Letter to the Brethren: May 7, 2020

Second Passover May 7th After Sunset

As mentioned  before, because of last minute government restrictions, translation issues, and communications’ barriers, many in Africa were not able to attend a Passover service. Those who were unable (as opposed to unwilling) to keep the Passover then, are authorized by scripture to keep the Passover a month later (Numbers 9:1-13).

May 7th, after sunset, is the 14th day of Iyyar on the Hebrew calendar. That would be the time for the ‘second’ Passover.

Mystery of God’s Plan Book and USA Donation Receipts

Last Friday we were able to mail out the final copies of our latest published book, The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you?

We also sent up donation receipts to USA donors for the period of January 1, 2020 through April 30, 2020. We decided to send the donation receipts out with the The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? in order to save postage.

Anyway, we are glad that The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? was finalized and sent out. In the CCOG we have restored parts of God’s plan that many have missed.

Note to translators: This booklet is now ready to be translated. And if you so chose to do so, translate from the electronic version that is online.

Radio

Tuesday afternoon I was on the radio on the NutriMedical Report with Dr. Bill Deagle. We discussed prophetic matters related to 666, CCOG videos, and I tried to direct the host to aspects of God’s plan. On that last part, I briefly explained why God created anything and part of what’s God’s purpose for making every individual was–and urged people to read our book online: The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you?

Dr. Deagle’s program is on various outlets around the world.

Kenya Reports

CCOG Pastor Bradox Ochieng sent in the following report:

Greetings and a happy Sabbath Pastor.

Hope you are doing great and all the brethren over in the USA and all around the world.

I sincerely thank the Lord for the far he has been protecting his people from the world pandemic. So far we haven’t heard of any case amongst the brethren in Kenya and I believe  with our continued prayers, God will heal one of our brother who has tested positive of covid-19  in USA and also protect us all though out this hard time.

I want to thank you so much on behalf of all the brethren within Ndhiwa region, that is Ndhiwa, Oriang, Kiseke, and Mbani for the food assistance you gave to them though pastor Evans last week. since it’s very hard to meet together, I had to wait the confirmation from all the members before I could send in my report. As the regional representative to these groups, I want say on behalf of them that We sincerely appreciate all your help through this hard times and so much you have been doing to all of us. May God bless you and and the brethren for all their support and may God bless the entire Continuing Church of God, Hebrew 13:1

I have been working on an article the topic

“A new command I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you that you also love one another”(John 13:34) “Does This Extend To Our Enemies?”

I will send you this in Three weeks for editing if you allow me.

Thanks once more and happy Sabbath to you and all the brethren.

May the Lord protect you as you continue working very hard to fulfill Matthew 28:19-20 and Matthew 24:14

With Christ’s love,

Bradox

Yes, love is important. Not just talking about it, but taking real steps to demonstrate it. This is something we all need to strive to do.

CCOG Pastor Tiongik Sawek sent in the following reports and photos:

Receive greetings in the name of Jesus. The brethren s are fine and they give greetings to you. We are depending on prayers as the number of Covid-19 pandemic is rising every day. In that case, Our Government is giving us tough rules concerning the same. We are in need of prayers so that the Lord assist in eliminating this pandemic for good.

Another thing is about the report from Mau, which they said that the rain is very heavy in those areas. There is danger of disaster as the rain continues due to mountains areas surrounding them. To avoid the disaster, the Government are urging them to move other saver areas as at the moment. Please pray for them as they planned to evacuate others from the mountains. The important thing to them is that there are new brothers and sisters who have joined them. They are requesting the appointment of the Deacon in their church. I told them to wait for the Covid-19 pandemic and disaster to end so that we go to that place.God bless you

Regards,

Pastor Sawek

Receive greetings in the name of Jesus Christ. We are doing well here at Chilani despite the Corona pandemic we are experiencing here in Kenya. The Sabbath meetings are going on as I had told you, we are moving from house to house. We managed to conduct three meetings within three houses in Sabbath, starting from Chemurin, Jericho and eventually at Chilani where we were able to strengthen brethren. However we had sent other brethren to Mogondo to strengthen brethren there. This has been blessed because we are to reach those who are in need of the salvation in their houses. The family which had traveled to is a family had never attended the church before but had invited us for a Sabbath service where we had to spent fours hours. Two sons, three daughter and in laws attended and indeed they were blessed  pray for this family so that the lord may open their hearts for the words of salvation .The owner of this houses was kill 20 years ago in a tribal clash which had rocked this area leaving a widow who is now 70 years  old. The photo you are seeing is where house is situated. Red colour on the roof is a rust due to the oldness of the iron sheet.  We are thankful for your prayers and continuous support.

God bless you

Pastor Sawek

As the above report shows, proper steps are being taken and fruits are being born.

World News Items

While much of the world has been focused on COVID-19, the European Union and Mexico announced a trade deal, and a Vatican source thinks will help Mexico’s economy better recover from the novel coronavirus (see Cinco de Mayo, Mexico & EU trade deal, and Babylon the Great). Europe continues to make trade deals, which is consistent with prophecies about the coming European Babylonian Beast power (cf. Revelation 18; Ezekiel 27:12-24, Isaiah 23:3). But Europe is having problems (see AP: EU forecasts ‘recession of historic proportions’ this year; Politico: EU leads (an almost) global effort to fight coronavirus), and will need to reorganize before it is essentially the final Beast (cf. Revelation 17:12-13).

In the Middle East, Israel wants to go forward with annexing areas called Judea and Samaria there, and the Palestinians are Europeans do not like this, but the USA is fine with it (see BI: Abbas Threatens to Dissolve PA If Israel Annexes an Inch of Judea and Samaria). The Bible tells of a ‘peace deal’ to be confirmed by a European prince in Daniel 9:26-27. As the USA upsets the Palestinians more and more, they will tend to look more towards Europe.

As far as COVID-19 goes, a leaked report from the ‘Five-Eyes’ (USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) indicates that working with bat viruses at the Wuhan, China laboratory (see TDT: Dossier lays out case against China bat virus program).

Many nations, including the USA (see Tucker Carlson: Occasionally, you’ll hear some lonely civil libertarian fret that we may be on a “slippery slope” toward losing our rights. If only. We’re already there.) have seen a loss of liberty related to COVID-19. Some leaders have even proposed a type of ‘immunity passport’ in order to travel (see Health passports to travel? Prelude to 666?). The world is moving towards the type of totalitarian control that is prophesied in Revelation 13:16-18.

Suggested Sabbath Service

Here is a suggested Sabbath service for this week:

• 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.
• Sermonette, which for most who receive this letter via email will be a recorded one. The one suggested for this week is: COVID-19: The End of American Exceptionalism? 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: Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday. Other sermons are also available at the ContinuingCOG channel.
• 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.

Concluding Comments

Notice following from the Book of Isaiah:

1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
3 Many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:1-4)

Yes,the world will change. And when Jesus returns, the change will be for the better.

Brethren, the millennial Kingdom of God will come.

As Jesus taught, pray for it (Matthew 6:9-10).

Sincerely,

Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer