Church of God News

Dr. James Tabor, once part of the old Worldwide Church of God, had an article published titled Did Paul Invent the Virgin Birth?  Here is some of what he had published:

Paul never explicitly refers to Jesus’ virgin birth nor does he ever name either Mary or Joseph. What he does affirm is that Jesus pre-existed before his human birth and subsequently gave up his divine glory through his birth as a human being. He writes that Jesus “though existing in the form of God” emptied himself and took on human form, “being made in the likeness of humankind” (Philippians 2:6-7). He says further “though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). He has to be referring here, metaphorically, to the “riches” of Jesus’ pre-existence with God, since all our sources have Jesus born of a poor peasant family. Paul also writes “In the fullness of time God sent forth his Son, made of a woman . . .” (Galatians 4:4). The implication of these texts is that Jesus’ mother was merely the human receptacle for bringing Jesus into the world. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-d-tabor/did-paul-invent-the-virgin-birth_b_2355278.html

While in the article, Dr. Tabor does mention the accounts in Matthew and Luke, he also suggests that Roman mythology may have played a role in the “virgin birth” doctrine.

The Bible, and early writings, clearly support the fact that Jesus was born of a virgin (Mary). And the first suggestion of it precedes that Apostle Paul by centuries.

Was the Virgin Birth Prophesied?

It was if you believe what was written by the prophet Isaiah:

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14, NKJV throughout).

Does the Bible Teach that Jesus’ Birth Fulfilled Isaiah’s Writing?

Well, according to Matthew’s writings, the answer is yes:

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS (Matthew 1:18-25).

Luke also records some of how it would occur:

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her (Luke 1:26-38).

Did Any Early Church Leaders Specifically Teach a Virgin Birth?

Well yes, one of the most prominent of the church leaders in the second century taught the virgin birth.

Melito of Sardis wrote:

65. And indeed there were many other things proclaimed by numerous prophets concerning the mystery of the passover, which is Christ, to whom be the glory forever. Amen.

66. When this one came from heaven to earth for the sake of the one who suffers, and had clothed himself with that very one through the womb of a virgin, and having come forth as man, he accepted the sufferings of the sufferer through his body which was capable of suffering. And he destroyed those human sufferings by his spirit which was incapable of dying. He killed death which had put man to death…

70. This is the one who became human in a virgin, who was hanged on the tree, who was buried in the earth, who was resurrected from among the dead, and who raised mankind up out of the grave below to the heights of heaven…

104. This is the one who made the heavens and the earth, and who in the beginning created man, who was proclaimed through the law and prophets, who became human via the virgin, who was hanged upon a tree, who was buried in the earth, who was resurrected from the dead, and who ascended to the heights of heaven, who sits at the right hand of the Father, who has authority to judge and to save everything, through whom the Father created everything from the beginning of the world to the end of the age.

105. This is the alpha and the omega. This is the beginning and the end–an indescribable beginning and an incomprehensible end. This is the Christ. This is the king. This is Jesus. This is the general. This is the Lord. This is the one who rose up from the dead. This is the one who sits at the right hand of the Father. He bears the Father and is borne by the Father, to whom be the glory and the power forever. Amen (Melito of Sardis. On the Passover. Translation from Kerux: The Journal of Northwest Theological Seminary, Vol.4,1;May 1989).

Melito also wrote:

This is He who took a bodily form in the Virgin, and was hanged upon the tree, and was buried within the earth (Melito. Translation by Roberts and Donaldson. Fragment V. Online version copyright © 2001 Peter Kirby. http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/melito.html 11/18/06).

Virgin Birth Was A Difference Between Some True and Some False Christians in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries

Although he had his own problems, Origen noted that there were two groups that he considered to be “Ebionites” in the early third century, one who believed in the virgin birth (and that would be those who this paper suggests were also known as the Nazarenes) and those who did not:

Let it be admitted, moreover, that there are some who accept Jesus, and who boast on that account of being Christians, and yet would regulate their lives, like the Jewish multitude, in accordance with the Jewish law,—and these are the twofold sect of Ebionites, who either acknowledge with us that Jesus was born of a virgin, or deny this, and maintain that He was begotten like other human beings…(Origen. Contra Celsus, Book V, Chapter 61).

The true Christians in Africa were not those associated with Origen (please see what happened in Alexandria), nor those that denied the virgin birth. The true Christians were those professed Jesus and had practices similar to those of practices Jews (see also Revelation 2:9;3:9)–and they also believed in the virgin birth.

Anyway, while the writings of the Apostle Paul do support the idea of the virgin birth, the teaching preceded the Apostle Paul and was believed by true and some simply professing Christians.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include the following:

Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It? What does the Bible teach? What is claimed in The Da Vinci Code?
Jesus is God, But Became Flesh Was Jesus fully human and fully God or what?
Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity? Was Jesus born in a below ground cave? Was Jesus born below the “Church of the Nativity”? Were the wise men there?
Is Keeping Christmas a Sin? Is keeping Christmas acceptable for true Christians? What are some scriptures to consider?
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?
Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions Do you know much about Mary? Are the apparitions real? What happened at Fatima? What might they mean for the rise of the ecumenical religion of Antichrist? Are Protestants moving towards Mary? How do the Eastern/Greek Orthodox view Mary? How might Mary view her adorers?
Origin of the Marian Dogmas: Where Do Catholic Scholars Say The Four Dogmas of Mary Came From?

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce our latest video on our Bible New Prophecy YouTube channel.

21:16

Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?

Are you aware of the ecumenical movement?  Do you understand the biblical dangers of it?  Do you know what the World Council of Churches is supposed to be all about? Are you aware what has been happening recently with the Eastern Orthodox (see and )?

Did you know that in December 2013, Pope Francis’ representative essentially eliminated a ‘conservative order’ and said that they needed to abide by Vatican II (see also )?

Will there be signs and wonders that will help bring about ecumenical unity?  Is compromise away from the Bible what must occur for the type of unity that many Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic leaders want?

You can also download this in MP3 from http://tinyurl.com/m9m5da3

Our latest video is titled: WTO Trade Deal and the Rise of the European Beast Power.

Anti-Interim Government Demonstrators (Photo by Mohamed Elsayed)

COGwriter

Egypt’s ‘interim’ government has just jailed three secular-type leaders who were considered heroic symbols of the protests that resulted in the removal of Hosni Mubarak back in early 2011:

December 22, 2013

CAIRO — Three leading Egyptian activists were sentenced to three years in prison each on Sunday in a case brought over their role in recent protests, escalating a crackdown on dissent by the army-backed government.

Ahmed Maher, Ahmed Douma and Mohamed Adel are symbols of the protest movement that ignited the historic 2011 uprising against President Hosni Mubarak. Each one was also fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($7,200) by the court.

As the verdict was read, the courtroom erupted in chants of: “Down, down with military rule! We are in a state, not in a military camp!” The case stems from protests called in defiance of a law passed by the army-backed government in November that severely restricts the right to assembly.

Activists say the army-backed authorities, already pressing a fierce crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood movement of former President Mohamed Morsi, have in recent weeks started to target members of the secular activist movement.

That movement harnessed social media to touch off street protests unprecedented in Mubarak’s 30-year rule. The veteran autocrat mostly stifled protests using a powerful security apparatus that has reasserted itself since Morsi’s removal.

“It’s very significant, it’s not the first time we’ve seen Douma arrested and facing trial … But we haven’t see high profile activists actually sentenced to such a lengthy sentence,” said Heba Morayef, Egypt director with Human Rights Watch.  http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-egypt-court-jails-activists-over-protest/1815346.html

This suggests that the military-backed government in Egypt is getting even more desperate and is losing support not only from those who were supporters of ousted President Morsi (Egypt’s last elected president), but also some of his more secular opponents.

Egypt is not prophesied to remain an isolated nation as it currently is. Change will come, but that change will not end well.

The Bible shows that Egypt will end up in some type of end type confederation and that other nations will support it:

40 At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. (Daniel 11:40-42).

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

“‘Wail and say, “Alas for that day!” 3 For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near- a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. 4 A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will come upon Cush. When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away and her foundations torn down.

5 Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, Libya and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.

6 “‘This is what the LORD says:

“‘The allies of Egypt will fall and her proud strength will fail. From Migdol to Aswan they will fall by the sword within her, declares the Sovereign LORD. 7 “‘They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities. 8 Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are crushed.

9 “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush out of her complacency. Anguish will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come (Ezekiel 30:1-9, NIV).

So a confederation will form, Egypt will be part of it, it will be destroyed, and many of the nations that enter into a confederation with Egypt will suffer. Egypt will have involvement with the biblical King of the South.

Various ones have wondered if the final King of the South could be an Egyptian (a video of possibly related interest would be The Future King of the South is Rising).

This has been the position of various Church of God leaders and even some outside the COG for some time.

Notice a quote from the July 1963 Plain Truth article by Garner Ted Armstrong titled “And when you see the Abomination…” which helps demonstrate that:

Daniel was given specific visions of events to occur in OUR TIME!…Notice! And at the TIME OF THE END (this prophecy, then, is absolutely DATED as pertaining to OUR DAY, NOW) shall the king of the south push at him (the “king of the north”) and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over” (verse 40). Bible scholars have recognized the FIRST, TYPICAL fulfillment of this surprising prophecy, but have failed to see its LITERAL application to OUR TIMES!…

But what of the MODERN powers meant by these designations? Remember-the Bible is written, SPIRITUALLY and GEOGRAPHICALLY, from the point of view of PALESTINE! If you were to look on a map, and try to find two powers fitting this description, you would have a fairly easy task…Who else could this be, then, except the coming UNITED STATES OF EUROPE, a resurrection of the ancient ROMAN EMPIRE, Just as we have been fearlessly proclaiming…A rearmed GERMANY, heading up a final union…IN EUROPE -THIS is the Biblical KING OF THE NORTH!

The king of the South? EGYPT, of course. But not Egypt of today. Egypt of a few more years from now–Egypt as she continues to expand the U.A.R., bringing more and more of the North Africa Mohammedan nations into the same Afro-Arabian power block! (p. 22).

Although the U.A.R. (United Arab Republic) is no more, there are plans to bring more and more of the Islamic North African and Middle Eastern nations into a type of Afro-Arabian power block.

The late CG21’s Raymond McNair (who was also once part of WCG) wrote:

Daniel 11 also mentions some of the Mideast peoples who will be involved in that struggle among the nations at the close of this age. The belligerents will include the “King of the North,” the leader of the European Union (or its final outgrowth, called the “Beast”). The “King of the South” (an Islamic leader—apparently from Egypt {or} some other Muslim state) is also referred to. The following lands/peoples are specifically mentioned: Egypt, the Holy Land (Israel/Palestine), the Ethiopians (modern Cushites, south of Egypt), Libya, Edom, Moab and Ammon. Many descendants of the ancient peoples known as Edomites or Idumeans now live in the West Bank, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Arabia, Yemen, the Persian Gulf states, etc. (McNair R. Solving the Arab-Israeli Impasse! Copyright Raymond F. McNair 2005, Church of God—21st Century).

Notice that Raymond McNair realizes that Egypt or some other Muslim country is where the king of the South will come from and that the term translated as Ethiopians really means the Cushite peoples who live in southern Egypt as well as elsewhere.

It may be of interest to note that the following from the Bible:

6 The burden against the beasts of the South. Through a land of trouble and anguish, From which came the lioness and lion, The viper and fiery flying serpent, They will carry their riches on the backs of young donkeys, And their treasures on the humps of camels, To a people who shall not profit; (Isaiah 30:6, NKJV)

7 Egypt is all show, no substance. My name for her is Toothless Dragon. (Isaiah 30:7, THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language)

Isaiah 30:6-7 seems to tie the “beasts of the South” with “the Egyptians,” which is further support that the Egyptians will most likely have significant involvement with the king of the South.

Change is going to come to Egypt.  Arresting and jailing protestors will not stop Bible prophecy from being fulfilled.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Egypt in Prophecy Does Egypt have a special role in end time prophecy? Will Egypt rise up and then be defeated. What does God teach will happen to those in Egypt?
Egypt and End Time Prophecy What will happen in Egypt? Might the Muslim Brotherhood have some type of role? Could the final ‘King of the South’ on Daniel 11 come from Egypt? What does the Bible teach? Will the Islamists get the type of caliphate confederation that they have longed for? Will there be a confederation of North African and Middle Eastern nations? If so, how will this end up? What does the Bible specifically teach about what will happen to Egypt and the Egyptians? Might the Nubians also be affected? What about others? This is a YouTube video.
The Future King of the South is Rising Does the Bible teach that there will be a future King of the South in Daniel 11? Is this kingdom rising up now? Did the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG) teach that there would be another one? And who is the King of the South? How will this involve Egypt? Is the final King of the South some type of Arab-Muslim confederation? Can Iran be involved? Is there a group that seems to be supporting the goals of the King of the South? Has the Obama Administration supported the rise of this power? This sermon video answers those questions.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?
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. This is a YouTube video.
What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy Do you know the Turkish people descended from? Did the Ottoman Empire possibly fulfill a promise in Genesis? Will Turkey support the European King of the North or Arabic King of the South? Will it betray one of them? Will Turkey be involved in the encouraging the destruction of Israel? Is Turkey going to become Catholic? Is Turkey mentioned in Psalm 83, Daniel 11, and elsewhere in the Bible? This video provides answers.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran in Prophecy. Here is a related video Iran In Prophecy.
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.

COGwriter

Life, Hope, & Truth, the public proclamation website of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association (COGWA), had the following announcement:

Today, Monday, Dec. 16, 2013, we are excited to offer, free of charge, this bimonthly, online e-magazine that will give you insight based on an in-depth analysis of God’s Word, the Bible. For example, here are some of the articles you will find in this first issue (Kilough C. Discern. http://lifehopeandtruth.com/speaking-of/discern/ viewed 12/22/13)

So, finally it has what it considers to be a magazine for its public proclamation website.

To put this in perspective, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) produced its first Bible News Prophecy magazine within five weeks of its formation, and also printed it. CCOG’s Bible News Prophecy magazine has also been produced in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Tagalog), with additional languages (Kiswahili and Telugu) expected to be available within few weeks or so. For COGWA to take three years to produce its first an online proclamation magazine helps demonstrate that gospel proclamation was not really a priority.

As far as stated organizational goals, in a member letter dated 8/19/11, COGWA’s Board stated the following:

Of the three major steps needed to establish a permanent governance and administrative system, two are now complete—we have selected our form of governance, and the Ministerial Board of Directors has now been named. A remaining major step is for the MBOD to name a president and to approve the management team he selects…If we are right in God’s sight, then He will bless us in what we do. If we are not right then we will struggle and eventually fail…

We commit to you that our greatest priority will be the spiritual strength and spiritual growth of the Church…

We are committed to preaching that gospel to this world and teaching God’s way of life. We may be small, but there are ways to harness the powers of technology to proclaim a witness to the truth of God with a bigger and more effective voice. We are committed to getting this done!

We are committed to preserving and defending the doctrinal integrity of the Church of God and to helping the Church become stronger through being grounded in the true doctrines of Christ.

The above appears to be COGWA’s four priorities and in the order of importance to its Board.  It spent its first 8 months of official existence mainly on trying to work out its governance (COGWA is a split from the United Church of God and all of its board members were once affiliated with Herbert W. Armstrong).

As far as “feeding the flock” this seems to be the second listed priority, followed by its hope to do public proclamation, followed by its commitment to doctrinal integrity.  These priorities seem neither hot nor cold  (cf. Revelation 3:14-16).  Jesus seemed to list priorities in a different order than COGWA in Matthew 28:19-20.

In a letter to COGWA’s membership dated 3/15/2011, Clyde Kilough wrote:

The obvious affordable vehicle we have for immediate use to launch gospel proclamation efforts is the Internet, and what a tool it is—the tool that reaches literally the entire world! We’ve never come close to tapping its full potential, but we certainly can begin carving out our niche. It doesn’t matter that we may be a small flock; with the power of the Internet, the gospel message has the very real capability of reaching farther, and with greater impact, than ever before. Furthermore, this is the media device that offers the greatest opportunity for broad-based ministerial and member participation. We should note that by no means does this exclude other formats of media presentation—print, radio, television, etc.

Basically it has appeared that COGWA said that it would use the internet as its primary means of preaching the gospel to the world.

Many groups have claimed that they would utilize the internet as their main form of media to have an impact on the world.  FWIW, as of 12/22/2013, the Alexa (an independent ranking source) popularity rank of COGWA’s website was 499,585, while the rank for COGwriter.com was 108.682. Essentially what this means is that even though COGWA has claimed about 9,000 members and 170+ ministers/elders, its now preferred gospel proclamation vehicle is considerably less popular than the this (www.cogwriter.com) website.

As far as its public proclamation website, Life, Hope, & Truth, as of 12/05/2012, it had an Alexa ranking of 635,798. So, three years after COGWA officially formed, the impact of the Continuing Church of God (which began over two years after COGWA) seems to have 4-10 times the effectiveness of COGWA in public proclamation. And this does not count the radio interviews that I have done (COGWA does not seem to do radio interviews, at least not often).

While finally having a magazine such as Discern is a step in the right direction, but after three years, COGWA, in my view at least, has demonstrated that it does not have the proclamation fruits or priority to proclaim the gospel like a Philadelphian Church of God remnant group would do.  Those who truly discern should be able to figure out that COGWA’s emphasis on public proclamation is not hot:

14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:  15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.  16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.  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.  20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.  21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘” (Revelation 3:14-22).

Do you have an ear to hear?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Concerns about Church of God, a Worldwide Association This seems to be the largest group that came out of the United Church of God. Here is some history and concerns about it.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from evangelists?
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.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. These are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.
The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government What form of governance did the early church have? Was it hierarchical? Which form of governance would one expect to have in the Philadelphia remnant? The people decide and/or committee forms, odd dictatorships, or the same type that the Philadelphia era itself had?
Unity: Which COG for You? Why so many groups? Why is there lack of unity in the Churches of God? Has it always been this way? What can/should be done about it?
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing?  This is a sermonette length video.
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章，其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中，准备添加到这个网站中。
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.

Representation of Cave Grotto, Vatican City, January 2010

COGwriter

Was Jesus born in a cave?

Many seem to think so.  Are there any prophetic ramification as to what was allegedly born in a cave on December 25th?

The Bible contains some information about the place of Jesus’ birth:

1…Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king…(Matthew 2:1, NKJV throughout)

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:4-7)

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…(John 1:14)

Whether Jesus was born in a building for humans and then moved to a manger is not specified. But what is specified is that he was laid in a manger, which is a place that fodder (like hay) was placed to feed livestock such as cattle and sheep.

While the Gospel accounts do not so specify, Justin Martyr (and the group that he apparently supported) believed that Jesus was born in a cave.

The Catholic Encyclopedia even cites Justin’s statements for partial “proof” of the speculation of a cave birth:

About 150 we find St. Justin Martyr referring (Dialogue with Trypho 78) to the Savior’s birth as having taken place in a cave near the village of Bethlehem ; such cave stables are not rare in Palestine. (Cf. Massie in Hast., Dict. of the Bible, III, 234; Expository Times, May, 1903, 384; Bonaccorsi, “Il Natale”, Rome, 1903, 16-20.) The tradition of the birth in a cave was widely accepted…It is reproduced also in the apocryphal gospels (Pseudo-Matt., xiii…) (Arbez, Edward. Bethlehem. The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. Nihil Obstat. 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.  New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 26 Dec. 2009 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02533a.htm>).

It is disappointing that the Church of Rome actually refers to Justin’s statements (which have to be referring to an above ground cave) as partial proof that Helena picked the correct location with the “grotto of the nativity.” It also should be pointed out that Justin’s location is interpreted to have Jesus born near Bethlehem–but the Bible says Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1).

Scholars realize that those who followed Mithraism not only claimed that their god was born in a cave, they also believe that he was born on December 25th.

While Justin was aware of Mithras legends of a cave birth, those who were part of the Mithras religion were perhaps even more aware of it.

Therefore, it should be of little surprise that in the fourth century, the mother of the Mithras-following Emperor Constantine in 326-327 A.D. authorized the construction of the so-called “Church of the Nativity” over a 20 feet below ground cave location (Herring G. An introduction to the history of Christianity: from the early church to the Enlightenment. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2006, p. 54;  Kitto J, Taylor J.  The popular cyclopadia of Biblical literature: condensed from the larger work.  Gould and Lincoln, 1854. Original from Harvard University, Digitized Oct 23, 2007, p. 150 ).

Because of its steepness and depth, this is a location that would be basically impossible for cattle and/or sheep to be able to be herded in and out of.  Others have also realized that and properly concluded that Jesus was not possibly born in the cave that Constantine’s mother Helena was led to believe He was (for details, see the much longer article Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity?).

Are there any prophetic ramifications to the idea of a deity/religious figure being born in a cave?

Alexander Hislop seemed to think so. Notice what he wrote:

Now, in remembrance of the birth of the god out of a “hole in the earth,” the Mysteries were frequently celebrated in caves under ground. This was the case in Persia, where, just as Tages was said to be born out of the ground, Mithra was in like manner fabled to have been produced from a cave in the earth. *

* JUSTIN MARTYR. It is remarkable that, as Mithra was born out of a cave, so the idolatrous nominal Christians of the East represent our Saviour as having in like manner been born in a a cave. (See KITTO’s Cyclopoedia, “Bethlehem”) There is not the least hint of such a thing in the Scripture.

Numa of Rome himself pretended to get all his revelations from the Nymph Egeria, in a cave. In these caves men were first initiated in the secret Mysteries, and by the signs and lying wonders there presented to them, they were led back, after the death of Nimrod, to the worship of that god in its new form. This Apocalyptic beast, then, that “comes up out of the earth,” agrees in all respects with that ancient god born from a “hole in the ground”; for no words could more exactly describe his doing than the words of the prediction (v 13): “He doeth great wonders, and causeth fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men,…and he causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” This wonder-working beast, called Nebo, or “The Prophet,” as the prophet of idolatry, was, of course, the “false prophet.” By comparing the passage before us with Revelation 19:20, it will be manifest that this beast that “came up out of the earth” is expressly called by that very name: “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.” As it was the “beast from the earth” that “wrought miracles” before the first beast, this shows that “the beast from the earth” is the “false prophet”; in other words, is “Nebo.”

If we examine the history of the Roman empire, we shall find that here also there is a precise accordance between type and antitype…the old Pagan title of Pontiff was restored, it was, through means of the corrupt clergy, symbolised, as is generally believed, and justly under the image of a beast with horns, like a lamb; according to the saying of our Lord, “Beware of false prophets, that shall come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”(Hislop A. Two Babylons. 1858)

Notice the following scripture about the second beast of Revelation 13:

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. (Revelation 13:11)

Mithras (sometimes spelled Mithra) was a sun-god. Mithraism seemed to enter the Roman Empire about a century before Jesus was crucified. Mithras was believed to have been born out of a rock in an “underground cavern” (Ulansey D. The origins of the Mithraic mysteries: cosmology and salvation in the ancient world. Oxford University Press US, 1991, p. 36). Hence a deity that supposedly came up out of the earth.

Furthermore, when was the sun god Mithra supposedly born in a cave? The Catholic Encyclopedia reports the following:

Mithra was born of a mother-rock by a river under a tree. He came into the world with the Phrygian cap on his head (hence his designation as Pileatus, the Capped One), and a knife in his hand…Sunday was kept holy in honour of Mithra…The 25 December was observed as his birthday, the natalis invicti, the rebirth of the winter-sun, unconquered by the rigours of the season. (Arendzen J.P. Transcribed by John Looby. Mithraism. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York)

So, Mithra was allegedly born in some type of a cave, wearing a cap, and holding a knife.

(An article of related interest may also be Do You Practice Mithraism?)

Basically, many aspects of the modern papacy arose out of Mithraism (as well as some doctrines of Simon Magus and others). Emperor Constantine was a follower of Mithras and was Pontifex Maximus. After he modified and encouraged the Greco-Roman church, the papacy was formed, and that church became militaristic. While there had been bishops of Rome for nearly two centuries prior to Constantine, it was not until the fourth century that the Roman bishops took upon themselves the title of Pontifex Maximus nor had they seemingly supported war prior to Constantine (see also
Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare or Encourage Violence?).  It was also not until after Constantine that they begin to wear certain head coverings like mitres (which seems to at least partially derive from the term Mithra or Mitra, see Were the Early Duties of Elders/Pastors Mainly Sacramental? What was there Dress?).

While there are other reasons why Revelation 13:11-17 refers to a compromising ‘antipope,’ the cave connection and other Mithratic connections, which the Church of Rome essentially teaches (it praises Emperor Constantine and falsely teaches the cave birth of Jesus), seems like a fairly direct one.

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity? Was Jesus born in a below ground cave? Was Jesus born below the “Church of the Nativity”? Were the wise men there?
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity?
Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare or Encourage Violence? Here are current and historical perspectives on a matter which show the beliefs of the true church on military participation. Is war proper for Christians? A related sermon would be: Christians, Violence, and Military Service.
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?
Simon Magus, What Did He Teach? Sometimes called “the father early heretics” or the “father of heresies”, do you know what early writers claimed that Simon Magus taught? Sadly, most who profess Christ still hold to versions of his teachings.
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. You can also watch a video titled What Does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It? What does the Bible teach? What is claimed in The Da Vinci Code?
Is Keeping Christmas a Sin? Is keeping Christmas acceptable for true Christians? What are some scriptures to consider?
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god? Here is a link to a related sermon: What do Catholic and other scholars teach about Christmas?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?

COGwriter

Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame was suspended for voicing some of his religious beliefs.  These are not new beliefs as he voiced similar beliefs back on 2010.  Of course, back then homosexual marriage had not been allowed in 18 states as it seems to be now (a judge in Utah just approved it and homosexual are now starting to marry in Utah).

Here are some reports about concerns that some have about the Phil Robertson matter (bolding mine):

December 21, 2013Bristol Palin, one-time Dancing With the Stars competitor and daughter of former Gov. Sarah Palin, is now joining those backing Phil Robertson’s right to speak out against homosexuality.

The patriarch of the Duck Dynasty TV show was put on “indefinite hiatus” by the A&E cable channel after he compared homosexuality with bestiality in an interview with GQ magazine.

“Everyone needs to leave Phil Robertson alone for expressing his beliefs,” wrote Bristol Palin in a blog post. I think it’s so hypocritical how the LGBT community expects every single flippen person to agree with their life style.   This flies in the face of what makes America great – people can have their own beliefs and own opinions and their own ways of life.

Everyone needs to treat others like God would, with love. ”  http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2013/1221/Bristol-Palin-Why-she-backs-Duck-Dynasty-patriarch-s-views-on-homosexuality

On Friday, GOP congressional candidate Ian Bayne went all in, comparing Robertson to civil rights icon Rosa Parks.

“In December 1955, Rosa Parks took a stand against an unjust societal persecution of black people, and in December 2013, Robertson took a stand against persecution of Christians,” Bayne said in an email to supporters.

“What Parks did was courageous,” he added. “What Mr. Robertson did was courageous too.”

Robertson’s anti-gay remarks in an interview with GQ comparing homosexuality to bestiality have received quite a bit of attention.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/20/ian-bayne-duck-dynasty_n_4480745.html?utm_hp_ref=politics&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D422574

“Duck Dynasty” is an American reality television series revolving around the lives of the Robertson family of West Monroe, Louisiana, headed by Phil Robertson, 67, whose claim to fame–and fortune—are the duck calls he manufactures, tools hunters use to lure ducks within firing range.

In a recent interview for a magazine, Robertson called homosexuality a sin and compared gays to terrorists.  He also made some disparaging remarks about blacks in the South before Civil Rights, implying that life was just fine for African Americans under segregation.

As a result, the TV network that airs the show suspended Phil indefinitely.

“His personal views in no way reflect those of A&E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely,” A&E statement to Variety Magazine.

His family admits his remarks were “coarse,” but are based on his evangelical Christian values, and they say they won’t continue the show without him.

The Human Rights Campaign and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People sent a joint letter to the president of A&E, saying, “These remarks go beyond being outlandishly inaccurate and offensive. They are dangerous and revisionist, appealing to those in our society who wish to repeat patterns of discrimination,” and calling for apologies from Robertson.

But some prominent political figures have jumped to his defense, arguing for his right to free speech—among them, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican and possible candidate for 2016 presidential elections.

“In a free society, anyone is free to disagree with him–but the mainstream media should not behave as the thought police censoring the views with which they disagree,” he wrote on his  Facebook page.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, another possible 2016 White House candidate, said, “Phil Robertson and his family are great citizens of the State of Louisiana. The politically correct crowd is tolerant of all viewpoints, except those they disagree with.”

And even comedian Jon Stewart, known for testing the limits on the other side of the political spectrum, defends Robertson’s right to say something “ignorant” and not get kicked off television for it.

I’m going to hold back my own opinion, but I will offer a few facts and questions to consider:

• Free speech is guaranteed to all Americans by the Constitution’s First Amendment.  It also means that television networks are free to air what they choose.  And frequently, they choose reality television, which is cheap to produce and gets big ratings.

• For decades now, TV watchers have peeked into the lives of the rich and poor: Fashion designers, beauty queens, brides-to-be, polygamists and prison guards. Nowadays, we see a lot of “rednecks,” a derisive term Robertson uses himself to describe folks who often don’t have a lot of education (although Robertson was a college football player) and earn a living with their hands. For the sake of TV ratings, the trend seems to be the weirder the better: Bounty hunters, hog trackers, exterminators and alligator wrestlers are all testing not only the limits of “free speech” but good taste as well.

• Audiences are eating it up.  Duck Dynasty’s recent Christmas show earned 9 million viewers. So why are we stunned that the patriarch of a family well-paid to make outrageous, offensive,  disparaging remarks insulted minority groups?

So what do you think?  Should Robertson be punished for speaking his mind?   http://blogs.voanews.com/repressed/2013/12/20/us-duck-dynasty-crying-fowl-over-free-speech-rights/?from=lister

No, Phil Robertson should not be punished for quoting the Bible about sins such as homosexuality.  The ‘founding fathers’ of the USA were concerned about governmental restrictions or other interference with religion and speech, and hence introduced and approved a set of amendments called the ‘Bill of Rights.’ Here is what the first amendment to the Constitution of the USA states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Notice that because it also discusses religion in the same amendment that obviously speech that involves religious beliefs is supposed to be a basic right. Yet many in the government and media do not want true freedom of speech or religion.  Some have realized that this is what the suspension of Phil Robertson is all about.

I saw one commentator basically state that, in his view, freedom of religion meant that you can think what you want, but not state it if people like him disapprove.

That being said, private companies such as A&E can suspend whoever they want for almost any reason that they want. But since it does not look like Phil Robertson was suspended for the race-related comments or poor job performance, but instead because he stated religious beliefs that seem consistent with the Bible, the suspension is of course morally wrong and in basic violation of scriptures such as Romans 1:18-32.

The following comment from a CNN report shows that Phil Robertson still has a lot of support as not all Americans approve of the homosexual agenda:

Since its Wednesday decision to “indefinitely” suspend Phil Robertson, one of the stars of its highly rated reality series, A&E has yet to publicly clarify what the future of the show might be, what they’ll do with their block of reruns, or even what it really means to be “indefinitely” suspended.

The network’s lack of communication has done nothing to stem the tide of detractors who strongly disagree with its decision to put Robertson on the bench over remarks quoted in GQ magazine, in which he called homosexuality a sin, citing the Bible. A Change.org petition demanding that Robertson be reinstated and the network issue an apology was steadily climbing toward 100,000 signatures Friday.

A separate petition at a website called IStandWithPhil.com makes a similar appeal. Hosted by the online community Faith Driven Consumers, the website helps its members spend their money with companies that fall in line with their spiritual beliefs. The petition on IStandWithPhil.com had surpassed 130,000 signatures by Friday evening.

Those who’ve signed the IStandWithPhil.com petition are asking for their “views (to) be treated with equality and respect in America’s rich rainbow of diversity,” and for the “network to immediately reinstate Mr. Robertson to ‘Duck Dynasty,’ and to formally apologize to him, his family, and the millions of viewers who tune in every week, stand by him, and share his worldview.”

“While the LGBT community may be offended by his opposing viewpoint,” that webstite continues, “your rash, discriminatory, and unfair treatment toward Mr. Robertson — a recognized symbol of the faith community — is a slap in the face to Faith Driven Consumers and everyday Americans alike.”  http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/20/showbiz/tv/duck-dynasty-boycott/

Phil Robertson may end up ‘benefiting from all of this, but it also shows that it is getting more difficult to state religious beliefs in the USA.

The Bible warns of time that standing for moral principles will be difficult. Notice:

20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21)

The time is sadly here now when many call good evil and evil good.

The Bible teaches that a famine of the word is coming (Amos 8:11-12; cf. Romans 10:14-15). The time will come when the government will stifle the message of the Continuing Church of God, probably in the name of “tolerance” and/or calling parts of the message “hate speech” (they may also cite national security and other such concerns)–and perhaps they will simply have internet service providers and/or internet hosting companies do it on its behalf. What happened to Phil Robertson is not even really a foretaste about how bad it will get. But it does show how bad things are heading in the USA.

For now Phil Robertson has many supporters. Yet, more and more direct and indirect pressures to not speak out on moral issues is coming.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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?
God Created Marriage Some falsely claim that God did not create marriage and that fornication is fine. What does the Bible really teach?
Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children. What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on? There is also a YouTube video on this, titled Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children.
Why Marriage? Soon Obsolete? This is a booklet from Herbert Armstrong on this important topic.
Here’s the Plain Truth About OLD TESTAMENT POLYGAMY by Herbert Armstrong. He explains various passages in the Old Testament and New about why polygamy is not God’s way.
Love, Marriage, and Sex It is important to get them in the right order.
God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (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-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?
Will the Anglo-Saxon 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? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.

Edward Snowden (Laura Poitras /Praxis Films)

COGwriter

Edward Snowden apparently has so much information that at least one Obama Administration official believes that it can cause damage of biblical proportions:

Last month British and U.S. intelligence officials speculated Snowden had in his possession a “doomsday cache” of intelligence information, including the names of undercover intelligence personnel stationed around the world.

“Sources briefed on the matter” told Reuters that such a cache could be used as an insurance policy in the event Snowden was captured, and that, “the worst was yet to come.”

The officials cited no hard evidence of such a cache, but indicated it was a possible worst-case-scenario. Some version of that scenario appears to have come true.

“It’s only accessible for a few hours a day, and is triple encrypted to the point where no one can break it,” the official said of the data cloud where Snowden has likely hidden the information.

According to the official, there are at least two others in possession of the code to access the information, and, “if we nail him — he’ll release the data.”

“Everything you don’t want the enemy to know, he has,” the official said. “Who we’re listening to, what we’re after — they’d shut us down.”

The damage would be “of biblical proportions,” the official said.  http://dailycaller.com/2013/12/17/dod-official-snowden-stole-everything-literally-everything/#ixzz2o7dvY7oy

Herman Van Rompuy: EU wants to speed up signing of agreement with Moldova, Georgia

As EU leaders gather in Brussels for the last EU summit of the year, European Council president Herman Van Rompuy said that Brussels is ready to sign an association agreement with Moldova and Georgia by August next year.

Speaking about Ukraine, Van Rompuy also said that ‘on behalf of the entire EU Council, I can say that the offer of a political association and closer trade ties with Ukraine is still on the table. We are ready to sign as soon as the country is ready.’
SOURCE: http://www.euractiv.com/video/herman-van-rompuy-eu-wants-speed-532546

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce its latest suggested sermon: What do Catholic and other scholars teach about Christmas?, which is at its ContinuingCOG channel.

Was December 25th observed by early Christians? Since that date does not come from the Bible, where did it come from? Whose birthday do Catholic and other scholars teach occurred on December 25th? Is December 25th a date that real Christians should observe? When was it first observed in Rome and Constantinople? When did the term ‘Christmas” begin to appear?  Are practices associated with Christmas Christian?

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity? Was Jesus born in a below ground cave? Was Jesus born below the “Church of the Nativity”? Were the wise men there?
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity?
Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It? What does the Bible teach? What is claimed in The Da Vinci Code?
Is Keeping Christmas a Sin? Is keeping Christmas acceptable for true Christians? What are some scriptures to consider?
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god?  Here is a link to a related sermon: What do Catholic and other scholars teach about Christmas?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?

Representation of Bethlehem Birth, Vatican City, January 2010

COGwriter

An archeologist has claimed that there is evidence that Jesus was born in a different Bethlehem than the one many believe He was born in.

The Bible says the place of Jesus Christ’s birth was the town of Bethlehem of Judea, but one archaeologist says the Christian savior was more likely born in a different Bethlehem that is farther from Jerusalem.

Aviram Oshri, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), told NPR that he has conducted extensive excavations in Bethlehem of the Galilee, and has found artifacts there which suggest that the traditionally held view of where Jesus was born may be incorrect.

“I think the genuine site of the nativity is here rather than in the other Bethlehem near Jerusalem,” said Oshri.

In Bethlehem of the Galilee, Oshri says he has discovered stone vessels that were used by Jews during the same time period that Jesus lived. Excavators also discovered evidence of what was once a large, ornate church – Oshri says the church suggests that Christians also once believed the site to be the place of Christ’s birth – as well as parts of a wall that may have been built by emperor Justinian to protect the village.

“It makes much more sense that Mary rode on a donkey, while she was at the end of the pregnancy, from Nazareth to Bethlehem of Galilee which is only seven kilometers rather than the other Bethlehem which is 150 kilometers,” he said, according to NPR. http://www.christianpost.com/news/archaeologist-believes-jesus-was-born-in-a-different-bethlehem-87317/#0MsAwGYHHDvHUxsA.99

Interestingly, when he was asked if he thought that this would change people’s attachment to the other Bethlehem site, he said no. I, too, have found that once people make up their minds about something, they often will not consider the facts.  But on the Bethlehem matter, while I am not certain which Bethlehem, I am certain that Jesus was not born in a cave (see Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity?).

In November of 2012, a book from then Pope Benedict XVI questioned a couple of Christmas traditions:

The three wise men from the Christmas story, Benedict concedes, could be inspired by a “theological idea” rather than by a “historical event,” though he says he prefers a more literal interpretation of the biblical account…

Benedict also recalls that, according to the Gospels, there are no animals in the Bethlehem stable to warm the newborn Jesus. But, he adds, no Nativity scene would be complete without them…Killjoy Pope crushes Christmas nativity traditions: New Jesus book reveals there were no donkeys beside crib, no lowing oxen and definitely no carols (see also Pope Benedict Questions Some Christmas Traditions).

There are many other traditions associated with Christ’s birth, including the fact that it is seems impossible that He could have been born in the Winter. And, of course, symbols that many now associate with His birth, like Santa Claus and Christmas trees were not related to Jesus’ actual birth by any of the early Christians either.

Some people care, most do not.

But all should remember that Jesus taught:

23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

And the truth is the truth.

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity? Was Jesus born in a below ground cave? Was Jesus born below the “Church of the Nativity”? Were the wise men there?
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity?
Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It? What does the Bible teach? What is claimed in The Da Vinci Code?
Is Keeping Christmas a Sin? Is keeping Christmas acceptable for true Christians? What are some scriptures to consider?
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god?  Here is a link to a related sermon: What do Catholic and other scholars teach about Christmas?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?

Severely Obese Male

COGwriter

The USA spends a lot of money on health care, yet mainly because of lifestyle choices its residents are less healthy than those of many other lands (the USA is 26th out of 36 ranked nations):

December 20, 2013

WASHINGTON — Americans have the most expensive health care system in the world, although they don’t have the most efficient one. Additionally, they don’t get the most for their money. That’s the assessment of two recent studies of health care in the U.S. Now, researchers paying more attention to where the money goes and what changes can be made to improve health care.U.S. health care costs have doubled in the last 30 years, but Americans are not necessarily healthier than they were in the 1980’s. Hamilton Moses analyzed the changes and trends and published his findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association.“All of our information comes from publicly available sources. That’s a very important point. This is freely available information, although the challenge was to compile it in a way that was interpretable,” said Moses.

The researchers found Americans spent between $2.5 trillion and $3 trillion dollars on health care in 2011, more than any other developed country. The report highlights two major factors that are driving up costs.

The first is that the price of medical and administrative services has gone up, along with the cost of drugs, procedures and devices.

Moses says Americans’ love of technology is part of the problem.”The U.S. has a technology bias. We have a technology preference. We look to technology for the solution of all problems,” explained Moses.

The second factor is simple to identify, but more complex to address. Poor lifestyle habits, such smoking and over-eating, have resulted in epidemic levels of obesity and diabetes as well as heart disease, joint pain and lung diseases.  Managing chronic disease is expensive.“We have not invested heavily in chronic care management or for that matter in health care service innovation nearly to the degree that we have in medical technology,” said Moses.Many of these diseases can be prevented though exercise, diet and maintaining a healthy weight, yet in the U.S. prevention has not historically been part of medical care. Consulting with a nutritionist, either by phone or in person, or participating in wellness activities can be expensive, and those services are not normally covered by health insurance.

“The overall amount of spending that occurs with people who have chronic illness is about 85 percent of the total,” said Moses.

Moses’ research shows that those who spend the most on chronic disease are not elderly, and that their investment in care does not guarantee a long life.

Meanwhile, a new report from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development shows that the U.S. spends between 250% to 300% of what other member nations spend. Despite that, the United States trails other developed countries in life expectancy, coming in at 26th place out of the 36 members of the organization.  http://www.voanews.com/content/studies-americans-sicker-citizens-other-developed-countries/1814245.html

Cost associated with USA bureaucracy and its legal system are also major factors driving total costs, but those were not directly mentioned in the above article.  The article also failed to mention that the USA probably consumes more genetically-modified ‘foods’ than perhaps all other nations.  The Bible warns about eating that which is not bread (Isaiah 55:2), and between GMOs, artificial additives, and processed foods, most in the USA are eating a lot ‘food’ which is not wholesome, as well as often eating too much.  Even though the Bible teaches that ‘bodily exercise profits a little’ (1 Timothy 4:8), most Americans are not active enough.

The above study seems to hint that Americans hope that medical technology is the answer to their often improper lifestyle choices.  This is expensive, and as the above study indicates, has not been particularly effective.  Furthermore, as costs go up, more and more Americans expect other Americans to pay for their healthcare.  This is becoming more of a problem and thus far government ‘solutions’ have been found to greatly increase costs.  The ‘way of get’ is not the best way for any nation, but that culture is growing in the USA.

Health issues and healthcare costs are factors that are demonstrating that the USA is no longer going to remain the economic leader of the world.

As far as being obese, those who aree also face day-to-day problems in their lives. Many activities are more difficult for them. In addition to health issues, they also tend to be a greater risk of employment discrimination, pay discrimination, and face a variety of social challenges greater than those of the non-obese population.  And although obesity is a multi-factorial problem, all who are overweight, even the irreligious, can eat less, try to avoid chemical additives, be more physically active (1 Timothy 4:8), and make better food and food quantity choices.

The end of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon descended allies is coming. There is no prophecy in scripture that I believe even hints that a country like the current USA will exist after the King of the North succeeds (cf. Daniel 11:39, which seems to be the only reference to the USA in that chapter, and shows its conquering and division). National repentance, which does not seem likely at this stage, is the only hope. But individuals themselves can turn to God.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Obesity, processed foods, and the Bible Does the Bible warn about the consequences of being obese? Is overeating dangerous? What does science teach? Is gluttony condemned? This new article has that and much more.
Eating Right, Eating Too Much, and Prophecy This is a YouTube video. Are there disadvantages to being overweight? Is junk food really bad for you? Does the Bible discuss overeating and/or obesity? Is overeating having an effect on the US military? What are the ramifications of personal and national health for overeating? What should you eat?
GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here is a related YouTube video GMO Risks and the Bible.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
Does God Heal Today? What does the Bible teach? Herbert Armstrong tries to explain this.
Ten Simple Rules that Lead to Health Herbert Armstrong gives his opinions on this.
Do Christians Sin? This is an article by Herbert W. Armstrong.
Overcoming Sin What is sin? How are Christians suppose to overcome it? Here is a link to a version in Mandarin Chinese: 克服是重要的. Here is also a link to a video in English titled How to Overcome Sin.
How to Prevent Sin This is an article by Herbert W. Armstrong. Here is a version in Mandarin: 如何不犯罪
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (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? A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?
Will the Anglo-Saxon 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? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?