Church of God News

Pope Francis Wearing Mitre

COGwriter

Pope Francis made an appeal for ‘Mary’ to unite and said that the devil causes division:

January 25, 2015

This evening, with the faithful of the diocese of Rome and with the representatives of the various Churches and ecclesial communities, we will meet in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls to pray fervently to the Lord, so that he strengthens our commitment to the unity of all believers in Christ. It is an ugly thing that Christians are divided. But Jesus wants us to be united. One body! Our sins, our history have divided us. For this we must pray that the Spirit unites us again. …

God, who made Himself man, had our thirst, not only of water, but above all the thirst of a full life, free from the slavery of evil and death. At the same time, with His incarnation God has placed His thirst, because God also thirsts, in the heart of mankind: Jesus of Nazareth. Therefore, in the heart of Christ, human and divine thirst meets. And the desire for the unity of his disciples belongs to this thirst. We find it expressed in the prayers raised to the Father before the Passion: “So that they all may be one” (Jn. 17,21). That is what Jesus wanted, the unity of all. The devil, as we know, is the father of division. He is one that always divides, always makes war and does so much evil.

May Jesus’ thirst increasingly become our thirst! We continue, therefore, to pray and strive for the full unity of the Disciples of Christ, in the certainty that He Himself is at our side and sustains us with the strength of His Spirit so that this goal can be reached. And we entrust this, our prayer, to the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ and Mother of the Church so that She, like a good Mother, may unite us.  (Francis, Pope. Angelus Address: On the Thirst for Unity. Translation by Junno Arocho Esteves, January 25, 2015 http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/angelus-address-on-the-thirst-for-unity)

After saying the above, the pontiff did the ‘Hail Mary’ prayer, known in Catholic circles as the Angelus.

Now many will find comfort in Pope Francis’ words.  The problem is that the words are a mixture of good and evil.  They contain truth and poison–as does the Angelus.

It is true that Jesus prayed for unity–but He also prayed about the truth.  Notice some of what Jesus actually stated:

17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.  18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;  21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.  22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:  23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.  (John 17:17-23)

Notice that Jesus wanted His followers to be sanctified, set apart for God, by the truth, and that the word of God is truth.  Also, notice that the prayer from Jesus did not specify when this unity would be achieved, and that it had a prophetic element to it. Without going into all the details, Revelation 2 and 3 shows that real Christians would be divided in the end times (see also The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3).

God’s unity is based on the truth–the devil’s unity is based on falsehoods and compromise with truth.

While the devil can cause division, the type of unity Pope Francis advocates is the very ‘unity’ that the Bible warns against. Pope Francis is NOT advocating a unity for all to believe “the faith once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3) that is based upon the Bible.

Pope Francis is not the only one who has spoken out against those opposed to his ecumenical agenda.  Notice the following related to Eastern Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew:

Istanbul, Turkey, Feb 20, 2010 / Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople’s newest encyclical encourages dialogue between the Orthodox Church and other Christian churches and laments those who are “unacceptably fanatical” in challenging such dialogue.  http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/patriarch_of_constantinoples_new_encyclical_defends_catholic-orthodox_dialogue/

Bartholomew calls opponents to ecumenical agenda fanatics and Francis implies opponents are doing the devil’s work.

Pointing out how churches differ from the Bible, selectively quoting what early writers believed, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom is NOT the devil’s work. Religious leaders of Jesus’ day felt that He (John 8:48-49) as well as John the Baptist (Matthew 11:18) had a demon/devil, because they did not agree with their teachings and practices.

Perhaps it should be mentioned that the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that teaching any version of the millennium, which is a biblical doctrine, is endorsing a doctrine of antichrist (see Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism?).  Explaining that the Bible teaches that a Babylonian religion with daughters who oppose biblical doctrine should be warned against (Revelation 17-18) is something that the most faithful should be doing now (cf. Isaiah 58:1; Matthew 24:14)–this is not the time to hold back out of fear of offense or being called names.

It must be understood that Pope Francis pushes a unity based upon falsehood, compromise, and a version of ‘Mary’ that would have appalled the original apostles!

Even The Catholic Encyclopedia confirms that Marian veneration was NOT part of the original faith:

Devotion to Our Blessed Lady in its ultimate analysis must be regarded as a practical application of the doctrine of the Communion of Saints. Seeing that this doctrine is not contained, at least explicitly in the earlier forms of the Apostles’ Creed, there is perhaps no ground for surprise if we do not meet with any clear traces of the cultus of the Blessed Virgin in the first Christian centuries. The earliest unmistakable examples of the “worship” — we use the word of course in the relative sense — of the saints is connected with the veneration paid to the martyrs who gave their lives for the Faith…Further, it is quite likely that the mention of the Blessed Virgin in the intercessions of the diptychs of the liturgy goes back to the days before the Council of Nicaea, but we have no definite evidence upon the point, and the same must be said of any form of direct invocation, even for purposes of private devotion (Herbert Thurston. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XV. Published 1912. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

The following was written over a decade ago by a member of the Orthodox Church who warned people that a false ‘Mary’ be used to lead to people to Antichrist:

“Mother goddesses” known in the ancient world were not just confined to the Near East and Mediterranean but are universal. The Kogi Indians, among whom we lived in Columbia, worship a spirit called Nabuba, the “Ancient Mother.” When Roman Catholics missionaries attempted to evangelize the Kogi int he last century, they used a not-uncommon strategy for drawing pagan peoples into Rome’s fold: rather than explaining the differences between the pagan mythology and Christian truth, they found “equivalences,” Christ, under this syncretistic view, corresponds to the Kogi Sejukukui (a trickster god who faked his own death by hiding in a cave), while Nabuba is said to be the Virgin Mary. This confusion has led the Kogis to call their pagan temples “cansamaria,” a corruption of “casa de Maria” (house of Mary).

Given these Roman Catholic “evangelistic methods” of more than a century ago, it is it any wonder that contemporary “apparitions” of Mary are invariably accompanied by ecumenistic messages promoting the idea that all religions are equally valid and Orthodox Christianity is but one “path” among many? A recent issue of Orthodox Tradition (1966) contains the account of Matushka (wife of a Russian Orthodox priest) Katherine Swanson’s trip to Medjugorje, Croatia, to investigate the most famous of the recent cases of apparitions of Mary in the Roman Catholic world. In it she recounts a telling episode:

Our guide took our group for an audience with the “seers.” During this audience, a pilgrim asked one of the children the following questions: “Does the Virgin say that the Catholic Church is the true church?” The response given by the child provides clear evidence of the ecumenical content and religious relativism which, oddly enough, increasingly mark the “revelations” at Medjugorje: “Our Blessed Mother says that all religions are equally pleasing to God.“

The Life magazine article, then, is yet another contribution to this line of thought. Given the idea that all paths are equally valid, then all “Marys” are equally valid, too. The author describes several of the Marys of our times: Miearculous Mary (such as at Medjugorje), Mediator Mary (Who, as the author quotes Fr. Andrew Greeley saying, lets people into Heaven through the “back door”), (Editors notes: the Orthodox Church of course never taught about the “back door”, and of course one only prays that this is a matter of a figure of speech, but let us not dwell on the “back door”, but the gates of Paradise, the Kingdom of our God). Mediator Mary of the feminists, and Mother Mary. This last one, Mother Mary, is the role which the author considers the most appealing to non-Catholics: “The emotional need for her is so irresistible to a troubled world that people without an obvious link to the Virgin are being drawn to her. It is known that Muslims revere Mary as a pure and holy saint…Interdenominational Marian prayer groups are springing up throughout the world. Many Protestants, even some who still reject notions of a supernatural Virgin, miss Mary.”

To which Mary are Muslims and Protestants being drawn? The Protestant Reformation rejected the distorted view of Mary which had developed in the West since the Schism of 1054, and which would ultimately result in the Roman Church’s proclamation of their dogma of the Immaculate Conception. But Protestantism did not just reject the Western view of Mary; it ignored Her altogether, in effect denying Her role in the Incarnation and, consequently, the part She plays in our salvation. As Rome began to see her more and more as a “goddess,” a fourth Hypostasis of the Trinity, as it were, the Protestants reacted by down playing Her position and refusing to honor Her at all, this in spite of the Gospel words:“All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed.”

Today, as heterodox Christians become more and more ecumenist and work toward creating a “One World Church,” the search has begun for a Mary of universal recognition, one who will appeal not only to those who bear the name Christian, but apparently to Muslims and others as well, just as attempts are likewise being made to identify the “new Christ” with the Muslim concept of their coming Mahdi and with the Messiah still awaited by the Jews. This, of course, will be no Christ at all but the antichrist.

(Jackson P. ORTHODOX LIFE., No. I, 1997., Brotherhood of Saint Job of Pochaev at Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, N.Y. pp. 18-22.  http://fr-d-serfes.org/orthodox/theotokos.htm viewed 05/11/09)

Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Muslims, and others will be affected by this Marian-related interfaith movement.

Isaiah 47 warns about a ‘lady’ called a ‘virgin’ that uses sorceries and enchantments who is a major part of end time Babylon (Revelation 17-18). The late Herbert Armstrong wrote the following related to Isaiah 47:

But WHO is the Power that will lay this YOKE of slavery upon, Britain and America? We begin to find this answer in the 47th chapter of Isaiah. Notice!

“Come down, and sit in the dust, 0 virgin daughter of Babylon,” is the salutation of this chapter, verse 1. It is addressed, not to the ancient Babylon of King Nebuchadnezzar. It is addressed to a descendant, or successor, of the ancient Chaldean Empire. It is addressed to a WOMAN. And in prophetic symbol the term “woman” represents a CHURCH (Eph. 5:23, 27, 32; II Cor. ll: 1-2; Rev. 19:6-9; Rev. 12:13-17, etc.). This “lady of Kingdoms” of Isaiah 47 is the same CHURCH pictured in Revelation 17 and 18. But let’s understand as we go along “… there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.” (Verse 1).

This “lady” is no longer a virgin! She is a prostitute. She is to LOSE her throne over political kingdoms. Notice her moral and spiritual fall: “Thy nakedness shall be uncovered , yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance … ” (verse 3 ).

God Almighty Himself is going to take vengeance on her. This can result only from spirirual harlotry, which is sin.

Continue: “Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for thou shall no more be called The Lady of Kingdoms.” (Verse 5 ). The Moffatt translation is more plain: “Sit thou silent in the dark.” Light represents TRUTH. Darkness represents error and SIN. She is a fallen woman. She has reigned over KINGDOMS of NATIONS. But, from the time of the conclusion of this prophecy, she shall no longer be called “The Lady of Kingdoms”- that is, the CHURCH that had a kingdom over the political civil kingdoms…

God will give the House of Israel of today-Britain and America-into the hand of this “Lady of Kingdoms.” She, through the armies and secret police of the nations she shall sit upon and rule, will very heavily lay HER YOKE of slavery, torture, and martyrdom on our peoples! (Armstrong HW. BRITAIN’S DOOM Prophesied for Common Market Seeking Membership! Plain Truth, July 1962)

The Bible warns against an end time Babylon unity (note: the New Jerusalem Bible, a Catholic-approved translation, is shown):

1 One of the seven angels that had the seven bowls came to speak to me, and said, ‘Come here and I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute who is enthroned beside abundant waters, 2 with whom all the kings of the earth have prostituted themselves, and who has made all the population of the world drunk with the wine of her adultery.’ 3 He took me in spirit to a desert, and there I saw a woman riding a scarlet beast which had seven heads and ten horns and had blasphemous titles written all over it. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and glittered with gold and jewels and pearls, and she was holding a gold winecup filled with the disgusting filth of her prostitution; 5 on her forehead was written a name, a cryptic name: ‘Babylon the Great, the mother of all the prostitutes and all the filthy practices on the earth.’ 6 I saw that she was drunk, drunk with the blood of the saints, and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I was completely mystified. (Revelation 17:1-6, NJB)

9 ‘This calls for shrewdness. The seven heads are the seven hills, on which the woman is sitting…18 The woman you saw is the great city which has authority over all the rulers on earth.’ (Revelation 17:9,18, NJB)

1 After this, I saw another angel come down from heaven, with great authority given to him; the earth shone with his glory. 2 At the top of his voice he shouted, ‘Babylon has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen, and has become the haunt of devils and a lodging for every foul spirit and dirty, loathsome bird. 3 All the nations have drunk deep of the wine of her prostitution; every king on the earth has prostituted himself with her, and every merchant grown rich through her debauchery.’ 4 Another voice spoke from heaven; I heard it say, ‘Come out, my people, away from her, so that you do not share in her crimes and have the same plagues to bear. 5 Her sins have reached up to the sky, and God has her crimes in mind: treat her as she has treated others. 6 She must be paid double the amount she exacted. She is to have a doubly strong cup of her own mixture. 7 Every one of her pomps and orgies is to be matched by a torture or an agony. I am enthroned as queen, she thinks; I am no widow and will never know bereavement. 8 For that, in one day, the plagues will fall on her: disease and mourning and famine. She will be burned to the ground. The Lord God who has condemned her is mighty.’ 9 ‘There will be mourning and weeping for her by the kings of the earth who have prostituted themselves with her and held orgies with her. They see the smoke as she burns, (Revelation 18:1-9, NJB)

10 Look out! Look out! Flee from the land of the north — Yahweh declares- for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven — Yahweh declares. 11 Look out! Make your escape, Zion, now living with the daughter of Babylon!  (Zechariah 2:10-12, NJB; note in translations such as the NKJV these are shown as Zechariah 2:6-7)

Babylon rises up to its peak prior to the return of Jesus Christ.  The type of unity that Pope Francis is advocating is consistent with the Babylonian unity that the Bible condemns.

Notice that it is AFTER the admonition to flee Babylon that the Lord Jesus will bring unity:

10 “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. 11 “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. 12 And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. (Zechariah 2:8-12 NKJV;  note in translations such as the NJB these are shown as Zechariah 2:12-16)

The unity that Jesus prayed for does not happen until after He returns,

The Apostle Paul also taught that true unity of faith would not happen until after Jesus returns:

13 until we all reach unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God and form the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself. (Ephesians 4:13, NJB)

“We all” do not attain that unity until the return of Jesus Christ and the first resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

I believe that the time will come when those of us of the Philadelphia remnant of the Church of God (currently best represented by the Continuing Church of God) will be accused of doing the devil’s work as we continue to oppose the Babylonian unity that Pope Francis and others have been advocating.  We will be considered fanatical on many points and insulted for standing for the faith of the original church.  Few understand real Christianity or where the true Christian Church is today (for scriptures and other details, check out Where is the True Christian Church Today?).

And while the devil is involved in wars like Pope Francis indicated, so has the Church of Rome been–but wars have NOT been part of the history of the true Church of God (see Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare or Encourage Violence? and Continuing History of the Church of God).

Pope Francis wants people oriented to his version of ‘Mary,’ an orientation that is NOT biblical. He pushes his interfaith agenda.

Catholics should realize that their ‘Angelus’ is not original and was not put together until over a thousand years after Jesus was resurrected.

There is an improper Catholic plan to reach many through ‘Mary,’ and Pope Francis is trying to do this.

Perhaps it should be mentioned that even the appearance of the clothing and head coverings that Pope Francis wears were not part of the original faith, but the result of compromise with paganism.  The original apostles would have NOT considered that one who dresses as Pope Francis does a member of the true Christian faith.

The “Bishop of Rome” started to wear a version of the mitre sometime during Contantine’s era, but not before. Here is what the Catholic Lopes reported:

SILVESTER I, ST. (314-335)…he appears to have been the first one to wear the tiara from which the bishop’s mitre is derived. (Lopes A. Translation by Charles Nopar. The Popes. Pontifical Administration, Rome, 1997 and 2005 editions, p. 11)

The word mitre has ties to the pagan sun-god Mithras as well as Dagon the fish-god.  It was after compromise with the pagan Emperor Constantine that the Church of Rome decided to have its leaders dress like the sort of pope that Mithraism had (see also Do You Practice Mithraism?).

Pope Francis is not a true Christian and should not be trusted as one (see also Where is the True Christian Church Today?).  The type of ‘unity’ he is pushing for is opposed to what the Bible teaches.

It remains my position that it is very likely that apparitions that people will claim will be Mary, the mother of Jesus, will be part of the signs and lying wonders that are mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 and Matthew 24:24 (cf. Isaiah 47; Nahum 3:4-5).  This will help achieve the improper unity that Pope Francis is advocating.

Persecution will be unleashed against those who will oppose this anti-biblical agenda (see Persecutions by Church and State).  The Bible tells of a two-horned leader, a leader with secular and religious authority (like a Pope who has both) that many will be misled by:

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. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. (Revelation 13:11-14)

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs (Revelation 16:13-14)

To those who do not really understand the Bible, Pope Francis often looks like a lamb and many feel he speaks like one.  But for those of us who do understand a lot more of the Bible, we realize that he speaks as a dragon.  Pope Francis is deceiving people.  Pope Francis wants people to consider that those who oppose his Babylonian agenda to be on the side of the devil.

Sadly, many will agree with him.  Will you?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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? Here is a link to a YouTube video Marian Apparitions May Fulfill Prophecy.
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. [Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja do deus?]
Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video of related interest could be Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics Unity between these groups will put them in position to be part of the final end time Babylon that the Bible warns against as well as require improper compromise.
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future?
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against?
COGwriter Position on Other Churches and Religions What is the fate of those who do not know Christ? What about those who profess Christ outside the Church of God?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from c. 31 A.D. to 2014. Two related sermon links would include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. In Spanish: Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! [Português: Esperança do salvação: Como a igreja do deus difere da maioria de protestantes]
Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction! What is going on in the Protestant world? Are Protestants turning back to their ‘mother church’ in Rome? Does the Bible warn about this? What are Catholic plans and prophecies related to this? Is Protestantism doomed? See also World Council of Churches Peace Plan.
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.
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
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? A sermon video from Vatican City is titled Church of Rome, Mithras, and Isis?
Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy? Pope Francis has taken many steps to turn people more towards his version of ‘Mary.’ Could this be consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies? This article documents what has been happening. There is also a video version titled Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?
Feast of the Immaculate Conception? Did early Christians teach Mary had an immaculate conception and led a sinless life?
Origin of the Marian Dogmas: Where Do Catholic Scholars Say The Four Dogmas of Mary Came From?
Assumption of Mary Did Mary die? Was she taken to heaven on August 15th? What is known? What does the Bible show?
What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did Catholic and Orthodox “saints” endorse or condemn idols and icons for Christians?
Fatima Shock! What the Vatican Does Not Want You to Know About Fatima, Dogmas of Mary, and Future Apparitions. Whether or not you believe anything happened at Fatima, if you live long enough, you will be affected by its ramifications (cf. Isaiah 47; Revelation 17). Fatima Shock! provides concerned Christians with enough Catholic-documented facts to effectively counter every false Marian argument. In addition to the print version, there is a Kindle version of Fatima Shock! which you can acquire in seconds.
The Last Pope Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Why might Pope Francis be the last pope? What happens if he is? Biblical and other prophecies help explain what to expect.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Amazon Book What does the Bible say about a pope near this time? Is the final pope to be an antipope and antichrist? Does Catholic prophecy point to Pope Francis as being the dreaded “Peter the Roman”? This 186 page book provides information and answers.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle This electronic version of the printed book which 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 The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle.

Narendra Modi

COGwriter

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugged and met with US President Barack Obama:

January 25, 2015

U.S. President Barack Obama said he agrees with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a “new vision” for the Asia Pacific region.

In a joint news conference in New Delhi hours after arriving in India, the U.S. leader also said he and Modi have “agreed to deepen” their defense and security cooperation.

Modi said the relationship between the U.S. and India “stands at a new level.” Obama arrived in India Sunday for a three-day visit during which he will become the first American leader to attend the country’s Republic Day ceremony.

Indian Prime Minister Modi demonstrated the importance of the visit by breaking protocol to receive Obama at the airport with a big hug. http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-modi-discuss-relations-between-us-india/2612582.html

Why would India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi be so happy to meet US President Barack Obama?  Notice the following:

January 25, 2015

NEW DELHI — President Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said they reached “a breakthrough understanding” in freeing up U.S. investment in nuclear energy development in India, as Obama began a three-day visit to the country on Sunday.

Picking up from a stalled 2008 civil nuclear agreement between the two countries, the deal would allow U.S. firms to invest in energy in India, and resolve a dispute over U.S. insistence on tracking fissile material it supplies to the country, and over Indian liability provisions that have discouraged U.S. firms from capitalizing on the agreement.  http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/01/25/obama-india-arrival/22307343/

So, one reason is that the USA has agreed to support some of India’s nuclear ambitions and Narendra Modi would have known that prior to Barack Obama’s arrival there. But there is also another reason:

January 25, 2015

Modi was banned from the USA for almost a decade over his alleged role in permitting the massacre of 2,000 Muslims when he was the governor of Gujarat in 2002. Obama lifted the ban last year after Modi took office, and the September visit began warming up ties that had been strained for years.

“Forging deeper ties between our two nations has been a key part of my foreign policy since I took office,” Obama told India Today weekly magazine. “(It) can be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.”  http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/01/25/obama-india-arrival/22307343/

One of the reasons that I put the above up was to show that Hindus also have been know to slaughter Muslims–some do not seem to realize this.  It is not that I am saying that most terrorists are Hindus (most of Muslim), but that Muslims also have had issues.

As far as Barack Obama, India, and his agenda, notice something from when he was originally a candidate for the presidency:

Indian Americans Take Note of Obama, Thanks to Hanuman

Washington Post – June 27, 2008

At a town hall meeting, a woman asked Obama what kept him grounded, and in response he emptied his pockets. “People are so generous to me, investing their hopes in me,” he said, holding up a cupped hand full of trinkets. “This I usually don’t show in these town hall meetings. I have all these things that people give me — all these different little good luck charms.”

One of the trinkets, it turns out, was a tiny figurine of Hanuman — the Hindu monkey god.

“It’s a big deal,” said Bhavna Pandit, 28, a political fundraising consultant based in Washington who thinks the revelations will lead to new interest in Obama among Indian American donors.

Pandit said news of the Obama trinket has swept across Indian American living rooms and through Indian newspapers and TV networks. She said the people she knows as “aunties and uncles” — women and men from her parents’ generation — are suddenly taking note of Obama in a way they had not done before. “They think it’s kind of neat. They rarely see our religion played out in the mainstream media in America.” http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/06/27/indian_americans_take_note_of.html

India monkey god idol for Obama

BBC – June 23, 2008

A group of Indians are planning to present a statue of the revered Indian monkey God, Hanuman, to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The group decided to order the idol after they read a magazine report saying that Mr Obama carried a good luck ‘monkey king’ charm.

They say that a Barack Obama victory would be good for India.

Hindus revere monkeys which they believe are descendents of the monkey God Hanuman.

The two-foot tall, 15kg gold-polished, brass idol has been made as a present for Mr Obama because “he will be good for India if he becomes the next president,” according to Brij Mohan Bhama, leader of the group.

Mr Bhama belongs to the ruling Congress party and also runs a textile mill in the western city of Mumbai.

‘Monkey charm’

“We have heard that he carries a small monkey charm in his pocket. So he is a devotee of Hanuman. That’s why we want to present him with this idol,” he said.

Mr Bhama and his friends have also invited Carolyn Sauvage-Mar, chairwoman of the group, Democrats Abroad-India, to a meeting they are holding on Tuesday to pray for Mr Obama’s success. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7468662.stm

So, Barack Obama believes that carry idols helps keep him “grounded.”  Certainly not grounded in Christianity.  Barack Obama is one who, along with Pope Francis and UN Secretary Ban Ki-Moon,  supports the ecumenical-interfaith agenda.  An agenda that the Bible warns against (see also United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order?).

That being said, the Bible does tell of a coming military alliance between the powers in Asia which would almost assuredly include India (Revelation 9:13-18; 16:12-16). India currently wants to strengthen itself militarily and technologically, and the agreement announced today is likely to assist that.

While Barack Obama probably considers the agreement simply one step in his Asian pivot strategy (which was pushed by his former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton), the time will come when the pivot away from Europe (which is also part of the ‘pivot’ to Asia strategy) will result in the end of the USA–which will happen according to various biblical prophecies (e.g. Daniel 11:39; see also Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

India, Its Biblical Past and Future: Any Witness? The Bible discusses the origins of those of Indian heritage. This article quotes the Bible and also discusses some of the witness to India throughout history and what is happening in the 21st century (including those in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka).
India and the Beast of Revelation 13 Do biblical, Catholic, and even Hindu prophecies suggest that many in India will follow, for a while, the Beast and False Prophet/Antichrist? Here is link to a related YouTube video Will People in India Worship the Beast of Revelation 13?
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 YouTube video of interest may be Is China THE Threat to the United States of America?
United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? A related video would be United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against?  A video of related interest would be Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
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. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
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?
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2015? When will the Great Tribulation begin? Can it begin in 2015 as some have indicated? What are the biblical requirements that precede the Great Tribulation? What did Jesus teach would happen prior to the Great Tribulation. Are there definite clues in the Book of Daniel that Christians should look out for? Is there a King of the North or a King of the South yet? Where does the ‘prince’ of Daniel 9:26-27 come from? What about ‘blood moons’? Dr. Thiel videoed this on the Mount of Olives where Jesus specifically discussed events leading up to the Great Tribulation in Matthew 24.
Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy Is the USA mentioned in Bible prophecy? Some Protestants say yes, while others say no. What does the Bible really teach? Learn the truth about this. There is also a video available: Is The United States Mentioned In Bible Prophecy?
Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors What are some errors that various Protestants hold to that will tend to prevent them from knowing when the Great Tribulation will begin? A related video is titled Ten Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin?
Hillary Clinton in Prophecy Prophecy, Hillary Clinton? Are there prophecies that Hillary Clinton may fulfill? Are there any prophecies that she has already helped fulfill? Could Hillary Clinton be apocalyptic? Could Hillary Clinton be the final Antichrist?
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.
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.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。 HHere is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.

COGwriter

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

17:34

Pope Francis and the Famine of the Word

Pope Francis made some comments indicating that violence is appropriate when one is offended and that freedom of expression should not offend the religions of others.  Is that biblical?  What will his interfaith agenda lead to? Might his comments be a factor in the prophesied ‘famine of the word’ that the Prophet Amos wrote of?  Should Christians refrain from making statements that might offend other?  What did Jesus and His disciples do?  What should you do?

A written article of related interest is: Pope Francis pushing for limits of speech and seemingly justifies violence.

Here is a link to our video: Pope Francis and the Famine of the Word.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against?
Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future?
Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy? Pope Francis has taken many steps to turn people more towards his version of ‘Mary.’ Could this be consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies? This article documents what has been happening. There is also a video version titled Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?
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.
COGwriter Position on Other Churches and Religions What is the fate of those who do not know Christ? What about those who profess Christ outside the Church of God?
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 lower level leaders? A related sermon is available titled Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
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.
The Last Pope Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Why might Pope Francis be the last pope? What happens if he is? Biblical and other prophecies help explain what to expect.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Amazon Book What does the Bible say about a pope near this time? Is the final pope to be an antipope and antichrist? Does Catholic prophecy point to Pope Francis as being the dreaded “Peter the Roman”? This 186 page book provides information and answers.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle This electronic version of the printed book which 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 The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle.
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from c. 31 A.D. to 2014. Two related sermon links would include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. In Spanish: Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios.
CCOG.ORG 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。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
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.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and other British-descended dominated lands.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God and has articles in español/castellano.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced many YouTube videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. And you can find them at that channel.

Sarah Palin speaking at CPAC (Gage Skidmore)

COGwriter

Sarah Palin told the The Washington Post today she absolutely is seriously interested in running for the USA presidency in 2016:

Former Alaska governor and GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin said Friday that she is “seriously interested” in seeking the presidency in 2016.

“You can absolutely say that I am seriously interested,” Ms. Palin told The Washington Post on Saturday, adding that she stood by comments she made Thursday in Las Vegas to ABC News, where she first hinted at a 2016 run. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/24/sarah-palin-seriously-interested-in-2016-run/#ixzz3Pl064IOy

She ran as a vice presidential candidate against then candidate Barack Obama in 2008 and lost.

A couple of years later, Sarah Palin claimed that she would beat US President Barack Obama if she ran against him in 2012.

Palin says she can beat Obama

Republicans are talking openly about President Obama’s vulnerability for re-election in 2012, and one of them is Sarah Palin.

When ABC’s Barbara Walters asked the former Alaska governor, “if you ran for president, could you beat Barack Obama?,” Palin replied: “I believe so.” http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/11/palin-says-she-can-beat-obama/1

Sarah Palin tends to be an optimist with public statements and holds many positions that the mainstream media opposes.

Since those of us in groups like the  Continuing Church of God do not vote in these elections, why am I mentioning the possibility of a woman president?

Well if she runs and wins (which is not a certainty, she will partially fulfill a prophecy in Isaiah 3:12:

As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths…

Of course, women are influential in the English-speaking nations and it is not absolutely required that the USA itself have a woman president, but I do feel that if we do get one, that this will be a partial, but significant, fulfillment of that prophecy. Having had Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, as well as Condoleezza Rice previously, also point to that prophecy.

As far as Sarah Palin goes, her religious and economic views most likely will affect her political decisions. Notice also the following:

January 24, 2015

DES MOINES, Iowa — Is Sarah Palin interested in running for president in 2016? It depends on what the definition of “interested” is.

But this much was clear from her appearance here on the eve of the biggest GOP cattle call of the presidential season so far: She’s definitely interested in people thinking she’s interested.

Even if she’s not really that interested.

“Without putting any words in my mouth, you can absolutely say that I’m seriously interested,” said Palin, the 2008 vice presidential nominee, in the lobby of the Marriott late Friday night. But in the same conversation, she appeared to downplay her interest, suggesting she is merely keeping her option open.

“It’s not a major story because 2016 really is still far off,” she said of the Palin-for-president talk. “I think it’s a major story because maybe you guys are bored,” referring to the mainstream media. …

Palin publicly mused about running in 2012 before taking a pass. In an interview Thursday with ABC, Palin had said “of course”she might run in 2016. …

Few GOP insiders think Palin will go through with the hard work of actually staging a credible bid, from raising money to building organization. But expressing interest, especially in the Hawkeye State, will generate buzz and could overshadow other more conventional candidates. Among those also speaking Saturday are New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

And if Palin did get into the race, it could roil the likely field.

Palin’s daughter, Bristol, is accompanying her to Iowa. http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/sarah-palin-seriously-interested-in-2016-bid-114548.html#ixzz3Pl7c17FZ

Sarah Palin has made a lot amount of money as a paid speaker and her more direct involvement in politics tends to increase her appeal to certain segments of the USA electorate.  Her comment that 2016 is far off indicates that she may not be setting up an organization to seriously support a potential candidacy for her.  We will see.

As far as religious views, Sarah Palin believes in things like a pre-tribulation rapture.  Here is a report from 2008:

In June, Mrs. Palin told ministry students at her former church that in going to war with Iraq, the United States is “on a task that is from God,” the Associated Press reported.

Mrs. Palin’s brand of evangelical Protestantism is especially well-disposed to the preservation of Israel for biblical reasons, said Merrill Matthews, an evangelical Christian and a Dallas-based health-policy specialist.

Mrs. Palin was baptized as a teenager at the Wasilla Assembly of God Church. She frequently attends the Juneau Christian Center, which is also part of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God. Her home church is the Church of the Rock, an independent congregation.

“Historically, the Assemblies of God have been dispensationalists, which means they believe in ‘the rapture’ of Christians that takes them out of the world,” said Mr. Matthews. “Central to that position is a very strong support for Israel. It’s integral to their view of both prophecy and politics. Denying Israel is almost like denying the faith.” (Evangelical faith drives Palin’s pro-Israel view. Washington Times, September 4, 2008. http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/04/palins-evangelical-faith-drives-pro-israel-view/)

Since there is no pre-tribulation rapture (please see Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected?), she may make some decisions based upon biblical misinterpretation.

We seem to be in turbulent times, whether she runs or not.

Jesus said,

37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch! (Mark 13:37).

Several items of possibly related interest may include:

Should a Christian Vote? This article gives some of the Biblical rationale on this subject.
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind? There is also a YouTube video with information Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture?
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. Watch also the YouTube Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing–here is a short article.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.
Hillary Clinton in Prophecy  Prophecy, Hillary Clinton? Are there prophecies that Hillary Clinton may fulfill?  Are there any prophecies that she has already helped fulfill?  Could Hillary Clinton be apocalyptic?  Could Hillary Clinton be the final Antichrist?
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. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
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?

Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi

COGwriter

The USA has suspended anti-terrorism activities in Yemen following the collapse of the government there:

January 24, 2015

Thousands of Yemenis marched in protest Saturday against the Shi’ite rebel Houthi group, two days after the resignation of the president and the government.

Witnesses say demonstrators marched from a square near Sana’a University toward what had been the homes of the country’s leaders in the capital city.

On Friday, senior U.S. security officials said U.S. counterterrorism operations have been suspended in Yemen,following the collapse of the U.S.-backed government.

Sources close to the situation said the resignations of Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and the government of Prime Minister Khaled Bahah has left U.S. anti-terror operations in the country “paralyzed.”

Reuters (news agency) is quoting three U.S. officials as saying the halt in operations included drone strikes.  It remained unclear late Friday how long the suspension will be in place.

U.S. forces work alongside Yemeni security personnel in monitoring al-Qaida on the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, from a key intelligence post in southern Yemen.  But officials late Friday said much of that intelligence operation is now controlled by Shi’ite rebels, known as Houthis, who seized key government installations Thursday and forced out the government.

Houthi rebels are opposed to AQAP, as well as the United States.

Meanwhile, Yemen’s political future remains unclear, with parliament preparing to decide Sunday whether to accept the resignation of President Hadi. …

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking at an economic forum in Switzerland, voiced concern over the growing crisis.

“Governance has been challenged by an al-Qaida-affiliated terrorist organization that has launched attacks inside and outside of the country, by a secessionist movement in the south, and most recently by a rebel movement in the north that has now spread across the country and challenged the sovereignty of the entire state,” said Kerry.

Earlier Friday, the U.S. Defense Department described the situation in Yemen as “still very unclear” and said the United States does not yet have a “full picture.”

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said U.S. officials are in touch with what she called a “full spectrum of political leaders” in Yemen.  She said the Houthis are a legitimate political constituency and have a right to participate in the government, but said the United States condemns their use of violence.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Barbara Bodine told VOA that while the full extent of Houthi demands is not clear, Washington does share common interests and should consider working with the rebels.

“I do think there is room for us to work with this group, and I think we have to work with this group,” she said. “The Houthis are a political reality in Yemen.”

The Houthi motto is: “God is Great, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam.”  Analysts say those views have created doubts about the extent to which they would be willing to work with Western countries. http://www.voanews.com/content/authorities-us-anti-aterror-ops-suspended-in-yemen/2611827.html

It was an al-Qaeda group in Yemen that claimed responsibility for the murders in France a few weeks ago (see Al-Qaeda claims responsibilty for Paris attack; French upset with Israel and USA).  And now elements of that group seem to be in power.

A group whose motto teaches “Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam,” would not seem to be one that the USA could get along with well.  The hatred the motto of the Houthi displays towards Jews is appalling, though similar to certain other horrible Islamic terrorist groups.

Will the USA face problems from terrorists?

Yes, as the the Bible shows that terrorism is prophesied:

14 ‘But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, 15 and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, 16 I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you. (Leviticus 26:14-17)

25 The sword shall destroy outside; There shall be terror within (Deuteronomy 32:25)

12 “Cry and wail, son of man; For it will be against My people, Against all the princes of Israel. Terrors including the sword will be against My people; Therefore strike your thigh. (Ezekiel 21:12)

12 Behold, these are the ungodly,Who are always at ease; They increase in riches…19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. (Psalms 73:12,19)

25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. (Proverbs 1:25-27)

5 Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way (Ecclesiastes 12:5).

Could any of this terror be related to activities of groups with ties to Yemen?

Yes.

First notice some background on  the Arabs and those in Yemen:

A Great Nation

Ishmael died at the age of 137 (Genesis 25:17). As God had promised, his twelve sons grew into a “great nation” — today numbering scores of millions!

The specific genealogies of each of the modern-day Arab tribes, sub-tribes, families and clans are virtually impossible to trace back in every case to their ultimate biblical origins. But some of the major lines of descent are known. For example: From Ishmael’s son Kedar (Qaidar in Arabic) — dated approximately 1840 B.C. — can be traced a line of descent to Adnan (or Qais) — 122 B.C. — and from him (21 generations further on) to Mohammed (A.D. 570-632) of the Koreish tribe, the founder and prophet of the Islamic faith.

Though Ishmael is considered to have been the progenitor of the majority of the Arab world, there are indications of some intermingling of Ishmaelites with other related peoples — specifically the Joktanites and Keturahites.

Joktan (called Qahtan or Kahtan by the Arabs) was the son of the patriarch Eber (Genesis 10:25), who lived many generations before Abraham and Ishmael. This Joktanwhom authorities consider to have been the ultimate father of all southern Arabs — had 13 sons, named in Genesis 10:26-29. One of them, Jerah (Yarab to the Arabs), is believed to have founded the kingdom of Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Some authorities believe his name was the origin of the word “Arab,” the meaning of which is thought to be “arid.”

Yarab’s brother Hadoram (Jorham to the Arabs) is believed to have founded the Hejaz, an important kingdom along the western coast of Arabia, containing the cities of Mecca and Medina. According to Arab history, the daughter of Mudad, a descendant of this Jorham, became one of the wives of Ishmael. It is from that union that Ishmael’s illustrious son Kedar is said to have come.

Another of Joktan’s sons, Hazarmaveth, is claimed by the present-day tribesmen of the Hadhramaut (a region in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula) as their ancestor.
The other line with which the Ishmaelites are said to have intermarried is that of the Keturahites. The Keturahites were descendants of Keturah, whom Abraham married after the death of Sarah. Abraham and Keturah had six sons (Genesis 25:2), whose progeny, like that of Joktan, gradually became incorporated into the house of Ishmael.

Thus, after making due allowance for mixture with Joktanites and Keturahites, the Arabs may be regarded as essentially an Ishmaelite race. (Stump K. The Arab World in Prophecy. Plain Truth, December 1979, pp. 9-10).

As the previous account shows, some believe that the Yemenites were primarily descended through Jerah (Yarab to the Arabs) through Joktan. Here is the genealogy in the Bible that shows Joktan and Jerah:

25 To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan begot Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling place was from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east. 31 These were the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations. (Genesis 10:25-31)

The Bible shows that a confederation called the King of the South will form (Daniel 11:40-43).  The confederation is shown to include peoples in North Africa and the Middle East.  In Ezekiel 30:2-8 some additional specifics about the peoples is provided, including mentioning the involvement of “all the mingled people” (Ezekiel 30:5).  This would seem to include Yemen.

The Bible also shows that a confederation against the USA, its Anglo-Saxon allies, and Israel involving Arab and European forces is coming (Psalm 83:3-8). And I have long believed that terrorism will have to be part of this. The USA, its Anglo-Saxon allies, and Israel will end up being hit by massive terrorism (partially from Islamic-related sources) combined with destruction (Deuteronomy 32:25) from the King of the North (Daniel 11:39).

Yemen has long had terrorist ties.  Notice something from the Plain Truth magazine over 3 decades ago:

Many nations make no bones about their connections to terrorist groups. Syria, Libya, Iraq and South Yemen all see no objection in directly aiding terrorism. (Taylor D. TERRORISM the Worst Is Yet to Come! Plain Truth, May 1984)

Danger lurks in Yemen.

Several items of possibly related interest may include:

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? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
Obama Administration Pushing for an Islamic Empire? Because of the rise of groups such as the Islamic State, the Obama Administration and others are pushing for a coalition of Arab nations along with Turkey. Does this resemble the final King of the South of Bible prophecy? Is there an Islamic antichrist? Does the Bible teach that terrorism and the sword will affect the USA and some of its allies? What does the Bible teach in Ezekiel about a confederation involving Egypt? Will an Arabic confederation end in destruction for those who strongly support it? Are the 10 nations in the Arab coalition the ten kings of Revelation 17:12-13? Are the 10 nations including the USA and Turkey the ten nations of Revelation 17:12-13? Who is? Was the pushing of the Obama Administration to do this predicted by in 2009 in a writing by Dr. Thiel? What does the Bible show?
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
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. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy? What is the origin of this in France? What is prophesied to happen to them? A two-part sermon related to history and prophecy is available online: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben and France and Prophecy.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermon The Gospel of the Kingdom.
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. Watch also the YouTube Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce this sermon from its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:16:28

• Crime and How it Will be Stopped!

What are the causes of crime? Is there anything you can do about it? Could you be guilty of crime? What steps should you take to protect yourself? Is incarceration the answer? How can you help prevent your children from becoming criminals? What should parents do? What should children be taught? How will crime be stopped? When will crime be stopped?

A related written article is titled: Crime can be stopped…here’s how!

Here is a link to the video sermon: Crime and How it Will be Stopped!

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Crime can be stopped…here’s how! This was a booklet that was edited with some updates by Dr. Thiel. Here is a link to a related sermon: Crime and How it Will be Stopped!
Five Rules for Effective Parenting Do you know that there are five simple rules that can make you a more effective parent? Here is a link to a version in Mandarin Chinese 五条简单有效的子女养育规则. There is also a 12 1/2 minute English language YouTube video on this, also titled Five Rules for Effective Parenting.
What Psychologists do not Know About Child Rearing This is an article by Herbert Armstrong that was used as the introduction to the pdf booklet The Plain Truth About Child Rearing.
The Plain Truth About Child Rearing This is a pdf booklet that the old WCG put out.
What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? This article quotes what Jesus actually said about them (His words are in red).
Were the Ten Commandments Nailed to the Cross? Some have said so. This article provides some biblical quotes to answer this important question.
What Did Paul Actually Teach About the Ten Commandments? Many say Paul taught against the ten commandments. Is this true? This article quotes Paul with his words in green.
Are the Ten Commandment Still in Effect? This article quotes the ten commandments and combines some of the previous articles into one article about the ten commandments. The commandments are shown at Mount Sinai, before Mount Sinai, in the teachings of Jesus, after the crucifixion, and in the teachings of Paul. It addresses the most common “traditions of men” regarding them as well. Here is a version in the Spanish language:.¿Están vigentes todavía los diez mandamientos?
Were the Pharisees Condemned for Keeping the Law or Reasoning Around it? Many believe that the Pharisees were condemned for keeping the law, but what does your Bible say? If they were not condemned for that, what were they condemned for?
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? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱，违反诫命的就是邪恶的
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.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
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。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
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.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
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.
Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos This is the Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God in Tagalog, the primary language of the Philippines.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos as well as some ContinuingCOG channel sermons. It is also available as a mobile app.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced scores of YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos.

King Salman bin Abdull azziz aka Salman ibn Abdilaziz Al Saud

COGwriter

Saudi Arabia has a new king:

January 23, 2015

New Saudi King Salman is pledging to continue the policies of his half brother, the late King Abdullah, who was buried Friday in the capital, Riyadh.

Abdullah, who died early Friday after a long illness, was laid to rest in an unmarked grave following a simple ceremony attended by the Arab and Muslim world’s top leaders. One of the world’s few absolute monarchs, he was believed to have been 90 and recently had been hospitalized with a lung infection.  http://www.voanews.com/content/saudi-king-abdullah-dies-at-90/2610297.html

A while back, I noticed that some Islamic prophecy watchers believed the once King Abdullah died a leader called the Imam Mahdi would raise up.

Here is something more recent about that:

According to Shiite hadiths, after the death of a king named Abdullah in the Hijaz — a western region of present-day Saudi Arabia — no successor to the throne would be accepted, and disagreements would escalate and persist until the rise of Imam Mahdi.

The Shiites believe that divine Imams are heirs to the political and religious Ummah, or Islamic nation. These 12 imams are successors to the Prophet Muhammad and to the head of the caliphate, with Mahdi being the final Imam who disappeared, or went into occultation. Mahdi will be revealed only in the end-times, along with Jesus, to deliver peace to the world.

According to the book “250 Signs Until the Appearance of Imam Mahdi,” Prophet Muhammad said: “On doomsday, a man who is carrying the name of an animal ascends to the throne, after which a man named Abdullah comes to the power. Whoever informs me of his death, I will inform him of the rise [of Mahdi]. After Abdullah passes away, for several days and months, the government will appear.”

A seminary teacher based in Qom told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “The animal-named man can be King Fahd because one meaning of Fahd’s [name] is rapacious animal and cheetah, which matches what Prophet Muhammad said.”

The Bahar al-Anvar, a book of hadiths, quotes the sixth Shiite Imam Sadegh as saying: “When Abdullah dies, people will agree on no one, and this issue will be kept alive till the rise of Imam [Mahdi]. An age of a hundred-year reign comes to an end, and an age of a [kingdom lasting] a few days and months arrives.”

The Shiite scholar in Qom said, “Currently, there is a possibility of a power struggle in Saudi Arabia, as King Abdullah has tried to make up the new post of deputy crown prince. Actually, with regard to [this], if Prince Salman becomes the king and Muqrin bin Abdulaziz is named the crown prince, the next deputy crown prince will be Mutaib bin Abdullah, so we can expect tensions between King Abdullah’s sons and Salman’s brothers to escalate after Abdullah passes away.”…

Some believe that the rise of terrorist groups in the Levant, along with their black flags, is another sign of Mahdi’s resurrection.

The Nahj al-Balagh, a collection of the first Shiite Imam Ali’s sayings, quotes the imam as saying: “When you witness black flags, don’t move, because their calls are void and null and you shouldn’t help them. Their heart is like iron fillings, and they don’t honor their promise. Their names and monikers are taken from the names of cities.”

The Qom-based scholar explained the quotation, “Black flags can suggest the Islamic State, which is killing hundreds of innocent people in the region with brutality, and [regarding people named after cities], I can mention Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi or Omar al-Chechen.”

He added, “Many in the seminary of Qom believe that the rise of Imam Mahdi is imminent. Even important figures in the seminary have expressed their hope for this event to happen and has called for our readiness to help him.”

“What’s happening in the region is very similar to what our Imams have predicted about preconditions for the rise of Imam Mahdi, so the moment of truth may have come.”

Historian Muhammad Hossein Rajabi Davani told an Iranian newspaper: “With respect to promises in Shiite hadiths, we are certainly experiencing doomsday, but doomsday has no time frame and it’s not known when it begins and ends.”

Yet, certain Shiite narratives and hadiths contradict the aforementioned narratives, suggesting different signs for the rise of Imam Mahdi. Today, however, many are speculating about the events that will follow the Saudi king’s death, as well as its impact on global developments. With the death of King Abdullah, according to some analyses, stability in Riyadh may come to an end, setting off a chain of prophecies and the resurrection of Mahdi.  http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/01/iran-saudi-arabia-king-abdullah-end-times.html##ixzz3PgTxcRoE

Doomsday Clock

COGWriter

The ‘doomsday clock’ maintained by the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has been moved closer to midnight, signaling the view that the end of the world is closer:

January 23, 2015

The second hand of the Doomsday Clock is now only three minutes to midnight. This is the closest to apocalypse we have come since 1984 – the coldest of Cold War …

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which controls the clock, said the time was changed on January 22 because of the threat posed by both climate change and nuclear weapons. Increased international tensions, a faltering of the disarmament process, upgrades to nuclear arsenals and increasing proliferation, as well as a lack of progress on curbing emissions make the probability of global catastrophe “very high”.

A sceptical journalist pointed out that the bulletin has been moving the clock periodically for 68 years, yet the world hasn’t ended so far, so “why believe it this time?”  http://phys.org/news/2015-01-doomsday-clock-closer-midnight-world.html

The advocacy group founded by the creators of the atomic bomb moved their famed “Doomsday Clock” ahead two minutes on Thursday. It said the world is now three minutes from a catastrophic midnight, instead of five minutes.

“This is about doomsday; this is about the end of civilization as we know it,” bulletin executive director Kennette Benedict said at a news conference in Washington.

She called both climate change and modernization of nuclear weaponry equal but undeniable threats to humanity’s continued existence that triggered the 20 scientists on the board to decide to move the clock closer to midnight.

“The probability of global catastrophe is very high, and the actions needed to reduce the risks of disaster must be taken very soon,” Benedict said.

But other scientists aren’t quite so pessimistic.

Michael Oppenheimer, a professor of both geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University, said in an email: “I suspect that humans will ‘muddle through’ the climate situation much as we have muddled through the nuclear weapons situation—limiting the risk with cooperative international action and parallel domestic policies.”

The bulletin has included climate change in its doomsday clock since 2007.  http://phys.org/news/2015-01-atomic-scientists-doomsday-closer.html#jCp

Notice what the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the last time the doomsday clock was moved to three minutes before midnight:

January 15, 1984

I’m writing from Australia. But wherever I am, it is needful to keep in touch with the fast-moving world conditions. We all live in the same world. And the atomic scientists have now moved the DOOMSDAY CLOCK one more minute forward—from four to only THREE MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT! …

Not too long ago if anyone mentioned “the end of the world,” people would have thought him to be a crackpot doomsday freak. But today the sanest atomic scientists and heads of nations are talking about doomsday and the END of this world.

These sober men are not wild-eyed religious fanatics. They KNOW what is actually happening. They know how the EVILS in this world are mounting. They know how the weapons of mass destruction have been produced that now can blast all human life into extinction.

AND THESE SOBER LEADERS ARE WORRIED! One said, “I am frankly scared!” They are bewildered, confused and perplexed. They see no way to stop what now seems inevitable!

That is because they don’t see GOD in their thinking. They know not what GOD says about it.

Yes, many events in the world are worrying scientists in the world–and they do not know that God has a plan.  Now, to a degree, the ‘doomsday clock’ has mainly been meant to send a political message.

But are we closer to the end?

Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote:

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12)

Everyday we are closer to the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the millennial kingdom of God, which will be preceded by a time called ‘the end.’

Are we at the end now?

Well, as Jesus stated in Matthew 24:6, “the end is not yet.”

Notice specific events that precede the end.  Notice what Jesus was asked and how His answer began:

3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.  5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.  6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.  (Matthew 24:3-14)

Currently, we appear to be in the time that Jesus called the BEGINNING of sorrows.  And while that is closer to the end, the end is not yet.

Notice what happens after the beginning of sorrows:

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.  10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.  14 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.

The above has not yet happened.  A time of persecution is coming and the gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness.  Once God believes that has happened to the degree He intended, notice that is when the end will come.

Then notice some specific signs that precede the start of the great tribulation as well as how bad a time the end will be:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.  18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.  21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.  22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:15-22)

While international tensions and environmental matters are consistent with the beginning of sorrows, there are specific signs that Christians are to see before the end actually comes.  Those who put the doomsday clock together do not seem to realize that.

Jesus said, however, that His followers should watch so that they could know when the end would be, as well as escape what is coming:

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

The Bible clearly teaches that the “end of the world” will come and that there will be specific events Christians should look to see which will let them know.  The Bible also clearly teaches that those who properly watch, pray, and live their life as Jesus wants them to can be protected from the coming tribulation.

As far as who will be protected and where they will be protected, please check out the article There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind? There is also a YouTube video with information Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
This is PETRA! This is a 1962 Good News article by the late Dr. Hoeh.
Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy Is the USA mentioned in Bible prophecy? Some Protestants say yes, while others say no. What does the Bible really teach? Learn the truth about this. There is also a video available: Is The United States Mentioned In Bible Prophecy?
Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors What are some errors that various Protestants hold to that will tend to prevent them from knowing when the Great Tribulation will begin? A related video is titled Ten Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors.
The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous? A related sermon video is titled Preterism: You’ve Gotta Be Kidding…Right?
Wormwood and Planet Nibiru Will the Earth be devastated by Planet X or Comet Encke in 2014? Here is a link to a related YouTube video Could Comet ISON be Wormwood of Bible Prophecy?
Blood Moons and Prophecy There are four ‘blood moons’ expected in 2014 and 2015. Do they signal the Day of the Lord or the return of Jesus Christ? A related YouTube video is also available: Blood Moons, Prophecy, 2014, and 2015.
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to a sermon titled The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work.
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here is a related video in English The Red Heifer and the End of the World.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture? Did the Bible teach that Jesus raptures Christians prior to the start of the Great Tribulation? What did Jesus Himself teach? Do the scriptural passages that Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins point to prove their left behind pre-tribulation rapture assertions? Do all Christians get protected from the Great Tribulation? Who does the Bible teach will get protected? Is the Great Tribulation the ‘wrath to come’ that Christians are promised protection from? This is a video.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! [Português: Esperança do salvação: Como a igreja do deus difere da maioria de protestantes]
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. Here is a link to the video: Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2015?
The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
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 the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent.
Laodicean Warning for God’s People Is there really a place of safety? Do God’s people need to be warned? Warned for what?
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.

European Central Bank, Frankfurt (Eric Chan)

COGwriter

The Europeans have decided to partially follow the lead of the USA and UK and engage in a currency devaluation program called quantitative easing:

PARIS—The European Central Bank has launched an ambitious stimulus program aimed to stop deflation and boost the ailing, 19-member eurozone.  The  ECB plans to buy billions of dollars worth of eurozone bonds in the coming months.More than a year ago, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said the institution would do “whatever it takes”  to preserve the struggling euro currency zone.  Thursday, the ECB delivered action.Draghi said the bank will inject up to $1.3 trillion or more into the eurozone economy, buying up government bonds.”We believe that the measures taken today will be effective, will raise inflation – medium-term inflation expectations – and basically address the economic situation in the euro area,” he said.The ECB will begin buying nearly $69 billion worth of government bonds each month through September 2016.  The measure aims to encourage banks in the eurozone countries to lend more, at lower interest rates.  That is expected to push businesses and consumers to borrow and spend more.

The ECB has set a target of a less than two percent inflation rate.  That is well above the current level.  Last month, eurozone inflation had dipped below zero.

The ECB also said it is cutting the interest rate it charges on loans to commercial banks.

New measures have limits

The bond buying program is known as quantitative easing.  The United States and Britain have used this program to recover from the global financial crisis.  But Draghi warned the new measures only go so far.

“What monetary policy can do is create the basis for growth.  For growth to pick up, you need investment. For investment you need confidence.  And for confidence, you need structural reforms.  The ECB has taken a further, very expansionary measure today.  But now it is up to the governments to implement these structural reforms.  And the more they do, the more effective will be our monetary policy.”

The ECB action had been widely anticipated, but Thursday’s announcement exceeded some expectations and led to mixed reactions.

German opposition

The European action is controversial. The eurozone’s biggest economy, Germany, has opposed the bond-buying, voicing fears that the stimulus measure will give the bloc’s weakest economies, such as Greece, less incentive to reform their debt-ridden governments.

Speaking before the bank’s action, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland that no matter what the bank did, Europe’s political leaders “need to put a framework for recovery in place.”  http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-ecb-to-decide-on-bond-buying-plan-to-revive-euro-zone/2608827.html

Programs like quantitative easing are essentially a legalized form of counterfeiting.  The way I understand the European one, governments in the Euro-zone will continue to issue bonds (a form of debt) and the ECB will print up money (mainly electronically) to purchase them.  The money will then be used by the governments to spend on whatever programs and projects they want.  It might be that the ECB will be selective on which bonds it buys, in theory, to prevent more reckless spending and to encourage growth in jobs and technology.  It reduces deflation essentially by inflating the money supply.

The Germans have not wanted a full blown version of ‘quantitative easing’ for at least four reasons:

1. The Germans feel that certain nations are not properly disciplined financially and a program like quantitative easing will mean that they will fail to correct certain practices that the Germans feel they need to.
2. The Germans feel that they will have to bail out nations that are not properly disciplined financially, hence they do not want to encourage this.
3. The Germans fear the type of hyperinflation that happened prior to WWII and realize that quantitative easing type programs but them and all of Europe at risk of repeat–which also means that the Germans do not wish to risk losing their wealth if the Euro is dragged down because of hyperinflation or other currency issues.
4. The Germans would like to have a currency that is the real reserve currency for the world and do not wish to make the mistakes that they see the USA doing with its dollar.

But then again, the Germans would prefer that the Euro-zone continue, so there we have seen today’s announcement.

From a prophetic perspective, the Europeans do not have to have a perfect currency, only one that is perceived to be in better shape than the USA dollar.

Back in 2013 (see BlackRock cautioning against USA stocks; European finance ministers meeting), I posted the following:

As far as the USA vs. Europe goes, there are some points I want to make.  First some points about the USA:

1. The Bible is clear that the nation with the highest amount of debt will fall and be taken over (Habakkuk 2:6-8).
2. The USA is the most indebted nation in the history of humanity.
3. The incoming head of the US Federal Reserve has stated that she wants to continue to debase the value of the currency of the USA, which is a form of increased indebtedness.  When or how this may be ‘tapered’ will be seen.
4. The Bible is clear that a time of Jacob’s trouble is coming (Jeremiah 30:7).
5. The USA will eventually lose its economic (cf. Revelation 13) and military (Daniel 11:39) dominance.
6. But eventually does not mean 2014, though stock prices will fluctuate in 2014.
7. The economy of the USA will fluctuate until it totally collapses.

As far as Europe goes, there are several points to consider:

1. The European Union is the biggest exporter in the world (see Germany: Merkel’s new coalition wants Germany to increase influence and set European standards–EU exports already number 1 in the world).
2. Europe is prophesied to have economic  and military  dominance (cf. Revelation 13), and takeover the USA and its close Anglo-Saxon allies (Daniel 11:39).
3. Yet, the Bible warns that it will have problems (Daniel 2:41-43).
4. Europe may have violent civil unrest, which would negatively affect many stock values there.
5. The Bible teaches that Europe will reorganize at least two more times (Revelation 17:12 & 17:13).
6. The Bible teaches that eventually the financial system in Europe will collapse (Revelation 18).
7. Europe’s financial collapse will happen years after that of the USA.

Both the economy of the USA and that of the rising European power will eventually collapse.

Outside of the Bible, history, and news reports, part of why Europe will rise perhaps can be partially illustrated by story.

There once was a movie that had two men camping outdoors.  Suddenly, one man yells, “Run, a bear!”  The other man yells back, “You can’t outrun a bear.”  The first man responded with, “True, but all I have to do is to outrun you.”

The implication is that the first man only needed to be better in the site of the bear than the second one, which presumably the bear would consider to be weaker, and then catch and destroy.

From an economic perspective, the story basically is that the economy of Europe does not need to be perfect, only perceived to better than that of the USA to someday surpass it.

Europe hopes that infusing money into the economies of Europe will essentially reduce the potential for unrest, increase jobs, and improve technological developments, with destroying the Euro.  The quantitative easing program may enough to temporarily deal with the negative effects of some of the sanctions that the EU has against Russia–at least for a time.

The Bible teaches that the final ‘ten toes’ of the European power will have difficulties (Daniel 2:41-43) and will reorganize (Revelation 17:12-13).

We will see how many ‘reorganizations’ Europe may have to go through before then.  I would also add that I do expect civil unrest in Europe, despite its quantitative easing strategy.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous.
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the former German Defense Minister (who is also the former German Minister for Economics and Technology) one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
Project Prophecy: Economic Collapse Starting in 2015? Jim Rickards once worked for the CIA and also was once part of a a USA government program called called ‘Project Prophecy.’ He has a video were he claims that starting in 2015, the USA may have economic collapse resulting in a 25-Year Great Depression. He mainly cites debt figures and claims advises alternatives to the USA dollar which he says will collapse? What did Rand Paul state? Can the USA dollar collapse?
Blood Moons and Prophecy There are four ‘blood moons’ expected in 2014 and 2015. Do they signal the Day of the Lord or the return of Jesus Christ? A related YouTube video is also available: Blood Moons, Prophecy, 2014, and 2015.
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. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
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?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
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.

Lalli killing Bishop Henry for alleged thievery

COGwriter

Pope Francis spoke to an ecumenical delegation from Finland and encouraged further ecumenical ties today.  Here is what Pope Francis said:

Dear Bishop Vikström,

Dear Bishop Sippo,

Dear Friends,

It is with joy that I welcome you, on the occasion of your annual ecumenical pilgrimage to Rome to celebrate the feast of Saint Henrik, the patron of your country. This annual event has proven to be  a truly spiritual and ecumenical meeting between Catholics and Lutherans, a tradition dating back thirty years.

Saint Pope John Paul II addressed the members of the first Finnish ecumenical delegation which had come to Rome thirty years ago in these words: “The fact that you come here together is itself a witness to the importance of efforts for unity. The fact that you pray together is a witness to our belief that only through the grace of God can that unity be achieved. The fact that you recite the Creed together is a witness to the one common faith of the whole of Christianity”. At that time, the first important steps had already been taken on a common ecumenical journey towards full, visible unity of the Christians. In these intervening years much has been done and, I am certain, will continue to be done in Finland to make “the partial communion existing between Christians grow toward full communion in truth and charity” (John Paul II, Ut Unum Sint, 14).

Your visit comes within the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This year our reflection is based on Christ’s words to the Samaritan woman at the well: «Give me to drink» (Jn 4:1-42).  We are reminded that the source of all grace is the Lord himself, and that his gifts transform those who receive them, making them witnesses to the true life that is in him alone (cf. Jn 4:39). As the Gospel tells us, many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony. As you, Bishop Vikstrom, have said, there is so much that Catholics and Lutherans can do together to bear witness to God’s mercy in our societies.  A shared Christian witness is very much needed in the face of the mistrust, insecurity, persecution, pain and suffering experienced so widely in today’s world.

This common witness can be sustained and encouraged by progress in theological dialogue between the Churches. The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine on Justification,which was solemnly signed some fifteen years ago between the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church, can produce further fruits of reconciliation and cooperation between us. The Nordic Lutheran–Catholic dialogue in Finland and Sweden,  under the related themeJustification in the Life of the Church, has been reflecting on important questions deriving from the Joint Declaration. Let us hope that further convergence will emerge from that dialogue on  the concept of the Church, the sign and instrument of the salvation brought to us in Jesus Christ.

It is my prayer that your visit to Rome will contribute to strengthening further the ecumenical relations between Lutherans and Catholics in Finland, which have been so positive for many years. May the Lord send upon us the Spirit of truth, to guide us towards ever greater love and unity.

[Original text: English]  January 22, 2015  http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-s-address-to-ecumenical-delegation-of-finland

Pope Francis is determined to get the the Lutherans and others back in full communion with the Church of Rome.  Such unity will happen, but it is not endorsed by the Bible. The Bible is clear that a group of churches, led by one from the city of seven hills, is to be avoided and will end in disaster (Revelation 17:1-10,18). The Bible does not teach that Christians will have the type of unity that the Vatican claim to want UNTIL AFTER THE FALL OF BABYLON (Zechariah 2:10-13 NKJV; Zechariah 2:12-16 NJB).

The Bible tells that the ecumenical/inter-faith movement will also end in destruction (Revelation 18 & 19). This is not something that Catholics nor the Lutherans should want.  Lutherans used to consider that the popes were or represented antichrist, yet now many Lutherans are open to the messages from Pope Francis.

Since the Finns visit the Vatican each year on the anniversary of their saint Henry, perhaps some information about him might be of interest:

Saint Henry (pyhä Henrik or piispa Henrik in Finnish, Biskop Henrik or Sankt Henrik in Swedish, Henricus in Latin; died allegedly 20 January circa 1156) was a medieval English clergyman. He came to Sweden with cardinal Nicholas Breakspeare in 1153 and was probably designated to the new Archbishop of Uppsala…

According to legends, he entered Finland together with King Eric the Saint of Sweden and died as a martyr, becoming a central figure in the local Roman Catholic Church. However, the authenticity of the accounts of his life, ministry, and death are widely disputed. …

To tackle the perceived threat from the non-Christian Finns, Eric and Henry were forced to battle them. After they had conquered Finland, baptized the people and built many churches, the victorious king returned to Sweden while Henry (Henricus) remained with the Finns, more willing to live the life of a preacher than that of a high bishop. …

Henry’s Vita is followed by the more local miracula, a list of eleven miracles that various people were said to have experienced sometime after the bishop’s death. … The legend strongly emphasizes that Henry was a Bishop of Uppsala, not a Bishop of Finland which became a conventional claim later on, also by the church itself. He stayed in Finland out of pity, but was never appointed as a bishop there. …

Henry and his crusade to Finland were also a part of the legend of King Eric. However, the oldest surviving version of Eric’s legend is from about 1270, yet there is no information on either Henry or the crusade. …

Despite the high profile start of Henry’s cultus, it took more than 100 years for the veneration of Saint Henry to gain widespread acceptance throughout Sweden. As of 1344 there were no relics of the bishop in the Cathedral of Uppsala….

The death-lay’s version of the bishop’s death was different from the official vita. The bishop’s killer was called Lalli. Lalli’s wife Kerttu falsely claimed to him that upon leaving the manor, their ungrateful guest Henry, travelling around on his own in the middle of winter, had without permission or recompense, through violence, taken food, cake from the oven and beer from the cellar, for himself and hay for his horse, and left nothing but ashes. This is supposed to have enraged Lalli so that he immediately grabbed his skis and went in pursuit of the thief, finally chasing Henry down on the ice of Lake Köyliönjärvi. There he killed him on the spot with an axe. (Wikipedia, accessed 01/22/15)

So, allegedly a murderous warring individual named Henry worked with a king in Sweden to fight those who did not accept the political and religious preferences of the king.  Stories arose and miracles were attributed to Henry.

Catholics have long hoped to get a revival of their faith in Scandinavia. Notice the following from another Catholic saint about Sweden:

St. Bridget of Sweden (died 1373): Sweden shall see again the true light of Faith, when it will be governed by a queen born with eleven fingers. (Rossi G. THE CHRISTIAN TRUMPET, OR, Previsions and Predictions about Impending General Calamities, The Universal Triumph of the Church, The Coming of Antichrist, The Last Judgment, and The End of the World. Compiled by PELLEGRINO [Gaudentius Rossi], A Missionary Priest with Superior’s permission. Boston, THOS. B. NOONAND & CO., 1873, p. 24)

It should be noted that Finland was part of Sweden when the above prediction was made.  The Vatican expects to get Finland and Sweden, as well as other lands.  Whether or not there is a queen born with 11 fingers, the reality is that Scandinavia is part of Pope Francis’ ecumenical plans (information on the identity of the Scandinavians is in the article Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel.

Pope Francis is now publicly hoping that Henry will be a factor in getting an ecumenical unity that the Bible warns against.  A unity that will not turn out well for Rome nor Scandinavia.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction! What is going on in the Protestant world? Are Protestants turning back to their ‘mother church’ in Rome? Does the Bible warn about this? What are Catholic plans and prophecies related to this? Is Protestantism doomed? watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! and World Council of Churches Peace Plan.
Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
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.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics Unity between these groups will put them in position to be part of the final end time Babylon that the Bible warns against as well as require improper compromise.
United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? A related video would be United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the genuine Church of God is NOT Protestant. Do you really know what the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther taught and should you follow his doctrinal example? Here is a related sermon video: Martin Luther and Herbert Armstrong: Reformers with Differences.
Sola Scriptura or Prima Luther? What Did Martin Luther Really Believe About the Bible? Though he is known for his public sola Scriptura teaching, did Martin Luther’s writings about the Bible suggest he felt that prima Luther was his ultimate authority? Statements from him changing and/or discounting 18 books of the Bible are included. Do you really want to know the truth?
The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous?
Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy Is the USA mentioned in Bible prophecy? Some Protestants say yes, while others say no. What does the Bible really teach? Learn the truth about this. There is also a video available: Is The United States Mentioned In Bible Prophecy?
Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors What are some errors that various Protestants hold to that will tend to prevent them from knowing when the Great Tribulation will begin?
Could Pope Francis be the Last Pope and Antichrist? Former Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio is now Pope Francis. According to some interpretations of the prophecies of the popes by the Catholic saint and Bishop Malachy, Pope Francis is in the position of “Peter the Roman,” the pontiff who reigns during tribulations until around the time of the destruction of Rome. Do biblical prophecies warn of someone that sounds like Peter the Roman? Could Francis be the heretical antipope of Catholic private prophecies and the final Antichrist of Bible prophecy? Could a Jesuit be “the black pope”?
Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy? Pope Francis has taken many steps to turn people more towards his version of ‘Mary.’ Could this be consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies? This article documents what has been happening. There is also a video version titled Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?
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. What about those of Norway, Sweden, and Finland? Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from c. 31 A.D. to 2014. A related sermon link would be Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios.