Church of God News

Barack Obama and David Cameron

COGwriter

The President of the United States and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom have been meeting:

January 16, 2015

U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron are holding a second day of talks Friday in Washington.

White House officials say Obama and Cameron will discuss a range of issues including terrorism, Ebola, Russia’s actions in Ukraine, and cyber-security.

The two world leaders are also expected to announce their plans to hold joint cyber “war games” starting later this year with a mock attack on banks.

The British leader has said he plans to ask President Obama to press U.S. technology companies like Google and Facebook to allow governments to snoop on encrypted communications.

The subject is a sensitive one in the U.S. following widespread public outrage at revelations the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) was scooping up phone records of millions of Americans.  Disclosures by former NSA systems analyst Edward Snowden also showed that several U.S. Internet businesses were giving NSA access to customer data. …

Britain has long been the closest ally of the United States in the fight against terrorism both in the West and in the Middle East.  http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-cameron-meet-at-white-house/2600733.html

The USA and the UK have been at the forefront of cyber espionage for some time, and apparently the David Cameron has little problem being more open about it.  This espionage has resulted in companies relocating data to the continent of Europe to attempt to protect the privacy of their information (see WSJ: Data centers increasing in Europe in response to USA espionage).

Furthermore, the actions by the USA and the UK have upset many on continental Europe.  Many on the continent resent USA influence.  Many in the UK resent the continent’s influence.  Many in the continental nations resent the close ties between the USA and UK.  Many in the UK want out of the European Union.

LATER UPDATE 1/16/15: Yet, the USA and UK decided to continue to work closer on cyber-espionage:

January 16, 2015

Cameron said the U.S. and Britain both face threats to their national security from “people who want to do us harm.”…

The two world leaders reportedly are planning to hold joint cyber war games starting later this year with a mock attack on banks. A White House statement says the two leaders have also agreed to establish a joint “cyber cell” to prepare for and share intelligence on malicious hacking.

Cameron had said prior to the meeting that he planned to ask Obama to press U.S. technology companies, such as Google and Facebook, to allow governments to snoop on encrypted communications.

The subject is a sensitive one in the United States following widespread public outrage at revelations that the U.S. National Security Agency was scooping up phone records of millions of Americans. Disclosures by former NSA systems analyst Edward Snowden also showed that several U.S. Internet businesses were giving the NSA access to customer data. http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-cameron-meet-at-white-house/2600733.html

The above update is not a surprise and is consistent with what I wrote before it hit the news.

Many in the top leadership in Germany and the European Union have been outraged by the revelations of espionage against them by the USA and UK.  The continued push by both the USA and UK to spy will further drive a wedge between them and the continental Europeans.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Snowden Leaks are Leading to the Destruction of the USA Can what happened with the leaks of what the NSA has done help the USA to be taken over? What does the Bible teach that seems to be related to this? Here is a related YouTube video titled Are the Snowden NSA leaks leading to the destruction of the USA?
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.
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?
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? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
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?
Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands? Spain wants Gibraltar and Argentina wants the Falklands (also known as the Malvinas). Does the Bible give clues as to what will happen with these ‘sea gates’? A related video would be Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands? A ver¿Perderá el Reino Unido a Gibraltar y las Islas Falkland (Malvinas)?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future.
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. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
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?
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.
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?
Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? The Book of Revelation tells of a beast power that will rise up. Some think that this must be Russia or could be Islamic, while others say that this power is European. The Book of Daniel tells of the rise of an end time King of the North that some think must be referring to a Russian leader, while others say that this power is European. How can you be sure? This YouTube video has all the scriptural proofs that you should need to prove that this power must be a European one.
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? Here is a link to a video Is the USA Pushing Germany to Start WWIII?
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.

Scene from Belgium (Joyce Thiel)

COGwriter

Belgium continued its raids to deal with suspected terrorist as it and France arrest and detain more suspects:

January 16, 2015

Belgian police have arrested 13 people in a dozen raids across the country, saying the suspects are believed to have been members of an Islamic group planning attacks on police officers.

Two gunmen were killed during a raid Thursday in the eastern Belgian city of Verviers, but their identities have not yet been confirmed, authorities said.

Officials told reporters Friday there is no apparent link to last week’s two terrorist attacks in Paris. However, another two suspects were arrested in France. Belgian prosecutors are seeking their extradition, spokesman Eric Van der Sijpt said at a Brussels news conference, according to the AFP news service.

With the arrests, “not only a terror cell but also their support network” have been dismantled, AFP quoted the spokesman.

Shootout with police

In Verviers, close to the German border, police found an assortment of automatic and small firearms, explosives and police uniforms in an apartment.

The suspects opened fire as police closed in. The gunfight lasted several minutes, filling the air with smoke, gunshots and sirens. No police were wounded.

Police carried out other searches in several other locations around Belgium, including Brussels.

Authorities believe some of the extremists had returned to Belgium from Syria.

While the latest arrests do not appear to be linked to the Paris attacks, Belgian police said a man they arrested earlier Thursday is suspected of supplying weapons to Amedy Coulibaly, an Islamist militant who was shot dead in a police raid after he’d taken hostages at a Jewish supermarket in Paris last Friday. He killed four of the hostages, as well as a policewoman a day earlier.

Officials have raised the terror threat in Belgium to its second-highest level.  http://www.voanews.com/content/belgium-arrests-13-anti-terror-raids/2600797.html

January 16, 2015

BRUSSELS — European investigators moved on a broad front Friday to sweep up suspected militants, with the police announcing that 13 Belgians had been detained in this country and two in France, a day after two other Belgians believed to be planning an attack on police officers were killed in a shootout.

In an action that the authorities said was unrelated to events in Belgium, investigators in Paris said 12 people had been detained overnight. Investigators said they might have belonged to a previously undetected cell that supported one of the gunmen in the terrorist attacks that left 17 people dead in and near Paris. And in Berlin, investigators said they had seized two suspected militants in a series of raids.

The scope and breadth of the police actions across much of Western Europe dramatized the diffuse challenges facing a region far from the battlefields of Syria, Iraq and elsewhere as it becomes a reluctant front against Islamic militancy. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/17/world/europe/europe-arrests-terrorism-links.html?_r=0

Europe is taking notice of Islamic terrorists and starting to take more steps.  Public opinion there basically seems to support all of this.  And the time will come when Islam is basically eliminated from Europe.  The raids are a preliminary step.

Regular readers of this page are aware that there is a connection between the ‘lost tribe of Israel’ called Reuben and the French people.  Well, many of the Belgians are also French and some have a similar ancestry.  Some of the Belgians are Flemish, and they seem to have more of a connection to the ‘lost tribe’ of Zebulun.  However, various ones have felt that the bulk of the Belgians descended from the ‘lost tribe’ of Asher (see Ten clues tying Belgium and Luxembourg with the tribe of Asher).

The reality is that many descendants of the tribes of Israel ended up in Europe.  And not all of one tribe is necessarily restricted to one currently recognized nation.

So what will happen?

The late evangelist Dibar Apartian wrote about France, Belgium, and others in Europe:

A curious fact: just as the tribes of Israel divided in the past and allied with their enemies to march against their own, today some of the Israelite nations — including France and Belgium — blindly ally themselves to the same nations who are going to conquer them and take them in captivity a second time! …

If our efforts in this work tend rather to determining the origin of the French, to neglect the racial affinity between them and their neighbors would be to lose sight of the object we have followed, since most of the inhabitants of northwest Europe are of the Celtic Race, and thus are part of the tribes of Israel, “in dispersion.”

Indeed, the Belgians, the people of Holland, the Swiss, and the Scandinavians belong to the same race as the French, the English, the Americans, and the Canadians, since, as a whole, these people are descendants of the Celts. They all have a common ancestor: Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel!

As for the Belgians and the Swiss, inhabitants of countries which in part speak the French language, history has had no difficulty establishing their direct parentage with the Celts (Histoire des Gaulois, Thierry, p. 36). …

With the exception of some passages of the Bible, which refer specifically to one or the other of the tribes of Israel, the Biblical prophecies relative to Israel refer as a whole to the twelve tribes. Consequently, the ultimate destiny of the French nation is intimately linked to that of the English, the Americans, the Belgians, the Swiss, the Scandinavians, and some other nations descended from the tribes of Israel. …

Whether it be France, Great Britain, the United States of America, the Scandinavian Countries, or Belgium who has lost the Congo, or adding Switzerland or whatever other nation descended from Israel, each must answer before the Eternal for its own sins and its own disobedience. Each of them, individually and collectively, will fight and be beaten in the course of the Third World War, which already is appearing on the horizon. Each of them will fall under the yoke of the enemy — of a union composed of “ten kings” (Revelation 17), of which the head will be the “beast.”

This union is already forming in Europe! (Apartian D. The French-Speaking Peoples In Prophecy. 1961, 1967; translated into English by Carol Kalin in 1975) (More is in the article The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy?)

In my article Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel, I wrote:

Countries like Sweden, Belgium Luxembourg, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, France, Denmark, Ireland, and Iceland seem to fit some the positive statements in Genesis 49–but they will ultimately face tests and trials from the coming European Beast power (cf. Ezekiel 5:4; 39:23,28), as Ezekiel 5:4 seems to show that after the USA is eliminated, fire will spread to “all the house of Israel.” Perhaps it should to be pointed out that several of the “Israelite nations’ are ethnically mixed (per Davidiy Y. The Tribes, 4th edition. Russell-David Publishers, 2011 and other sources) and it may take them some time for the actual Israelites to separate out. (Information on the ‘ten lost tribes’ is also in the YouTube sermon titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter?) They probably are also where the 144,000 from Revelation will be chosen from (except Dan, which is missing from the list in Revelation 7:4-8; interestingly, many in the Catholic Church tend to believe that the antichrist will be from the tribe of Dan). …

What about those that are not descended from Judah, Ephraim, or Manasseh? The remaining tribes of Israel? Well, while the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7) does not start with their immediate punishment (Ezekiel 5:1-3 seems mainly to point to Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh), they too will receive punishment (bolded end of verse 4):

1 “And you, son of man, take a sharp sword, take it as a barber’s razor, and pass it over your head and your beard; then take scales to weigh and divide the hair. 2 You shall burn with fire one-third in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are finished; then you shall take one-third and strike around it with the sword, and one-third you shall scatter in the wind: I will draw out a sword after them. 3 You shall also take a small number of them and bind them in the edge of your garment. 4 Then take some of them again and throw them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From there a fire will go out into all the house of Israel. (Ezekiel 5:1-4)

The bolded portion seems to show that the rest of the house of Israel will have tribulation after the modern nations that include Israel and the Anglo-descended countries will essentially be gone. This would include such countries as France, Finland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, and Norway.

(Some of wondered if Israelitish-descended nations could be part of the final Beast power. History shows us that France, Switzerland, and at least parts of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and UK were part of old Roman Empire. At least parts of France, as well as essentially all of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Belgium were part of the so-called ‘Holy Roman Empire.’ Consider also that three members of the House of Luxembourg reigned as ‘Holy Roman Emperors.’ The fact that at least part of the Israelitish peoples were part of the beasts in Daniel 2:40-43 and 7:2-8, should show all that it, for a time, can be part of the final Beast power. See also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?)

Of course, after Jesus comes and His Kingdom is established, all of that type of punishment will end.

As many of you are aware, my wife and I returned from a trip to France a couple of weeks and put together two sermons related to France: specifically its origins and prophecies related to France. These are The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben and France and Prophecy. They were able to be available around the time of the incidents in Paris as they were videoed just prior them.  We have also been to Belgium two or three times in the past (as well as to France and the Netherlands in the past).

Anyway, terrorism and other threats will cause Europe to unite further militarily.  The raids and issues the past couple of weeks confirm that the Europeans are beginning to take more steps that way.

Knowledge of the origins of peoples in Europe and Bible prophecy helps us to understand what will end up happening in there and elsewhere.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
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. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Ten clues tying Belgium and Luxembourg with the tribe of Asher Who did some in Belgium and Luxembourg descend from?
Ten clues tying Zebulun with the Dutch Who did some in the Netherlands descend from?  Here is a link to information about doctrine in the Dutch language Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God.
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?
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? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? The Book of Revelation tells of a beast power that will rise up. Some think that this must be Russia or could be Islamic, while others say that this power is European. The Book of Daniel tells of the rise of an end time King of the North that some think must be referring to a Russian leader, while others say that this power is European. How can you be sure? This YouTube video has all the scriptural proofs that you should need to prove that this power must be a European one.
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.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? Here is a link to a related video video: Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
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?
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?
WTO/TTIP and the Babylonian Beast Will international trade agreements like WTO/TTIP/CETA lead to the fulfillment of end time prophecies concerning the Babylonian Beast power that the Book of Revelation warns against? What does the Bible teach? A related video would be WTO Trade Deal and the Rise of the European Beast Power.
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?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.

COGwriter

Hebert W. Armstrong died on January 16, 1986, at age 93 1/2. Many never heard of him, but multiple millions did. His death seemed to mark the end of the predominance of the Philadelphia era of the Church of God and the predominance of the Laodicean era instead and many Laodicean groups formed since his death.

Herbert Armstrong’s successor in the old Worldwide Church of God did not remain faithful to the teachings that many of us believe God inspired him to restore to the church. Here are Some Quotes from Herbert W. Armstrong on Laodicea and Holding Fast to Doctrine.

The following is from Herbert Armstrong’s book The Mystery of the Ages:

True religion–God’s truth empowered with the love of God imparted by the Holy Spirit…JOY UNSPEAKABLE of knowing God and Jesus Christ–of knowing TRUTH–and the warmth of God’s divine LOVE!…

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”… And what was Jesus’ appearance? It was that of a human man, for he also was the Son of man…

Most important of all however is what is God’s nature–his CHARACTER–like? One cannot know what God is unless he know what his CHARACTER is!

THE CHARACTER of both God the Father and Christ the Son is that of spiritual holiness, righteousness and absolute perfection.

That character might be summed up in the one word LOVE, defined as an outflowing, loving concern. It is the way of giving, serving, helping, sharing, not the “GET” way…

The teachings of God’s true Church are simply those of “living by every word” of the Holy Bible…

Men shall turn from the way of “get” to the way of “give”–God’s way of love.

A NEW CIVILIZATION shall now grip the earth!

The NEW CIVILIZATION is the Kingdom of God (see also Mystery of Civilization). Proclaiming that new civilization is to come and be based upon love is a major part of what Christ’s gospel of the kingdom is all about.

Let’s look at the following from Herbert Armstrong’s What is the True Gospel? booklet:

Which Gospel Did Jesus Preach?…

Notice, Jesus said, “Believe THE GOSPEL!”

WHAT Gospel? the one He was proclaiming—”the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.”

But, one may ask, don’t we need to believe on Jesus? Of course. Other scriptures teach that. but at this particular time Jesus said we must believe Him –believe what He said—believe the Gospel of the Kingdom of God!

Some believed on Jesus, but did not believe Jesus –did not believe what He SAID (John 7:31; 8:30, 31, 46).

What About the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

But if the one and only TRUE Gospel is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, what about the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Is that a false gospel?

Not at all. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Gospel He brought as God’s Messenger—the Gospel He proclaimed is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ IS NOT man’s gospel ABOUT THE PERSON of Christ. It is CHRIST’S Gospel—the Gospel Jesus PREACHED—the Gospel GOD SENT by Him, and therefore it is also called, in Scripture, the Gospel of God. The Gospel of God is God’s GOSPEL—His Message—His Good News which He sent by Jesus.

Also the Gospel of Jesus Christ is Christ’s Gospel—the Gospel Christ brought from God—the Gospel He proclaimed.

We hear a great deal today of the gospel of MEN about the PERSON of Jesus Christ—confining the message solely to the things ABOUT Jesus. As a result, millions believe on Christ, who do not BELIEVE CHRIST! But Jesus’ Gospel IS HIS MESSAGE!…

Conditions of Entering

Now, HOW do we enter into that glorious KINGDOM? Jesus came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, “REPENT,” and “BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.”

Just TWO things we do—REPENT, and BELIEVE. We must BELIEVE the Gospel, and that means also believing on JESUS CHRIST, the KING of the Kingdom of God, and coming KING of kings over all the families of the earth. It means believing in Him as personal SAVIOUR, as High Priest now, and as coming KING.

But to repent is to completely CHANGE THE MIND in respect to SIN, and “sin is the transgression of the LAW” (I John 3:4)—the law of God by which God RULES the Kingdom.

It means a total, complete CHANGE OF MIND AND OF LIFE. It means we REPENT of transgressing the rule, the will, the laws, of GOD. What did Jesus say to the young man who asked Him HOW to inherit eternal life? He said, “IF thou wilt enter into life, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS” (Matthew 19:17) (Armstrong HW. What is the True Gospel? WCG booklet, 1972, p.6).

The kingdom of God is what Herbert Armstrong also taught as the wonderful world tomorrow (and actually he wrote a book on it titled The Wonderful World Tomorrow: What Will it be Like?).

Here is some of what he learned about the gospel as written in The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong:

My shocking, disappointing, eye-opening discovery, upon looking into the Bible for myself, had revealed in stark plainness that the teachings of traditional Christianity were, in most basic points, the very opposite of the teachings of Christ, of Paul, and of the original true Church!

Could the original and only true Church have disintegrated and disappeared? Could it have ceased to exist? No, for I read where Jesus said the gates of the grave would never prevail against it. Also He had said to His disciples who formed His Church, “Lo, I am with you always.”

Then I saw that the very PURPOSE of the Church was to preach Christ’s GOSPEL! It is HIS BODY — His instrument by which HE carries on GOD’S WORK!

I looked carefully at that Gospel as Christ Himself preached it, and taught it to His first ministers. It is recorded in the four books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. At almost every point of teaching that Jesus enunciated, the teachings of traditional Christian bodies today are just the opposite.

THEY WERE NOT PREACHING THE SAME GOSPEL AT ALL, BUT A TOTALLY OPPOSITE MESSAGE! This was shocking — incredible — unbelievable! Yet I was compelled to see it was true!

Jesus began the work of preaching the very Gospel which GOD the Father had sent to mankind through Him. He commissioned His disciples — His Church — to carry this same Gospel to all the world. And He had said He would never drop the Work He had begun! But WHERE was it going on today?

I knew now that when I found the one and only true Church, I would find a Church obedient to God — keeping His commandments — having the testimony of Jesus Christ, which is the TRUTH of the Scriptures.

I had been much impressed by a description of the true Church, as it is to be found in our time — just before the second coming of Christ. It is found in Revelation 12…

My intensive study had revealed one thing plainly: “the commandments of God” mean “Sabbath keeping” to most traditional denominations. They say, “The commandments are done away!” They reject “the commandments of God.”

That automatically ruled out all churches observing Sunday. So far as I could learn, it reduced the search to three small groups — the Seventh-Day Adventists, the Seventh-Day Baptists, and a little, almost unheard-of church called the Church of God, which maintained a small publishing-house headquarters at Stanberry, Missouri…

It seems necessary to add here that I have never been a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist denomination…Next, I looked into the teaching of the Seventh-Day Baptists. I found it to be virtually identical, except for observing a different day of the week, with other Protestant denominations — especially the Baptists.

But of these three churches to which the search had been narrowed, only one had the right NAME for the true Church. This was the small, little-heard-of Church of God whose headquarters were at Stanberry, Missouri.

Two articles of related interest may include The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church and Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work?

Part of Herbert W. Armstrong’s legacy is that he took the Bible to be the word of God and taught:

…the Bible tells us to PROVE all things (Armstrong HW. The RESURRECTION was NOT on Sunday. 1952).

Which of course, it does as the Apostle Paul wrote:

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV).

Sadly, while he did have flaws, many have falsely maligned Herbert W. Armstrong (please see the article 15 Accusations and Truthful Responses About Herbert W. Armstrong), while others have exalted him beyond appropriateness (please see the article The Elijah Heresies ). Since his death, only relatively few seemed to really understand his work and what he felt Christ expected of the church.

Those truly interested in learning more about Herbert W. Armstrong, should read the article Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today?

And everyone should try to live by the following teaching of Herbert W. Armstrong:

“Don’t believe me – BELIEVE YOUR BIBLE – BELIEVE GOD! I always say…check up! Listen without prejudice, with open mind, then check up–go to your BIBLE, and BELIEVE what you read there.” (Herbert W. Armstrong, Plain Truth magazine, Sept. 1963, Personal pg.1)

Several items of possibly related interest include:

Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today? Includes quotes from the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and explains how he is and should be viewed today.
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.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from evangelists?
Here are Some Quotes from Herbert W. Armstrong on Laodicea and Holding to Doctrine.
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.

Pope Francis (Korea.net)

COGwriter

Pope Francis made some disturbing comments today:

January 15, 2015

On Thursday, Pope Francis condemned any killing in God’s name, defended freedom of expression, but insisted that other people’s religion could not be insulted or mocked.

The pope, speaking to reporters as he flew from Sri Lanka to the Philippines, made the comments in relation to an attack by Islamists on the offices of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, known for its satirical attacks on Islam and other religions, that killed 12 people.

Francis has defended freedom of expression, but he said it was wrong to provoke others by insulting their religion and that one could “expect” a reaction to such abuse.

“You can’t provoke, you can’t insult the faith of others, you can’t make fun of faith,” he told reporters Thursday.

‘You cannot provoke’

By way of example, he referred to Alberto Gasparri, who organizes papal trips and was standing by his side. Francis said: “If my good friend Dr. Gasparri says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch. It’s normal. … You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. … In freedom of expression there are limits.” …

“Everyone has not only the freedom and the right, but the obligation to say what he thinks for the common good. … We have the right to have this freedom openly without offending,” he said, according to Reuters. http://www.voanews.com/content/pope-francis-speaks-against-insulting-others-religions/2599338.html

Pope Francis supports a false ecumenical and interfaith agenda which attempts to pretend that doctrinal and biblical truths are not as important as his Babylonian form of unity–a unity that the Bible warns against (Revelation 18:1-8; Zechariah 2:6-7).

Pope Francis’ comments today are disturbing for many reasons.  Journalists and others should not expect violence for their reporting and/or satire.  Pope Francis should also not become violent himself and hurt others who he perceives may insult his family (see also Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare or Encourage Violence?). Furthermore, the limits on freedom of expression should NOT be limits on truth.  People who are believing lies may well be offended at the truth, but the truth still needs to be told.

The Bible teaches:

1 Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

Many are offended to be told that they are sinning, but the Bible says to tell them anyway.

Is Pope Francis also trying to say that one cannot give one’s opinion about religions that one feels is false?

Whether he is or not, his comments are helping to set the stage for censorship.

Notice what Jesus taught:

31… If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32)

43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.  44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.  45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.  46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?  47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God. (John 8:43-47)

Many were offended by Jesus’ words.  Notice:

56 … Where then did this Man get all these things?” 57 So they were offended at Him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” (Matthew 13:56-57)

Does Pope Francis not grasp that Jesus offended people who would not accept the true religion He was teaching?

The Apostles offended others when they preached as well:

12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. …

17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, 18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. 19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”

21 And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. (Acts 5:17-21)

Notice that the high priest and the Sadducees were so offended that they became indignant and imprisoned the apostles for teaching the truth.  Surely, Pope Francis should not consider this imprisonment a proper reaction to becoming offended, yet his words suggest that he is supportive.

A ‘famine of the word’ is coming and will even affect the USA. Notice what the Bible teaches:

11 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the Lord.
12 They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord,
But shall not find it.

13 “In that day the fair virgins
And strong young men
Shall faint from thirst.
14 Those who swear by the sin of Samaria,
Who say,
‘As your god lives, O Dan!’
And, ‘As the way of Beersheba lives!’
They shall fall and never rise again.”  (Amos 8:11-14)

Prophetically, Samaria refers to the United States (for some details, see Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel).

Pope Francis is helping set the stage for political leaders to attempt to shut down groups like the Continuing Church of God for proclaiming the truth.  Mark my words on this.  Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.  For years, I have been teaching things like the following:

Perhaps under the guise of “neutrality,” perhaps under the guise of “The Patriot Act,” perhaps under the guise of “public welfare,” perhaps because of alleged “intolerance,” calling parts of the message “hate speech” and/or national security threats/issues, something will be done to stop perhaps all of the organized media efforts to proclaim biblical truths. A famine of the word is coming (Amos 8:11-12; cf. Romans 10:14-15). …

In this internet age, the most logical way to prevent people from finding the truth of the words of the Lord would be to prevent those with the truth from remaining on the internet. Eliminating blogs and reports that governments do not care for is a plan that many governments have. …

The work (in the Amos 8:12 sense) may be stopped by government officials (like on the internet, radio, etc.) and persecutions began because people of the holy covenant are warning the world of the results of their sins (which they will not want pointed out), falsehoods about other religions, and teaching that the King of the North is fulfilling these prophecies in Daniel 11. The faithful may be saying things that are not “politically correct” to the point that one or more governments will take action (especially if we are saying, and I expect to help do this, that a certain individual is the King of the North and that he will invade and destroy the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, etc.). Yet, God’s work still will be accomplished and the final phase of the work completed.

(Thiel B. The Final Phase of the Work)

Pope Francis’ anti-biblical comments are setting the stage for a coming censorship that God will allow for a time.  Though many think Pope Francis looks like a lamb, he is truly speaking like a dragon (cf. Revelation 13:11).

The Bible teaches:

11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:11-12)

And many are offended by the truth and the message of the Bible.  As Christians, however, we are to stand for Jesus and the truth, even if our own families may be offended by it:

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.  35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;  36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’  37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 10:32-39)

7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (Revelation 21:7-8)

We are not to be discouraged by comments from Pope Francis or future threats of persecution which will come (see also Persecutions by Church and State and The Final Phase of the Work).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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?
Mystery of Civilization Why is civilization like it is? How will it end? What will replace it? Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Mystery of Civilization and How it Will End.
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?
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.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
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?
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.
Ten clues tying Belgium and Luxembourg with the tribe of Asher Who did some in Belgium and Luxembourg descend from?
Ten clues tying Zebulun with the Dutch Who did some in the Netherlands descend from?
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.

Astrological Signs

COGwriter

Voice of America reported the following:

Sri Lankan Election Upset Brings New Scrutiny to Astrological Forecasts

NEW DELHI—

In Sri Lanka, it was not just the country’s powerful president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who suffered a debacle when he was unexpectedly trounced in last week’s elections. His astrologer, who had confidently forecast a certain win for him, has also quietly stepped away from the limelight in a country where faith in star power is high.

When former President Rajapaksa called elections two years ahead of schedule, it was not just on the basis of political calculations. He was also given the go-ahead by his trusted astrologer of over 30 years, Sumandasa Abeygunawardena. Calling Rajapaksa an “invincible personality and a blessed man”, he forecast that he would win a great victory.

In the days preceding the January 8 vote, Abeygunawardena maintained that the election date was “immensely fortunate for Mr. Rajapaksa.” And in the run up to the election, astrologers confidently predicted on state run television that nothing would stop a Rajapaksa victory.

Rajapaksa is a firm believer in astrology. While most politicians in the country share that belief, many observers noted that the former president had an excessive dependence on astrology.

“It became talked about quite openly and a matter of public discussion. Apparently the astrologer had said it was a good period for him and he should not delay it, the date was set according to some astrologer’s prediction, his time of handing over the nomination paper, everything was determined by an astrologer,” said Harini Amarasuriya, who teaches at the social sciences faculty at Sri Lanka’s Open University.

But all calculations – planetary and political —  were thrown into disarray when Maithripala Sirisena defected from Rajapaksa’s party, and cruised to victory after bringing together a disparate opposition.

The turn of events was unexpected. When Rajapaksa had called the election, there was no credible opposition to a leader once known as the strongman of Sri Lanka.

Now, Rajapaksa’s shock defeat has put the man who was called the “royal astrologer” in the line of fire. Abeygunawardena has given up his official car and resigned from the directorship of a state-run bank, which were just some of the privileges bestowed on him. His credibility has taken a huge hit.

The astrologer told AFP that he knew Rajapaksa was doomed to lose, but did not have the heart to tell him. Defending himself, he said that even the French seer Nostradamus had some incorrect forecasts.

Millions of people in South Asia believe that the movement of planets has a deep influence on their lives. Marriage dates and auspicious events are decided as per the calculations of horoscopes, which are made on the basis of the time, place and date of birth.

However, the high profile astrological error made in Sri Lanka’s election has triggered a debate on star power.

“This is a country that has a lot of these kind of beliefs going on a day to day basis. But this time, because this is such a high profile thing, it is also getting a lot of flak and I think that is a reasonable thing to happen. Because you cannot have a situation, where a country in this time of the 21st century, cannot really doing something this serious, depending this much on something like astrology,” said Sasanka Perera, a Sri Lankan anthropologist and heads the Social Sciences Faculty at the South Asian University in New Delhi.

Harini Amarasuriya pointed out that politicians in Sri Lanka appear to put greater faith in astrology than most other people.

“Where it become such a big thing with politicians is also where there is a lot of insecurity about their position. When you are in those kind of positions, it is a very isolating place to be in, and you kind of cling to these kind of mystical practices in order to get some sense of security,” said Amarasuriya.  http://www.voanews.com/content/sri-lanka-election-upset-brings-new-scrutiny-to-astrological-forecasts/2596106.html

So astrology failed in Sri Lanka.  Furthermore, the astrologer on the one hand is claiming he was a liar and on the other hand said it was okay to be wrong.  Well, it is not okay to lie:

8 … sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Revelation 21:8)

And astrology is wrong.  The Bible shows that the children of Israel had involvement with astrology and that God would punish them for it. Notice a passage in Amos:

26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.

27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the Lord, whose name is The God of hosts. (Amos 5:26-27, KJV)

Now what does this mean? Notice what some commentators have reported (bolding in source) about this:

Moloch and Chiun. Moloch means king, answering to Mars (Bengel); or answering to the Sun (Jablonski); or answering to Saturn, the same as “Chiun” (Maurer)…In an Arabic lexicon, Chiun means austere; so astrologers represented Saturn as a planet baleful in his influence…

Your images, the star of your god. R. Isaac Caro say all the astrologers represented Saturn as the star of Israel.

(Amos 5:25-26. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The children of Israel had astrological practices that God condemned them for.

But is astrology ever right?  Well, there is also the possibility that something can be predicted via astrology.  But that does not make it right.  Notice:

1 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’–which you have not known–’and let us serve them,’ 3 “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him (Deuteronomy 13:1-4).

Despite occasional lip service, astrologers do not teach nor endorse God’s ways. God’s ways work, astrology truly does not.

Perhaps I should mention that I heard a report where a group of college students were given detailed horoscopes.  After reading the detailed horoscopes, many stated that they had not believed in astrology prior to reading this horoscope.  Many were impressed by the accuracy of how it described their personalities/lives.  The problem was, however, that all the students were given the exact same horoscope! Since all obviously did not share the date and time of birth, this helps show that sometimes horoscopes are broad enough that many feel that they are accurate, when they are not.

Although many are fascinated by astrology, it is not the source of truth or real knowledge of the future. While astrology is popular in the West, it is also popular in the far East.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Bible and Astrology Should Christians avoid participating in astrology or did God inspire it? Does the Bible encourage astrology? What does the Bible actually teach? What is astrology? How does astrology differ from astronomy? Here are links to two videos Astrology, the occult, tattoos, and pornography and Should Christians Be Involved In Astrology?
OMENS? DIVINATION? HOROSCOPES? THE ORIGIN OF ASTROLOGY Where did astrology come from? Should you read your horoscope?
Does Astrology Work? Many believe and follow astrology–but does it work? Here is a link to the article in Mandarin Chinese: 占星术准确吗？ .
Close Encounters of a ‘Spirit’ Kind discusses some experiences I believe were (demon) ‘spirit’ related.
Angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim This is information about various types of angelic beings.
Did God Create a Devil? If not, what happened? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet.
Read the Bible Christians should read and study the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading.
How to Study the Bible David Jon Hill wrote this initially and Dr. Thiel added scriptures, tips, and suggestions to it. A 2015 sermon is available and is also titled How to Study the Bible.
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?
Bible: Superstition or Authority? Should you rely on the Bible? Is it reliable? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?
Why Were You Born? Why did God make you? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject. You may also wish to read the article What is Your Destiny? or watch the video, also titled What is Your Destiny?
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally? There is also a video titled What is the meaning of your life?
Living as a Christian: How and Why? In what ways do Christians live differently than others. What about praying, fasting, tithing, holy days, and the world? There is also a YouTube video related to that also called: Living as a Christian: How and Why?
Getting the Gospel Out is More than a Local Job Discusses Biblical rationale for doing an international, and not just a local, work. Here is a link to the article in Mandarin Chinese: 宣传福音不只是一个本地作业.
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.
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 towards 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 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.

Statue Intended to be Habakkuk by Donatello (15th century)

COGwriter

Habakkuk was a Hebrew prophet. Some observe a memorial to him on January 15th.

The Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906 reports this about him:

HABAKKUK (; LXX. Ἀμβακούμ; Vulgate, “Habacuc”):

Prophet; author of the eighth in the collection of the twelve minor prophetical books. The etymology of the name of the prophet is not clear. It seems to be a loan-word representing the Assyrian “hambaḳûḳu,” a garden-plant (Friedrich Delitzsch, “Prolegomena,” p. 84; König, “Historisch-Kritisches Lehrgebäude der Hebräischen Sprache,” ii. 1. 473, on the vocalization), and has the appearance of being a writer’s pseudonym (F. E. Peiser, “Der Prophet Habakuk,” in “Mitteilungen der Vorderasiatischen Gesellschaft,” 1903, i. 12). That he was a Levite has been urged on the strength of the postscript to ch. iii. (verse 19, “on my stringed instruments”), which indicates that he owned instruments: only a Levite was authorized to use an instrument to accompany his songs in the Temple. The superscription of the Septuagint apocryphon Βὴλ καὶ Δράκωυ, in the Codex Chisianus, also designates him a Levite.

Around 605-625 B.C. Habakkuk wrote a short book of the Bible that has a lot of implications for the time that we are now in.

Here are some passages from it (italics are not inspired but were headings in the translation):

1 The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw.

The Prophet’s Question

2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!”And You will not save. 3 Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me;There is strife, and contention arises. 4 Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.

The Lord’s Reply

5 “Look among the nations and watch — Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you. 6 For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs. 7 They are terrible and dreadful; Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. 8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards,And more fierce than evening wolves. Their chargers charge ahead; Their cavalry comes from afar; They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat. 9 “They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. They gather captives like sand. 10 They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it. 11 Then his mind changes, and he transgresses; He commits offense, Ascribing this power to his god.” ( Habakkuk 1:1-11)

Notice that the above states that the end time work will not believed by many even though God will reveal it through–which He does through His prophets, like Habakkuk.

The Prophet’s Second Question

12 Are You not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, You have appointed them for judgment; O Rock, You have marked them for correction. 13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he? 14 Why do You make men like fish of the sea, Like creeping things that have no ruler over them? 15 They take up all of them with a hook, They catch them in their net, And gather them in their dragnet. Therefore they rejoice and are glad. 16 Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their dragnet; Because by them their share is sumptuous And their food plentiful. 17 Shall they therefore empty their net, And continue to slay nations without pity? ( Habakkuk 1:12-17)

Notice that in the above the one getting punished will be punished by someone who in certain ways is worse than the one who will be punished. So while some believe that in certain ways that the USA and its Anglo-allies are more “righteous” than the Beast power that will destroy it, the reality is that this is part of God’s plan.

2:1 I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected.

The Just Live by Faith

2 Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. 4 “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.( Habakkuk 2:1-4)

Notice that the prophecy that is being discussed is for the appointed time of the end. It is a prophecy for our time–and will affect the proud.

Woe to the Wicked

5 “Indeed, because he transgresses by wine,He is a proud man,And he does not stay at home. Because he enlarges his desire as hell, And he is like death, and cannot be satisfied, He gathers to himself all nations And heaps up for himself all peoples. 6 “Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases What is not his — how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges’? 7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you, Because of men’s blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. ( Habakkuk 2:5-8)

Actually, with an admitted $17+ trillion dollar debt and plans to increase that much further, the USA has increased pledges more than any nation in the history of the planet. And on a per capita basis, the United Kingdom is one of the most indebted nations on the earth itself.

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

Whether or not Habakkuk himself died on January 15th, the reality is that since much of his message is for the appointed time of the end, his writing (that God inspired) is applicable today.

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

There is also a YouTube video related to this: Was USA debt and destruction predicted 2,600 years ago?

To learn even more, please, with your Bible, check out the following:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?
Will the Anglo-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?
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?
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?
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.
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.
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?

The Spanish January-March 2015 edition of the Bible News Prophecy magazine is now available in the Spanish language (here is a link to the English language version).

Marque aquí para ver el pdf revista: Noticias de Profecía de la Biblia: ¿Comenzará la Gran Tribulación en 2015?

En Este Número:

3 ¿Comenzará la Gran Tribulación en 2015? Muchos en el mundo cristiano profeso están saltando a ideas proféticas equivocadas y mal concebidas. ¿Qué enseña la Biblia? ¿Cuál es la secuencia requerida?

9 25 opiniones Laodicenas radicales y falsas sobre la Profecía Hay muchos malentendidos proféticos que algunos dicen ser la Iglesia de Dios han mantenido. Aquellos que continúen manteniendo muchos de ellos no entenderán cuándo comenzará la Gran Tribulación o cuándo comenzará o cuándo será tiempo de huir.

13 Curso de Estudio de la Biblia Examen 1 Este es un examen relacionado con las primeras cuatro lecciones de este curso para ayudar a las personas a estudiar y a entender mejor la Biblia.

22 Los complots de Pascua ¿Cuál fue el primer complot de Pascua? ¿Qué complots han llevado a cabo el Islam y las confesiones Greco-Romanas en relación con la Pascua?

25 ¿Le gusta ser corregido? Sea honesto consigo mismo! ¿Le gusta realmente ser corregido?

Marque aquí para ver el pdf revista: Noticias de Profecía de la Biblia: ¿Comenzará la Gran Tribulación en 2015?

‘Our Lady of the Rosary’ Shrine in Madhu (lakpuratravels)

COGwriter

Pope Francis visited a Marian shrine in Sri Lanka:

January 14, 2015

“Mary never forgot her children on this resplendent island.” These were the words of the Holy Father during his visit to the Marian shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Madhu.

The Pope departed to the north of Sri Lanka by helicopter to the shrine…

He then boarded the Popemobile, greeted thousands of Sri Lankans who lined the streets to greet him. …

For his part, Pope Francis reflected on the Virgin Mary’s welcoming presence in the Shrine to all Sri Lankans: Tamil and Sinhalese alike. … he said. “But Our Lady remained always with you. She is the mother of every home, of every wounded family, of all who are seeking to return to a peaceful existence. Today we thank her for protecting the people of Sri Lanka from so many dangers, past and present. Mary never forgot her children on this resplendent island. Just as she never left the side of her Son on the Cross, so she never left the side of her suffering Sri Lankan children.”  …

“Only then can we receive the grace to approach one another in true contrition, offering and seeking true forgiveness,” he said. “In this difficult effort to forgive and find peace, Mary is always here to encourage us, to guide us, to lead us. Just as she forgave her Son’s killers at the foot of his Cross, then held his lifeless body in her hands, so now she wants to guide Sri Lankans to greater reconciliation, so that the balm of God’s pardon and mercy may bring true healing to all.”

Concluding his address, the Holy Father entrusted the Virgin Mary with the efforts of both Tamil and Sinhalese Sri Lankans to rebuild “the unity which was lost”.  He also prayed that the Shrine could continue to be a place of prayer and peace.

“Through the intercession of Our Lady of Madhu, may all people find here inspiration and strength to build a future of reconciliation, justice and peace for all the children of this beloved land,” he said.

The Pope ended the celebration by blessing the faithful present with a statue of the Virgin Mary as well as placing a rosary on the famed image.  http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-francis-mary-did-not-forget-her-suffering-children

Pope Francis is very oriented to his version of ‘Mary,’ an orientation that is NOT biblical. He pushed his interfaith agenda.  He told people that they are to get inspiration from ‘Mary.’ He even entrusted another statute that will be idolized by people in Sri Lanka.

As far as the ‘rosary’ connection to the ‘Lady,’ notice something from my book Fatima Shock!:

Some feel that the rosary either came from St. Dominic or later Dominicans:

Some histories of the rosary claim this tradition, too, originated with Saint Dominic. One legend holds that the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Dominic in the church of Prouille, in 1208, and gave the rosary to him. However, other sources dispute this attribution and suggest that its roots were in the preaching of Alan de Rupe between 1470-1475.

Here is information from The Catholic Encyclopedia on the development of the rosary:

Impressed by this conspiracy of silence, the Bollandists, on trying to trace to its source the origin of the current tradition, found that all the clues converged upon one point, the preaching of the Dominican Alan de Rupe about the years 1470-75. He undoubtedly was the one who first suggested the idea that the devotion of “Our Lady’s Psalter” (a hundred and fifty Hail Mary’s) was instituted or revived by St. Dominic. Alan was a very earnest and devout man, but, as the highest authorities admit, he was full of delusions, and based his revelations on the imaginary testimony of writers that never existed (see Quétif and Echard, “Scriptores O.P.”, 1, 849).

So, the one who claimed that Dominic came up with the rosary was considered to be delusional by top Catholic authorities.

Also notice some interesting facts from Priest P.A. Duffner:

We do not have any historical documents dating from that period expressly referring to St. Dominic and the Rosary…We have to remember that in the time of St. Dominic:

1. The HAIL MARY did not exist as we pray it today…The word JESUS was not added until the 14th century, and the second half of the prayer came later still.

2. The OUR FATHER and the GLORY BE TO THE FATHER were not then part of the Rosary.

3. The Mysteries of the Rosary…The fifteen mysteries in use today were officially established by Pope Pius V in 1569.

4. There was no pendent (the cross and five extra beads) as we have now.

5. The very word “Rosary” taken from the Latin word “rosarium” meaning rose garden, or bouquet of roses, was not used in the time of Dominic as applied to this devotion.

Thus, the rosary as it now exists was not an original tradition as it did not come into being until well over a thousand years after the last of the original apostles died.

Catholic saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Monfort essentially wrote that Alan de la Roche claims that he saw Dominic in a dream, that in 1214 Dominic had seen a “Lady” after he had beat himself into a coma, that the use of the rosary was sort of lost, but that Alan de la Roche later reintroduced it.

Even presuming he is correct, it should be abundantly clear that the rosary was NEITHER from the Bible nor an apostolic tradition. The rosary and the current “Hail Mary” were late innovations.

Based upon Catholic teachings about the origin of the rosary, it apparently came from either someone in a coma (when the modern “Hail Mary” was not part of the rosary) or later from one who was delusional (and had other problems as well). How can anyone claim that the “Lady of the Rosary” could possibly be Mary, mother of Jesus?

While Catholics tend to believe that the expression, “Hail Mary, full of grace,” is straight from the Bible, that is not literally correct. More literal translations of that portion of scripture would be: ‘Rejoice, you who enjoy…favour! (Luke 1:28, NJB) Rejoice, highly favored one (Luke 1:28, NKJV).

Also, the Bible (DRB, NJB, NKJV) never calls Mary “holy” as the Hail Mary prayer does.

When the Fatima apparition appeared on May 13, and then July 13, 1917, Lúcia claimed that it said:

Pray the Rosary every day, in order to obtain peace for the world, and the end of war.

…pray the Rosary every day in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world, because only she can help you.

The idea that only the Lady of the Rosary could help the children leaves God completely out of the picture and makes the Lady more powerful than God.

This is not theologically proper. It is blasphemous.

Telling people to turn to ‘Mary,’ who is dead and in her grace awaiting the resurrection like others (see also Did Early Christians Believe that Humans Possessed Immortality? and What Did Early Christians Understand About the Resurrections? ), for intercession is blasphemous and wrong.

The pontiff also made someone a Catholic saint today in Sri Lanka:

January 14, 2015

The Pope spoke of St. Joseph Vaz during a Mass for canonization that he celebrated this morning (local time) in Colombo. http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-draws-3-lessons-from-saint-he-canonized-today-in-colombo

In 1677 Joseph Vaz consecrated himself as a “slave of Mary”, sealing it with a document known as the “Deed of Bondage.”  So a Marian pontiff ‘canonized’ a Marian priest.  Pope Francis keeps promoting his version of Mary for evangelistic and other purposes when he can.

As far as using ‘Mary’ for evangelistic purposes for people associated with the subcontinent of India, notice also the following from my book Fatima Shock!:

Archbishop Sheen essentially thought that the appearance in Fatima was to also ultimately result in Muslims (and possibly Hindus) accepting his faith. Notice that he also wrote:

Our missionaries report the most extraordinary reaction of these peoples as the Pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima was carried through the East. At the edge of Nepal, three hundred Catholics were joined by three thousand Hindus and Moslems, as four elephants carried the statue to the little church for Rosary and Benediction…The final evidence of the relationship of the village of Fatima to the Moslems is the enthusiastic reception that the Moslems in Africa and India and elsewhere gave to the pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima… in Mozambique the Moslems, who were unconverted, became Christians as soon as the statue of Our Lady of Fatima was erected…

Missionaries in the future will, more and more, see that their apostolate among the Moslems will be successful in the measure they preach Our Lady of Fatima. …

Archbishop Sheen also wrote:

At Patna, the Brahman Hindu governor of the province visited the church and prayed before the statue of Our Lady. In one tiny village of Kesra Mec, more than twenty-four thousand people came to see the statue.

But, that is not an isolated incident. Notice the following account of a group of Hindus who visited Cova da Iria in 2004:

Hindus…were allowed to conduct a pagan prayer chant at the altar in the sanctuary of the Little Chapel of the Apparitions…on May 5, 2004…a national television station in Portugal broadcast that a group of Hindus from Lisbon was allowed to commandeer the Shrine for a pagan prayer chant, with the Hindu “priest” standing at the Catholic altar invoking false gods in the causes of peace, while the Hindu congregation in the Little Chapel responded with a chant. This is a desecration…since Sacred Scripture teaches “the gods of the Gentiles are devils” (Psalm 95:5)

This Hindu ceremony, as expected, upset some Catholics.  (Note that Psalm 95:5 in the DRB is Psalm 96:5 in the NJB/NKJV which use the word “idols” instead of “devils.”)

Eastern Signs and Faiths

While “Mary” is known throughout the Middle East and West, she is less known, though revered by some like a goddess, in Eastern religions:

Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and other pilgrims regularly worship at famous Roman Catholic shrines to the Virgin Mary such as Lourdes in France and Fatima in Portugal…Many venerate her like one of their own goddesses…

There is a Catholic plan to reach those of Indian heritage through ‘Mary,’ and Pope Francis is trying to do this. ‘Mary’ is believed to sometimes be helpful for the interfaith discussions that Pope Francis has engaged in.

Pope Francis is not a true Christian and should not be trusted as one (see also Where is the True Christian Church Today?).

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).

The current Marian focused Pope Francis, as well as other somewhat like-minded bishops, will likely be a factor in this.

The visit to the Marian shrine of the rosary in Sri Lanka is one more step to get the public thinking that Jesus’ mother Mary is intervening and that people need to venerate her. This should not be the case.

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.
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future?
Mystery of Civilization Why is civilization like it is? How will it end? What will replace it? Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Mystery of Civilization and How it Will End.
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?
What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did the early Church use icons? What was the position of Christians about such things?
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?
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.

Front cover of January 14, 2015 edition of Charlie Hebdo

COGwriter

The Yemeni branch of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda is claiming responsibility for last week’s murders in France:

January 14, 2015

Yemen’s al-Qaida branch officially claimed responsibility for last week’s attack on the Paris offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, saying it was an “act of vengeance” for the Prophet Muhammad.

Charlie Hebdo regularly publishes anti-religious pieces and has several times published illustrations featuring the Prophet, an act many Muslims consider sacrilegious.

On Wednesday, the magazine put out its first edition since last week’s attack, with a cover that featured a cartoon illustration of a weeping Prophet Muhammad on the cover, along with the line “All is Forgiven.” The issue has been selling out across France.

In a video posted online Wednesday, a man identified as Nasr al-Ansi, a top leader of Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, said his group planned and financed the Charlie Hebdo attack that killed 12 people.

“As for the blessed Battle of Paris, we, the Organization of al-Qaida al Jihad in the Arabian Peninsula, claim responsibility for this operation as vengeance for the Messenger of God,” Ansi said in the recording. …

Attackers

French police killed the Charlie Hebdo attackers, Said and Cherif Kouachi, on Friday, the same day another Islamic militant, Amedy Coulibaly, killed four Jewish victims at the kosher supermarket in eastern Paris before being killed by police. Coulibaly had also killed a French policewoman one day earlier.

The al-Qaida in Yemen leader said Coulibaly was not operating as a part of the group and that his actions were a coincidence.

Meanwhile, French comedian Dieudonne was arrested Wednesday for defending terrorism, after posting a statement on social media that seemed to support last week’s attackers.

Dieudonne has won notoriety with his outspokenness in the past, most notably for popularizing an arm gesture deemed by some to be anti-Semitic because it resembles the Nazi salute.  http://www.voanews.com/content/charlie-hebdo-publishes-post-attack-edition/2597549.html

January 14, 2015

ISIS released a video Wednesday praising last week’s Paris terror attacks and urging more violence in Europe and the United States. The latest propaganda video features interviews with three French-speaking jihadists belonging to ISIS, according to Flashpoint Partners, a service that monitors jihadist groups. The men threaten to extend ISIS’s caliphate, or territory, into Europe, and urge the killing of more police officers and “infidels” in the streets. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/paris-magazine-attack/isis-releases-video-praising-paris-terror-attacks-n286131

Religiously connected groups should oppose what happened and encourage peace, not more violence. Calling the cowardly attack ‘the blessed Battle of Paris’ again shows the depravity many terrorists hold to.

While the translated front cover of Charlie Hebdo states ‘All is forgiven,’ the reality is that French have not forgiven the terrorists, the terrorists are not repentant, and there remain other problems associated with all of this.

Some of the French now have new issues with Israel and the USA–which they are not inclined to forgive.  In a biblical context, this is not unexpected.

Notice something that the late evangelist Dibar Apartian wrote over five decades ago:

But contrary to what you may think, it will NOT consist only of Gentile nations. It will INCLUDE a group of ISRAELITISH nations. “Come out of her , my people,” says God in Revelation 18:4. “My people” means Israelites in Bible prophecy. Yes, once again, Joseph’ s own brothers will sell him to the Gentiles!

Once again REUBEN (the first-born of Jacob who anciently conspired with his brothers, will “act” in terms of saving him, but end · up by compromising with his brothers to send him into CAPTIVITY.

Ever since the early days of American history, the French have been on our side. There exists a brotherly link among all the ISRAELITISH nations. Nevertheless, by uniting politically with the “beast,” some of the modern Israelites will be instrumental in conquering the United States and Great Britain.

So says YOUR Bible! (Apartian D. De Gaulle and the Next World War. Plain Truth, September 1964, p. 11)

While there are many reasons why France would be involved in betraying the USA, UK, and Israel, some matters associated with the aftermath of the terrorist attacks may be factors as well.  A reader sent me the following last night:

Hollande Furious After Netanyahu Participates In Paris March, Disobeying French President’s Request

Jan 12, 2015   excerpts…

French President Francois Hollande conveyed a message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend asking him not to come to Paris to take part in the march against terror on Sunday…

After the French government began to send invitations to world leaders to participate in the rally against terror, Hollande’s national security adviser, Jacques Audibert, contacted his Israeli counterpart, Yossi Cohen, and said that Hollande would prefer that Netanyahu not attend, the source said…

Audibert explained that Hollande wanted the event to focus on demonstrating solidarity with France, and to avoid anything liable to divert attention to other controversial issues, like Jewish-Muslim relations or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Audibert said that Hollande hoped that Netanyahu would understand the difficulties his arrival might pose and would announce that he would not be attending.

According to the source, when Cohen informed Audibert that Netanyahu would be attending the event after all, Audibert angrily told Cohen that the prime minister’s conduct would have an adverse effect on ties between the two countries as long as Hollande was president of France and Netanyahu was prime minister of Israel.

Audibert made it clear that in light of Netanyahu’s intention to arrive, an invitation would also be extended to Abbas. And indeed, several hours after Abbas announced that he would not be traveling to Paris, his office issued a statement stating that he would in fact be at the march.

Hollande’s anger at Netanyahu was evident during the ceremony held Sunday evening following the march at the Grand Synagogue in Paris, an event attended by hundreds of members of the local Jewish community.

Hollande sat through most of the ceremony, but when Netanyahu’s turn at the podium arrived, the French president got up from his seat and made an early exit.  http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-01-12/diplomatic-fallout-after-israels-netanyahu-participates-paris-memorial-march-disobey

Obama’s Paris snub wasn’t an oversight

Jan 12, 2015   excerpt…

The uproar over whether President Obama or another top administration official should have attended the massive unity rally in Paris has obscured an important point about the White House’s reaction to the latest terror attacks in Europe. The administration no-shows were not a failure of optics, or a diplomatic misstep, but were instead the logical result of the president’s years-long effort to downgrade the threat of terrorism and move on to other things…

Even as the march wound its way through Paris, the White House sent out yet another sign of its unseriousness. On Sunday morning, the press office announced the president will host a “Summit on Countering Violent Extremism” on Feb. 18. The plan is to bring together “social service providers, including education administrators, mental health professionals, and religious leaders, with law enforcement agencies to address violent extremism as part of the broader mandate of community safety and crime prevention.”

As the world watched images of black-clad, AK-47-wielding terrorists killing Parisians, Obama proposed to meet the threat with social service providers.

So when the president chose not to attend the Paris march, nor to send the Vice President or Secretary of State, the problem wasn’t a tin-ear sense of public relations. It was Obama’s actual attitude toward the terror threat facing not only Europe but the United States. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/obamas-paris-snub-wasnt-an-oversight/article/2558546

So the Israeli Prime Minister attended an event that the French President did not want him to attend and the USA failed to send a high level representative to the same event, despite being invited.  There already is a lot of antisemitism in France (see France and Israel mourn terrorist deaths, while many Jews fear the rise of antisemitism in France) and a distrust of the USA. Even The Boston Globe felt the USA did not handle this correctly:

Obama let France down

January 13, 2015

America’s failure to march with world leaders against terrorism marked an embarrassing diplomatic misstep. As leaders from some 40 countries joined more than 1 million demonstrators Sunday in a solemn and extraordinary progression along the boulevards of Paris, the highest-ranking United States official on the scene was America’s ambassador to France, Jane D. Hartley — hardly a familiar face on the world stage.

And that simply wasn’t stature enough, not for a display of solidarity against violence by Islamic radicals that turned into what French officials described as the most massive rally in the history of America’s oldest ally. The numbers of marchers in other cities around the world — from Boston to Sydney — surpassed 3 million, according to news reports. Seventeen people died in the attack last week on the satirical French newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a related hostage-taking at a kosher grocery, also in Paris.

The bewilderment and international criticism were justified. In a belated concession, the Obama administration on Monday said that it should have dispatched an official of greater prominence to join France’s Francois Hollande, Germany’s Angela Merkel, Britain’s David Cameron, and dozens of other leaders. “I think it’s fair to say we should have sent someone with a higher profile to be there,’’ White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.

No one questions that the United States is deeply committed to battling terrorism. The tone of many analysts who noticed the absence of a top-rank American leader at the solemn Paris march was more rueful than angry. “I wish our American president had gone to Paris to stand with our European allies,’’ tweeted James Stavridis, dean of Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a former US Navy admiral.  https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2015/01/12/obama-let-france-down/scps691hnYoshHr92eeagO/story.html

The fallout from the terrorist events may have deepened the rift between the USA and France.

As Dibar Apartian wrote, the French will betray some of the descendants of Israel in the end times.  And while the events of the past week or two are not the most important in this context, they will likely be remembered by the French when they do at least acquiesce to the destruction of the USA and its British-descended allies.

As many of you are aware, my wife and I returned from a trip to France a couple of weeks and put together two sermons related to France: specifically its origins and prophecies related to France. These are The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben and France and Prophecy.  They were able to be available around the time of the incidents in Paris as they were videoed just prior them.

Knowledge of the origin of the French and Bible prophecy helps us to understand what will end up happening in France and elsewhere.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
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. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Ten clues tying Belgium and Luxembourg with the tribe of Asher Who did some in Belgium and Luxembourg descend from?
Ten clues tying Zebulun with the Dutch Who did sgome in the Netherlands descend from?
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?
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? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? The Book of Revelation tells of a beast power that will rise up. Some think that this must be Russia or could be Islamic, while others say that this power is European. The Book of Daniel tells of the rise of an end time King of the North that some think must be referring to a Russian leader, while others say that this power is European. How can you be sure? This YouTube video has all the scriptural proofs that you should need to prove that this power must be a European one.
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.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? Here is a link to a related video video: Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
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?
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?
WTO/TTIP and the Babylonian Beast Will international trade agreements like WTO/TTIP/CETA lead to the fulfillment of end time prophecies concerning the Babylonian Beast power that the Book of Revelation warns against? What does the Bible teach? A related video would be WTO Trade Deal and the Rise of the European Beast Power.
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?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.

COGwriter

February 14th is often celebrated as Valentine’s Day. Should you celebrate it?

Christians who may be tempted to compromise need to ask themselves about the origins of Valentine’s Day.

Notice what the Roman Catholics teach,

The roots of St. Valentine’s Day lie in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated on Feb. 15. For 800 years the Romans had dedicated this day to the god Lupercus. On Lupercalia, a young man would draw the name of a young woman in a lottery and would then keep the woman as a sexual companion for the year (The Origins of St. Valentine’s Day. http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/ValentinesDay/, January 31, 2004).

It is of interest to note that the same Catholic source states,

The Catholic Church no longer officially honors St. Valentine, but the holiday has both Roman and Catholic roots.

It is good that the Church of Rome no longer officially honors Valentine or the holiday.

Look at some of what the Muslims say about Valentine’s Day,

Celebrating the Valentine Day is not permissible because: Firstly, it is an innovated holiday that has no basis in the Sharee`ah…Christians were aware of the Pagan roots of Valentine’s Day. The way the Christians adopted St. Valentine’s Day should be a lesson for Muslims. In fact, the failure to fully separate Valentine’s Day from its pagan roots explains why Islamic scholars and a number of Muslims avoid adopting traditions of non-Muslims, even though they could possibly be Islamicized…We should avoid anything associated with pagan immoral practices -…- Islam does not encourage flirting or suggestions of romantic relationships before marriage – Love between families, friends and married people does not need to be celebrated on a day with such un-Islamic origins (Ruling on Celebrating Valentine’s Day. http://www.contactpakistan.com/news/news144.htm, January 31, 2004).

What is the ruling on Valentine’s Day?…Firstly: Valentine’s Day is a jaahili Roman festival, which continued to be celebrated until after the Romans became Christian. This festival became connected with the saint known as Valentine who was sentenced to death on 14 February 270 CE. The kuffaar still celebrate this festival, during which immorality and evil are practised widely…Secondly: It is not permissible for a Muslim to celebrate any of the festivals of the kuffaar, because festivals come under the heading of shar’i issues which are to be based on the sound texts…Partially joining in, at the very least, is disobedience and sin…it is not permissible to celebrate the festivals of the ignorant and the mushrikeen (polytheists). (fatwa No. 73007. What is the ruling on Valentine’s Day? http://islamqa.info/en/ref/73007 viewed 02/04/12)

So, according to Muslims, it is improper to celebrate pagan holidays and the so-called “Christians” clearly adopted a pagan holiday.

In Pakistan and other Islamic-dominated lands, steps to minimize its impact have been taken:

Conservatives in Pakistan tacked up posters urging people to boycott Valentine’s Day on Thursday, saying it’s a western-inspired event that’s spreading vulgarity in their country…

For them, Valentine’s Day is nothing but an occasion to encourage illicit relations between the country’s young unmarried males and females. It’s a sign that Western culture and values are eating away the fabric of Pakistan’s traditional, Islamic society. Valentine’s Day, they say, is not a Pakistani holiday and not part of the culture here…

In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, government officials and clerics in Jakarta called for young people to skip Valentine’s Day, saying it was an excuse for couples to have forbidden sex. Santana R. Valentine’s Day under attack in Pakistan. AP, February 14, 2013 http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2013/02/14/valentines-day-under-attack-in-pakistan)

Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, or PEMRA, sent a letter to TV and radio stations reminding them that the holiday is “not in conformity to our religious and cultural ethos.” The report warns that “a large segment of society” has complained about “Valentine’s Day celebrations” and blames Valentine’s Day for “depraving, corrupting and injuring morality of Pakistani youth.”…

The letter begins:

It is generally observed that in the past “Valentine’s Day” is celebrated on February 14 by all the satellite TV channels whether an Entertainment or News & Current Affairs channel. PEMRA has been receiving complaints from a large segment of society that Valentine’s Day celebrations are not in conformity to our religious and cultural ethos and has, therefore, condemned its unequivocal propagation through media. Furthermore, such events have been perceived as a source of depraving, corrupting and injuring morality of Pakistani youth as well as violating Code of Conduct developed by PEMRA in pursuance of Rule 15 & PEMRA Rules 2009. (Dewey C. Pakistani regulator warns media against promoting Valentine’s Day (Washington Post, February 14, 2013. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/02/14/pakistani-regulator-warns-media-against-promoting-valentines-day/

Notice that because of sexual immortality associated with Valentine’s Day, many of the states in Malaysia have taken proactive steps to try to stop sinning then:

PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hasan Tantawi said the Kedah, Kelantan and Selangor governments have directed all local authorities to work closely with police and Rela in order to carry out operations to check immoral activities during Valentine’s Day…He said the National Fatwa Council forbids Muslims from celebrating Valentine’s Day because of elements of Christianity and sin. (Move on Valentine’s Day ‘sins’ Malaysia Star – Feb 8, 2011. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/2/9/nation/8024821&sec=nation)

KUALA LUMPUR – More than 300 volunteers between 19 to 25 years-old today joined a programme to make Muslims wary of the importance of not celebrating Valentine’s Day.

Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director of Family, Social and Community Division, Saimah Mokhtar hopes parents take the ban on Valentine’s Day celebration seriously as it has elements of Christianity and mixed with vices forbidden by Islam.

The programme called “Jerat Hari Valentine” (Valentine’s Day Trap) targets several locations in Kuala Lumpur, said Jakim director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha. (Bernama. Now Jakim wants parents to ban Valentine’s Day celebration. Malaysian Chronicle. February 3, 2013. http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=51672:now-jakim-wants-parents-to-ban-valentines-day-celebration&Itemid=2)

Notice that many of the Muslims associate Valentine’s Day with Christianity (obviously the false compromising kind) and sin.

In other words, Valentine’s Day causes the name of Christ (through the term ‘Christianity’) to be blasphemed among the Gentiles (Romans 2:24; Isaiah 52:5)!

Valentine’s Day causes the name of Christ (through the term ‘Christianity’) to be blasphemed among the Gentiles–which is something that the Bible warns against doing:

24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written. (Romans 2:24)

How does this pagan holiday help get the true gospel out?

It does not.

And that is the point.

Of course, Valentine’s Day is NOT a real Christian holiday and does have its basis in sinful pagan practices.

Jesus did not observe Valentine’s Day or anything close to it.

Valentine’s Day is not a biblical holiday.

It is essentially based upon lawlessness and does not edify Christ. 13 years ago, an article in Christianity Today stated:

There are more tales of the “origins” of Valentine’s Day than arrows in Cupid’s quiver. As expected, most have something to do with pagan ritual (pretty much every holiday—from Christmas to Mother’s Day—has something to do with pagan ritual). Four centuries before Christ, Romans had a day called Lupercalia. Without going too much into it, I’ll sum it up as a sexual lottery. Pull names out of a box at random and couple with a young member of the opposite sex. After a year, you get to pick another name (Olsen T. Then Again Maybe Don’t Be My Valentine. Christianity Today. February 12, 1999).

The modern practice of giving cards to ask/tell someone to “be my Valentine” seems to be a holdover from the ancient sexual lottery.

None who profess Christ should observe this February “holiday”–it simply is not a Christian holiday. It began as a sexual lottery and still has sexual ramifications, even in the 21st century. Modern Muslims and modern Catholics realize this, shouldn’t you?

For more information, please consider studying the following:

Valentine’s Day: Its Real Origins Christianity Today suggests that Valentine’s Day is good for Christians to observe. Is this true? There is also a YouTube titled Should Christians Observe Valentine’s Day?
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2024, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂 In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日？ 这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.
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.
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?
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.
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?