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Letter to the Brethren: June 16, 2022

Letter to the Brethren: June 16, 2022

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Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings from the Five Cities region of California.

Several African reports are in this Letter which point to the Continuing Church of God having success reaching Gentiles there, consistent with Romans 11:25 (see also What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles?).

According to written and oral reports I have received from Africa this month, we now have over 7,500 congregants around the world (includes children and other unbaptized persons) in the Continuing Church of God.

The New Testament teaches that the “full number” of the Gentiles are prophesied to come in before Jesus returns (Romans 11:25; What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles?) and we have seen growth in Gentile congregants in Asia (India and the Philippines), Africa and other places. Furthermore, our upcoming radio broadcast out of Italy should help us reach more European Gentiles (as well as some Israelites) starting next month.

As far as reaching those of Israelitish descended backgrounds, most of our video views come from them. Most of the listeners to the Genesis Network program I frequently am a guest on (last time I was on was yesterday related to my COGwriter post Pope Doubles Down On NATO-Ukraine Comments: Russian Invasion Was “Provoked” & Pope Francis: There are many ‘restorers’ in the US who do not accept Vatican II) and most of the multiple millions of computers our online campaigns reach are also those with Israelite heritage–so we are not ignoring Gentiles nor Israelites (cf. Matthew 28:19-20).

Because of obeying Jesus’ commands to go to all nations, along with God’s blessings, the CCOG has been the fastest growing x-WCG COG in the 21st century. We have used tithes and offerings to pay for trips, literature, radio, videos, internet support, online campaigns, visits, building materials, youth camps, festival assistance, equipment, seeds, work projects, and other things to reach people around the world, and including the Gentiles and Israelites (cf. Letter to the Brethren: January 20, 2022).

We have also added more congregants without a prior WCG-related background than any other Church of God who leaders had ties to the old WCG than any we are aware of.

Why mention that?

Because Jesus said:

18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:18-20)

The fruits are there, for those with eyes to see and ears to hear.

Yet, sadly, many people are affected by prejudices and other factors which stop them from acting on the truth and more directly supporting the reaching of the Gentiles. The Jews of the Apostle Paul’s day were not particularly impressed with Gentiles becoming Christian, but that was part of God’s plan. Most Laodiceans do not understand how God is working at this time, and they also ignore and/or discount aspects of His word (cf.  How does the Continuing Church of God differ from other Sabbatarian COG groups? and Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18?; watch also 50+ Laodicean Prophetic Errors).

Jesus taught that the end does NOT come until the ‘Gospel of the Kingdom of God‘ reaches enough nations (Matthew 24:14) and, based on Paul’s writings, we also see that “the full number” (as the NIV, NLT, BSB, CEV, GNT, HCSV, ISV, and NET Bible, put Romans 11:25) of Gentiles is something God wants in this age come in. This is something that must be done and we in the CCOG have a lot of fruits related to that.

Although God is the one who calls (cf. John 6:44), we in the CCOG seem to be having major success in assisting with getting the message out to many that are responding to God’s calling.

Google Campaign

Spent time yesterday with our Google representative about our campaign. We worked on optimization of our reach, without increasing our budget.

We will see how that turns out in time.

Currently our Google campaign is doing very well.

In the month of May, Google reports that we made 14,343,187 computer impressions–that means computers around the world were reached over 14 million times with parts of the good news. This is up over 40% from the previous month. We have been and ARE reaching millions.

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 information on church history, the true Church of God, and God’s plan of salvation that we are promoting 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 campaign with Microsoft that targets and reaches Sabbath keepers around the world.

Rift Valley Report

Pastor Tiongik Sawek sent the following from the Rift Valley in Kenya:

Hello and receive greetings in Jesus christ. Last week we held a blessed meeting at Sigor- Sot, where the majority of the brethrens joined the Continuity church of christ after spending almost a week teaching and also managed to baptize some.We didn’t make it to Narok Ewaso Nyiro and Mau as we had run-out of fare. It was our target to spent around three days in Narok. I believe we are planning together so as to visit next time.We are also praying for Evangelist Ochieng who is out to Malawi for a mission.May God bless you.Attached herewith are the photographs I manage to take. 

Regards,

Pastor Sawek

There are more to see and to reach. As Jesus said:

2 … The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. (Luke 10:2)

Malawi Visit Campaign

Pastor Radson Mulozowa sent the following photos and report about evangelist Evans Ochieng’s and his visit to Sunuzi, Malawi:

Evans Ochieng
Evans Ochieng, Radson Mulozowa and others in Sunuzi

Greetings from Malawi

Today we kept sabbath with brethren from sunuzi and it was a wonderful day loaded with blessingsPastor Evans talked about the beliefs of continuing church of God, divorce, how to keep holy Sabbath , we are called for a special purposeDuring his visit we are seeing a great changeThis evening we were able to meet the backslider and after talking with them they have turned to the truth and they have come back to the church

Best regards

Radson

Evangelist Ochieng sent the following related report (and the last picture above, so I did not repeat it here):

Pastor Dr Bob,

Greetings from Malawi.

I’ve been sending letters and there is no network for the last 5 days. I was in Jenjete on Wednesday last week after that I met Chiringa congregations on Friday and in the evening I was on a visitation tour.  I met Blessings and we took almost 6 hours talking. Blessings is back in the church with wasi whom I met at molozwa’s home.  They are very happy and on Sabbath we were together with them in Sunuzi where I kept Sabbath.Yesterday after services I met with sayenda and Abakhole who were in the church  before and left. My visitation in Malawi is very successful.  Only sayenda who went back to pastor church of Christ who are keeping Sunday. I will have more baptism this week.  I will do baptism in migowi and cheleka then lastly I will do baptism in SALIMA.Today the weather is good and for the last five days it was very poor cold. I have a photo with The teacher Blessings and wasi. Below is the picture

Evans.

Here are reports about a visit to another congregation in Malawi:

Pastor Dr Bob,

Greetings from Malawi.I met kachingwa congregation today. The meeting was very good.  They have already build a hall and molozwa provided the iron sheets.  They were only wanted round poles for roofing. I need that to be finished when I’m still here.  This are good people. Tomorrow I’ll have leaders meeting in migowi.

Evans.

Dear Dr Bob

Greetings from Malawi church

We are all fine by the grace of GodToday we had a visit to kachingwe congregation and it was a wonderful trip loaded with blessings and the brethren were so happy to receive the messagePastor let me report that the coming of pastor Evans to Malawi has brought renewal in all congregationTomorrow we are meeting all the leaders at migowi both Malawi and Mozambique

Best regards

Radson

Here is another report:

Greetings from Malawi

Today we had a leader meeting both Malawi and Mozambique at our church Hall in migowi. The meeting went well and after the meeting am having call everywhere about itPastor Evans talked much on leadership and it’s qualities from the book of Timothy and Titus.Every leader come to the meeting with his wifePastor there is a big growth in the work of GodTomorrow we going to chileka for baptismPastor Dr Bob let me make a correction that the time a send the membership for Malawi and Mozambique I just counted adults only so pastor Evans told me to calculate together with youth and children.Now three {more} congregation has been born in Mozambique , Mkwamba.The total membership has reached {almost} to 3000We thank God for your prayers and help and God is many door for the gospel and I will never neglect any door

Best regards

Radson

Please continue to pray for the success of this trip. God has been calling many (cf. John 6:44). Relatively few of those in Malawi or Mozambique have a Church of God background, and I would tend to categorize many of them as congregants as we do not consider unbaptized people, including children, as members per se (though when people speak of church membership, total congregants is what they really mean).

I asked for more details about the congregations, growth and leaders in Malawi and Mozambique after getting the last report above, and late Wednesday received the following:

This a fantastic growth.
Gentiles are being reached.
Today, evangelist Evans Ochieng held a meeting for the leaders and their wives from Malawi and Mozambique. Below is a photo he sent as well as a report from him:

Pastor Dr Bob,

Greetings from Malawi.I had a meeting today with all leaders in southern Malawi and Mozambique.  I told all the leaders to come with their wives.I wanted to teach them how to oversee the church of God and about family life. How to teach and what to teach. I covered many topics and the meeting was very successful.  I’m happy this time to get chance to talk with all leaders from Malawi and Mozambique.  There is one leader from Mozambique who was coming from very far and means of transportation from that place to Malawi is not easy. So he is the only person who didn’t attend the meeting. I did the same meeting in mwanza and this one in migowi.  Tomorrow I will go to cheleka for baptism. It’s a long distance so I will wake very early in the morning in order to reach there in time.

Teaching the teachers is part of what Evans Ochieng has been doing on this trip. And it is a trip that has been bearing fruit.

Civil War Prayer Request

Deacon Koang Deng sent the following prayer request from Ethiopia:

Dear elders:

Gambella has got today a rebel great attack this morning.The attack entered in the mid of town.We are waiting now the enforcement from the federal government.Please, Pray for the people of Gambella

.Koang Deng.

There was essentially been a civil war in parts of Ethiopia. But our people were mot too much affected before. They are now as Gambella is where most of them live. Please pray for God’s protection and His kingdom to come.

Suggested Sabbath Service

Here is a suggested  service for the weekly Sabbath:

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. Note: If there are ever commercials before, during or after, they ARE NOT from us nor do we receive money from them–but sometimes platforms put them up.

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

Yesterday, the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates because of high inflation (see ‘Fed Hikes Rates By The Most In 28 Years, Signals Volcker-Era Is Back’ & ‘Game Over, They’re Pulling the Plug – Bill Holter’). This will cost the US government more in interest payments and eventually, because of its high debt, this will spiral out of control and looks to be a factor in the coming end of the USA (again, see ‘Fed Hikes Rates By The Most In 28 Years, Signals Volcker-Era Is Back’ & ‘Game Over, They’re Pulling the Plug – Bill Holter’).

More and more secular sources are seeing the USA in decline, along with some being concerned about what Germany and the Europeans might do (see The Real End of Pax Americana’). However, because they do not rely on the word of God, secular sources generally do not realize how bad it will get for the USA (cf. Daniel 11:39; Habakkuk 2:6-8) and its British-descended allies (cf. Daniel 8:24-25; Isaiah 17:3).

The UK proposed changing the Brexit protocol related to Ireland this week–this has further incensed the Irish and the EU (see EU and Ireland not pleased with UK’s protocol bill for Northern Ireland). Ultimately, I believe that the Republic of Ireland will end up with control over the entire island, consistent with scriptures such as Isaiah 17:3.

As far as the EU goes, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz would like to see more action to get the Balkan states as part of the EU (see Scholz pushing for the Balkans to be in the European Union). Serbia was on the side of the allies (including Russia) in WWII and fought against the Axis powers (led then by Germany)–Germany seems to feel that getting Serbia in the EU will move it away from Russia and, hence, make Serbia more of a potential ally than a potential enemy–though Serbia and some others that get connected to the coming European Beast power may not remain that way (cf. Jeremiah 50:41-43, 51:11, 28-29; Ezekiel 32:24-28).

Concluding Comments

The Book of Proverbs teaches:

5 The thoughts of the righteous are right,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
6 The words of the wicked are, “Lie in wait for blood,”
But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.

7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand. (Proverbs 12:5-7)

Brethren, yes, we can have confidence that the wicked will one day be no more.

Remember, the righteous have right thoughts.

If we become and remain faithful, we will be able stand forever with God.

Sincerely,

Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer