Dear Brethren and Friends, In April, my wife and I took an inspiring trip to Britain, Ireland and Europe. We certainly experienced a wonderful and smooth trip in almost every way—and literally felt the presence of God through your prayers. I was able to conduct the Passover in London, where I preached a couple of times to our congregation there on the Sabbath and the first Day of Unleavened Bread. Then we traveled briefly through Wales and were able to visit with one of our outstanding families there, as well as see the Feast of Tabernacles site in Wales.
We then headed to Scotland to conduct a special Bible Study and also a board meeting for the British corporation of the Living Church of God. Our leaders there included, of course, Dr. Douglas Winnail, who is doing an outstanding job serving God's people in Britain, Ireland and Europe. It was a joy to be with him all the way through on this trip. In addition, it was a pleasure to renew our acquaintance with Messrs. Bob Storrier and Colin McIntyre during our two-day stopover in Scotland. They are both doing a fine job of handling the calls and mail from our responses on the Inspiration Network there in Britain. More on that later.
On Friday, we drove to the west coast of Scotland to Stranraer, then took a ferry boat over to Belfast and drove to Drogheda—Dr. Winnail's old home before his move to an area north of London. There, we observed the final Holy Day of Unleavened Bread. After giving a split sermon and news of the Work in the morning, I preached the full sermon in the afternoon. Again, it was a real pleasure to become better acquainted with our members there— including our fine elders, Mr. Henry Cooper and Mr. Brian Bedlow, and their wives. After sunset following the final Holy Day, we conducted a board meeting for the Irish corporation of the Living Church of God. Then, early the next morning, we headed to the Dublin airport with Dr. Winnail, who helped Sheryl and me catch our flight to Zurich, Switzerland.
Arriving at the Zurich airport, we were met by our outstanding elder in that area, Mr. Josef Felber, and his lovely wife. We were deeply impressed by their dedication, the warmth of their family and their beautiful daughters whom I "adopted" as honorary granddaughters! They put us up in their home and took us all over Switzerland. Each night, we were able to see some of the brethren who would come to their home to become acquainted with us. The first night, in fact, we held a Bible study at the Felber home, and were able to strengthen and encourage the brethren there. On our last day in Switzerland, we were privileged to drive with Mr. Felber to the Jungfraujoch—one of the most beautiful areas in all the world, and certainly an inspiring site that helped us picture the magnificence and grandeur of our Creator God. On the final Thursday of our trip, we flew back to London and were able to stay at a hotel near the Gatwick airport. Then on the next morning, Friday, we flew home, finally, arriving in Charlotte at about 2:30 in the afternoon.
As it turned out, we were able to see all but about 18 of our almost 100 brethren in the British Isles in person—and I preached to most of them! They are certainly a warm and dedicated group, and are looking forward to tremendous growth in the future through the new Inspiration Network and other "doors" God is beginning to open. We were also able to have a most helpful two-hour meeting with Mr. Adrian Hilton—esteemed author of the outstanding book to which I have often referred, The Principality and Power of Europe. His insights into the growing "Beast" power in Europe were most helpful. He has been involved heavily in the Conservative Party over there, and personally knows many of the "players" on the European scene. We will be hearing more from him later!
Brethren, throughout Britain, Ireland and Europe it was very obvious that they "think differently" over there than we here in the United States do. That is important for Americans to realize. We, the Americans, have been the leading nation of the world and are somewhat insulated and cut off from the attitudes and situations that affect the Europeans and much of the rest of the world, since we are such a large nation—geographically, as well as in numbers of people. And most of us do not speak a foreign language and are not much aware of international affairs.
Similarly, many Europeans are totally oblivious to the developing European Empire, and especially to the ultimate meaning of what is taking place as the final ten nations prophesied in Revelation 17 begin to come together. At the moment, it appears that the European constitution will not be ratified by all the nations—as is currently required for it to come into effect. Therefore, many articles in the European press are talking about a "core" number of nations that will then pull together in a slightly different way and move forward toward building this European federation. Ultimately, as we in God's Church know, a different kind of European leader will arise in many of these nations, with a distinctly different attitude than most of the basically good and decent leaders of the past. Although Europe's new leaders may be very subtle and diplomatic in their initial approach, we will begin to see a deep and pervasive anti-American attitude prevailing. This will also involve anti-British attitudes, especially once Britain either withdraws or is forced out of the coming European Union. For since the British are descendants of Ephraim, they will not be among the final ten nations prophesied in Revelation 17! So it is helpful for each of us to watch these events in Europe, as Jesus tells us to do (Luke 21:36). It is especially inspiring to me, and to many of our older ministers, to see all these events—which we have written and preached about for decades—finally coming together!
Time is short, and we have much to do! As the Apostle Paul was inspired to write: "The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light" (Romans 13:12). All of us in the Church need to realize that the vast majority of people in Europe—as well as in the United States and the British Isles—simply do not understand what is developing and, personally, do not intend any harm to come to the American and British-descended peoples. But there is a powerful spirit being—Satan the Devil—who will influence the course of events and stir up the kind of hatred and antipathy necessary for the coming Beast Power to attack and conquer us and take us into slavery in the Great Tribulation! In the meantime, we need to realize that—just like the peoples of America and Britain—they are not yet converted. They do not understand. So we must do all we can to reach out to them, in the meantime, with the message of the soon-coming Kingdom of God. Then, those whom God calls will begin to understand and, in time, come out of this system before its final development (Revelation 18:4). Jesus Christ commands all of us in the Church to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15–16).
Brethren, we certainly have our part to do in getting Christ's message to all the nations of the world! It is an exciting and very meaningful challenge. Being in that part of the world once again, I am inspired to realize how important it is that we bring Christ's message to these people—especially since they will be so directly affected by the rise of the coming Beast Power, and by the Great Tribulation that will follow. So we are now broadcasting Christ's message on the Inspiration Network, which covers most of the British Isles, western Europe and parts of North Africa and the Middle East. Before the board meeting in Scotland, Mr. Bob Storrier showed me some of the letters that are coming in as a result of our program on the Inspiration Network. These included letters from Britain, Austria and North Africa—and even one letter from Saudi Arabia! So we are already reaching increasing thousands of people in that area of the world. But, as we all pray to our God about it and do our part, much more will be done so these people can truly understand before the darkness falls.
In our earnest efforts to warn our peoples before the coming Tribulation, it is important that we ourselves fully realize that the events we are talking about in prophecy really are beginning to happen! As I write, dear brethren, these events seem "way off" and perhaps inconsequential for many of you in your day-to-day lives. Yet the developing situations which God foretold thousands of years ago are enormous in their potential impact on your life! In my article entitled "The Future of Democracy," which we ran in the March-April 2005 issue of Tomorrow's World, I specifically indicated that our "democratic experiment" in the Middle East would not be successful. That might have seemed a bit presumptuous and bold to some of you. Nevertheless, the situations I described there certainly are working out as I anticipated. For instance, in the Charlotte Observer, I just read a front page article headlined: "Iraq near civil war or already in it, experts say." The article goes on to say:
"An unchastened insurgency sowed devastation across Iraq on Wednesday as experts said the country is either on the verge of civil war or already in the middle of it.
In the course of the day, four car bombs detonated in Baghdad, a man wearing explosives at an army recruitment center in Hawija north of Baghdad blew up himself and many others, a car bomb exploded in the marketplace in Tikrit, north of Baghdad, and the country's largest fertilizer plant was heavily damaged by a bomb in the usually quiet southern city of Basra.
Meanwhile, U.S. Marines were winding up a battle against surprisingly well-equipped and determined insurgents on Iraq's western border.
At least 69 Iraqis were reported killed and about 160 wounded in one day of violence Wednesday, pushing the death toll from insurgent violence to more than 400 in less than two weeks….
'I think we are really on the edge,' of all-out civil war, said Noah Feldman, a New York University professor who worked for the U.S. coalition in Iraq.
Feldman said that while there is a chance that the current flareup is the insurgency's last gasp, he said, 'I have not seen any coherent evidence that we are winning against the insurgency'" (May 12, 2005).
As my Tomorrow's World article stated: "In his first press conference after last November's election, United States President George W. Bush said: 'If we are interested in protecting our country for the long-term, the best way to do so is to promote freedom and democracy.' In that November 8, 2004 press conference, Bush spoke of pursuing, along with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, their 'vision of spreading freedom throughout the greater Middle East.'"
However, the events now indicate that horrible difficulties lie ahead. America is in a kind of quagmire in the Middle East, and in a frenzy of overspending and undersaving at home. Financially, America's indebtedness to other nations is spiraling out of control. Morally, the nation is in a "toboggan slide." But God will not be mocked! We all need to fully understand that democracy—carnal men "politicking" and voting on who will lead them—is not and never has been God's way to govern. We in the Living Church of God are preparing for and practicing the kind of government which the living Christ will soon administer all over this earth.
So let us faithfully stay the course, brethren! Let us gratefully realize that we are truly "pioneers" in understanding and preparing for a coming world government soon to be set up on this earth under Jesus Christ. We can—and ought to—be among those kings and priests under Christ who will help straighten out the terrible situations continually faced by so many millions of people (Revelation 5:9–10). We must not look down on these people. We must realize that they are not being called at this time—but we are. So let us press forward in faith. Let us do God's Work with increasing confidence and zeal and look forward to our sure reward in the coming Kingdom of God as we faithfully walk with Christ and prepare for that soon-coming Kingdom!
