Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:
Greetings again from Grover Beach, California.
This week’s recommended sermonette covers the issue of sexual immorality associated with ‘transgenderism.’ The time may come when we cannot publicly post the Bible’s views on this subject, but since we still can do this from the USA, and the Bible says:
“Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)
So, we did so. And we have been doing so regularly.
The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, has also stated that he wants to push the transgender issue in his country. We are also seeing more ‘accommodations’ for transgendered students in New Zealand.
Now LGBT subjects, and some others, are becoming so ‘legally’ accepted, that the time is likely to come when some law or company (like YouTube) will no longer allow biblically-based condemnations of such practices.
That being said, we are always to love the sinner, but not to the point we condone biblically-condemned sin. We do cry aloud!
Over 600,000 views on YouTube ‘Television’
We are still having success on YouTube.
We have now passed 600,000 views of our two primary YouTube channels.
The ContinuingCOG channel has had over 200,000 views and the BibleNewsProphecy channel has had a little under 400,00 views. We have averaged over 3,000 views per week for every week since our official formation.
We choose YouTube ‘television’ because it was convenient and basically free. It also has wide viewership all over the world. People in at least 214 countries and territories have seen our sermonette videos on the BibleNewsProphecy channel. People in at least 200 countries and territories have seen our sermon videos on the ContinuingCOG channel.
While we have been subject to censorship from YouTube, and likely will again (the recommended sermonette for this week is the type of video that YouTube might one day censor), overall it has served us well.
Some have asked me about my use of the expression YouTube ‘television.’ Some have said since YouTube literally is television, it is not necessary for me to put any type of quotation marks around the word television. Still others have said that YouTube is not television, but is internet based, that I should not use the term television at all. However, because of Roku boxes and other devices, one can watch the videos over a television (which is what my family here does).
For the time being, I have decided to keep using the YouTube ‘television’ as it is a type of television, but is not broadcast the same way are regular television programs are. However, as we see the development of internet-based television networks, presuming these continue to increase in popularity, and since they are generally lumped in with the category of television, one day I may drop the quotation marks and simply use the expression YouTube television.
In time, we may take some steps to try to promote our YouTube video sermons and sermonettes, beyond only mentioning them on our websites and the COGwriter.com site. But for now, that is not a budgetary priority. The priority currently is to make these materials available so that our scattered brethren can have weekly sermon and sermonette messages, and that others who have interest can watch them as well. And this is happening.
Internet
Google reported that our campaign with them reached 3,196,435 computers last month. So, despite our small size, we reach millions:
6 This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
We have reached people in over 220 measured countries and territories over the internet.
Second Passover
Some have wondered about the date for the ‘Second Passover’ this year. The Bible, in Numbers 9:1-14, has a provision that those who who were unable to partake of the Passover essentially due to illness, travel, or similar unavoidable circumstances, can take it later. This year, it should be taken shortly after sunset on Saturday, May 21. This Passover, like the other one, is only for baptized members. Here is a link to an article: Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. Here is a link to an online video: CCOG Passover Service.
Matthew 28 and Islamic Conquest?
In an interview with a French publication that came out Tuesday, Pope Francis somewhat compared Christians working to fulfill Jesus’ commission in Matthew (28:19-20) with Islamic conquest! Pope Francis said:
Notice what Jesus said:
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Teaching Jesus’ words is NOT the same as Islamic conquest. Islamic conquest involves killing, terrorism, and forced conversions. Teaching Jesus’ words shows love. The two are not comparable. Yet, to promote his interfaith agenda, Pope Francis is claiming they are (see alsoPope Francis tries to compare Islamic military conquests to preaching Christianity!). This is one more false doctrine and misunderstanding of the gospel from the Church of Rome.
World News Items
Former London Mayor Boris Johnson publicly compared what the European Union was doing to Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler (see Brexit or Hitler? Or worse?). His statements upset many, including Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council (see “EU’s Tusk slams Boris Johnson over ‘absurd’ Hitler comparison”). The prophetic reality is that what will end up in Europe will be worse than almost all imagine (cf. Revelation 17,18,19), though most there do not realize what they will do (cf. Isaiah 10:7).
Over in Mexico, its former President Vincente Fox threatened actual war with the USA should Donald Trump become its President (see Mexican ex-President threatens actual war against USA if Donald Trump wins). While I do not expect Mexico to attempt to engage the USA in any all out war should Donald Trump be elected, let me state that for decades I have believed that Mexico was likely to supply ground troops to come into the USA when the final European Beast power launches its successful attack (cf. Daniel 11:39). This remains my view and is consistent with certain biblical prophecies about the lands being divided (see also Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?).
Over in Asia, China is working on its ‘Silk Road’ project (see China’s ‘silk road’ development more intensive than ‘Marshal Plan’). Basically, China wants to build infrastructure and roads across Asia. It may well be that the Silk Road project will help clear the way for Chinese and other troops to attack Europe as well as gather in Armageddon. World events continue to align with biblical prophecy.
Suggested Sabbath Service
Here is a suggested Sabbath service for this week:
- 2-3 hymns (our songbook, The Bible Hymnal, contains the materials from the 1974Bible Hymnal from the old WCG with new covers, plus ten additional hymns; there is also some Choral Accompaniment online).
- Opening prayer.
- Sermonette, which for most who receive this letter via email will be a recorded one: USA pushing gender confusion. Other sermonettes are available at the Bible News Prophecychannel.
- Announcements (if any; though for many it will be this letter) and one hymn.
- Sermon, which for most who receive this letter via email will be a recorded one. The one suggested for this week is: Jesus, Pharisees, and the Ten Commandments. Other sermons are also available at the ContinuingCOG channel.
- Final hymn.
- Closing prayer.
Because of the suggested sermon is shorter than usual, that is why you see two (2) recommended sermonettes.
Note: If you have a slow internet connection, you can watch these by starting the video, then below it (and towards the right) look for an outline of a gear–if you click on that, it will allow the YouTube video to be played with lower video quality, but at least it will not stop often–you can select a quality as low as 144p.
If your internet connection is still too slow (as my home one is) and/or you prefer audio messages to audio-visuals ones, go to the YouTube link for the message, click on SHOW MORE related to the description. You will then see something that says, “Download MP3.” Below that is a link to an MP3 file. Most computers (and even some cellular telephones) will allow MP3 files to be downloaded and played. This is an option we have made available (but we are also looking into ways to improve that as well)–and, of course, we have written article options. Some people have found that if their internet connections are not fast enough, that they can simply listen to the messages that are found at the new Bible News Prophecy online radio channel.
IN CASE YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A ‘LETTER TO THE BRETHREN‘ FOR ANY WEEK, REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE MANY SERMON MESSAGES ON THE ContinuingCOGchannel AND MANY SERMONETTE MESSAGES ON THE Bible News Prophecy channel.
Concluding Comments
Notice the following:
1 David spoke to the Lord the words of this song, on the day when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 And he said:
“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
3 The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge;
My Savior, You save me from violence.
4 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.5 “When the waves of death surrounded me,
The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
6 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
7 In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry entered His ears. (2 Samuel 22:1-7)
Brethren, God knows our tests and trials and will properly deliver us if we are living and praying to be right with Him.
Sincerely,
Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer