Greetings, Everybody:
All of us here are getting excited about the upcoming Passover season. While Passover is a time of introspection for each of us, it is also a time for rejoicing! Though Satan "triumphed" over Christ by Judas' betrayal, by lying witnesses, and by a corrupt religious judiciary and political system, Christ fulfilled His commission as Savior.
I just read a commentary entitled "'Gay' Edgar Hoover and Other Smears,"(Insight, March 26, 2001). The commentary (by Ralph de Toledano) documents by facts and logic that the outrageous allegations posited by Anthony Summers in his recent "biography" against J. Edgar Hoover are unfounded and untrue. Ralph de Toledano wrote: "The New York Post, when it was owned by socialist Dorothy Schiff, spent close to $1 million in the 1950's attempting to find even the most trifling evidence of that and then gave up."
Such cowardly actions may be committed because Mr. Hoover is dead. There is a market for such swill because a corrupt society loves to hear salacious charges against former men of power and achievement. People who write such drivel are the human equivalent of Jackals and Vultures, employing the same tools Satan used to condemn and kill Jesus Christ.
As we approach the Passover, I hope we who fear God will realize how Satan is using the same tools and methods to undermine the faith and faithfulness of God's people today. He would have us believe or accept hearsay or gossip about others and judge them accordingly. Passover is a good time to clear our hearts of a year of accumulated garbage — from Internet "reports" of alleged personal sins to whispered innuendoes in personal conversations. Once we have resolved to forgive those who have sinned against us, we can ask God in full faith to forgive us of our sins against Him and against our mates or children. After that it should be easy to forgive alleged sins of others that seem to have affected our lives. Regardless of who we are and with whom we fellowship, if we are a follower of Jesus Christ we are commanded to forgive one another (Mark 11:25-26).
MEDIA REPORT
Mr. Wayne Pyle reported that last week's program titled "God's Awesome Plan Revealed" elicited 949 (800 number) phone responses, and the final count should near 1,100. Since Tomorrow's World began airing, we have received 5,026 mail responses, which is 5.1 percent of the total response-count. This week's call-count and the new mail count brought our total response-count to 99,267. Next week's program "What is the Unpardonable Sin?" will put us over the 100,000 response mark.
FEAST INFORMATION
The Festival Office announces that Feast information may now be accessed online in the Church Web site Member area. This site will be kept current through the Feast this year.
Go to URL: www.lcg.org/members/fot/default.htm
(remember to connect with username "member" and password "galatians220")
FROM THE FIELD
Mr. Gerald Weston reports that new visit requests have "slowed down a bit from January (28 new visit requests), but we are still receiving requests and we are seeing a little growth in some select areas. We continue to pick up a few new people here and there, though the numbers are small."
In my experience, God adds growth when we are prepared to receive it. Where the membership is working cooperatively, with their hearts in the Work, God grants growth. If there are factions and "wars" between factions, God does not give us growth. Paul wrote to a divided congregation at Corinth, "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal? (I Corinthians 3:1-4)
Is your congregation or video group settled or divided? Is Christ well pleased with your fellowship each Sabbath? The Apostle James (4:1-11) plainly tells us where wars and commotions come from, and we would do well to heed his admonition. Are you embarrassed by the condition within your group? If so what are you doing about it?
I sincerely hope that you have a peaceful Sabbath and safe weekend.
Have a GREAT Sabbath and safe weekend.
Carl E. McNair