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The National Catholic Register reported the following:

Caring for the poor is our ‘passport to paradise’, says Pope Francis

People have a basic choice in the way they live: either striving to build up treasures on earth or giving to others in order to gain heaven, Pope Francis has said.

“What we invest in love remains, the rest vanishes,” the Pope said in his homily on Sunday, the first World Day of the Poor.

Between 6,000 and 7,000 poor people attended the Mass in St Peter’s Basilica, where altar servers included the poor, migrants or homeless. …

“All too often, we have the idea that we haven’t done anything wrong, and so we rest content, presuming that we are good and just,” the Pope said.

“But to do no wrong is not enough. God is not an inspector looking for unstamped tickets; he is a Father looking for children to whom he can entrust his property and his plans.”

If in the eyes of the world, the poor they have little value, he said, “they are the ones who open to us the way to heaven; they are our ‘passport to paradise. http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/11/20/care-for-the-poor-says-pope-francis-they-are-your-passport-to-paradise/

While people should care for the poor (cf. Galatians 2:10, 6:7-10; James 2:15-17), giving to the poor is not our “passport to paradise.”

Once again, Pope Francis has called on people to support the poor more fully, while holding tight to the purse strings of the Vatican.

In the past, Pope Francis has condemned financial idolatry. On October 23, 2017, Zenit.org, a pro-Vatican news agency, reported the following:

“An idolatry that kills,” rather, that engages in “human sacrifices,” were the harsh words used by Pope Francis during the Mass this morning, October 23, 2017, to lament the present “rampant consumerism” and “attachment to money.”

Thus, stressed the Pontiff, whose words were reported by Vatican Radio, there are so many people hungry for money and for earthly goods, who already have “so much,” while there are so many “hungry children that don’t have medicines, that don’t have education, that are abandoned.”

“This idolatry makes many people die of hunger,” repeated Francis, who called the attention of those present to the plight of the Rohingya children.

“We think of just one case: of the 200,000 Rohingya children in refugee camps. “There are 800,000 people there” of which “200,000 are children. They have scarcely anything to eat, they are malnourished <and> without medicines,” lamented the Holy Father, who will visit Myanmar in about a month’s time and later Bangladesh.

“Our prayer must be strong: ‘Lord, please touch the heart of these people that adore the god, the god of money,’” continued Francis, adding: “it also touches my heart, so that I won’t fall in to that, that I may be able to see.”

Attachment to the god of money also causes war, even within “the family,” noted the Pope, thinking of the quarrels between brothers or parents over the inheritance. “We all know what happens when the inheritance is at stake: families split and end in hatred,” he observed. https://zenit.org/articles/santa-marta-an-idolatry-that-kills/

The Vatican has more than enough money to feed and better take care of those in Rohingya. But we did not hear of the Vatican parting with its vast wealth to solve this.

The Book of James teaches:

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? (James 2:15-16)

Pope Francis’ pattern is to berate others for keeping money while not selling off the Vatican’s vast wealth has been a hallmark of his pontificate.

Consider that Pope Francis made a video in February 2017 related to that as well:

“Don’t abandon them,” appeals Pope Francis in his prayer intention on video for the month of February 2017, dedicated to “those who are afflicted, especially the poor, the refugees and the marginalized.”

In the video made public on February 2, the Pope said “we live in towns that build towers, commercial centers, engage in real estate business, but leave a part of themselves on the margin, on the peripheries.” 02/02/17 https://zenit.org/articles/dont-abandon-the-poor-and-the-refugees-exhorts-the-pope/

A year before that, Pope Francis made another call for others to give away their wealth:

Pope at General Audience Calls for Loosening of Purse Strings

February 10, 2016

“If the Jubilee does not come out of your pockets, it’s not a true Jubilee. You understand?”

Pope Francis said this during his General Audience in St. Peter’s Square this morning, his last before taking off Friday on his Apostolic Journey to Mexico, Feb. 12-18, stressing that a call to loosen the purse strings to help the needy is throughout the Bible, not something the Pope has “invented.” …

Today, Francis stressed, we must ask ourselves what we have and what we can give to those who have nothing. “Ten percent, fifty percent,” he said, adding, “Let the Holy Spirit inspire each of you.”

“If I’m not mistaken,” the Pope went on to say, “More or less, I’m not certain about the figures, but about 80% of humanity’s wealth is in the hands of less than 20% of the population.”

How many fruits, the Pope exclaimed, are born from donating to those in need. https://zenit.org/articles/pope-calls-for-loosening-of-purse-strings-at-general-audience/

But Pope Francis did not empty the Vatican’s pocket in his ‘jubilee’ year. Here is information about his ‘Jubilee Year of Mercy’ from his Bull of Indiction where he discussed it:

The Jubilee year will close with the liturgical Solemnity of Christ the King on 20 November 2016. On that day, as we seal the Holy Door, we shall be filled, above all, with a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving to the Most Holy Trinity for having granted us an extraordinary time of grace. We will entrust the life of the Church, all humanity, and the entire cosmos to the Lordship of Christ, asking him to pour out his mercy upon us like the morning dew, so that everyone may work together to build a brighter future. How much I desire that the year to come will be steeped in mercy, so that we can go out to every man and woman, bringing the goodness and tenderness of God! May the balm of mercy reach everyone, both believers and those far away, as a sign that the Kingdom of God is already present in our midst!

Notice that Pope Francis seems to think that the Kingdom of God is already here or at least within the Church of Rome.

It is not.

The Kingdom of God will not be here until after it has been sufficiently proclaimed to the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14) and Jesus returns to establish the millennial kingdom. However, since the Church of Rome now strongly teaches against the millennial kingdom, it tends to indicate that the Kingdom of God is here or within itself. It is not, though some who are to be in it are currently alive (see also the free booklet: The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Back in 2013, a few days after Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis, he made the following statement:

“Oh, how I would like a poor Church, and for the poor.” http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/16/us-pope-poor-idUSBRE92F05P20130316

He has repeatedly told others to give to the poor.

While on the surface the Pope’s words are what a ‘lamb’ may say, could it be part of the speech of a dragon (Revelation 13:11)?

So far, Pope Francis has repeatedly made statements about the poor (e.g. Laudato Si: Pope’s Agenda or Kingdom of God? and Pope tells United Nations to push wealth redistribution–a sign of Revelation 13 & 17?), but has not done much that seems tangible that way.

The Bible tells about an unfaithful harlot church that wallows in wealth (Revelation 17:1-9, 18:7). Having been to Vatican City numerous times, I have seen some of that wealth on display.

As far as Pope Francis himself, On March 22, 2013 he said:

As you know, there are various reasons why I chose the name of Francis of Assisi, a familiar figure far beyond the borders of Italy and Europe, even among those who do not profess the Catholic faith. One of the first reasons was Francis’ love for the poor. How many poor people there still are in the world! And what great suffering they have to endure! After the example of Francis of Assisi, the Church in every corner of the globe has always tried to care for and look after those who suffer from want, and I think that in many of your countries you can attest to the generous activity of Christians who dedicate themselves to helping the sick, orphans, the homeless and all the marginalized, thus striving to make society more humane and more just. http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/francis-address-to-diplomatic-corps

Will he take specific steps, such as the wealth redistribution he advocates?

He has not yet.

Though he has repeatedly preached it for others.

In English, there is an expression that one should, “Put your money where your mouth is.” So far, Pope Francis has not done this in the four-plus years since his election to become pontiff.

Could that change?

What might happen if Pope Francis finally sells off some of the vast treasures (such as jewels and land) of the Vatican and/or gives significant amounts of money/land away to the poor?

Well, if he does that, it will likely greatly enhance the pedophile-damaged image of the Church of Rome for the media and many others around the world. This will enhance the appeal of the religion that Rome will promote. Even if it gives away only a quarter of its vast wealth.

The Bible warns that the whole world will profit financially from the final end time Babylon (Revelation 18:9, 15-19). And in addition to trade, giving away wealth and land–in conjunction with the final King of the North (Daniel 11:24, 39), that the final Antichrist will support–will be a factor in the temporal success of this condemned system.

Notice that financial pressures will be something that the Antichrist is associated with:

16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:16-17)

The “He” above is the two-horned beast (Revelation 13:11), also known as the False Prophet (Revelation 16:13), and Antichrist (1 John 4:1-3).

The Bible also says that the merchants of the world will have gotten wealthy from the system that the Antichrist will promote:

2 Babylon the great…has become a dwelling place of demons…a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3…and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. (Revelation 18:2a,b,d, 3c)

So, there are several biblical prophecies that tie the power that the Antichrist supports with a type of deceitful prosperity. Did you notice the connection to a cage of birds above? Well, then notice then also the following:

27 As a cage is full of birds,
So their houses are full of deceit.
Therefore they have become great and grown rich.
28 They have grown fat, they are sleek;
Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead the cause,
The cause of the fatherless;
Yet they prosper,
And the right of the needy they do not defend.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord.
‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’

30 “An astonishing and horrible thing
Has been committed in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end? (Jeremiah 5:27-31)

So, the supporters of the Beast and Antichrist/False Prophet will prosper for a time, then God will punish them.

Furthermore, notice three Catholic writings/prophecies about the final Antichrist:

Saint Mechtilda (died 1299): Antichrist will, through base and false strategem, and with presents of gold and gems, attain influence over the worldly princes. They will look up to him as their Lord and God (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, pp. 133-134).

Saint Ephrem (died 375): Antichrist will use worldly goods as bait. He will entice many Christians with money and goods to apostatize…The devil will help him find all the hidden treasures of the world, even those at the bottom of the ocean. With those treasures he will attain greater success for the reign of Satan than at any other time in past centuries (Connor, pp.73.74).

Saint Jerome (died 420): Antichrist…will gain support with many gifts and money. He will sell himself to the devil…(Connor E. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p. 74).

The Bible, by the way, does mention that the King of the North will end up with a lot of gold, silver, and precious stones (Daniel 11:38,43) and that a seven-hilled/mountain-based power will have “gold and precious stones and pearls” (Revelation 17:4).

But is it possible that before the Beast rises up that the Antichrist will use material items for bait?

Might the Antichrist use some of the wealth of the Vatican to support certain European nations/leaders?

Yes.

Some readers tipped me off to the following development:

November 21, 2017

Europe is like a 4D game of Jenga, and Germany is a very wobbly block – as are the banks

Europe is an enormous 4 dimensional game of Jenga.  At the moment there are far too many blocks in play. Some of them are likely to leave the edifice teetering but standing. The question is: will any cause it to tumble?

Top of the wobbly blocks list is Merkel – what happens next in Germany? The CDU’s disastrous shift left has opened the door for the extreme right, and has fractured her own support. …

But the wobbliest Jenga Block might remain the European financial system – and I don’t mean moving the EBA to Paris. (Good luck to them. After all, the French government would never ever be overly cosy with banks… would it..?

The latest wizard wheeze from the ECB is a real sweetie… according to a discussion paper published by the ECB last week on revision the Union’s crisis management framework; if a bank looks wobbly, then: “covered deposits and claims under investor compensation” should be replaced by “discretionary exemptions”.

Crashing minor chords.

The issue of German liability for the new European deposit insurance scheme (EDIS) was one of the issues that caused the coalition talks to fail: no Germans politician wants associated with policies that would mean paying the liabilities of Italian banks! http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-21/ignore-merkel-and-brexit-according-bill-blain-new-threat-can-bring-europe-crashing-d

November 20, 2017

Last month the European Commission discarded earlier proposals for full-fledged European insurance of savers if banks fail, leaving the burden largely with individual member states.

EU rules guarantee deposits up to 100,000 euros ($118,000), a provision meant to strengthen confidence in the region’s banks after a decade-long crisis that has seen the bailout of several top banks.

But existing national schemes to insure depositors are considered insufficient to cope with a major banking crisis. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ecb-banks-draghi/no-eu-deposit-insurance-if-bad-loans-not-cut-ecbs-draghi-idUSKBN1DK1Q0?il=0

November 14, 2017

It is the ‘opinion of the European Central Bank’ that the deposit protection scheme is no longer necessary:

‘covered deposits and claims under investor compensation schemes should be replaced by limited discretionary exemptions to be granted by the competent authority in order to retain a degree of flexibility.’

To translate the legalese jargon of the ECB bureaucrats this could mean that the current €100,000 (£85,000) deposit level currently protected in the event of a bail-in may soon be no more.

But worry not fellow savers as the ECB is fully aware of the uproar this may cause so they have been kind enough to propose that:

“…during a transitional period, depositors should have access to an appropriate amount of their covered deposits to cover the cost of living within five working days of a request.”

So that’s a relief, you’ll only need to wait five days for some ‘competent authority’ to deem what is an ‘appropriate amount’ of your own money for you to have access to in order eat, pay bills and get to work.

The above has been taken from an ECB paper published on 8 November 2017 entitled ‘on revisions to the Union crisis management framework’. http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article60762.html

What if the Europeans have a major banking crisis that looks to wipe out the savings of middle class and poor Europeans?

Might the Vatican step in and pledge its assets to stabilize matters?

In a sermon on July 7, 1984, the late Pastor General of the old Worldwide Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong stated:

And I can see now, the event that is going to trigger the formation of the reunification in Europe; the resurrection of the medieval Holy Roman Empire that we’ve been looking forward to that is prophesied to come…

But I believe that some event is going to happen suddenly just like out a blue sky that is going to shock the whole world and is going to cause the nations in Europe to realize they must unite! … Well now I think I can see what may be the very event that is going to trigger…that is the economic situation in the world…

The whole banking structure in the United States is a network all jointed together. But not only that, one nation has to deal with other nations and imports and exports. And so they have to have a means of transforming money from one nation to another. And so the banking structure is international and interwoven…

Now when the financial structure breaks down, all civilization is going to break down…

We seem to be getting closer to a banking problem in Europe.

If the Vatican stepped in to reduce the instability, it would gain more influence in Europe.

This seems to be likely and consistent with the following scriptures:

1…”Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”…9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits…18:3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” (Revelation 17:1-2,9; 18:3)

Nor do I believe the Vatican will limit its support to Europe–parts of Latin America, Africa, and Asia would likely benefit. The Church of Rome has a lot of worldly wealth–it is a version of that church that is being discussed above in Revelation.

Several years ago someone asked “Ask a Catholic” about that church’s wealth:

You said:

• I’m wondering why the Catholic Church has such a huge amount of wealth, as can be seen in the beautiful buildings and costly objects in them, when Jesus clearly encourages us to sell all of our possessions and give to the poor?

1. Because the historical riches it has going back to 33 A.D. are priceless and preserved for all Christendom
2. Because the faithful believe in the Church and give what they can to support the Church, following the wishes you mentioned and what the Lord has asked from us.
3. Because of the number of faithful that make up the Church are over 1.125 billion members worldwide, 65 million in the United States.

Nevertheless, the implication in your question is that the Church does not give to the poor and neither spreads the Gospel to those who have not heard it. This is a distortion of the great outreach and support work the Church has done worldwide for centuries. http://www.askacatholic.com/_WebPostings/Answers/2011_08AUG/2011AugWhyIsTheChurchSoWealthy.cfm

While the Church of Rome does some charitable works, it still has vast wealth and is not poor. We do not find that the Apostle Peter, who many erroneously claim founded the Church of Rome (even Catholic scholars realize that he did not, see What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History?), accumulating wealth. Actually, Peter once stated:

6 “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6)

But this is not the case with the Church of Rome. In addition to historically receiving property and wealth from kings and emperors and the Crusades, the Church of Rome also gets a lot of bequeaths, which some believe is related to the belief that priests can help pray people out of a non-existent place called purgatory (Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory?). And yes, people have been told that the more they give to the Church of Rome the more priests will pray for them.

The Vatican does have vast wealth. Yet, whatever was accumulated in/by the Vatican since supposedly 33 A.D. was originally not anything biblical (see also What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?).

I suspect the time will come when the Vatican will actually sell/give away/pledge some of its wealth to influence world events and affect communities. Pope Francis has been hinting of this for over 4 years, so at some point in time, he probably intends to take action to match his rhetoric. This will increase his popularity with the media, European leaders, and others in the world.

If Pope Francis does not end up doing this, he, at minimum, has made various statements that the final Antichrist and the Beast, can point to as justification for wealth distribution/asset pledging.

Some items of related interest may include:

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?
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity? A sermon video from Vatican City is titled Church of Rome, Mithras, and Isis?
What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did Catholic and Orthodox “saints” endorse or condemn idols and icons for Christians? A related sermon is available: The Second Commandment, Idols, and Icons.
What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History? Although most believe that the Roman Catholic Church history teaches an unbroken line of succession of bishops beginning with Peter, with stories about most of them, Roman Catholic scholars know the truth of this matter. Is telling the truth about the early church citing Catholic accepted sources anti-Catholic? This eye-opening article is a must-read for any who really wants to know what Roman Catholic history actually admits about the early church. There is also a YouTube sermon on the subject titled Church of God or Church of Rome: What Do Catholic Scholars Admit About Early Church History?
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.
Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation discusses the largest church since the second/third century, which in a real sense is the eighth church mentioned in the Book of Revelation (it also endorses “eighth day” worship). What church would support the Beast? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video of related interest could be Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy? Pope Francis has taken many steps to turn people more towards his version of ‘Mary.’ Could this be consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies? This article documents what has been happening. There is also a video version titled Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?
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. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Can the Final Antichrist be Islamic? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out. A related sermon is titled: Is the Final Antichrist Islamic or European? Another video is Mystery Babylon USA, Mecca, or Rome?
Christ or Antichrist? 1961 article by David Jon Hill, originally published in the old Good News magazine.
Will You Be Deceived by Antichrist? 1964 article by David Jon Hill, originally published in the old Good News magazine.
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan’s Plan? and Satan’s Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
Do Certain Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus? Will the final “Anti-Christ” be Jewish, insist on Saturday, be opposed to the trinity, and bring in the millennium? Certain Catholic writings indicate this, while others take a different view, but what does the Bible show? A related sermon is Will Jesus Christ be called the Antichrist?
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?
Could Pope Francis be the Last Pope and Antichrist? According to some interpretations of the prophecies of the popes by the Catholic saint and Bishop Malachy, Pope Francis I is in the position of “Peter the Roman,” the pontiff who reigns during tribulations until around the time of the destruction of Rome. Do biblical prophecies warn of someone that sounds like Peter the Roman? Could Francis I be the heretical antipope of Catholic private prophecies and the final Antichrist of Bible prophecy? This is a YouTube video.
The Malachy Prophecies and “Peter the Roman” An Irish bishop allegedly predicted something about 112 popes in the 12th century. Pope Benedict XVI was number 111. Francis would seem to be number 112–if he is that one–and if so, he is to reign until Rome is destroyed. May he be an antipope/final Antichrist?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. [Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja do deus?]
The Last Pope Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Why might Pope Francis be the last pope? What happens if he is? Biblical and other prophecies help explain what to expect.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Amazon Book What does the Bible say about a pope near this time? Is the final pope to be an antipope and antichrist? Does Catholic prophecy point to Pope Francis as being the dreaded “Peter the Roman”? This 186 page book provides information and answers.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle This electronic version of the printed book which is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle.

Hydrogen bomb blast

COGwriter

Voice of America (VOA) reported the following:

November 21, 2017

WHITE HOUSE — 

South Korea and Japan have welcomed a move by the United States to redesignate North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism in order to put additional financial and diplomatic pressure on the totalitarian government.

South Korea’s foreign ministry said Tuesday it sees the decision “as part of the international community’s joint efforts to take North Korea to the path of denuclearization.”

“It should have happened years ago,” President Donald Trump said Monday from the White House, calling the Pyongyang government a “murderous regime.”

The move, which will be formally announced by the State Department on Tuesday, returns North Korea to the department’s State Sponsors of Terrorism list. Currently, the only countries on the list are Iran, Syria and Sudan. https://www.voanews.com/a/north-korea-once-again-on-us-terror-list/4127943.html

World Net Daily (WND) had the following report:

WASHINGTON – In the same month that North Korea tested a hydrogen bomb it described as being capable of a devastating electromagnetic pulse attack, the congressional EMP Commission, tasked with assessing the EMP threat, was shut down indefinitely.

The leading scientists, engineers and security experts who were members of the commission, which ceased Sept. 30, had concluded that an EMP attack could disable the country’s electrical grid, resulting in mass starvation and the death of about 90 percent of the American population.

While President Trump on Monday designated North Korea a state sponsor of terror, the government at all levels is virtually apathetic to the EMP threat, contends Tommy Waller the director of special projects at the Center for Security Policy, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. …

Waller said the need to respond to the threat is urgent.

“For the first time in military history, we have a scenario where it doesn’t take a whole civilization to overtake another,” he said.

“Hundreds of years ago, if you wanted to take over a civilization, you had to build that capability of equal or greater power of military and economic force to do it,” he said. “Because of our dependency on electricity for every aspect of our life, we now face a scenario where our civilization, the most sophisticated on earth, could be crushed if we were to lose our grid, and our enemies know that.” …

‘No cavalry coming’

Waller noted the federal government has struggled to get Puerto Rico back up to full power after the hurricane. Just 46.6 percent of the island has power as of Monday. Imagine, he said, the devastation that would ensue if the nation’s entire grid collapsed.

“If that were to happen on the mainland, with an electromagnetic pulse, there is no cavalry coming,” he said.

An EMP attack would also cripple the U.S. military, Waller said. …

The Center for Security Policy is urgently trying to get the attention of the Trump administration, urging the hardening of the critical infrastructure, but so far has failed, Waller said.

“The federal government had a very dysfunctional response to this threat,” he said. 11/20/17 http://www.wnd.com/2017/11/americans-warned-u-s-apathetic-to-emp-threat/

The US Congress is supposed to appoint a new EMP commission, but we will see what happens to it.

What has been happening to Puerto Rico should show Americans that the USA can be without power a long time. And Puerto Rico is relatively small compared to the continental USA.

A couple of months ago, Voice of America (VOA) reported the following:

September 22, 2017

Pacific test

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho, who will address the United Nations Friday, told reporters in New York that Kim likely intends to carry out a hydrogen bomb test in the Pacific Ocean.

Attempting to conduct an open air nuclear test in international waters would be a highly risky and aggressive act that could, at the very least, expose islands in the Pacific to dangerous levels of radiation, as well damage electrical systems in the region from the strong electromagnetic pulse (EMP) generated by the blast.

It could also draw the U.S. into taking preventive military action. https://www.voanews.com/a/seoul-media-say-north-korea-might-test-hydrogen-bomb-in-pacific-/4039699.html

Is there really a threat from North Korea?

Yes.

Notice the following:

September 20, 2017

Everyone agrees: an EMP attack over or near U.S., Japanese, or South Korean territory is a physical attack that would wreak havoc with communications, the power grid, and civilian physical infrastructure. …

An EMP attack would knock out a seizure victim’s cell phone, the county EMS communication center, and the communications on the EMS ambulance. It would likely fry all of the electronics on the vehicle. If the ambulance has an electronic microchip key and a fancy-superkeen electronic ignition button, it might not even start.

EMS also relies on GPS, or Global Positioning Satellite location system. An electromagnetic pulse would damage GPS receivers. An EMP’s fritzing electrons in space could impede satellite to ground signals in the area for days, even though GPS satellites orbit 22,500 miles above the Earth.

An EMP attack could damage the SCADA systems monitoring and controlling critical infrastructure such as dams, factories, water and sanitation systems, oil refineries, and natural gas pipelines.

In short, an EMP attack destroys the electronic neurons and sinews of modern society.

North Korea could choose another option for EMP, though. PJ Media contributor Charlie Martin asked me to consider the following “gray area” scenario:

What if a North Korean EMP is intended as a “demonstration”? Suppose the nuke explodes over the North Pacific in an area that, say, the geography- and technology-ignorant cable news talking heads swear is open water, thousands of miles from U.S. and Japanese territory? And they claim that the only danger at that point is Trump’s response?

The answer: a blast virtually anywhere in the atmosphere above the North Pacific would harm us. …

North Korea’s “demonstration” EMP over the North Pacific, from the Equator to the Aleutians, is actually a physical attack — potentially on inhabited islands, but definitely on critical trade and transportation routes in the sea space. Moreover, sensors and communication systems in a region critical to North American strategic defense could be temporarily dazzled or even damaged. https://pjmedia.com/trending/2017/09/20/the-u-s-must-plan-to-counterstrike-a-north-korean-emp-attack/

As I have written for years, the USA is susceptible to an emp attack from North Korea. Over four years ago, I even warned about that over the radio (see also North Korea, Barack Obama, and EMP dangers).

Since then, the North Koreans have demonstrated that they can launch ICBMs into outer space–plus it seems to be able to ignite a hydrogen (fusion) bomb.

To put it bluntly, an emp attack could harm the USA and ultimately make it more susceptible to be taken over during World War III.

While the USA could obliterate North Korea, it is at risk of severe damage from North Korea.

A vengeful North Korea may have operatives try to detonate nuclear bombs and/or dirty bombs in the USA. North Korea may attempt to unleash chemical and/or biological weapons against the USA, South Korea, Japan, and/or Guam. Steps to prepare for some or all of this may have been begun by the North Koreans. North Korea’s leaders may well decide that if they are attacked that they should attempt to cause the most damage possible. An electromagnetic pulse weapon attack may well be involved and if North Korea detonates a hydrogen bomb above the Pacific ocean, that would seem to be a step in that direction.

Jesus spoke of a time of wars, rumors of war, and troubles prior to the Great Tribulation (Mark 13:8). North Korea already is causing troubles and rumors of war.

For at least three years, my article, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, contained the following:

There may also be wars in parts of the world that have rarely had them (perhaps, for example, even between some South American nations), as well as wars in areas that have long been especially tense (like Korea, possibly involving other Asian nations). Damascus ultimately will be destroyed and could be a signal for destruction to come for Jacob (Isaiah 17:1-4). There will likely be civil unrest and perhaps rioting in scales not seen before, including within some Western nations (such as in Europe and North America). This will lead to military leaders rising up in various parts of the world. And one European (the final King of the North) will, after making one or more false peace deals/pronouncements (e.g. Daniel 9:26-27; 11:27; 1 Thessalonians 5:3), become the final Beast leader (Revelation 13:4) and he will take over many nations (Daniel 11:39-43).

North Korea, and US President Trump’s reactions to it, are a threat to peace and seem to be related to the ride of the red horseman of war (Revelation 6:3-4).

As far as EMP risks go, earlier this year we put together a video:

 

17:42

Electrical End of the USA?

Could problems with the electrical power grid caused by one or more electo-magnetic pulse bombs, solar flares, and/or other phenomena help weaken the USA to the point of allowing it to be taken over? Does such potential exist? If so, is this consistent with any biblical prophecies? What are some of the severe consequences that the USA would face in the event of an electrical power grid failure? Is there evidence in scripture that the USA will be taken over in the 21st century? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

North Korea poses a variety of threats to the USA. EMP matters are one of them.

Designating North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism does not reduce its risk to use emp weapons.

Terrorism will still hit the USA (e.g. Deuteronomy 32:5,25; Ezekiel 21:12; see also Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied?)

COGwriter

On November 21, Catholics of Rome honor their bishop and pontiff Gelasius I.

The Catholic Encyclopedia says the following about him:

Pope Gelasius I (died 19 November 496) was Pope from 1 March 492 to his death in 496…

Despite all the efforts of the otherwise orthodox patriarch, Euphemius of Constantinople, and the threats and wiles by which the Emperor Anastasius tried to obtain recognition from the Apostolic See, Gelasius, though hard-pressed by difficulties at home, would make no peace that compromised in the slightest degree the rights and honor of the Chair of Peter. The constancy with which he combated the pretensions, lay and ecclesiastical, of the New Rome; the resoluteness with which he refused to allow the civil or temporal pre-eminence of a city to determine its ecclesiastical rank; the unfailing courage with which he defended the rights of the “second” and the “third” sees, Alexandria and Antioch, are some of the most striking features of his pontificate. It has been well said that nowhere at this period can be found stronger arguments for the primacy of Peter’s See than in the works and writings of Gelasius…

As a writer Gelasius takes high rank for his period. His style is vigorous and elegant, though occasionally, obscure. Comparatively little of his literary work has come down to us, though he is said to have been the most prolific writer of all the pontiffs of the first five centuries. There are extant forty-two letters and fragments of forty-nine others, besides six treatises, of which three are concerned with the Acacian schism, one with the heresy of the Pelagians, another with the errors of Nestorius and Eutyches, while the sixth is directed against the senator Andromachus and the advocates of the Lupercalia. The best edition is that of Thiel.

The feast of St. Gelasius is kept on 21 Nov., the anniversary of his interment, though many writers give this as the day of his death. (Murphy, J.F.X. (1909). Pope St. Gelasius I. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved April 21, 2014 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06406a.htm)

The reason I reported about him is because he is believed to have been the first pontiff to be referred to as the “vicar of Christ” (_{Park H. The Roman Catholic Church – A Critical Appraisal. Xulon Press, 2008, pp. 37-38}).

Vicar comes from a Latin term:

vicar (n.)

early 14c., from Anglo-French vicare, Old French vicaire “deputy, second in command,” also in the ecclesiastical sense (12c.), from Latin vicarius “a substitute, deputy, proxy,” noun use of adjective vicarius “substituted, delegated,” from vicis “change, interchange, succession; a place, position” (see vicarious). The original notion is of “earthly representative of God or Christ;” but also used in sense of “person acting as parish priest in place of a real parson” (early 14c.). (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=vicar viewed 0421/14)

So “Vicar of Christ” means In Substitute of Christ or Instead of Christ.

So what does the expression “anti-Christ” mean?

In English, the word Anti-Christ clearly means one who is opposed or against Christ. And that is consistent with the meaning in the Greek.

But the Greek allows for another definition that seems to be applicable.

The Greek term translated as anti, such as in antichrist in 1 John 2:18, is Strong’s word 473.

NT:473 άντί

anti (an-tee’); a primary particle; opposite, i.e. instead or because of (rarely in addition to):

(Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

The Greek word for Christ, Strong’s word 5547, Christos, means Christ or Messiah.

So, the term Antichrist can mean Opposite of Christ or Instead of Christ.

After Emperor Constantine issued his Edict Against Heretics in 331 A.D., it began to become clearer to those associated with the true Church that perhaps a church proclaiming Christianity and tied into the Roman Empire should be identified with antichrist.

Notice what the Catholic Cardinal Newman wrote about it in the 19th century:

Now, one of the first questions which it is natural to ask on entering upon the subject is, whereas the Pope is said to be Antichrist, sometimes from the fourth, sometimes from the seventh century, when was he first detected and denounced, and by whom?

On this point Dr. Todd supplies us with much information, from which it appears that the belief that the Pope was Antichrist was the conclusion gradually formed and matured out of the belief that the Church of Rome was Babylon, by three heretical bodies, between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries, in consequence of their being submitted to persecution for their opinions:

“In the middle of the eleventh century, numerous emigrants from Thrace and the East had established themselves in the north of Italy, and especially in the neighbourhood of Milan; and some, despising a fixed habitation, or unable to obtain one, itinerated throughout various parts of France and Germany. The doctrines of these sects exhibit various shades of extravagance and error, and appear to have had a close affinity with the Oriental Manichees or Paulicians, from whom they are historically descended…they despised all external religion, ridiculed the office and powers of the priesthood, the efficacy of the Sacraments, and especially the use of baptism.”—Pp. 28-30.

These were the Albigenses, the first of the three independent families of heresy above mentioned…It would appear from these that the Albigenses founded their opposition to the Church on a Manichæan principle, viz., that, as there was an evil deity, and he the author of the visible world, so was he author also of the visible Church, which in consequence was “the devil’s basilica and synagogue of Satan,” and, in the language of the Apocalypse, “the mother of fornications.” (Newman JH. The Protestant Idea of Antichrist. [British Critic, Oct. 1840]. Newman Reader — Works of John Henry Newman. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies. http://www.newmanreader.org/works/essays/volume2/antichrist1.html viewed 12/03/07).

What the Cardinal seems to be teaching is that beginning in the fourth-seventh century one or two groups apparently began to feel that the Pontifex Maximus was an antichrist and that one who calls himself Pontifex Maximus may be the final antichrist. The Roman bishops did not refer to themselves by the pagan title of Pontifex Maximus (literally meaning the “greatest bridge-builder” between mortals and the gods) until the late 4th century.

It is likely no coincidence that after bishops of Rome took the title Pontifex Maximus in the late 4th century and “vicar of Christ” in the 5th century that more started to believe that the Bishop of Rome represented the final Antichrist.

Note: I want to make it clear that consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies, I believe that the final Antichrist will pretend to be a Roman Catholic and betray that church. That being said, I do not believe that terms such as reverend (cf. Psalm 111:9, KJV), pontifex maximus (an old pagan title meaning bridge builder), or “vicar of Christ” should be used of leaders who claim to be Christian.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Yemen has water and food shortages (Julien Harneis)

COGwriter

50,000 children in Yemen have reportedly died because of the conflict there:

With 50,000 Yemeni children dead in 2017, UK-US-Saudi war enters horrific new stage

20 November 2017

Two-and-a-half years of a lethal blockade and bombardment have produced almost nothing regarding territorial gains in the West’s Saudi-executed war against the Yemeni nation. The tightening of the blockade is an obscene, desperate attempt to soff its inevitable defeat. …

Save the Children reported that 130 Yemeni children are now dying every day from extreme hunger or disease, with 50,000 dead this year alone. Meanwhile, the cholera epidemic, triggered by a combination of the war’s crippling of water sanitation systems and the Hadi government’s decision to block payments to all waste, sewage and health workers in Houthi-controlled areas – became the biggest in recorded history last month, with almost 900,000 infected by the disease. The previous biggest epidemic, still underway in Haiti, took seven years to reach 800,000 cases. Yemen surpassed that number in just six months.

Yet, with two-thirds of the population – over 18 million people – now dependent on humanitarian aid for their survival, even these shocking figures are set to escalate very quickly. Seven million people are at immediate risk of famine. If this new total ban on humanitarian aid to the country’s biggest air and seaports is maintained, they will die. …

The UN’s humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock, has been very clear. “I have told the [UN Security] Council that unless those measures are lifted… there will be a famine in Yemen. It will not be like the famine that we saw in South Sudan earlier in the year, where tens of thousands of people were affected. It will not be like the famine which cost 250,000 people their lives in Somalia in 2011. It will be the largest famine the world has seen in many decades, with millions of victims.” https://www.rt.com/op-edge/410392-yemen-children-saudi-uk/

CBS reported the following:

When food is used as a weapon

This month Saudi Arabia tightened a stranglehold on the neighboring country of Yemen and 7 million people face starvation. The Saudi blockade is an escalation in Yemen’s civil war. The United Nations says the war has now become a “man-made catastrophe.” You’ve seen very little of this because the Saudis prevent reporters from reaching the war zone. Recently, we were ordered off a ship headed to Yemen. Days later the Saudis gave us permission to fly there but, after our equipment was loaded and our boarding passes issued, the Saudis closed the airspace so the plane couldn’t take off. …

Hungry children cry. But there are no tears at the limits of starvation. Wasting bodies cannot afford them. …

David Beasley: We’re on the brink of famine. If we don’t receive the monies that we need in the next few months, I would say 125,000 little girls and boys will die. We’ve been able to avert famine, but we know three things that are happenin’. We know that people are dying. We know that people are wasting. And we know that children are stunting. We have a stunting rate in Yemen now at almost 50 percent. That means they’re smaller, the brains are smaller, the body’s smaller because they’re not getting the food or the nutrition they need.

The World Food Programme’s Stephen Anderson is trying to move millions of pounds of food to Yemen from an African port in Djibouti. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/when-food-is-used-as-a-weapon/

The late Garner Ted Armstrong once wrote, “To be sure, there have been sufficient histories of man’s inhumanity to fellowman catalogued down through the centuries.”

But it is still horrible when it happens.

The Bible teach:

20 “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” (Romans 12:20)

Many in Africa, such as in Yemen and South Sudan have hunger.

While some think that hunger is limited to places like Africa and parts of Asia, it will one day more seriously affect places like the USA.  Notice a prophecy from Ezekiel:

16 When I send against them the terrible arrows of famine which shall be for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, I will increase the famine upon you and cut off your supply of bread. 17 So I will send against you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you. Pestilence and blood shall pass through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I, the Lord, have spoken.’ (Ezekiel 5:16-17)

Jesus also taught:

7…And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:7-8)

We seem to be in the time Jesus called “the beginning of sorrows.”

Notice also the following end time prophecies related to food shortages and price fluctuations:

5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”

7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:5-8)

The above prophecy will come to pass–those two “horsemen of the Apocalypse” will still ride (see also Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and/or watch the video The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse). Those predictions have NOT yet been completely fulfilled. Food shortages and price fluctuations for food are still going to happen.

Now, what about the end of hunger?

That time will come according to the Bible:

16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7:16-17)

Yet, that does not happen until after Jesus returns and the Kingdom of God is established. Those who believe that human efforts will truly solve this are deceiving themselves.

Now, that does not mean that nothing should be done to help–we in the Continuing Church of God devote a major portion of our income to help the poor in Africa–but human efforts alone will not solve hunger or the root causes of it.

More serious food shortage problems are coming.

Until Jesus returns, we are subject to food shortages, price fluctuations, and other problems that  humans will be unable to solve on their own.

Some items of related interest may include:

The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2017, 2018, or 2019? 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 videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Will the Great Tribulation Start in 2017?
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilences? What will it bring and when? Spanish: El cuarto jinete de Apocalipsis, el caballo pálido de muerte y pestilencia.
GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here is a related YouTube video GMO Risks and the Bible.
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. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Just What Do You Mean the Kingdom of God? A booklet that was written by Herbert Armstrong answers questions about the Kingdom.
Weather Blessings and Sorrows Are weather problems a warning? What should be done? What does the Bible teach about weather? What about floods, droughts, heat, earthquakes, tornadoes, and solar storms? Here is a related YouTube video Does God Use Weather? A related item in the Spanish language would be Bendiciones y maldiciones del clima.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Two related sermons are available Millennial Utopia and The Millennium.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2026 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
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: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
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?

Frank Walter Steinmeier and Angela Merkel

COGwriter

Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is not pleased with the collapse of Angela Merkel’s political coalition:

20 November 2017

German President Steinmeier says parties must make coalition possible

Frank-Walter Steinmeier has taken Germany’s political parties to task after talks to form a new government broke down. The German president says coalition talks must continue amidst speculation there could be a new vote. …

“I expect the parties to make the formation of a new government possible in the foreseeable future,” Steinmeier said, adding that the parties had a responsibility that “cannot be simply given back to the voters.”

That was a reference to fresh elections. If no majority coalition emerges, Steinmeier is bound by the German constitution to nominate a chancellor for approval by the German parliament, the Bundestag. If no stable government can be formed after three rounds of voting there, the president would have to ask Germans to return to the polls. http://www.dw.com/en/german-president-steinmeier-says-parties-must-make-coalition-possible/a-41454523

November 20, 2017

CNN) Germany was plunged into political uncertainty Monday after talks to form the country’s next government collapsed overnight, dealing a blow to Angela Merkel and raising questions about the future of the longtime Chancellor.

Merkel’s party had spent weeks trying to cobble together a ruling coalition with three other parties, but the plan fell apart when the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) walked out of talks shortly before midnight on Sunday over disagreements on issues ranging from energy policy to migration.

Merkel said she regretted the FDP’s withdrawal, but pledged to steer the country through the crisis.

“As Chancellor… I will do everything to ensure that this country comes out well through this difficult time,” Merkel said Sunday.

Merkel canceled her planned meeting with the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday and instead met with Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to discuss the next steps. http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/20/europe/germany-coalition-talks-collapse/index.html

Angela Merkel’s migrant policies cost her party seats in Germany’s last election and helped fuel the rise of the anti-migrant AFD party (see also AfD gets 12.6% of German vote: Jews are concerned.). So, Angela Merkel thought she had put together a coalition, but lost one party.

Here are some options that ZH reported:

November 20, 2017

Bill Blain On What’s Next For The Germans

“When you turn an election into a three-ring circus, there is the possibility the dancing bear will win..”

After Sunday night’s shocking failure by Merkel to from a government (triggered by the Free Democrats walking out due to irreconcilable differences on refugee policy, energy policy and tax policy) the FT was quick to conclude that “Merkel faces worst political crisis of her career.” And while Merkel is certainly in hot water, a more appropriate question is what’s next for Germany.

According to UBS – which has a clear interest in preserving the calm – there are four possible scenarios:

• First, Chancellor Merkel could try to re-engage with the FDP and bring it back to the table and start coalition talks.
• Second, the CDU/CSU could try to approach the SPD to form a grand coalition, which would have an absolute majority. However, the SPD has repeatedly mentioned (again last night) that it is not willing to go for this option and prefers to be in opposition.
• If these two options do not work (which would be the first time in post-war Germany), either a minority government (Chancellor Merkel dismissed this option on election night) or new elections could follow. …

Meanwhile, as things heat up, there has been a bararge of headlines, among which:

• GERMAN PRESIDENT URGES PARTIES TO FIND DEAL TO AVOID NEW VOTE
• STEINMEIER: GERMAN PARTIES SHOULDN’T RETURN MANDATE TO VOTERS
• SPD’S SCHULZ ASSUMES THERE WILL BE A NEW ELECTION
• SPD’S SCHULZ ALSO REJECTS GRAND COALITION WITHOUT MERKEL
• LINDNER: NO GERMAN POLICY CHANGE POSSIBLE WITH GREENS, CDU, CSU

These headline confirm that one of the 4 options highlighted by UBS has been ruled out for Merkel. The SPD’s Martin Schulz, who performed poorly at the last election, has rejected the idea of re-forming the Grand Coalition by lending his party’s support to Merkel’s government. He has also said that he assumes that there will indeed be a new election, as Citi adds.

Another option seemed to be ruled out too, as FDP leader Lindner suggested as recently as a few minutes ago that common ground cannot be found – so the Jamaica coaltion government still looks off the cards, although Merkel will no doubt be hoping to form some sort of minority government.

At the moment, this all does seem to be pointing towards new elections for Germany. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-20/merkel-will-have-go-bill-blain-whats-next-germans

What’s ahead for Germany?

Germany will muddle through this political crisis.

More political leaders will realize that the allowing of so many Syrian and other Islamic migrants into Germany is not endearing them to voters.

Expect more limits on immigration into Germany.

Expect more steps to remove migrants that Germany feels should be sent home.

It may be of interest to remember that this month it was announced that the German military is practicing for dealing with problems WITHIN Europe (see German Army Prepares For “Break-Up Of European Union” Or Worse…).

Germany is also upset with the UK over Brexit, the USA over Donald Trump, and both the UK and the USA over the Snowden leaks.

Germany wants to lead Europe–despite the problems it is temporarily having trying to lead itself.

The current political crisis will be one more reason that the time will come when Germany, and all of Europe, will reorganize and support a coming dictator that the Bible calls the Beast:

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Revelation 17:12-13)

Europe will not keep having the political stalemates we keep seeing. As prophecy shows, it will reorganize behind a dictator (see also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?).

The Bible teaches that this dictatorial Beast leader WILL BE EUROPEAN (Daniel 9:26-27; Revelation 13:1-10–watch also Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?).

This European leader will have some Assyrian (Germanic) roots (Isaiah 10:12; see also Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy).

He will lead Europe and Germany to war:

5 “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
6 I will send him against an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations.
8 For he says,
‘Are not my princes altogether kings?
9 Is not Calno like Carchemish?
Is not Hamath like Arpad?
Is not Samaria like Damascus?
10 As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols,
Whose carved images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
11 As I have done to Samaria and her idols,
Shall I not do also to Jerusalem and her idols?'” (Isaiah 10:5-11)

Notice that verse 7 points out that this Germanic leader will not think he wants war, but deep down does.

That particular war will devastate the USA (Samaria; see also Spiritual Samaritans: Old and New), UK, and ultimately their allies like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Some time AFTER that devastation, God will punish the Europeans, including the Germans, for this. Let’s continue with Isaiah 10:

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.”

13 For he says:

“By the strength of my hand I have done it,
And by my wisdom, for I am prudent;
Also I have removed the boundaries of the people,
And have robbed their treasuries;
So I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man.
14 My hand has found like a nest the riches of the people,
And as one gathers eggs that are left,
I have gathered all the earth;
And there was no one who moved his wing,
Nor opened his mouth with even a peep.”

15 Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it?
Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it?
As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up,
Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!
16 Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts,
Will send leanness among his fat ones;
And under his glory
He will kindle a burning
Like the burning of a fire.
17 So the Light of Israel will be for a fire,
And his Holy One for a flame;
It will burn and devour
His thorns and his briers in one day.
18 And it will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field,
Both soul and body;
And they will be as when a sick man wastes away.
19 Then the rest of the trees of his forest
Will be so few in number
That a child may write them. (Isaiah 10:12-19)

Germany, and the rest of the world, needs the Kingdom of God.

But since the world is not inclined to accept that now, expect upheaval, troubles (Mark 13:8), sorrows (Matthew 24:4-8), WWIII (see World War III: Steps in Progress), the great tribulation (Matthew 24:21), the final time of the Gentiles (see The Times of the Gentiles) and the Day of the Lord first (see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?).

TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH

COGwriter

Last November, I received an email from GCI (Grace Communion International, essentially the group that originally ran the new Worldwide Church of God) with a link to a letter and a video message from its J. Tkach related to Christmas. His letter states:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As Christmas approaches, I’ve been preparing my heart for the season. I’ve prayed for new eyes to marvel at the birth of Jesus once again. It can be a challenge for those of us who know the story so well to remember the wonder of the incarnation. …

We’ve put together a beautiful series of short films grounded in the story of Advent, our anticipation of Christmas, and what it all means to us as believers.

There are four videos in total, each focused on a central Christian virtue modeled for us in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth …

My prayer is that these videos along with other resources and our personal example (both yours and mine) will reach beyond GCI and touch someone losing hope, searching for peace, struggling to find joy, and in need of his love this Christmas.

I would like to point to his statement, “those of us who know the story so well to remember the wonder of the incarnation.”

The story of Jesus in the Gospel accounts show us that He was not born, not ‘incarnated,’ anywhere near Christmas.

That is a story that Joe Tkach should know well.

What does the Bible teach about the time of Jesus birth?

Here is a Catholic-accepted translation of the account in the Gospel According to Luke:

1 Now it happened that at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be made of the whole inhabited world. 2 This census — the first — took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, 3 and everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

4 So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee for Judaea, to David’s town called Bethlehem, since he was of David’s House and line, 5 in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 Now it happened that, while they were there, the time came for her to have her child, 7 and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the living-space.

8 In the countryside close by there were shepherds out in the fields keeping guard over their sheep during the watches of the night. 9 An angel of the Lord stood over them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid. Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’

13 And all at once with the angel there was a great throng of the hosts of heaven, praising God with the words: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace for those he favours.

15 Now it happened that when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us.’ 16 So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. 17 When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, 18 and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:1-18, NJB)

Notice that, at the time of the census, Luke teaches that the shepherds were out all night in the field at the time of Jesus’ birth. This is biblical evidence that Jesus could not have been born in late December for a couple of reasons. One of them is that the practice of shepherds spending the night with their flocks outside ceased each Fall.

Furthermore, related to the reason that Joseph had to go to Bethlehem (the census) at the time of Jesus’ birth, even The Catholic Encyclopedia admits that the “census would have been impossible in winter” (Christmas, 1908). If something is impossible, then it did not happen. Jesus was not born on December 25th according to even Catholic teachers.

Since Jesus was not born then, why did Christmas end up on December 25th?

Well, basically because that was the day of celebration of the birthday of the sun-god Mithra and December 25th also took place during the Saturnalia, hence it was acceptable to at least two groups of pagans. Followers of Mithra represented an influential group in the Roman Empire. Other practices associated with Mithraism have become part of the Roman and Orthodox Catholic churches (such as their communion services) (for more details, please check out the documented article Do You Practice Mithraism?).

Notice the following:

Mithraism A pagan religion consisting mainly of the cult of the ancient Indo-Iranian Sun-god Mithra. It entered Europe from Asia Minor after Alexander’s conquest, spread rapidly over the whole Roman Empire at the beginning of our era, reached its zenith during the third century, and vanished under the repressive regulations of Theodosius at the end of the fourth century…Helios Mithras is one god…Sunday was kept holy in honour of Mithra, and the sixteenth of each month was sacred to him as mediator. The 25 December was observed as his birthday, the natalis invicti, the rebirth of the winter-sun, unconquered by the rigours of the season (Arendzen. J.P. Transcribed by John Looby. Mithraism. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Until the Council of Nicea, the December 25th Christmas holiday was not even accepted by the Roman Catholics.

But Emperor Constantine, who was a follower of Mithra, decided that the date of Mithra’s birthday should also be the date to celebrate Jesus’ date of birth:

The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336AD, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). A few years later, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th December. (Why is Christmas Day on the 25th December? http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/25th.shtml accessed 12/07/15)

The eventual choice of December 25, made perhaps as early as 273, reflects a convergence of Origen’s concern about pagan gods and the church’s identification of God’s son with the celestial sun. December 25 already hosted two other related festivals: natalis solis invicti (the Roman “birth of the unconquered sun”), and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian “Sun of Righteousness” whose worship was popular with Roman soldiers. The winter solstice, another celebration of the sun, fell just a few days earlier. Seeing that pagans were already exalting deities with some parallels to the true deity, church leaders decided to commandeer the date and introduce a new festival.

Western Christians first celebrated Christmas on December 25 in 336, after Emperor Constantine had declared Christianity the empire’s favored religion. (Coffman E. Why December 25? For the church’s first three centuries, Christmas wasn’t in December—or on the calendar at all. Christianity Today, August 8, 2008. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/news/2000/dec08.html accessed 12/07/15)

The Church of Rome decided to later require all to observe it as The World Book Encyclopedia notes:

In 354 A.D., Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered the people to celebrate on December 25. He probably chose this date because the people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the sun (Sechrist E.H. Christmas. World Book Encyclopedia, Volume 3. Field Enterprises Educational Corporation, Chicago, 1966, pp. 408-417).

It needs to be understood that some scholarly sources believe that the celebration in Rome of Christmas may have began 2-3 decades earlier (because Constantine kept it on 12/25 in 336 A.D.), but none I am aware of suggest it was prior to Constantine in the fourth century.

Should real Christians call the night that the pagans worshiped the sun-god and had a wild party holy? It was not holy to the God of the Bible.

Obviously not, yet many who claim Christianity still do.

The Gospel accounts do NOT teach that Jesus was born anywhere near Christmas.

Some items of related interest may include:

What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god? Here is a link to a related sermon: What do Catholic and other scholars teach about Christmas?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations? A related sermon video is available and is titled: Birthdays, Christians, and December 25th.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays.
Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity? Was Jesus born in a below ground cave? Was Jesus born below the “Church of the Nativity”? Were the wise men there?
Is Keeping Christmas a Sin? Is keeping Christmas acceptable for true Christians? What are some scriptures to consider?
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity? A sermon video from Vatican City is titled Church of Rome, Mithras, and Isis?
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.
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 and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L’Histoire Continue de l’Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
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?

Kermanshah earthquake damage

COGwriter

Some scientists believe that there will be more earthquakes in 2018 because of a slight slowing of the Earth’s rotation:

November 19, 2017

Every so often, the Earth’s rotation slows by a few milliseconds per day. This is inconsequential to the average human, and causes only mild annoyance to the people whose job it is to measure Earth’s rotation with great precision.

That may be about to change, if the hypothesis set out by two geologists proves true. In a study published in Geophysical Research Letters earlier this year, Roger Bilham of the University of Colorado and Rebecca Bendick of the University of Montana predict that, because of Earth’s slowing rotation, the world will see a significant spike in large earthquakes in 2018.

To make this prediction, Bilham and Bendick studied every earthquake since 1900 that recorded more than 7.0 on the moment magnitude scale. They found that approximately every 32 years, there is an uptick in these large quakes. The only factor that strongly correlates is a slight slowing of the Earth’s rotation in a five-year period before the uptick.

“Of course that seems sort of crazy,” Bendick told Science. But think through it a little and it might not seem so outlandish. The Earth’s rotation is known to go through regular decades-long periods in which it slows down and speeds up. Even seasonal changes, like a strong El Niño, can affect the planet’s rotation.

But to have the kind of effect that would produce more severe earthquakes, we have to look deeper. Starting from its very center, the planet is made of a solid iron and nickel “inner core,” liquid iron and nickel “outer core,” a thick liquid mantle, and finally a thin solid crust. Earthquakes occur on the crust, but the crust floats on the mantle.

Though Bilham and Bendick don’t know for sure, they believe that every so often the Earth’s mantle might stick a little more to the crust. That could change how the liquid outer core flows. And because it’s all metal down there, the change in flow will affect planet’s magnetic field, which would ever so slightly affect the Earth’s rotation and thus change the length of the day by milliseconds. The Earth’s rotation has been slowing down for the past four years.

“The inference is clear,” Bilham told the Guardian. “Next year we should see a significant increase in numbers of severe earthquakes.” Instead of an average of about 15-20 large earthquakes, we might see 25 or 30 in 2018. https://qz.com/1133304/as-earths-rotation-slows-2018-could-see-a-spike-in-large-earthquakes/

Notice a related news item:

November 19, 2017

US geoscientists consider it very likely that in 2018, or perhaps in the next few years, there will be a significant increase in the number of strong earthquakes around the world. Their prediction is based on the periodic slowdown in Earth’s speed of rotation around its axis, which minimizes daylight.

We certainly will have more significant earthquakes in the coming years.

Jesus warned about a time of earthquakes and troubles:

8 … And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be…troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)

33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning — 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:33-37)

Having more significant earthquakes is consistent with Jesus’ prediction. Jesus listed earthquakes as part of the signs that precede the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:4-21; see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2017, 2018, or 2019?) and told His followers to watch.

Places in the USA to watch which have massive danger potential include the New Madrid Fault, Yellowstone, Cascadia Subduction Zone, and the San Andreas Fault.

Of course, anywhere around the Pacific Ocean, which is sometimes called the Pacific Rim of Fire, is at risk. As are places like Iceland, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, the South Pacific, Australia, and even parts of Africa. As well as places in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Yet, since Jesus mentioned earthquakes in diverse places, places people do not consider to be subject to earthquakes are also at major risk.

The type of changes that scientists are pointing to could be a factor in increasing the dangers of the eruption of volcanoes, including supervolcanoes.

We put a video out on supervolcanoes  this Fall:

The USA and many other parts of the world are at greater risk for damage by earthquakes and volcanoes than most imagine.

The coming earthquakes, as well as problems from volcanoes, should serve as notice that biblical prophecy will be fulfilled and that all should believe the prophecies in the Bible.

Including those prophecies that show that the kingdoms of this world will be replaced relatively soon by the Kingdom of God.

People should live their lives as if God does exist and that He does have a plan, because He does, and it will come to pass.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Earthquakes Today and Bible Prophecy Contains a cool up-to-the-hour update of earthquakes around the world from USGS. It also explains what did Jesus teach about earthquakes and how the Bible describes “the big one” (as well as when it is expected).
Islands and Bible Prophecy What’s ahead for islands? What does the Bible prophesy about them?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
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.
Weather Blessings and Sorrows Are weather problems a warning? What should be done? Here is a related YouTube video Does God Use Weather?
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. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2017, 2018, or 2019? 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 videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Will the Great Tribulation Start in 2017?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2026 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something?

The First Thanksgiving, painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863–1930)

COGwriter

The fourth Thursday in November is the American holiday called Thanksgiving. Unlike most holidays observed in the USA, this one is not of pagan origin. Hence, the vast majority in the Church of God (COG) consider it an “optional” (not biblically-required) holiday.

According to Wikipedia:

In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October. It is the only other country outside of the United States that officially observes the day as a holiday.

Jesus Himself seemed to observe a national Jewish, as opposed to a biblical, holiday called the Feast of the Dedication as it is recorded in the New Testament that He went to the Temple during it (John 10:22-23).

As Americans know, the history related to the USA Thanksgiving involves a group of people commonly known as the Pilgrims.

They were a dissenting religious group considered to be outside of mainstream “Christianity”. The Pilgrims felt that the only way to freely practice their religion was to physically separate themselves from the Church of England that had persecuted them. First, to flee persecution, these “Separatists,” moved to the English Midlands. Then they went to Amsterdam in 1607. In 1609, they moved to the more religiously tolerant Netherlands. But they decided that this would not do. Finally, they began their voyage to America in 1620. It took months to cross the sea and they lost many during that voyage as well as after coming to America. In spite of all their sufferings and the death of half of their company, in October 1621, the Pilgrims celebrated their first harvest. In 1863, US President Lincoln made a proclamation that ultimately led to Thanksgiving becoming a US holiday.

The persecutions of the Pilgrims somewhat remind me of the history of the Church of God (a related article of interest may be Persecutions by Church and State)

One song that comes to mind to me at this time (and is in the old WCG hymnal, as well as CCOG’s hymnal with the title Oh Give Thanks and Praise the Eternal!) is based on 1 Chronicles 16:8-13 upon which says:

8 Oh, give thanks to the LORD!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
10 Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!
11 Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
12 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,
13 O seed of Israel His servant,
You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

Those of us who understand God’s plan of salvation, should be thankful for being part of those chosen in this age. This is consistent with the following admonition from the Book of Psalms and one from Saint Paul:

4 Sing praise to the LORD, You saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name (Psalm 30:4).

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Anyway, the Bible is full of admonitions to give thanks to God. in the NKJV the term “give thanks” is used 40 times and the term “giving thanks” is used 5 times–and nearly all of these verses are discussing giving thanks to God. The term “thanksgiving” is used 24 times. Here are a few of them:

14 Offer to God thanksgiving (Psalms 50:14).

30 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving. (Psalms 69:30)

2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. 3 For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods. (Psalms 95:2-3)

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. (Psalms 100:4-5)

It is certainly appropriate to thank God for calling us, blessing us physically, and for the opportunity to understand the purpose of life and God’s way of life, the sacrifice of Jesus, and for the opportunity for salvation that He has given to us. We can be grateful for the understanding of God’s great plan that the Kingdom of God will bring peace and abundant prosperity.

Despite the fact that we and the peoples of the world will punished for our sins, God does have a plan to bring peace and prosperity (see the article Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism and a 6000 Year Plan?) and will offer salvation to all (please see the article Universal Salvation? There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis).

While Christians can observe national holidays, presuming they can do so without sinning, they do not have to keep holidays like Thanksgiving. While he was mainly referring to fast days, the following from the Apostle Paul seems to be applicable here:

5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. (Romans 14:5-6)

If one has a problem of conscience keeping Thanksgiving, then one should not. But, either way, Christians should thank and praise God.

Give thanks and praise the Eternal!

The Continuing Church of God has this sermon from on its ContinuingCOG YouTube channel:

1:14:34

Are you thankful? Does the Bible teach that you are supposed to be? What did Dibar Apartian write was ‘the most common sin’? What does the Bible say about thanks and praise? Is ingratitude warned against? Is unthankfulness prophesied? Can the thankful commit the unpardonable sin? What should you be thankful for? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermon: Ingratitude and Giving Thanks.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Thanksgiving: Can Christians keep it? Is this American holiday appropriate? Why or why not?
Giving Thanks Are Christians supposed to give thanks? Why? Is unthankfulness warned against? Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Ingratitude and Giving Thanks.
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 are also two YouTube video related to this: Living as a Christian: How and Why? and Living as a Christian: Pure Milk of the Word.
Living as a Christian: Strong Meat Can you handle solid spiritual food? A related sermon is available: Strong Meat: James 1-2 and Strong Meat: James 3-5.
What is the Unpardonable Sin? What is it? Can you repent of it? Do you know what it is and how to avoid it? Here is a link to a related sermon video The Unpardonable Sin and the Prodigal Son.
Praises to Jesus Christ or Biblical Hymns: Which Should Christians Primarily Sing? This biblical article on music is in response to an advertisement critical of WCG’s 1974 The Bible Hymnal. It also address early church practices here.
The Bible Hymnal via Amazon. This is the paperback edition of the hymnal used by the Continuing Church of God. It consists of all the songs that were part of the 1974 edition of ‘The Bible Hymnal’ used by the old Worldwide Church of God, plus ten other hymns that Herbert Armstrong approved that were written by Ross Jutsum. The songs in this book are essentially the Psalms and other passages in the Bible set to music. To access it free online, click: The Bible Hymnal. Amazon sells a hard copy of The Bible Hymnal for $8.99.

Artist’s impression of ‘Planet Nine,’ also called ‘Planet X’ as an ‘ice giant’ (Tomruen)

COGwriter

Some doomsayers believe that Planet Nibiru, sometimes called Planet X, will destroy Planet Earth today:

NASA senior scientist David Morrison explains why there is no such thing as a planet called Nibiru. (NASA)

David Morrison is a real NASA scientist who studies real planets and makes real discoveries about the real universe.

Unfortunately for him, Morrison’s duties also include debunking perennial Internet theories that a fake planet is about to destroy the Earth, which was supposed to happen in 2003, then 2012, then Sept. 23, then October — and now the world is supposed to end again some time Sunday. …

Nibiru theories have by now become so abundant that if you spend long enough on YouTube or PlanetXNews.com you can find an apocalypse scheduled for just about any given day of the week. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/11/18/please-stop-annoying-this-nasa-scientist-with-your-ridiculous-planet-x-doomsday-theories/?utm_term=.8bb2b353fe84

While there do not appear to be widespread claims for every day of the week, this is at least the third or fourth date I have heard for this to happen in 2017. And no, it will not happen today.

Various Protestant types have tried to connect Planet Nibiru destruction in with Revelation 12. I have regularly denounced the Planet Nibiru destruction and Revelation 12 claims in the past (e.g. More predictions that planet ‘Nibiru’ will destroy the Earth this year and BibleNewsProphecy: Planet Nibiru to Destroy Earth by 2017?).

Sadly, various ones bring their false understanding of biblical prophecy into  their astronomical theories. Some brought in the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017, which I denounced as not a harbinger from God as David Meade, Gary Ray, and Mark Biltz indicated, but simply as a natural phenomena (watch Solar Eclipse and the Apocalypse).

But it is not just Planet Nibiru that some point to for their false predictions.

A reader sent me a link to the following from Helena Lehman of Pillar of Enoch Ministry:

The Blood Moon Triads that occurred to specifically point to 2011 and 2018, and which act as a celestial frame around the amazing Blood Moon Tetrad on Jewish Feasts that occurred between Passover of 2014 and Sukkot of 2015, shows that the years 2011 through 2018 are extremely significant. …

Due to the previous prophetic dates already disclosed in this chapter (i.e. 2010 AD, 2017 AD and 2018 AD), this interpretation of Daniel’s “sevens” has startling implications. In 1948, the modern nation of Israel was at peace after winning a war against her enemies. It was also finally recognized as a nation by the world, and Jerusalem could again be rebuilt. 1948 is therefore the future time when “the command to restore and build Jerusalem” was issued! Just as in ancient times, Jerusalem has been rebuilt “in troublesome times” (Daniel 9:25). …

In the near future, another cutting off or removal of God’s chosen representatives from the world scene may occur with the First Rapture of the saints in the 70th year after Israel became a nation again. This year is likely the year 2018, and not 2017. Then the Great Tribulation will begin. Then, near to the end of the three and half years of the Great Tribulation, I believe that a Second Rapture may take place when the Two Witnesses are resurrected from the dead. …

If seven more “sevens” or years are added to 2010 AD, we arrive at 2017 AD, and 2017 may be the last year of the Seal Judgments and the prelude to the beginning of the Great Tribulation in 2018. … a seven-year period in which five of the Seal Judgments have been released appears to have fallen from 2011 through 2017 AD. In conjunction with the Blood Moon Triads that frame the years 2011 and 2018, and the Blood Moon Tetrad that marked the years 2014 and 2015 as significant, it appears that the years 2010 through 2018 that correspond with Hallel Psalms 110 through 118 were targeted by Daniel’s Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks as extremely significant. …

In summary, according to the principle that each one of Daniel’s seventy weeks equals one year, then 2018 is the year that will mark Daniel’s Seventieth Week! Here is a prophecy written thousands of years ago by a captive prophet named Daniel that verifies the beginning and end dates that may mark the Tribulation period before the Great Tribulation, as well as the beginning of the seventieth “week” or year in 2018! Also, although no one except God the Father knows the exact day or hour of the Rapture or Catching Away spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Tu B’Av in 2018 would be a more than appropriate time considering the interesting Heavenly Sign that will appear on that night . Furthermore, if 2018 is the time of our deliverance in the Rapture, my understanding of Daniel Chapter 9 leads me to believe that the time of our deliverance in 2018 will be followed by three and a half years of Great Tribulation, making late 2021 to mid 2022 the timing for the Battle of Armageddon, when Christ will return with His resurrected saints, and slaughter ALL the wicked that found such pleasure in abusing God’s beloved children.

Another good possibility for the Rapture is sometime around Chanukah of 2017, which falls from the evening of December 12th through to December 20th, 2017, and of course Passover Week from the evening of March 30th through April 6th, 2018 (Resurrection Sunday is on April 1st), as well as Pentecost Sunday, a.k.a. Shavuot, which will be from the evening of May 19th through to the evening of Sunday May 20th, 2018. http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2017/

No, it is not possible that 2017 is the last year of the seal judgments or that Jesus will return in 2018. Furthermore, those connecting Jesus’ return to 70 years starting in 1948 are in error, as  were those who connected 70 years to 1947, which I also denounced back in 2016 (watch Will the Great Tribulation Start in 2017?). As far as the “blood moon” nonsense, I denounced that years ago (see Blood Moons, Eclipses, and Prophecy). Jesus will NOT POSSIBLY return before 2025 (see When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?).

The problem that many Protestant prophecy prognosticators have is that they overlook the sequence of events that Jesus laid out as recorded by the gospel writer Matthew as well as the Book of Revelation (for more details, see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?).

Because many have falsely claimed that God is sending a message through natural phenomena, they are turning people off against Bible prophecy. The following prophecy from the Apostle Peter applies not only to people who claim to be in the COG (David Pack, Ron Weinland, and Gerald Flurry come to mind), but also to those who do not seem to claim to be like Helena Lehman, David Meade, Gary Ray, and Mark Biltz:

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. (2 Peter 2:1-3)

The false prognosticators cause the Christian way to be blasphemed, even though (in my view) none of those I have specifically named are real Christians.

No wonder Peter was also inspired to write:

3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; (2 Peter 3:3-15)

False prophecies have turned people away from believing that biblical prophecies are relevant.

Why bother to post about the false ‘Nibiru,’ ‘Great Tribulation,’ or ‘Rapture’ predictions?

Because there are many false and heretical leaders that lead people astray on prophecy. Sometimes they mention the Bible to try to act like God sanctions their nonsense. 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., which 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 article, The Laodicean Church Era, lists 38 prophetic errors that various Laodiceans hold to).

The various other 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 of Christians 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 when to flee, 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  Jesus will NOT return to the Earth next month or next year.

We made a video about Planet Nibiru before, which is also available at: Planet Nibiru to Destroy Earth by 2017?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Comets, 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?
Planet Nibiru to Destroy Earth by 2017? Some say NASA has identified Plant X, also called Planet Nine or Nibiru or even Planet 7X. One prophecy watcher has stated that this planet will destroy Planet Earth by January 1, 2017. Is this possible? While the Bible tells of a destructive power called ‘Wormwood’ will come from outer space to destroy much of the Earth in Revelation 8, can Wormwood hit by 2017? Dr. Thiel explains from the Bible why Wormwood could be a comet and why the Bible and not those who misinterpret it should be trusted. This is a video.
Blood Moons, Eclipses, 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.
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind? There is also a YouTube video with information Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture?
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.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
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?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2017, 2018, or 2019? 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 videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Will the Great Tribulation Start in 2017?

A Hanukkah Menorah (MathKnight)

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

The Jewish festival known as Hanukkah normally occurs in December each year. This is something that Jesus appeared to observe according to John’s gospel. Do you know much about this holiday? Is the way many Jews celebrate it now biblically acceptable? What does Maccabees mean? What did Antiochus Epiphanes do to the Jews? What is Chrismukkah? What prophetic ramifications seem to be associated with the origin of Hanukkah? What did Jonathan Cahn say about it? What does the Bible teach? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to our video: Hanukkah, Tradition, and Prophecy.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Hanukkah: Jewish Christmas and Hidden Key to Prophecy? Originally a Jewish national holiday, has Hanukkah morphed into a Jewish Christmas? Does it hold hidden secrets to prophecy? Here is a link to a related video: Hanukkah, Tradition, and Prophecy.
Messianic Judaism Beliefs Differ from the Continuing Church of God Both groups keep the seventh-day Sabbath, but have important differences in doctrines and practices. Here is a link to a related sermon: Messianic Jewish Beliefs.
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god? Here is a link to a related sermon: What do Catholic and other scholars teach about Christmas?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations? A related sermon video is available and is titled: Birthdays, Christians, and December 25th.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays.
Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they? A related sermon is titled Tradition and Scripture.
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?
The Temple and the Work This article discusses the two temples of the Old Testament and gives insight as to their possible relevance to the situation which has impacted the Church during this past decade or so.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
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?
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.
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2024, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂 In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日？ 这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.
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?
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. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
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 and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L’Histoire Continue de l’Église de Dieu 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?
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
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.
CCOGAFRICA.ORG This is a website targeted towards those in Africa.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.
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.
CCOGAfrica channel. This has messages from African pastors in African languages such as Kalenjin, Kiswahili, Embu, and Dholuo.
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.