Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ,
Greetings from Charlotte, NC! Even as I write, Russian tanks and troops have invaded the Republic of Georgia—formerly part of the Soviet Union! Indications are that they will keep enough troops in the area to effectively control the vital Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline that carries oil from Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea to Western markets. By controlling this oil pipeline, Russia will attempt to heavily influence or even blackmail Western Europe. The United States and European Union are doing—nothing. For we are already “stretched too thin” with our military involvements in Iraq, in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Meanwhile, more and more reports indicate that the state of Israel will probably attack Iran in order to destroy its nuclear build up within the next few months! As one world leader stated, this could set off a “fireball” of warfare in the Middle East and possibly elsewhere. Former (and possibly future) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on American television recently that although Iran’s preparation to develop a nuclear weapon may seem to be a far off geo-political event to Americans, it is a “matter of survival” to the Israelis. For Iranian President Ahmadinejad and other Iranian leaders have repeatedly stated their desire to “wipe Israel off the map.”
When and if this attack occurs, it will drive the price of oil to unprecedented heights. It will involve the American military forces to some degree, and it easily could set off a chain reaction of full-scale Mideast warfare against American and European interests which would drive together the Muslim nations and help bring about the prophesied “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40). And let us never forget that these inspired prophecies about the King of the South portray events just before the return of Christ as King of kings!
Wow! This is our time!
After almost 59 years of “watching” prophesied world events since I first arrived at Ambassador College, it is truly exciting to me to finally see so many of these events finally coming together. Truly, dear friends and brethren, it is time for all of us to be aroused and excited about our opportunity to help prepare the way for the King of kings!
Again it is with that profound understanding that we have just stepped out in faith to purchase additional television time in two of America’s largest cities—Dallas and Houston, TX. We are grateful to be able to announce that good television slots have opened up for Tomorrow’s World program to be aired weekly on fine stations in both these cities. Also, we are making plans—and ask for your prayers and for your support—to air Tomorrow’s World at a much better time on Black Entertainment Television (BET)! This network reaches many millions of potential viewers, and it has been a great help in getting out Christ’s message in recent months. Gaining a better time on this network would be a wonderful step forward for God’s Work.
Truly, God is using this Work—even now—to proclaim the message of the soon-coming Kingdom of God in a more direct and powerful manner than is being done anywhere else on this earth! We can all be grateful to have part in this awesome opportunity—the most important activity on earth today! We are continually doing everything we can with the resources God has given us to reach as many people as possible with the precious word of God—the end-time Gospel message. And we thank you, our fellow co-workers, for doing your part! In my June letter, I asked you to pray for more laborers, as we are asked by Jesus Christ Himself (Matthew 9:38). Well, it seems like many of you took this to heart, because we had a very fine increase in new contributors, giving their widow’s mites, as it were, to help this Work move forward in July. Our “donor” count, apart from members and co-workers, rose to more than 29 percent above a year ago—reaching the highest number we have seen yet. Thanks to all of you who did pray for more laborers, because it is obvious your prayers were heard! And I encourage you who have not as yet prayed for more “laborers” to do so with all your heart. It makes a huge difference for the Work of God! Every widow’s mite is important.
Here in North America we received our millionth TV response since the Tomorrow’s World television program began. Now, we are working on our second million! Already this year, in the past seven months, we have mailed around the world more than 345,000 booklets, reprint articles, Bible Study Course lessons and audio CDs. We have also sent out more than 1.9 million magazine copies. In booklets alone we shipped more than 21 tons (over 19,000 kilograms) of Bible-based literature! Requests for literature this year are up 40 percent over a year ago! More literature has been shipped in just the past seven months than we sent during our first three years combined, and more has been sent in the past seven months than in any single year in our first six years from 1999 through 2004. Again, thank you for your part in helping!
In closing, I want to request your special prayers and your generous support in helping us pay for placing Tomorrow’s World on these two fine television stations in Dallas and Houston, and also for upgrading our time on BET! All of you have voluntarily become “co-workers with Christ,” or I would not ask you this—as we do not appeal to the public for money. As one of our inner “family” of co-workers, I do ask you for help from time to time when the need is genuine. We have “stepped out in faith” to go on these new stations as there is a genuine need in these key areas. So please pray with us about this. And please help us with generous offerings according to your means! God will bless you—and all of us—as we put our hearts in His Work in this way. As the Apostle Paul was inspired by our Father in heaven to tell us, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8).
Dear brethren and friends, I thank God for you and will pray for all of you regularly. We need to pray for one another and for the Work the great God is now doing through us at the very end of this age. It is truly exciting. It is genuinely very meaningful! For we are absolutely participating in the most important activity that is now being carried out on earth today—to really prepare the way for the return of the King of kings!
With Christian love,
Roderick C. Meredith