Church of God News

Donald Trump and Ted Cruz

COGwriter

Donald Trump does not like what happened in Colorado:

April 11, 2016

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump’s concerns about how delegates are allotted turned into a roar on Monday as he accused the campaign of rival Ted Cruz of buying votes after his weekend win in Colorado.

The New York billionaire amassed a delegate lead by winning many state contests but Cruz has proven tenacious in pursuit of every last delegate available by other means in hopes of winning the nomination at a brokered Republican convention in July.

Cruz’s campaign has worked effectively in states where the delegate allocation process is more complex, such as Colorado, where the U.S. senator from Texas picked up 34 delegates on Saturday at the state Republican convention.

“The people out there are going crazy, in the Denver area and Colorado itself,” Trump said on Fox News. “They’re going absolutely crazy because they weren’t given a vote. This was given by politicians – it’s a crooked deal.” …

Trump on Monday also accused Cruz of trying to steal delegates in South Carolina, which Trump won. Cruz came in third in that state in February but won three delegates Saturday at congressional district meetings, according to local media.

“Now they’re trying to pick off those delegates one by one,” Trump said on Fox News. “That’s not the way democracy is supposed to work. They offer them trips, they offer them all sorts of things and you’re allowed to do that. You can buy all these votes.

“What kind of a system is that? … It’s a rigged system.”

Trump’s new adviser on delegate matters, Paul Manafort, said on Sunday the campaign would protest what he called Cruz’s “Gestapo tactics, the scorched-earth tactics” on delegates.

A tweet from the Colorado Republican Party appeared to briefly verify Trump’s fears that state party officials favored Cruz. After Saturday’s results, the party tweeted, “We did it. #Never Trump,” the Denver Post reported.

The party then deleted the tweet, which it said was unauthorized, and said it was investigating. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUSKCN0X81HE

So, Donald Trump is objecting that Ted Cruz is essentially ‘playing politics’ and ‘buying votes.’ It is unusual that Donald Trump sees this as a problem as he has admitted to donating to Hillary Clinton in the past as he felt it was ‘good business.’ The financial corruption of USA politics is not new.

The sad reality is that compromise, pressure, ‘bribes,’ and ‘back-room’ deals have long been a part of politics.  And the politicians in the USA are not above engaging in those types of activities.

As far as Ted Cruz goes, here is some of what Wikipedia is reporting as his political positions:

Political positions

Main article: Political positions of Ted Cruz

Domestic affairs

On abortion, Cruz is “strongly pro-life” and “would allow the procedure only when a pregnancy endangers the mother’s life.”^[180][181]

Cruz opposes both same-sex marriage and civil unions.^[182] He believes that marriage should be legally defined as only “between one man and one woman,”^[183] but believes that the legality of same-sex marriage should be left to each state to decide.^[184]

In 2015, Cruz voted in favor of the USA Freedom Act, which reauthorized the USA Patriot Act but reformed some of its provisions.^[185][186]

Cruz is a proponent of school choice^[187] and opposes the Common Core State Standards Initiative.^[188] Cruz is a strong critic of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the ACA or “Obamacare”). He has sponsored legislation that would repeal the health care reform law and its amendments in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.

Cruz is a gun-rights supporter.^[189] Cruz adopted a “hard-line stance” on immigration issues during the 2014 border crisis^[190] and is an opponent of comprehensive immigration reform.^[48][190] Cruz advocates for an increase from 65,000 to 325,000 annually in skilled foreign workers entering the United States using H-1B visas.^[191]

Cruz opposes the legalization of marijuana, but believes it should be decided at the state level.^[192]

Cruz opposes net neutrality, arguing that the Internet economy has flourished in the United States simply because it has remained largely free from government regulation.^[193]

Crime

Cruz has called for an end to “overcriminalization, harsh mandatory minimum sentences, and the demise of jury trials.”^[194] He supports the death penalty. In his 2012 Senate campaign, Cruz frequently mentioned his role as counsel for the State of Texas in Medellín v. Texas, a 2008 case in which the U.S. Supreme Court found that Texas has the legal right to ignore an order from the International Court of Justice directing the U.S. to review the convictions and sentences of dozens of Mexican nationals on death row.^[195] Cruz has referred to Medellín as the most important case of his tenure as Texas solicitor general.^[195]

In an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt discussing the attack that killed three people at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Cruz said that “the simple and undeniable fact is the overwhelming majority of violent criminals are Democrats”, and that the reason Democrats are soft on crime, is that convicted felons tend to vote Democratic.^[196]

In August 2015, in the wake of the ambush death of a Texas police officer who was gunned down while filling up at a gas station, Cruz said that police are “feeling the assault from the President, from the top on down, as we see — whether it’s in Ferguson or Baltimore, the response from senior officials, the President or the Attorney General, is to vilify law enforcement. That’s wrong. It’s fundamentally wrong. It’s endangering all of our safety and security.”^[197]

Economy

Cruz has been described by the Cato Institute‘s Center for Trade Policy Studies as a “free trader”^[198] and as a “free-trade advocate” by the Wall Street Journal.^[199]

In 2013, Cruz proposed the abolition of the IRS and the implementation of a flat tax “where the average American can fill out taxes on a postcard.”^[200] Cruz is “adamantly opposed to a higher minimum wage.”^[201]

Cruz wants to decrease the size of the government significantly. In addition to eliminating the IRS as described above, Cruz has promised to eliminate four other cabinet-level agencies. Cruz proposes to eliminate the Department of Energy, the Department of Education, Department of Commerce, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.^[202]

Environment

Cruz is a supporter of TransCanada‘s Keystone XL Pipeline,^[203] and along with every other Republican senator was a cosponsor of legislation in support of the pipeline.^[204]

Cruz rejects the scientific consensus on climate change.^[205][206] He has said that “the scientific evidence doesn’t support global warming.”^[207] He has stated: “They call anyone who questions the science who even points to the satellite data – they call you a, quote, ‘denier.’ Denier is not the language of science. Denier is the language of religion. It is heretic. You are a blasphemer. It’s treated as a theology. But it’s about power and money. At the end of the day, it’s not complicated. This is liberal politicians who want government power.”^[207] In March 2015, he said that some people are “global warming alarmists” and, citing satellite temperature measurements, said that there had been no significant warming in 18 years.^{[207][208][206]}

Cruz voted against the Water Resources Development Act of 2013, that would have created the National Endowment for the Oceans and authorized more than $26 billion in projects to be built by the Army Corps of Engineers, at least $16 billion of which would have come from federal taxpayers.^[209][210] Cruz voted against the bill because it neglected “to reduce a substantial backlog of projects, to the detriment of projects with national implications, such as the Sabine–Neches Waterway“.^[211] Cruz stated that the Corps’ responsibilities were expanded without providing adequate measures for state participation.^[211] Proponents of the bill argued that it would provide steady funding to support research and restoration projects, funded primarily by dedicating 12.5% of revenues from offshore energy development, including oil, gas, and renewable energy, through offshore lease sales and production based royalty payments, distributed through a competitive grant program.^[212]

Foreign affairs

Cruz has been an adamant opponent of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a 2015 international nuclear agreement with Iran negotiated by the U.S. and other world powers, calling it “catastrophic” and “disastrous.”^[213][214]

Cruz is a critic of the rapprochement between Cuba and the United States, saying on Fox News in December 2014 that the thaw in relations was a “manifestation of the failures of the Obama-Clinton-Kerry foreign policy” that “will be remembered as a tragic mistake.”^[215]

In 2013, Cruz stated that America had no “dog in the fight” during the Syrian Civil War and stated that America’s armed forces should not serve as “al-Qaeda‘s air force”.^[216] In 2014, Cruz criticized the Obama administration: “The president’s foreign policy team utterly missed the threat of ISIS, indeed, was working to arm Syrian rebels that were fighting side by side with ISIS”, calling ISIS “the face of evil”.^[217] In a statement opposing US intervention for regime change in Syria, Cruz said, “If President Obama and Hillary Clinton and Sen. Rubio succeed in toppling (Syrian President Bashar) Assad, the result will be the radical Islamic terrorists will take over Syria, that Syria will be controlled by ISIS, and that is materially worse for U.S. national security interests.”^[218]

Let me add that while the Republican establishment seems to be willing to support Ted Cruz to stop Donald Trump from getting the 1237 delegates needed to secure the party’s nomination for the US presidency, that same establishment does not like Ted Cruz.

They do not like Ted Cruz mainly because he has been unwilling to compromise certain of his positions and he has resisted a lot of ‘back-room’ pressure from the Republican party establishment. But perhaps because of some of what they have tried to do to him, he thinks he learned how ‘the game is played.’

That being said, Donald Trump’s basic complaint that voters do not not get heard completely has long been true. Because of what both Ted Cruz and the Republican establishment have done, Donald Trump may well leave the Republican party if he does not get the nomination in July.

Many believe that if he runs as an independent, that this will give the presidency to Hillary Clinton (presuming she is not indicted for her email or Benghazi matters).

National repentance and prayer is what the USA needs or it is biblically-doomed (cf. Habakkuk 2:6-8; Daniel 11:39).

The USA needs the Kingdom of God. No major party politician is calling for that.

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God continues to get additional materials translated into the Spanish language.

Here are links to the items we received today:

Brussels’ bombings impacting UK and USA politics
Bombardeos de Bruselas impactando la política en el Reino Unido y los EE.UU.
http://www.cdlidd.es/bombardeos-de-bruselas-impactando-la-politica-en-el-reino-unido-y-los-ee-uu/

Fed’s Yellen changes position, stocks rise, but real financial risk increases
Yellen de la Fed cambia posición, suben las acciones, pero el riesgo real financiero crece
http://www.cdlidd.es/yellen-de-la-fed-cambia-posicion,-suben-las-acciones,-pero-el-riesgo-real-financiero-existe/

God’s calendar and ‘April fools’
El Calendario de Dios y ‘abril de los tontos’
http://www.cdlidd.es/el-calendario-de-dios-y-‘abril-de-los-tontos’/

World Leaders meet to discuss preventing terrorists from getting nuclear weapons, but…
Líderes del mundo se reúnen para discutir prevenir que los terroristas consigan armas nucleares, pero…
http://www.cdlidd.es/lideres-del-mundo-se-reunen-para-discutir-prevenir-que-los-terroristas-consigan-armas-nucleares-pero/

ABS survey: ’53 percent… believe politicians would be more effective if they read the Bible on a regular basis’
Encuesta de ABS: ’53 por ciento… cree que los políticos serían más efectivos si ellos leyeran la Biblia sobre una base regular’
http://www.cdlidd.es/encuesta-de-abs:-’53-por-ciento-cree-que-los-politicos-serian-mas-efectivos-si-ellos-leyeran-la-biblia-sobre-una-base-regular/

BibleNewsProphecy: Europe and the ‘Holy Roman Empire’
Noticias de Profecía de la Biblia y el ‘Sacro Imperio Romano’
http://www.cdlidd.es/noticias-de-profecia-de-la-biblia-y-el-‘sacro-imperio-romano’/

BibleNewsProphecy: Fraternal Relationship between the USA & UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand?
Noticias de Profecía de la Biblia: ¿Relación fraternal entre los EE.UU. & el Reino Unido, Canadá, Australia, y Nueva Zelanda?
http://www.cdlidd.es/noticias-de-profecia-de-la-biblia:-relacion-fraternal-entre-los-ee.uu.-el-reino-unido-canada-australia-y-nueva-zelanda/

Dr. Weiss: ‘Shocking Forecasts Coming True’; Dr. Thiel: ‘Much more shocking events are ahead’
Dr. Weiss: ‘Impactantes predicciones haciéndose ciertas’; Dr. Thiel: ‘Más impactantes eventos están por delante’
http://www.cdlidd.es/dr-weiss-impactantes-predicciones-haciéndose-ciertas-dr-Thiel-Más-impactantes-eventos-estan-por-delante/

German helium fusion stellarator may help propel Europe to dominate the world
Stellerator de fusión de helio alemán puede ayudar a impulsar a Europa a dominar al mundo
http://www.cdlidd.es/stellerator-de-fusion-de-helio-aleman-puede-ayudar-a-impulsar-a-europa-a-dominar-al-mundo/

The Continuing Church of God has a separate Spanish language website http://www.cdlidd.es. The term Continuing Church of God translates into La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios in the Spanish language, also called Castellano or Español.

The Continuing Church of God is reaching people around the world in multiple languages via the internet, printed literature, and human church leaders around the world. We also reach people over the radio and through videos in the English language.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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?

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 Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.

Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?

Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God “Contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, NKJV), “Let brotherly love (Philadelphia) continue” (Hebrews 13:1) “…continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles” (Acts 2:42 YLT). So, what does that really mean in terms of specific beliefs? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: Declaración de las Doctrinas de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. Here is a related link in Tagalog: Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. Here is a related link in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明. Here is a related link in Kiswahili: KATIKA LUGHA YA KISWAHILI. Here is a related link in Dutch: Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Deutsche (German): Glaubenserklärung der Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Italiano: Dichiarazione del Credo della Continuing Church of God. Here is related link in the French language: Déclaration des croyances de L’Église Continue de Dieu.

Faith for those God has Called and Chosen What is faith? Can faith be increased? Are you saved by faith? What about works? Do Christians need to keep the Ten Commandments? What is the ‘faith chapter’? How do the just live by faith? Is faith one of the weightier matters of the law? How does faith come? Here is a link to a pdf. booklet titled Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido.Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese 一篇关于信仰的小文章

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

CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.

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.

PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.

CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.

COGwriter

Passover will be here later this month. Are you living as a Christian?

Jesus taught:

35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:35)

Most religions, however, that profess Christ chose to allow warfare and other activities that do not show love to one’s neighbor (Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare?).

Love, not war, is what life is supposed to be all about (see also What is the Meaning of Life?).

Christians are Subject to Difficulties

For loving as Jesus taught, Christians will be hated and persecuted:

16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause. (John 15:16-25)

(For more details on persecution see Persecutions by Church and State and/or the video The Coming Persecution of the Church.)

Jesus also warned:

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

And doing what we are supposed to do as Christians shows that we have faith. And it is not easy.

22…Have faith in God (Mark 11:22).

Apparently there were heretical people in the time of the apostles who did not believe that they had to do anything and that their faith was sufficient. But notice what James told them:

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-25)

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:14-20)

Perhaps the above is why Martin Luther criticized this book (see Sola Scriptura or Prima Luther? What Did Martin Luther Really Believe About the Bible?).

So, How do Christians Live?

Throughout history, there have been true Christians, just as Jesus prophesied (Matthew 16:16; Revelation 2 & 3).

Real Christians lived differently than most who professed Christ and they were often persecuted for it (Persecutions by Church and State).

Real Christians understand Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:

5:1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek,For they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart,For they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers,For they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

31 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:1-48)

6:1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. (Matthew 6:1-4)

This affects them at work, at school, and home and all the time. They are not only Christians when they attend church services. They try not to live as hypocrites. Nor do they view pornography, engage in fornication or homosexuality, or live a life of hate.

Real Christians have the right priorities and seek first the Kingdom of God:

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:25-34)

Real Christians pray and the Bible teaches this (Matthew 6:5-7). In modern times it has been suggested that Christians should strive to pray at least thirty minutes per day. Although the Bible itself does not specify an amount of time. Yet when it teaches, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), this suggests some amount of regular prayer (see also What Should I Pray About?).

Jesus said His disciples would fast (Mark 2:20). And while all who can are basically required to fast once per year on the Day of Atonement, historically the Church of God has suggested that once per month is a good goal for fasting–though this frequency is not specified in scripture (see also Importance of Fasting).

Real Christians read the Bible (those who could read) and the more honorable ones daily (Acts 17:11; Ephesians 6:17). In modern times it has been suggested that Christians should strive to pray at least thirty minutes per day. Although, again, the Bible itself does not specify

Real Christians tithe (Matthew 23:23; see also Tithing Questions and Some Answers). And there are multiple tithes (Is Third Tithe Still Valid Today?). As far to how to calculate tithes, basically they are on income. In my view, net income after taxes is the the true income as we essentially have no choice but to pay the taxes, which is something else that Christians should do (see also Taxes). Christians also give offerings, including on the biblical holy days (Deuteronomy 16:16-17).

Real Christians avoid eating biblically unclean meats (Leviticus 11:4-8,10-19,24-30; Deuteronomy 14:3,7-8.10,12-19). Because of this, some have been killed by Greco-Romans who profess Christianity (see The New Testament Church and Unclean Meats).

Real Christians are not dishonest at work or school. They do not lie or cheat. They do not go along with sin in organizations. Christians do not read horoscopes, practice witchcraft, or see fortune tellers (Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10).

Real Christians do not have idols in their homes, wear “lucky charms,” etc. (see also What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?).

Real Christians do not have “filthy communications” come out of their mouths (Colossians 3:8).

Christians are to properly teach and bring up their children (1 Thessalonians 2:11; Ephesians 6:1; 1 Timothy 3:4,12; 5:4,10,14; Titus 1:6; 2:4; see also Five Rules for Effective Parenting, there is also a 12 1/2 minute YouTube video on this, also titled Five Rules for Effective Parenting).

Real Christian women dress modestly (1 Timothy 2:9). Real Christians do not get tattoos (Leviticus 19:28).

Christian women should not have short masculine hair styles and Christian men should not have long feminine hairstyles (Veils and Other Coverings). Since pagan priests tended to totally shave their heads, this does not seem to be a proper regular practice for Christian men (Leviticus 19:27; 21:5).

Christians do not get drunk or participate in improper revelries, and this can make them unpopular with those who previously considered them to be friends as the Apostle Peter wrote:

1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles — when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. (1 Peter 4:1-4)

So, Christians are subject to be talked about badly for doing what is right. The Apostle Peter also wrote:

12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. (1 Peter 4:12-14)

Thus, negative consequences from the world for being a Christian is expected.

Holidays, Holy Days, and the Sabbath

Real Christians do not observe religious pagan holidays (see Pagan Holidays or God’s Holy Days Which?) or birthdays (Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays?). This can make them unpopular with some of their neighbors, co-workers, employers, and/or families. Remember that Jesus said:

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

Real Christians observe the biblical holy days (Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible?). Observing Passover on the 14th as faithful Christians do risked the death penalty as Roman (Catholic) Emperor Theodosius decreed in the late fourth century (see also Persecutions by Church and State).

Real Christians prepare for the Passover each year by examining themselves (2 Corinthians 13:5; There is also a YouTube video you may wish to see titled Preparing for Passover). They also remove leaven from their homes and eat unleavened bread for seven days each year while trying to total avoid consuming any leaven during that time (see Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread and Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread?).

Christians keep the Feast of Pentecost and Feast of Trumpets.

Christians observe the Day of Atonement and those who can fast that day by completely abstaining from food and drink (those with health concerns, nursing mothers, small children, etc. normally do not). This is difficult for various ones as some get headaches and others have other issues with fasting. In terms of other difficulties, I was almost put in jail once because I was going to not go to work on the Day of Atonement (I was in the military at the time).

Christians observe the Feast of Tabernacles which normally involves traveling out of one’s region. This can cause problems for employees, business owners, and parents.

Christians keep the Sabbath from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday each week. This has cost various people their job and sometimes resentment from co-workers. Keeping the Sabbath also means no regular shopping on that day. On the other hand, I do believe that the Bible allows for eating out when traveling or spending for some emergency (like going to a hospital), and there are other exceptions. But in some societies not being able to shop on Saturday is difficult as there are Sunday shopping restrictions in many places.

Also, because the time for sunset changes, especially in areas far from the equator, some of us have had to get off of work early on Fridays in the Winter. Also, keeping the Sabbath means no participating in activities like sports on the Sabbath. The focus is to be on the things of God and not doing one’s pleasure (cf. Isaiah 58:13-14).

But you might say, all I have to do is believe. Well the demons believe (James 2:14-20) and Jesus said that just claiming Him was not enough:

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Faith is important (see the article Faith for those God has Called and Chosen and/or watch the video Faith for the Called and Chosen). But notice also what the Apostle Paul wrote:

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

In the early 2nd century, Ignatius of Antioch taught about love, character, and Christ living His life in Christians:

…the believing have, in love, the character of God the Father by Jesus Christ, by whom, if we are not in readiness to die into His passion, His life is not in us. (Ignatius’ Letter to the Magnesians, Chapter 5. Roberts & Donaldson, Anti-Nicene Fathers)

While many of these seem difficult and some may be hard to understand (cf. 2 Peter 3:16), Christians truly accept:

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9)

Christians do so because they have faith, not only that God exists, but that His ways are best and will have the best results in the end (cf. Romans 8:28).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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?
Why Were You Born? Why did God make you? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject. You may also wish to read the article What is Your Destiny? or watch the video, also titled What is Your Destiny?
Faith for those God has Called and Chosen What is faith? Can faith be increased? Are you saved by faith? What about works? Do Christians need to keep the Ten Commandments? What is the ‘faith chapter’? How do the just live by faith? Is faith one of the weightier matters of the law? How does faith come? Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese 一篇关于信仰的小文章
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally? There is also a video titled What is the meaning of your life?
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 .
Is God Unreasonable? Some have suggested that if God requires Sabbath-keeping He is unreasonable. Is that true?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
Pagan Holidays or God’s Holy Days Which? Herbert W. Armatrong explains what the days the Bible endorses.What is the Appropriate Form of Biblical Interpretation? Should the Bible be literally understood?
Read the Bible Christians should read and study the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading.
Bible: Superstition or Authority? Should you rely on the Bible? Is it reliable? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history teach about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays.
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. Here is a link to a related article in the Spanish language: Guardando la Pascua y los Días de los Panes sin Levadura.
Examine Yourself before Passover This article goes into some of why real Christians are to do this. A related sermon is titled Passover Examination.
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.
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?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
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 Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.

COGwriter

Many are concerned that the nuclear deal that the USA helped negotiate with Iran is full of problems. Here is an analysis from the Associated Press (AP):

Nuclear deal puts US between Iran and a hard place

April 10, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is in a bind. Between Iran and a hard place.

As it seeks to implement, preserve and strengthen the landmark nuclear deal it negotiated with Iran, the administration is being buffeted by criticism from all sides: Iran, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, not to mention members of Congress, including some who supported the agreement.

Eager that a successful deal and a new era in the U.S.-Iran relationship be part of President Barack Obama’s legacy, his administration finds itself encouraging foreign trade with Iran even as it forbids most American commerce with the Islamic Republic. Those efforts are complicated by the fact that the United States continues to condemn and try to punish Iranian actions in non-nuclear arenas such as Tehran’s support of terrorist groups and belligerence toward Israel.

Under the nuclear deal that took effect in January, Iran curtailed its nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in sanctions relief. Iran has complied with its obligations to date.

But Iran says the economic boon isn’t enough because of remaining U.S. economic penalties for its other behavior, and some officials have threatened to walk away from one of Obama’s chief foreign policy achievements …

Asian and European government and companies, primarily banks, are balking at doing now-legal business with Iran, because of uncertainty over those remaining sanctions. They want written clarification about what current U.S. laws and financial regulations allow them to do. Essentially, they want a promise that the U.S. will not prosecute or punish them for transactions that involve Iran.

Adding to their unease is the 2016 U.S. presidential election, in which the top Republican prospects have pledged to rip up the nuclear deal.

At the same time, Israel, its supporters and Arab nations are crying foul over Iran’s continued testing of ballistic missiles as well as its ongoing support for Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government and Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

They say Iran is as dangerous as ever. Many members of Congress agree and are demanding new sanctions.

While the administration says it remains vehemently opposed to Iran’s missile tests and destabilizing activities throughout the Middle East, it insists the nuclear deal has made Iran less of a threat. The cost of walking away from the deal, U.S. officials maintain, will be even more destabilization and a graver threat.

Thus, the U.S. has been thrust into a role of defending Iran on its nuclear deal compliance and condemning its other actions as it simultaneously promotes business with Iran in the context of the new leeway afforded by sanctions relief. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_UNITED_STATES_IRAN_ANALYSIS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-04-10-09-23-49

The USA did not negotiate a good deal with Iran and many realize that.

The Obama Administration, ignoring what the Iranians really want, wanted a deal so much that they seemed almost oblivious to the realities of it.

The Obama Administration claims that Israel and Saudi Arabia are close USA allies, yet Iran wants to wipe Israel off the map, takeover Jerusalem and lead the Islamic world. It then wants to takeover the world. The Israelis and Saudis are aware of this, protested against the Iranian nuclear agreement, and have pointed to Iranian actions since as proof that they were right and that Iran is a threat.

Iran itself would like to knock out the USA whenever it can and it believes that mystical powers will one day allow it to do that.

Most people in Iran subscribe to the Shi’ite (often called Shia) Muslim faith. Shi-ites consider that they have a purer understanding of Islam than the Sunni Muslims. Shi-ites represent about 10-20% of Muslims and nearly all the rest are Sunni (there are also Sufis, but they seem to represent less than 1% of all Muslims).  Shia Islam has several branches, the largest of which is the Twelvers, followed by Zaidis and Ismailis (Wikipedia, viewed 11/25/13).

The Twelvers (and many of the other Shia) basically have had a world view based on their understanding of prophecy, and that understanding is not peaceful.  Notice some reports about that:

Shiite Muslims, the majority in Iran, believe Jesus will accompany the Imam Mahdi when he reappears in a future apocalypse to save the world…

Shiites believe the Mahdi’s reappearance will usher in a new era of peace and harmony.

“We Muslims pray for the ‘Return’ (of Imam Mahdi) and Jesus is part of the return and the end of time,” Talebzadeh said (‘Islamic Jesus’ hits Iranian movie screens AFP – Jan 13, 2008 http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080113231632.1q3rt654&show_article=1).

According to the tradition, Imam Ali Ibn Abi-Talib (the prophet’s cousin and son-in-law) prophesied that at the End of Times and just before the return of the Mahdi, the Ultimate Saviour, a “tall black man will assume the reins of government in the West.” Commanding “the strongest army on earth,” the new ruler in the West will carry “a clear sign” from the third imam, whose name was Hussein Ibn Ali. The tradition concludes: “Shiites should have no doubt that he is with us.”

In a curious coincidence Obama’s first and second names–Barack Hussein–mean “the blessing of Hussein” in Arabic and Persian. His family name, Obama, written in the Persian alphabet, reads O Ba Ma, which means “he is with us,” the magic formula in Majlisi’s tradition (Taheri A. Obama and Ahmadinejad. Forbes – Oct 26, 2008 http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/26/obama-iran-ahmadinejad-oped-cx_at_1026taheri_print.html viewed 11/14/08).

The Mahdi (Arabic for “the guided one”), is supposed to return before Judgment Day to eliminate injustice and tyranny. The appearance of the Mahdi is not mentioned in the Quran or the Sunnah (Prophet’s teachings), and many Sunni scholars view it as a Shiite invention…in the 132-volume work by Shiite scholar Mullah Majlisi (Nayouf, Hayyan. Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid. Shiite scholar denies Obama link to Muslim savior. Dubai. November 4, 2008. http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/11/04/59490.html viewed 05/19/09).

Why is any of this ‘Imam Mahdi’ rhetoric of any value?

Well, among other reasons, various ones seem to think his return, as well as a prophecy about someone who sounds like US President Barack Hussein Obama, is a signal for Iran to act militarily (details are in the article Iran in Prophecy).

We in the Continuing Church of God do not believe that Iran will be the final King of the South of Bible prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:40-43). Because of that, I have tended to believe that Iran may somehow get “neutralized” before this final king rises up. And it may be that provoking some type of conflict with Israel (through an attack or through simply possessing nuclear bombs) may result in Israel hitting Iran hard enough militarily to greatly reduce Iran’s influence in the Islamic world. Since no later than May of 2010, I have been writing that since Iran cannot be the final King of the South that it may be neutralized (see Iran Slams Russia).

Iran could be neutralized because of internal unrest or perhaps a region conflict involving Israel.

Expect Iran to overplay its hand and believe it is more powerful than it really is. Israel, and perhaps even the USA, apparently will be negatively affected by Iran.  But I should also point out that the Bible shows that Iran will not end up faring well. Notice the following prophecy which indicates at least part of its destruction before the latter days:

34 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, 35 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,
The foremost of their might.
36 Against Elam I will bring the four winds
From the four quarters of heaven,
And scatter them toward all those winds;
There shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go.
37 For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies
And before those who seek their life.
I will bring disaster upon them,
My fierce anger,’ says the Lord;
‘And I will send the sword after them
Until I have consumed them.
38 I will set My throne in Elam,
And will destroy from there the king and the princes,’ says the Lord. (Jeremiah 49:34-38)

So, what’s next for Iran?

It will complain and try to work around the nuclear agreement until it violates it so much that the USA will decide it has to take further steps (beyond those it has recently taken).

Iran will attempt to improve aspects of its economy and its military so that it can try to persuade the Islamic world to follow it. It may well have a military attack against Israel (Isaiah 22:1-11) and others.

But Iran will not do well and will not be the power that leads the Islamic nations in the Middle East and North Africa–that will be an Arabic power (cf. Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:2-8). Arabic powers that also have concerns about Iran and have taken steps of their own (e.g. World’s largest military exercise taking place in Saudi Arabia–a prelude to the King of the South?).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria.
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 Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied? What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon: Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
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.
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?
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?
United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? A related video would be United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version of the 188 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. 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 Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon Kindle edition.
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.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk (Ybilyk)

COGwriter

Ukraine’s Prime Minister announced today that he would resign:

April 10, 2016

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has announced that he had resigned, local media reported Sunday.

“I decided to resign from the post of Ukraine’s prime minister. On Tuesday, April 12, the decision will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian parliament]”, Yatsenyuk said as quoted by Ukrainian TV channels Sunday.

Yatsenyuk said that destabilization in Ukraine is “inevitable,” if a new government is not formed.

“We cannot allow one thing [to happen] — the destabilization of the executive power during the war [in the southeastern region of Donbass]. This prospect is inevitable, if after the resignation, a new government is not formed.”

“Since now, I see my goals broader than the powers of the government head.” http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160410/1037782356/yatsenyuk-resignation.html#ixzz45R0912qU

April 10, 2016

Following months of political turmoil, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on Sunday announced in a televised address that he would resign on Tuesday. …

Yatsenyuk said Poroschenko’s political bloc would nominate parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Groysman to be the next prime minister. …

Yatsenyuk became prime minister in 2014, shortly after protests in Ukraine succeeded in ousting former President Viktor Yanukovych. …

But the hopes born out of the pro-EU Maidan protests have been shattered by war with pro-Russian separatists in the east and economic suffering.

The Ukrainian government has failed to battle endemic corruption, cronyism and powerful oligarchs, causing both the public and the country’s Western backers to loose faith in the government. http://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-prime-minister-arseniy-yatsenyuk-tenders-resignation/a-19177023

Arseniy Yatsenyuk had tweeted the following in apparently Ukranians:

Я прийняв рішення скласти повноваження Прем’єр-міністра України. 12 квітня подання буде внесено до Верховної Ради. Політична криза в державі розв’язана штучно. Бажання змінити одну особу засліпило політиків і паралізувало їхню волю до реальних змін. Процес зміни Уряду перетворився на бездумний біг на місці.

Не можна допустити дестабілізації виконавчої влади під час війни. Така перспектива неминуча, якщо після відставки не буде негайно обрано новий Уряд України. Фракція Блоку Петра Порошенка висунула на посаду Глави Уряду Володимира Гройсмана. Зробивши все для стабільності і спадкоємності курсу, заявляю про рішення передати обов’язки та відповідальність керівника Уряду.

Обидва останні Уряди – унікальні: вони – провісники нової України. Дякую тим колегам, які діяли чесно та безкорисно.

Упродовж двох років війни, складних, але правильних реформ головною опорою нашого Уряду в Парламенті були мої соратники з «Народного Фронту». Вдячний їм за підтримку. Прошу підтримати моє рішення і разом продовжити спільну справу. «Народний Фронт» залишається в коаліції, бо зараз це єдиний засіб оборонити державу

Дякую нашому народові, суспільству, громадським активістам, волонтерам, дякую кожному з вас за витривалість і терпіння.

Відсьогодні бачу свої завдання ширше, ніж повноваження керівника Уряду. Нове виборче законодавство. Конституційна реформа. Судова реформа. Коаліційний контроль за курсом нового Уряду. Міжнародна підтримка України. Членство України в Європейському Союзі і НАТО. Це – частина моєї програми.

Суть наших проблем не є суто політичною. Вона є етичною. Політика є наслідком моралі, наших етичних стандартів. Якщо гідність і мораль вимагають змінити політичні правила, зміна цих правил обов’язково настане.

Interestingly, there was a comment from someone with ties to Coventry University of the UK at the Sputnik news website that stated the following (note: I did not correct the misspellings, but simply copied the comment):

A country that in the name of of the United States lost 1/3 of its regions, the economy is in ruins and the people have nothing, i have lived in Europe the majority of my life but recently i have moved to Russia and to be honest thank you god until now….in 2 decates from now intead of Australia and America people will file applications to live in Russia…..!++A

The USA supported the overthrown of the democratically-elected president of Ukraine in late 2013 and early 2014.

The claimed reasons had to do with the fact that Ukraine’s President decided to make an economic deal with Russia that protesters in western Ukraine did not want (see Ukrainians protest scrapping of EU proposal, President Yanukovich defends move). Various ones, like the “Coventry University” poster, suspect that Ukraine’s economy would have been much better off now if the USA would not have intervened.

(The other reason that the USA intervened, in my view, was that it was not pleased that Russia would not go along with Hillary Clinton’s LGBT agenda while she was Barack Obama’s Secretary of State.  As unrelated as this may sound, it is consistent with what Hillary Clinton wrote in her book Hard Choices, which I read when I was researching my book about Hillary Clinton).

Anyway, Ukraine has had many problems since the overthrow.

What about the comments from the “Coventry University” poster about Americans wanting to live in Russia in two decades?

Well, after the start of the Great Tribulation, which will likely be less than two decades from now, Americans would be thrilled if they could live as residents in Russia. But biblical prophecy indicates that most Americans (meaning in this case those in the USA and Canada)  that are not killed will be slaves in various lands (see Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?). Thus, it will likely be much worse for Americans in two decades than the “Coventry University” poster seemingly believes.

As far as Ukraine goes, various ones believe that at least some of those in Ukraine descended from the ancient Medes. According to biblical prophecy, the Medes will end up supporting a Russian led confederation in the end times (e.g. Isaiah 13:1, 17-19). However, as there are ethnic differences in Ukraine, not all are Medes. This is part of why since late 2013, I warned that some type of split could occur in Ukraine. Years earlier (2008/2009), I also discussed religious splits there as well.

At least some in Ukraine will support Russia. And if enough get disillusioned with the Kiev government, the EU, and the USA, we may see more in Ukraine concluding that they were better off working towards closer ties to Russia than the West.

That being said, the Bible teaches that the European Beast power will expand to the south and the east.  Notice:

9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. (Daniel 8:9-12).

And while the above has had a past fulfillment, this prophecy seems to be dual (compare with Daniel 11:27-39). The European Union has mainly expanded south and east of the Benelux nations Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)–which is where it initially formed. Now, approximately 500 million people are now under a new, single (though not completed united) government, called the European Union, headquartered in Brussels. Ukraine is mainly east of much of the EU–thus its geography is consistent with being part of the EU.

Biblically (because of prophecies involving the Medes, some of which are in Ukraine, and some in the “north and east” in Daniel 11:44), it would seem that Russia (a power of the “far north” Ezekiel 38:3,6) would be closer to at least parts of Ukraine (like some of the eastern portions of it)  in the end than many realize. (There is also a YouTube video available titled Ukraine in Prophecy?)

The situation in Ukraine is still tense and it has been difficult for those in both its western and eastern portions. As its resigning Prime Minister mentioned more destabilization in Ukraine is likely.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? Here is a link to a video sermon titled Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy.
Wars, rumors of wars, and the Apocalypse Jesus foretold a time before the end where there would be wars and rumors of wars. The Apocalypse (the Book of Revelation) warns of the red horseman of war. Now, even secular writers, like Larry Edelson, are worried that wars and rumors of war are the most menacing problem that now haunts the earth? Are they right? What is the solution? This is a video.
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? Here is a link to a related video titled Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?
Ukraine in Prophecy? What is happening in Ukraine? What is known and what is unsure about its future? What is the origin of those who live in Ukraine? What does the Bible teach about the role of the Medes in the end times? Will Ukraine split? Why might part of Ukraine end up in the European Union? Why might part of Ukraine end up in the Eurasian Union? Is war in the prophesied future for Ukraine? What is the ultimate destiny for nearly all Ukrainians?
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
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?
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?
Wars, rumors of wars, and the Apocalypse Jesus foretold a time before the end where there would be wars and rumors of wars. The Apocalypse (the Book of Revelation) warns of the red horseman of war. Now, even secular writers, like Larry Edelson, are worried that wars and rumors of war are the most menacing problem that now haunts the earth? Are they right? What is the solution? This is a video.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2016, 2017, or 2018? 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 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?
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?
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States This is a 188 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Hillary Clinton and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also discusses Republicans. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Hillary Clinton Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Hopi, and other America-Related Prophecies? $11.99.
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version of the 188 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. 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 Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon Kindle edition.
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.

Artist’s view of David facing the giant Goliath

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce this video from its Bible News Prophecy channel:

22:26

Did angels marry human females and produce giants? Is that possible? What did Jesus teach? Does the teaching about angels procreating with humans come from the Bible or something improperly attributed to Enoch? How big does the ‘Book of Enoch’ claim the giants were? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and more.

Here is a link to our video: Did Angels Marry Women and Produce Giants?

Some items of related interest may include:

Did Angels Marry Human Women? Many insist this is so and also that this mating caused giants to be born. What does Genesis 6:4 really mean?  A related video is also available: Did Angels Marry Women and Produce Giants?
How Old is the Earth and How Long Were the Days of Creation? 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? Were the days of creation in Genesis 1:3 through 2:3 24 hours long? Here is a link to a sermon: Genesis, ‘Prehistoric man,’ and the Gap theory. Here is a link to a related article in Spanish: ¿Cuán vieja es la Tierra? ¿Cuán largos fueron los Días de la Creación? ¿Teoría de la brecha?
Questions and Answers from Genesis Many wonder about certain early events that this article discusses.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
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 Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
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.
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.
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced many YouTube videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. And you can find them there.

Artist’s impression of ‘Planet Nine’ as an ‘ice giant’ (Tomruen)

COGwriter

Some believe that there is a planet in our solar system called “Planet Nine”:

‘Planet Nine:’ Another look at that proposed planet beyond Neptune

A new computer model may show more hypothetical specifics about the proposed Planet Nine.

April 9, 2016

Astrophysicists Michael Brown and Konstantin Batygin of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena proposed the existence of a large planet orbiting the sun in the far reaches of the solar system.

The planet is so far from the sun that it would be too difficult to spot with a telescope, but computer models suggest the planet exists and is shaping the orbits of objects in the Kuiper Belt, a ring of icy space rocks beyond Neptune, The Christian Science Monitor’s Ben Thompson reported.

Professor Mordasini and his PhD student, Esther Linder, also from the University of Bern, sought to discover the specifics of the planet, if it indeed exists. With backing from the Swiss National Science Foundation and the National Center for Competence in Research, the duo plugged in size estimates and possible orbits to model a clearer picture.

Their study concludes that if Planet Nine exists, it has a mass equal to 10 times that of Earth and a frost temperature of 47 degrees Kelvin (-375 degrees Fahrenheit). http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2016/0408/Planet-Nine-Another-look-at-that-proposed-planet-beyond-Neptune

The possible existence of “Planet Nine” has got some claiming it is about to destroy the Earth, but that will not happen:

Don’t believe the doomsday hype about the putative Planet Nine. … the New York Post published a video claiming that Planet Nine — a hypothesized world in the solar system’s far outer reaches — could send asteroids and comets hurtling into Earth soon, with potentially devastating consequences.

“A newly discovered planet could destroy Earth as soon as this month,” the New York Post said yesterday via its Twitter account, @nypost, by way of advertising the new video. [The Evidence for Planet Nine in Pictures]

There is so much wrong here. First of all, the Post’s tweet, and the new 30-second video, describe Planet Nine as an officially discovered and confirmed world. This is not the case;

astronomers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown, both of whom are based at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, inferred the planet’s existence based on the strange orbits of a half dozen small objects in the Kuiper Belt, the ring of icy bodies beyond Neptune. …

Second, we have nothing to fear from Planet Nine, even if it does exist, according to Brown.

“Hey, so … fun fact? Planet Nine is not going to cause the Earth’s destruction. If you read that it will, you have discovered idiotic writing!” Brown said yesterday via his Twitter account, @plutokiller. …

The New York Post’s misleading video may result from a conflation of Planet Nine with other hypothesized, undiscovered objects in Earth’s neck of the cosmic woods — namely, Nibiru and Nemesis.

Nibiru is a proposed large planet that conspiracy theorists have predicted will crash into and destroy Earth. Many prognostications had the cataclysm occurring in 2012, to coincide with the supposed “Mayan apocalypse.” There is no evidence that Nibiru exists, or that such an impact is imminent. (Some variations of the Nibiru myth call it Planet X, but this latter moniker can also refer to a large world whose existence was first postulated by astronomer Percival Lowell in the early 20th century, to explain perceived oddities in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. So it can get a bit confusing.)

Nemesis is a small star or brown dwarf (a “failed star” that’s considerably larger than a planet) hypothesized to zoom through space not far from the sun. Nemesis’ gravitational pull regularly jostles the faraway comet repository known as the Oort Cloud, the idea goes, sending comets barreling toward Earth  — and thus explaining the perceived cycle of mass extinctions on our planet, which seem to occur every 26 million years or so. http://www.space.com/32515-planet-nine-will-not-destroy-earth-nibiru.html#sthash.GCQTtM6F.dpuf

Back in 2012, many were concerned about Planet X, also known as Planet Nibiru.

The so-called science is that according to an old NASA report, there could be another planet. A tenth planet, which some then called planet X as it had not been found. Various ones have suggested that this planet will crash into the Earth.

Here are two reports about it:

What about “Planet X”?

The most cataclysmic of prophesied end-time “natural” disasters is the scenario of a collision or near-miss of another planet with the earth. The mysterious orb that supposedly threatens us has been called “Planet X” or “Planet Nibiru,” and some expect it to arrive on Dec. 12, 2012.

But what is the evidence that this will occur? There is no scientific evidence that supports this idea. The idea came “not by radio signals from the cosmos, but [instead has supposedly been] channeled through medium and Zeto envoy Nancy Lieder, who was in contact with . . . altruistic aliens” (Govert Schilling, The Hunt for Planet X, 2009, p. 115) (Published in Good News, 2012)

Prophetic dates come and go.  What about December 21, 2012?

Some say the day of doom is at the door. Alignment of planets, a collision with Nibiru, a shifting polar axis, reversal of earth’s magnetic field, a “beam” from the Milky Way’s center, catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis — all coming to their climactic focus on December 21 of this year! (McBride J. Bible Advocate, 2012)

I denounced the Planet X destruction theory back in 2012 and explained that it would not destroy the Earth then. Notice something that I posted on December 1, 2012:

I thought I would provide a list of ten ‘predictions’ related to the world ending this month and the truth why they are all wrong…

PREDICTION: Some claim that the galaxy will be in perfect alignment and cause massive disruptions on December 21/22, 2012 or that planet Nibiru will hit.
TRUTH: Yet astronomers do not believe that the alignment (which is not galaxy-wide nor perfect) could possibly generate enough gravitational flow to cause massive disruption nor do they believe in destruction via an invented planet called Nibiru…

Stories about the fictional planet Nibiru and predictions of the end of the world in December 2012 have blossomed on the Internet. Contrary to some of the common beliefs out there, Dec. 21, 2012 won’t be the end of the world as we know, however, it will be another winter solstice. https://plus.google.com/events/ci7ak9p657rj34um819vadrm8jg#events/ci7ak9p657rj34um819vadrm8jg

While the world as we know it will end some day, it cannot possibly be in December 2012.

There have not been enough of the biblically-required signs (see, for example, Matthew 24 and Daniel 11:27-39) fulfilled for it to be this early. (Thiel B. Ten ‘End of the World Predictions’ That Will Be Proven False This Month. December 1, 2012)

And, of course, I was right then.

And no planet is about to come crashing to the Earth this month.

Yet, it is true that something from space, probably an asteroid or a comet, is prophesied in the Bible to hit the Earth and cause massive damage (Revelation 8:10-11). But not before 2021.

A large comet hitting the earth would also seem to have similar effects to that of a medium-sized asteroid. And having something actually hit the earth and do massive damage is predicted in the Bible.

But this object, called Wormwood in the Bible, cannot hit next year.

Why?

Over 1900 years ago, the Apostle John was inspired to write about Wormwood and more in the Book of Revelation. If you look at the sequence of events that proceed Wormwood, it is obvious all that cannot happen between now and next month.  Notice that the first nine verses happen prior to Wormwood falling from heaven:

1 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.  (Revelation 8:1-11)

It should also be noted that there are MANY EVENTS that also have to take place before the above events as well. Because of that, it is biblically impossible for the Earth to be destroyed by something from space for years.

Notice that Wormwood does not fall until after the third trumpet associated with the seventh seal of Revelation is blown.  Well, this would mean that the fifth and sixth seal would also have already been opened–which are mentioned in Revelation 6:7-17, and the 144,000 numbered as shown in Revelation 7.  And I should add that the fifth seal of Revelation cannot possibly be opened for at least 3 1/2 years from now (see When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2013, 2014, or 2015?), with over 4 years the likely minimum.

Planet Nibiru per se does not exist, though Planet Nine might. Yet Wormwood does exist–but again Wormwood cannot hit for several years at the earliest.  That does not mean that there cannot be any problems from meteorites, comets, asteroids, solar flares, etc.  But it does mean that the world will not end for at least several years.

Why bother to post about the ‘Planet Nine prediction’?

Because there are many false and heretical leaders that lead people astray on prophecy. And it is not just the secular fringe people, but also those who claim to be Christian or even in the Church of God.

The Sardis and Laodicean Church of God groups, despite a few claiming to have prophets, do not understand prophecy, the work, enough of the truth, etc., and that is part of why they will have to go through the Great Tribulation. CG7, a group believed to somewhat represent Sardis, takes a preterist view that basically most end time prophecies were fulfilled long ago and are for the past. The Laodiceans have so many prophetic misunderstandings, that unless they repent and change (Revelation 3), they will not possibly know when the Great Tribulation will start until it is too late.

The various COGs hold to one or more improper prophetic opinions that differ from that of the Continuing Church of God. A list of three dozen or so of them can be found in the article The Laodicean Church Era. Because of this, unless they change, those outside of the Continuing Church of God will not know when the Great Tribulation will begin until it is too late to flee (cf. Matthew 24:15-20; Revelation 12:14-17). The Apostle John recorded that there would be two groups at the end and that one would flee and be protected from the Great Tribulation (Revelation 12:14-16), while the other would not be (Revelation 12:17). ‘Independents’ would also be part of that latter group that will not know, unless they change and heed what the Bible teaches (watch Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy).

We in the Continuing Church of God “have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19, KJV).”

Thus, you can be certain that “Planet Nine” will NOT destroy the Earth this month or this year.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Wormwood and Planet Nibiru Will the Earth be devastated by Planet X or Comet Encke? What about Planet Nine? Here is a link to a related YouTube video Could Comet ISON be Wormwood of Bible Prophecy?
Blood Moons and Prophecy There were four ‘blood moons’ expected in 2014 and 2015. Some claimed that they signaled the Day of the Lord or the return of Jesus Christ. I denounced that view in advance. A related YouTube video is also available: Blood Moons, Prophecy, 2014, and 2015.
Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016? Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2016? Certain prophecy watchers seem to think so. Some seem to think that Russia will invade Turkey in 2016, that the abomination of desolation will be set up in 2016, and/or that the Messianic age will begin in 2016. Certain Jewish writings seem to point to 2016 or 2017. What signs did Jesus say to look for? What is recorded in the Book of Daniel? If the Great Tribulation cannot begin in 2016, when is the soonest year that it can?
The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous?
Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy Is it safe to be ‘independent’ or in a non-Philadelphin Church of God? What did God inspire Zephaniah to write?
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 Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent.
Laodicean Warning for God’s People Is there really a place of safety? Do God’s people need to be warned? Warned for what?
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing? This is a sermonette length video.
The Elijah Heresies Does the Bible teach that there will be a future Elijah? Must it be Herbert W. Armstrong?
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here?

Gerald Weston

COGwriter

Many misunderstand ‘predestination’

COGwriter

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

1:17:33

Predestination: What it is and what it is not

Are some people predestined to be saved and others predestined to be lost? What is predestination? Does God have a plan for those not called in this age? What does the Bible teach about predestination? What do Calvinists teach? Do you have a choice?

Here is a link to the video sermon: Predestination: What it is and what it is not.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Predestination: Did God really call You? Why? Predestination? Is your ultimate fate decided for you in advance? Here is a link to a related video sermon: Predestination: What it is and what it is not. Another related video is Predestination and Pentecost.
God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach? Here is a link to a related sermon titled Race and Grace; Do you view race as God does?
John Calvin, Calvinism, TULIP, and What is Predestination? Who was John Calvin? Did he believe in sola Scriptura or did he hold to unbiblical doctrines? TULIP analyzed.
Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this? Will all good things be restored? Will God call everyone? Will everyone have an opportunity for salvation? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account? Related sermon videos include Universal Offer of Salvation I: God is love  and Universal Offer of Salvation II: The Age to Come and the ‘Little Flock’ and Universal Offer of Salvation III: All Are to Know Jesus, But When? and Universal Offer of Salvation IV: Will the Guilty be Pardoned? and Universal Offer of Salvation V: All Israel Will be Saved? A version of the main article was also translated in the Spanish language: Oferta universal de salvación: Hay cientos de versículos en la Biblia que apoyan la verdadera doctrina de la Apocatastasis.
Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory? Is there a place called purgatory? Does God have a plan to help those who did not become saints in this life?
What is Limbo? Is There Such a Place as Limbo? What Happens to Babies When They Die? When did Limbo start being taught? What is the truth about dead babies?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
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 Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
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.
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.
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced many YouTube videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. And you can find them at that channel.
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.

Francis’ Papal Coat of Arms

COGwriter

Pope Francis authorized the Synods on the Family in 2014 and 2015. He was unable to get enough bishops to support what he wanted, so today he did what could be termed his own version of an ‘executive order’ titled Amoris Laetitia or The Joy of Love.

Its first page consists of his papal coat of arms (shown at the beginning of this post) and the following:

POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION AMORIS L Æ TITIA OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS TO BISHOPS, PRIESTS AND DEACONS CONSECRATED PERSONS CHRISTIAN MARRIED COUPLES AND ALL THE LAY FAITHFUL ON LOVE IN THE FAMILY

Here is a link to the 264 page pdf document: Amoris Laetitia.

CNN and the New York Times summarized parts of it:

April 8, 2016

(CNN) Pope Francis put his shoulder to the doors of the Catholic Church and shoved them open a little wider Friday, calling for the church to be more tolerant in practice while not changing any official doctrines.

He urged priests around the world to be more accepting of gays and lesbians, divorced Catholics and other people living in what the church considers “irregular” situations.

“A pastor cannot feel that it is enough simply to apply moral laws … as if they were stones to throw at people’s lives,” Francis writes in a sweeping paper outlining his stance on family matters.

He urges more common sense and less unthinking following of rules.

“By thinking that everything is black and white, we sometimes close off the way of grace and growth,” he writes.

He emphasizes that “unjust discrimination” against gays and lesbians is unacceptable, downplays the idea of “living in sin” and suggests that priests should use their own discretion on whether divorced Catholics in new marriages can take Communion. …

The Pope tells priests that they should make decisions appropriate to their local conditions.

“Each country or region … can seek solutions better suited to its culture and sensitive to its traditions and local needs,” he writes in a possible effort to satisfy both liberals and conservatives by decentralizing authority. http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/08/europe/vatican-pope-family/

April 8, 2016

ROME — In a broad proclamation on family life, Pope Francis on Friday called for the Roman Catholic Church to be more welcoming and less judgmental, and he seemingly signaled a pastoral path for divorced and remarried Catholics to receive holy communion.

The 256-page document — known as an apostolic exhortation and titled “Amoris Laetitia,” Latin for “The Joy of Love” — calls for priests to welcome single parents, gay people and unmarried straight couples who are living together. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/09/world/europe/pope-francis-amoris-laetitia.html

Of course, Pope Francis can run the Church of Rome as he pleases. And he seems to wish to at least partially please those who promote the LGBT agenda as well as other forms of sexual immorality. Although many LGBT-types were disappointed, some others claim Pope Francis‘ “Amoris Laetitia” Is a Closeted Argument for Gay Marriage.”

The Pope has apparently reduced some restrictions related to ‘communion.’ But if he and his church feel that those who they believe as somehow living in sin and wish to remain doing so, then he has overlooked the following that the Apostle Paul wrote:

26 Whenever you eat this bread, then, and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 Therefore anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily is answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone is to examine himself and only then eat of the bread or drink from the cup; 29 because a person who eats and drinks without recognising the body is eating and drinking his own condemnation. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill and a good number have died. 31 If we were critical of ourselves we would not be condemned, 32 but when we are judged by the Lord, we are corrected by the Lord to save us from being condemned along with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:26-32, NJB)

Now, I intentionally used the New Jerusalem Bible, which is a Roman Catholic accepted translation of the Bible. While the above applies to Passover, the Church of Rome believes this applies to weekly/daily ‘communion.’

Should a professed ‘Christian’ leader teach that it is fine for people to commune to their “own condemnation”? One would think not.  But Pope Francis seems to confuse tolerance of sin with love.

Notice something he has in his Amoris Laetitia paper that mentions the Apostle Paul:

First, Paul says that love “bears all things” (panta stégei ). This is about more than simply putting up with evil; it has to do with the use of the tongue. The verb can mean “holding one’s peace” about what may be wrong with another person. It implies limiting judgment, checking the impulse to issue a firm and ruthless condemnation: “Judge not and you will not be judged” (Lk 6:37). Although it runs contrary to the way we normally use our tongues, God’s word tells us: “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters” (Jas 4:11).

But does this mean that Christians should not condemn evil, even if practiced by those who claim to be Christian, like Pope Francis implies?

No.

Look at the following from the Apostle Paul:

1 It is widely reported that there is sexual immorality among you, immorality of a kind that is not found even among gentiles: that one of you is living with his stepmother. 2 And you so filled with your own self-importance! It would have been better if you had been grieving bitterly, so that the man who has done this thing were turned out of the community. 3 For my part, however distant I am physically, I am present in spirit and have already condemned the man who behaved in this way, just as though I were present in person. 4 When you have gathered together in the name of our Lord Jesus, with the presence of my spirit, and in the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 hand such a man over to Satan, to be destroyed as far as natural life is concerned, so that on the Day of the Lord his spirit may be saved. 6 Your self-satisfaction is ill founded. Do you not realise that only a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Throw out the old yeast so that you can be the fresh dough, unleavened as you are. For our Passover has been sacrificed, that is, Christ; 8 let us keep the feast, then, with none of the old yeast and no leavening of evil and wickedness, but only the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 In my letter, I wrote to you that you should have nothing to do with people living immoral lives. 10 I was not including everybody in this present world who is sexually immoral, or everybody who is greedy, or dishonest or worships false gods — that would mean you would have to cut yourselves off completely from the world. 11 In fact what I meant was that you were not to have anything to do with anyone going by the name of brother who is sexually immoral, or is greedy, or worships false gods, or is a slanderer or a drunkard or dishonest; never even have a meal with anybody of that kind. 12 It is no concern of mine to judge outsiders. It is for you to judge those who are inside, is it not? 13 But outsiders are for God to judge. You must banish this evil-doer from among you. (1 Corinthians 5:1-13, NJB)

Again this is from the NJB to clearly point out that Pope Francis has a different take on this matter than the Apostle Paul and the Bible. So, while we in the Church of God are supposed to judge such matters according the the Apostle Paul, the current Bishop of Rome does not want this to happen.

While Christians are encouraged to help those with sins (cf. Galatians 6:1), condoning or tolerating public sexual immorality is not in the scriptures.

Yet, Pope Francis, sometimes subtly and sometime directly, speaks of tolerating the obviously sexually immoral in his church. And while the Church of Rome seemingly has decided to do that, the Bible warns specifically against that type of tolerance:

20 Nevertheless, I have a complaint to make: you tolerate the woman Jezebel who claims to be a prophetess, and by her teaching she is luring my servants away to commit the adultery of eating food which has been sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent but she is not willing to repent of her adulterous life. 22 Look, I am consigning her to a bed of pain, and all her partners in adultery to great hardship, unless they repent of their practices; 23 and I will see that her children die, so that all the churches realise that it is I who test motives and thoughts and repay you as your deeds deserve. (Revelation 2:20-23, NJB)

According to Jesus, those who divorce and remarry, for most reasons, are committing adultery:

9 Now I say this to you: anyone who divorces his wife — I am not speaking of an illicit marriage — and marries another, is guilty of adultery.’ (Matthew 19:9, NJB)

The Bible does not teach that the Church of God is supposed to tolerate intentional and ongoing sexual immorality. It is NOT love to encourage people to be in immoral lifestyles.

The pontiff mentioned being careful about throwing stones.  But when Jesus discussed that, He also told an adulteress:

11 …  go and sin no more (John 8:11)

Interestingly, the statement on the bottom of Francis’ coat of arms, miserando atque eligendo, translates into English as “pity and choosing.” Pope Francis has apparently also decided to choose to overlook biblical restrictions related to normal church attendance. (Note: Information related to the “IHS,” shown on his coat of arms, is in the article Marcus, the Marcosians, & Mithraism: Developers of the Eucharist?).

Notice something else the Apostle Paul wrote:

9 Do you not realise that people who do evil will never inherit the kingdom of God? Make no mistake — the sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, the self-indulgent, sodomites, 10 thieves, misers, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers, none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Some of you used to be of that kind: but you have been washed clean, you have been sanctified, and you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and through the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, NJB)

Thus if Christians were once sexually immoral or homosexual (sodomites), they are to have repented and been washed clean of that.  They are not to go back to those practices as those that do so WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

Pope Francis wants people to accept a ‘gospel’ that was not part of what Jude referred to as “the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, NKJV).

Consider something else that the Apostle Paul wrote:

3 But I am afraid that, just as the snake with his cunning seduced Eve, your minds may be led astray from single-minded devotion to Christ. 4 Because any chance comer has only to preach a Jesus other than the one we preached, or you have only to receive a spirit different from the one you received, or a gospel different from the one you accepted — and you put up with that only too willingly. 5 Now, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to the super-apostles. 6 Even if there is something lacking in my public speaking, this is not the case with my knowledge, as we have openly shown to you at all times and before everyone. (2 Corinthians 11:3-6, NJB)

Paul is telling everyone that despite not being a popular speaker, he is teaching God’s word, and those that will listen to something in conflict with what he wrote are tolerating a different, a false, gospel.

Notice something else from Pope Francis’ paper:

No one can be condemned for ever, because that is not the logic of the Gospel! Here I am not speaking only of the divorced and re – married, but of everyone, in whatever situation they find themselves. Naturally, if someone flaunts an objective sin as if it were part of the Christian ideal, or wants to impose something other than what the Church teaches, he or she can in no way presume to teach or preach to others; this is a case of something which separates from the community (cf. Mt 18:17). Such a person needs to listen once more to the Gospel message and its call to conversion. Yet even for that person there can be some way of taking part in the life of community, whether in social service, prayer meetings or another way that his or her own initiative, together with the discernment of the parish priest, may suggest.

What the pontiff is claiming is that let’s say someone is in a biblically adulterous or other type of biblically immoral situation, if they do not flaunt it, they still should be treated as ‘Christian.’ And he takes this a step further by saying that even if the person flaunts the sin, that person still should be able to be involved with the Church of Rome in prayer meetings, social service, etc.

But Pope Francis seems to forget that the purpose of disfellowshipping people from the Church of God is to encourage them to repent (1 Corinthians 5:6).

Surely he must also be familiar with the following from the Apostle Paul:

26 For this cause God delivered them up to shameful affections. For their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature.

27 And, in like manner, the men also, leaving the natural use of the women, have burned in their lusts one towards another, men with men working that which is filthy, and receiving in themselves the recompense which was due to their error.

28 And as they liked not to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them up to a reprobate sense, to do those things which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all iniquity, malice, fornication, avarice, wickedness, full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity, whisperers,

30 Detractors, hateful to God, contumelious, proud, haughty, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Foolish, dissolute, without affection, without fidelity, without mercy.

32 Who, having known the justice of God, did not understand that they who do such things, are worthy of death; and not only they that do them, but they also that consent to them that do them. (Romans 1:26-32, Douay-Rheims)

18 Keep away from sexual immorality. All other sins that people may commit are done outside the body; but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18, NJB)

Sexual immorality is not good for those who engage in it or who consent to it. The Ten Commandments teach us how to love God and our neighbor (cf. Matthew 22:38-40) and it is not good for our neighbor to participate in sexual immorality (cf. James 2:8-12).

Now, there was another particular quote from Francis’ paper I would like people to consider:

The Gospel goes on to remind us that children are not the property of a family, but have their own lives to lead.

People who believe that the world’s governments have the answers like to believe that the State has the first claim to children and then the parents. Pope Francis’ statement is consistent with that.

Why bring that up?

Because it is consistent with a pattern from this pontiff to support world governance and look to human governments as the solution to the world’s problems.

Pope Francis’ Laudato Si encyclical, last year, was a prelude to the New Universal Agenda’ that the United Nations adopted this past September.

Many world leaders believe that it will be international human cooperation and acceptance of a sexually immoral agenda that will bring a clean environment, peace, and prosperity. They do not believe it will really take the Kingdom of God to make that happen. They, however, also like the Vatican’s involvement as it can influence many of the world’s 1.2 billion alleged Roman Catholics, as well as others in other faiths.

Mystery Babylon the Great (Revelation 17:5) is gaining momentum, and the immoral LGBT agenda is one of the ways those associated with the “great city” (Revelation 17:18) have been doing this the past couple of years.

Some items of related interest may include:

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermons Why Teach the Kingdom of God? and The Gospel of the Kingdom.
United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? Two related videos include UN’s ‘New Universal Agenda’ is a False Gospel! and United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
Do You Know That Babylon is Forming? How is the final Babylon forming? Are Protestants such as Joel Osteen and Kenneth Copeland are endorsing something dangerous? Could Pope Francis be the ‘False Prophet’ that the Bible warns against? Is an antipope expected to endorse a one-world religion? Here is a link to a related written article In Vatican City: New Babylon more openly forming!
Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video sermon of related interest is: Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III? and a video sermon is also available: Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics Unity between these groups will put them in position to be part of the final end time Babylon that the Bible warns against as well as require improper compromise.
Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children. What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on? There are also two YouTube videos related to this, titled Transgender ‘Woe to those who call evil good’ and Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children.
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled: What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?
Pornography: A scourge on society Is pornography harmless fun? Does the Bible teach anything about it? What are the views of some involved with it? Here is a link to a YouTube video Pornography: Harmless Fun or a Scourge on Society?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2016, 2017, or 2018? 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 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?
Laudato Si: Pope’s Agenda or Kingdom of God? Pope Francis’ 2nd encyclical is titled ‘Laudato Si.’ In it, he goes over his views related to environmental, economic, social, moral, agricultural, and spiritual issues. He advocates international cooperation to solve various problems he believes are affecting humanity. Is that Pope’s agenda the solution? What about the Kingdom of God? does the Bible teach? Two related articles include Laudato Si: Will Pope Francis’ economic actions match his words? and Laudato Si: A call for a one-world government?
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet.” Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy. You can also watch a video titled What Does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
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 Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.