been closed to the public while Vatican staff readied the ornately decorated vestry for deliberations.  http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/11/world/europe/vatican-pope-selection/index.html

In the 12th century, a bishop (who was later canonized as a saint by Rome) named Malachy predicted, with what some believe is complete accuracy, every pope since 1143.  The Catholic Encyclopedia has stated:

The most famous and best known prophecies about the popes are those attributed to St. Malachy…These short prophetical announcements, in number 112, indicate some noticeable trait of all future popes from Celestine II, who was elected in the year 1143, until the end of the world.(Devine, Arthur. “Prophecy.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. Nihil Obstat. June 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 10 Mar. 2009 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12473a.htm>)

Another Catholic writing has stated:

Priest Gaudentius Rossi (19^th century): According to St. Malachy, then, only ten, or at most eleven, popes remain to be in future more or less legitimately elected. We say more or less legitimately elected, because out of those future popes it is to be feared that one or two will be unlawfully elected as anti-popes. (Rossi, Gaudentius. The Christian Trumpet: Or, Previsions and Predictions about Impending General Calamities, the Universal Triumph of the Church, the Coming of the Anti-Christ, the Last Judgment, and the End of the World; Divided Into Three Parts, 4th edition. Patrick Donahoe, 1875. Original from Oxford University. Digitized Sep 1, 2006, p. 203)

If the list is complete, then the next pope is the final pope and would be an antipope/antichrist who betray Rome.

According to some very old tradition (Hippolytus of Rome wrote of this in the early third century, On Christ and Antichrist, Chapter 14), this person would be from the tribe of Dan.  This would suggest that the individual would be of Irish or Danish heritage.

On the other hand, various Catholic writings suggest that this individual would be of Germanic heritage.

Because the Beast of the sea of Revelation 13:1-10 is heavily promoted by the Beast of the land (the final Antichrist) of Revelation 13:11-17, the two of them would be expected to be able to communicate well between themselves.  Because of that, one or both would be expected to be fluent in German and/or the English languages.

Will this be the next pope?

This is possible.  The timing of this papal election is consistent with biblical prophecy.

In both Malachy’s description of the one who would be the next, and potentially last, pope and chapter 17 of the Book of Revelation we see:

1. Reference to the city of seven hills/mountains.
2. The destruction of the city of seven hills/mountains.
3. The end of a power in Rome.
4. Persecution.
5. Troubles/tribulations on the earth.
6. A type of judgment.
7. Events for the end time.

Whether or not the next pope is the last pope, the fact is that the last pope on the Malachy list seems to be warned against in the Holy Bible.

We will see who will be elected Pontifex Maximus relatively soon. According to certain interpretations of Catholic private prophecy, including the Malachy list, the next pope would be the final pope, as well as a compromising persecuting, antipope. According to biblical prophecy an ecumenical false persecuting religious leader is to rise up very soon (Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?).

According to biblical prophecy, the last pope will be ecumenical (cf. Revelation 13:4,8,14).  The last pope will be political (Revelation 13:14-17).  The last pope will also perform signs that will deceive many (Revelation 13:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11)–though this may not be apparent for some time, even if the pope that is next elected is that leader.  The last pope will have economic influence (Revelation 13:16-17).  The last pope will allow Rome to be betrayed (cf. Revelation 17:15-18).  He will also be involved in getting armies to gather in Armageddon (Revelation 16:13-16) that will fight Jesus (Revelation 19:19-20).

This warned about leader could very well be the one elected pontiff, possibly this month.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Malachy Prophecies and “Peter the Roman” An Irish bishop allegedly predicted something about 112 popes in the 12th century. Pope Benedict XVI was number 111. The next pope would be number 112 and is to reign until Rome is destroyed. May he be an antipope/final Antichrist?
Pope Benedict XVI and the next pope Will the pope that succeeds Pope Benedict XVI fulfill biblical and non-biblical prophecies? What about Pope Benedict himself? Pope Benedict XVI resigned his pontificate effective February 28, 2013. Might his resignation lead to the fulfillment of prophecy? Might his resignation lead to the prophesied Antichrist according to biblical and Catholic prophecies? Do Catholic prophecies foretell of an antipope as the next pope? Is the Peter the Roman of the Malachy prophecies the next pope? Is there a 6,000 year plan? Is the 6,000 year almost up?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2021 or 20xx?
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet”. Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy.
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
Will You Be Deceived by Antichrist? 1964 article by David Jon Hill, originally published in the old Good News magazine.
Peter and Rome He was an original apostle and early Christian leader. Where was Peter buried? Where did Peter die?
Overview: How Does the Church of God Agree and Disagree with Other Faiths Professing Christ? This overview answers that and explains what the Church of God basically stands for. In the appendices provides information about certain complaints and as well as an overview about many COG-related groups.
What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History? Although most believe that the Roman Catholic Church history teaches an unbroken line of succession of bishops beginning with Peter, with stories about most of them, Roman Catholic scholars know the truth of this matter. Is telling the truth about the early church citing Catholic accepted sources anti-Catholic? This eye-opening article is a must-read for any who really wants to know what Roman Catholic history actually admits about the early church.
Apostolic Succession What really happened? Did structure and beliefs change? Are many of the widely-held current understandings of this even possible? Did you know that Catholic scholars really do not believe that several of the claimed “apostolic sees” of the Orthodox have apostolic succession–despite the fact that the current pontiff himself seems to wish to ignore this view? Is there actually a true church that has ties to any of the apostles that is not part of the Catholic or Orthodox churches? Read this article if you truly are interested in the truth on this matter!
Early Church History: Who Were the Two Major Groups Professed Christ in the Second and Third Centuries? Did you know that many in the second and third centuries felt that there were two major, and separate, professing Christian groups in the second century, but that those in the majority churches tend to now blend the groups together and claim “saints” from both? “Saints” that condemn some of their current beliefs. Who are the two groups?
Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Should Christians be Nazarenes today? What were the practices of the Nazarenes.
Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?

Flag of Korea, 1889

COGwriter

North Korea continues to agitate and threaten and concern South Korea:

March 11, 2013

South Korea and US begin military drills as North Korea threatens war

SEOUL, South Korea –  North and South Korea staged dueling war games Monday as threatening rhetoric from the rivals rose to the highest level since North Korea rained artillery shells on a South Korean island in 2010…

Pyongyang has piled threat on top of threat, including vows to launch a nuclear strike on the U.S. and to scrap the nearly 60-year-old armistice that ended the Korean War. Seoul has responded with tough talk of its own and has placed its troops on high alert…

Among other threats in the past week, North Korea has warned Seoul of a nuclear war on the divided peninsula and said it was cancelling nonaggression pacts.

South Korean and U.S. officials have been closely monitoring Pyongyang’s actions and parsing its recent rhetoric, which has been more warlike than usual…

Pinkston said there is little chance of fighting breaking out while war games are being conducted, but he added that he expects North Korea to follow through with a somewhat mysterious promise to respond at a time and place of its own choosing. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/03/11/south-korea-and-us-begin-military-drills-as-north-korea-threatens-war/#ixzz2NExO7XH4

March 11, 2013

Over the past week, newspapers here in the South have turned Pyongyang’s threats into front-page spreads: its promises of “pre-emptive nuclear strikes”, “all-out war” and withdrawal from the 60-year-old Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War…

South Korea’s Unification Ministry admits the mood has shifted. “Overall, there’s a heightened sense of alert this time,” a spokeswoman said.

Not just because of the “more belligerent rhetoric” coming from Pyongyang, but because of the actions accompanying them.

North Korea’s launch of a long-range rocket in December, its apparently successful nuclear test in February and the fresh UN sanctions imposed on it this month have all added to the sense of tension on the peninsula…

South Koreans are hearing some strong language from their own government too.  The country’s new president, Park Geun-hye, who was sworn into office just two weeks ago, has vowed to respond strongly to any provocation.

Her government has said it will target not only the source of any attack, but also the North’s top command.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21738115

The promise by North Korea ” to respond at a time and place of its own choosing” suggests that it may be seriously considering terrorist actions–and that could not only affect South Korea, but perhaps even the USA.

An in another move, North Korea has decided to stop having twice daily telephone conversations with South Korea:

SEOUL — South Korean officials say Pyongyang seems to have made good on a threat to sever the hotline at the Panmunjom truce village as South Korea and the United States commence a joint military exercise Monday.  The North is responding to the exercise by claiming it will abrogate the 1953 Armistice Agreement and threatening a preemptive nuclear strike.

As more than 13,000 American and South Korean military personnel began the Key Resolve annual joint drill, no one on the northern side of the de-militarized zone answered the routine daily 9 am hotline telephone call from the South.

The two sides have a protocol of phone contact twice daily.

A Unification Ministry spokesman says South Korea did not bother to try again to make the regular 4 p.m. call Monday.

Last week, North Korea announced it was severing the communications link, established in 1971.

South Korean officials say this is the sixth time the North has cut the line, the most recent occasion in 2010.  http://www.voanews.com/content/us-south-korea-begin-annual-military-drills-amid-threats-from-north-korea/1619027.html

North Korean politicians have often been playing a dangerous game with their country and their people, and it seems that they wish to escalate their warring rhetoric even more.

While North Korea is not prophesied to take over the USA (Europe is per Daniel 11:39, etc.), as I wrote in the past, it certainly is possible that it may decided to actually launch one or more missiles at the USA in the future.

Jesus spoke of a time of wars and sorrows PRIOR to the start of the Great Tribulation.

Notice Mark’s account of the beginning of sorrows:

5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows (Mark 13:5-8).

A nuclear missile hitting the USA and/or nuclear terrorism (including possibly a “dirty bomb”) would be consistent with this prophesied time of troubles.

Some articles of possibly related interest would include the following:

Korea in Prophecy, Any Witness? Does God have a plan for the Koreans? Is Korea mentioned in any prophecies? Will Koreans be among the first in the Kingdom of God? 한국의 언어로 : 한국 예언, 모든 증인에?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, Koreans, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce a new video on our YouTube channel called Bible New Prophecy. BibleNewsProphecyuploaded a video:

11:54

Damascus and Syria in Prophecy

Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria?

The above YouTube video goes through various scriptures and certain Islamic prophecies to explain what may and what will happen to Syria and its capital Damascus.

COGwriter

The following may raise some eyebrows for some practicing Catholics:

 March 10, 2013

With Pope Benedict retired, many Catholics are hoping a new Pope may be a chance to rethink old doctrines, including one of the oldest and, in today’s church, now one of the most controversial: celibacy…

For Christianity’s first thousand years, priests could marry and have families. In fact, St. Peter…had a wife.

Celibacy became widespread in the 11th century, not so much because of scripture as for simple economics: Widows of married priests were claiming inheritance rights to church lands. Celibacy ended that . . . but not for everyone.

Some parish priests, like Denver’s Father Chrysostom Frank, are members of the Church’s Eastern Rite branch. His is the Russian Byzantine Catholic Church, which still reports to the Pope…

The Roman Catholic Church is now welcoming already-married priests — but only those converting from Protestant denominations…

A new CBS News/New York Times poll shows 66 percent of them now favor letting priests marry…

“A lot of people would suggest that the issue of pedophilia is directly connected to the demand for celibacy,” said Petersen.  http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57573428/re-examining-the-catholic-churchs-celibacy-rule/

I would also add that when I visited the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople in 2008, I was told by a representative of the Patriarch Bartholomew that the Church of Rome would allow the Eastern Orthodox to keep their doctrinal differences (which includes allowing their priests to marry) if they would simply accept papal authority over their church.  Hence, celibacy is not an issue that the Church of Rome must insist on.  And that was later confirmed in 2009 when the Vatican made a deal with various Anglicans, as that deal allowed their priests to be married.

Someone who has been mentioned as a potential candidate to be the next pontiff, Cardinal Bertone, about three years ago admitted that this was a doctrine that Rome could change (Vatican Willing to Consider Changing Celibacy for Priests).

For several reasons I have long expected that the Vatican would consider allowing priests to be married (and yes, it is even listed in my 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect book as something that I believed would happen).

The first is that the Vatican itself is aware that celibacy was not a biblical requirement. Most of the apostles, including Peter, were married.

The Bible shows that bishops and presbyters/elders were supposed to have a wife and children. This was partially to demonstrate they could handle a church as Paul wrote per the Roman Catholic approved Rheims New Testament:

1.FAITHFUL saying. If a man desire a Bishops office, he desireth a good work.
2. It behoveth therefore a Bishop to be irreprehensible, the husband of one wife,
sober, wise, comely, chaste, a man of hospitality, a teacher,
3. Not given to wine, no fighter, but modest, no quarreler, not covetous,
4. Well ruling his own house, chaving his children subject with all charity.
5. But if a man know not to rule his own house: how shall he have care of the Church of
God? (1 Timothy 3:1-5).

5. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest reform the things that are
wanting, and shouldst ordain priests by cities, as I also appointed thee:
6. If any be without crime, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not in the
accusations of riot, or not obedient.
7. For a Bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not proud, not angry, nor
given to wine, no striker, nor covetous of filthy lucre (Titus 1:5-7).

Note that the term translated as priest in verse 4, presbyter, simply means elder. Also notice that the Bishop is also allowed to be married. In Eastern Orthodox circles, while their priests are allowed to be married, their bishops are not.

The second is that even The Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges that from the beginning, celibacy was not a requirement for church leaders:

Turning now to the historical development of the present law of celibacy, we must necessarily begin with St. Paul’s direction (1 Timothy 3:2, 12, and Titus 1:6) that a bishop or a deacon should be “the husband of one wife”. These passages seem fatal to any contention that celibacy was made obligatory upon the clergy from the beginning (Thurston H. Transcribed by Christine J. Murray. Celibacy of the Clergy. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume III. Copyright © 1908 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Celibacy became an ideal for the clergy in the East gradually, as it did in the West. In the fourth century we still find St. Gregory Nazianzen’s father, who was Bishop of Nanzianzos, living with his wife, without scandal. But very soon after that the present Eastern rule obtained. It is less strict than in the West. No one can marry after he has been ordained priest (Paphnutius at the first Council of Nicaea maintains this; the first Canon of the Synod of Neocaesarea in 314 or 325, and Can. Apost., xxvi. The Synod of Elvira about 300 had decreed absolute celibacy for all clerks in the West, Can. xxxiii, ib., pp. 238-239); priests already married may keep their wives (the same law applied to deacons and subdeacons: Can. vi of the Synod in Trullo, 692), but bishops must be celibate. As nearly all secular priests were married this meant that, as a general rule, bishops were chosen from the monasteries, and so these became, as they still are, the road through advancement may be attained (Fortesque A. Transcribed by Marie Jutras. Eastern Monasticism. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Copyright © 1911 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Thus, the celibacy requirement for clergy did not occur until the fourth century–and many did not abide by it for centuries in various areas.  Furthermore, a requirement for clerical celibacy contradicts the biblical teaching on this matter.

When the subject came up in the fourth century, a Greco-Roman bishop denounced it:

Paphnutius then was bishop of one of the cities in Upper Thebes: he was a man of such eminent piety, that extraordinary miraclas were done by him. In the time of the persecution he had been deprived of one of his eyes. The emperor honoured this man exceedingly, and often sent for him to the palace, and kissed the part where the eye had been torn out. So devout was the emperor Constantine. Having noticed this circumstance respecting Paphnutius, I shall explain. another thing which was wisely ordered in consequence of his advice, both for the good of the church and the honour of the clergy. It seemed fit to the bishops to introduce a new law into the church, that those who were in holy orders, I speak of bishops, presbyters, and deacons, should have no conjugal intercourse with the wives which they had married prior to their ordination. And when it was proposed to deliberate on this matter, Paphnutius having arisen in the midst of the assembly of bishops, earnestly entreated them not to impose so heavy a yoke on the ministers of religion: asserting that ” marriage is honourable among all, and the nuptial bed undefiled;” so that they ought not to injure the church by too stringent restrictions. ” For all men,” said he, ” cannot bear the practice of rigid continence ; neither perhaps would the chastity of each of their wives be preserved.” He termed the intercourse of a man with his lawful wife chastity. It would be sufficient, he thought, that such as had previously entered on their sacred calling should abjure matrimony, according to the ancient tradition of the church: but that none should be separated from her to whom, while yet unordained, he had been legally united…The whole assembly of the clergy assented to the reasoning of Paphnutius (Socrates Scholasticus. Book 1, Chapter XI. A History of the Church in Seven Books: From the Accession of Constantine, A.D. 305, to the 38th Year of Theodosius II, Inluding a Period of 140 Years. Published by S. Bagster, 1844. Original from Harvard University, pp. 53-54)

So as late as the early fourth century, the idea of required celibacy was opposed by most of the clergy.

The third reason to look into the celibacy issue is that the recent sex-pedophile scandals involving Roman Catholic priests have caused a number of Catholics to leave the Church of Rome. Thus, being willing to look at this matter may help if many do leave, so that this would give them a reason to return to Rome.

But the fourth reason, and perhaps major reason, that I have believed that celibacy requirements could be loosened is because it is a major goal of the Vatican to have the Eastern Orthodox, and as many of the Protestants as possible, unify with Rome. Although both biblical and certain Catholic prophecies warn against this, they both indicate that an ecumenical religion will be adopted by nearly all the world. And, based upon my understanding of biblical and Catholic prophecies, I believe that this will be a religion that calls itself “Catholic” but which changes many doctrines. And celibacy may be one of them. Especially, since the celibacy requirement was waived for the Anglicans in 2009 who wanted to become part of the Church of Rome (see Some Anglicans Starting to Accept Pope’s Offer of Unification).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Was Celibacy Required for Early Bishops or Presbyters? Some religions suggest this, but what does the Bible teach? What was the practice of the early church?
Did the Early Christian Church Practice Monasticism? Does God expect or endorse living in a monastery or nunnery?
Were the Early Duties of Elders/Pastors Mainly Sacramental? What was there Dress? Were the duties of the clergy primarily pastoral or sacramental? Did the clergy dress with special liturgical vestments? Can “bishops” be disqualified as ministers of Christ based on their head coverings?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.
Why Should American Catholics Should Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster?

Xi Jinping

COGwriter

China has taken another step in its new fight against corruption:

10 March 2013

(Reuters) – China unveiled a government restructuring plan on Sunday, cutting cabinet-level entities by two and dissolving its powerful Railways Ministry, as the country’s new leaders look to boost efficiency and combat corruption…

“Currently, numerous operational, organizational and division of labor problems exist in State Council ministries,” State Council Secretary-General Ma Kai said in a speech on the plan to the National People’s Congress.

Ma added that “breach of duty, using positions for personal gain and corruption” under the structure had not been effectively constrained.

China’s president-in-waiting Xi Jinping and premier-designate Li Keqiang assume their new roles after the annual congress concludes next week.   http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/10/us-china-parliament-ministries-idUSBRE92900A20130310

Restructuring may help, but it is not enough?

Xi Jinping, in the past, has also stated he would try to reduce corruption by Chinese officials (China’s New Leader Formally Installed and Claims He Wants to Fight Corruption) and he even took the unusual step last month of encouraging the stopping luxury advertisements to attempt to reduce lust (China bans luxury ads in an attempt to fight corruption).

How effective the banning of advertisements and this latest restructuring will be to accomplish this can be debated. But it is interesting that the Chinese apparently have properly connected lust of the eyes with the sin of corruption. Notice some verses in the Bible that seem to do so:

16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. (1 John 2:16)

4…corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4)

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” (Romans 7:7)

It is quite true that governmental corruption is one of the significant risks that China’s government is now facing.   Covetousness, lust, and corruption are wrong, and certainly is not limited to Chinese government officials. Of course, then, attempting to reduce “the lust of the eyes” could be helpful.

The Bible also teaches against those who take bribes:

3…they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice (1 Samuel 8:3).

9 Do not gather my soul with sinners,
Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme,
And whose right hand is full of bribes. (Psalms 26:9-10)

23…Everyone loves bribes,
And follows after rewards.
They do not defend the fatherless,
Nor does the cause of the widow come before them. (Isaiah 1:23)

12 For I know your manifold transgressions
And your mighty sins:
Afflicting the just and taking bribes;
Diverting the poor from justice at the gate. (Amos 5:12)

So, taking steps intended to reduce government officials from taking bribes is a positive step.

Yet it is not just officials taking bribes, etc. that upsets Chinese citizens.

One of the things that most Westerners do not realize is that China officially has a system that prevents its citizens from agrarian areas from having the same rights as those in urban areas. It is called the hukou. Here is more information about that:

The hukou
Through a rigorous and rigid household registration system designed to control the movement of China’s 1.3 billion people, the central government classifies all its citizens as either city dwellers or rural peasants. The registration, also known in Chinese as hukou, determines not only a citizen’s residence but also what kind of social services individuals are eligible for…In Beijing, which has an estimated 5 million migrant workers, none of these people are allowed to obtain state-sponsored health care or schooling if their hukou is registered in their hometowns—which most likely it is. As a result, their children—many of whom are born in the Chinese capital—can only attend privately-run and unapproved schools. (Mong A, Gu B. In Beijing, 40,000 students stranded. MSNBC, August 19, 2011. http://behindthewall.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/19/7413538-in-beijing-40000-students-stranded?lite)

Even people who move from agrarian regions to the cities, still are registered as agrarian/rural and do not get the same rights or even education for their children. This disparity, combined with severe pollution, corruption, and a host of other problems, will affect China more than most realize. Some of this would be consistent with what Xi Jinping has suggested he will address, but it may end up being too little, too late.

Notice some observations from secular sources:

China will do anything to grow its economy, as the alternatives will lead to political unrest. A lot of peasants moved to the cities in search of higher-paying jobs during the go-go times. Because China lacks the social safety net of the developed world, unemployed people aren’t just inconvenienced by the loss of their jobs, they starve (this explains the high savings rate in China) and hungry people don’t complain, they riot. Once you look at what’s taking place in the Chinese economy through that lens, the decisions of its leaders start making sense, or at least become understandable. (Vitaliy N. Katsenelson. China: No Shortcut to Greatness. The Daily Reckoning, March 1, 2010)

So, China has to be careful. It is likely to have unrest, even though it is getting wealthier.

I have seen some reports where some have suggested that part of the reason for the huge air and water pollution problem in China is the corruption of bribe-taking officials. Notice something that the Wall Street Journal reported last month:

According to a series of newspaper reports, online versions of which appear to have vanished into the country’s not-so-thin air, more than 30 environmental and other officials from the Nantong area were implicated in a scandal that involves bribery and turning a blind eye to pollution problems. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2013/02/01/chinas-environmental-protection-racket/

And this pollution affects everyone’s health, thus could be a rallying point for protests against the Chinese government. Corruption hurts people.

Presuming its problems are not solved, China likely will have civil unrest, and at some point likely massive civil unrest. But, even taking small steps to reduce covetousness and make bribe-taking more difficult, could help some.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters Where did the Chinese people come from? This article provides information showing that the Chinese peoples must have known about various accounts in the Book of Genesis up until their dispersion after the Tower of Babel.
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: The Sabbath and Some of God’s Witness in China When did Christianity first come to China? And is there early evidence that they observed the seventh day sabbath?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?

A Shmura Matzo (Unleavened Bread is Used for Passover)

COGwriter

The Christian Passover for 2013 is Sunday evening, March 24th, after sunset which is when the 14th of Nisan begins.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said,  “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”  25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.  (1 Corinthians 11:23-32)

Notice that the Apostle Paul is basically teaching that examining oneself before taking Passover is required.  He also is teaching that if you will properly judge yourself you would not be subject to certain other judgments, and likely would be healthier.

Of course, most who profess Christ tend to think that they are just fine–but this is a danger as Jesus told certain Christians:

17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked —   18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.  19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.  (Revelation 3:17-19)

While the above warning has had application throughout history, it is intended specifically as a warning to end time Christians, the bulk of which are unknowingly Laodicean.  And those that do not believe that they need to change are in real danger of being Laodicean.  Those who compromise, which most in the COGs do, are Laodicean.  Is not know the time to consider this?

As far as human nature and the need for self-examination goes, here are some excerpts from an article that Al Portune wrote when he was part of the old WCG:

In JUST a short while YOU will be sitting down with a very select few people on this earth to partake of the PASSOVER. The Passover is a memorial of the death of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Partaking of the symbols of His broken body and shed blood means that YOU hsve been selected to know and understand God‘s purpose. Being chosen as one of the ELECT to know God‘s truth carries sobering responsibilities. We cannot approach this event lightly.

Prelude To the Holy Days

The Passover is the first event beginning again God’s annual season of Holy Days which reveal His plan of salvation for the whole world. That plan, hidden from the world in general, reveals why YOU cannot take this event lightly…

Self-examination…

This coming Passover is a vital time, whether you have taken the Passover many times or if this is your FIRST time. What does it mean to discern the Lord’s body? How can we eat and drink unworthily?…

God wants us to isolate a very basic and elementary perspective each year at the Passover. He wants us to focus on that elementary concept as we begin again to relive His plan of salvation for mankind. That elementary concept IS salvation. That’s what His plan is all about, whether it relates to US or the world.

Therefore, brethren, the Passover is a time for us to once again get down to the elementary precepts of our OWN salvation – our OWN relationship to God and His Work It is a time to examine OURSELVES. A time to look at YOU.

We can get so absorbed in our work or in the “deeper things,” the seemingly “important” things, that we can forget WE have to get and keep OURSELVES right with God. That’s what the Passover is all about.

There is never a time we can allow ourselves to get so busy or so important in our own eyes that we no longer need to get deadly serious about the elementary concepts of salvation that we so intimately associated with the Passover.

The Elementary Principles

No matter how long we have been in God’s Church or how spiritual we have become, we are still human beings with human nature. Not one of us will ever come to a place in this life when we can afford to forget what we are. Just before the Passover we should take another look – a long, good look !

What is man like?

“The heart [of man] is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9.)

“The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7).

Yes, this is the kind of nature all human beings have! And this is the time of year to especially remember that fact. It is also a time to rehearse and reaffirm what you have done with the knowledge that you have that kind of nature.

The truth of the matter is, human nature is alien to God and to His ways. Man’s heart is wickedly inclined. He is deceitful, totally opposed to the ways of God. Most men have never seen themselves this way. Most men do not have the slightest awareness they have this kind of nature – but it’s true. Satan, in hiding this truth from mankind, has done his work well!…

When God saw this genuine, heart- felt attitude, He put His Holy Spirit within you and begot you as His own child.

But that isn’t the end of the story!

Not the End…

God wants us to comprehend the REAL DEPTH OF THE EVIL, WICKEDNESS AND DECEITFULNESS that is in us. God is allowing us to live on WITH our fleshly natures and in an alien environment to teach us how really and profoundly EVIL we have been – and how often we still fall short.

We know that we have crucified the old man to the intent that. the body of sin (our very nature) might be destroyed (Rom. 6:6). We know that once we are resurrected or changed at Jesus’ return, we will be freed from this kind of nature (verse 7). But, until that time comes, we must reckon our- selves to be dead indeed unto sin, and living the righteous life (verse 11). The struggle then begins to “let not sin therefore reign in your MORTAL body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof” (verse 12).

Ready for Passover?

As we start the Holy Days again, it should be with a renewed eagerness. It should be with a more fervent desire to take those precious symbols because we know far more deeply their meaning to us and to the world…

Be READY to take the Passover!

(Portune A.  Are you ready to take the Passover< Good News, Jan-April 1971, pp. 8-11)

And that is part of why we need to examine ourselves.  For more information, you may wish to watch the video Preparing for Passover.

The Apostle Paul also wrote that Christians were to glory in their compromising tolerance and were to keep Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread:

6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.  8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  (1 Corinthians 5:6-8)

The Christian Passover for 2013 is Sunday, March 24th, after sunset which is when the 14th of Nisan begins.  The time to prepare for it is now.

Several articles of related interest may include:

Preparing for Passover The Apostle Paul taught that Christians should examine themselves prior to taking Passover. This YouTube video sermon gives suggestions on how to prepare.
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins? There is also a detailed YouTube video available titled History of the Christian Passover.
Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread How should Christians keep Passover, especially if they are by themselves. Why does the Church of God not require lambs for Passover? How does one keep the Days of Unleavened Bread?
Hebrew Calendar and “Postponements” This John Ogwyn writing explains why the use the of the Hebrew calendar and answers such questions as “Did Jesus Observe the Postponements?”
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled The Night to Be Observed.
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well.
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? This article supplies some biblical answers.
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like the beliefs held of the Continuing Church of God.
Why Bob Thiel Left the Living Church of God Several have speculated reasons, but here is the truth.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. These are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.

COGwriter

Sunday at two a.m., the USA and some other nations change their clocks to go off of Standard Time and back to Daylight Savings Time:

At 2 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, March 10, we’ll be springing our clocks forward – and losing an hour of the day – for Daylight Saving Time. The good news: sunset will be an hour later.   http://enfield.patch.com/articles/dont-forget-to-spring-ahead-daylight-saving-time-2013-begins-sunday-d5c2daa3

Because of that, sunset will be over an hour later next Friday.

Those of us who observe the weekly Sabbath from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday may wish to remember that.

Here is a link for Sunset Times for the U.S.A. (and international cities if longitudinal location is known).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Is Revelation 1:10 talking about Sunday or the Day of the Lord? Most Protestant scholars say Sunday is the Lord’s Day, but is that what the Bible teaches?
The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?
The Dramatic Story of Chinese Sabbathkeepers This reformatted Good News article from 1955 discusses Sabbath-keeping in China in the 1800s.
Is God Unreasonable? Some have suggested that if God requires Sabbath-keeping He is unreasonable. Is that true?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.