On October 15, 2005, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Friend or Foe?”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

The Feast of Tabernacles begins next Monday, at sunset. The services of the opening night and during the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day can be heard at www.cognetservices.org. A schedule of all services has been posted. Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

How many true friends do you have today? What does it take to establish a friendship, to be a special friend to another human being, and how does one ensure a lasting friendship? There are some basic principles we should consider if we are to have true, lasting friendships!

To begin with, we are told by Solomon, the son of David, King of Israel, in Proverbs 22:24, to “Make no friendship with an angry man…” When we do make such friendships, we put ourselves in jeopardy of picking up the bad habits of such a person, which could affect our spiritual lives (verse 25).

James 4:4 tells us “…that friendship with the world is enmity with God…” Additionally, we are told in that verse that “Whoever … wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Strong words, these! Certainly, we don’t want to begin friendships at odds with God! Of course, we all have friends in the world, but we must not do, as many in the world do, in order to maintain these friendships. If we properly apply the right principles in all our friendships, we have a good start in establishing the right type or kind of relationships which should last eternally!

We are told in Proverbs 18:24 that “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” In Proverbs 17:17 we read that “A friend loves at all times…” To want to have good friends is a right and proper desire, and we should seek to establish friendships that will be lasting, never forgetting our admonition that we should, ourselves, be friendly.

In James 2:23, James quotes the Scripture, Genesis 15:6, which says, that Abraham believed God, “…and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” James adds: “And he was called the friend of God.”

We see in these Scriptures where true friendships should begin. Jesus said to His disciples, “…I have called you friends…” (John 15:15). That relationship extends down to His faithful disciples today!

Our friendships must be based upon the principles of God, and we should make ourselves friendly, especially with all who desire to live their lives based upon the principles God lays out in His Word! Of course, as we have noted, we have friends in all walks of life, and as long as those friendships do not hinder our relationship with Christ, we should continue in them, as we continue to exemplify Christ in our lives. In setting a right, Christian example in our lives, we should be applying the Christian principles we have learned in this Way in all our dealings with others; thus, we should never be without an abundance of true friends in this life!

And now, with the Feast of Tabernacles fast approaching, we are going to have a wonderful opportunity to renew friendships with brethren we have not seen for a number of months, and at the same time we have the opportunity to meet and cultivate many new friendships. We must not let this opportunity pass without taking full advantage of it. Let us all apply the Godly principle of showing ourselves friendly, and let’s all come away from this feast having developed many new friendships with brethren of like minds! Keep in mind the Scripture in Galatians 6:10, wherein we are told: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

At the feast this year, take every opportunity presented to you to show yourself friendly!

2005–The Year With the Worst Natural Catastrophes!!!

Bild Online published several articles on October 10, 2005, discussing the most recent natural catastrophes. In one of the articles, it was stated:

“It is scary. Again another terrible killer quake, this time in Pakistan. Again more than 30,000 people died [recent preliminary estimates say that about 40,000 died]. And a mudslide in Guatemala killed 1,400. Does it ever stop? 2005–one catastrophe after the other. Never before did so many people die through natural catastrophes. Never before did our earth see so much suffering all at once. Earthquakes, killer waves, volcanic eruptions, horror storms, and floods. Does nature revenge itself? The earthquake in the region of Kashmir (India, Pakistan)… is the worst in South Asia over the past 100 years…

“2005–the year of catastrophes. At the end of last year and the beginning of the new year, a tsunami in Southeast Asia kills about 300,000 people. New panic about two months later. A severe earthquake hits the East of Indonesia… On March 13, a middle-size earthquake (5.7) in south-eastern Turkey. Four months later: Earthquake alarm in Tokyo…

“May 2005: Fear and trembling in the Saar Territory [in Germany]. A strong temblor (3.4) hits the region. The sky ignites in Germany at the end of July: 104,000 lightning strikes in six hours. A tornado damages houses. At the end of August another ‘one-hundred-year-flood’: Heavy rain, mudslides and floods: Many people die in several European countries (Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Turkey, Rumania). Then the horror storms: Hurricane ‘Katrina’ devastates… Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Almost 1,000 people die. Three weeks later: The levies in New Orleans break again. Hurricane ‘Rita’ strikes. Over two million people evacuate Houston and surrounding areas. Then Hurricane Stan strikes Middle America. Several families die, villages are buried by mud… 2005 is going to be the record year of hurricanes. This year has seen already 18–normally, there are only 10 within a year. And then, there are 16 potential killer volcanoes on earth. Four of them are in Europe.”

In addition, another article stated: “And Now– Will Millions Die Through The Bird Flu?” The article continued: “The bird flu has reached Europe. It is only 1,000 kilometers away from us. In Romania and Turkey, there are already thousands of dead birds… We [in Germany] are sitting on a time bomb… During the last great epidemic in 1918 (the Spanish flu), over 50 million people died. The cause was a bird flu virus, similar to the current one… Early symptoms are fever, coughing, and serious pneumonia.”

Disastrous Earthquake in South Asia

AFP reported on October 8, 2005, that “An earthquake measuring at least 7.6 on the Richter Scale caused massive devastation across a swathe of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, leaving thousands of people feared dead. [Subsequent reports estimated the death toll in Pakistan alone as exceeding 40,000]. ‘This is the strongest quake in the last 100 years in this region,’ the chief of Pakistan’s meteorological department, Qamar Uzzman, told AFP… At least 14 aftershocks [most recent news reports mentioned more than 140 aftershocks], including one measuring more than 6.0 on the Richter scale, rattled Islamabad in the hours after the quake… Many mosques started reciting special prayers… Men spontaneously started reading aloud verses from the Muslim holy book, the Koran, and women beat their chests in a display of bereavement.” Bild Online reported on October 11, 2005, that the first cases of Malaria surfaced in Kashmir.

Der Spiegel Online added that a similar earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter Scale occurred in the region on May 31, 1935, killing 60,000 people.

Tropical Storm “Stan” Devastates Central America

AFP reported on October 8, 2005, that “Devastating Tropical Storm Stan has killed at least 278 people in Central America and Mexico after lashing the region for days with relentless rain, authorities said. Officials feared the toll could rise as emergency workers tried to reach communities cut off by flooded rivers or swept away by massive mudslides. The death toll in hardest-hit Guatemala surged to 176 Friday… The storm has also killed 67 in El Salvador, 11 in Nicaragua and 24 in Mexico… Tens of thousands were left homeless across the region… “

The article continued:

“In El Salvador… the trauma of the storm was magnified by an earthquake measuring 6.2 on the open-ended Richter scale that hit Friday at 1743 GMT. The quake’s epicenter was 55 kilometers (35 miles) south of El Salvador’s coast in the Pacific Ocean… On October 1, El Salvador’s largest volcano erupted for the first time in a century, killing at least two and forcing more than 2,000 to flee. The Panamerican Highway leading to the capital of San Salvador was cut off by mudslides, as were several other roads.”

AFP summarized the most recent devastations through hurricanes, as follows:

“The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, has been one of the deadliest and most active on record. Stan was the 10th Atlantic hurricane this year. Hurricane Katrina, which slammed the US Gulf of Mexico coast August 29, ravaged New Orleans and coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, killing more than 1,200 people and becoming the deadliest storm to hit the United States since 1928.”

Floods in Eastern U.S.

The Associated Press reported on October 10, 2005, that “Prolonged, heavy rain caused flooding from North Carolina to New Hampshire over the weekend, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate, knocking out electricity, weakening dams and making roads impassable… Gov. John Lynch [of New Hampshire]… declared a state of emergency and called in 500 National Guard members for assistance. ‘This is the worst damage they’ve seen from flooding in 25 years in New Hampshire,’ the governor said Sunday night.”

America Ill Prepared for Bird Flu

AFP reported on October 8, 2005, that “A draft of the Bush administration’s final plan for dealing with a likely Pandemic flu outbreak shows the United States is woefully unprepared for the potential disaster, The New York Times reported on Saturday. The document says a large outbreak that began in Asia would be likely to reach the United States within ‘a few months or even weeks,’ and that more than 1.9 million people could die in the worst case scenario, the Times said. If that occurred, according to the draft, hospitals would be overwhelmed, riots would engulf vaccination clinics and power and food would be in short supply, it said… The H5N1 avian influenza virus has killed millions of birds across Asia and infected 116 people, killing 60 of them. If it acquires the ability to pass easily from person to person, it could kill millions in the space of a few months, experts say.”

According to press releases by Der Spiegel and Bild Online, Rumania and Turkey quarantined large areas where hundreds of birds died, apparently because of the bird flu, including chicken, swans, ducks, geese and turkeys.

Earthquakes in Central California

The Associated Press reported on October 8, 2005, that “An earthquake shook central California early Saturday about five miles northeast of San Simeon, home to Hearst Castle. The magnitude-4.2 temblor hit at 5:17 a.m., according to a preliminary report from the U.S. Geological Survey… The temblor came after a magnitude-4.4 quake hit the area Oct. 2. San Simeon is located about 200 miles northwest of Los Angeles.”

Living In the End Times

WorldNetDaily reported on October 9, 2005, that “this weekend’s catastrophic earthquake in South Asia in the wake of recent U.S. hurricanes and December’s tsunami is catching the eye of televangelist Pat Robertson, who says we ‘might be’ in the End Times described in the Bible. ‘These things are starting to hit with amazing regularity,’ Robertson said on CNN’s ‘Late Edition.’ Robertson, a former GOP presidential candidate and host of the ‘700 Club’ daily Christian TV show noted, ‘If you read back in the Bible, the letter of the apostle Paul to the church of [Thessalonica], he said that in the latter days before the end of the age that the Earth would be caught up in what he called the birth pangs of a new order… What was called the blessed hope of the Bible is that one day Jesus Christ would come back again, start a whole new era, that this world order that we know would change into something that would be wonderful that we’d call the millennium… And before that good time comes there will be some difficult days and [these] will be likened to what a woman goes through in labor just before she brings forth a child.'”

The article continued: “Robertson isn’t the only one raising the End Times issue, as author and WorldNetDaily columnist Hal Lindsey has weighed in on the issue. ‘It seems clear that the prophetic times I have been expecting for decades have finally arrived. And even worse, it appears that the judgment of America has begun,’ Lindsey said on the Sept. 9 broadcast of the ‘International Intelligence Briefing’ on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. ‘I warn continually that the last days lineup of world powers does not include anything resembling the United States of America. Instead, a REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE IN EUROPE is to rule the West, and then the world. ‘”

Starve Or Freeze?

The Associated Press reported on October 12, 2005, that “Winter heating bills will be a third to a half higher for most families across the country, with the sharpest increases expected for those who heat with natural gas, the Energy Department forecast Wednesday. The department said natural gas users can expect to pay an average of $350 more during the upcoming winter compared to last year, an increase of 48 percent. Those who heat their homes with fuel oil will pay $378 more, or 32 percent higher than last winter… ‘Should colder weather prevail, expenditures will be significantly higher,’ the EIA [Energy Information Administration] said… For some low-income families the sharp jumps could mean choosing whether TO EAT OR KEEP WARM, energy experts and advocacy groups fear.

“The natural gas utilities warned Tuesday that despite their attempts to contain retail fuel costs, heating bills for gas users this winter will jump 50 percent over last season nationwide. In parts of the Midwest bills could be much higher. More than half of all U.S. households heat with natural gas. But many of those who rely on electric heat, nearly a third of the country, may also see bills go up because many power plants run on natural gas. And users of fuel oil, more than half the households in New England, are expected to see their costs jump by a third or more over last winter, according to industry and government estimates… [The] National Energy Assistance Directors Association, which represents the state agencies that distribute money to help low-income families pay their fuel bills [commented that this] winter… [there will be more] than a million additional applicants for the government program, a 20 percent increase over last year, with NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO GO AROUND.”

The fact that poor citizens of the most prosperous country in the world may either have to go without food or heat this winter is a crying shame and a terrible testimony of the state of affairs of the United States of America.

Did God Order President Bush to Invade Iraq?

AFP reported on October 8, 2005, that “The White House has denied that US President George W. Bush said God told him to invade Iraq and Afghanistan, as a new BBC documentary is expected to reveal. ‘That’s absurd. He’s never made such comments,’ White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Thursday. The documentary series set to be broadcast later this month in Britain claims Bush made the claim when he met Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas and then-foreign minister Nabil Shaath in June 2003. He also told them he had been ordered by God to create a Palestinian state, the ministers said. Shaath, now the Palestinian information minister, said: ‘President Bush said to all of us: “I’m driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, ‘George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan.’ And I did. And then God would tell me, ‘George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq… ‘ And I did. And now, again, I feel God’s words coming to me, ‘Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East’. And… I’m gonna do it.”‘

“Abbas, who was also at the meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm al-Sheikh, recalled how the president told him: ‘I have a moral and religious obligation. So I will get you a Palestinian state.'”

President Bush Under Attack

Der Spiegel Online reported on October 8, 2005, that “The US Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to outlaw the abuse of military prisoners in American custody. The move is being seen as a slap in the face to a President Bush who is retreating on all fronts. It’s the ‘biggest defensive battle’ of his career…

“Although the Bush Administration opposed the motion, arguing that it was unnecessary and would interfere with interrogation procedures, the Republican-dominated US Senate backed the bill by a vote of 90-9. This astonishing move, effectively a revolt against Bush by his own party, is being seen by many in Europe as just comeuppance for a president who the old continent feels has been guilty of astounding hubris [excessive pride, arrogance or self-confidence]. Bush’s leadership qualities, once his strongest suit, have been called into question by the disorganized relief effort following Katrina. And with every casualty in Iraq, the president’s popularity drops further still. Even the right-wing of the party — some of his most vociferous supporters during his first term — are disappointed with him, with Bush this week nominating dark horse, and possibly even moderate, Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court. Are German commentators worried for Bush? Hardly. They couldn’t be happier.”

Merkel Germany’s New Chancellor?

AFP reported on October 10, 2005, that “German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has relinquished his seven-year grip on power to open the way for his conservative arch-rival Angela Merkel to become the first female leader of Europe’s biggest economy. Merkel will lead a coalition government of her Christian Democrats and his Social Democrats, an alliance last seen in the 1960s, tasked with reviving the country’s battered economy. In separate meetings Monday, the SPD and CDU leaderships approved the deal for a left-right administration.”

The Associated Press added: “Parliament must convene by Oct. 18 but is not obliged to vote immediately on a new chancellor if coalition talks are still ongoing.” According to Bild Online, dated October 11, 2005, the earliest date for a parliamentary vote on a new chancellor is November 17, if both parties (SPD and CDU) adopt the coalition contract on November 14. If Angela Merkel receives the absolute majority (i.e., 308 votes–CDU and SPD have 448 votes), she will be chancellor. Failing this, the parliamentary election process will have to be repeated once or twice, until a simple majority has been reached.

The German press reported that Merkel’s CDU (in coalition with Stoiber’s CSU) would occupy six ministerial posts, while the SPD, in exchange for their approval of Merkel as chancellor, would receive eight ministerial posts. German TV reported that Schroeder declined a ministerial post in the new government, reiterating his position that it would be impossible for him to serve under Merkel–following a step taken by Germany’s Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, a few days ago.

Some officials within the SPD, as well as the FDP, have stated their disagreement with the decision and announced that they will not vote for or support Angela Merkel as chancellor. And nobody expects that the remaining two parties represented in the German Parliament, the left-winged PDS and the Greens, will support or vote for Angela Merkel.

Guido Westerwelle, leader of the FDP–the strongest opposition party–commented that “nothing good will come out of the grand coalition” (Bild Online, October 11, 2005).

Former German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher (FDP), who was highly instrumental in bringing about Germany’s re-unification, had warned against a grand coalition between SPD and CDU. He had stated in an interview, according to an article by Deutsche Welle of October 5, that “A grand coalition always means a two-way blockade culminating in wrong decisions. Today when people talk about how federalism reform is necessary, it’s actually the call to finally undo what the grand coalition of 1966-1969 did wrong. That does not inspire confidence.”

Some observers agree with Mr. Genscher’s assessment of the grand coalition of 1966-1969, but hope that we will see better results this time. However, they might be disappointed. The grand coalition of 1966-1969 was responsible for many unpopular decisions, including adopting the controversial “Notstandsgesetze” (“emergency laws”), the military draft, and laws restricting personal liberties and freedoms. Because of little opposition within the German Parliament, an extra-parliamentary opposition (“APO”) came into being, mainly carried by students, leading to civil unrest in the country. If something like this happens again, we might witness a loud outcry from the German people and their demand for a stable and effective leadership (“der starke MANN muss her” –“the strong MAN must come”).

The Bible is very clear that humans are not to eat the flesh of animals which God designates as “unclean.” Comprehensive lists of clean and unclean animals can be found in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. When studying those lists, it is obvious that the following animals are “unclean” and that its flesh is inappropriate for human consumption (even though they might be frequently eaten in certain parts of the world, and even considered as “delicacies”): Pigs or swine; hares or rabbits; camels; horses; donkeys; lamas; civet cats; monkeys and apes; cats; dogs; ostriches (including their eggs); seagulls; swallows; whales; dolphins; sharks; catfish; eel; lobsters; crabs; clams; oysters; shrimp; shellfish; octopus; squid; frogs; snakes; lizards; turtles; mice and ants. This list is not exhaustive, of course, but it highlights certain “popular” unclean animals.

Some claim that the distinction between clean and unclean animals only came into existence at the time of Moses, and that it was strictly a temporary ritual law. However, the Bible is clear that the prohibition of the consumption of unclean animals is a health law, which was in force and effect long before Moses, and which is still in effect today.

There are many reasons, grounded in biological facts, that show why unclean food should not be eaten. But a true Christian should only need one reason why unclean food should not be eaten, and that is because God prohibits it. Those who say that Christ abolished the law condemning unclean food are not motivated by Scripture.

We read in Genesis 7:2, 8-9, that God differentiated between clean and unclean animals at the time of Noah, and Noah knew exactly which animals fell into what category. God told Noah to take into the ark seven males and females of every clean animal, but only two males and females of every unclean animal. And Noah knew which animals were clean and unclean.

Christ did not abolish the distinction between clean and unclean animals, or the prohibition for man to eat unclean animals. Some refer to Mark 7:18-19, stating that Christ made all animals clean and proper for consumption. However, the context of this passage is that the Pharisees criticized Christ’s disciples for eating food with “unwashed hands” (verse 2); that is, without washing their hands first “in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders” (verse 3). Christ said in verses 18-19: “… Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?”

This passage does not teach, as some erroneously claim, that Christ made all foods clean. Rather, the word for “purifying” is “katharizo,” meaning “cleansing.” It is used in James 4:8, where sinners are told to cleanse their hands. The Authorized Version translates Mark 7:19 as, “… and goes out into the draught, PURGING all meats.”

Christ was addressing a situation where a little bit of dirt might have been attached to our hands or the CLEAN food. When we eat this, it does not defile us inwardly, as it is eliminated out of the body into the draught. The clean food will be “cleansed,” in that little particles of dirt will be eliminated out of the body. To use the passage in Mark 7 and say that Christ made all unclean animals clean is a willful and deliberate distortion of Scripture.

Others claim that Acts 10 teaches that God made all food clean. In that passage, Peter had a vision, seeing a great sheet of clean and unclean animals, and a voice asked him to eat. Peter refused and did not eat, although the voice told him that he should not call common what God had cleansed (verse 15). Subsequently, Peter went to the Gentiles, which were treated as common or unclean by the Jews, and baptized them. When confronted by the disciples, who were, at that time, exclusively of Jewish background and descent, Peter explained the meaning of the vision. It had nothing to do with declaring unclean animals as appropriate for human consumption. Rather, Peter said, in verse 28: “… God has shown me that I should not call any MAN common or unclean.” And so, the disciples recognized the purpose of the vision–it was to show the New Testament Church that God had “granted to the GENTILES repentance to life” (Acts 11:18).

Some, who refuse to obey God in all things, use additional passages to “prove” that we can eat today whatever dirty and rotten and slimy animals we want to devour. But Scripture does not support such teachings. In fact, the Bible is very clear that the returning Jesus Christ will PUNISH those who eat abominable unclean animals. We read God’s words in Isaiah 65:2-5:

“I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts; A people who provoke Me to anger continually to my face; Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on altars of brick; Who sit among the graves, And spend the night in the tombs; WHO EAT SWINE’S FLESH, AND THE BROTH OF ABOMINABLE THINGS [margin: UNCLEAN MEATS] is in their vessels… these are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.”

Scripture continues to describe Christ’s return, and His judgment on those who refuse to obey Him, in Isaiah 66:15-17:

“For behold, the LORD will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword The LORD will judge all flesh; and the slain of the LORD shall be many [compare 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10]. Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, EATING SWINE’S FLESH AND THE ABOMINATION AND THE MOUSE, Shall be CONSUMED TOGETHER,’ says the LORD.”

These passages would make no sense, if it would be perfectly acceptable in God’s eyes for man to consume unclean meat. But to assume this, is a tragic error. GOD COMMANDS MAN NOT to eat unclean meat. This prohibition was not just a temporary ritual law, but it is, and has always been, a health law, which must be obeyed today. God did NOT do away with this prohibition, and He does not take it lightly when people flagrantly disobey Him.

For additional information, please read pages 24-25 and 53 of our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new StandingWatch program was posted on the Web, titled, “How Convicted Are You?”

On October 8, 2005, Edwin Pope will give the sermon, titled, “Our Calling–A Privilege.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

The Day of Atonement is next week–from Wednesday sunset to Thursday sunset. Date: October 13.

There will be one service that day, covering the meaning of that special annual Holy Day. Dave Harris will give the sermon from Colorado, at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time).

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org. Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Some time ago, I watched an interesting program, which showed how deserts like the Sahara only required water to blossom like a rich oasis. One could notice various grasses, herbs and plants growing without first having to plant or sow them. The reason is that the seeds are there now–being preserved in the dry sand until moisture arrives in order for them to germinate. The seeds from grasses, plants, herbs and trees are carried there by the wind. It is interesting that seed will keep “alive” for a long time if kept in a dry location. Scientists have found wheat in the pyramids of Egypt, which was over 3,000 years old. When they planted the seed in soil and watered it, it grew and produced more wheat. The same applies to seed in the desert. All that is required is water.

From this example, we can draw an analogy with humans. We know, of course, that God does the calling. When we respond, repent and are baptized, we then receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). The human mind has now been seeded by God with the fruit of His Spirit, and all that is required to bring the fruit to fruition is the working of God’s Holy Spirit in us. The process begins for us to produce and manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22, which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are all character attributes of our loving Father and Jesus Christ.

The more water you give to a parched desert, the more vegetation it will produce. The more of God’s Spirit we receive, the more fruitful we become. The key is to ask for more of God’s Spirit in order to produce more fruit to the glory of God. Luke 11:13 tells us: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” We must ask and God is faithful to give. Then we are in a position to produce the fruit of the Spirit to the benefit of our fellow man, so that, when they see these manifested in and through us, they may give glory to God.

Remember the principle: The more Holy Spirit is flowing through us, the more fruit we will produce. The real question is: How are we doing?

Credit Card Payments at Record High

The Associated Press reported on September 28, 2005, about an alarming trend in the USA:

“The percentage of credit card payments that were past due shot up to a record high in the second quarter as surging gasoline prices strained budgets and made it difficult for some people to pay their bills… the seasonally adjusted percentage of credit card accounts 30 or more days past due rose in the April-to-June quarter to 4.81 percent. That followed a delinquency rate of 4.76 percent in the first quarter and was the highest since [such information was collected] in 1973… With personal savings rates dismally low, people have less of a cushion to absorb the big jumps in energy prices… The personal savings rate dipped to a record low of negative 0.6 percent in July. Rising borrowing costs also probably contributed to the spike in credit card delinquencies…”

Who Controls the Internet?

The Herald Tribune reported on September 30, 2005, about the world’s attempts to isolate the USA and to create a new international body to govern and control the Internet:

“The United States and Europe clashed…Thursday in one of their sharpest public disagreements in months, after European Union negotiators proposed stripping the Americans of their effective control of the Internet. The European decision to back the rest of the world in demanding the creation of a new international body to govern the Internet clearly caught the Americans off balance and left them largely isolated at talks designed to come up with a new way of regulating the digital traffic of the 21st century. ‘It’s a very shocking and profound change of the EU’s position,’ said David Gross, the State Department official in charge of America’s international communications policy. ‘The EU’s proposal seems to represent an historic shift in the regulatory approach to the Internet from one that is based on private sector leadership to a government, top-down control of the Internet.’… Political unease with the U.S. approach, symbolized by opposition to the war in Iraq, has spilled over into these technical discussions, delegates said. The EU and developing nations, they added, wanted to send a signal to America that it could not run things alone.”

The Associated Press added on September 30, 2005:

“EU spokesman Martin Selmayr said a new cooperation model was important ‘because the Internet is a global resource. The EU … is very firm on this position.'”

The World Against Israel?

On October 1, 2005, the Washington Times published the following article, expressing the view that Israel’s continuous unilateral concessions are the surest way to war and violence in the Middle East:

“It took just 12 days from Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza before rockets started raining down on the Western Negev area from the now-unoccupied territory. The attacks late Friday might have occurred sooner if the terrorists had not been preoccupied with torching synagogues and destroying flower-growing operations in Gaza that could have produced income for Palestinians. Their hatred of all things Jewish prompted them to act against their self-interest… A Reuters story about the Israeli attacks on Saturday said, ‘The upsurge in violence was a blow to international hopes that the pullout could revive peacemaking.’ The concept of international ‘hopes’ is founded on the false premise that peace depends only on Israel’s behavior. Every time Israel offers concessions, withdrawals, confidence-building measures and other ‘good faith’ gestures, the response is more terror, more death and no peace. Will there ever be a time when the U.S. and the international community concludes that forcing Israel into making unilateral concessions is not a prescription for peace, but a guarantee of more war?”

The article continued:

“The ‘quartet’ of the U.N., the United States, Russia and the European Union has succeeded only in pressuring Israel to give and give and give. Whatever pressure it has applied to the Palestinian-Hamas-Fatah side has produced no cessation of violence, no disarmament and, in fact, no concessions at all… It is frustrating that no one pays attention to the terrorists’ pronouncements. Hamas announced it would flood Gaza with its soldiers once Israel withdrew. Islamo-fascist clerics call for annihilation of Israel and tell jihadists it is their religious duty to kill Jews and Christians.”

Oil vs. Human Rights

AFP reported on October 1, 2005, about the apparent relationship between American economic interests and a lack of diligence to end violations of human rights in Saudi Arabia:

“The United States has put off a showdown with Saudi Arabia over its alleged violations of religious minority rights as skyrocketing oil prices threatened to crimp US economic growth. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice decided to postpone by six months imposing sanctions against the desert kingdom in the wake of a US finding that the Saudi government denied residents some of the most basic religious freedoms… US officials acknowledged that the kingdom has so far failed to make major strides in re-establishing the rights of its religious minorities…”

According to AFP, the postponement of sanctions was prompted by America’s need for Saudi Arabian oil. The article pointed out:

“Saudi Arabia controls one-fourth of the world’s proven oil reserves and, as a leading OPEC member, has a major say in determining production quotas and, subsequently, prices. During the first five months of this year, the kingdom supplied the United States with 1.5 million barrels of oil a day, which is roughly 15 percent of all US oil imports… Twelve refineries accounting for nearly one-fifth of the country’s oil-processing capacity remain shut down following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the US Congress reported, warning that half of them could remain closed for several months. Deutsche Bank analyst Adam Sieminski said it was a ‘staggering loss of product’ that is likely to reverberate through the US economy as gas prices, already topping three dollars a gallon in many regions, lurch even higher.”

SARS and Bats

Reuters reported on October 1, 2005:

“Many species of bats found across China are infected with viruses similar to the SARS virus… This would support the idea that bats are the reservoir — the natural host — of the virus. Animals that act as reservoirs carry and spread a virus without themselves becoming ill… Animals such as palm civets were found to be infected but study showed they were not the true reservoir of the SARS virus… an infected bat could have been kept in a cage next to a civet in a market with the civet becoming infected and passing the virus to humans. Bats are hosts of several other new viruses, including Hendra and Nipah viruses, and rarely become ill.”

Marriage on the Rocks in Britain

Breitbart.com reported on September 30, 2005, that “Marriage is on the rocks in Britain, with the proportion of unmarried people set to exceed that of married people within 25 years as more men and women opt to live together without constraints… The proportion of married men is expected to fall from 53 percent in 2003 to 42 percent in 2031, while the percentage of married women will decline from 50 percent to 40 percent… The ‘Population Trends’ report predicted on the other hand that the number of unmarried couples living together will almost double from two million in 2003 to 3.8 million in 2031… The projections are based on the recent steep fall in marriage rates for people aged under 30. As the older generation dies, a new generation of people who prefer living together to marriage will take their place… Further, more people will choose never to marry at all. By 2031 almost half of all adult men in the country will have never married, compared with 35 percent two years ago… While divorce rates are expected to drop among the 35 to 44 age group due to a smaller pool of married people, divorce rates will rise slowly in many age groups and sharply among the elderly. The proportion of divorced men and women aged over 65 is expected to more than double by 2031.”

What To Do With The Ice?

The New York Times reported on October 2, 2005, about another example of apparent mismanagement and pilfering of taxpayers’ money by FEMA:

“When the definitive story of the confrontation between Hurricane Katrina and the United States government is finally told, one long and tragicomic chapter will have to be reserved for the odyssey of the ice. Ninety-one thousand tons of ice cubes, that is, intended to cool food, medicine and sweltering victims of the storm. It would cost taxpayers more than $100 million, and most of it would never be delivered.”

The article continued:

“In the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina… [and partly] because of the mass evacuation forced by [the hurricane], and partly because of… a broken system for tracking goods at FEMA, the agency ordered far more ice than could be distributed to people who needed it. Over about a week after the storm, FEMA ordered 211 million pounds of ice for Hurricane Katrina… Officials eventually realized that that much ice was overkill, and managed to cancel some of the orders. But the 182 million pounds actually supplied turned out to be far more than could be delivered to victims. In the end… 59 percent of the ice was trucked to storage freezers all over the country…

“Of $200 million originally set aside for ice purchases, the bill for the Hurricane Katrina purchases so far is more than $100 million–and climbing… Under the ice contract, the government pays about $12,000 to buy a 20-ton truckload of ice, delivered to its original destination. If it is moved farther, the price is $2.60 a mile, and a day of waiting costs up to $900.”

Recent Hurricanes Acts of God?

On October 3, 2005, ABC News published the following article:

“Most Americans rule out either a deliberate act of God or the effect of global warming as direct causes of the recent Gulf Coast hurricanes… Broad majorities across demographic groups don’t think the hurricanes are a deliberate act of God. But one in three evangelical Protestants think they are, compared with 13 percent of non-evangelical Protestants, 15 percent of Catholics and 17 percent of non-religious people… Alabama State Sen. Hank Erwin… recently called Hurricane Katrina a punishment from God, saying New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast ‘have always been known for gambling, sin and wickedness. It is the kind of behavior that ultimately brings the judgment of God.’ … among people who think the hurricanes are a deliberate act of God, just 8 percent see it as a punishment. About half instead see it as a warning sign, just over a quarter say it’s for a reason we cannot understand and 14 percent say it’s a test of faith.”

Hollywood and No Consequences?

On October 3, 2005, The Associated Press published the following article about dangerous concepts endorsed by and portrayed in Hollywood movies:

“Hollywood might be bad for your health, according to a new study, which concludes that blockbuster movies paint a consequence-free view of sex and drugs. Dr. Hasantha Gunasekera, the study’s lead author from the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney, said the findings are troubling, ‘given the HIV and illicit drug pandemics in developing and industrialized countries.’ … The Australian researchers studied a September 2003 list of the 200 biggest box-office successes of all time [excluding animated features and movies with G and PG ratings] as ranked by the Internet Movie Database… [According to the study] Only one film… contained a suggestion of condom use, which was the only reference to any form of birth control. There were no depictions of important consequences of unprotected sex such as unwanted pregnancies, HIV or other STDs… Eight percent of the films contained depictions of marijuana use, and 7 percent other non-injected drugs, the researchers said. Just over half the marijuana scenes 52 percent showed use of the drug in a positive way. In the other 48 percent of cases it was depicted as neutral.”

Heavy Rains, Floods and Volcanic Eruption in El Salvador

On October 3, 2005, the Associated Press reported the following story about another series of natural disasters–this time in El Salvador:

“Heavy rains triggered landslides that killed at least 31 people in El Salvador on Monday, while rising rivers forced the evacuation of dozens of people there and in neighboring Guatemala. Both countries put their Pacific coasts on alert as a tropical weather front swept over Central America, unleashing downpours and causing principal rivers to overflow… The floods and landslides came two days after the newly active Ilamatepec volcano in El Salvador erupted, sending ashes and hot rocks down its flanks… The volcano, 40 miles west of San Salvador, last erupted in 1904. It became active again in June 2004.”

The Catholic Church Rejects Parts of Bible as UNTRUE!

On October 5, 2005, The Times On Line published the following article about the terrible attempts of the Catholic Church hierarchy in Britain to discredit God’s Word–the Bible–and to warn against those who take the Bible literally:

“The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church has published a teaching document instructing the faithful that some parts of the Bible are not actually true. The Catholic bishops of England, Wales and Scotland are warning their five million worshippers, as well as any others drawn to the study of scripture, that they should not expect ‘total accuracy’ from the Bible. ‘We should not expect to find in Scripture full scientific accuracy or complete historical precision,’ they say in The Gift of Scripture… They go on to condemn fundamentalism for its ‘intransigent intolerance’ and to warn of ‘significant dangers’ involved in a fundamentalist approach…

“As examples of passages not to be taken literally, the bishops cite the early chapters of Genesis, comparing them with early creation legends from other cultures, especially from the ancient East. The bishops say it is clear that the primary purpose of these chapters was to provide religious teaching and that they could not be described as historical writing. Similarly, they refute the apocalyptic prophecies of Revelation, the last book of the Christian Bible, in which the writer describes the work of the risen Jesus, the death of the Beast and the wedding feast of Christ the Lamb. The bishops say: ‘Such symbolic language must be respected for what it is, and is not to be interpreted literally. We should not expect to discover in this book details about the end of the world.'”

The article of The Times On Line continued to publish a list of the following Scriptures, which, according to Catholic understanding, are UNTRUE:

“Genesis ii, 21-22– ‘So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.'”

“Genesis iii, 16– ‘God said to the woman [after she was beguiled by the serpent]: “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”‘”

“Matthew xxvii, 25–The words of the crowd: ‘His blood be on us and on our children.'”

“Revelation xix, 20–‘And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had worked the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone.'”

It should not be surprising that the Catholic Church dismisses the Book of Revelation as a figurative allegory, which is not to be taken literally. Otherwise, they would have to find themselves in the uncomfortable position of explaining to their followers why the Bible describes very clearly in the book of Revelation the unflattering history of the Catholic Church, as well as its prophesied destruction and punishment from God at the time of Christ’s Return. However, the Bible teaches that “ALL Scripture is given by INSPIRATION OF GOD” (2 Timothy 3:16). Christ explained that He did not come to “destroy the Law or the Prophets,” and that not “one jot or one tittle will… pass from the law till ALL is FULFILLED” (Matthew 5:17-18).

Even though we might sometimes be tempted to become surety for another person, especially a Church member, a close friend or a relative, the Bible contains strong warnings against such conduct.

Proverbs 6:1-5 reads:

“My son, if you become surety [margin: guarantee or collateral] for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, You are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend. Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of a fowler [margin: one who catches birds in a trap or snare].”

The Bible warns against becoming surety for both a “friend” and a “stranger.” According to the Ryrie Study Bible, the word for “stranger” is a neutral term and simply designates the borrower. The Soncino Commentary explains that the word “stranger” refers to another person, and that it is identical with neighbor.

This means, then, that Proverbs 6:1-5 cautions us against becoming surety for ANYONE. The Ryrie Study Bible states:

“The master teacher warns against becoming liable for the financial obligations of another. The one solution he offers is, deliver thyself.”

The New Student Bible explains: “Proverbs warns against ‘putting up security’ for a neighbor–something like co-signing a loan for a friend who doesn’t otherwise qualify. Proverbs supports generosity, but not open-ended charity in which the amount you must give and the timing are determined by circumstances beyond your control. Too often it leads to disaster.”

Fritz Rienecker states in his Commentary of the Bible: “The Book of Proverbs warns strongly against becoming surety for another… Each surety… remains uncertain for both parties, as the future is not within the control of men. That is why only God can truly be surety (Job 17:3).”

It is widely understood that the Biblical term for “surety” includes co-signing for the debt of another. The Ryrie Study Bible defines “surety” as “a cosigner, one responsible for a debt should the borrower default.”

The Nelson Study Bible points out:

“These verses [in Proverbs 6:1-5] warn against putting up surety… or cosigning a loan. This does not mean we should never be generous or helpful if we have the means, only that we should not promise what we cannot deliver… inability to pay a debt is still a form of bondage and can be a serious problem…”

As many commentaries recognize, the Biblical warning refers foremost to becoming surety for more than one is able and willing to pay. We know that in New Testament times, Church members sold their possessions outright and gave the proceeds to the Church (compare Acts 2:44-45; 4:34-37). They sold what they could sell–they did not sell what they did not have. By the same token, they did not promise to pay someone else’s debts, if they did not have the means to do so.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary points out:

“It is every man’s wisdom to keep out of debt as much as may be, for it is an encumbrance upon him, entangles him in the world, puts him in danger of doing wrong or suffering wrong. The borrower is servant to the lender, and makes himself very much a slave to the world. A man ought never to be bound as surety for more than he is both able and willing to pay, and can afford to pay without wronging his family.”

In addition, Proverbs 11:15 explains:

“He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, But one who hates being surety is secure.”

Soncino comments that the better translation of this passage is “for another,” rather than, “for a stranger.” The commentary continues to explain: “There is no limitation implied. The practice is condemned unreservedly.”

Proverbs 17:18 states:

“A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety [margin: guarantee or collateral] for his friend.”

Commentaries like Rienecker point out that the practice of shaking hands in a pledge confirmed the surety. Job 17:3 also makes reference to such a practice. Today, the equivalent to shaking hands in a pledge would be signing a surety or guarantee agreement.

Proverbs 22:26-27 adds the following caution:

“Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?”

Soncino remarks that the phrase “for debts” literally means, “for (another man’s) loan.” The warning expressed is abundantly clear: We are not to become surety for the debts of another, for IF WE HAVE NOTHING WITH WHICH TO PAY at the time of the borrower’s default, we will be in deep trouble. This is not to say, of course, that the Bible prohibits husbands and wives to co-sign for a house loan. In God’s eyes, husbands and wives are no longer two persons, but “one flesh,” compare Matthew 19:4-6. In this context, please read our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families.”

Sometimes, we desperately may want to help others in need. And we should–but we must do so by following God’s Way and directives. To become surety, guarantee or collateral for another person–by co-signing for his or her debt–is generally not in accordance with God’s wise principles of right living. Even though we may have the means to pay when we cosign, we don’t know what the future brings (compare James 4:13-16), and whether we can pay the borrower’s debt when he defaults. Although it may seem right to us to become surety for another person, the Bible and experience caution us against such conduct.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new StandingWatch program has been posted on the Web, titled, “How Close Are We?”

Our booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America,” has been received from the printer. We will distribute a hard copy to the attendees at our Feast sites in the USA and England, and we will mail it to others after the Feast.

An Illustration
by Cali Harris (22)

Main Entry: joy

1 a: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or by the prospect of possessing what one desires: DELIGHT

b: the expression or exhibition of such emotion: GAIETY

It seems almost silly to read Merriam Webster’s definition of “joy”; the structured, rigid dictionary definition hardly conveys the real sense of the word. I imagine joy to be illustrated in so many different ways: in a positive attitude, in kindness among brethren, in laughter–even in a smile.

As I’ve been spiritually and physically preparing for the Feast this year, it’s like Satan is hiding around the corner to try and trip me up at every turn. This makes it particularly challenging to focus on having a joyful attitude. But we are actually instructed by God to be joyful–especially during His weekly and annual Sabbaths.

In spite of Satan’s efforts to try to derail us, it is so exciting to know what we have in store for our short-term AND our long-term futures! Merriam Webster’s definition may be lackluster, but it does point us in the right direction to being joyful in the way that God commands us.

How would we illustrate the best Feast of Tabernacles we’ve ever attended? Would it be filled with spiritual growth, appreciation for God’s beautiful creation, and building friendships with brethren? Would our Feast be illustrated by joy?

On October 1, 2005, Edwin Pope will give the sermon, titled, “The Give Way.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

The Feast of Trumpets is next week — from Monday sunset to Tuesday sunset. Date: October 4.

Please note that there will be two services that day, covering the meaning of that special annual Holy Day:

Dave Harris will be speaking in the morning from Colorado, at 9:00 am Pacific Time (which is 11:00 am Central Time); and Norbert Link will be speaking from San Diego, CA, at 1:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 3:30 pm Central Time).

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org. Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

So, you believe you are a Christian. But how can you know, for certain?

Upon what do you base your Christianity? Is it that you are a member of a particular church? Is it merely the fact that you have appropriated the name “Christian”–that you give this answer if asked to identify your religion? Perhaps you claim to be Christian because at times, you followed the teachings of the Bible.

Christianity is so much more than these or so many other superficial assertions! Jesus Christ was and is a Christian, and it is to Him that we must look to really know if we are following Him. His life and His way of living are recorded for our edification in the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, and this is our source for learning about Jesus.

Many claim to be Christians! Many faithfully worship in church services on Sunday mornings, thinking they are doing exactly what Jesus wants them to do, but they are wrong! Many are trying to establish Christianity on this earth in order to solve its problems, but they will fail in this purpose! Others pick and choose some aspect of Biblical teachings, but hold back in total commitment to God! Followers of modern professing Christianity are simply deceived, and have no inkling of the fact that theirs is a false claim when they espouse the Christian religion.

Narrow the focus to yourself. Are you able to evaluate others and see their error? Can you open your Bible and prove what truth is? More importantly, can YOU be guided by the Word of God?

The Bible speaks of the end of the age. It describes a time of great deception: “‘For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect'” (Matthew 24:24). Most people are confident that this deception applies to someone else! Yet, Christ warns His Church not to become complacent (compare Revelation 3:14-22).

Paul puts it this way: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). He further challenges us with the admonition: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?–unless you are disqualified [margin: do not stand the test]” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

So, how do you know you are a Christian? You examine and test YOURSELF in light of God’s Word, using the standard of Jesus Christ’s life as your guide! Jesus gave us this very specific key: “‘By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another'” (John 13:35). John adds: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:2-3).

How do YOU KNOW you are a Christian?

Hurricane Rita’s Long-Term Consequences

The Mercury News reported on September 26, 2005, about long-term consequences of Hurricane Rita’s devastation: “President Bush on Monday urged Americans to cut back on car trips amid warnings that the energy disruption from Hurricane Rita could be worse than initially thought. Although Rita spared massive refineries and chemical complexes in the Houston area, the first reports about damage to offshore production of crude oil and natural gas were GRIM.”

The article continued:

“Offshore production across the entire U.S. Gulf of Mexico remained closed Monday, meaning a fifth of the nation’s oil production has been shut down since Thursday. Even before oil workers evacuated offshore rigs in advance of Rita last week, Hurricane Katrina had knocked out 56 percent of Gulf oil production. On-shore refineries also took a hit. The Energy Department said Monday that Katrina and Rita together had cut the nation’s refining capacity by 25 percent. Even when energy companies restart their Texas and Louisiana facilities, at least 10 percent of U.S. refining capacity will remain idle for weeks or months… Some consumer groups have accused oil companies of deliberately restricting refining capacity to keep gasoline prices high.”

On September 24, 2005, The Associated Press reported about Hurricane Rita:

“As the storm raged, the torches of oil refineries could be seen burning in the distance from downtown Beaumont… business analysts said damage from Rita could send gas prices as high as $4 A GALLON. Environmentalists warned of the risk of a toxic spill.”

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have begun to severely damage the economy and infra-structure of the United States of America. Sadly, this is just the beginning of troubles, as our next article on New York will show.

New York Next?

On September 25, 2005, The Independent (UK) stated: “Experts are predicting still more hurricanes, in what could be the WORST YEAR for the storms since records began. The US government’s official National Hurricane Center and scientists at Colorado State University, who predicted both Katrina and Rita, expect several more named storms in the remaining two months of the hurricane season. And the World Meteorological Organisation believes that the record of 21, set in 1933, may be beaten.”

The article continued:

“Some of these storms could hit the US, and experts say New York could be the next city to be DEVASTATED. The area around the Big Apple is listed by the Center as the FIFTH most vulnerable in the country, after New Orleans, the Florida Keys, Tampa in Florida and Galveston in Texas, all targeted by hurricanes in the past two years… Local experts say that such a catastrophe is ‘INEVITABLE’, and the New York City authorities warn that it could bring a 30ft-high storm surge crashing into Manhattan. The city says at least a million New Yorkers are at risk, and has drawn up plans to evacuate those within 10 blocks of the water. But the city could have less warning than Texas or Louisiana, since hurricanes move faster as they head northwards.”

Iraq Coming Apart?

According to an article which was published by USA Today on September 22, 2005, “Iraq is moving toward disintegration, and war there could spread to its neighbors, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said Thursday. In part because of a new constitution that would give more power to various regions in Iraq, ‘there seems to be NO dynamic that is pulling the country together,’ Saud said. Iraqis are to vote on the constitution next month. Sunni Arab leaders are urging a ‘no’ vote, while majority Shiites urge approval. ‘All the dynamics there are pushing people away from each other,’ said Saud, whose nation is predominantly Sunni.”

The article continued: “The main problem, Saud told a small group of reporters here, is the split between Sunnis and Shiites in central and southern Iraq… ‘If things go the way they are… there will be a struggle… for natural resources,’ Saud said, and Iraq’s neighbors will be drawn into a WIDER WAR. He said IRAN, a predominantly Shiite but non-Arab nation, WOULD INTERVENE on the side of Iraqi Shiites. TURKEY, which has a big Kurdish minority, has repeatedly threatened to ENTER northern Iraq if Kurds there declare independence. If Iraq’s Sunni Arab minority appears to lose out, ‘I DON’T SEE HOW THE ARAB COUNTRIES WILL BE LEFT OUT OF THE CONFLICT IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.'”

This would mean outright WAR in the Middle East! It would be tragic to think that the Iraq war–which was supposed to bring democracy and peace to Iraq–would have, at least in part, CAUSED such an all-encompassing war in the Middle East!

Afghanistan–Far From Being A Democracy

On September 26, 2005, Der Spiegel Online published an eye-opening article about the situation in Afghanistan and the unwillingness of many countries, including Germany, to face reality and to act–or not to act–accordingly. The article explained:

“Afghanistan is still far from a hospitable place, but that hasn’t stopped German authorities from beginning the process of sending Afghan refugees back home. The first have already been deported, and tens of thousands are now fearing for their future.”

The article described the official position of the German state, which is shared by many of Germany’s allies, as follows:

“…officially, at least, the war is over. Even if warlords continue to rule over drug-infested fiefdoms throughout much of the country, Afghanistan held its first parliamentary election in 35 years last Sunday and parts of the country have been stable for years now. At a conference last November, German state interior ministers determined that Afghanistan was sufficiently stable for refugees to be sent home. Of the 58,000 Afghans currently living in Germany, up to a third suddenly faced expulsion.”

The paradox of this official position is highlighted by Der Spiegel Online, in this way:

“Even Germany’s own foreign ministry has a warning posted on its Web site that, ‘Government security forces are not in a position to secure law and order across the country.’ Furthermore, the Kabul government has little control over vast regions of the country and 70 percent of the population is undernourished.”

One MUST ask: Has the war in Afghanistan, praised by many as the most convincing recent example of bringing peace and prosperity through war, really done this? If so, how are we to explain the undeniable fact that peace, freedom, posterity and happiness seem to be far from many Afghan citizens? Will man EVER learn that his wars will NEVER produce the peace and tranquility that man desires to create?

Gerhard Schroeder a Roman Emperor?

The Telegraph (UK) wrote on September 29, 2005:

“Chancellor Gerhard Schröder stands accused of behaving like a Roman emperor for refusing to quit despite defeat in the German general election… [T]he mass-circulation [German tabloid] Bild portrayed him in a toga on its front page. ‘Just what is the matter with Gerhard Schröder?’, it asked. ‘Does he think he is Germany’s eternal leader–like Caesar?’… [Schroeder] angrily dismissed Mrs. Merkel’s right to lead Germany. ‘It is clear that nobody apart from myself is in a position to form a stable government. I am Chancellor and I intend to remain so,’ he said… Instead, his party tried to argue that the conservatives were really comprised of two parties–Mrs. Merkel’s CDU and its Bavarian sister, the Christian Social Union (CSU)–each of which, taken separately, had fewer seats than the Social Democrats and, thus, no claim on the Chancellery… With neither leader [Gerhard Schroeder or Angela Merkel] prepared to relinquish their claim to lead Germany, there is even talk of their sharing the post for two years each [Angela Merkel rejected this possibility.]. Failing that, both may have to step down.”

The final outcome of this internal German “fight” between the two major parties and their leaders, and the formation of the new German government, could be of important relevance for future developments in Europe and the entire world.

Tony Blair’s Poor Performance

The EUobserver reported on September 23, 2005: “London has drawn criticism for its performance at the helm of the EU, with French ex-president Valery Giscard d’Estaing suggesting the UK has achieved ‘very little’, and the EU budget commissioner questioning slow progress towards a deal on the bloc’s future spending. A debate has sparked in the British media over the last few days about the state of London’s EU presidency. The papers have been quoting EU diplomats’ complaints about the lack of leadership in the presidency while journalists criticised technical problems at events organised in the country. Yesterday Mr Giscard also waded in. ‘The chairmanship of the union is now British’, he told BBC Radio on Thursday (22 September). ‘We are at the end of September. What was the contribution of the British presidency up to now? Practically very little’… The British government has also been under fire for its weak role in the debate about the future of Europe, following the rejection of the constitutional treaty in France and the Netherlands.”

When Tony Blair became the rotating President of the European Parliament, not much leadership or drive toward European unification was expected from Britain–and this should not come as a surprise, since the Bible strongly indicates that Britain will not even be a part of the final configuration of a United States of Europe.

Powerful Earthquake in Peru

The Associated Press reported on September 26, 2005, that “A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7 hit northern Peru late Sunday, causing power outages and cutting phone service throughout much of the region… Peru’s Geophysics Institute said the quake… was centered about 60 miles northeast of the jungle city Moyobamba, 420 miles north of the capital Lima. The earthquake was felt throughout Peru’s northern coast and as far away as Bogota in Colombia. It was the strongest quake to strike Peru since an 8.1-magnitude quake hit the Arequipa province in southern Peru in June 2001.”

The Bible predicts that the increase of powerful earthquake activities in diverse places, as well as devastating hurricanes and other natural disasters will signal the “beginning of sorrows.”

The EU in the Middle East?

Reuters reported on September 19, 2005, that “Israel has agreed in principle to a European Union role in policing Gaza’s volatile border crossing with Egypt, Israeli officials said on Monday, a turnabout after years of opposition to an EU security mission… Israeli officials said the pact had to be fleshed out and it remained unclear whether it would entail a full-scale European border guard mission. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters his side had agreed in principle to an EU presence on the Gaza-Egypt border… The London-based Independent newspaper said a heightened EU role could range from provision of equipment, such as X-ray scanners for cargo, to an expanded police or border guard force.”

The EU agreed to such a role in the Middle East. If carried out, could this be a preliminary first step toward the ultimate fulfillment of Christ’s statements about end-time European armies surrounding Jerusalem (see Luke 21:20; compare Daniel 11:41)?

We addressed this issue, to an extent, in the Editorial, “An Independent Mind,” in Update 208. In the Editorial, we quoted some of Mr. Armstrong’s statements about “independents,” as follows:

“This is what Mr. Armstrong thought about independents: ‘What about a single member, “a joint, or part,” going off by itself–or following a man instead of the Church of God that is in direct continuous succession from the apostolic Church founded by Christ, in A.D.31? He is like a joint or a piece of wood or stone, entirely outside of, and therefore no part of the body of Christ that shall marry Christ’ (The Incredible Human Potential, ed.1978, pp.123, 124-125).”

These appear to be powerful statements; yet, there must have been a reason why Mr. Armstrong felt this way. Mr. Armstrong’s statements are Biblically founded, as explained below.

An “independent” has in essence taken upon himself the prerogative to reject the government of God which was established by God Himself, and which was revealed by Christ in Ephesians 4:11-13: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping [or perfecting] of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect [or full-grown] man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…”

The purpose of the ministry is to edify the members to achieve the goal of becoming sons and daughters of God. In addition, Hebrews 10:25 admonishes us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, especially on the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days, to be nourished by God’s Church and His ministry, and to encourage each other through uplifting and positive communication.

God’s Church is a spiritual organism, but this does not mean that it is not organized. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:18-28: “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased… And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you, ‘[i.e., I am an independent; I don’t need the Church or anyone in the Church]; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’… But God composed the body… that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it… And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.”

Christ said to His Church in John 15:12: “This is My commandment, that you love ONE ANOTHER as I have loved you.”

Can’t we see that passages like the ones quoted above totally disprove and refute the concept of an “independent”–that he can be on his own, and still be a part of the Church? The Bible makes it very clear that he CANNOT BE.

Christ will marry His bride–His Church–when He returns. At that time, the bride will have made herself ready (Revelation 19:7). This means, the Church has allowed Christ to “sanctify and cleanse her… to present her to Himself as a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish… For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones” (Ephesians 5:26-30). Christ has decreed, as we saw earlier, that Church members can only become “perfect” WITHIN the Church–within HIS very Body. Christ told us in John 15:6: “If anyone does not abide in Me [that includes Christ’s BODY, His Church, compare Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 2:18-19; 3:15; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 12:27], he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

To reject the ministry established by God and Christ, and to separate from Church brethren who are sanctified by God, is paramount to rejecting Christ and His Body, as well as the government of God which God established in His Church.

Let us examine an example of this rejection in the Old Testament, as revealed in 1 Samuel 8:4-7:

“Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’ But the thing displeased Samuel [or, was evil in Samuel’s eyes], when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ So Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Heed [or listen to] the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.”

Notice that when the nation insisted on having a king over them, like the nations around them, they rejected God’s rule over them. By extension, they rejected God. In the same manner, when people reject God’s true ministry in this Church era, as established by God, they reject the government of God, and by extension, they reject GOD.

As a result of this rejection, God has no choice but to reject THEM. Notice what Christ says in John 12:48: “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him–the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.”

Some might justify becoming independent in the face of widespread heresy in the doctrines, teachings and practices of the Church. False leaders have arisen and have actually gained control of some of the membership and assets of God’s Church. That has forced faithful members to withdraw from those who begin to preach “a different gospel” (compare Galatians 1). In times like this, the people of God have become scattered; however, far too often, this has become an opportunity for false ministers to build their own following. John wrote of this very attitude and problem in the Church at his time: “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the pre-eminence among them, does not receive us” (3 John 9).

Paul instructed Timothy, who was a minister under his guidance: “Take heed to yourself and to the DOCTRINE. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16).

The Church of God has experienced a very challenging time following the death of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. Those who gained the leadership in the Worldwide Church of God rejected the core doctrines, as established under Mr. Armstrong. In this context, it is difficult for those who now seek to faithfully and zealously adhere to the gospel brought by Jesus Christ and faithfully proclaimed by His established ministry! However, Christ says that when we ask, seek and knock, we will find, as God will open the door of understanding to us.

Our advice to “independents” is to look to the Word of God to test what is being taught. Note the record of the people in Berea: “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Paul said, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Even though we recognize the difficulties for those who want to stay loyal to God and His Church to find and identify their brethren who have remained faithful, to become an “independent” is not the answer–judging by God’s inspired Word. This is even more so, when a follower, be it for imagined or even real “injustice,” or because of MINOR disagreements with perhaps technical points of non-salvational issues, leaves a faithful organization, which belongs to the spiritual Body of Christ, to BECOME an “independent.” As explained herein, “independents” are in a very precarious position if they do not repent in time, since they, in effect, might miss out on salvation. We should bear in mind that it was Satan who originally rejected the government of God and invented an alternate way of doing things– following the way of competition, get and self-aggrandizement, which he felt was superior to God’s way of cooperation, give and humility.

In summary, when a person rejects the government of God, including the true and faithful ministry established by God in His Church, he rejects God. This sin MUST be repented of! Mr. Armstrong once asked, that if in this life we do not want to be ruled by the government of God, how can God use us to rule over others in the future? This is a serious matter which anyone who is inclined to reject God’s government in His Church has to consider, for the sake of his own salvation. Therefore, it is imperative to those who by their words and/or actions have rejected the government of God in the Church, to repent before it is too late.

Lead writer: Rene Messier