PDF Dear Brethren and Friends, When Jesus Christ neared the completion of the work God had given Him to do, He focused on what lay immediately ahead. Those called at this time have the extraordinary blessing of understanding that the ongoing work of the church for this age will soon culminate with the return of Jesus Christ. That return will be ushered in against the backdrop of the most terrifying and tumultuous times in all of human history. We must, in addition to the great hope for God’s rule of peace, focus on those clear admonitions and instructions we have been given from God’s word. Some of these things we need to be reminded of on a regular basis—they are things we must not turn away from. Yet, some have wandered from the truth, as they have been unwilling to truly heed the resolute and unchanging teachings from God. Nonetheless, we are to complete the job God has given to us. We have been called and entrusted with the truth of God. This is the truth that has set us free. Note Christ’s testimony: “ ‘And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ ” (John 8:32). Proclaiming this truth was part of the work given to […]

PDF Dear Members and Co-Workers, What amazing times we are living in today! For decades, the Church of God has forcefully and boldly proclaimed – even when it seemed “ridiculous” to do so – that the friendship between the United States and Europe, and particularly Germany, will cool off. We have also been told that when this happens, and when we see a mighty economically, politically, militarily and religiously unified power bloc developing on the European scene, we will know that the end is near. My wife and I just returned from a one-month trip to Great Britain (where we kept the Feast of Tabernacles) and Germany. What we found during our travels was truly shocking – and sadly, not much focus is given to it on the news in this country. On September 30, 2002, Der Spiegel reported extensively about the “German-American Breaking Test.” It asked the pointed question in its cover story, whether the two nations are now “Friends or Enemies.” It continued, “In five decades of German post-war history, the relationship between the United States and Germany seemed to have never been as shattered as in the past few weeks. With thundering pathos, Chancellor Schroeder… insisted that decisions regarding essential questions of the German nation could only be […]

PDF Dear Brethren: We are warned in 2 Timothy 3:1-2 by the Apostle Paul, wherein he states: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.” Paul goes on in the next five verses to continue to describe the way of this world at the very time we find ourselves in today. This is the world we live in, brethren. It is a world that is without gratitude for all the tremendous blessings that have come upon us because of the obedience of one man – Abraham. That, of course, is a totally different story. But why is the world ungrateful, unthankful , today? And what about the people of God? Those called to His Way of life? What does God expect of us in the way of thankfulness? When I think of being thankful, I think of an incident that occurred with my two daughters several years after their mother and I came into the Church. It sets forth the whole concept about which I am writing today. This would have occurred around the winter season of 1966 or early spring of 1967. My eldest daughter was about six. Her […]

PDF Dear Brethren, The Church of the Eternal God will soon mark a full year of existence. That short time span has seen many serious obstacles and challenging tests. However, far outweighing any of these temporary difficulties has been the remarkable blessings and rock solid growth we have also experienced. We have ALL been tested—each of us as God has determined appropriate. Hebrews 12 speaks of the discipline of God, and verse 7 specifically encourages us to “…endure chastening.” The Apostle Peter, after having completed most of his life, sums up the key for Christian growth by reminding us of the end results God seeks for us: “…though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved (distressed) by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the END OF YOUR FAITH—THE SALVATION OF YOUR SOULS.” (1 Peter 1:6-9)   Later, in 2 Peter 1, verse 14, Peter speaks of […]

PDF Dear Brethren: It is hard to believe, but Pentecost is only a few weeks away. We are already preparing sermons for the Pentecost weekend of May 19, 2002, that will explain in more depth the importance of that annual festival – and what it means for you, personally. Why did God set aside the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days, to be kept by His people in worship of Him? Without the Sabbath and the Holy Days, one simply cannot fully understand and comprehend God’s awesome plan for mankind. Further, one would not know that today, only a very few are called to God’s Truth – the overwhelming majority of mankind does not and cannot understand what God is doing here on earth. The Feast of Pentecost teaches us that we can understand – because God gave, on that very day, His Spirit to His little flock, His called-out-ones. He did not give His Spirit to the world at large, and no matter how much one might want to try – without God’s Spirit one cannot understand God’s plan for man. And those who once kept the Holy Days, but in due time ceased to do so, have […]

PDF Dear Members and Co-workers, It is truly remarkable how fast times goes by, and how quickly prophesied end-time events are developing. I just reread our member letter to you, dated November 30, 2001. I canít help but wonder at how much has happened since then. In that letter, we wrote: “More terrible things will have to happen first, before the end is here… Imagine that! The terror attack on New York and the subsequent war in Afghanistan, for example, are only the ‘beginning’ Terror and wars will increase!” The Bible forewarns that Christ must return to save man from himself and ensure his very survival (Matthew 24: 21-22). By then, most people will have died. We read in Is. 24:5-6: ‘The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse has devoured the earthÖ and few men are left.’ “God will destroy those who destroy the earth (Rev. 11:18).” Consider, what all has occurred since then. The increasingly violent hostilities in the Middle East have now been correctly described as “war.” The keepers of the “doomsday clock” advanced its hands, on February 27, to seven […]

PDF Dear Brethren, We are excited to tell you that we have just completed our first Ministerial Conference since the formation of the Church of the Eternal God (CEG), where we were all able to come together and discuss important issues and to plan for the coming year. It has been our practice in the ministry of CEG to have a weekly meeting via telephone, just to stay in touch with one another, to keep us all apprised of what is happening in the various areas of the Church, and to make plans for continuing activities. Now, the North American ministers were able to meet for the first time, face to face, since the inception of CEG. We wish to give you a full report of this most successful Ministerial Conference. From the outset of this small work of God, it has been our purpose and intent to provide a service to Godís people who wish to adhere to those beliefs we hold dear, which were taught to us through the Holy Scriptures by Godís end-time apostle, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. We asked God, at the inception of this work, that He give each of us in the ministry an […]

PDF Dear Brethren and Co-Workers, The Church of the Eternal God is entering its seventh month of existence.  Month after month, God has continued to bless our unified efforts.  We, also, have all had individual roles in sustaining our small work.  Many have rallied mightily in so many ways to faithfully serve God.  Thank YOU! Now, we are looking forward to our upcoming ministerial conference in early February.  Our goal is to broaden the efforts of the work we have before us while continuing to meet the needs of our brethren.  In both of these areas, we are mindful of the need for God’s continual help and your encouraging participation. Brethren, although we have begun well, our task is nothing short of awesome as we seek to follow the clear Biblical challenges set before us.  The hard part is yet ahead of us—we must FINISH that part of the work God has committed to each one of us. Christ did just that during His lifetime. Note what Christ said to the Father in John chapter 17 and verse 4: “ ‘I have glorified You on the earth.  I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.’ ”  […]