Letter to the Brethren: January 16, 2020

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings from Grover Beach, California.

Terry Nelson and I spoke Tuesday about his forthcoming trip to Africa. I have ordered literature to be sent to his home in the USA to take with him to Africa.

Although most of the literature we distribute in Africa is printed there, we directed Amazon Kindle to send some of our longer books which have not yet been printed in Africa, plus a book that is not yet completely finished. The partially finished book explains how the Continuing Church of God differs from Protestant faiths. We believe that this will help many who came to us from Protestant faiths, including groups like the Seventh-day Adventists. While we are expected to add more to the book by the time it is finalized, I feel that it is important to get a printed version in Africa as soon as possible.

I believe, not only will it help fulfill Matthew 24:14 and Matthew 28:19-20, it will assist in appealing to “the full number” (as the NIV, NLT, BSB, CEV, GNT, HCSV, ISV, and NET Bible, put Romans 11:25) of Gentiles God intends to come in into the faith, in places like Africa. After another version of the book is available, I also believe that it will help reach Gentiles in India, the Philippines, other parts of Asia, as well as North and South America, and likely Europe and the South Pacific as well.

This book, also, will assist with the Ezekiel Warning as many descendants of Israel have ties to Protestant faiths.

YouTube

Late last week, we got the following in an email from YouTube:

Hi ContinuingCoG, Happy 2020! We want to set you up for a great decade with our commitment to fighting harassment, insights on how to create more inclusive content on YouTube … We’re always working on making YouTube a safer place for creators and viewers, so we’ve updated our harassment policy, here are a few of the latest improvements:

• We’re taking a stronger stance on threats by removing indirect or implied threats of violence • Content that maliciously insults someone based on their race, gender expression or sexual orientation will not be tolerated or allowed • Repeated patterns of behavior that target individuals may result in removal from the YouTube Partner Program, video removal, or their account being terminated

Now the above is a general email from YouTube to all its content creators, as opposed to a specific warning that we published something it is complaining about. However, the reality is that this is another dangerous step from YouTube. YouTube looks to wish to stop people from holding to biblical standards of sexual morality as it looks to wish to stop allowing people to denounce aspects of sexual immorality.

YouTube is NOT interested in “more inclusive content” in the biblical sense. They want content that they agree with–even when it goes against scripture.

YouTube is saying what they are doing is making an improvement, while they really are embarking on more censorship.

This is one reason why we added platforms such as Brighteon and BitChute. Despite their issues, they are more tolerant of religious morality speech than YouTube.

Internet censorship was number 3 in the 20 Prophetic Items to Watch in 2020. The recent announcement from YouTube, sadly, is part of doing that.

Malawi

Recently, we sent out a report that mentioned hunger in Malawi.

Last week, I mentioned we had sent funds to assist.

Tuesday, Deacon Radson Mulozowa sent the following photograph related to food that has been provided:

I wish to thank those of you who went above and beyond to assist with this.

We also expect to have Terry Nelson review the situation while there during his planned trip to Malawi, Mozambique, and Kenya next month. As appropriate, in conjunction with Evangelist Evans Ochieng, I have directed Terry Nelson to give assistance with some funds we have provided for him to take with him for hunger and other issues.

Rift Valley

CCOG Pastor Tiongik Sawek sent the following report:

I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ. We attended the church service at Kilgoris and we were blessed. We talked in length about the visitor who will come to Kenya and we we really welcome in the name of Jesus Christ.

Here in Kenya we propose Chilani and Bomet to be a place to welcome the visitor. The people from MAU will be at Bomet if the rain because the roads are rampant.

We will communicate with Evangelist Ochieng before the visitor arrives.

In the side of North Rift we converge at Molo if there will be heavy rain.

We also propose that when the brothers and sisters from North Rift and south Rift with Evangelist Ochieng we will meet at Sotik.We boldly state in length about tithes and offerings. we had two representatives from North Rift , David Cheruiyot and Charles Langat and South Rift was Stanley Tiongik from Mau and Thomas Kosgei Bomet. We had also David Langat and Pastor Sawek from Chilani. we had also Nelson Kirui from Kabolecho. Nelson was grateful after receiving iron sheets from Evangelist Ochieng. we are all grateful.

Continue praying for us. God bless you.

Regards

Pastor Sawek

I was not expecting to receive an email like the above. One thing it shows is that, yes, people in Africa are excited about the upcoming visit from Terry Nelson and his sons. The Nelsons, along with Evangelist Ochieng and others in Africa, will work out the schedule matters.

Haiti

Some might wonder why we have not gone back to Haiti.

I asked Herb Haddon for an update and he sent the following yesterday:

Dr. Thiel …

The travel advisory for Haiti is still in effect, as of this date.

We have been following several blogs about travel to and in Haiti.  Most protestant church missionaries have not returned to the country since the unrest started a year ago.  On the blogs there is constant ‘chit chat’ about how difficult it is to travel in country.  Daily updates show where road blocks are situated so travel plans are made around such impediments.

I asked Moise for an update on the Haitian troubles and his response follows:

… I’ll keep you update when you can come because Haiti is dangerous for now. The Jovenel Moise government is almost to finish ,when it finished maybe we will have a better government, people don’t love this government it’s for that the makes all bad things in the country, for have no security. Thanks…

In short:  probably not advisable to travel to Haiti at this time.  This in no means suggests that Gisele and/or I do not wish to travel to Haiti.  On the contrary, we look forward to meeting face to face with Moise and the Haitian brethren and are pleased to serve in any way possible.

Official Canadian stand on Haitian travel for Canadians:

Risk level(s)

Haiti – AVOID NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

Avoid non-essential travel to Haiti due to the potential for civil unrest throughout the country. The security situation could deteriorate quickly.

Violent protests and widespread civil unrest have been taking place in Haiti since September 2, 2019 due to ongoing political instability. In addition to this volatile situation, the country is also experiencing water, food and fuel shortages

Roadblocks are still disrupting transportation in some parts of the country. Access to the airport may be blocked without notice.

Clashes between protestors and security forces have occurred. Additional protests could happen. They could suddenly turn violent.

Avoid all unnecessary travel to Haiti. If you are in the country:

• avoid crossing road blockades, even if they appear unattended
• plan to have adequate water, food and fuel supplies
• allow extra time to reach your destination

We remain interested in Haiti and sent a small amount of funds to allow them to pick up items that were sent that the government has held up for import taxes. Yes, the government there (including the prior administrations) makes it difficult to help, even though they know that Haiti needs help. Please pray about the situation in Haiti.

Witches and Demons

Last month we produced a sermonette video warning against a book teaching children to ask demons for help (see A Children’s Book of Demons?). Now, Disney has a new television program about how one supposedly can become a witch (see BI: Disney Introduces: ‘Demon’ who Trains Children to be Witches). The Disney program The Owl House and the book A Children’s Book of Demons are consistent with the following prophecy:

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, (1 Timothy 4:1-3)

Many have had their conscience seared.

We are not to call out to demons nor want to be witches.

Demons are fallen angels.

While demons may well want to be worshiped or called to, the Bible warns against that:

18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. (Colossians 2:18-19)

We need to be faithful to God and worship God (Revelation 22:9).