Church of God in Wales (Home)

Time 2021-01-17 10:04:42

Web Name: Church of God in Wales (Home)

WebSite: http://cogiw.org

ID:169941

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In an enclosed biosphere, they found that without the stress from wind, the trees became weak and fell over. In a similar way, our trials grow the stress-wood of Spiritual Character - vital for our use by God in the future. (2.6 Mb) This bible study examines Joseph, and shows how his life is a type of our own: How it picutures us now; Trials for righteousness; How things change overnight; Pictures us in the Kingdom of God; Teaches us about forgiveness. (12.2 Mb) It is interesting to note that such a profound scripture as that above is given by the apostle Paul almost as an aside, and yet when you look at the context in which it is found, it's in the framework of what this physical life is all about. Paul ends the preceding chapter with an equally profound observation in that what we can currently see is merely temporary, whereas what is eternal cannot – at this present time – be seen. He then goes on to expand on this point; how individually we have at the very least the blueprints of our new spirit body currently being prepared – on high – ready for the resurrection. And it is in this context that we daily must walk in faith – not merely by what we witness or experience at the present time. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the [downpayment] of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: How many times did we hear Mr. Armstrong declare of God the Father and the Logos "they were creators"? And in the same vein, how many times did we hear him describe mankind as "His supreme masterpiece" of creation? For the fact is that God the Father and Jesus Christ are at this precise moment STILL creating! They haven't changed their basic nature ... creating is what they do, creators are what they are – and it is what we as human beings are destined to become. For us to fulfil this role we must quite literally be born again – born of the spirit, with a spirit body as described in I Corinthians 15 – the same kind of spirit body Jesus Christ Himself has, following His resurrection, and described in Philippians. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (I Corinthians 15:42,44,49) Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21) Needless to say, what God must also create as the true complement to this new power-filled 'tabernacle from above', is a spirit-born MIND, having the same calibre, of the same quality as Christ's. So our walk of faith is not just how we conduct ourselves daily in the light of the body we are destined to be given, but also in the creative power of God and Christ to literally create within us the same kind of mind as they possess. Fortunately we have been given an astounding example to reinforce our perception of the creative genius of the One with whom we have to do (Hebrews 4:13). That example is the way in which a baby grows within the womb, from two microscopic half-cells into the myriad of complex systems the human body contains. I recently read the following amazing recognition of this process. How many babies are born each minute of every day – each one is a miracle in itself, but something we rarely give adequate recognition to is the complexity of the preceding gestation process. As the following two paragraphs attempt to convey: "The development of the embryo with its staggering panoply of continuously morphing cells – each finding its unique way through the seething and dynamic yet highly ordered embryonic web of cellular matter, touching and feeling its neighbours in search of spatial and temporal clues and obediently changing its own chemical, genetic, and physical state in response – is by far the most complex phenomenon on Earth, far more complex by many orders of magnitude than the assembly of the most complex human artefact ever built. "Indeed, the developing embryo is a phenomenon far beyond anything in the realm of our ordinary, or extraordinary, experience. The unimaginable immensity of spatial and molecular clues and molecular and genetic responses exploited by this innumerable host of nanobots navigating the embryonic ocean is far greater than all the maps, charts, and devices used by all the mariners who ever navigated the oceans of Earth. No human machine built to date nor any on the drawing board of the most ambitious and farsighted gurus of nanotechnology is remotely as complex as a developing embryo." (The Miracle of the Cell, by Michael Denton, chapter 7, The Matrix, p115) It is within this breathtaking context that we currently must conduct our present walk of faith – firmly trusting that a Creator God who could design and bring into reality such a system – and tailored as a unique individual through the DNA – can also be clearly trusted to do the same with us spiritually. We are thus given this confidence ... "that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (Philippians 1:6) When we were an embryo within our mother's womb all those years ago, we didn't question this incredible creative process, but accepted all the changes and various stages of growth as laid down by the Master Designer. And shouldn't we have the same approach and trust today – as He conducts His supreme masterpiece of creation with each one of us? That is the faith by which we must walk day in and day out. God doesn't have to explain to us everything that is going on ... the whys and wherefores of our daily trials, for instance. He is in overall control, just as much as He was when we were being "curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth" (Psalm 139:15) And how does that all-encompassing faith develop? The bottom line is that it is based not on something that we see but rather on something we have heard or read, that originally proceeded from the mouth of God Himself. This is why Paul declares in Romans: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17). When Christ was asked what is the greatest commandment in the Law, He quoted a section of scripture which is known as the "Shama" ... called such as it begins with "Shama" or "Hear", O Israel; And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (Deuteronomy 6:4-6) However, the word "shama" implies much more than passively hearing the words uttered, but additionally it implies to both listen carefully to and to obey. "To hear with attention or interest" might be a better translation. In a similar way, faith doesn't come merely by passively listening to the word of God, it comes when we make it our own. It takes more than just having God's words physically registering on our brain – but as also brought out in chapter 10 of Romans – obedience to the word of God is vital if we are to understand His mind, His way, and develop in faith, and it takes a spirit-led mind to comprehend it, as this kind of faith is very much a spiritual quality – part of the fruit of the spirit itself. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world ... But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and [obstinate] people. (Romans 10:16-18,21) This is why the example given in the Old Testament for kings back then – and, by extension, for future kings now in training for the world tomorrow – involves not only reading daily in the Law of God, but as is pointed out in verse 19 of Deuteronomy 17 ... "to do them" ... ie. to faithfully WALK in them. And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: (Deuteronomy 17:18,19) Faithfully walking in the ways of God is also what Christ instructed Abraham, at the time his name was changed: "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect" (Genesis 17:1) Patience is Needed: Along with Abraham, Moses was able to speak to Christ – the Word of God – face to face, but we don't have that privilege – yet. But what we can do, and are very much encouraged to do, is to delve into the word of God and learn from the experiences of those that have gone before, who God was dealing with: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."(Romans 15:4) That patience, as part of our walk with God, is illustrated over and over again in the examples of faith and patience recorded within scripture. Take Abraham, as a supreme example: Christ made the comment "... Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do; ..." (Genesis 18:17) when He decided to do something about the degradation within Sodom, but that approach did not manifest itself in every aspect of Abraham's personal life, as he waited for the heir that God had promised. Over and over again the promise was repeated and amplified – but with the crucial ingredient of 'when' deliberately missing. He simply had to continue patiently walking in faith – believing the promises that had been given – regardless of the physical circumstances of advancing age for him and his wife. Similarly, Christ could have easily stepped in to halt the mistaken perception that led to Ishmael's birth, but He didn't. Instead, He chose to have Abraham patiently continue his walk of faith for another fourteen years (Genesis 17) In like manner, Jacob was deliberately kept in the dark by Christ when he was led to believe Joseph had died – as reported by his other sons. (Genesis 37) Years earlier, Christ could have intervened – but chose not to – when He allowed Jacob to suffer the loss of his beloved wife Rachel – dying in childbirth with Benjamin (Genesis 35:18). And of course, with Joseph himself – to whom God could have revealed something of the timing of his dreams – but didn't. Instead he simply had to patiently keep on keeping on, based on what God had previously revealed to him, leaving the rest in God's hands entirely – trusting Him in spite of the exceedingly negative circumstances in which he found himself. (Genesis 39-41) Through Paul, Jesus Christ emphasised this patient walk of faith that would remain necessary for all of us, and that He is cognisant of the day-in and day-out struggles we have: For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:10-12) And Christ not only is fully aware of the challenges we face, but desires to help us cope with them, as He mentions in Matthew 11:28-31. Walking the Walk: As we see within the example of Abraham – the father of the faithful – even though Christ made the comment "... Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do; ..." (Genesis 18:17) only certain things were revealed, and other aspects – particularly the timings – were withheld, deliberately, encouraging him to simply walk the walk of faith, regardless. Should we therefore wonder if something similar happens at this time also? We quote passages such as; "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7) and yet fail to recognise how so often in the past the mere outline of events was revealed, God expecting His servants to trust Him implicitly in regard to the details, the prophet Daniel being one example: And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. (Daniel 12, 8,9) And so often we too have to "go our way" ... and keep putting one foot in front of the other – in faith – trusting God to guide and direct our paths, in the same way as did our forefathers. We are currently witnessing unprecedented chaos in the world in all sorts of areas, but this is simply not our world. Deep involvement in worldly politics/pandemics has no place in our present walk with God, as the apostle Paul brings out: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:13-16) In all cases the walk of faith involves focusing on the spiritual future that we cannot see as yet, placing greater emphasis on that future Zion – promised by God – than on the physical circumstances we happen to be facing at the time, or witnessing around us. It is where we focus our mind that is all important. The way we think – be that future spiritual or present carnal – will very much govern the way we'll subsequently walk. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit ... ... That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:1,4,5) It is interesting to note that the above passage comes straight after what we read in Romans 7, of the personal battles that Paul himself had. How much more should we apply the same principle to the problems and difficulties we face? It's very easy to get disheartened at times, wondering if God even realises what battles we're facing, but the antidote is to focus on the rock-solid promise God has given to never leave us or forsake us ... and take the next step forward – one foot in front of the other – trusting Him with the timing of our rescue. God Does the Impossible: And back to Abraham once more ... becoming a father at one hundred years old, because ; "Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." (Genesis 18:14). Amazing 'impossibilities' are recorded in Genesis and Exodus for us to read and ponder ... The crossing of the Red Sea, the daily provision of manna, quail, water from a rock etc. But sometimes these stunning miracles lose their impact as we have heard them so often. What can help us keep going when the going gets tough, is to remember God's previous intervention in OUR lives, the times when He seemed to do the impossible for US, individually, personally. These personal stories may not be on the scale of the Red Sea but the chances are we saw God's hand in certain situations that brought about the best result and in a way we would never have thought, or could have manipulated ourselves. And also, that although God does want to see us develop patience and perseverance, once He acts everything quickly falls into place. Israel forgot these incredible interventions by God on their behalf (Psalm 78:10,11). They lost sight of the fact that God does indeed do the impossible – as they had personally witnessed repeatedly. For it requires faith through the action and focus of God's spirit to truly appreciate His hand in our lives ... something that is so vitally important for us today, as Christ brings out in the book of Hebrews: And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (Hebrews 3:18- 4:2) Like Abraham, Daniel and the prophets, we have an outline of future events that is sure – that we 'can take to the bank'. But the timing and the details are not crystal clear as we do indeed see through a glass darkly. During the dark days just ahead of us, it would be helpful to keep in mind the lesson of the apostle Peter, recorded for us in Matthew 14: And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? (Matthew 14:29-31) If we focus on the present physical circumstances ... "the wind boisterous" ... we may well sink. We need to keep our eyes firmly focused on the goal ahead, remembering Who is working with us, and Who has already created each one of us once – individually – from those two minute half-cells: But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. (Isaiah 43:1-7) 2021 - We watch for more deception… wars and rumours of wars… nation rising against nation… famines… pestilences… earthquakes… AND the appearance of… The Holy Roman Empire What lies ahead for 2021? A very brief look back at 2020 might give us a clue. A recent article in TIME magazine gives an overview: “This is the story of a year you’ll never want to revisit. There have been worse years in US history, and certainly worse years in world history, but most of us alive today have seen nothing like this one. You would need to be over 100 to remember the devastation of World War I and the 1918 flu pandemic; roughly 90 to have a sense of the economic deprivation wrought by the Great Depression; and in your 80s to retain any memory of World War II and its horrors. What the immediate future holds will completely overshadow 2020! Major changes are coming, and one of those major changes will be the formation of the final United Europe – the Beast power of Bible prophecy. “Never before have we understood these periods of 1260, 1290, and 1335 days. But it seems evident, now, a blessing is pronounced on us - GOD’S CHURCH - who wait and endure until the 1335 days - approximately 1335 days prior to Christ’s coming… apparently that is the time when OUR WORK SHALL END. That will be a time when the UNITED EUROPE shall appear - the revival of the medieval ‘Holy Roman Empire.’ We shall then be warned, and readied to be taken to a place of refuge and safety from the Great Tribulation. Forty-five days later ‘the beast’s’ armies will surround Jerusalem. Thirty days later the Great Tribulation will probably start with a nuclear attack on London and Britain - and possibly the same day or immediately after, on United States and Canadian cities.” (Pastor General’s Report – November 20, 1979) …A nuclear attack on London and the USA? When Mr Armstrong wrote this back in 1979, a nuclear attack looked like the only way to destroy whole cities. But we live in a totally different world today. America and Britain could be destroyed today quickly and effectively without using nuclear weapons. “Military warns an EMP attack could wipe out America… Nuclear reactors would likely melt down without electricity to cool them. Military and commercial jets, such as those built by Airbus, would fall from the sky. Civil unrest would start in ‘hours.’ Technology would be dismantled. ‘Failures may include long-term loss of electrical power, sewage, fresh water, banking, landlines, cellular service, vehicles’.” (washingtonexaminer.com) ALL our cities would be destroyed! “The USA on the brink of civil war… The American people are experiencing a crisis of civilization. They are so deeply divided that the presidential election is not just about electing a leader, but about determining what the country (empire or nation?) should be. Neither side is capable of accepting to lose, so much so that each could resort to violence to impose its point of view.” (voltaire.org) The American people have never been so divided at any time in their collective memory. “The Tectonic Plates of Geopolitics Are Starting to Shift… The United States is currently waging economic warfare against one tenth of the world’s countries with cumulative population of nearly 2 billion people and combined gross domestic product (GDP) of more than $15 trillion. These include Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, North Korea and others on which Washington has imposed sanctions over the years, but also countries like China, Pakistan and Turkey which are not under full sanctions but rather targets of other punitive economic measures.” (libertyblitzkrieg.com) In economic warfare, enemies use financial markets as weapons to attack national interests. “What we know - and still don't - about the worst-ever US government cyber-attack… The US government announced that multiple federal agencies had been targeted by a sweeping cyber-attack, the full scope and consequences of the suspected Russian hack remain unknown. Key federal agencies, from the Department of Homeland Security to the agency that oversees America’s nuclear weapons arsenal, were reportedly targeted, as were powerful tech and security companies including Microsoft. What information has been stolen, and how is it being used? That remains unclear. ‘This hack was so big in scope that even our cybersecurity experts don’t have a real sense yet in the terms of the breadth of the intrusion itself,’ Stephen Lynch, head of the House of Representatives oversight committee, said after attending a classified briefing on Friday.” (theguardian.com) An enemy could use computers to attack the US grid, stopping electricity, food distribution and water supplies. Thus destroying cities. The Revival Of The Medieval “Holy Roman Empire” If we are close to the end of this age – and near to the return of Jesus Christ when He wil replace ALL of this world's governmenets, then we should be seeing signs of this upcoming dramatic event in today’s news. For a dictator to arise in Europe, then the present European set up must be at a point of collapse. The final Europe will be controlled by the Roman Catholic Church, are there any signs that this could happen? For the resurrected Europe to become the dominant power in the world, then the USA and Britain must be greatly weakened – how? “Mr Farage hailed Brexit as an ‘epic triumph for the people against the political classes’ and warned it could signal the end of the EU. He said: ‘In 2021, however, I suspect that the debate around the EU will fade as more pressing concerns materialise. Let’s be in no doubt, though. Brexit was and is an epic triumph for the people against the political classes. It will, I’m sure, prove to be the beginning of the end of the European Union. There is no going back. We won’.” (express.co.uk) EU mayhem: Yanis Varoufakis tipped Germany as FIRST country to leave eurozone “Yanis Varoufakis claimed the break up of the eurozone would not be because of crisis-hit Greece or Italy but because of Germany, with Berlin the first capital to drop out of the monetary union and print Deutsche Marks. Amid fears the eurozone might not be able to survive, a speech by former Greek Finance minister Yanis Varoufakis has resurfaced, in which he claimed the eurozone will not break up because of countries like Italy or Greece but because of Germany. In a 2018 debate at the Oxford Union, the ex-Greek minister said: ‘The euro will break up, if it breaks up, I am not wishing that it does, I am simply describing the future as I see it. The way it will happen is that Germany will leave the euro once the Berlin political class has had enough of the riff raff, asking Greeks, the Italian, the French, the Portuguese and so on. The moment they start sniffing in the wind that possibility they might have to bail out 2.7 trillion euros of Italian debt, believe you me, the Bundesbank already has a plan in the drawer for printing Deutsche Marks’.” (express.co.uk) Eurosceptics round on Brussels “The European Union has been warned that its own failings will lead to the bloc’s demise as trust among citizens wanes.” (express.co.uk) EU crisis: Germany admitted ‘we can’t rule out demise of bloc’ “The European Union’s demise ‘cannot be ruled out’, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned as the EU faces growing threats.” (express.co.uk) German Eurosceptics have the power to destroy the EU… “Samy Chaar, chief economist of renowned private bank Lombard Odier, said he fears German Eurosceptics have the power to destroy the EU more than Italy does, due to it being the biggest funder of the bloc. Mr Chaar said should an anti-establishment Germany elect a leader with the same mindset, or even follow Britain’s Brexit lead, the EU would be finished. At some point, the Germans will also have to realise that they have to change something.” (express.co.uk) Across Europe, people want their countries back “They have had enough of betrayal. They prefer to govern themselves rather than be ruled by unelected officials. They are tired of being labelled bigots simply for feeling a sense of patriotism, that noble ideal which is really an extension of love of family.” (thesun.co.uk) This is not a new idea. As Mr Armstrong witnessed the forming of the United Nations back in 1945, the writing was on the wall. The UN was doomed to failure! “The Catholic hierarchy was well aware that the United Nations conference was producing nothing but strife and bickering, and was destined from its inception to end in total failure. Yet world leaders were pronouncing it. THE WORLD’S LAST HOPE – with the only alternative ANNIHILATION OF HUMANITY! And in this solemn hour, amid the psychological build-up of this impressive service, this dynamic Catholic speaker with ringing voice offered these world politicians the LAST STRAW for their drowning nations to grab, when they should later see their world Organization sinking into oblivion. Without divine help, he assured them, the United Nations structure is doomed to collapse. That divine aid was offered through the Roman Catholic Church. Without the guidance, supervision, authority of the Catholic Church, he told these men, they were laboring in vain.” (Plain Truth - December 1948) March 24th 2017 - “EU heads of state and government are planning to meet with Pope Francis in Rome on 24 March, ahead of a summit expected to provide a vision for the future of the EU after Brexit, diplomats told EURACTIV.com. Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat mentioned on Monday (27 February) a possible meeting with the Pope, which in his words would ‘provide leadership that politicians miss’ in the context of the historic date of the Rome anniversary. ‘I do think he [Pope Francis] is the ultimate world leader that within the circumstances has the skills and the vision to say things that transcend the obvious and banalities we all say in politics,’ Muscat said. (euractiv.com) Interesting to note that the then British Prime Minister, Mrs May, did not attend. 27 leaders of the EU go to Rome for guidance because the EU is in danger of falling apart! They are looking to the Pope to “provide leadership that politicians miss” as he is the only leader that “has the skills and the vision to say things that transcend the obvious…” Pope: “Europe Lacks Vision” “Pope Francis has warned the European Union (EU) ‘risks dying’ without a new vision, during an address at an EU summit in Rome. The Pontiff addressed EU leaders at the event which highlighted the 60th anniversary of the bloc’s foundation. In his address, he warned Brussels faced a ‘vacuum of values’ and was losing its ‘sense of direction’. The pope has repeatedly criticised Europe over the past five years for its perceived lack of vision…” (express.co.uk) This is not a new message. Speaking in 2005, Pope Benedict was harking back to the Middle Ages when the Roman Catholic Church ruled Europe with an iron fist. Tens of millions lost their lives in the inquisitions. The Roman Catholic Church had the State exterminate anyone who did not agree with it! This is how the Holy Roman Empire operates! This is their vision for Europe. Think about this speech by Pope Benedict, in which he quoted his predecessor, Pope John Paul II: “…it is natural to pause and reflect on the contribution that Christianity has made, and continues to make, to the building of Europe.’ Benedict then turned to the pilgrimage made by ‘Servant of God’ John Paul II in 1982 to Santiago de Compostela, where he performed a solemn ‘European act’ during which he pronounced these memorable words: ‘I, bishop of Rome and pastor of the Universal Church, from Santiago, address to you, old Europe, a cry full of love: Return to yourself! Be yourself! Discover your origins. Revive your [Catholic] roots. Experience again those authentic values that made your history glorious and your presence in other continents beneficial’.” (catholicnewsagency.com) “United within ancient boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire; united by the common spiritual bond of universal Catholicism…” (The Plain Truth, March 1962) In 1968, the warning repeated: “The 17th chapter of Revelation plainly describes a spiritual-political union of TEN KINGS, ten military/political leaders, and a great spiritual leader. For decades, [we] have been proclaiming the eventual creation of some form of united Europe – showing the many difficulties to be resolved, the ancient nationalistic antagonisms, the memories of Germany’s neighbors of World War II, and the various religious barriers. We have proclaimed repeatedly that the ultimate unifying force would be religious. We have shown how the prophecies of your Bible proclaim a great universal religious fervour will finally break down all remaining barriers to a full economic-political-military-religious union in Europe!” (The Plain Truth, August 1968) 1980 - Yet again, the same warning! “Its leaders talk continually of POLITICAL union - which means, also, military. So far they have been unable to bring about full political union. This will be made possible by the ‘good offices’ of the Vatican, who alone can be the symbol of unity to which they can look. Two popes already have offered their ‘good offices’ toward such union.” (US and GB In Prophecy - Chapter 14) 1985, Yet again, the warning is unchanged! “This is further explained in the 17th chapter of Revelation, depicting those 10 nations of Europe uniting under the Roman Catholic Church. In the last decade certain leaders in Europe have been working feverishly to bring about such a reuniting of Europe.” (Co-worker Letter - February 25, 1985) Then on March 24th 2017 - Politicians looked to the Pope for leadership! The leaders of Europe went to the Vatican to seek guidance from the Pope. It looks like the ‘woman’ - the great false church - is beginning to ‘ride’ - to control – the Beast! When Europe starts to crumble, when a final break-up looks inevitable, where will Europe’s leaders look for help? They will run to the Vatican! The precedent has been set! There are many conspiracy theories regarding the coronavirus situation, but one fact is obvious. Both Britain and the USA are paying out vast sums of borrowed money to support those who cannot work. This cannot go on for ever, and when this support ends, the situation could be disastrous, as the following article points out: German Economist Says ‘Great Reset Will Cause a Crash Worse than 1930s’ “The Great Reset is real, it’s happening now and will lead to devastation worse — ‘much, much worse’ — than the Weimar Republic, a German economist has warned. It was the decline of Germany’s Weimar Republic — a period of high unemployment, deprivation, and hyperinflation — which led to the rise of Hitler. But however bad it might have been, the coming depression is going to be much worse because society is more atomised and less family-oriented and religious. ‘Most people have not noticed yet because at the moment governments can afford to give them subsidies and welfare payments. But the question is: “For how long?” We know this money is coming to an end and that it will soon be over. Next you will see massive unemployment all over Europe as one country pulls down another country’. The coming economic crisis will be worse than any the world has seen before because all the countries in the Western world will become impoverished simultaneously and be unable to help one another.” (breitbart.com) Here is what Mr Armstrong was inspired to write: “…I can see now the event that is going to trigger the formation of reunification in Europe; the resurrection of the Medieval Holy Roman Empire that we’ve been looking forward to that is prophesied to come. …I believe that some event is going to happen suddenly just like out of a blue sky that is going to shock the whole world and is going to cause the nations of Europe to realize they must unite. Well, now I think I can see what may be the very event that is going to trigger it and that is the economic situation in the world. NOW WHEN THE FINANCIAL STRUCTURE BREAKS DOWN, ALL CIVILISATION IS GOING TO BREAK DOWN. I just wanted to say that much - maybe you can begin to see how serious this thing can become!” (Sermon - July 7, 1984 ) Note this point: “…when the financial structure breaks down, all civilization is going to break down.” Keep in mind that at the end – the nations “give their power to the Beast” (Revelation 17:13). Right now, many nations in Europe want to leave the EU. So why do they give their power to the beast? Do they have to do this just to survive the financial disaster which many see as inevitable? Back in February 1973, a Plain Truth article entitled ‘1973 Critical Year for the New Europe’ used a quotation from ‘The Economist’ magazine (January 22, 1972): “Only something TRULY SHATTERING, it seems, might quickly produce the united Europe …Europe’s nations like being themselves too much, and feel little compulsion to be anything else.” (The Plain Truth - February 1973) “So long as present German prosperity continues… the Nazi takeover will not be possible! But — should any severe THREAT to that hard-won prosperity come — the picture will change — and change VIOLENTLY, in Germany! Remember! It was the afterwash of the disastrous stock market crashes of 1924 and 1929 that fanned the flames of violence in Germany to pave the way for Hitler! HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF, they say… You need to be WATCHING — and keeping your eyes on developments in EUROPE — as never before! You, at least, have been WARNED!” (The Plain Truth, December 1963) What follows is the conclusion of the Pastor General’s Report, 20th November, 1979. Mr Armstrong was writing while looking at the THEN current world situation. Forty years on, while situations have changed, the warning still stands. I have updated, in red, names and events to bring it up to date. But while we are 40 years on, THAT MESSAGE STILL STANDS! “So, where are we NOW, in the panorama of prophecy? We have reached the time just before a ‘U.S. of Europe’ restores the ‘Holy Roman Empire,’ under the Papacy, in a union of Church and State. The present Pope, Francis , could very well be the Pope that will trigger this and bring it into reality… Once that third great world power is formed, our work will soon be over. That could happen in a year, two years, or five years. It could happen SUDDENLY, leaving the whole world aghast in WONDER. Right now the Iranian crisis is the BIG NEWS. Their Moslem present head, Hassan Rouhani , is today threatening to totally destroy the modern Jewish State of Israel. It would appear that Iran is also on the brink of acquiring nuclear weapons… which is affecting the stability of the whole Middle East. The WHOLE WORLD is now ON FIRE! This is not the GREAT TRIBULATION, but is certainly preliminary to it. It’s time for intensive FASTING AND PRAYER !” (Pastor General’s Report – November 20, 1979) Site Last Updated...5 hours and 53 minutes agoTo be notified by email whenever this site is updated, contact email Most Recent...Pastor’s Reports Our Walk of FaithAudioGod's Message in The Story of JosephDeveloping The Stress Wood From TrialsThe Leadership Style of ChristWarning to the Nations in Jer 25A Place For Us “Just what is an APOSTLE?” Today we find the Church of God in a “wilderness of religious confusion!” The confusion is not merely around the Church – within the religions of the world outside – but WITHIN the very heart of The True Church itself! Read online or contact email to request a copy emailChurch of God in Wales, PO Box 7, Whitland, SA34 0WG, U.K. | C.O.G.I.W., PO Box 715, New Ulm, MN 56073, U.S.A.

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