Dear Brethren and Friends, The Feast is coming soon! As prophetic events continue to speed up—and as the end-time trials and tests of God's people also increase—it is important that we all step back from time to time and try to understand what God has in mind in all of this.
We all know that the Feast of Trumpets pictures the dramatic events at the very end of this present age. It pictures the "alarm of war" that the blowing of trumpets in ancient Israel signified. And this Feast of Trumpets certainly reminds us of the almost inconceivable agony that a rebellious world will experience as a result of the "trumpet plagues" that God describes (Revelation 8:6–13; 9:1–21). People will have become so totally deceived and hardened that, even after the absolutely awesome and traumatic punishments from their Creator, most who manage to survive will still be defiant! "But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk" (Revelation 9:20–21).
Astonishing!
Even if our expected time-frame of end-time events is off by several years, these inspired verses remind us how totally awful circumstances will become within a comparatively few years from now! Even as I write, the radio news is describing the recent terrorist attacks in London; yet we in God's Church know that these events are only the beginning. It is not going to be a Sunday afternoon picnic. The world around us will change enormously over the next several years. We have to become used to the idea that we are, indeed, "pilgrims" (Hebrews 11:13) living in a world that has totally cut itself off from God. As "ambassadors" representing the Kingdom of God in this confused society, we must constantly remember who we are. Some of our dearly beloved brethren have died, and others will yet die, but we must realize that our physical lives, too, are only temporary—whether we live on until Christ's Second Coming, or whether we die and "sleep in Jesus" along with the rest of the saints. Certainly, this realization of how precious our time here is—and of the awesome meaning of our lives as God's servants and ambassadors—ought to inspire us to serve our Creator more faithfully, thoughtfully and zealously in the years just ahead.
Dear brethren, as we think and pray about why God has allowed some of the recent trials to come upon us, it is encouraging and it is realistic to remember that the big events that God's Church, and God's Church alone, has prophesied, either have occurred, are occurring or soon will occur. We should all be stirred by these awesome future events, even though the world may not believe us and may, in fact, literally laugh in our faces if we tell them what is about to happen. But the prophecies of God's Word will inexorably move forward to their foretold conclusion!
There Is Good News Ahead
Let us never forget that, even in the "darkest hour," these endtime events spell good news for all of us in God's Church! For, as Jesus said: "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:28). Indeed, our "redemption" certainly is coming near. The continuing terrorist attacks, the worsening drought over much of the western United States (and vast portions of Australia and elsewhere) and the building danger of disease epidemics and earthquakes, all plainly indicate that Christ's coming is soon. May God help every one of us to grasp this Big Picture. May we be encouraged and inspired by what the living Jesus Christ is doing in preparing the way for His return. And may all of us be inspired to do all we can, personally, to help prepare the way.
In this Work of Christ, we have recently been blessed in going on more television stations and going through more "doors" for preaching the Gospel than ever before in the history of this Work! Recently we have been blessed by going on fine television stations in Memphis, TN; New Orleans, LA; Dallas, TX and Houston, TX. In addition, the hundreds of millions of potential viewers of the satellite broadcasts that we are on through the Inspiration Network are certainly inspiring to think about! We are already receiving an increasing number of letters, phone calls and e-mails responding to that broadcast from the British Isles, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Also, the "Nine Network" in Australia has a potential audience surpassing anything we have previously reached in Australia.
Even right now, as you are reading this, 4.5 million subscribers to the Reader's Digest "Mature Edition" have received in their August 2005 issue our full-page message advertisement, briefly describing some of the world's problems and advertising Mr. John Ogwyn's fine booklet entitled Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled! We hope that many thousands of people will respond to this advertisement, receive this booklet and be added to the subscription list of Tomorrow's World magazine.
So we see that, in spite of the trials and tests which God is allowing us to undergo—no doubt to humble us and strengthen us in many ways—God's Work is certainly surging ahead with more power than ever before! It is vital that we do, in fact, "step back" and try always to see the Big Picture of what God is doing in the world, of what God is doing in the Work and of what He is doing in our lives. Brethren, let us always try to have "the mind of Christ" in all these areas, and to humbly appreciate that He has called us now in order to help proclaim His message to increasing millions of people all over the world. He is also preparing us to be His full sons in His Kingdom, and empowering us through His Spirit to properly assist Christ in ruling the entire world and in bringing a depth of joy and peace beyond anything the world has ever experienced. We can all say, "Thank God for His magnificent Plan!"
As Jesus Christ tells us, in His own words: "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'—as I also have received from My Father" (Revelation 2:26–27). Many other scriptures say essentially the same (see Revelation 1:6–7; 5:9–10; 20:6). Some extremely meaningful instruction on this topic is found in 1 Corinthians 6:1–7. Please study these verses carefully! God inspired the Apostle Paul to instruct us that we must learn—in this life—to "judge" matters of personal upsets, insults and injuries within the Church. For—as I have stated so often—we are now "in training" to be the kings, the judges and the priests in Tomorrow's World under Jesus Christ! Therefore, we should all ask ourselves: "How am I learning to righteously judge matters and also to righteously respond to Christ's leadership on these matters within the Church?" The Apostle Paul tells us that God "put all things under His [Christ's] feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:22–23).
We Must Trust in Christ
Are you, personally, really learning to trust Christ deeply to do His job as the living Head over the Church? In spite of minor mistakes that He allows all of us—you and me—to make, can you learn to trust Christ to lead His Church and to guide those in authority to make the vital decisions that need to be made in leading the Church, carrying out the Great Commission and preventing division in the Church so that it can move forward in peace and order? Or, looking too much to yourself, are you constantly "second guessing" Christ's leadership? Are you listening to others who would like to undermine the leadership that Christ has placed in those who are actually doing the Work, preaching the full Truth and directing the Church under Christ's leadership?
These are questions we all need to ask ourselves! I had to ask myself these questions a number of times when Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong was the human leader, under Christ, over the Church. For he sent my wife and me away from my classes and from my local pastorate in San Diego to a much smaller church responsibility in London in the winter of 1956–57. Our first daughter, Elizabeth, had to be born overseas. And I was cut off from the much larger job that I had at the time, preaching in San Diego and teaching a number of Bible classes. Yet I realized that Christ was in charge, and that Mr. Armstrong at that time wanted me to help establish London as the overseas Headquarters of the Work.
Later, when my family and I had been back home a couple of years, and actually had purchased a lovely little home on a hill in La Cañada, Mr. Armstrong again asked me to go to England, with my wife who was pregnant at the time. He asked me to conduct a series of twelve solid weeks of evangelistic campaigns over there to help get the Work going, and then to stay over for "two or three years or more" in England. We had to sell our home and go overseas in faith that this was the right thing to do, and my wife Margie had to give birth to our third child overseas.
In 1973, I was sent overseas once again. As Mr. Armstrong acknowledged, it was to get me away from another person—a person who was "afraid" of me and what I knew, and whom Mr. Armstrong wanted to see succeed. Understanding what appeared to be a wrong reason for having to leave our beautiful home and all our friends, my wife and children were crying, and I was certainly not pleased with the decision. Nevertheless, I realized that Christ was in charge, and that He would work it out for good. For I constantly tried to remind myself of God's promise: "All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).
Indeed, each of these moves I have just described gave me a broader experience in God's Work and in international affairs. In the later years they even helped my children have a broader perspective of the world than if they had just stayed at Headquarters in Pasadena all the time. So these experiences no doubt helped prepare me for what I am doing now! But, way back in the 50s, 60s and early 70s, when these decisions were made, I could not even begin to realize how God would use these circumstances down through the years. Looking back, I am grateful that I was willing to trust Christ as the living Head of the Church to guide these things for good! And I certainly do not want to give the impression that I have been alone in this, for many of our faithful ministers have had to move here and there, often to the inconvenience and even sorrow of their wives and families, in order to better serve God's people and His Work—even since the death of Mr. John Ogwyn, which left a "chasm" to fill. Most have shown themselves very faithful and very willing to do whatever is needed. For they are not looking to me—which I deeply understand! Their trust is in Jesus Christ, as it should be!
Christ is watching each one of us—including you and me—to see how we will respond to His leadership—in His Church, of which He is the living Head. Individually, we must each learn to truly study God's Word, to develop the "mind of Christ" on all these matters and to "judge righteously" the matters that Christ delegates to us to judge. At the same time, we must trust Him to guide those over us in the Lord to make the right decisions in regard to the Work as a whole. As Christ tells us in the book of Hebrews: "Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct" (Hebrews 13:7). We are also instructed in this chapter: "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you" (v. 17).
Brethren, in the months and years ahead, Christ will continue to guide and lead His Church. We will be given opportunities to reach this world far more powerfully if we continue to respond to His leadership and to move ahead in a unified fashion! But if we are always "looking out for number one"—not willing to respond to Christ's leadership, not willing to take a different office or responsibility if that is indicated, not willing to humble ourselves and trust Christ—then the Work may have to be given to others, and we will find ourselves on the sidelines. Those who fail to respond to Jesus Christ and His leadership will either not be there at all, or will find themselves with a greatly diminished reward! Please remember His inspired words: "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work" (Revelation 22:12).
We have been given a truly magnificent opportunity— here at the very end of this present age—to work together as a "team" under Christ's leadership in preparing for His return. Let us never "take our eyes off the ball." Let us never forget to look to Christ's leadership and to trust that He will—in the end—cause all things to work together for good!
