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Letter to the Brethren: January 11, 2024

Letter to the Brethren: January 11, 2024

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Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings from Grover Beach, California.

This popularity of this week’s recommended sermon, Irenaeus: The Most Dangerous Early Heretic?, has been a bit of a surprise as normally historical sermons do not tend to have as much immediate appeal as prophetic ones. Yet, this one has. Hopefully, some day, more will wake up and act on the truth about the early true Christian church and its most faithful remnant in this age.

We received another 36 translations of our English booklet titled The Gospel of the Kingdom of God this week. After we passed 1000 languages, we put together a related sermonette which covers some scriptures related to prophecies about the use of languages (watch Proclaiming the Gospel in 1000+ Languages).

Bible News Prophecy magazine

By now, those of you who are subscribers in the USA and Canada may be wondering if you should have received the last edition of our magazine.

Well, Amazon Kindle was late. This is most likely because of the impact of the world’s holidays. When we ordered them, the initial date to receive them was in late December 2023.

Anyway, they arrived a few days ago, and we have been mailing them out.

The magazine is also available online.

Here is a link to the Bible News Prophecy magazine January-March 2024.

Additionally, we mailed out donation receipts for USA donors along with a copy our our newest booklet titled: About Baptism.

Food for the Hungry in Mozambique and Malawi

The Apostle James wrote:

27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, (James 1:27)

15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  (James 2:15-19)

The Apostle Paul wrote:

9 … James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. (Galatians 2:9-10)

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:7-10)

With those scriptures in mind, consider that we reported that we sent funds for the poor (including widows and orphans) in Africa last week.

This week, pastor Radson Mulozowa sent a report and some photos of the food he bought to distribute to some of our brethren in Mozambique and Malawi who are suffering from hunger:

Food for the Hungry in Mozambique and Malawi

The Apostle James wrote:

27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, (James 1:27)

15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  (James 2:15-19)

The Apostle Paul wrote:

9 … James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. (Galatians 2:9-10)

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:7-10)

With those scriptures in mind, consider that we reported that we sent funds for the poor (including widows and orphans) in Africa last week.

This week, pastor Radson Mulozowa sent a report and some photos of the food he bought to distribute to some of our brethren in Mozambique and Malawi who are suffering from hunger:

Radson Mulozowa

Greetings from Malawi and MozambiqueYesterday I was in Mozambique for food distribution and everything went well …

Best regards

Radson

Pastor Sosten Libungwa sent the following photos and report:

Church greetings, I have shared almost to 10 churches across Malawi working under me, each group was supposed to receive MK300,000 with this amount we can buy 6 bags of maize of 50 kg weight which can be received by 30 people,due other areas there is no maize food, this is due to cylrone  fredy. Because of this we bought grain meal packets some of 10 kg each some 5 kg each depend on how large the group is, other area that is far I just send the funds to buy what can help them according what types of food is common and cheap from their area,I received good report from those people,I have shared to 10 congregation,other congregations has not received,had it been all my church members should receive the food this means some would received 2kg or 3 kg each,all the churches from eastern province received nothing but I told them that they must wait for near future which all agreed with one heart,we preach love and patient,those photos are from different churches from different location. The lowershire people are sing good song of CCOG,this region Radson has no church group,I pray when you come you must land this region, this means CCOG has more expand to more regions. Thanks for your prayers and support to the people of Malawi and beyond Africa,

Sosten Libungwa.

Jesus said:

34 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: 35 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; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 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.’ (Matthew 25:34-40)

Yes, when you support the Continuing Church of God with tithes and offerings, in addition to supporting the proclamation work, you are serving Jesus by also assisting the poor in places like Africa.

Trip to the Congo

Moise Nshimiyimana from Rwanda visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He sent the following report and photo:

Dear Pastor Dr Bob,

Greetings from CCOG Congo.The trip to visit Congo was good , unless for the usual corruption problems at the Congolese border especially of the people of Rwanda because of the conflict between the two countries  .The Brethren in Congo are doing well spiritually . The photo of last Sabbath in Congo/Goma city is attached . However , let us continue to pray for them because of the war that surrounded the city of Goma where they live because the anti-government group called M23 has closed the roads entrances to the city so that the townspeople die of starvation will force the gouvernement to agree to negotiation . So , I told them to be patient because nothing can separate us from God’s love as we read it in Romans 8:35 . We also discussed the issue of people from Catholic wanting to be baptized in more water before Passover if it will be possible.

Sincerely,

Moïse.

Please pray for the safety of our brethren there as the off and on war there presents real danger.

Suggested Sabbath Day Services

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

Victor David Hanson wrote an article where he mentioned that the culture in the USA is deteriorating, despite being in a time of leisure and excess (see American culture In collapse). That brought to mind passages in the Bible such as the following:

11 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest — when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end — 17 then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’

18 “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.  (Deuteronomy 8:11-20)

Truly many of those in the USA and its British-descended allies have tried to forget God and move more and more toward perversion since they have more than enough food, etc.

Israel has taken military actions that some feel may lead to an expanded war. Some in the nation of Israel are wondering if relying on USA assistance has been a mistake (see Another Hezbollah leader killed, ‘fears grow’ about Israel-Iran war expansion, and ‘Zephaniah’s Cry: Don’t Rely on America!’). Isaiah basically confirmed that the time will come when the USA, its British-descended allies, and Israel will all turn against each other (Isaiah 9:21). I expect that to happen in not too many years from now.

That said, two of the Republican presidential hopefuls have made comments about the USA leaving, or being at least less supportive of the NATO alliance (see Trump rival wants US out of NATO). Furthermore, it was reported that while he was President of the USA, Donald Trump privately told the EU President  Ursula von der Leyen that the USA would NOT defend Europe if it were attacked (see ‘Does the Entire World Now View the U.S. as a Dying Empire? New BRICS Alliance Takes on the Global Food Cartel by Eliminating the U.S. Dollar’ And then there is Donald Trump).

This lack of strong USA commitment is a major concern to many in Europe and is one of the factors motivating the Europeans to spend more money on their military. Biblically, we know that Europe will end up with enough of a function “great army” (Daniel 11:25) with “many ships” that the world will marvel at its coming military success (cf. Revelation 13:3-4). This will not end well for the USA (Daniel 11:39), its British-descended allies (cf. Daniel 8:24-24), many in the Middle East and North Africa (Daniel 11:40-43), nor ultimately Europe itself (Daniel 2:44, 8:25, 11:44-45; Revelation 17:14).

Concluding Comments

Jesus said:

10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

14 “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 17 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18 And pray that your flight may not be in winter. (Mark 13:10-18)

Brethren, yes, we need to proclaim the gospel of the coming Kingdom of God. But yes, we will be subject to persecution and ridicule before (and also likely while) it will be time to flee.

But if we endure, not only will we ultimately be saved, we will also receive Jesus’ promise of protection to the Philadelphians from the coming Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21; watch also Leaving the American Dream for Safety), which Jesus also called the “hour of trial” (Revelation 3:10).

Sincerely,

Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer