Many come to America because they look upon it as the land of opportunities. You may have perhaps heard the saying, “Only in America,” when someone makes a fortune in a business venture or earns money selling a patent.

Americans have liberties which many in other countries do not enjoy. Women can vote, drive cars, start their own business and go about freely—something they cannot do in some countries. There is no violent religious persecution at this time, although that could change rather rapidly. Right now, a person can pursue life, liberty and happiness as long as it is within the confines of the law.

There is relative safety and peace of mind in smaller rural areas. This is not true, of course, in larger cities where there is crime and violence. Americans enjoy freedom of speech which is protected by the First Amendment, without fear of imprisonment or death, which is a possibility in some countries.

But American freedoms cannot remotely compare with what God is promising true Christians. They have been offered a land of opportunity where there is true prosperity and peace. That land is the world tomorrow, the Millennium, when Christ returns to establish world rule under Himself with the resurrected saints as co-rulers. It will be a time of joy and true peace, with wars having been abolished.

Zechariah describes it this way in Zechariah 8:4-5:

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit In the streets of Jerusalem, Each one with his staff in his hand Because of great age. The streets of the city Shall be full of boys and girls Playing in its streets.’”

This scenario is hard to imagine, when we think of the violence and ghettos of our major cities today.

Notice, the citizens of Jerusalem will be of great age and the children will be safe to play in the streets of the city where there will be no more bombings or stabbings like we see today. We will rule as kings and priests, as Revelation 5:10 says: “And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”  Kings will rule in accordance with God’s laws, and priests will teach God’s laws which describes part of our future responsibilities to spread the law of God over all the earth.

Isaiah 2:3-4 casts additional light on what lies ahead in the future: “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. 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.”

What is pictured here is the true land of opportunity where there will be peace and harmony with one world religion, which is something we ought to be looking forward to. We are admonished in Revelation 3:11 to hold fast to the end: “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

It is imperative to hold fast to the truth without compromise if we want to enjoy the benefits of becoming co-rulers with Christ. God is anxious to bestow on us the gift of eternal life and to grant us our reward of rulership, as well as the potential to be involved in this future land of opportunity.

The current situation which our nations face looks grim and is headed towards self-destruction.  This is certain to happen – it is unavoidable.  Unfortunately, there really isn’t anything that we can do about it, in terms of the economy and other various laws that the government has put into place, and we in the Church feel the effects as well. Yes, our nations are in a big mess and solutions to fix the problems are becoming more and more extreme.  This should be no surprise to us as the Bible is clear not only about the future of our nations, but also the whole world.

The book of Isaiah is full of prophecies of what is to come in the future.  We read about how Assyria (modern German speaking nations) will fight against Egypt in due course; how Judah will fight against Jerusalem; how our nations will also be in war and will lose.  It is hard to imagine this right now and many people do not take it seriously because they also don’t believe it.  It will most certainly happen.  But why? What have the nations of this world done to make God so angry?

The first chapter of Isaiah talks about the wickedness of modern Israel (mainly the USA, Great Britain, Canada and Australia) and Judah.  “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: ‘I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me; The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.’ Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward. Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment… Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.  When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:2-6, 13-15).

The modern nations of Israel and Judah have forsaken God and taken matters into their own hands, either keeping feast days not of God or keeping godly days in a wrong way, and, due to their sins, God has not listened to their prayers.  God is angry because of their pagan-related worship (Isaiah 2:6-9), and as God responded in the past to their sinful conduct, He will once again respond to their wickedness (Isaiah 5:24-25).  For us however, the true Church of God, He tells us to continue to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God until the end (Matthew 24:14).

God has instructed us to be vigilant and NOT to stumble as many have (compare Isaiah chapter 8),  for they go the way of the pagans and not of God.  The leaders of the people are to blame (Isaiah 9:13-17).  They do not look to God for answers, but they look to their own reasoning, what appears best in their own eyes and to the eyes of the public, to gain popularity.  For all those who don’t put their trust in God will have to face serious consequences (Isaiah 31:1-3).  This is inevitable!  This happened back then; it is happening now and it will continue to happen until Christ’s return.

What about us? The Bible is very specific on what we are NOT to do. In a prophecy in Deuteronomy 28:15, it also warns those who disobey, saying, “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.”

Yes indeed, the terrible things to come, because of man’s selfish desires, are certain to happen. We have to be prepared for what is to occur.  There are certain things that are out of our control, but we have to recognize the fact that it is God who will take care of us.  We are often times faced with situations which might lead to doubt, and we may question why things are happening the way they are, especially during these times of uncertainty.  It is easy to lose focus, to get off track, to sometimes forget about God.  He tells us in Matthew 6:25-34 not to worry about our future. Christ’s death was inevitable. It had to happen for the sake of mankind, or we would all die the eternal death, and we could not experience everlasting life. There would be no purpose for us. We could never be in God’s Kingdom, which is why God created us in the first place!

The immediate future for the entire world is heading towards a destructive and terrible time, leading to the Great Tribulation, as the Bible predicts, and it is unavoidable, since mankind is unwilling to repent and change.  At the same time, we know what God has in store for us when Jesus Christ returns. We will experience the end to all the misery, so we can finally live a peaceful and eternal life in God’s Kingdom, and teach mankind God’s Way of happiness and tranquility, and that too is inevitable and unavoidable.

After the death of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong and the doctrinal changes which were made, many people who once believed and held on to the truth simply walked away. They accepted false teachings such as eating unclean food, keeping worldly holidays, forsaking the weekly Sabbath and God’s annual Holy Days, as well as tithing, and, in essence, they lost everything they once held to be true.  But the craziest thing is how FAST they lost the knowledge of the truth when they turned away from it.

How does something like this happen?

How do people, who have devoted their entire lives to something, just give up and walk away?

The answer, simply put, is they never truly loved God’s Way of Life. They never inculcated it into their everyday doings. And so, when lawlessness came, their resolve, their LOVE for God was not truly there (Matthew 24:12).

1 Timothy 4:1-2 accurately describes the condition of those who left—and those who WILL leave in the not-too-distant future. We see that their conscience is seared. Once someone’s conscience is no longer willing to be led by the truth, because they refuse to overcome or ask for forgiveness, then God cannot work with that individual anymore and so the veil that had prevented godly understanding but that was lifted, once again covers that person (2 Corinthians 3:14-16; 4:3).  Ephesians 4:18-19 goes on to describe the life of Gentiles who live as we once did, who have become callous because they don’t understand, and so their repeated sins have no means of escape.

When the man of sin manifests himself (2 Thessalonians 2:1-9), he will come with the deceptive powers of Satan and he will cause those who are NOT strong in the faith—those who are not fully loving God—to fall away. Deception comes in many forms.

Now is the day and the hour for us to change our ways and seek a relationship with God—to set our minds and our hearts on full obedience. Matthew 24:13 says that while many will turn away, those who endure and press on in faith and confidence, will be saved. Those  who love God with everything that is in them will escape the terrible times to come and will stand before the returning Jesus Christ (Matthew 22:37). We have to be found loving God more than anything else in this world. Family, work, money, anything can take the place of God in our lives if we allow it to. But we must not permit this to happen. Verse 14 also shows that the gospel of the Kingdom of God will continue to be preached in all the world so that the end can come. If we don’t show God that we care now, then we too may fall away in the future.

The Work of God will not fail. It will be accomplished, just as all the other things that He has prophesied.  We can choose to either be a part of God’s plan, or we can choose to not be. No minister, no member, no other person can make that choice for each of us. It is a very individual decision. Let us make sure we have our hearts tuned correctly and our minds and souls ready for the return of Jesus Christ, so we can be told: “Well done, good and faithful servants.”

So called, “Fake News,” makes it difficult to accept what we read or hear. “Alternative facts” in political statements leave us wondering what we can really believe.

In a recent issue of Time Magazine (March 23, 2017), the cover image asked a startling question: “Is Truth Dead?” The subject of this cover and an article in the issue was President Donald Trump–about the way he has handled truth and falsehood in his career and now as president. Mr. Trump has become the focus of constant fact-checking reporting. His seemingly contradictory statements have dismayed world leaders. Confidence in United States leadership is now severely eroded.

This is but one example, and we certainly understand that the battle between truth and deception is a global concern and that it is orchestrated by the ruler of this age—Satan the Devil (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19). He is called “a liar and the father of it,” by Jesus. Satan rules this world by lying, and the world believes him (Revelation 12:9). It is little wonder, then, that human leaders follow the lead of Satan.

However, what we are witnessing is a smothering of truth as falsehood GAINS POWER in the world. Of our time, God says:

“In transgressing and lying against the LORD, And departing from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter. SO TRUTH FAILS, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey…” (Isaiah 59:13-15).

Knowing that his time to rule is short (Revelation 12:12), Satan will especially attack those who have the TRUTH. The reason the people of God—Christians—will suffer persecution is because we know and practice the TRUTH!

While headlines in the news may focus on the veracity of a particular statement by various leaders or their aides, the bigger picture is more foreboding. Worldwide deception—supported by miraculous signs—is coming!

It will be against this backdrop of all-encompassing deceit that the Church of God will stand up for and stand in the TRUTH. It is what we are to be doing now, as well. It is the fulfilling of our commission to preach the TRUTH—the good news of the coming Kingdom of God!

The headline in an article in the magazine “The Week” on April 14th 2017, caught my eye.   It said: “Pence: When Does Christian Virtue Become Sexism?”

What was the problem?  Mr Pence is the Vice-President of the USA and is devout to his Christian beliefs.   He refuses to eat alone with a woman who is not his wife, or work late with a female aide, or attend any party where alcohol is being served unless Karen Pence, his wife of 31 years, is at his side.

Other newspapers and outlets took up the story.   One commentator wrote: “How sexist! screamed half of the internet. This is akin to Salafism, argued others.  Conservative Christians who attempted to stand up for Pence were quickly shouted down.”

Hmmm….some of these writers have never taken the time to look at biblical principles.   Perhaps they are not interested – or just plain ignorant? – or probably both!

It was written that “the vice president’s rule is a variation of what is known in evangelical circles as the ‘Billy Graham Rule.’ Billy Graham famously refused to meet, travel, or dine with a woman alone. The presumed reasoning behind this rule was that Graham did not want to create the conditions that might lead to any extramarital dalliances or, given Graham’s ministry, the mere appearance of any impropriety that would harm his ability to win souls to Christ. Many, many evangelical pastors and laymen still follow some version of this rule.

“Those outside the Church should know the Billy Graham Rule has come under a lot of criticism within the Church. It’s increasingly recognized that the Billy Graham Rule is sexist in practice if not in theory.”

To quote from all of the many articles written on this subject would cover many pages of this Editorial, but I would like to just quote a few to show exactly what Christians are up against.   We are under fire again!

The NewYorker.com opined that “President Trump and his straight laced VP have something in common.   They share a stated inability to resist women.”   The Washington Post wrote that “we’ve learned that Pence, too, is evidently helpless in the face of female temptation.”   The lack of understanding by the writer is breathtaking and their logic seriously flawed.   They add up two and two and come up with five but so many will just believe what they read!

The Cosmopolitan.com stated that Pence’s view of women as sirens and his fear of his own sinful nature put the women who work beneath and around him at a huge, albeit very familiar, disadvantage.

TheAtlantic.com took the view that “treating people in workplaces differently based on their gender inevitably hurts women’s careers.”

The UK Guardian newspaper had an article which said: “And while Pence trended on Twitter for his old-school sexism, what went largely unremarked on was that the vice-president cast the tie-breaking vote to push forward legislation that allows states to discriminate against Planned Parenthood and other healthcare providers that provide abortion when giving out federal Title X funds.  Pence is a misogynist. We know it from his voting record, we know it from the things that he’s said about women’s rights and now we know it because of his odd personal rule not to dine with women alone. But let’s not let one man’s sexism distract us from his whole party’s sexist agenda.”

It is easy to see how a person’s character can be blackened just because his beliefs and actions don’t conform to the liberal agenda which has been foisted on a gullible public for some years now.   They would have you believe that Mr Pence is helpless in the face of temptation, his actions hurt women’s careers and put them at a disadvantage and that he is a misogynist and sexist because he voted against the murder of the unborn (abortion).    What twisting of correct behaviour of an individual by those who seem to have a death wish for all reasonable and sensible conduct!

The Church of God for decades has taken a very similar stance to that of Mr Pence when addressing the issue of private meetings between an unmarried couple. We have to remember that Satan is more cunning and powerful than any human being, and he will do everything in his power to throw a true Christian off the path to eternal life.   Temptations can come in many forms and we read in 1 Corinthians 6:18: “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.”   Also in 2 Timothy 2:22: “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

If we don’t put ourselves in potentially compromising situations, we will avoid the pitfalls that have plagued so many by the temptations that may confront them.   We have our own tendencies to sin but this can be reduced considerably by staying close to God.   Ephesians 5:11 is instructive in this regard: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them,” as the apostle Paul instructs us to walk in the light.

In addition, we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:22: “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (Authorized Version) and in Romans 13:14: “… put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

These are simple enough admonitions that can have the liberals apoplectic with rage but such biblical instructions simply have pre-eminence over any and all of the utterings of man.

It’s easy to become discouraged when trying to live our life in a way that is at odds with the mainstream ideals of the world. Quite simply, a Christian life in this age could be a hard one. When we choose to apply godly virtue and obedience in our thoughts and actions, we choose to elevate our standards for the sake of pleasing God, not man. Often, taking this course of action will be opposed to social norms and expectations of our peers, and on occasion, it could even be in conflict with the laws of the land. There is no shortage of pressure to conform to the ways of the world, and compromise our Christian convictions.  As the Bible forebodes, “… Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14).

Even though it might be “a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (compare Hebrews 10:31) and while it is an ongoing challenge to commit our lives to righteousness, we must realize that we will be successful if we don’t give up. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God explains that it is God’s great pleasure to give us eternal life. From the beginning, God’s plan involved challenging mankind to overcome our carnal nature, and not succumb to sin. Certainly, this way of life is at times a hard one, but it is not impossible to pursue it.

God knows that everyone He calls will struggle to succeed, and for this reason He offers tremendous support. To begin with, the Holy Spirit of God the Father and of Jesus Christ dwells within everyone who has been properly baptized, strengthening righteous convictions and granting godly understanding. This gift provides a necessary means of overcoming sin. But the support provided by the Holy Spirit alone is not enough. We must apply our own effort to repent of our sins, and conform our behavior to righteousness. To face this challenge can be intimidating, and even induce fear of failure.

Something that should give us comfort when we face fear and discouragement in living a Christian life is that we’re not alone. Countless people have faced the same challenges and emerged successfully. I believe that it is safe to say that all of them needed encouragement.

When Joshua was leading the nation of Israel into the Promised Land, God recognized that he needed encouragement. As the story begins, he is encouraged repeatedly, but the best summary can be found in Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” God was aware of the great challenge that Joshua faced and anticipated that he might react fearfully. Bringing hundreds of thousands of people into a land filled with foreigners must have been a daunting responsibility. But Joshua followed God’s instructions, providing us with a tremendous example of faith. Joshua overcame any fear in large part because he was encouraged by the promises made by God.

In the letters that Paul wrote, there is a strong theme of encouragement in most of them. Many of the people in the young church congregations had their own unique struggles. In some cases, Paul had to admonish and correct their behavior, but even so, it was for the purpose of encouraging them to get on the right track and overcome sin. Paul recognized that it was important to encourage those who were struggling so that people did not become disheartened by the difficulty of living a Christian life and give up.

In his letter to Timothy, Paul offers some very personal encouragement. He writes, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7). Timothy is reminded by Paul about his commission, and that he has nothing to be afraid of when facing the challenges faced in fulfilling his ministry. Even though these reminders were sent to Timothy intending to give him some individual encouragement nearly 2,000 years ago, we too should be encouraged by these same words. When we have the Holy Spirit, we can stir it up and put it to work, overcoming sin, and replacing it with godly love. This is God’s purpose for us (compare 2 Timothy 1:9).

Certainly, we can find encouragement through the knowledge of God’s purpose for us and through the words of the Bible, but encouragement must not end once we receive it. On the contrary, we have a responsibility to perpetuate it. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). As Christian brethren, we must remember to offer strength to others. Even when we might feel weak ourselves, an encouraging reassurance offered to someone else can be extremely helpful. As much as we might need encouragement ourselves, we need to offer encouragement to others as well.

There is no question that we can find many reasons to be discouraged in our Christian walk, if that’s where we focus our attention. However, these are poisonous distractions. Rather than focusing on the “reasons” why we might fail, we must remember to nurture our sources of positive encouragement that lead us to success. We find strength from our brethren, from the words of the Bible, and above all, from God’s faith in us.

It was not a great meeting… by any stretch of the imagination. The Local wrote on March 18: “Stark differences between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on everything from trade to immigration were in full view during an icy first meeting at the White House Friday. In a frequently awkward joint press conference, Trump and Merkel showed little common ground…”

The New York Times added on March 17: “Worlds apart in style and policy, Mr. Trump and Mrs. Merkel… could not disguise the gulf that separates them…”

The Daily Mail supplied the following interesting comments on March 17:

“The two ‘could hardly be more contradictory’… President Trump defended his chilly summit with Merkel on Twitter Saturday, insisting it was a ‘great meeting’ – and immediately blasting Germany for owing what he said were ‘vast sums of money’ to NATO. He claimed that all reports criticizing their meeting were ‘fake news.'”

The idea that Germany owes money to NATO or the USA was strongly rejected by American and German newspapers alike.

The Washington Post wrote on March 18: “[Former] U.S. ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder wrote that… [the] alliance gave all member states until 2024 to reach that goal, and Germany is on track. ‘Trump’s comments misrepresent the way NATO functions,’ Daalder told us… ‘that’s not how it works.'”

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen simply stated that there ”is no debt account at NATO,” adding however that it was necessary “to have a ‘modern security concept’ that included… a European defense union…'” (Reuters, March 19).

On the other hand, German journalists received much praise from their somewhat intimidated American colleagues, for asking pointed questions during the joint press conference.  As Deutsche Welle reported on March 17, “Politico reporter Tara Palmeri admitted… ‘The German press shamed us.’ Trump was also asked point-blank by one reporter [from Die Welt] why he keeps making statements he knows are not true. It was a question that… ‘shocked’ US reporters… The straightforward line of questioning visibly put off Trump… Rarely has [Trump] appeared so uncomfortable…”

President Trump is not one who can easily forgive and forget, as he has admitted in interviews. His impulsiveness is well-known and reflected by his emotional nightly tweets. To believe that the relationship between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Merkel will substantially improve would be naïve. And IF Mrs. Merkel will be replaced in September by her challenger Martin Schulz, then the relationship between Germany and the USA might deteriorate even further, as Mr. Schulz is known for being very outspoken (not as reserved and at times “stone-faced” as Angela Merkel), and he is an open critic of Donald Trump.

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 19 about Mr. Schulz: “[T]he former president of the European Parliament… vigorously defended his party’s support for the European Union… Schulz also took potshots at US President Donald Trump, saying that an election like that in the United States featuring ‘fake news’ and the ‘denigration of whole groups of the population’ had ‘no place in Germany.’ ‘A German chancellor can take a clear negative position’ toward the US, Schulz added…”

Both Mrs. Merkel and Mr. Schulz are strong supporters of the EU, which Mr. Trump opposes. On almost every issue of international consequence, Germany and the USA are in disagreement. Mr. Trump is extremely disliked by the vast majority of the German people (despite the fact that Mr. Trump is of German heritage). Focus wrote on March 17: “This President is anything else but a natural friend of the Germans. His government will not consider the obligations and needs of their allies.”

Even in the USA, President Trump’s popularity declines (notwithstanding some “reports” by Breitbart and the Hannity Show). But Donald Trump will be the President for at least four more years, enjoying the approval of unwavering core supporters, and he can rule with an iron fist within his realm of authority… no matter how the majority of American citizens might feel. And in times of hostility and danger, patriotic Americans will support their President in his fight against foreign enemies, regardless of what they might think about him.

The relationship between Germany and the USA has always been a difficult one. As we explain on page 17 of our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” “German Kaiser Wilhelm II had a plan to attack the United States about 100 years ago… His ultimate goal was to establish and possess colonies in South America and in the Pacific, and to gain control over the Panama Canal. The plan, though 10 years in the making, was not carried out. Instead, Kaiser Wilhelm II led Germany into World War I in 1914.

“In addition to Adolph Hitler’s attack on Great Britain, he also declared war on the United States on December 11, 1941. This was just two days after President Roosevelt announced that Germany was as guilty for attacking Pearl Harbor as was Japan. Hitler then ordered the destruction of all American ships, wherever they could be found. Hitler lost this war, as he fought too many battles at the same time…”

We reveal in our free literature that Germany is the modern descendant of ancient Assyria, while the United States is the modern descendant of one of the two most prominent tribes of the ancient house of Israel. As Assyria defeated and enslaved the house of Israel in ancient times, so it is prophesied that another war between these powers will occur in the last days, with devastating results. The difference will be that this time, Assyria (modern Germany) will not act alone, but it will lead a power bloc of ten European nations or groups of nations (the final revival of the ancient Roman Empire), and the ensuing war will be fought with nuclear weapons, destroying all major cities in the USA and exterminating millions upon millions of Americans. But after God has performed His punishment of the modern house of Israel, calling it an “ungodly nation” (Isaiah 10:6), He will then direct His wrath against Germany and the entire European power bloc, leading to their destruction, because they are not any more righteous than the American nation.

All of this will happen soon, no matter what people may want to believe or reject. God calls this coming time the “great tribulation, such as not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21; compare also Daniel 12:1).

Are you getting spiritually ready for this time? “Sudden destruction” will come upon this world (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3). But you could “escape all these things that will come to pass” (Luke 21:36). Our free literature tells you how.

Adam and Eve were given clear instruction as to their role while in the Garden of Eden, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth’ ” (Genesis 1:27-28). We were created as two distinct sexes and told to multiply.  God considered this relationship to be complete because He blessed it.  We were also created as a type of the God Family and given dominion over the physical creation.  It was in a way a small semblance to the dominion God has over all of creation. His directive had the purpose of training mankind to become part of the God Family.

We read in Proverbs why it is so important to carry on Godly training, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).  But what way should we go?  Whom can we turn to today and find a path that leads to God?  It’s not within the understanding of our own cultural leaders and educators to point to that truth.  It’s only through the small remnants of God’s true church, by adhering to the Bible, that any lights still shine in this dark age.

One striking example of the extinction of godliness today is in our entertainment industry.  Many grew up watching Disney movies which portrayed a modicum of wholesomeness and family-oriented values.  But Disney is embracing a more contemporary outlook today.  In a recent online Glamor article, speaking about recent Disney XD teen shows they state, “Diversity seems to have become more of a priority for the brand in recent years. In 2014 the live-action Disney Channel show “Good Luck Charlie” proudly featured a lesbian couple, whose storyline was the episode’s main arc. In more subtle endorsements of equality, the Disney Channel show “Gravity Falls” featured two male cops who were a couple.”

“Train up a child in the way they should go…”  Embracing homosexuality and gender fluidity is the direction society wants our children to go and God abhors it.  Our culture isn’t just accepting of perverse ideals but pursues after them.  That behavior is instilled into our youth, and they in turn pass it to their offspring. We are warned by the apostle Peter about this cycle that ultimately leads to death, “…having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness…” (2 Peter 2:14-15).

It wasn’t hyperbole when Christ compared us to lights in a world filled with ungodliness. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

We must stand out and shine more and more as the return of Christ nears.  It won’t make us friends to this world, instead its enemies.  We will be hated like Christ was hated because He sought a better way.  We must be Godly examples to our children, teaching them God’s laws: “We will not hide them [God’s laws] from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done” (Psalm 78:4).

David Kupelian, an award-winning journalist, Vice President and managing editor of a conservative publication, WorldNetDaily, and editor of Whistleblower magazine, published an article on March 5, titled, “The Root Cause of America’s New Civil War.”  He states that, “The Age of Trump is characterized by extreme polarization of the American populace, increasing violence and growing accusations of ‘fascism,’ ‘white supremacism’ and even ‘Nazism’ – especially directed at the president himself, many even comparing him with Hitler. Tens of millions of everyday Americans are thought of as ‘racist,’ ‘bigoted,’ ‘woman-hating,’ ‘homophobic’ and ‘anti-immigrant,’ not to mention (in Hillary Clinton’s words) ‘deplorable’ and ‘irredeemable’… America’s extreme polarization started well before Trump. In fact, the nation has been reeling under a full-scale revolutionary attack for many years, leading to the extreme level of anger and division currently gripping the country… the true nature of this division [is] at core… neither political nor even ideological.”

The writer goes on to say the USA today has gotten worse; that it has been “morphed in so many ways into the opposite of what it was in previous generations.”  He compares America now to the 1950s when, in his view, America was “basically confident, prosperous and overflowing with life, hope and unlimited opportunity. People were patriotic, and our culture was strong and essentially moral. America was the undisputed leader of the world – not just militarily and economically, but in terms of freedom and generosity.  Compared with the shining and vibrant nation it once was, today’s America has become a different country: deeply and angrily divided, unable to deal with crises foreign or domestic, the world’s greatest debtor nation with 50 million people on food stamps, rampant divorce and family breakdown, unprecedented sexual anarchy with 110 million with STDs, almost 60 million abusing alcohol and 70 million taking mood-altering drugs. On so many levels, America is becoming [even more] diametrically opposed to logic and common sense.”

Americans are angry, and frankly, so is the whole world.  But will the current President change that feeling or will the anger continue in this country? In an article, published February 6 by the left-leaning Guardian, titled, “Trump’s advisers want a new civil war – we must not let them have it,” it talks about Steve Bannon and Newt Gingrich engaging in “dangerous fantasies about US history” and their “chilling conclusions about the future.”

The article states that a “controversial and divisive US president is elected. State governments defy his will. Popular discontent erupts into low-level violence in several states. And then what?  We’ve been here before. In 1861, the newly elected president, Abraham Lincoln, had to be spirited through Baltimore on a secret train to Washington DC, to thwart a suspected assassination plot. Not long after he took power, a five-year civil war began… Time magazine has revealed that Steve Bannon, the White House chief of staff and Donald Trump’s closest aide, believes the next phase of American history should be as catastrophic and traumatic as the conflict of 1861-65… For Bannon, the No 1 enemy in this ‘war’ is Islam, with China No 2. But there is also a fifth column in America to be dealt with as part of a ‘global existential war’. For Bannon, this fits into a generational theory of American power whereby the nation fulfils its destiny through a cycle of catastrophic crises: first, the revolution of 1776, then the civil war, then the intervention into the Second World War and finally the crisis Bannon intends to provoke through Trump.

“In Bannon and Gingrich, then, you have two men influencing the most powerful office in the world whose beliefs about the dynamics of US history could be best described as dangerous… Bannon fantasises about turning the culture war into a real one; Gingrich about the survival of an undestroyed south… It’s chilling to acknowledge it but we must: large sections of the American right want another civil war. They have spent years amassing the weaponry for it.”

From these above-quoted articles with different political backgrounds, we see that both conservative and liberal observers consider the possibility of civil war in the USA, blaming, of course, “the other side” for these developments.

Since the article by the Guardian was published, controversial decisions by President Trump were put into place, including the so-called “anti-Muslim travel ban,” which sparked much uproar in our nation and the rest of the world.  Subsequently, a modified travel ban was issued on March 6, attempting to meet the legal challenges towards the original one, but it is certain that further legal actions will be brought against the revised executive order. The majority of Americans had a positive reaction to President Trump’s first speech to Congress on February 28, believing that the President would “move the country in the right direction,” based on the things which he said he would do, even though he was vague on explaining how he would do them.  Nevertheless, what kind of reaction might America see, if things don’t work out according to pronouncement or plan? Could a civil war be possible?

What WE in God’s Church know is that overall, America will not be able to emerge out of the mess they are currently in; that the relationship between America and the rest of the world will get worse and worse; and that this nation will end up in captivity and slavery because of the terrible sins they are committing (Zechariah 7:4-14; 8:7-15; 9:10; 10:6-10; 11:4-17).

Many great American thinkers, one of which was Abraham Lincoln, warned that if destruction was to come, this nation would destroy itself from the inside. President Lincoln did not foresee that a foreign power could overtake America. But we know from the Bible that destruction from the outside will follow. We need to be ready and we need to continue to watch what is happening (Matthew 24:42). This is why we in God’s Church must proceed in warning our people and the rest of the world of what is coming in the near future (Ezekiel 33:2-7; Isaiah 62:6; Luke 21:36).

Most of our spiritual growth and understanding comes from Christ working through the ministry. If angels can learn something being said from the pulpit (compare 1 Peter 1:12), then logic dictates there certainly is something for us to learn. People who think they do not need the ministry and can just sit at home are guilty of overlooking several biblical concepts.

For one, they reject the admonition to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25). In addition, they forget that iron sharpens iron and that cannot be done at home alone (Proverbs 27:17).

There is also a tendency of being wise in our own understanding, which usually leads down the path of self-righteousness and error.  I have noticed that over time, the arrogance of knowing better than the ministry is self-delusional.

What we need to accept is the fact that God, not man, places the offices of the ministry in the Church. Ephesians 4:11-13 tells us:

“And [Christ] Himself gave some to be apostles, some, prophets, some, evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

Notice the purpose for God doing this: To become a perfect man, to be more Christ-like.

Christ is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23), and the Church is likened to a woman. We are spiritual embryos, as it were. A baby in the womb is protected. The ministry has the responsibility to protect the sheep from wolves and their false doctrines. The baby in the womb is also fed by the mother. We are being fed by our mother, the Church.

The umbilical cord connected to the baby carries blood, food and oxygen for growth and nourishment to the baby. Imagine if the baby in the womb decided that it no longer needed the mother; that it was mature enough to be on its own, wanting independence.  How long would it survive, once being disconnected from the mother?

This analogy can be applied to the independent Christian who feels mature enough so that he no longer needs the ministry for spiritual growth. The outcome is predictable. It is usually only a matter of time until the “babe in Christ” suffers premature spiritual death, unless genuine repentance and forgiveness prevents this from happening.

Our continued growth in spiritual understanding hinges on our understanding and belief that the ministry is a vital part of that growth. We should be grateful to God when He provides faithful servants who fulfill their responsibility of feeding, nourishing and protecting God’s sheep in a non-compromising manner (John 21:15).