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Letter to the Brethren: June 1, 2023

Letter to the Brethren: June 1, 2023

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Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings from the Five Cities Region of California.

We received another 43 translations of our English booklet, The Gospel of the Kingdom of God, yesterday. That brings the total in for the month of May to 123 additional translations! Again, this is part of supporting Matthew 24:14 as well as preparing for the short work of Romans 9:28. Remember the Bible shows that people of all tongues (cf. Revelation 7:9) will respond before Jesus returns–hence the NEED to have literature in hundreds of languages online.

Pentecost

Last weekend’s double-Sabbath, including Pentecost went well here.

We received also received positive reports from Africa. Evangelist Evans Ochieng reported the following:

Pastor Dr Bob,

Greetings from Kenya. We had a very good feast of pentecost. The congregation from oriang came to Ndhiwa. We gathered together. The meeting was wonderful. We ate well and people tried to bring some offerings for the feast. Even though there is hunger in Kenya and people are getting it tough this time. I also received messages from different congregations  that the feast went well. I recieved report from Got kachola and kisii that the feast was fine. I also received the massage from Goma Congo that they had a very good feast of pentecost. I talked with Molozwa yesterday and he told me that the organization of pentecost was good in both Malawi and Mozambique. He was to keep the pentecost in Zomba. I received massage now from Aora Dak that they also have a good feast of pentecost.Hope you are having a good feast of pentecost.…I’ve talked with moise right now. He told me that the feast went well in Rwanda. But he wanted me to go to Rwanda. He told me that he was teaching all Rwanda through zoom. That was a good work.

Evans.

Pastor Radson Mulozowa sent the following report:

Greetings from Malawi and MozambiqueWe are all fine by the Grace of God.The feast of pentecost went well in all site . This year we had more sites compared to last year namely : Migowi, Mwanza, Zomba in Malawi while in Mozambique we had these site   Domasi, NasiyayaPastor let me report that the church is progressing and we have opened another congregation called Muriya in Zomba it was once in seventh day Adventist church . Am planning to visit them for three days teaching so that they can know more truth about the kingdom of God.Pastor since the work has grown there is a great need to visit all the congregation both Malawi and Mozambique to encourage the brethren .I have already discussed with pastor Evans about this program and he has encourage me to do that.My plan was to stay two days on each congregation as you know the followers of … visited all our congregations telling them lies about continuing church of God that it has failed …Let me report that brethren who left ccog and join hope of Israel worldwide church of God have started coming back into the church .Thanks for your prayers for Malawi and Mozambique congregations .May God bless you together with pastor Evans as you stood with us in hard times we were going through.About registration I went to the register to meet him and has told me that this week the ICT technical team will solve the problem and I need to call him on Friday

Best regards

Radson

Deacon Koang Deng, who last week asked for prayers for a peaceful Pentecost in his region because of potential violence, sent in the following report:

Dear Pastors:

A very joyful day yesterday.Members of Ethiopia and some members of South Sudan celebrate the feast joyfully.The total numbers of those who attend the feast this year are 40 in numbers include children.We give thanks to God of Jacob after we do celebrated the feast of first fruits peacefully in this region.Before we start to celebrate the feast, regional of gambella do a good work by letting the region to came to normal, now People start to traveling peacefully in the region.

Best regards,

Deacon koang Deng.

Many, particularly in Malawi, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Mozambique did NOT keep the annual  holy days (other than Passover before becoming part of the Continuing Church of God.

More Than One-Half Billion Computer Impressions!

As most of you are aware, we have long had an outreach campaign on Google and for a lessor time (and with a much lower budget) also on Microsoft.

As far as our Google campaigns go, we are doing very well. We have now reached over 523,894,002 impressions. That means computers (including ‘smart phones’) around the world have been reached over one-half billion times with parts of the good news for those who put in various search terms.

In the past twelve months, we have made 154,423,552 computer/cellphone impressions through our Google campaign, which is over 12 million per month! And, we were able to do this without increasing our spending for this, but by basically working with Google representatives to improve the reach of our campaigns.

It seems like never before in Church of God history have so few reached so many with so little resources. God has blessed the tithes and offerings we have received to give a witness to multiple millions around the world.

We have promoted information on church history, the true Church of God, and God’s plan of salvation around the world through our Google campaign as part of the work we are doing to assist in fulfilling Matthew 24:14, Matthew 28:19-20, and Romans 11:25.

We also have a small campaign with Microsoft that targets and reaches Sabbath keepers–this has reached over 347,165 computers/cellular telephones around the world, with 117,348 in the past twelve months.

That said, our Google campaign has been facing difficulties as Google keeps changing its rules on ads. Google is now more and more restricting religious advertising as well as the content of such advertisements. Today, we got more emails from Google showing their biases against “Religious beliefs” in advertising.

Google also seems to think that asking a question is an “unreliable” claim and has suspended at least one of our campaigns because of this. While we have worked with Google on this before, the time may come when this door to reach people may be fully shut–before the coming prophesied famine of word in Amos 8:11-12. However, until such time, we still hope to reach multiple millions more through our Google and other campaigns.

Suggested Sabbath Day Service

Here is a suggested Sabbath day service for our scattered brethren and other interested people:

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 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 ContinuingCOG channel AND MANY SERMONETTE MESSAGES ON THE Bible News Prophecy channel. There are also some messages at the CCOGAfrica channel. There are also messages in the Spanish language at the CDLIDDSermones channel.

World News Items

The US is working on getting a bill through to allow the debt ceiling to be raised (see Spending cut for ants? US debt to increase–this will ultimately result in the end of the US). It has now passed the House of Representatives (see ‘Low-key lawmakers helped avert a debt ceiling crisis’ ‘Debt-ceiling Deal Enrages Freedom Caucus’). Irrespective of the wisdom to prevent default, the long-term projectory for the US and debt will not end well per Habakkuk 2:6-8.

Our recommended sermonette this week has to do with what is called Artificial Intelligence (watch ZH: Nvidia Introduces AI Supercomputer To Create ChatGPT Successors; BBC: Artificial intelligence could lead to extinction, experts warn). After Steve Dupuie and I made it, there were more warnings from “experts” that AI does pose serious risks. I am certain that the coming 666 European Beast power will use computers to fulfill Revelation 13:16-18, and most likely also AI.

The situation between Israel and Iran continues to heat up–this is a major area to watch as major armed conflict between the two would not only be consistent with the fulfillment of Isaiah 22, but also may set the stage for the “peace deal’ of Daniel 9:27 and the countdown for the Great Tribulation, as well as the return of Jesus.

Concluding Comments

The Apostle Paul wrote to “Imitate” him and he imitated Jesus” (1 Corinthians 11:1)–Jesus finished the work He was given (John 17:4). The Apostle Paul also wrote:

16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:16-18)

Brethren, once you chose to accept God’s calling, necessity was laid upon you to support the work of proclaiming the gospel–even more so if you are a Philadelphian Christian.

And this is something we do in person, over the internet, with printed literature, as well as being on radio stations that reach many lands around the world.

Sincerely,

Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer