Letter to the Brethren: June 24, 2021

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings from Grover Beach, California.

On Sunday, Disney+ plans to stream a “Pride Party.’ Our recommended sermonette for the week deals with that–watch Disney’s abominable promotions!

YouTube Censors BibleNewsProphecy Video

The Bible says to:

1 Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1, NKJV throughout, unless otherwise noted)

Well, Disney+ and YouTube do not want this done.

Disney+ has been promoting what it calls “This Is Me: Pride Celebration Spectacular,” which is set to stream on YouTube and Facebook on June 27.

We made a post about that (see ‘Disney Plus Aims To Be The #1 Corrupter Of Children With A ‘Reimagining’ Of Popular Disney Songs To Promote The LGBTQ+ Movement Agenda’).

We also made a related video, which we uploaded to YouTube Sunday, which had the following description:

Is Disney promoting abominations? According to the Bible it most certainly is. In addition to “Out” which is focused about a homosexual male and “Onward” which also condoned homosexuality, it is a big promoter of “Pride Month.” So, much so that on June 27, 2021, Disney+ intends to stream “This is Me: Pride Celebration Spectacular” hosted by “Nina West” that stage name of Andrew Levitt, who was born male but now dresses and performs as a female–contrary to scriptures like Deuteronomy 22:5. Is Disney inviting the wrath of God? Were pride, sexual immorality, and going after “strange flesh” reasons that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed? What should parents and children do? What does the Bible teach? Dr. Thiel discusses and addresses these issues with scriptures and other information.

YouTube removed this video within a day without asking. When I signed into my YouTube account, YouTube had up the following:

Your content was removed due to a violation of our Community Guidelines

 Warning Strike 1 Strike 2 Strike 3

Because it’s the first time, this is just a warning. If it happens again, your channel will get a strike and you won’t be able to do things like upload, post, or live stream for 1 week. A second strike will prevent you from publishing content for 2 weeks. Three strikes in any 90-day period will result in the permanent removal of your channel.

We want to help you stay on YouTube, so please:

1. Make sure you understand YouTube’s Community Guidelines and strikes basics.
2. Review your content with our policies in mind. If after reviewing your content you think we made a mistake, let us know–you can appeal this decision.
3. Understand that this strike will expire after 90 days, and that deleting the video will not remove the strike.

So, we have been censored because we dared teach what the Bible says.

YouTube also put up the following warning for me to see:

Community Guidelines strikes

Warning

• Your content was removed due to a violation of our Community Guidelines.
• Because it’s the first time, your account isn’t affected. You’re only warned once and this warning will remain on your channel.

If this happens again

• Your channel will get a Community Guidelines strike.
• You won’t be able to do things like upload, post, or live stream for 1 week.

Content removed

If you think we made a mistake, you can appeal this decision

By giving a ‘warning’ YouTube seems to hope to scare people away from telling others what the Bible teaches related to the LGBTQ+ agenda.

Since YouTube labeled this video as “Hate Speech,” I went to its appeal page. That page said:

Hate speech

Content glorifying or inciting violence against another person or group of people is not allowed on YouTube. We also don’t allow any content that encourages hatred of another person or group of people based on their membership in a protected group. We review educational, documentary, artistic, and scientific content on a case-by-case basis. Limited exceptions are made for content with sufficient and appropriate context and where the purpose of posting is clear.

Here is what my appeal to YouTube states:

My video did not call for violence against any, but contained biblical warnings. Our church is nonviolent, pacifist. If YouTube does not believe in the same God those in our faith do, it should not care if we quote His word and/or apply it to modern circumstances. The Bible teaches that we are to “Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1). Disagreeing on matters of morality is not hate speech. This video did not call for hatred of any group, but was intended to help parents who wish to raise their children within the bounds of biblical morality. Removing the video shows religious bias and opposition to the rights freedom of speech & religion and the free exercise thereof. Please reinstate.

Note that YouTube limits appeals to 800 characters–the above used 798 so that was all I could basically tell them at this stage. My wife mentioned, today, that she believes that it is YouTube that hates freedom of speech.

We have put up nearly 1,000 scripture-featured videos on YouTube over the past 8 1/2 years. This was the first time we were censored for ‘hate speech’ by quoting the same scriptures we have quoted in dozens of earlier (and allowed) videos.

We did NOT violate YouTube’s published “Community Standards” by doing this time what YouTube never objected to before.

Clearly, YouTube and others are feeling more emboldened to silence biblical views they do not want others to hear.

The Bible has long taught that a famine of the word is coming (Amos 8:11-12) and I have warned for years that internet censorship would be part of it (see also Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word).

Sadly, we look to only be in the first stages of this prophesied censorship.

That being said, remember that Jesus said:

4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. (John 9:4)

Following His example, as we long have not trusted YouTube, that is a reason we use other channels, like BitChute and Brighteon. Both of which have the censored video up.

More Growth in Kenya, More Prayers Requested, Full Number of Gentiles

Evangelist Evans Ochieng sent the following:

Evans Ochieng

Pastor Dr Bob,Greetings from kenya.For the last month up to last week,  I have been busy visiting the congregations in kenya and co-workers. And since the congregations in kenya are so many now I couldn’t manage to visit all of them. I can’t continue to visit since there is a big problem of covid 19 which has increased so much in kenya especially Nyanza and western Kenya.  The areas have a curfew and nobody is found out as from 7pm till 5 am. The covid 19 cases are so many now in these areas and part of rift valley.So things have become so difficult in these areas heavily.  And these are the areas where most of congregations are located. So we need more prayers to brethren and kenya at large.The work in kenya has expanded and the doors are open for the work. We have 23 congregations in kenya with 4,022 people. Apart from that we have many Co-workers who are studying our booklets and visit our website. I’ve been getting many reports also from our deacons and hosts and pastors about how people do contact them about the truth which some of them getting from website,  books and from our representatives. So the work in CCOG is expanding and being driven by the HOLY SPIRIT.Thise year we are going to have 9 feast sites in kenya and 1 in Tanzania. Total of 10 sites.  Malawi and Mozambique, Ethiopia and Ghana. The work in CCOG is expanding day by day in Africa.  The problem now in Africa is covid 19. It has blocked many things and people do survive through hardship. We ask for more prayers.I’m planning to go to Nairobi next  week if things cool down because I’m planning to go and get ticket for my trip to Malawi and Mozambique. Moving is very difficult now in most of areas of kenya. CHURCH halls and places of prayers are closed. No gathering.So things are tough and rough. I received the parcel from Bill wedekind. We thanked him for a good work.We need more prayers,  the situation is tough here.This evening I received a massage that Teresia osutwa the mother of our strong member Charles osutwa from Mbani congregation is dead. I Will go there tomorrow very early in the morning. Some two weeks back, we lost a member from Eberege congregation in kisii and last week we lost a brother from Mozambique. Now we again lost a member from mbani congregation.More prayersEvangelist Evans.

It is fantastic to see the growth we have had in Gentile regions like Kenya, but yes, Kenya has COVID problems and COVID restrictions.

In Romans 11, verse 25, the Apostle Paul wrote the following:

25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (Romans 11:25)

The Apostle Paul also wrote:

14 … Judeans, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16)

Many today, instead of forbidding it like the Jews, downplay and/or ridicule reaching Gentiles in places like Africa. But, they do not seem to understand that the Bible teaches that WE MUST INSTRUCT MANY (cf. Daniel 11:33) INCLUDING GENTILES!

Apostle Paul, he wrote:

26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26-27)

So, in the sequence of Romans 11, we see the full number of the Gentiles will come into the faith (Romans 11:25), prior to Jesus’ return (Romans 11:26).

The late Pastor General of the old Worldwide Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong, taught the following about Romans 11:25:

Now I want you to study carefully one of the most wonderful, important chapters in all the Bible — the 11th of Romans. … Verse 23 says those who abide not still in unbelief shall YET receive salvation. … Now study carefully beginning verse 25: “Blindness in part is happened to Israel [HOW LONG? Forever? No — note it], UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” — the end of this age during which God is calling a people from among the gentiles to bear His name (Acts 15:14). And so, says Romans 11:26, “all Israel SHALL BE SAVED [how?]: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” The Deliverer, Jesus Christ, is coming again!

When He comes, the gentile times will be over — the BLINDNESS will be removed from the Israelites — and their opportunity — their FIRST chance — of salvation will then come to those whom God had blinded! This is at the time when He comes to REIGN on HIS THRONE — the throne of David, with the saints made immortal reigning and ruling with Him — and the time is DURING THE THOUSAND YEARS!

Notice verse 31. These blinded Israelites have not now, in this age, received mercy, that through the mercy of the gentiles saved in this age, they MAY, THEN, obtain mercy and salvation. How? Because these saved gentiles will then be kings and priests, assisting in this wonderful Work! (Armstrong HW. Where Will The MILLENNIUM Be Spent? Tomorrow’s Word magazine, September 1971, p. 5)

25: “Blindness in part is happened until Israel”-HOW LONG? Forever? No-note it-“UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” -the end of this age during which God is calling a people from among the Gentiles to bear His name (Acts 15: 14). … These blinded Israelites have not now, in this age, received mercy, that thru the mercy of the Gentiles saved in this age, they MAY, THEN, obtain mercy and salvation. How? Because these saved Gentiles will then be kings and priests, assisting in this wonderful work! (Armstrong HW. Where Will The MILLENNIUM Be Spent? Plain Truth, February-March 1954 , pp. 4-5)

(25) For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel [or that part of Israel, meaning the great part, the big part — all but a few, have been blinded. It’s the big part actually] until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. [Or the number of Gentiles to be converted becomes complete — as other translations have it] (Armstrong HW. Romans 11-13. Bible Study, June 27, 1980)

Clearly, we are much closer to the time when all the Gentiles are to come in to later be kings and priests than when those articles were published (see also: Christians are to Rule).

More of the Gentiles had to be called and converted– and that is happening now!

Here are some comments related to the fullness of the Gentiles by the old Radio Church of God:

” For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. 11:25). God has a TIME SCHEDULE He is working out. (Armstrong GT. When You Die–Then What Happens? Plain Truth, June 1967, p. 22)

Isaiah 11 … The Gentiles are going to seek God (verse 10) and Israel and Judah are going to be gathered THE SECOND TIME from the heathen nations (verse 11). This could not be speaking of any “spiritual Israel.” The last verses in this chapter speak of men crossing rivers and highways as they leave the Gentile nations and return the second time to the land of promise. This is the time spoken of by Paul. “Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins” (Romans 11:25-27). Here is GOOD NEWS! Here is part of the gospel message. Blindness is happened to Israel, not forever, but until the full number of Gentiles who are to be converted in this age comes into the Kingdom. Then Israel shall be forgiven and the vast majority of Gentiles shall seek God. (Hoeh H. The Coming UTOPIA… Wonderful World of Tomorrow. Plain Truth, March 1957, p. 6; see also Hoeh H. The Coming UTOPIA… Wonderful World of Tomorrow. Tomorrows World, May-June 1970, p. 22)

Since the end of the age with Jesus returning does not come until the full number of Gentiles comes in, shouldn’t reaching more Gentiles be part of the final phase of the work?

And while the Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:3-9) and the messages of the three angels (Revelation 14:8-11; see also The Final Phase of the Work) will doing that during the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord, the way that Romans 11:25 is written shows that Christians are not to wait for that alone, but to also participate in that now. The Apostle Paul (“the apostle to the Gentiles”–Romans 11:13) and the other apostles realized that in the Book of Acts (cf. Acts 11).

We in the Continuing Church of God believe that is so and have been pouring in resources to do into reaching Gentiles, including impoverished ones (see also How does the Continuing Church of God differ from other Sabbatarian COG groups? and the free booklet: Is God Calling You?).

Was this growth possibly prophesied in a dream?

Consider the following email I was sent years ago:

Dear pastor

Greetings pastor.  I believe you are doing good though you are having great thrust of fulfilling Matthew 28:19 of which we must do before the return of Christ. …

I had two dreams

1. Before our family joined CCOG my father was then working with voice in the Wilderness Church of God. When I was sleeping I had a dream and in my dream I saw a light and the light was not normal, the one who was standing by the was You pastor Bob according to my dream. Then I had voice shouting, “Arise you who are sleeping, for the Lord is near.” I again I heard another voice shouting, “Come up Evans and let us do the work we are called to do.” I then saw a man dressed in white clothes join hands with my father walking together towards a very big lake then I woke up.

2: In my second dream some weeks after my first dream and in my second dream I saw almost the same dream and now this was in New Zealand. I did not know about the CCOG group in New Zealand before I had the dream.

Fred

Related to the first dream, in March of 2014 Frederick’s father Evans Ochieng came with the Continuing Church of God. When he came, he came with about 260 people from Kenya and Tanzania. His son Frederick’s dream showed that we would have much growth in Africa. He and his father listened to God.

In time leaders from other African countries, who did not know Evans Ochieng (nor about the dream), contacted me. We held a conference that many COG leaders from six African countries attended in 2017.

As of today, we have over twenty times as many in Africa than when Frederick Ochieng had his dream. So, the dream of working the lake was confirmed–Evans Ochieng and I became a productive “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).

As far as New Zealand goes, the first congregation that came with the CCOG was the group in New Zealand.

When I asked Frederick Ochieng about New Zealand, he said he knew nothing about New Zealand and any connection with the CCOG prior to his dream. Those in New Zealand have been heavily involved in supporting the work to reach people around the world.

The New Zealanders have been the primary editors of our church publications, developed a website, put up and managed our Bible News Prophecy Flipboard page, greatly assisted with the Study the Bible Course, supported various aspects of message production, and produce our Bible News Prophecy online radio channel.

Frederick’s dream may have been telling him that I (Bob Thiel) was working with those in New Zealand to fulfill Matthew 24:14 and Matthew 28:19-20 to reach the world.

As far as dreams from God go, they were prophesied for the last days–and the CCOG has had many of them (for details, see Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God).

But it was also prophesied that the full number of the Gentiles, and more and more are coming to CCOG (see also What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles?).

Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites in Africa and the Philippines

Evangelist Evans Ochieng sent the following related to expected Feast of Tabernacles’ sites in Africa:

Pastor Dr Bob,Greetings from kenyaThese are the feast sites in AfricaKENYAWe changed Ndhiwa feast sites to Got kachola near lake Victoria. It is a good site to view GOD’S creation around the lake.

FEAST SITES                     

KENYA

Got kachola

Kisii

Kihancha

Chilani

Daktech

Bomet

Mao

Molo

Njoro.                     

TANZANIAU

tegi                         

MALAWI

Migowi

Mwanza                       

MOZAMBIQUE

Mulanje                         

ETHIOPIA

Gambela                   

And Ghana

Kenya contact Evans Ochieng evochieng74@gmail.com

Malawi and Mozambique contact Mulozowa radsonmulozowa@gmail.com

ETHIOPIA contact Koang koangdeng2018@gmail.com

Ghana contact Samuel fosusamuel81@gmail.comIf you need more information please let you know

Evans

Joe Lumpay, from the Philippines, proposed a location on Camotes Island. Specifically, the Santiago Resort, an hour and a half ride via a fastcraft from Cebu. In addition, the fastcraft port is conveniently situated at just near the airport of Cebu, the Mactan International Airport.  Here is something he sent from the hotel related to costs:

At this instant, the Philippines still has COVID restrictions, so probably only people who live in that nation will be able to go there.

For further details, contact Joe Lumpay, email is joecags_lumpay@yahoo.com

Information related to all our planned festival sites for 2021 is in the article: Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2021.

Suggested Sabbath Day Services

Here is a suggested Sabbath day service for our scattered brethren and other interested people:

• 2-3 hymns (our songbook, The Bible Hymnal, contains the materials from the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG with new covers, plus ten additional hymns; there is also some Choral Accompaniment online).
• Opening prayer.
• Suggested sermonette:  Disney’s abominable promotions! Other sermonettes are available at our Prophecy channel on BitChute https://www.bitchute.com/channel/prophecy/
• 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 suggested one is: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? Other sermons are also available at the COGTube channel on BitChute https://www.bitchute.com/channel/cogtube/
• Final hymn.
• Closing prayer.

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

Iran held an election and, not surprisingly, its Supreme Leader’s preferred candidate, Ebrahim Raisi, won the presidency (see ‘Hard-line judiciary head wins Iran presidency as turnout low’). The Biden-Harris Administration hopes to get a new nuclear deal with Iran, but its new president has already stated that he would not meet with the US President. Former US National Security advisor, John Bolton, considers that the idea of getting a helpful deal with Iran is “a fantasy” (see AP: Iran’s election unsettles Biden’s hope for a nuclear deal; NM: Iran Nuke Deal Based on ‘a Fantasy’). It looks like delays and/or other issues associated with Iran are likely to be a factor that will trigger a regional war also involving Syria and Israel and may be what will lead to the end time ‘peace deal’ of Daniel 9:27.

Pope Francis took a step to push towards possible ‘sainthood’ for Robert Schuman, who is known as the “father of modern Europe” by declaring him as “venerable”(see ‘Robert Schuman: Pope puts father of modern Europe on sainthood path’). The Vatican continues to push for a more united Europe and this current move is letting Roman Catholics know that the Pope values European unity so much that one can become a venerated saint if they promote it. That being said, the Bible warns about the type of Babylonian unity that will come to Europe (cf. Revelation chapters 17 & 18).

Yesterday marks the fifth anniversary of the Brexit vote. The EU seems to see unity benefits from it and is looking to work closer with Russia (see Brexit: Why the EU is not missing Britain that much and Russia’s Putin calls for more cooperation with Europe). Yesterday, Russia also claims to have fired warning shots towards a British naval vessel. Something worse will hit the British in the future (cf. Isaiah 17:3; Daniel 8:24-25).

Over in Australia, there are concerns about conflicts with China as well as “the risk to Australia from the waning power of the United States.” Australia has long believed it needed and could rely on the USA for protection, but it is now realizing that this may be a mistake (see ‘China warning: Joyce calls on MPs to prepare for end of Pax Americana’). Australia will one day be taken over, and I have long written that China would likely end up with Australia because of a deal with the coming European Beast power (watch also Australia and New Zealand: Origins and Prophecy).

Concluding Comments

The Apostle Paul wrote:

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)

Brethren, remember to “Let brotherly love {literally Philadelphia} continue” (Hebrews 13:1).

Sincerely,

Bob Thiel