On Saturday, December 25, 2004, Norbert Link will give the sermon, continuing the series on the life of David.

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.

Most “Christians” would like to think that they are currently worshipping God in the right and true way. But the reality is quite the opposite.

Take, for example, the custom of Christmas. There are many resources, readily available, which attest to the fact that Christmas had its roots in paganism long before the birth of Christ. The Bible itself condemns these practices (ones still observed today) as they were extant in Old Testament times. Also, nowhere in the Bible will you find Christians celebrating Christmas. The fact that Christmas is not of Christian origins is not in dispute here.

In fact, many openly admit that Christ was not born on or near December 25th, and that it is indeed a day that originates in paganism. So, it really stands to reason that it is one of the highest forms of hypocrisy to say that we are worshipping God by taking on an irreligious observance such as Christmas. If we take a contrivance of ungodly inception and say that we are doing this in honor of God, can we not see how little this makes sense? (Compare Matthew 15:7-9)

In John 4:24 we are admonished to worship God in TRUTH. In the previous verse it states that the TRUE worshippers of God will worship Him this way. God has written down for us this way and TRUTH in the pages of our Bible. We will not find “THE TRUTH” in the teachings of man or, worse yet, of Satan. It is important to God that we study the Scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15) and give all diligence to them in order that we succeed (2 Peter 1:10) in doing God’s will, the right and TRUE way.

Christmas is not the way that God wants us to glorify and honor Him. He has set aside His own holy days for a special reason. For a more in-depth look at these subjects, please read our booklets, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” and “God’s Commanded Holy Days.” In addition to the articles on Christmas, published in this Update, you may also want to review our special Update #122 on Christmas, which was published on December 19, 2003.

Christmas 2004 … in “New Europe”

AFP reported on December 22, 2004: “Driven by Christmas shopping fever and growing hunger for material goods, Europeans in former communist states are putting aside a historic aversion to taking out loans as their spending habits change and a new generation of debtors takes root… At no time is the desire for material things more visible than during the Christmas season, when people cram malls while banks flood airwaves from Budapest to Riga with ‘Christmas credit’ promotions.

“As Christmas shopping nears climax, ‘New Europeans’ sink deeper in debt. ‘Our consumer loans and credit card demands soar some 40 percent above the monthly average during the holiday season,’ said [a spokesperson of] Hungary’s largest bank… In Poland, several banks promise Christmas loans at low interest rates, even zero percent, but in return they charge ‘hefty’ commissions… Among Romanians, considerably poorer than the new EU members but hopeful of joining the Union in 2007, the consumer culture is also taking hold. Instead of the Christmas credit schemes, so-called ‘personal credits’ of under 3,000 euros are proving a runaway hit with those short of money in the holiday season.”

The article continued to point out that many “New Europeans” have, throughout the year, adopted a philosophy of buying now and (perhaps) paying later. For instance, in “Hungary, household debt increased five-fold in the past four years, fuelled by state subsidized mortgage loans that increased 11-fold from 2000 to 2004… More than 200,000 Hungarians are registered on a ‘black list’ of debtors who have missed credit payments…”

… in the United States of America

On December 19, 2004, the British news service, news.telegraph.com, pointed out that there is a “growing campaign in America to remove any trace of Christmas from public life.”

However, this campaign has nothing to do with a realization that Christmas is of pagan origin and should not be celebrated in a Christian nation. Rather, it is motivated by a–wrongly understood and interpreted–concept of separation between Church and State.

The article explained: “Across the United States, celebrations for what many Americans now refer to as the ‘C word’ have been all but restricted to churches and private homes. In Wichita, Kansas, a local newspaper ran an apology after referring to a ‘Christmas tree’, rather than a ‘community tree’ at the city’s Winterfest celebration. In Denver, a Christian church float was barred from the city’s parade while Chinese lion dancers and German folk dancers were welcomed. In parts of Florida, fir trees have been banned this year from government-owned property. A mayor in Massachusetts issued a formal apology to anyone offended by a press release that mistakenly described the town of Somerville’s holiday party as a ‘Christmas party’. Schools in Florida and New Jersey have banned all carols and elsewhere in Washington state a school principal banned a production of A Christmas Carol mainly because Tiny Tim prays: ‘God bless us, every one.’ In one New Jersey school district, where the singing of Christmas carols has long been abandoned, officials have this year forbidden children’s orchestras to play songs such as Silent Night because that might remind people of their Christian content.”

Although a ban of Christmas for the RIGHT reasons would be desirable and pleasing in God’s sight, the present attempts are all motivated by WRONG reasons. And as can be expected, as the article pointed out, “The fightback, however, has begun. Showdowns are taking place across the country as individuals, and conservative and religious groups, come out against the zealous interpretation of the separation of Church and State… Organisations such as the Americans United (AU) for Separation of Church and State believe that the campaign to put Christ back into Christmas is being pushed by conservative Christian groups buoyed by the victory of President George W Bush and the religious Right in last month’s elections.”

The sad part is that Christ can’t be put back into Christmas, as Christ was NEVER IN CHRISTMAS to begin with. Christmas is not a Holy Day that a Christian nation should be keeping. But this is NOT because of POLITICAL correctness, but because of a deep and sincere respect for God and His Word.

Conservative Christians lament that, as the article explains, “President Bush’s holiday greetings card, posted to a record two million recipients this year, carries a line from Psalm 95 — ‘Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song’ — [but] there is no mention of Christmas on the White House website. Even Fox News, the conservative television network, cannot bring itself to wish a merry Christmas to its viewers. Instead, ‘Happy Holidays’ is flashed up to the tune.”

And so some have started to fight to bring “Christ back into Christmas.” THAT fight cannot be won. For more information on this all-important issue, please read our free booklet: “Don’t Keep Christmas.”

… in Europe and the USA

On December 21, 2004, the British webpage, news.telegraph.co.uk, reported: “The Christmas message of peace, love and goodwill appears to have been replaced by one of drink, shopping and crime… The holiday season is also accompanied by higher than normal rates of murder, burglaries and drunk-driving… The increase in alcohol consumption was highest in Britain… In terms of actual alcohol consumed per person, only Germans knock back more wine, beer and spirits in December than the British. The average German imbibes 1.2 litres of pure alcohol per person, compared to the typical Briton’s 1.02 litres…. December is one of the more popular months for murders and burglaries across Europe. In Britain, the Christmas period triggers a 4.2 per cent rise in murders (to 0.17 deaths per 100,000 people). Elsewhere the seasonal increase is higher — a 5.7 per cent rise in America, France and Italy, and 6.4 per cent in Germany. Britain has a lower murder rate than its [Christian European] rivals… In America there are 0.74 deaths per 100,000 people, while in France there are 0.41 deaths. But the UK’s burglary rate is the highest in the survey — nearly 120 burglaries per 100,000 people compared to 62 in America and 67 in Italy.”
A seeming paradox is the fact that, in spite of these terrible figures of doom and gloom, “British church attendances increase by 220 per cent around the holiday period — compared to a 240 per cent increase in Germany and a 112 per cent rise in America.”

At the same time, the article continued to point out:

“However, Britain has the lowest proportion of churchgoers among [Christian European] countries. Just 16 per cent of people go to church in December in the UK — compared to 55 per cent of Americans, 49 per cent of Italians and 20 per cent of French. The British also spend more than most at Christmas. According to the statistics, based on 2003 data, the UK spends an average $2,006 (£1,081) per person in the shops in December — less than America, but more than the other [Christian European] countries.”

We believe these figures speak for themselves…

… in Germany

The English press reported on December 5, 2004, about the efforts of a German Catholic priest to abolish Santa Claus and replace him with St. Nicholas. This rather bizarre article by Reuters pointed out:

“A German priest fed up with the growing commercialism of Christmas launched an anti-Santa Claus campaign on Thursday featuring bumper stickers that proclaim: ‘This is a Santa-free zone.’ Eckhard Bieger, a Roman Catholic priest in Frankfurt, said he is all for the holiday season, gift exchanges and family celebrations. But he believes the twinkly-eyed old man in a red costume is a commercial fraud. ‘Santa Claus is a creation of the advertising industry and Coca-Cola to further commercial interests,’ Bieger told Reuters. ‘I don’t have anything against Christmas presents and don’t want to disappoint children,’ he said. ‘My aim is to put St Nicholas back at the center of attention rather than this Santa Claus figure, which is just an empty shell.'”

The article continued: “Swedish-American Artist Haddon Sundblom created the rosy-cheeked Santa used in Coca-Cola’s Christmas advertisements in 1931, and Bieger complained that it has been imitated ever since. Christina Jacob, spokeswoman for Coke’s Germany subsidiary Coca-Cola GmbH, said the company was proud Sundblom had created the Santa Claus character the world knows today for the Coca-Cola ad campaigns used during the 1930s and 1940s. ‘Sundblom used a cheery-faced Coca-Cola truck driver as his model for the portrait,’ said Jacob… ‘We’re naturally all proud that Coca-Cola is so closely entwined with the Christmas season.'”

Reuters pointed out: “The modern Santa is a far cry from the severe St Nicholas who meted out punishment or gifts to children in continental Europe or the Old Christmas figure who aided drunken festivities of the English… Bieger said he wanted to revive a tradition in which St Nicholas went from house to house on the night of December 6 and put sweets into shoes of well-behaved children.”

However, as with so many Christmas traditions, the concept of St. Nicholas is also of pagan origin–and the story of a saint giving presents to obedient children on December 6 is a fabrication. For proof, please read our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger the Next U.S. President?

The Associated Press reported on December 18, 2004, that Gov. Schwarzenegger gave an interview to the German “Sueddeutsche Zeitung.” According to A.P., “Schwarzenegger was guarded on suggestions that he harbors presidential ambitions, saying only that a debate on whether the constitution should be amended to allow foreign-born citizens to run was ‘overdue.'” The article pointed out that “Schwarzenegger became an American citizen in 1983, 15 years after he immigrated from Austria. He has said he’d consider running for president if such an amendment passed but also [has] taken pains to say it shouldn’t be created specifically for him.”

In the same interview, Schwarzenegger “suggested… that the Republican Party should move ‘a little to the left,’ a shift that he said would allow it to pick up new voters.” According to A.P., he “said that ‘the Republican Party currently covers only the spectrum from the right wing to the middle, and the Democratic Party covers the spectrum from the left to the middle… I would like the Republican Party to cross this line, move a little further left and place more weight on the center,’ he was quoted as saying. ‘This would immediately give the party 5 percent more votes without it losing anything elsewhere.'”

Conservative speakers of the Republican Party subsequently criticized Schwarzenegger for his comments, according to press releases in the U.S.

In other news, according to the November 2004 issue of “California Lawyer,” the “passage of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s $105.4 billion state budget may have soothed the greatest of California’s fiscal woes, but for many of the state’s regulatory agencies the budget burn has only gotten worse. Ongoing cuts and the fiscal realities of recent years have been especially tough on consumer protection–and left some beleaguered agencies scrambling to perform even basic regulatory functions.” The article pointed out that the agencies most affected are: Adult Protection Services; California Highway Patrol; Fair Political Practices Commission; California Department of Real Estate; and Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

Worldwide Epidemic Coming?

On December 20, 2004, the Associated Press reported that “Health officials warned Monday that the world was close to its next pandemic — a powerful and highly contagious mix of avian influenza and flu virus that would likely be centered in Asia. Authorities also warned that humans, and not animals as initially thought, would probably be the carriers… WHO had warned previously that bird flu mixed with a human flu virus could spread rapidly and cause as many as 7 million deaths.”

U.S. Presidents

The November 2004 issue of ABA Journal (the Journal of the American Bar Association) pointed out: “Since George Washington’s first Inauguration in 1789, the United States has had 42 presidents. More than half of them — 25 to be exact — have been lawyers.” In quoting an expert, author and commentator, Paul Finkelman, the article stated: “Lincoln was not only the nation’s greatest president but the one most deeply influenced by his earlier career as a lawyer… An example of how Lincoln thought like a lawyer… is the Emancipation Proclamation, which Lincoln issued in 1863 amid the fury of the Civil War to free slaves only in the states that had seceded from the Union. While some historians have criticized the document as too limited and cautious…, it was ‘a deeply lawyerly’ endeavor for Lincoln, drafted so that it would not be overturned by a dubious Supreme Court.”

The article continued: “Only four of the first 16 presidents were not lawyers, and from the end of the Civil War to the end of World War I, only Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt were not lawyers. But in the nearly 60 years since the end of World War II, only three men–Nixon, Clinton and Gerald Ford– have been lawyers.”

War Crime Defendants Representing Themselves…

ABA Journal published an interesting and thought-provoking article in its December 2004 edition, titled, “Foolish Like a Fox.” The article stated:

“He who represents himself has a fool for a client, goes the adage. But it’s also a truism that the courtroom can serve as a stage for a defendant–especially when that defendant is a deposed national leader intent on inflaming political unrest among his followers. That is just the kind of spectacle Slobodan Milosevic created by representing himself before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia [ICTY], according to some observers. And, they say, the same thing could happen if Saddam Hussein, the toppled leader of Iraq, asks to represent himself before a war crimes tribunal formed by that country’s provisional government.”

The article continued (emphasis added): “‘Milosevic started out as a villain,’ says [Michael P.] Scharf [a law professor and director of the International Law Center at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland]. ‘Now he’s the fourth most popular person [in Serbia] behind two sport stars and a rock star, and he got ELECTED TO PARLIAMENT IN A LANDSLIDE LAST DECEMBER. He campaigned during cross-examination. He used cross-examination as his presidential debate.’ The consequences of giving Saddam free rein in representing himself could even be greater, says Scharf. ‘I think if Saddam Hussein were to do the same things as Milosevic, you would fuel the insurgency and anti-U.S. sentiments throughout the Middle East, and it would lead TO CIVIL WAR,’ says Scharf.”

The article pointed out: “But in Saddam’s case, a decision on whether to allow him to conduct a pro se defense might depend partly on whether any lawyers are even available to represent him, says Douglas Stringer, an attorney in Portland, Ore., who served as a prosecutor with the ICTY in 1997-2002. ‘My understanding is that you have a defense team in Jordan that has been threatened with death should any of them come to Iraq… Very strict measures have to be created to even have them come to the ground in Iraq. He may be forced to defend himself because his lawyers can’t be present.'”

The Bible clearly reveals that Jesus Christ, when He was here on earth as a human being, did not wear long hair. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:14: “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?” It would therefore be inconceivable to assume that Jesus would have worn long hair.

Some have misunderstood a passage in the book of Matthew, erroneously claiming that Christ was a “Nazirite” (also spelled Nazarite in the Authorized Version) and that He therefore wore long hair. However, Christ was not a Nazirite, but a Nazarene. The passage in Matthew 2:23 reads:

“And he [Joseph] came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He [Christ] shall be called a Nazarene.'”

Jesus was called a Nazarene, because He lived and grew up in the city of Nazareth. He was not a “Nazirite.” The sixth chapter of the book of Numbers describes the law of the “Nazirites.” Those who took the vow of a Nazirite did not cut their hair, but they were also prohibited from drinking any wine or touching a dead body (Numbers 6:4-6). Christ, however, did drink wine (Luke 22:14-18; Matthew 11:19), and He did touch dead bodies (Luke 8:51-55).

If Christ had been a Nazirite, He would have broken His vow and thereby violated one of God’s laws. But He said that He had kept His Father’s commandments (John 15:10), including all ritual laws still in force and effect at His time, and we read that He never sinned. The Bible defines sin, however, as the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4, Authorized Version). Therefore, Christ could NOT have been a Nazirite.

Christ was a Jew, and He looked like an ordinary Jewish man, without special beauty in appearance (compare Isaiah 53:2). Judas had to identify Him to others with a kiss. He was able to escape on occasion, by mingling with the crowd and going “through the midst of them” (Luke 4:30; John 8:59). Apart from the Bible, archeology and history also confirm as well that the Jews at the time of Christ did not wear long hair. Christ, therefore, did not either–otherwise, He would have stood out in a crowd, and a special identification through Judas would not have been necessary.

Recently, Israeli and British forensic anthropologists and computer programmers got together to create Christ’s face featured in “Popular Mechanics,” a 1.2 million circulation magazine. They did not mean to imply that Christ actually looked the way the magazine cover portrayed Him, as they used the skull of a Jew from the first century — not, of course, the actual skull of Jesus. They nevertheless determined that Christ did not wear long hair. Other experts agree with that conclusion. On February 24, 2004, Reuters wrote:

“‘… Jesus didn’t have long hair, said physical anthropologist Joe Zias, who has studied hundreds of skeletons found in archeological digs in Jerusalem.’ [He also mentioned:] ‘Jewish men back in antiquity did not have long hair.’ ‘The Jewish texts ridiculed long hair as something Roman or Greek,’ said New York University’s Lawrence Schiffman. Along with extensive writings from the period, experts also point to a frieze on Rome’s Arch of Titus, erected after Jerusalem was captured in AD 70 to celebrate the victory, which shows Jewish men with short hair taken into captivity. Erroneous descriptions of Jesus in Western art have often misled film makers in their portrayal of Jesus, experts say.”

It is important to realize that virtually all depictions of Christ don’t accurately reflect His appearance as a human being on earth. He did not wear long flowing hair, and He did not look like a woman. He was a carpenter, a builder, and He was also the leader of former fishermen. Even His hair color was probably not blond — as depicted on most paintings — but black, as the Hebrew people at the time of Christ were recognized as having predominantly black hair.

In any event, Paul tells us that we are not to “know” Christ “according to the flesh.” We read in 2 Corinthians 5:16 (Phillips): “… even though we knew Christ as a man, we do not know him like that any longer.”

It is dangerous to focus on images and pictures of Christ, including portrayals of Christ by actors in movies, and think that in some way those portrayals may accurately represent how Christ might have looked. We are to focus on Christ as He is now — a powerful Spirit being! To get a correct portrayal of Christ’s present appearance, please read Revelation 1:14-16. Christ has white hair — as white as wool or snow — and His eyes are like flames of fire, while His face shines like the sun in full strength. THAT is the Jesus Christ of the Bible — God the Son, who is worthy of worship!

Our booklet, “Tithing–Today?” was sent out this week to our subscribers. The booklet is also posted on the Web.

On Saturday, December 18, 2004, J. Edwin Pope will give the sermon, titled, “Your Relationship with God,” Part 4.

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.

If you want to understand what it means to be grateful, consider the aliens–both the illegal and legal–who immigrate to a wealthy country such as Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain and other EU countries along with Canada and the U.S.

These immigrants don’t take for granted the abundance and blessings of freedom to establish one’s family, to work or to live with true hope for the future!

By contrast, the citizens who were born into and have grown up with this unparalleled abundance are not always so attuned to what they have. If fact, so familiar are most of us with all these things, that we simply take them for granted.

In the scope of history, only the last several decades have witnessed a world and a time in which so many nations have flourished so remarkably!

There is a danger in times such as these. Jesus Christ clearly prophesied of a complacent, sleepy-eyed time when people would be so self-absorbed that they just wouldn’t see things realistically: “‘But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be'” (Matthew 24:37-39).

Paul strongly warns all of us who claim to be Christians against the ever-present danger of just taking things for granted: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

We can test ourselves in this regard. Do we take our calling for granted, or are we maintaining an attitude of “first love” (compare Revelation 2:4)? Do we remember the time when we met and then married our mates–and do we still reflect that incredibly special relationship (compare Malachi 2:13-16)? When our children were born, we cared for them at great personal sacrifice–do we, as parents, continue in that selfless love for our own (compare Luke 15:31)? Do we remember what a tremendous discovery it was to meet brethren who believed as we did (compare Luke 15:7)?

We must not take what we have for granted! Jesus Christ certainly did not! Rather, He established and maintained a constant relationship with God. He viewed everything through the will of God. We find His own testimony in this regard: “‘I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me'” (John 5:30).

For all of us who have been called to God’s way and who have been given the knowledge of the truth, there looms the peril of becoming lackadaisical and a bit too familiar–especially in times and circumstances of physical abundance. However, we must not allow this approach in our own lives. We must become fervent in seeking God’s will, and a first step in this process is to no longer take things for granted!

Christmas Deadliest Day for Americans

According to a study, published by Reuters on December 14, 2004, “Christmas is the deadliest day of the year for Americans with 12.4 percent more deaths than normal.” The report continued: “More Americans die from heart attacks and other natural causes on Christmas, the day after and on New Year’s Day than on any other days of the year, the researchers reported… In all, Phillips and colleagues counted more than 42,000 ‘extra’ deaths during the holidays over a 26-year period. Only two years did not see this phenomenon — 1973, when oil prices peaked and people tended not to travel, and 1981, when a severe recession also kept Americans at home…The report fits in with a study published in March that found heart attack patients sent to hospitals during the winter holidays are more likely to die than those admitted during the rest of the year. Clinics, emergency rooms and other health facilities do not operate at top efficiency over the holiday period, said Dr. Trip Meine, a cardiologist at Duke University in North Carolina, who led the study released at an American college of Cardiology meeting.”

Russia and China Form Power Bloc

On December 13, 2004, AP reported that “China and Russia will hold their first joint military exercise next year, the Chinese government said Monday, as President Hu Jintao called for an expansion of the rapidly growing alliance between the former Cold War rivals.The announcement came during a visit to Beijing by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, who was expected to discuss expanding the Kremlin’s multibillion-dollar annual arms sales to China… The announcement of military exercises comes two months after Beijing and Moscow settled the last of their decades-old border disputes that led to violent clashes in the 1960s and ’70s.

“The agreement was signed during an October trip to Beijing by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said relations had reached ‘unparalleled heights.’ That visit also produced a pact to jointly develop Russian energy resources… China has become the Russian arms industry’s No. 1 customer, and is expected to buy $2 billion in weapons this year. Russia is a key supplier for the Chinese military’s effort to modernize its arsenal and back up frequent threats to invade Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its territory… The United States and the European Union have banned weapons sales to China since its bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. But Moscow has supplied Beijing with high-performance Su-27 fighters and other top-of-the-line arms.”

The Financial Times reported on December 5, 2004, that “President Jacques Chirac has championed lifting the ban imposed after the Tiananmen Square massacre which the EU believes implies a near-pariah status China no longer deserves.” At the same time, according to the article, the United States is “fiercely opposed to lifting the ban.” Regardless, Biblical Prophecy shows that Russia and China will become a mighty military and economic power bloc, which will ultimately be at odds with the European Union. We are seeing now the beginnings of these developments.

The Wisdom of the World…

Associated Press reported on December 9, 2004, that “A British philosophy professor who has been a leading champion of atheism for more than a half-century has changed his mind. He now believes in God – more or less – based on scientific evidence, and says so on a video released Thursday.At age 81, after decades of insisting belief is a mistake, Antony Flew has concluded that some sort of intelligence or first cause must have created the universe. A super-intelligence is the only good explanation for the origin of life and the complexity of nature, Flew said in a telephone interview from England.

“Flew said he’s best labeled a deist like Thomas Jefferson, whose God was not actively involved in people’s lives… biologists’ investigation of DNA ‘has shown, by the almost unbelievable complexity of the arrangements which are needed to produce (life), that intelligence must have been involved,’ Flew says in the new video, ‘Has Science Discovered God?’… Flew told The Associated Press his current ideas have some similarity with American ‘intelligent design’ theorists, who see evidence for a guiding force in the construction of the universe. He accepts Darwinian evolution but doubts it can explain the ultimate origins of life.”

What a mixed-up world, where scientists — supposedly leaders in factual thinking — produce such nonsensical ideas. First atheists, some now believe in a god which is not actively involved in people’s lives. Although they may admit in a “first cause” for the existence of the universe, they also accept Darwinism, but may doubt that it can explain the ultimate origins of life! What incredible confusion and lack of true understanding. How relevant are the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:20-21: “Where is the wise?… Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?… the world through [its] wisdom did not know God.”

Intruders in Your Home

On December 2, 2004, a frightening article was published by www.usatoday.com, stating that “Unprotected PCs can be hijacked in minutes.” The article continued: “Simply connecting to the Internet– and doing nothing else–exposes your PC to non-stop, automated break-in attempts by intruders looking to take control of your machine surreptitiously. While most break-in tries fail, an unprotected PC can get hijacked within minutes of accessing the Internet. Once hijacked, it is likely to get grouped with other compromised PCs to dispense spam, conduct denial-of-service attacks or carry out identity-theft scams…

” [The] results vividly illustrate how automated cyberattacks have come to saturate the Internet with malicious programs designed to take the quickest route to break into your PC: through security weaknesses in the PC operating system… Test results underscored the value of keeping up to date with security patches and using a firewall. Computer security experts say firewalls, which restrict online access to the guts of the PC operating system, represent a crucial first line of defense against cyberintruders. Yet, an estimated 67% of consumers do not use a firewall, according to the National Cyber Security Alliance… Each PC was connected to the Internet via a broadband DSL connection and monitored for two weeks in September. Break-in attempts began immediately and continued at a constant and high level: an average of 341 per hour against the Windows XP machine with no firewall or recent security patches, 339 per hour against the Apple Macintosh and 61 per hour against the Windows Small Business Server. Each was sold without an activated firewall.”

These abominable crimes committed by Internet intruders only show the depths of depravity this world has reached. Nothing is sacred anymore. And it will get much worse!

Is the U.S. Draft Coming?

On December 12, 2004, www.suntimes.com resurrected the discussion about a possible draft in 2005. The article pointed out that although some experts dismiss the idea, others are not so sure.

“‘It boils down to one thing, and that is Iraq and how long can we sustain the military deployment there,’ says Charles V. Pena, director of defense policy studies at the Cato Institute…With the troop levels in Iraq about to be increased to 150,000 and another 30,000 in Kuwait, that might not be too long, Pena argues. The volunteer military operates under what it calls a 3-1 rotation schedule, which requires two stateside units for every one deployed overseas so that troops can be rotated in and out of harm’s way. That means the armed services need three times as many troops as are actually deployed — 540,000 in the case of Iraq and Kuwait. More than 1.4 million men and women are on active duty, but just 499,543 of them are in the Army, which is handling the bulk of the fighting in Iraq. ‘And that does not take into account the other deployments we have around the globe,’ Pena says. ‘The active Army is not large enough to maintain a 3-1 deployment ratio, which is why you see the National Guard and reserves being used. ‘We’re stretched, and so the question will not go away: Does that mean we might have to resort to a draft?'”

Pena is not convinced that this has to be the case. As the article continued:

“If the situation worsens in Iraq, he thinks politicians might move toward mandatory national service, in which all young people are required to either perform some sort of community work or enlist in the military. The military component could be made more attractive by making it a shorter term than, for instance, emptying bedpans at a nursing home. The military option would also carry the added benefit of providing job training.”

This proposal would only implement what has been in force and effect in Germany for many years. Germany has had a mandatory draft, but conscientious objectors are permitted to perform some sort of community work (for example, working in hospitals or nursing homes), which term is longer than the required military duty.

Doctors: Yushchenko Poisoned with Dioxin

The Associated Press reported on December 11, 2004: “Dioxin poisoning caused the mysterious illness of Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, a doctor said Saturday, adding that the poison could have been put in his soup. ‘There is no doubt about the fact that Mr. Yushchenko’s disease has been caused by a case of poisoning by dioxin,’ said Dr. Michael Zimpfer, director of Vienna’s private Rudolfinerhaus clinic. Zimpfer said Yushchenko’s blood and tissue registered concentrations of dioxin–one of the most toxic chemicals–that were 1,000 times above normal levels. ‘It would be quite easy to administer this amount in a soup,’ Zimpfer said, adding that tests showed the dioxin was taken orally. ‘There is suspicion of third party involvement.'”

According to the Associated Pres of December 16, 2004, “Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko said Thursday that he was sure he was poisoned by the Ukrainian government and believes it most likely happened at a dinner he had with the country’s top security service officials.” If proof for the source of this attempted murder can be established, the consequences in the Ukraine could be catastrophic.

“At the same time, he [Yushchenko] said Ukraine would move to integrate more closely into European structures and possibly aim at an associate membership in the European Union in three to five years,” according to AP.

Four Deadly Storms in the Philippines

AFP reported on December 11, 2004: “Four storms that struck the Philippines in one month left almost 1,800 dead and missing with 4.588 billion pesos (81.49 million dollars) in damage, the civil defense office said.The toll is expected to rise further as the search continues for victims of the last two weather disturbances, a tropical storm locally codenamed Winnie which hit on November 29 and typhoon Nanmadol which struck the country on December 2.”

45 Million Children to Die in Next Decade

OneWorld US pointed out on December 6, 2004 that, “Unless the world’s wealthiest countries comply with their past pledges, some 45 million children in the world’s poor countries will die needlessly over the next decade, according [to] a new report released Monday by British-based development group, Oxfam. Despite the fact that Group of Seven (G7) countries Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Britain, the United States, and Canada are richer than they have ever been, they are spending only half as much in real terms in development assistance as they did in 1960, according to the report, ‘Paying the Price.'”

The article continued: “And of the paltry assistance they do provide about US$50 billion a year only about 40 percent of the money is actually spent in poor countries; the rest of it is spent in the wealthy countries themselves. Even, then, much of the aid is late in arriving. … ‘The world has never been wealthier, yet rich nations are giving less and less,’ according to Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfams executive director. ‘Across the globe, millions of people are being denied the most basic human needs: clean water, food, health care and education. People are dying while leaders delay debt relief and aid.’… ‘Unless world leaders act now to deliver [an] historic breakthrough on poverty,’ said Hobbs, ‘next year will end in shameful failure.'”

Anglican Church Could ‘Self-destruct’ over Gay Clergy Issue

AFP reported on December 11, 2004: “The Anglican church is deeply divided and could ‘implode and self-destruct’ over gay clerics and other sensitive issues, a senior advisor to the Archbishop of Canterbury warned. Jayne Ozanne, in a private document to Archbishop Rowan Williams leaked to Saturday’s edition of The Times, predicted that the Anglican church would ‘fragment into various divisions over a range of internal issues’ and could wind up as an ‘underground movement’ comparable to World War II resistance groups.

“Williams late last month criticized conservatives within his worldwide church, with some 70 million followers, for their vocal hostility to homosexuals. … ‘I see a time of great persecution coming, which will drive Christianity all but underground in the West. I believe that this will primarily take the form of a social and economic persecution, where Christians will be ridiculed for their faith and pressurised into making it a purely private matter,’ she [Ozanne] wrote.”

Mixed Signals for Further EU Enlargement

EUOBSERVER stated on December 11, 2004: “As the EU looks set to open membership negotiations with Turkey at the end of next week, over a third of its citizens are opposed to further enlargement of the 25-nation bloc… Those against enlargement rises to 43% when citizens only from the 15 ‘old’ member states are considered, according to a eurobarometer poll published on Friday (10 December). Austrians and Germans have the highest percentages of citizens against enlargement (62% and 57% respectively) – both countries have common borders with new member states.

“In France, where President Jacques Chirac has been fighting rising sentiment against Turkish EU membership – fifty-one percent said they are against further enlargement…. The EU is expected to take on Romania and Bulgaria in 2007 while Turkey is not expected to join until at least 2015 – a decision on whether to open negotiations with Ankara will be taken at the EU summit on 16-17 December.”

Europe’s Far Right Consider Coalition

EUOBSERVER reported on December 10, 2004: “Europe’s far right parties are considering forming a pan-European movement together.Filip Dewinter, the leader of an extremist separatist party in Belgium, told the Vienna-based News on Thursday that they were considering creating an extreme right grouping in the European Parliament. This would encompass Austria’s Freedom Party, Italy’s Lega Nord, France’s National Front, the Dutch New Right Party and de Winter’s own Vlaams Belang – all strongly anti-immigrant. Mr Dewinter said he is considering Jörg Haider, leader of Austria’s Freedom Party, to be the head of the movement. ‘I’ve had several talks with Jörg Haider and have the feeling that he’s interested in this cooperation’, said Mr Dewinter. ‘I’m proposing to Jö;rg Haider that he be the top candidate of our movement’. Mr Haider became well known in Europe when, after doing so well in the 1999 elections in Austria, his party joined the centre-right government – resulting in sanctions by other member states against the country. If the talks come to fruition, the coalition would run on a single platform in the European elections in 2009.”

Romania Finishes EU Talks

EUOBSERVER reported on December 9, 2004: “Following a last minute diplomatic push, Romania managed on Wednesday evening (8 December) to close EU pre-accession talks. This is a technical achievement with the political closure of talks expected on 14 December, during a meeting of EU foreign ministers. Finishing negotiation on all parts of EU legislation was crucial ahead of the EU Summit next week, when Romania’s accession in 2007 is expected to be confirmed by leaders of the 25-nation bloc… Until 2007, Romania and Bulgaria will be under close observation following the introduction of a so-called safeguard clause that gives the EU the possibility of delaying entry for a year if commitments made by the countries during negotiations are not met… Romania has been lagging behind its neighbour Bulgaria, which already closed EU talks in June. Both countries are due to sign the Accession Treaty in spring 2005 paving the way to join the EU two years after that.”

Chirac and Schröder Push for Constitution “Yes” in Spain

EUOBERSERVER reported on December 9, 2004: “French President Jacques Chirac confirmed on Wednesday (8 December) that he and German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder will travel to Barcelona in the weeks before the Spanish referendum on the Constitution, to lend their support. The two leaders will attend a ‘teaching’ meeting to explain the Constitution on 11 February, according to Le Monde.

“The Spanish will be the first to put the Constitution to a popular vote — on 20 February. Mr Chirac said that the Spanish would be in the ‘first row’ of European integration and called on Spaniards to ‘show the way’ to other countries with a ‘massive yes’. Opinion polls consistently show that a majority of Spanish people are in favour of the Constitution. Confirming that he would ‘engage without holding back’ in the campaign, the French President also said the campaign should not be ‘ruined by internal politics’. Mr Chirac himself is set to have a difficult time persuading the French people to vote ‘yes’ to the Constitution as he tries to avoid the issue becoming entangled in the question of whether Turkey should become an EU member – a large section of the French population are against this.”

This is indeed the understanding and teaching of the Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates in Canada and Great Britain.

First, let us realize that the message, that God gave to the ancient prophet Ezekiel, was in fact a modern prophecy for a modern “Ezekiel”:

It is critical to understand that under Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the nation of Israel became divided. Two separate nations developed, known as the “house of Israel,” with Samaria as its capital, and the “house of Judah,” with Jerusalem as its capital. We read in 1 Kings 12:19-20 (AV): “So Israel [being reigned by King Rehoboam, son of King Solomon] rebelled against the house of David unto this day. And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam [a prominent officer] was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.”

King Rehoboam of Judah tried to unite the two kingdoms (of the house of Israel and the house of Judah) by force, but God prevented him from doing so. We read in 1 Kings 12:21, 24 (AV): “And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon… Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.”

The two houses or kingdoms did not unite again throughout their history. They remained separate as two kingdoms — the “house of Israel,” consisting of the ten northern tribes, and the “house of Judah,” consisting of the southern tribes of Judah (The house of Judah was later joined by the tribes of Benjamin and Levi, compare 1 Kings 12:21, 31). We even read in 1 Kings 16:5-8 about a war between Israel and Judah or the Jews. Later, the ten tribes, led by the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, became “lost” from public view. Unbeknownst to most, they are today to be found in English-speaking nations around the world. Many people believe that the Jews are identical with the modern house of Israel, but this is simply not true. Christ spoke of the “LOST tribes of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6; 15:24). James referred to all of Israel and Judah as the “twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (James 1:1; compare Revelation 7:4-8). We read that in the FUTURE, a unification of the houses of Israel and Judah will occur, under Christ’s rule, when they come out of a (future) captivity and return to the Promised Land (Jeremiah 30:3; 33:7).

In due time, the ancient house of Israel went into captivity, in 721-718 BC, by the hand of the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:5-6, 23). The house of Judah did not go into captivity until more than one hundred years later, by the hand of the Babylonians, under king Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:1-10).

This background is important to understand, if we want to comprehend the prophetic messages that God gave to the ancient prophet Ezekiel.

In a member letter, dated November 19, 1976, Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986) explained how he came to this vital understanding in the early years of his conversion and ministry:

“In those early days I was especially interested in the book of Ezekiel. A special reason was that I saw Ezekiel was first given God’s message in PROPHECY, while he was a Jewish slave, by the River Chebar in the land of Babylon. Now this was close to 120 years after the House of ISRAEL had been taken captive to ASSYRIA. My astonishment was aroused when I saw that his message was to be taken to the HOUSE OF ISRAEL. Now Ezekiel was a slave among the HOUSE OF JUDAH — not Israel. By this time many of the ‘lost sheep of the House of Israel’ had migrated north and west from Assyria. They were, by Ezekiel’s time, in Britain and Western Europe.

“… The first message, or instruction from God, comes, beginning the second chapter [of the book of Ezekiel]. ‘And He said unto me, son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation…[and they shall know] that there hath been a prophet among them’ (Ezek. 2:3,5…)… In chapter 3:1 God says, ‘… GO speak unto the House of Israel.’ Again in verse 4, ‘Son of man, GO, get thee unto the House of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.’ NOWHERE in the Bible are JEWS called ‘the House of Israel.’ This term applies ONLY to the TEN-tribe Kingdom of Israel taken into Assyrian captivity more than a hundred years before Ezekiel and the Jews of the House of JUDAH were taken to Babylon. Nowhere in the book does Ezekiel record his journey from where he was in Babylon to those of the House of Israel who were then in Britain and Western Europe. Nowhere does he record his giving of the message to them. He merely RECEIVED the message. He merely RECORDED IT IN WRITING. There is no reason to think his message was ever delivered to the House of Israel in Ezekiel’s time. The message in fact is for today — and contained a WARNING of things to happen to Britain, America and the Western European nations NOW in OUR DAY.”

What we should notice very carefully from the foregoing is that Ezekiel was in captivity, when he received messages to be delivered to the house of Israel and other nations, including the Ammonites (Ezekiel 25:2), Moab (Ezekiel 25:8), Edom (Ezekiel 25:12), the Philistines (Ezekiel 25:15), Tyre (Ezekiel 26:2-3) and Egypt (Ezekiel 29:2) — all a great distance from his location in Babylon. We need to note, too, that Ezekiel saw visions of impending destruction upon Israel “in the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity” (Ezekiel 1:2-3). Jehoiachin went into captivity in 596 B.C. The fifth year brings us to about 592 B.C. — over 125 years AFTER the removal of the house of Israel in 718-721 B.C.! Ezekiel, a young captive Jew in Babylon, was given a future prophetic message for the house of ISRAEL, including a message about future punishment and slavery, over 120 years AFTER the ancient house of ISRAEL had already been punished and gone into captivity. Ancient Ezekiel never reached the ancient house of Israel with God’s prophetic message.

As we have explained in our booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” the modern house of Israel consists of English-speaking nations, including the United States of America, Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. And God has given His end-time Church the charge to proclaim the “Ezekiel warning message” to those peoples.

The Ezekiel warning message (Ezekiel 3:16-21) is something that we have to take seriously. It is part of the gospel message of the Kingdom of God, that has to be preached (Matthew 24:14). Before the wonderful world tomorrow can be ushered in, the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord have to be fulfilled, which will be a time of terrible trouble for the modern nations of the houses of Israel and Judah, as well as the entire world.

We find this commission from God to Ezekiel: “‘…Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse–for they are a rebellious house–yet they will know that a prophet has been among them'” (Ezekiel 2:3-5).

Ezekiel’s message has become a part of God’s Word. This warning from God is for our day, and it MUST BE PROCLAIMED–along with many other prophecies preserved in the Bible for us! That responsibility has passed along to the Church of God!

In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet is compared with, and even called a “watchman.” But the book of Ezekiel is for our time today — and it is therefore God’s end-time Church, which is to function as “a watchman” or “watchmen.” Notice these Biblical examples:

“So you, son of man: I have made you a WATCHMAN for the HOUSE OF ISRAEL; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them of Me” (Ezekiel 33:7).

“I have set WATCHMEN on your walls, O Jerusalem; THEY shall never hold THEIR peace day or night. You [plural in the Hebrew] who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent” (Isaiah 62:6).

“Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem, That WATCHERS come from a far country And raise THEIR voice against the cities of Judah” (Jeremiah 4:16).

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, “We will not walk in it.” Also, I set WATCHMEN over you, saying, “Listen to the sound of the trumpet!” But they said, “We will not listen.” Therefore hear, you NATIONS, And know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O EARTH! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people–The fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not heeded My words Nor My law, but rejected it'” (Jeremiah 6:16-19).

We are to WATCH the events around us (Matthew 24:42), discerning the times, so that we can be effective WATCHMEN in God’s service (compare Amos 3:7), warning others of what will surely come to pass. Notice Hosea 5:9: “Ephraim [modern Great Britain] shall be DESOLATE in the day of rebuke; among the TRIBES OF ISRAEL I make known what is sure. Hosea 7:12 adds: “I will CHASTISE THEM [Ephraim] According to what their congregation HAS HEARD.”

Ezekiel 33:2-6 explains to us WHY God’s Church is to proclaim God’s warning message:

“When I bring the sword upon the land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their WATCHMAN, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet… [and] takes the warning will save his life. But if the WATCHMAN sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the WATCHMAN’S hands.”

God wants His Church to preach the establishment of God’s Kingdom here on earth. This includes, blowing the trumpet and warning of impending disaster. Some will listen and change their ways so that they, too, may enter the Kingdom. Many others, though, will not heed the message. Still, if His Church shrinks back from its God-given responsibility, He will have no pleasure in it (Hebrews 10:37-39).

A new member letter was sent out this week. In it, Edwin Pope discusses “peace on earth” and the erroneous concepts of the Christmas tradition. You can find the letter on the Web.

A new StandingWatch program was posted on the Web, titled, “Hope for the Future?”

On Saturday, December 11, 2004, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “This Life.”

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.

Jesus Christ cautions His Church in Matthew 24 that there would come a time when loyalty would become a real problem for many who have been called to God’s Way of life. He noted that “…many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another” (Matthew 24:10). This potential problem for many in the Church is a matter all of God’s people need to be aware of. We all must be careful that we do not get caught up in this problem.

When we examine the life of David, we observe a wonderful example of loyalty on David’s part in his relationship with Saul and with God, as described in the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel. We see the details of this example of loyalty described in 1 Samuel 24:6-10 and 26:6-16, and in 2 Samuel 1:14. Yet Saul, by his example, did not demonstrate that he was one deserving of this loyalty and devotion on the part of David.

The Scriptures noted also reveal David’s loyalty to the position of authority God had given to Saul as king of Israel. David reveals his subjection with the words whereby he states: “The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.”

This loyalty on the part of David may well have inspired some of his own men, at a later time, to demonstrate similar loyalty and devotion to David. We read of this example in 2nd Samuel 23:15-17, where we see three of David’s men willing to sacrifice their lives for David.

We each need to be cognizant of those who deserve loyalty and we need to take every opportunity to be faithful in such loyalties. First and foremost, we must be loyal to our God, Who has revealed Himself and His Way of life to us. Christ explains the principles in Matthew 10:22-41.

Second, we must all be loyal to our brethren in the Way to which we have been called. The principles for such loyalties are described in Galatians 6:10, which admonishes us as follows: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially those who are of the household of faith.”

Third, while we may not think about this often, we must have certain loyalties to those that rule over us in the various governmental jurisdictions within which we live. The basic principles are outlined in Jude, verses 8 and 9, and in 2nd Peter 2:9-11, clearly revealing our responsibility in this area. While we do understand that Satan is in charge of this world’s systems at the present time; Romans 13:1-2 clearly reveals that: “…there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” In 1 Peter 2:13-15 we are instructed to: “…submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God…”

We must, therefore, follow the rules of these governing authorities, as long as those rules do not come in conflict with the laws of God. As much as is possible, within God’s established rules, we are to follow the laws of the land. As Paul notes in Romans 12:18: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

Noted last here, but certainly not least, next to our loyalty to God and to His Work, He holds us particularly responsible for our loyalties to our mates and to our children, whom God has given to us for our personal care. In the process, we need to teach loyalty as an integral part of the training of our children. Husbands must demonstrate love and concern for their wives, and wives are to be submissive to their husbands.

Of course, the most positive method of instruction relative to our families, as well as to all others we come in contact with, is our own personal example of loyalty, as we live our lives according to the ways of God. If we husbands expect our children and our mates to follow in God’s Way, we must be walking in God’s Way as living examples to them of our approach to His Way of life!

Thus, loyalty is an important part of the Christian character which must be developed if we are to be pleasing to our God as we walk in His Way!

2004 — a year of disasters

AFP reported on December 8, 2004, that “typhoons, earthquakes and war made 2004 one of the toughest years for aid workers… This year began with the aftermath of a powerful earthquake in Iran that killed more than 26,000 people, and is ending with a string of storms in the Philippines that have left more than 1,500 people dead… ‘It has been one of the most challenging years ever for the humanitarian community in part because we have had tremendous natural disasters,’ the UN deputy secretary general for humanitarian affairs [Jan Egeland] told a news conference… An announcement at the start of the year that the war-torn region of Darfur in western Sudan was the world’s worst humanitarian crisis remained true 12 months later, despite mammoth relief projects, he noted. Some 1.5 million people have fled fierce fighting that flared between government and rebel forces in the province in February 2003. A bloody conflict between rebels and government forces in northern Uganda has also triggered a humanitarian crisis, but hopes were rising for peace as both sides have opened discussions through mediators, Egeland said… In addition, the UN relief coordinator lamented the bloodshed in Iraq where an insurgency against the US-backed government claims lives daily. ‘We are very concerned for the situation of the civilian population and the continuous killings of civilians in Iraq,’ Egeland said.”

Russia’s Vladimir Putin

On December 13, 2004, Newsweek published a telling article about Russia’s Vladimir Putin. The magazine pointed out:

“Russia’s leader thought Ukraine was in his pocket — until Ukrainians showed how badly he had miscalculated. But the former KGB colonel still isn’t about to abandon his dream of bringing back the Kremlin’s glory days of worldwide influence.”

The article continued: “The last thing Putin wants to see is another chunk of the old U.S.S.R. disappear down the maw of the ever encroaching West. (Yushchenko has indicated he might try to bring Ukraine into the European Union, and possibly follow the Baltic states into NATO.) Ever since Putin rose to the presidency in 2000 pledging to crush Chechnya’s separatists, he’s sought to halt further disintegration of the former Soviet superpower and its sphere of influence.”

In a related article of the Associated Press, dated December 6, 2004, it was reported that “President Vladimir Putin said [in Turkey] Russia was willing to work with whoever is elected in Ukraine’s new presidential runoff, but strongly warned the West on Monday not to try to force its vision of democracy on other nations.”

The article continued: “Putin said countries were welcome to help mediate Ukraine’s crisis, but should not meddle…Some Western countries have issued veiled criticism of Russia for what they contend was meddling in Ukrainian politics… Putin rejected Western accusations, saying Russia acted ‘absolutely correctly’ in disputes throughout the former Soviet Union. He suggested forces in the West were seeking to create new divisions in Europe for their political purposes.”

Russia’s Missiles

AFP reported on December 6, 2004, that “Russia revealed it was fitting its strategic bombers with cruise missiles capable of delivering a massive precision strike thousands of miles away… ‘We have broken the US monopoly on the use of long-range conventional cruise missiles,’ an unnamed senior air force commander told ITAR-TASS. The technology appears to be similar to cruise missiles that the United States has long attached to its own intercontinental bombers…”

The article continued: “Russia has been developing a range of new missiles capable of penetrating US defenses as a result. Generals announced earlier this year the successful tests of a hypersonic intercontinental missile that has no officially-confirmed rival in the United States. Moscow is also believed to be developing a multi-stage intercontinental ballistic missile that uses cruise missile technology to zigzag and avoid being shot down once it re-enters the earth’s atmosphere. Finally Russia announced that it was making its most feared and powerful trans-Atlantic missile mobile within the next two years… ‘These cruise missiles have a range of more than 3,000 kilometers (1,800 miles) and can miss a target by no more than a few meters while carrying a warhead of hundreds of kilotons,’ the source said.”

Earthquake in Germany

On December 5, 2004, Associated Press reported that “An earthquake struck western Germany near the French border early Sunday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, officials said. The magnitude 4.9 quake, with an epicenter near the German town of Waldkirch [in the Black Forrest], occurred about 2:52 a.m., France’s national seismological center said.” Bild Online reported on December 5 that the earthquake reached in fact the magnitude of 5.4 on the Richter scale, and that several people were injured.

Second Earthquake in Japan

Following the powerful earthquake with the magnitude of 7.1 that struck Japan last week, another earthquake hit the main island of Hokkaido on December 6, 2004. The quake reached a magnitude of 6.8 or 7.0, according to Bild Online and Der Spiegel Online. When the quake hit last week, it was stated by the Japanese government, according to Der Spiegel Online, that such a strong earthquake “only happens once within 10 years.” How wrong human predictions can be!

Typhoons in The Philippines

We received the following report from a subscriber in The Philippines:

“We appreciate your prayers for the Filipinos especially in Real Quezon that have been directly hit by three consecutive typhoons. The government is doing its part, and many volunteer to help the victims. But your prayers are greatly appreciated.”

Europe and Africa

According to Zenit of December 2, 2004, “Europe has a key role in Africa’s development, even though the Old World seems to have lost its own Christian identity, says Archbishop Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kisangani, Congo.” He also stated in the interview: “Where is Europe going, legitimizing homosexual marriages? Where is it going, taking steps forward and backward? This already existed in Sodom… Africa needs not only the Europe of material goods but above all the Europe of values, such as work, the sense of research, the price of the eternal value of our life on earth, because when one keeps them in mind, one cannot remain seated.”

Europe and Russia

According to the EUobserver of December 3, 2004, “The European Union is too reliant on gas supplies from Russia, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned. According to the Financial Times, the IEA said that the EU’s energy security is at risk due to a growing dependence on Russian gas supplies piped through politically unstable Ukraine… Russia is the world’s largest gas producer. EU countries buy 40 percent of their gas imports from the former Soviet Union…The IEA’s call for diversification follows confirmation this week that Berlin was actively encouraging German energy companies to invest in the Russian oil sector.”

Italy’s “distant” past?

A recent article posted by www.haaretz.com discussed the recent appointment of Gianfranco Fini as Italy’s new foreign minister. Adar Primor stated in the article: “Fini, who in 1987 inherited the leadership of the neo-fascist Movimento Sociale Italiano, who in 1992 marched in front of tens of thousands of people, who with a raised-arm salute marked the historic march of Benito Mussolini on Rome, and who in 1994 still considered Il Duce the ‘most important personality of the 20th century’ — that same Fini is now in charge of Italian diplomacy, and the sky isn’t falling. On the contrary. It seems that everyone — both in Europe and in Israel — is reacting positively.”

The article continued: “I met Fini for the first time in the summer of 2002. As someone who kept track of the representatives of the extreme right, the vestiges of Nazism and fascism in Europe, with great interest, I had interviewed Jorg Haider, Jean-Marie Le Pen, Rolf Schlierer (the head of the extreme-right Republikaner Party in Germany) and Gerhard Frei (his colleague-rival, the head of the German People’s Party).”

As the article pointed out, by the time of the described meeting, Fini had turned 180 degrees. “He shook himself free of Mussolini, condemned fascism and anti-Semitism, expressed enthusiastic support for Israel, and primarily, he declared that if he was permitted to come to Jerusalem, he would accept there the responsibility for the crimes of fascism and would ask forgiveness of the Jewish people. The Italian press was very excited. It considered his words ‘a historic turning point,’ ‘the breaking of the taboo that had paralyzed national memory in Italy.’ It compared his declarations to French President Jacques Chirac’s acceptance of responsibility for the crimes of the Vichy regime. The press, like Fini, understood that the way to Jerusalem had been paved. And, in fact, a year later Fini came on an official visit to Israel. At Yad Vashem he once again condemned the horrors of the Holocaust and the ‘disgrace of the 1938 racial laws.’… [At] a press conference that he held later… Fini condemned the Salo Republic – the puppet government established by Hitler in 1943, headed by Mussolini – and defined it as ‘one of the most disgraceful chapters in the history of our nation.’ In reply to a question, he even agreed to call fascism ‘absolute evil.’… The Italian media were beside themselves again. They spoke of a ‘victory for Italian democracy’ and of ‘a final reconciliation between Fini and the Jewish people.’ Alessandra Mussolini [Benito Mussolini’s granddaughter] slammed the door in Fini’s face and left his party in anger. Fini’s path — this time to the ministry of foreign affairs in Rome — had been paved.”

The article concluded with some interesting predictions. It stated, by first quoting Fini: ‘When we first met, I was still considered by some as the enemy of the Jewish people. Two years later, they are already calling me Israel’s best friend in Europe.’ Fini knows that his chances of serving as the prime minister of Italy are greater today than ever before. His way to the Palazzo Chigi looks like clear sailing.”

EU and Britain

AFP reported on December 7 about comments made by Great Britain’s Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, which might have reached almost prophetic proportions and significance. According to the article, “Britain will be ‘weak and marginalized’ within Europe if it fails to ratify the EU constitution in an expected 2006 referendum, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said.” The article continued:

“‘If we approve this constitution, we will be making our kind of Europe, a Europe in which Britain is strong,’ he told a seminar of lawyers, diplomats and business executives… ‘If we reject it, we will end up with a weak and marginalized Britain in a worse kind of European Union.’.. Opinion polls consistently show the British electorate to be hostile to the EU constitution, a sentiment that the main opposition Conservative Party is keen to exploit… ‘History shows that we have shaped Europe in our interests when Britain has been strong, engaged and influential,’ he said. ‘When we have resorted to a policy of blocking and wrecking, we have lost out.'”

As AFP reported, critics labeled Straw’s speech and comments as “utter nonsense.” However, Straw’s predictions may come much closer to the Biblically prophesied truth, than they realize.

Iraq and Iran

On December 8, 2004, msnbc.com posted the following on their Website: “Insurgents launched assaults around the city of Samarra on Wednesday, trading gunfire with U.S. forces, attacking a convoy, and blowing up a police station after looting its armory. The Pentagon said the number of U.S. combat deaths climbed to 1,001… The military also said a Marine died in a vehicle accident in western Baghdad. The two deaths brought the number of U.S. military who have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003 to 1,278, according to an Associated Press tally.”

The article continued: “The developments in Samarra show that the insurgents still remain a force in a city where American forces launched a large-scale operation several months ago in a bid to end the militants’ control there. The U.S. military hailed its September-October operation to retake control of Samarra as a success, but violence there has persisted. American and Iraqi forces have killed 127 fighters and 20 civilians.”

The article also pointed out the following: “Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Iraq’s interim president, both Sunni Muslims, singled out Shiite Muslim-dominated Iran, accusing it of trying to influence the elections, in which Iraq’s majority Shiites are expected to perform strongly. Abdullah told The Washington Post in an interview published Wednesday that more than 1 million Iranians have entered Iraq, many to vote, and said they were being encouraged by the Iranian government. Iran has said it has no interest in fomenting instability in Iraq and it tries to block any infiltration into Iraq by insurgents – while noting that the borders are hard to police. But Iraq’s interim president, Ghazi al-Yawer, sees things differently. ‘Unfortunately, time is proving, and the situation is proving, beyond any doubt that Iran has very obvious interference in our business,’ al-Yawer told the Washington Post.”

In our booklet, “Baptism–A Requirement for Salvation,” we address and answer this question, as follows, beginning on page 27, under “Who Should Baptize?”

“Once a person is truly ready for baptism, a true minister of Christ should perform the baptism, though it may sometimes require a waiting period by virtue of the fact that a minister of Christ is not immediately available. We need to understand, though, that God is in charge and that when He calls someone and leads them to baptism, He will also work out the necessary details to send one of His ministers to perform the baptism. For instance, God sent Peter to Cornelius, and He sent Philip to the eunuch so that they could be baptized.

“The biblical record indicates that only ordained ministers of God should perform baptisms. The reason is that the baptism is done for the purpose of receiving the Holy Spirit. We need to remember that following baptism by immersing under water, the minister is to pray over the person and to lay his hands on their head so that the person can receive the Holy Spirit. The Bible shows that without the laying on of hands, a person normally does not receive the Holy Spirit.

“Notice this in Acts 8:12-17: ‘But when they believed Philip [one of the original seven deacons, Acts 6:5] as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized… Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He [better translated: it – the Holy Spirit] had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon [Magus] saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given…’ (Compare, too, Acts 19:5-6).

“We read later in the same chapter that Philip was sent, through an angel, to the eunuch, and that Philip baptized him. If this baptism led to the gift of the Holy Spirit, then Philip, who by that time would have been a minister, would have prayed over the eunuch and laid his hands on him. We note that Philip is called an ‘evangelist’ in Acts 21:8.

“We cannot reach a different conclusion by virtue of the fact that Christ’s apostles baptized others before they received the Holy Spirit themselves. The twelve apostles were in quite a different position than the rest of us are today, having been specifically chosen by Christ for a very unique and particular purpose. They were sent out by Christ to heal the sick, cast out demons and preach the gospel, prior to their conversion (Luke 22:32, AV; compare regarding conversion, 1 Samuel 10:6, 9). These activities, especially healing the sick and casting out demons, are reserved today for God’s ordained ministers. You may want to read the stirring account in Acts 19:13-16, reporting about the futile and unsuccessful attempt of unordained people to cast out a demon.

“The fact that Christ allowed His apostles to baptize does not mean that unordained people have the authority to do so today. This would also include ministers from churches that do not teach and practice the law of God, including the observance of the Sabbath and the Holy Days. (Note that in unusual circumstances, God might grant His Holy Spirit to someone who is baptized by a minister outside the Church of God, or by an unordained person within the Church, if the baptized person fulfills all the requirements for proper baptism, as discussed earlier in this booklet. There is no promise, however, that God would grant the Holy Spirit under those circumstances, especially when the person to be baptized understands the role and function of God’s true ministers in His Church.)

“Every example pertaining to the New Testament Church identifies Christ’s chosen ministers as those who would baptize people, pray over them and lay their hands upon them, so that the Holy Spirit could be given to them. We find, for instance, that only God’s ministers were given special authority from God to pray for the sick and to lay their hands upon them (while anointing them with oil). Notice it in James 5:14-15: ‘Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.'(This is not to say that God might not give power to heal to some other people, but how sure can we be of that? We can be sure, however, that the elders of God’s Church have the authority and power to pray for healing of the sick.).”

Some have questioned this teaching, claiming that repentant Saul, whose name was changed to Paul, was baptized by Ananias. They state that Ananias was not an elder, and that it is therefore acceptable that unordained Church members baptize.

However, we must understand that the Bible interprets the Bible, and that God’s Word cannot be broken (compare John 10:35). This means, the Bible does not contradict itself. Each passage on a given subject must be read together with all the other passages, and they must be understood as complementing each other in harmony, rather than creating disharmony and confusion.

We already saw that baptized people did NOT receive the Holy Spirit, UNTIL the ministry laid hands on them. A letter from the Letter Answering Department of the Worldwide Church of God sets forth the long-understood teaching of the Church in this regard:

“The laying on of hands is a symbolical act which sets individuals apart and signifies the imparting of spiritual blessings, authority, and power… In the New Testament, a newly baptized person had laid hands on him for the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Notice in Acts 8:16-17 that after God’s ministers had baptized repentant converts, then [they] ‘laid… hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And… through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given.’… The laying on of hands also accompanies an ELDER’s prayer for the afflicted. We read in Acts 9:17: ‘And Ananias… putting his hands on him said, [Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus… has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit].'”

We then read, in verse 18, that “Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.”

The Bible describes Ananias as “a certain disciple in Damascus” (Acts 9:10), a “devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there” (Acts 22:12).

Some commentaries claim that Ananias was a lay person. But even if that were the case, then this episode could still not be used for a carte-blanche authority, given to unordained members to baptize. Please note that Ananias received a direct order from Christ Himself, in a vision (Acts 9:10-12), so that Paul “may receive [his] sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:17). However, based on other Scriptures, as discussed above, the conclusion in the above-quoted letter of the Letter Answering Department seems to be correct that this disciple Ananias was an ELDER, when he laid his hands on Paul to heal him, and when he baptized Paul (The Bible does not specifically say that it was Ananias who baptized Saul, but this seems to be highly probable).

As our previous comments have shown, only ELDERS of God’s Church are charged to anoint the sick with oil, lay their hands on them, and ask for God’s healing. Since Ananias did just that, it appears that he was an elder.

The above-cited letter of the Letter Answering Department concluded: “The laying on of hands, then, serves to show that God works through His MINISTERS. This ceremony is mentioned as one of the basic doctrines of His church in Hebrews 6:2.”

Unordained members who decide to baptize others and “lay hands on them” (Acts 8:17-18; 19:5-6) should realize that they would not have a Biblical basis to justify their action. This would be true, even if their particular Church organization, or a particular minister, may “authorize” such behavior, as it would not be supported by God’s written Word, and we must obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29; 4:19).

The new booklet on tithing, titled “Tithing Today?,” has been placed on the Web.

The Global Church of God in the UK has received 374 requests for our advertised booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.”

We are preparing a new member letter for the month of December, addressing the erroneous concepts associated with Christmas and “Peace on Earth.” A new booklet is being written on the topics of Military Service and War; Participation in Jury Duty; and Voting in Governmental Elections.

We are preparing for our next annual conference, scheduled to be held in San Diego during the month of February, 2005. We would like to ask you to pray for God’s guidance for the preparations. Any ideas to be discussed during the conference would be welcome.

On Saturday, December 4, 2004, Norbert Link will give the sermon, continuing the series on the life of David.

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.

How can we be recognized as Christ’s disciples? Many thoughts may come to mind, but let us consider Christ’s clear and unambiguous answer, as recorded in John 13:35: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Christ was talking about godly love, “agape” in Greek. This kind of love is not a sentimental, temporary fleeting emotion — it is the enduring outgoing concern for the welfare, benefit, enrichment and happiness of our spiritual brothers and sisters.

How about us? Do we have this kind of love for one another?

Paul describes godly love (“charity” in the Authorized Version, “agape” in Greek) in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Let us look at the Living Bible’s interpretation of this passage:

“Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.”

God’s love fulfills His Law (Romans 13:10). Christ kept the Law perfectly, since He loved God perfectly. Since love is the fulfillment of the Law, and sin is the transgression of the Law (1 John 3:4, AV), we don’t love God perfectly, when we sin. To put it differently, if we had perfect love for God, we would not sin, by transgressing His Law. God’s Law defines HOW to love Him and our neighbor. Do you have this kind of love — a love which manifests and proves itself by conduct — how we act? 1 John 3:18 tells us: “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

If we truly love our neighbor, we won’t speak evil of him or judge him (James 4:11). We won’t hate (compare 1 John 3:10-15) or ignore him, acting indifferently toward him. Rather, this is what we will do, as clearly explained in Matthew 25:34-40: “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave ME food; I was thirsty and you gave ME drink; I was a stranger and you took ME in; I was naked and you clothed ME; I was sick and you visited ME; I was in prison and you came to ME.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see YOU hungry and feed YOU, or thirsty and give YOU drink? When did we see YOU a stranger and take YOU in, or naked and clothe YOU? Or when did we see YOU sick, or in prison, and come to YOU?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these MY BRETHREN, you did it to ME.'”

How often have we heard or read those meaningful words? But, how often have we FAILED to apply them? Our love must be “without hypocrisy” or partiality (Romans 12:9). Rather, we are to be “kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another, not lagging in DILIGENCE, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord… distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality” (Romans 12:10-13).

We ALL have failed in this regard. Hurt feelings, negligence, indifference, past sins or transgressions, not yet forgiven, have created — to a slight or perhaps even not so slight degree — a wall between us and our brothers and sisters, thereby preventing, to some extent, godly love to fully flow from us toward our neighbor. This problem — this LACK OF DILIGENCE — must be overcome. We must become more and more perfect in love (1 John 4:17; Matthew 5:43-48), as GOD IS PERFECT LOVE (1 John 4:16), without partiality or hypocrisy (compare James 3:13-17).

When God’s love in us flows from us toward others, God WILL do mighty things, as He did in the early days of the New Testament Church. We read in Acts 2:44-47: “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

Yes, people recognized Christ’s disciples, when they showed their godly love for each other. As a consequence, God called many of those people into that loving group of believers — the Church of God. Each believer was part of that group. Each believer, as well as his or her example, did count!

It is not any different today. We must act and live today, as the Church did then. And what God performed then, He will accomplish now. So let us ask ourselves: “What’s Wrong With Godly Love?”

Dolphins Protect Swimmers

On November 22, 2004, Reuters reported the following:

“A pod of dolphins circled protectively round a group of New Zealand swimmers to fend off an attack by a great white shark, media reported on Tuesday. Lifesavers Rob Howes, his 15-year-old daughter Niccy, Karina Cooper and Helen Slade were swimming 300 feet off Ocean Beach near Whangarei on New Zealand’s North Island when the dolphins herded them — apparently to protect them from a shark. ‘They started to herd us up, they pushed all four of us together by doing tight circles around us,’ Howes told the New Zealand Press Association (NZPA). Howes tried to drift away from the group, but two of the bigger dolphins herded him back just as he spotted a nine-foot great white shark swimming toward the group…. ‘They could have sensed the danger to the swimmers and taken action to protect them,’ Orca [Research’s] Ingrid Visser told NZPA.”

More from Cardinal Ratzinger

Zenit reported on November 25, 2004, that “In the face of Europe’s ideological laicism, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger thinks that the way religious freedom works in the United States is a model worth studying.” The article continued to quote Ratzinger, as follows: “‘… we still don’t know where Europe will go, but the Constitution of the European Union might be a first step toward a new conscious search of its soul,’ the cardinal said…. In comparing U.S. and European attitudes to diverse religions, Cardinal Ratzinger added: ‘I think that from many points of view the American model is the better one… People who did not want to belong to a STATE CHURCH, went to the United States and intentionally constituted a state that does not impose a church and which simply is not perceived as religiously neutral, but as a space within which religions can move and also enjoy organizational freedom without being simply relegated to the private sphere,’ he explained. On this point, ‘one can undoubtedly learn from the United States,’ as it is a ‘process by which the state makes room for religion, which is not imposed, but which, thanks to the state, lives, exists and has a public creative force,’ the cardinal said. ‘It certainly is a positive way.'”

Sadly, the Bible clearly predicts that in the future, Europe WILL experience a new version of the age-old historical concept of a “state church” — a church that will enforce its will on the state.

Limbo

On November 25, 2004, Zenit pointed out that Catholic theologians declare the concept of limbo to be a human invention. The article stated: “On the specific topic of limbo, Father Ladaria, a professor at the Gregorian University, stressed that it would be studied ‘in the light of God’s mercy.’ He affirmed that ‘limbo is not the problem; in fact, it was a HISTORICAL ATTEMPT to proffer a solution in the face of the death of a child who has not been baptized… What is interesting is to study this topic in the light of God’s universal saving will…,’ he said.”

The Horrors of War

On November 27, 2004, WorldNetDaily published an interesting report of a platoon leader in Iraq. The article contains some grim descriptions of the horrors of war, so be warned. This eye-witness account may perhaps help some to think a little bit harder, before they applaud the “glory of war”:

“Well, I’m here in Iraq, and I’ve seen it and done it. I’ve seen everything you’ve ever seen in a war movie. I’ve seen cowardice; I’ve seen heroism; I’ve seen fear; and I’ve seen relief. I’ve seen blood and brains all over the back of a vehicle, and I’ve seen men bleed to death surrounded by their comrades. I’ve seen people throw up when it’s all over, and I’ve seen the same shell-shocked look in 35-year-old experienced sergeants as in 19-year-old privates. I’ve heard the screams ‘Medic! Medic!’ I’ve hauled dead civilians out of cars, and I’ve looked down at my hands and seen them covered in blood after putting some poor Iraqi civilian in the wrong place at the wrong time into a helicopter. I’ve seen kids with gunshot wounds, and I’ve seen kids who’ve tried to kill me… I’ve seen, sadly, that men who try to kill other men aren’t monsters, and most of them aren’t even brave. They aren’t defiant to the last; they’re ordinary people… I’ve seen a man without the back of his head and still done what I’ve been trained to do – ‘Medic!’ I’ve cleaned up blood and brains so my soldiers wouldn’t see it – taken pictures to document the scene, like I’m in some sort of bizarre cop show on TV… “I’ve seen men stacked up outside a house, ready to enter – some as scared as they could be, and some as calm as if they were picking up lunch from McDonald’s. I’ve laughed at dead men and watched a sergeant on the ground, laughing so hard he was crying, because my boots were stuck in a muddy field, all the while an Iraqi corpse was not five feet from him… I’ve heard men worry about civilians, and I’ve heard men shrug and sum up their viewpoint in two words… I’ve seen people shoot when they shouldn’t have, and I’ve seen my soldiers take an extra second or two, think about it, and spare somebody’s life… That’s combat, I guess, and there’s no way you can be ready for it. It just is what it is, and everybody’s experience is different. Just thought you might want to know what it’s really like.”

Attack on USA “Inevitable”?

On November 29, 2004, WorldNetDaily reported that, according to an expert, a massive WMD attack on the USA is “inevitable.” The article stated: “The United States is losing the war on terrorism and faces an ‘inevitable’ al-Qaida attack with weapons of mass destruction that will be worse than 9-11, according to a counter-terror expert. ‘All of the warnings we have today indicate that a major strike – something more horrible than anything we’ve seen before – is all but inevitable,’ said Yossef Bodansky, former director of the U.S. Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, in an interview yesterday with the Jerusalem Post.” The article continued: “… the re-election of President Bush has set the stage for a massive attack with non-conventional weapons, Bodansky believes. … Though some debate and doubt may linger, the planning for an attack is finished, Bodansky believes.”

WTO Penalties on USA

As AP reported on November 27, 2004, “The World Trade Organization imposed penalties Friday on U.S. exports ranging from apples to textiles, escalating a trade dispute the Bush administration has struggled to defuse by unsuccessfully urging Congress to repeal legislation aimed at protecting American steelmakers. The administration signaled it would accept the penalties short term, but also warned that the United States would aggressively protect its own trading interests and expects fair treatment from the WTO… In Geneva, the 148-nation WTO, which referees global commerce, approved punitive taxes long sought by the European Union and other countries because of a law they say unfairly protects U.S. steel companies and other industries… American officials said Friday that the United States would comply with the ruling that declared the law illegal. But WTO members expressed skepticism about the compliance promises… The value of the sanctions hasn’t been determined, but trade officials estimated them at more than $150 million a year. That compares with the $2 billion in sanctions the EU threatened in its successful bid to force the United States to lift illegal tariffs on foreign steel last year. The EU was joined in the complaint by Brazil, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Japan, India and Chile. Other products on the strategic target list include U.S. cod, glassware, cigarettes, mobile homes and heavy machinery made by companies such as Caterpillar Inc., based in Illinois…”

Earthquake in Japan

Associated Press reported on November 28:

“A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido early Monday, injuring at least 13 people, swaying buildings and triggering a small tsunami wave that reached the shore… The quake was centered off Hokkaido’s east coast, about 550 miles northwest of Tokyo, 30 miles below the sea surface. The rocking was felt throughout northern Japan, including Hokkaido’s largest city, Sapporo, and Kushiro, on the island’s eastern shore… Last month, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake and several large aftershocks in the prefecture of northern Niigata killed 40 people and damaged more than 16,000 homes. That quake was the deadliest in Japan since 1995, when a magnitude 7.2 quake killed 6,000 people in the western city of Kobe.”

EU Constitution and God

On November 26, 2004, www.ekklesia.co.uk posted an article, stating that “More than a million people from all over Europe are to deliver a petition to Tony Blair and fellow EU leaders calling for changes to the constitution which explicitly recognize the Christian religion in Europe’s heritage.”

The article continued: “A Christian coalition is demanding that each EU state publish its version of the constitution’s preamble, with references to God if desired. Already armed with 1,149,000 signatures and with thousands more pouring in from Holland since the murder of the film-maker Theo van Gogh, the group claims that most states want some reference to Christianity but were blocked by France. The move is keenly backed by Pope John Paul II, who has repeatedly condemned the ‘moral drift’ of Brussels. ‘One does not cut the roots to one’s birthright,’ he told pilgrims this summer.

“However, it is not being supported by more radical Christians who believe that a separation of religion and Government is desirable and point to the mistakes that institutional religion has made in the past.”

One must question why Christians, who rightly point out “mistakes” made by “institutional religion,” are referred to and labelled as “radical” in the article. It appears that their view point, at least in referring to the “mistakes” or better “atrocities,” if not “crimes,” committed in the name and under the disguise of religion, is not “radical” at all. Rather, it is the correct one.

Germany and Islam

DPA and Expatica published the following article on November 30, 2004:

“While Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has stepped-up a campaign calling on the country’s big Muslim community to fit with the country’s laws and its democratic principles, leading political figures in the nation have claimed that multiculturalism has failed in Germany.This comes in the wake of a mass demonstration of Muslims in Germany against terror and growing alarm in the country over the torching of mosques, churches and schools in the Netherlands following the van Gogh killing… With 3.4 million Muslims comprising 4 percent of Germany’s population, the question was put this way by a banner headline in the conservative Bild newspaper: ‘Is the hate going to come here?’ asked the biggest selling tabloid… “Germany’s tough-minded interior minister, Otto Schily, spoke at the weekend of ‘a danger’ to the country despite successes in integrating the majority of immigrants. Schily drew headlines earlier this year with a harsh warning to Islamic fundamentalists: ‘If you love death so much, then it can be yours.’…

“Meanwhile, Opposition chief Angela Merkel has declared the multicultural society a failure.This was echoed by former Social Democrat Chancellor Helmut Schmidt in comments published in a German newspaper. ‘Multicultural societies have only … functioned peacefully in authoritarian states. To that extent it was a mistake for us to bring guest workers from foreign cultures into the country at the beginning of the 1960s,’ Schmidt said…. Germany’s Verfassungschutz – the domestic intelligence service – estimates there are 31,000 radical Islamists living in Germany, of whom several thousand are prepared to use violence… The number of reported crimes carried out by foreign extremists in Germany almost tripled last year compared with 2002, warns the Verfassungsschutz.”

Especially the comments by former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt have started a big debate in the German press, with many prominent personalities disagreeing with Schmidt. Especially some Catholics, Social Democrats (Schmidt’s party) and Greens claimed that they were “offended” by Schmidt’s statements.

Economic Armageddon

On November 23, 2004, www.fromthewilderness.com published the following report:

“Stephen Roach, the chief economist at investment banking giant Morgan Stanley… met select groups of fund managers downtown last week, including a group at Fidelity. His prediction: America has no better than a 10 percent chance of avoiding economic ‘Armageddon.’… In a nutshell, Roach’s argument is that America’s record trade deficit means the dollar will keep falling. To keep foreigners buying T-bills and prevent a resulting rise in inflation, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan will be forced to raise interest rates further and faster than he wants.The result: U.S. consumers, who are in debt up to their eyeballs, will get pounded… Twenty years ago the total debt of U.S. households was equal to half the size of the economy. Today the figure is 85 percent… The dollar is hitting fresh lows against currencies from the yen to the euro. Its parachute failed to open over the weekend, when a meeting of the world’s top finance ministers produced no promise of concerted intervention. It has farther to fall, especially against Asian currencies, analysts agree.”

Bild Online predicted on November 26, 2004: “Our Euro will become the world’s currency.” In the article, the tabloid stated: “Analysts expect that within a few years, the Euro will replace the U.S. Dollar as the world’s strongest currency.”

When we review from God’s Word what He tells us about His laws – we can know this statement in verse 25 of Ezekiel 20 cannot be complete as presented.

In Psalm 19:7-10 we read: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.” Romans 7:12 tells us “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.”

What then, could this verse in Ezekiel be revealing to us? Much can be learned by reading the preceding 24 verses of this 20th chapter of Ezekiel. Israel, of course, had been in captivity under the rule of the Egyptians for some 400 years, and had totally lost any knowledge of God and of His Ways. God had determined to reveal Himself once again to these descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel).

In verse 11 of this chapter we see, that God gave them His statutes and judgments: “…which if a man does, he shall live by them.” Continue – verses 12-13:

“Moreover, I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths.”

Thus, God lifted His hand against them (verses 23-24): “Also I lifted My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries, because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.”

Somewhat clearer than the Authorized Version, the New King James Bible gives a little more understanding relative to verse 25: Therefore, God “…GAVE THEM UP to statutes that were not good.” The Living Bible states it this way: “I let them adopt customs and laws which were worthless. Through the keeping of them they could not attain (eternal) life.”

These were laws and statutes they had determined for themselves to live by. Yet, in so doing, they could not please God!

What were these laws – these statutes – these judgments that the people took to themselves? They are the laws Paul spoke of in the second chapter of the letter to the Colossians. He described these laws as “philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and NOT according to Christ” (verse 8). Paul identified these human “regulations” (verse 20) as “commandments and doctrines of men” (verse 22).

In Psalm 81:11-12 God reveals exactly what He did in this matter with Israel. “But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels.”

Notice, also, Acts 7:41-42: “And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven (false worship), as it is written in the book of the Prophets…”

Yes, God allowed them to go their own way. It was their choice – as it is with God’s people, today! Proverbs 14:12 tells us: “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

Moses explained to Israel in Deuteronomy 4:5-8 that God’s righteous laws were for their wisdom and understanding in the sight of all the nations. This was a blessing to them from the Almighty!

Notice verse 8 of Deuteronomy 4 (Authorized Version): “And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?” And in Deuteronomy 6:24-25 (Authorized Version): “And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is today. And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all the commandments before our God, as He hath commanded.”

We, as God’s people, today, would do well to follow these righteous instructions from our God! For more information, please read our free booklets, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…” and, “God’s Commanded Holy Days.”

A new StandingWatch program was recorded on Wednesday. Its title is: “Allies, Enemies and You.”

The new booklet on tithing has been finalized and will be sent to the printer in the U.K. by the end of this week.