Church of God News

John Sayers

COGwriter

The assassination of Boris Nemtsov, a political opponent to Russian President Vladimir Putin, has shocked many.  Some wonder if his assassination was approved by supporters of the Russian government as several other opponents to Vladimir Putin have been killed in the past.  Notice also:

February 28, 2015

World chess champion-turned opposition activist Garry Kasparov tweeted extensively about Nemtsov’s death.

“When we argued, Boris would tell me I was too hasty, that in Russia you had to live a long time to see change. Now he’ll never see it. RIP,” he wrote in one. …

Kasparov said the Russian President is to blame even if not directly involved.

“If Putin gave order to murder Boris Nemtsov is not the point. It is Putin’s dictatorship. His 24/7 propaganda about enemies of the state,” Kasparov tweeted.

“In Putin’s atmosphere of hatred & violence, abroad & in Russia, bloodshed is the prerequisite to show loyalty, that you are on the team,” he added.

Critics of Putin have in the past suffered miserable circumstances and demises.

Last year, a Moscow court sentenced five men to prison for the 2006 killing of Russian journalist and fierce Kremlin critic Anna Politkovskaya.

Oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky accused Putin of corruption and wound up spending 10 years in prison and labor camps.

Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko accused state security services of organizing a coup to put Putin in power. He was poisoned by a lethal dose of radioactive polonium and died in London in 2006. No killer has been caught.

“It’s the latest in a series of high-profile killings of people who have been critics of authorities in Russia over the last few years,” said Peter Baker, the author of “Kremlin Rising” and also a New York Times reporter. “We don’t know yet, of course, who did this or why, but it will certainly send a terrible message to people who are fighting this cause Nemtsov has been fighting.”  http://www.click2houston.com/news/outspoken-critic-of-putin-shot-and-killed/31538434

Russia annexed Crimea last year and has been involved in the conflict with Ukraine.

So is Russia now a major threat to the UK and its allies?  Notice the following from one who sees danger from Russia:

February 28, 2015

Russia has become a danger to Britain and the country must be prepared to take steps to defend itself and its allies, the former head of MI6 says.

Sir John Sawers, who recently retired after five years as chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Russia poses a “state to state threat”.

Sir John said dealing with such threats would require more defence spending.

But he called on issues with Russia to be addressed by “increased dialogue”.

He said he was disappointed how, after the end of the Cold War, Russia’s and Europe’s paths had failed to converge.

Russia’s threat was “not necessarily directly to the UK but to countries around its periphery”.

“[Russia] keep on reminding us that they have nuclear weapons,” he said.

“The one level in which Russia and America are equals is at the nuclear level.

“Now we don’t want to have a repeat of the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 where we got to the brink of nuclear war. …

“It’s a much sort of flatter world, a much more multi-polar world and there are real dangers associated with that.”

Sir John described Russia as always having been an “issue of concern” for security services.

“Europe and Russia are not converging with one another so we’re going to have to find a new way to coexist with Russia,” he said.

“This crisis at the moment – it’s focused on Ukraine but Ukraine is a symptom. It’s not the real problem.

“The real problem is how we live with a Russia which feels very exposed. Putin’s actions are ones of a leader who believes his own security is at stake.

“And here we’ve got nuclear bombers approaching the Cornish coast.”  http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-31669195

Stephen Hawking

COGwriter

CBS reported that theoretical physicist and atheist Stephen Hawking has given three ways that human civilization could be destroyed:

2/27/15

Stephen Hawking may be most famous for his work on black holes and gravitational singularities, but the world-renowned physicist has also become known for his outspoken ideas about things that could destroy human civilization. …

Artificial intelligence

Hawking is part of a small but growing group of scientists who have expressed concerns about “strong” artificial intelligence (AI) — intelligence that could equal or exceed that of a human.

“The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race,” Hawking told the BBC… Last month, Hawking, Musk and dozens of other scientific bigwigs signed an open letterdescribing the risks, as well as the benefits, of AI. “Because of the great potential of AI, it is important to research how to reap its benefits while avoiding potential pitfalls,” the scientists wrote in the letter, which was published online Jan. 11 by the Future of Life Institute, a volunteer organization that aims to mitigate existential threats to humanity.  http://www.cbsnews.com/news/stephen-hawking-thinks-these-3-things-could-destroy-humanity/

Oxford University’s Future of Humanity Institute and the Global Challenges Foundation listed Artificial Intelligence as one of 12 Risks that threaten human civilisation (see Oxford University’s 12 likely causes of the Apocalypse). Here is some of what I earlier reported about that:

Artificial Intelligence

The creation of human-level intelligence can result in the possibility that this intelligence will be driven to construct a world without humans…

On the other hand, the report also says it is probable that such intelligence could counter other apocalyptic causes presented in the study. Probability: 0-10%

The chances of computer problems causing other problems is high. The Bible, however, is clear that human-related intelligence (and that would include computers) will not solve the problems–only God will be able to. Notice:

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

More information on the Great Tribulation can be found in the article When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? A YouTube video of related interest may be Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2015?

Anyway, here the second potential cause for the destruction of humanity from Dr. Hawking that CBS reported:

Human aggression

If our machines don’t kill us, we might kill ourselves. Hawking now believes that human aggression might destroy civilization.

The physicist was giving a tour of the London Science Museum to Adaeze Uyanwah, a 24-year-old teacher from California who won a contest from VisitLondon.com. When Uyanwah asked, “What human shortcomings would you most like to alter?” Hawking responded:

“The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression. It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food, territory or partner with whom to reproduce, but now it threatens to destroy us all,” The Independent reported.

For example, a major nuclear war would likely end civilization, and could wipe out the human race, Hawking added. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/stephen-hawking-thinks-these-3-things-could-destroy-humanity/

The Bible is clear that a warring leader will arise:

4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:4)

We will see more ‘human aggression’ as Jesus said:

7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (Matthew 24:7)

The Book of Apocalypse teaches:

3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. (Revelation 6:3-4)

Something that resembles nuclear devastation is one of the prophesied curses mentioned in the Bible:

23 ‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’ 24 All nations would say, ‘Why has the Lord done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?’ 25 Then people would say: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt; 26 for they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they did not know and that He had not given to them. 27 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against this land, to bring on it every curse that is written in this book. (Deuteronomy 29:23-29).

6…He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 6-7)

19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts
The land is burned up,
And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother.
20 And he shall snatch on the right hand
And be hungry;
He shall devour on the left hand
And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm. 21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah (Isaiah 9:19-21).

The above descriptions are consistent with a nuclear or similar attack. Manasseh represents the USA and Ephraim its British-descended allies (see Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel). THIS HAS NOT YET HAPPENED IN HISTORY AND IS A PROPHECY FOR OUR TIME. While Israel was uprooted historically, the land did not burn up or become brimstone. Deuteronomy 29:29 provides one reason why most Protestants and most others that profess Christ do not understand these prophecies–they do not do the words of the law that God expects His people to do today.

Humanity will not be completely destroyed from ‘human aggression,’ but many humans will be.

Anyway, here the second potential cause for the destruction of humanity from Dr. Hawking that CBS reported:

Alien life

But Hawking had made ominous warnings even before these recent ones. Back in 2010, Hawking said that, if intelligent alien life exists, it may not be that friendly toward humans.

“If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans,” Hawking said during an episode of “Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking,” a show hosted by the Discovery Channel, reported The Times, a U.K.-based newspaper.

Advanced alien civilizations might become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they could reach, Hawking said. “If so, it makes sense for them to exploit each new planet for material to build more spaceships so they could move on. Who knows what the limits would be?”  http://www.cbsnews.com/news/stephen-hawking-thinks-these-3-things-could-destroy-humanity/

No, there will not be nomadic aliens that destroy humanity.

However, if unclean spirit and the return of Jesus Christ would be considered to be some type of ‘alien life’ by an atheist such as Stephen Hawking, then the earth will be affected.

Notice that the influence of the unclean spirits to draw fighters to Armageddon:

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. (Revelation 16:12-16)

But what will happen to this ‘alien influenced’ force?  Well, it will itself be destroyed when Jesus returns:

3 Then the Lord will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. 4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:3-4)

19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.  (Revelation 19:11-16)

12 And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths. 13 It shall come to pass in that day That a great panic from the Lord will be among them. Everyone will seize the hand of his neighbor, And raise his hand against his neighbor’s hand; (Zechariah 14:12-13)

17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,  18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.”

19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:17-21)

Notice that afterwards, another form of ‘alien life’ (an angel) will come and bind the ‘dragon, the leader of the unclean spirits:

20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-4)

Therefore, instead of ‘alien life’ actually destroying all human life, it will take the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the kingdom of God to prevent humanity from destroying itself:

20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. (Mark 13:20)

While humanity will get close to destroying itself, Divine intervention, which is alien to people such as Dr. Hawking, will intervene and save humanity (see also Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism?).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

12 Apocalyptic Risks from Oxford University  This is a video related to a 212 page report from Oxford University’s Future of Humanity Institute and the Global Challenges Foundation titled “12 Risks that threaten human civilisation.”  The Russian Times reported about it with an article titled The article was titled, “12 likely causes of the Apocalypse, as seen by scientists.”  Risks included asteroid impact, supervolacanic explosion, global pandemic, nuclear war,climate change, synthetic biology, nanotechnology, unknown consequences, ecological collapse, economic global system collapse, bad governance, and artificial intelligence flaws.  Are the risks greater than what Oxford scientists believe?  What does the Bible say about these risks?  A written article of related interest is: Oxford University’s 12 likely causes of the Apocalypse.
Did God Create a Devil? If not, what happened? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet.
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.
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
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?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2014, 2015, or 2016? 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 2013 o 2014? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language video The Great Tribulation Will Not Begin Before 2017.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? A related sermon is titled The Millennium.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2022 or 20xx?
Is God’s Existence Logical? Some say it is not logical to believe in God. Is that true? Here is a link to a YouTube sermon titled Is it logical to believe in God?
Is Evolution Probable or Impossible or Is God’s Existence Logical? Part II This short article clearly answers what ‘pseudo-scientists’ refuse to acknowledge. Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Quickly Disprove Evolution as the Origin of Life.
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something?
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?
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.

COGwriter

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

Many want to know if there was a prehistoric human before Adam.  Some want to know if Adam, Eve, Abel, and Seth existed.  Others want to know why scientists claim the earth is billions of years old, yet certain ‘creationists’ deny this.  Does the Bible teach that the Earth itself if only about 6000 years old or is there a ‘gap’ between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2?  Is the Bible scientific?  What is the truth?  Did Adam die the ‘day’ he ate the forbidden fruit in Genesis 3:6?

Two related written articles are titled: Questions and Answers from Genesis and How Old is the Earth and How Long Were the Days of Creation? Gap Theory?

Here is a link to the video sermon: Genesis, ‘Prehistoric man,’ and the Gap theory.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Questions and Answers from Genesis Many wonder about certain early events that this article discusses.  A related video sermon is available: Genesis, ‘Prehistoric man,’ and the Gap theory.
How Old is the Earth and How Long Were the Days of Creation? Gap Theory? Does the Bible allow for the creation of the universe and earth billions of years ago? Why do some believe they are no older than 6,000 years old? What is the gap theory? Where the days of creation in Genesis 1:3 through 2:3 24 hours long? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Cuán vieja es la Tierra? ¿Cuán largos fueron los Días de la Creación? ¿Teoría de la brecha?
Is God’s Existence Logical? Some say it is not logical to believe in God. Is that true? Here is a link to a YouTube sermon titled Is it logical to believe in God?
Is Evolution Probable or Impossible or Is God’s Existence Logical? Part II This short article clearly answers what ‘pseudo-scientists’ refuse to acknowledge. Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Quickly Disprove Evolution as the Origin of Life.
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?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from c. 31 A.D. to 2014. A related sermon link would be Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios.
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?
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章，其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中，准备添加到这个网站中。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos This is the Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God in Tagalog, the primary language of the Philippines.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos as well as some ContinuingCOG channel sermons. It is also available as a mobile app.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced scores of YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos.

COGwriter

The government of Argentina is about to release a new 50 pesos currency note expressing its attachment related to the British controlled territories of the Falkland Islands.  Here is some of what the BBC reported:

February 26, 2015

Falklands banknote leaves Argentines underwhelmed

A new banknote declaring Argentina’s “sovereign love” for the Falkland islands received a frosty reception on the Argentine internet.

Britain maintains that it has sovereignty over the Falklands but Argentina also lays claim to the islands, which it calls Las Malvinas. Next week in Argentina, a new 50-peso ($5.74) banknote featuring the islands as part of Argentinean territory is set to come into circulation. In the words of the country’s central bank governor Alejandro Vanoli, the idea is to remind people of “the undying claim of the people of Argentina over the Malvinas Islands” through the everyday use of money. The new bank note bears the slogan “Malvinas Islands, a sovereign love”.

The islands have long been a nationalist rallying cry for Argentinians. But that’s not quite how Argentines using social media seemed to feel this time. There was much discussion on Facebook and Twitter and 23,000 people sent tweets referring to Malvinas or Malvinas Islands. Most of them were more worried about inflation levels than reclaiming the islands, and were upset about the new note for that reason. “A 50 peso note in tribute to Malvinas, what is missing is a 500 peso tribute to the inflation,” wrote user Ale Aguirre. A minority went even further: “the Malvinas are not from Argentina, to have them on a bank note is like having something English. Sorry about that patriots”, wrote user Gato Floro. Another commented: “We lost the Malvinas on a war that this government doesn’t condemn. I don’t understand their policy or this bank note”. …

The new banknote was noticed in the Falkland islands too. … On Twitter, they used the economic crisis in Argentina to mock the bank note. http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-31649483

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

Although the voting people of the Falklands have made their preferences known (they want to remain a British protectorate), I believe that the Bible shows that the UK will end up losing the Falklands.

The UK has has controlled the Falkland Islands since the 1830′s. So, what does this have to do with the Bible?

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

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

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

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

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

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

58 “If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, 59 then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues — great and prolonged plagues — and serious and prolonged sicknesses. 60 Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. 61 Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed. 62 You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God. 63 And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess. (Deuteronomy 28:58-63)

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

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

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

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands? For many years, the major sea gates of the world were possessed/controlled by the United States (Panama Canal and certain locations in the Pacific ocean) and the British Empire (Straits of Malacca, Singapore, Suez Canal, Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Simon’s Town/Cape of Good Hope, Malta, etc.), and many are no longer under their control. Spain wants Gibraltar and Argentina wants the Falklands (also known as the Malvinas). UK Prime Minister David Cameron says the UK will defend the Falklands Gibraltar. Does the Bible give clues as to what will happen with those ‘sea gates’? Do promises made the Jacob’s mother Rebekah play a role? What about Deuteronomy 28? This is a video.
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 version of the article in the Spanish language would be ¿Perderá el Reino Unido a Gibraltar y las Islas Falkland (Malvinas)?
Mexico, Central America, South America, Brazil, and the Caribbean in Prophecy [Español: México, América central, Suramérica, Brasil y el Caribe en la profecía] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future? What role might the various Caribbean nations/territories play?
Islands and Bible Prophecy What’s ahead for islands? What does the Bible prophesy about them?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, 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?
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?

Wolfgang Schäuble

COGwriter

Germany has granted Greece a bailout extension as it wants Greece to remain in the Eurozone:

February 27, 2015

BERLIN—Germany’s parliament approved an extension of Greece’s bailout on Friday after Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who has voiced doubts about whether Athens can be trusted, promised he would not let Greece “blackmail” its euro zone partners.

With 542 members of the Bundestag voting “yes,” including almost all of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s right-left coalition and the opposition Greens, it was the biggest majority so far for a eurozone rescue package. There were 32 “no” votes and 13 abstentions.

The Bundestag vote was the only major parliamentary hurdle for a four-month extension to the bailout program for the most heavily indebted country in Europe’s single currency zone.

Schaeuble urged lawmakers to take what he acknowledged was a difficult decision, appealing to their sense of responsibility.

“We Germans should do everything to keep Europe together as far as we can and bring it together again and again,” said 72-year-old Schaeuble, who makes no secret of his doubts about how far Greece’s leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis can be trusted to deliver on reforms.

Addressing public misgivings in Germany about making further concessions to Greece – whipped up by top-selling daily Bild’s front-page campaign for lawmakers to say “NEIN!” – Schaeuble said no new financial aid was at stake.

“We’re not talking about new billions for Greece, we’re not talking about any changes to this program – rather it’s about providing or granting extra time to successfully end this program,” he said, adding that solidarity among members of the single currency “doesn’t mean you can blackmail each other.”

The debate reflected widespread misgivings about granting the Greeks more time, with one poll this week showing that only 21 percent of Germans back an extension for Greece. …

European Commission’s financial affairs chief Pierre Moscovici reminded Berlin in an interview with German radio just before the debate that allowing any country to exit the euro zone would merely raise the question “who is leaving next?”  http://www.voanews.com/content/german-lawmakers-approve-greek-bailout-extension/2661419.html

The bailout extension is clearly part of a bigger plan.  For Germany to dominate the world, it wants as large of a Eurozone as possible. Germany also expects that most nations that are not in the Eurozone, but are in the European Union (EU) will adopt the Euro at some time.  Even if the Euro is somehow replaced, Germany wants Europe under its dominance.

Because of concerns that the USA has about Russia, China, and the Islamic world, the Obama Administration has tended to support the European Union and its expansion (links for some of this are in the post Most Germans want Greece to remain part of the Eurozone). The USA, however, is doing so to its peril according to biblical prophecies (Ezekiel 23:4,9-10; Daniel 11:39).

For recent proof that German leaders would like to dominate the world, consider that the German Minister for Foreign Affairs gave a speech a few months ago reminiscent of one given in support of the rise of the so-called Third Reich:

German Foreign Minister Steinmeier’s great power speech to big business

By Johannes Stern
6 December 2014

In his opening speech at the SZ Economic Summit, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier appealed to business heads to support Germany’s rise to be a world power.

The meeting did not take place in the Dusseldorf Parkhotel, but in Berlin’s Hotel Adlon. Sitting in the audience was not Fritz Thyssen and Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach, but Thyssen-Krupp CEO Heinrich Hiesinger and other current heavyweights of German big business. And of course, the Social Democratic Party Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is not Adolf Hitler.

Nevertheless, Steinmeier’s appearance recalled Hitler’s speech to the Dusseldorf Industry Club on January 26, 1932. Like the soon to become Führer, Steinmeier made a direct appeal to German big business to support Germany’s rise to be a world power. He explicitly called on big business to support him and the government in pushing through a militarist foreign policy turn against the will of the people.

Steinmeier’s programme strongly recalls the German lust for power, once believed to be a thing of the past. “Germany should ‘lead Europe to lead the world’, ‘Europeanise Russia’ and ‘multilateralise the US’”, Steinmeier demanded, citing an essay that has been featured on an official web site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for months. He added, “No small task!”

The implications of these words are unmistakable. Germany’s return to an aggressive foreign policy runs along similar channels as followed in the first half of the 20th century. The German elites once again see it as their “task” to dominate Europe in order to become a world power. Today, as before, this programme of German imperialism means conflict with Russia and the United States.

To “Europeanize Russia” means nothing other than to subordinate Russia to a Europe controlled by Germany. To “multilateralise the US” means to contest the role of the United States as the world hegemon. In other words, German foreign policy in the future will develop increasingly in opposition to the two powers against which it has already waged two world wars.

After the crimes of the Nazi regime, the German elites are, at least for now, still trying to present their programme of a third “grab for world power” as if it were being imposed on them from the outside. Every day, “the expectation of German involvement” is encountered from our “partners abroad”, Steinmeier protested at the Adlon. He had therefore “asked a large group of international experts to formulate their expectations of German foreign policy”.

From the many responses he received to this request, Steinmeier highlighted just one, titled “Germany’s destiny: leading Europe in order to lead the world”. This comes from the pen of the Indian-born Professor Kishore Mahbubani of the National University of Singapore, located in an authoritarian, one-party state.

The text, together with other calls for a more aggressive German foreign policy, can be found on the web site “Review 2014” of the German Foreign Ministry. Of Mahbubani’s key demands, Steinmeier said tersely, “And do you know who said that? Not a Frenchman, not an American, but an Indian professor wrote that for us.”

Steinmeier’s speech was remarkable not only for its call for German leadership in the world. It also expressed an openly imperialist programme…

When Steinmeier had finished, there was thunderous applause in the ballroom of Hotel Adlon.  http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/12/06/stei-d06.html

This speech is a call for a fourth reich. Another attempt for Germany to try to rule the world.  The Bible reveals that, for a time, this will succeed with a leader known as the final Beast (Revelation 13:1-10).

Last year, I debated whether or not to leave in certain references related to German ambitions in the the personal correspondence course developed in 1954 by the old Radio Church of God in the revised Study the Bible Course for the Continuing Church of God.  I decided, with some modifications, to let it remain in, despite the fact that I realized that some who find the reality of Germany’s current goals a bit hard to accept.

Anyway, here is some of what is in Lesson 3 of the Study the Bible Course of the Continuing Church of God:

FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

A HOT WORLD WAR 3 IS COMING!

Make no mistake!—The soon-coming World War 3 will end all wars! It will DECIDE WHO WILL RULE the world.

World War 2 was supposed to have been fought for this purpose, but it did not produce a decisive outcome. The nations know they have the power—and much to spare—to destroy all life from the earth in the form of the Hydrogen Bombs and other devices!

World War 1 of 1914 and World War 2—in which four times as many were killed as in World War 1—were only flashes in the pan! They were only the forerunners of the UTTER DESTRUCTION which is soon to break SUDDENLY upon the nations! The contenders for world rule will not abandon their quest. That’s why God says “WATCH“! (Luke 21:36).

This is a command from God. Let us therefore examine the backgrounds of the ambitious contestants who would rule or ruin this earth. Your very life may well depend upon your being convinced of the deadly seriousness with which gangster nations are out to attain their goal. You need more zeal in studying God’s way of ESCAPE revealed in the coming lessons of the Study The Bible Course.

Here are some amazing excerpts and comments which reveal to you the dogged determination and diabolical cleverness with which each pretender has settled down to attain his aim—kingship over this earth—the office that rightly belongs to Christ!

Germany about to SHOCK the World Again!

Since the above headline was originally written, Germany has shocked the world by rising up from the ruins in WWII and now becoming a major economic and technological power once again.

Down through the ages the Assyrians, the ancestors of modern Germany, called themselves the Herrenvolk—the “MASTER RACE.” Today the term is still used among themselves. Has today’s Germany given up the idea of achieving this dream?

The keynote of what lies in the Germanic mind was voiced in 1950. Then, according to T.H. Teten’s book Germany Plots with the Kremlin, Dr. Adenauer, the leader of Germany, caused much embarrassment by leading a German crowd in singing “Deutschland Uber Alles”—“GERMANY ABOVE ALL OTHERS“—in the presence of Allied representatives. Why was this thought lurking in his mind?

Here are Some Clues to the PRESENT GERMAN ATTITUDE

“No defeat is final. Defeats are simply lessons to be learned in preparation for the next and greater attack,” said German General von Stuelpnagel in 1944. Furthermore, he stated, ”In the NEXT WORLD WAR…the same mistake should not be made. The principal ADVERSARY WILL BE THE UNITED STATES, and the entire effort must be concentrated against this country from the beginning. . .our defeat in the present war need not be considered except as an incident in the triumphal march of Germany towards CONQUEST OF THE WORLD”—Deutschland Uber Alles!

Twice already Germany has attempted to seize world rule. And twice Britain, USA, and their allies have prevented her from achieving it. This time she will make sure that the USA is not around!

Adolf Hitler told us of the next step in the carefully laid German military plan to rule the world when he expounded the thesis in Mein Kampf. He said that Germany must FIRST DEFEAT THE WEST in order to have a free hand for the “Drang Nach Osten”—the march toward the East—toward Russia! How perfectly all this accords with revealed prophecy! Hitler was following this same plan in the last World War until Russia ceased to supply him with oil to further his war effort and he was forced to turn upon her in an attempt to seize oil from her.

Germany is out to conquer the world. As it is absolutely necessary for YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY that you be convinced on this point let’s examine further overwhelming evidence. Let’s examine the amazing tenacity with which Germany has set out methodically to achieve its goal of world rulership.

Many decades ago leading German industrialists founded a society which they called the PAN GERMAN LEAGUE. Its slogan was “Deutschland uber alles!”—Germany over all. They utilized the trademark “Made in Germany” as proof of German superiority. Behind their commercial and business methods was a central, PERMANENT strategy—with the GOAL OF CONQUERING THE WORLD!

It was they who were largely responsible for inducing the Kaiser to enter World War 1. It was they who were behind World War 2. Co-operating with the German militarists and the SECRET MOVEMENT started by General Ludendorff, who selected Adolf Hitler as his stooge and protégé, these same industrialists financed the Nazi movement and actually elevated Hitler to power. (Senator Kilgore’s report to the Senate Military Affairs Committee calls attention to this fact.) SOME FELT THAT HITLER WAS MERELY A TOOL. He was the rabble-rouser they needed to sway the masses of German people to get behind their fanatical plot for world rule.

The world heard and saw Hitler. But many of his promoters and backers kept in the background. If Hitler failed in this second round of World War, they planned to let him shoulder the blame before the world, and KEEP THEMSELVES FREE TO SECRETLY PLOT THE THIRD ROUND—WORLD WAR 3! This coming war! While those leaders are now dead, various of their descendants and others still have the same goal.

It was those industrial barons who met together to take action in mid-May, 1943. They knew Hitler’s war was probably lost. They realized the time had come for them to once again go UNDERGROUND—to throw all guilt of World War 2 on Hitler just as they had thrown that of the first round—World War 1—on the Kaiser.

From that time until now German industrialists have led a double life. To the world’s view, they have become merely private business men. BUT SECRETLY THEY HAVE OTHER PLANS!  Their job is to keep German industry ready to produce the weapons, munitions, and technologies for the third war. Their mission is to finance the new movement, by whatever new  name they may call it, whenever the time is ripe.

Here is a view of how one GREAT INDUSTRIALIST, for an EXAMPLE, has carried out his part in this plan. It is the hoax of multimillionaire industrialist Fritz Thyssen. It is revealed in the book, The Nazis Go Underground, written by Curt Riess. At the beginning  (note the extreme cleverness) of World War 2, Thyssen was sped into neutral Switzerland proclaiming loudly that Hitler had duped him into financing the Nazi party, and then, once in power, Hitler had double-crossed and confiscated his wealth, and left him poor. The Nazis went through the pretense of removing Thyssen from their party. Thyssen wrote a book about his “shabby” treatment at their hands. But when the Nazis invaded France later, where Thyssen was, the very Nazis who were supposed to hate him, left him unmolested and soon he was back in Berlin where the Nazis were, living in luxury. The whole RUSE was to deceive the Allied nations into placing confidence in Thyssen in event of an Allied victory so he could supply them with funds for World War 3.

Today, thanks to this deeply-laid plan and others like it, Krupp and many other outstanding German businessman are actively establishing great factories all over the world to finance World War 3. The Nazi plans are well-laid. (Interestingly, within five minutes of reviewing the above, in 2014, which was written in the 1950s, I, Bob Thiel, walked onto a jet airliner and noticed that the huge automatic walkway had the name ThyssenKrupp—an industrial power that exists to this day.)

MANY OF THE NAZIS WENT UNDERGROUND, MAY 16, 1943!—two years before the war ended! The German generals, scientists, industrialists, bankers, and others, knew that War 2 was lost. So at that time they organized themselves for the future. The most thoroughly organized secret government of modern history began to function—UNDERGROUND! In 1951 Dr. Adenauer admitted the presence of 134 former Nazis, who served under Hitler, in high echelons in his Bonn government.

What about now? Germany is Europe’s biggest economy. It is well recognized that Germany dominates the European Union in many respects. Furthermore, even today various Europeans are WORKING FEVERISHLY on ultramodern weapons and other projects. From the Large Hadron and F.A.I.R. collider projects to the new Galileo “GPS” system to laser weaponry (ELI) to the European Space Agency, the German-dominated European Union is taking militaristic steps. Germany also makes nuclear weaponry for France. In addition to those, the Europeans have control over hundreds of nuclear weapons that the USA has put at their disposal. Europe has more military might at its disposal than most think.

Today you hear much of about the European Union, a potential UNITED STATES OF EUROPE. Where does it fit into Germany’s plan for world conquest?

Dr. Adenauer and his press reveal that Germany regards the creation of a United Europe as the first step in the erection of a Third Power bloc. In 1950 Dr. Adenauer wrote, “A federated Europe will become a Third Force in the world.” Later he said, “No one has more to gain through the unification of Europe than the Germans who are the most numerous and most dynamic among the nations west of the U.S.S.R. {Russia}.” Dr. Adenauer here showed that GERMANY desired a United States of Europe and points out that it WILL NATURALLY LEAD it once it is formed—in the 21^st century, we are seeing the rise of such a German-dominated power.

We know what Germany’s plan is. WE know how the United States of Europe will be used by it to attempt world domination. PROPHECY shows 10 kings—TEN DICTATORS—will arise in Europe and GIVE THEIR POWER TO GERMANY.

You may be saying to yourself, well since most of the above was written in the 1950s, it cannot be true of the Germans in the 21^st century. Many believe that Germany has been a reliable ally for decades and would not attempt domination again. You might believe that, and even many Germans and other Europeans believe that, but you would be wrong.

Notice the following prophecy:

5 “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
6 I will send him against an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations.
8 For he says,
‘Are not my princes altogether kings? (Isaiah 10:6-8)

Isaiah tells of a time when the end time Assyrian power will be sent against an ungodly (NKJV), “hypocritical” (KJV) nation. The Hebrew word used signifies being “soiled” or impious, and certainly that is now the case for the nation known as the United States. The Snowden leaks of USA espionage have enraged the Germans.

Not only do they feel that the USA has been hypocritical here, they were outraged to learn that according to leaked documents from the National Security Agency (NSA), Germany was one of the most spied upon nations by the USA. Another NSA document said that the only nations that the USA considered to be “close friends” that did not warrant extensive USA espionage was the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic dominated lands. Germany and others have noticed this and will take steps against them later (cf. Daniel 11:39; Psalm 83:-3-8).

But notice verse 7 of Isaiah 10. It says this “Assyrian” power does not think that it will destroy at the time of the end. Yet, it is in his heart, his history, his outlook on the world to do so.

Why?

Because as verse 8 indicates, he considers that he is part of a master race.

The Vatican Enters the Scene

Does Germany have any plans for receiving the aid of a “Great Church” in helping her achieve world domination? The “Madrid Circular Letter,” which reflects the thinking of those in authority in Germany, states, “The German people, well-trained and steeled under national socialist leadership, are dominated by two sovereign ideas: the concept of a German Reich, and Germany’s mission of leadership in the world. . .the religious tradition embodied in the concept of the Reich, sparks our political mission and is especially attractive within the Catholic world.”

The GERMAN IDEA OF THE ACHIEVEMENT OF WORLD RULE PLEASES THE CATHOLIC WORLD GREATLY! Now let’s see why this is so. It affects our lives—your life—much more than you probably realize!

On February 10, 1952 in his pontifical exhortation, the POPE SAID, “THE WHOLE WORLD MUST BE REBUILT from its foundations.” Secretly the Vatican diplomats have been laying the foundations of a PROGRAM that WILL REMAKE WESTERN CIVILIZATION! It has to be PLANNED SECRETLY so it will not be discovered until it is too late to stop! The Vatican contends that peace can be maintained only by a CATHOLIC-DOMINATED international organization which has IRON TEETH TO CRUSH OPPOSITION.

“This organization,” said Pope Pius in his Christmas message of 1944, “will be vested . . . with supreme authority and POWER TO SMOTHER. . .AGGRESSION.” Note the organization which the pope will invest with this power will have military might enough to quell resistance to the Church. This coming world-ruling organization would therefore be a UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE with the pope, which both biblical and certain Catholic prophecies indicate will be a type of anti-pope and final Antichrist, promoting this (Revelation 13:11-18). The Vatican cannot plan this directly with the Russians, and the United States is not fired with a desire to rule the world that way. But the various Germans and other Europeans have all the qualifications the pope final desires. Germany needs the man power of the millions of people that the Vatican can throw to her support and the final apostate Church needs the power of the German military might! These things also fit into prophecy completely: In Lesson 3, section ‘Gathering at Armageddon,’ read question 2. And section ‘Results of Christ’s Victory,’ read questions 4 and 5. TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

The Vatican, consistent with various Catholic “private prophecies” believes that Europe will rise again for a final revival of what has been called “the Holy Roman Empire.”

One more thing needs considering. Will GERMANY PLAY ALONG WITH RUSSIA until she can subdue the West? The answer is “yes.”’ In at least six or seven separate instances within the last two hundred and fifty years, in which Germany has turned on the West, she has first made a pact with Russia to make herself safe from the East. Now will be no different.

The events mentioned here are certain to happen. The astounding union of German-dominated United States of Europe with a great church is going to rise up! READ your newspaper—read the news magazines that cover international news. You can see the things described here taking form, day by day. The world will “wonder”—stand aghast—when it sees this union of Church and State appear (Revelation 17:8). You need not stand aghast.  Remember, God says: “Watch and pray that you may escape.” There is a reason. For God promises escape to His own.

Expect more industrial support for Germany dominance.  Expect more support for an ecumenical plan to lead to assistance by one who will claim to represent the Vatican.

World events are moving towards the fulfillment of properly understood biblical prophecy.

The Bible tells of a time when a European power will also dominate the world economically (Revelation 18)–and Germany will be a major factor in this.

A ‘new world order’ is in the process of being made, but it is not here yet. There will be problems in Europe (Daniel 2:41-43), but after some reorganizations it will arise (Revelation 17:12-13).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
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.
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.
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?
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.
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
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.
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?
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.
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

Researchers are concluding that there are costs associated with self-deception:

The invisible downside of cheating in life

26 February 2015

People who take shortcuts can trick themselves into believing they are smarter than they are, says Tom Stafford, and it comes back to bite them. …

The researchers ran another experiment to check that the effect was really due to the cheaters’ inflated belief in their own abilities. In this experiment, students were offered a cash reward for accurately predicting their scores on the second test. Sure enough, those who had been given the opportunity to cheat overestimated their ability and lost out – earning 20% less than the other students.

The implication is that people in Chance’s experiment – people very much like you and me – had tricked themselves into believing they were smarter than they were. There may be benefits from doing this – confidence, satisfaction, or more easily gaining the trust of others – but there are also certainly disadvantages. Whenever circumstances change and you need to accurately predict how well you’ll do, it can cost to believe you’re better than you are.

That self-deception has its costs has some interesting implications. Morally, most of us would say that self-deception is wrong. But aside from whether self-deception is undesirable, we should expect it to be present in all of us to some degree (because of the benefits), but to be limited as well (because of the costs).

Self-deception isn’t something that is always better in larger doses – there must be an amount of it for which the benefits outweigh the costs, most of the time. We’re probably all self-deceiving to some degree. The irony being, because it is self-deception, we can’t know how often. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150225-unexpected-downside-for-cheaters

Jesus taught that Satan was a liar and the father of lies:

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it (John 8:44)

Of course, Satan takes advantage of deception and encourages humans to deceive themselves. Recall what happened to Eve:

14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. (1 Timothy 2:14)

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6-7)

Satan was involved, but the woman allowed herself to be deceived.  This type of deception happens every day.

But what about Christians?  Can Christians fall victim to self-deception?

Jesus warned that most Christians in the end times would be deceived:

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

‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:  15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.  16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.  17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked —   18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.  19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:14-19)

Although most Laodiceans do not believe that they are deceiving themselves, Jesus said that they were. Jesus said that Laodicean Christians needed to repent–they need to change.

In addition to doctrine and how they lead their lives, there are serious prophetic deceptions that the Laodiceans have fallen for.  A list of 30 prophetic deceptions that various Laodiceans believe is in the article The Laodicean Church Era. Believing several of these will insure that Laodiceans will not realize that the Great Tribulation is here until it is to late for most to flee (cf. Revelation 12:14-17).

Self-deception is common.  Try not to fall for it.  The word of God is truth (John 17:17), hopefully you will believe it enough so that you will resist Satanically-encouraged self-deception (cf. James 4:7).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Lies Where did they originate? What was really the first lie? What happens for lies? Here is a link to it in Mandarin Chinese 第一个谎言和基督徒的意味
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan’s Plan? and Satan’s Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
Did God Create a Devil? If not, what happened? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet.
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?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from c. 31 A.D. to 2014. A related sermon link would be Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios.
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱，违反诫命的就是邪恶的
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots.  They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety?  Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?

Portrayal of David Confronted by the
Prophet Nathan for Committing Adultery

COGwriter

South Korea ‘legalized’ adultery today:

February 26, 2015

South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Thursday struck down a 62-year-old law that made adultery an offense punishable by up to two years in prison, citing the country’s changing sexual mores and a growing emphasis on individual rights.

“It has become difficult to say that there is a consensus on whether adultery should be punished as a criminal offense,” five of the court’s nine justices said in a joint opinion. “It should be left to the free will and love of people to decide whether to maintain marriage, and the matter should not be externally forced through a criminal code.”

Two other justices voted to declare the law unconstitutional for other reasons. A two-thirds majority was required to strike down the law.

An estimated 53,000 South Koreans have been indicted under the law since the authorities began keeping count in 1985. But in recent years, it has been increasingly rare for defendants to go to prison, in part because courts have demanded stronger proof that sexual intercourse had taken place. Additionally, more plaintiffs have been dropping charges after reaching financial settlements.

The law had been challenged four times before at the Constitutional Court since 1990, always unsuccessfully. In the last attempt, in 2008 — in a case brought by a popular actress, Ok So-ri, whose husband had pressed a criminal complaint against her — the justices came within one vote of striking the law down. More than 5,000 people who have been indicted on adultery charges since that 2008 ruling can now seek a new trial or, if they have not been convicted, demand that the charges be dropped.

The adultery law was adopted in 1953, with the stated purpose of protecting women who had little recourse against cheating husbands in a male-dominated society. But divorce rates and women’s economic and legal standing have soared in the decades since, leaving many to argue that the law had outlived its usefulness.  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/world/asia/south-korea-strikes-down-adultery-law.html?_r=0

God’s laws against adultery are ancient and have not outlived their usefulness.

While we all know the Bible teaches, “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14; Romans 2:22), the Constitutional Court in South Korea seeming believes that adultery is a ‘freedom’ that should not be criminalized.

Of course, adultery is not new.  Yet, the trend towards turning against God’s laws was prophesied for these last days long ago (2 Timothy 3:1-7).  Sadly, South Korea has decided to more fulfill this.

Adulterers are deceiving themselves and harming society:

13…They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. (2 Peter 2:13-15)

Laws against adultery protect not only women, but also the family and society.  This is decision is not good for South Korea.

Several items of possibly related interest may include:

Making Your Marriage Work Marriage is not also easy, but it pictures a divine relationship. How can you make your marriage work? Here is a link to the video sermon: You Can Make YOUR Marriage Work.
Here’s the Plain Truth About OLD TESTAMENT POLYGAMY by Herbert Armstrong. Here is a related article in the Spanish language: ¿Es la poligamia una senda de Dios?
Love, Marriage, and Sex It is important to get them in the right order.
Husbands Love Your Wives An article written by the late Selmer Hegvold.
Were the Ten Commandments in Effect Before Mount Sinai? Some have said not. This article provides biblical quotes to answer this important question.
Job and the Ten Commandments Was Job written prior to Mount Sinai? Did Job know about the ten commandments? This article provides biblical answers to those questions.
What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? This article quotes what Jesus actually said about them (His words are in red).
Were the Ten Commandments Nailed to the Cross? Some have said so. This article provides some biblical quotes to answer this important question.
Read the Bible Christians should read the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading.
What is the Appropriate Form of Biblical Interpretation? Should the Bible be literally understood? What do the writings of the Bible, Origen, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Augustine show?
Bible and Historical Resources on the Internet Electronic bibles, Two Babylons, early Christian literature, photos, and even links to old Herbert W. Armstrong materials.
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 doctrines the early Christians actually had? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱，违反诫命的就是邪恶的
What is the Gospel? True religion should be based upon the true gospel. What are some of the different gospels and where did they come from? Do you believe the true or a false gospel? Who is preaching the gospel? Here is a version in Korean 복음이란 무엇인가?
Korea in Prophecy, Any Witness? Where did the Korean people come from? Does God have a plan for the Koreans? Is Korea mentioned in any prophecies? Will Koreans be among the first in the Kingdom of God? Here is a machine-translated link to that article in Korean: 한국의 언어로 : 한국 예언, 모든 증인에?; here is a link to that article in Mandarin Chinese: 在预言中的韩国：有任何证人吗？

Marijuana, Cannibis sativa

COGwriter

Recreational marijuana is now legal in Washington, D.C., though some in Congress seem to have other views:

February 26, 2015

A law that legalizes marijuana use is now in effect in Washington, D.C.

The new law, which voters passed in a referendum last November, took effect shortly after midnight local time Thursday. The law allows adults 21 and over to privately possess and smoke a fifth of a kilogram of pot, and to grow small amounts of the plant. Buying, selling and smoking in public still would be against the law.

The U.S. capital city joins Alaska, Colorado and the state of Washington in legalizing recreational marijuana. But unlike the three other states, Washington, D.C. is not completely autonomous, as the U.S. Congress has final authority over the city government.

Republican Congressman Jason Chaffetz, who chairs House Oversight Committee, warned D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser that she and other city officials could go to jail for implementing the law.

But Bowser ignored Chaffetz’s threat Wednesday when she said the measure would take effect as planned. “Bullying the District of Columbia is not what his [Chaffetz] constituents expect, nor do ours,” she told reporters. “We do disagree on a matter of law. There are reasonable ways to resolve this without us threatening him or he us.”

A spending bill passed in December by the House did not include funds for the city to implement the marijuana law.

City officials contend voters passed the law a month before Congress approved the spending bill.

Legal experts from both the city and Congress say it is highly unlikely the mayor or anyone else would be jailed over the new law. But there are other punitive measures Congress could take against the city. http://www.voanews.com/content/recreational-marijuana-use-now-legal-in-washington-dc/2659846.html

While US Congress does have financial and other influence, overall it appears that there is more and more acceptance of the use of marijuana in the USA. US President Barack Obama was a heavy user of marijuana according to reports that I have seen–and it was not legal anywhere in the USA when he reportedly was a heavy user.

Marijuana use is not good for the USA.  Those who believe it is good to get high are deceived.

Decades ago, the old Worldwide Church of God dealt with it in a booklet about marijuana:

Marijuana and Alcohol

Marijuana proponents always compare “their drug” with alcohol. What are the facts?
It’s true that “social drinkers” have a significantly higher death rate than non-drinkers from heart attacks, circulatory diseases, cancer, gastrointestinal problems, homicides, suicides, and motor-vehicle and other accidents. Marijuana, on the other hand, has not been definitely linked to any organic disease, and has been responsible for only just a small fraction of the accidental deaths which alcohol has caused.
But as Dr. Louis J. West, chairman of the department of psychiatry at UCLA, told a conference on marijuana: “Just because alcohol [misused] is bad doesn’t mean that marijuana is good.” That would be fal1fty logic. Like attempting to prove that the Vietnamese war is good by showing that fewer Americans were killed in it than were killed in motor-vehicle accidents in the same year.
Let’s get to the crux of the marijuana-alcohol controversy: What pro-marijuana propaganda does is to compare the effects of a large amount of alcohol with a very small amount of marijuana. But this is a contrived comparison — a rigged contest.
Of course “too much” alcohol is grossly debilitating. But “a _ little” alcohol, especially natural wine, is quite beneficial. It relaxes the body and aids in the digestion of food by stimulating the stomach’s digestive juices. It also breaks down into natural compounds and leaves the system. Marijuana lodges toxically in the liver.
And there’s the difference: while “a little” alcohol is good, “a little marijuana-“just once”-can be very bad. It may not cause as many accidents as excessive alcohol, but it can permanently harm the body and mind.
Furthermore, very few habitual marijuana users have the self-control to limit themselves to “very little” of the drug. Consequently, many of the scientific studies showing hardly any adverse effect of “a little” marijuana are just not relevant to the actual conditions which exist. (New Facts About Marijuana. Ambassador College Press, 1970)

Although most realize that heavy marijuana use causes brain problems, a study that came out last year also found that casual use messes with the brain:

For the first time, researchers at Northwestern University have analyzed the relationship between casual use of marijuana and brain changes – and found that young adults who used cannabis just once or twice a week showed significant abnormalities in two important brain structures…

“There were abnormalities in their working memory, which is fundamental to everything you do,” Breiter, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told FoxNews.com. “When you make judgments or decisions, plan things, do mathematics – anything you do always involves working memory. It’s one of the core fundamental aspects of our brains that we use every day. So given those findings, we decided we need to look at casual, recreational use.”

For their most recent study, Breiter and his team analyzed a very small sample of patients between the ages of 18 and 25: 20 marijuana users and 20 well-matched control subjects. The marijuana users had a wide range of usage routines, with some using the drug just once or twice a week and others using it every single day.

Utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the researchers analyzed the participants’ brains, focusing on the nucleus accumbens (NAC) and the amygdala – two key brain regions responsible for processing emotions, making decisions and motivation. They looked at these brain structures in three different ways, measuring their density, volume and shape.

According to Breiter, all three were abnormal in the casual marijuana users.

“For the NAC, all three measures were abnormal, and they were abnormal in a dose-dependent way, meaning the changes were greater with the amount of marijuana used,” Breiter said. “The amygdala had abnormalities for shape and density, and only volume correlated with use. But if you looked at all three types of measures, it showed the relationships between them were quite abnormal in the marijuana users, compared to the normal controls.”

Because these brain regions are central for motivation, the findings from Northwestern help support the well-known theory that marijuana use leads to a condition called amotivation. Also called amotivational syndrome, this psychological condition causes people to become less oriented towards their goals and purposes in life, as well as seem less focused in general. (Grush L. Casual marijuana use linked with brain abnormalities, study finds. Fox News, April 15, 2014. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/04/15/casual-marijuana-use-linked-with-brain-abnormalities-study-finds/)

The facts about marijuana are not good.

The Bible also warns against intoxication (for various scriptures, see the article Marijuana: Should a Christian Get High?) and marijuana is intoxicating.

The USA needs repentance, not marijuana, to deal with its problems.

Getting high on marijuana is not good for Christians nor any nation. But its use is getting increasingly accepted. even though it is known to be harmful and addictive. This legalization movement is not good for the USA as it seems that it will encourage more to get high on marijuana more often.

Some items of possibly related interest include:

Marijuana: Should a Christian Get High? There is increasing acceptance of the use of marijuana. How should Christians view this? Here is a related video titled How Should a Christian View Marijuana?
Should Christians Smoke? Is smoking a sin? What does the Bible teach? What have COG leaders written? Can smokers change? What about marijuana?
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
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?
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.
Overcoming Sin What is sin? How are Christians suppose to overcome it? Here is also a link to a video titled How to Overcome Sin.
How to Prevent Sin This is an article by Herbert W. Armstrong.
Just What Do You Mean Conversion? Many think that they are converted Christians. But are they? Would you like to know more about conversion. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
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?
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.

A Shmura Matzo (Unleavened Bread is Used for Passover)

COGwriter

The Christian Passover for 2015 is Thursday evening, April 2nd, after sunset which is when the 14th of Nisan begins.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prelude To the Holy Days

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

Self-examination…

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

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

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

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

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

The Elementary Principles

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

What is man like?

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

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

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

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

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

But that isn’t the end of the story!

Not the End…

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

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

Ready for Passover?

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

Be READY to take the Passover!

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

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

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

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

The Christian Passover for 2015 is Thursday evening, April 2nd after sunset which is when the 14th of Nisan begins. The time to prepare for it is now.

Several items of related interest may include:

Preparing for Passover The Apostle Paul taught that Christians should examine themselves prior to taking Passover. This YouTube video sermon gives suggestions on how to prepare.
How often should we partake of THE LORD’S SUPPER? Herbert Armstrong answers that question.
Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread How should Christians keep Passover, especially if they are by themselves. Why does the Church of God not require lambs for Passover? How does one keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? For a step-by-step video for Christians to keep it, check out CCOG Passover Service.
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins? There is also a detailed YouTube video available titled History of the Christian Passover.
Hebrew Calendar and “Postponements” This writing helps explain why the use the of the Hebrew calendar and answers such questions as “Did Jesus Observe the Postponements?”
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled The Night to Be Observed.
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well.
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? This article supplies some biblical answers.
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean?
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。.

Susan Rice

COGwriter

Sandra Rice is speaking out against Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to accept an offer to speak to the US Congress:

February 25, 2015

President Barack Obama’s national security advisor has sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to speak before Congress about the U.S.-led talks with Iran over its nuclear program.

Netanyahu has accepted an invitation by House Speaker John Boehner to address a joint meeting of Congress on March 3, two weeks before Israeli parliamentary elections.  In an interview Tuesday with U.S. television journalist Charlie Rose, Susan Rice said the decision has “injected a degree of partisanship” to bilateral ties between the United States and Israel.

Rice said Netanyahu’s decision is not only unfortunate, “it is destructive of the fabric of the relationship.”  http://www.voanews.com/content/top-white-house-official-denounces-israeli-pm-speech-to-congress/2658008.html

February 25, 2015

National Security Adviser Susan Rice’s comments are the White House’s strongest criticism of the visit.

Benjamin Netanyahu was invited by House Speaker John Boehner in what is seen as a rebuke to Mr Obama’s Iran policy.

Mr Netanyahu responded to Ms Rice with a robust defence of his actions.

“I respect the White House and the president of the United States but on such a fateful matter, that can determine whether or not we survive, I must do everything to prevent such a great danger for Israel,” he said in a speech. …

The White House is negotiating with Iran on its nuclear programme and has rejected calls for additional sanctions on the regime.

Mr Netanyahu – who supports more sanctions – is expected to discuss Iran, as well as Islamic militant groups, in his address. http://www.bbc.com/news/31626875

It is disconcerting that officials in the Obama Administration are so publicly opposed to a speech to be given by an ally who was invited to speak to the US Congress.  Perhaps they are concerned that some will believe what he has to say?

The reality is that the situation with Iran has happened basically as I wrote it may back in 2013.  Iran has gotten access to its assets back, while being able to delay their reimplementation, as it works to develop its nuclear program.

What the Obama Administration does not seem to wish to acknowledge is that all the pressure on Iran has not stopped its ambitions and goals.  Furthermore, as Iran has a staunch ally in Syria and a more distant one in North Korea.  Therefore, Iran can work in or through those countries to develop its nuclear weaponry.  So, even if the USA gets full inspection rights in Iran at some point, that does not mean that Iran cannot get its own nuclear weapons.

Since the interim agreement to free its assets in 2013, Iran has made various military tests and even now has its own drone.  It has has even referred to its drone project “America’s nightmare” (see Iran deploys ‘suicide drone’: a threat to USA and Israel?).  It is not trying to work towards peace.

But the nightmare it is developing is much closer to Israel.

Iran has called for the elimination of the nation of Israel and has even produced one or more videos showing that it intends to conquer Jerusalem (I watch one, translated into English a few years ago).

While I am not saying that I agree with everything that the Israeli Prime Minister has or will say and do, I will agree with him that Iran poses a bigger threat to peace than the Obama Administration seems to believe.

Like Winston Churchill before WWII, Benjamin Netanyahu apparently believes that he needs to warn about what he and others see.

That being said, as I have written many times before, I believe that Iran will be neutralized somehow.  This might come from the USA, it might come from Israel, it might come from its own citizens, it might come from other Muslim nations, or perhaps a combination. But its influence will be reduced.

If or how Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech might tie in with that remains to be seen.

Several items of possibly related interest may include:

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.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran in Prophecy. Here is a related video Iran In Prophecy.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
Obama Administration Pushing for an Islamic Empire? Because of the rise of groups such as the Islamic State, the Obama Administration and others are pushing for a coalition of Arab nations along with Turkey. Does this resemble the final King of the South of Bible prophecy? Is there an Islamic antichrist? Does the Bible teach that terrorism and the sword will affect the USA and some of its allies? What does the Bible teach in Ezekiel about a confederation involving Egypt? Will an Arabic confederation end in destruction for those who strongly support it? Are the 10 nations in the Arab coalition the ten kings of Revelation 17:12-13? Are the 10 nations including the USA and Turkey the ten nations of Revelation 17:12-13? Who is? Was the pushing of the Obama Administration to do this predicted by in 2009 in a writing by Dr. Thiel? What does the Bible show?
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
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.
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.