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Letter to the Brethren: April 28, 2016

Letter to the Brethren: April 28, 2016

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Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

We had a fine Passover and are doing well during the Days of Unleavened Bread this year.

This Friday is the Last Day of Unleavened Bread, so basically there will be two Sabbaths in a row.

And for the weekly Sabbath, we are recommending messages from Herb Haddon, Jay Chiang, and Steve Dupuie.

This letter is being sent out a little earlier than usual so that those in New Zealand and the Philippines will get it in time as it is already the Last Day of Unleavened Bread there when it will not come for at least a dozen hours here in California.

The Night to Be Observed and the First Day of Unleavened Bread in the Philippines

Anthony Flavell reported that there were 8 that met together for the Night to Be Observed and the First Day of Unleavened Bread in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines.  This is a relatively new group for the CCOG as they were not part of us a year ago. And they were not a group before, but instead some people from other COG groups that separately realized that CCOG was the most faithful.

Here are a couple of photos:

ntbo2016Phil   1ulb2016Phil
The Night to Be Observed and the First Day of Unleavened Bread, Cagayan de Oro, Philippines

We also have a small family in Silay City, Philippines, and that it where CCOG is planning to have its Philippine’s Feast of Tabernacles’ site in 2016.

World News Items

In the USA, a new report came out showing the suicides are up (see U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Suicides up). One would think in a nation with plenty of physical food that would not be the case, but the lack of true spiritual food is appalling and the increasing amount of suicides is another indicator of that.

In terms of the next USA president, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump again pulled off major primary election victories (see Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump win — a sign of the ‘last days’?). A headline in yesterday’s Los Angles Times was A Trump-Clinton general election poses a question: Who does America hate least? While both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump claim Christianity, even many of the world’s professing Christians realize that neither of them can be. Both are apocalyptic and have taken steps that will help lead to the destruction of the USA.

Speaking of Donald Trump, yesterday morning, I posted (see Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump win — a sign of the ‘last days’?):

Donald Trump will drive Europe further away  from the USA.

Shortly thereafter yesterday, Donald Trump made an ‘America first” speech, which upset the Europeans. Today, Donald Trump’s position was publicly criticized by Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Various leaders in the USA are upsetting the Europeans and this will lead to Europe taking unilateral military steps that will not end well (Isaiah 10:5-11; Daniel 11:39-43).

Also in the USA, its current president has recently been in Europe and claims that a united Europe is a necessity for the world (see Barack Obama pins world’s hope on European Beast power). Yet the Bible warns about the rise of that power (Revelation 17 & 18).  And it will be a power that will destroy the USA (Daniel 11:39) and various others (cf. Daniel 11:39-43).

In the UK, some are wondering what will happen to UK-USA trade in the event the UK votes to leave the European Union on June 23, 2016 (see BBC: What is the future for UK-US trade?). US President Obama declared that the UK would have to go to “the back of the queue” if it votes to leave the EU (see Germans again protest TTIP; Might Obama’s successor negotiate post-Brexit trade with the UK?). The situation in the UK and the EU is fragile, but ultimately the power in Europe will arise more fully (cf. Daniel 2:41-43).

Elsewhere in the world, Russia is supplying military hardware to Iran (see Russia supplying Iran weapons, but prophecy watchers wrong on Bible Code and Ezekiel 38). That may not turn out well for Israel (Isaiah 22:1-9) or Iran (Jeremiah 49:34-38).

Suggested Holy Day Sabbath Service

Here is our suggested format for the Last Day of Unleavened Bread services 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.
  • Offertory sermonette, which for many who receive this letter via email will be a recorded one titled: Unleavened Bread Offertory. For how to give an offering, go to the Donations page of the Continuing Church of God. There is a mailing address there, as well as a link to have the ability to give offerings online.
  • Announcements (if any; though for many it will be this letter) and one hymn.
  • Sermon, which for many who receive this letter via email will be a recorded one. The one suggested for this week is:  Does God have faith in humans? Other sermons are also available at the ContinuingCOG channel.
  • Final hymn.
  • Closing prayer.

Because of this being an annual Holy Day, some may wish to have double-services.  If so, here is a suggestion for the second service (note: the sermon listed below is from 2015):

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 two recorded ones:My physical and spiritual Father and China Update. Other sermonettes are available at the Bible News Prophecy channel.
  • 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 by Steve Dupuie: Bearing Fruit Worthy of Repentance. 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

Consider the following:

1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. (Hebrews 6:1-3)

Brethren, you know the basic doctrines, realize that we are all to go on to perfection.

Sincerely,

Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer