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Letter to the Brethren: December 14, 2023

Letter to the Brethren: December 14, 2023

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Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings from Grover Beach, California.

I made a mistake in the recommended sermon for this week titled: Jesus and Guaranteed Success. Towards the end of the sermon, I said something was in Philippians 2:7-8, then said no, it was verses 17 and 18. When I copied the scripture over from a source I rarely use, it had a 1 like symbol in front of verse 8, making it look like verse 18. I apologize for that error.

That said, we received another 25 translations of our English booklet titled The Gospel of the Kingdom of God. The work we are doing to help fulfill Matthew 24:14 is continuing.

Malawi

Evangelist Evans Ochieng is scheduled to fly to Malawi tomorrow.

He intends to meet with several of our leaders there (including one who has been asking to come back with us for years) as well as some from Mozambique. He also plans to help coordinate one or more youth camps in Malawi with current, as well as new, CCOG congregants. At least one camp there is scheduled to start on Sunday, December 17th.

While students in the Northern Hemisphere tend to get Summer vacation between June and August, in the Southern Hemisphere, in Africa at least, students are sometimes off beginning in November and pretty much always off in December. That makes December an ideal time for youth camps there.

Youth camps are also planned for Kenya later this month.

Accusers and the Health of Radson Mulozowa

Someone sent me the following that Aleksandar Sasha Veljic wrote mainly to the CCOG Letter to the Brethren: November 23, 2023, Malawi, and the health of CCOG pastor Radson Mulozowa (note: any misspellings were in what I was sent):

For weeks the readers of Bob Thiel’s „Letter to the Brethren“, which should be better called „Lies to the Brethren“, have read various manipulative lies.  … Included in “African growth” was a report that CCOG Malawian pastor Radson Mulozowa was ill, but he got well and he visited Mozambique. …

And even though such lies about Africa come from Thiel’s co-workers in Africa, messaged to him by the man who holds the title of an evagelist, those are still lies that Bob Thiel shares with the CCOG membership around the world, thus taking part in such deceptions.

The factual situation is that Radson Mulozowa is indicted for various crimes by the Malawian government which currently cannot imprison him due to his grave health conditions.

The Malawian government sources inform us that Mulozowa is a skeleton as(s) is eating him away.  It is interesting to note the three ailments Mulozowa has been diagnosed with so far.  Those are: tuberculoses, HIV (AIDS) and some kind of intestinal disease which causes his intestines to come out.  Is such a sick person capable of traveling anywhere, let alone to a foreign country (Mozambique)?  Radson Mulozowa is actually dying we learn from the Malawian government sources, but Bob Thiel has presented him as alive and kicking, and traveling around to stregthen CCOG.

Despite the accusations, there were no lies from me. Frankly, I do not believe that Sasha actually checked out the facts on this, but was misled when he passed on tales others told him. His report is wrong and outrageously accusatory. Sasha remains in my prayers.

In order to provide proof about his report being wrong to any with interest in the true facts, I emailed Radson Mulozowa, shared with him Sasha’s writing, and asked him to address the health matters.

Radson responded to my email by suggesting that we do a WhatsApp video call for me to actually see how he is doing. So, I did.

When we spoke, I asked Radson about each of the three specific health matters that A. Veljic brought up.

Radson said that, yes, he had tuberculosis, but has been treated for it and is fine. I can confirm that his voice and breathing were fine, and that he did not cough once during our thirteen minute call as would be expected if he was dying from tuberculosis. Radson also said that he did not have HIV nor is he having any problems with his digestion nor are his intestines falling out.

Radson was outside when I called (hence he was not confined to bed as a dying man could be) and I saw him walking during much of the call. He does not look like a skeleton being eaten away by a deadly illness–he looks like he did when I saw him in person back in 2017, though he may have lost some weight during his tuberculosis battle.

Radson further said that we still have the vast bulk of our previous membership in Malawi, despite what some others want to believe (we also are experiencing growth in Malawi which I plan to report on after Evan Ochieng’s upcoming trip there).

The fact is that Radson is not in bed hiding from being arrested. To the contrary, he is up and about. To see that with your own eyes, below is a short video clip he sent me on Tuesday December 12, 2023, showing him speaking at services in Malawi last Sabbath, December 9, 2024:


5:42

Radson Mulozowa speaking in Malawi

This is a message in the Chichewa language from CCOG Pastor Radson Mulozowa given on the Sabbath of December 9, 2023 in Malawi.

Here is a link to Radson speaking last Sabbath: Radson Mulozowa speaking in Malawi.

The factual situation is that Radson Mulozowa clearly is NOT gravely bedridden. He said he is NOT awaiting arrest. He says he is healthy and has been for some time.

Sadly, some have decided to pass on and/or believe many lies about Radson Mulozowa and others in the CCOG.

While all people, including myself and Radson Mulozowa are flawed, unless something has dramatically changed since I viewed him late last week or when I again viewed him when we spoke again this week, the truth is that Radson Mulozowa is not bedridden, gravely ill, and as he said, he is not dying from some known and diagnosed illness.

Do not be one who who listens to talebearers instead of believing the facts.

The Bible teaches:

20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.
21 As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles,
And they go down into the inmost body. (Proverbs 26:20-22)

16 You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people … (Leviticus 19:16)

Do not be a talebearer. Do not be one who “loves and practices a lie” (Revelation 22:15).

And if you have been taken in by lies and other negative reports about the CCOG, please repent and believe the truth. God will forgive those, including Christians, who repent (1 John 1:9): “Do not harden your  hearts” (Hebrews 4:7b).

South Sudan Trip

Received the following email from deacon Koang Deng in Ethiopia:

Dear Dr. Bob:We have been struggling of many decisions for the travel to South Sudan.This day, we finalized our going, because there are two ways that forced us to go there before the end of this Month December.1. Going there on foot is difficult for the fear of lowering of river while people always traveling by boat. 2. Going there on foot is difficult for the robbery on road.This is the reason why we changed our minds, because we agreed to go by boat instead on land for the fear of robbery. … it will be good to go there by the coming week. …Kinds regards,Koang Deng.

Koang also emailed me and said that they left Tuesday and arrived at the Ethiopia-South Sudan border yesterday. This is basically a baptismal trip. Please pray for the safety and success of this trip.

Year-End Income Tax Matters

(Public Domain Images)

We are getting close to the end of the Roman calendar year. Those who live in the United States, in order to have their contributions eligible for tax deduction for calendar year 2023, need to send electronic or regular mail donations no later than December 31, 2023. For those who physically mail donations, they legally must be postmarked by December 31, 2023 to be eligible for deductibility for 2023.

All contributions received via US mail for residents of the United States are to be processed for the tax year based upon the postmarked date on the envelopes.

For contributions received via PayPal, we use the date that PayPal gives us.

The PayPal donation link for the USA is at: https://www.ccog.org/donations/

In Canada the rules may be slightly different for mailed and other contributions, so if you want the tax deduction for calendar year 2023, they likely also need to be made before the end of the calendar year to the CCOG office in Canada.

(In New Zealand, they use a March 31st date to end their tax year.)

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

Both the Netherlands and the USA have issued warnings about the potential for increased terrorism because of the Israel-Hamas war (see Netherlands and USA report increase risk of terrorism because of Hamas-Israel war). Since the Bible warns of “terror within” for the descendants of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:24, the Netherlands, the USA, and others will see more terrorism in the future. As far as “terror within” goes, the US government has reported that it is surveilling 2,000,000 people in the US as possible terrorist according to a CBS report out today (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-terrorist-watchlist-grows/).

Poland finally elected a new prime minister: Donald Tusk. Donald Tusk used to be the European Union Council President, and he was outspoken against those who supported Brexit (see Poles elect pro-EU Donald Tusk Prime Minister–do you remember what he said about Brexit supporters?). Tusk is more of a globalist than a nationalist, and this is a shift for Poland. Tusk wants a stronger and more united European Union. We know, that despite problems (cf. Daniel2:41-43), Europe will reorganize and transfer power to a dictator that the Bible calls the Beast per Revelation 17:12-13. Donald Tusk is one who would likely be a supporter of the initial changes that will come.

The European Union has just put out more proposed regulations on Artificial Intelligence (see EU (European Union) provisionally agrees first AI (Artificial Intelligence) regulations–666 prelude?). The EU is also moving ahead with digital ids and other ways it wants to be able to track people when they are online as well as when they buy or sell (see Digital ID Gulag, Rothschild, WEF, and Carbon Passport Controls).

Russia has been in the news for several reasons, including the fact some believe Ukraine may cede territory to it (see US Senator agrees with COGwriter prediction about Ukraine ceding territory), some want Russia to end up with at least part of Alaska (see MSN: Russian Lawmaker Floats Texas and Alaska Annexations), and well as financial matters (e.g. see Singapore, BRICS, and the losing of the petrodollar).

As most of you know, I have predicted that Russia would end up with at least part of the territory of Ukraine. Furthermore, I have speculated that it is possible that the coming European Beast power may make a deal and give at least part of Alaska, and perhaps even parts of Canada to Russia after the USA is gone, consistent with Daniel 11:39.

Concluding Comments

The Book of Ecclesiastes has the following:

10 I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

12 I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, 13 and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor — it is the gift of God.

14 I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him. (Ecclesiastes 3:10-14)

Brethren, God expects you to work, to rejoice in His creation, to do good, and enjoy the good of all your labor.

Remember, of course, to do it God’s way (Acts 5:32, Hebrews 5:9), as whatever God does (or essentially endorses) shall be forever.

Sincerely,

Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer