Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ,
We should never forget the recent headlines: “MASSACRE—Orlando Mass Shooting Deadliest in U.S. History.” “Shooter pledged allegiance to ISIL.” “ORLANDO—The heavily armed assailant who killed 50 people in a packed nightclub early Sunday in the deadliest shooting spree in U.S. history pledged allegiance to the Islamic State before he was killed in a hail of gunfire, authorities said” (USA Today, June 13, 2016).
Dear friends we understand the details of what happened, but the big question which very few are able to understand is why these attacks are taking place with increasing frequency in America, Canada, Britain, France, etc. The Wall Street Journal reported: “As we learned again after December’s murders in San Bernardino, ISIS propaganda over the internet can all too easily reach Muslims alienated from American society. Young men who are second generation immigrants seem to be especially vulnerable to calls for jihad…. President Obama could also help if he weren’t so reluctant to acknowledge the domestic danger from ISIS. Mr. Obama did say in his Sunday remarks that this was ‘an act of terror,’ though he still can’t muster the words Islam or jihad or Islamic State. The truest words he uttered were that Orlando ‘could have been any one of our communities’” (June 13, 2016).
It is important to understand that both our national and religious leaders seem to have no real understanding of how to deal with radical Islam. They do not understand who we are and what is definitely prophesied to occur in the near future.
My friends, this “Orlando massacre” was not just some occasional incident. It was undoubtedly part of the beginning of an entire series of such terrorist acts and other tragedies that are going to overwhelm our society in the next few years in a way we have never seen before! Why? The answer is that our leaders fail to acknowledge the fact that there is a real God. They refuse to even consider that He may be intervening and guiding world events—including at least allowing these kinds of tragedies to occur and to come down on a godless and Christ-denying people who virtually spit in His face!
I hope that all of you will carefully read and study one of the most meaningful and powerful booklets we have ever published. It was written by one of the most dedicated men I have ever known, John H. Ogwyn. It is entitled, The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy. It thoroughly explains—with biblical and historical proof—the fact that the American and British-descended peoples were, originally, primarily the descendants of Jacob—whose name was changed to Israel. It shows that we—through our ancestry—were promised awesome national blessings and power. “Also God said to him: ‘I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land’” (Genesis 35:11-12).
So our ancestor, Jacob—whose name was changed to “Israel”—was to be the father of an entire “company” of nations—this certainly was fulfilled in the “commonwealth of nations” which Britain had and in the great single nation, the United States, which was also indicated in verse 11.
Great national blessings were promised to come upon us because of the example of heartfelt obedience of our father, Abraham. Yet Almighty God does not continue to bless those who deny His existence—who virtually “spit in His face”—and completely turn away from obedience to His laws and His statutes!
In His inspired Word, God tells us in Deuteronomy 28 that He would bless and bless our peoples if we would continue to obey His commandments—He would set us “high above all nations of the earth” (Deuteronomy 28:1). God said to our people, “The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them” (vv. 12-13).
Dear brethren and friends, it is obvious—according to the inspired Word of God—our people will continue to receive horrifying punishments from God of almost every description. If we do not turn to the true God of the Bible in heartfelt repentance we will have worsening drought, fires, flooding, famine, massive earthquakes and some of the most horrifying disease epidemics ever to hit mankind—all of these unless we repent and begin to turn to God as a nation and as a people. Some of you will object and say, “But I think….”
Please understand. It does not make any difference what “I think” or what you think. If you have the intelligence and the courage to dig into the facts and prove to yourself that there is a real God, that the Bible is His inspired revelation to mankind, and if you can muster up the humility to obey your Creator, you will then truly understand what God says and what is already beginning to happen, right now, even as I write! For this recent tragedy in Orlando is not just an isolated incident. It is no doubt the beginning of an entire series of national tragedies as part of the divine punishment meted out by Almighty God the Creator. If we are willing to understand it in this context, it should drive all of us to our knees! It should make us realize that the specific promises God gave to our ancestors have come about. And now the national punishments prophesied in His Word are also beginning to occur—more and more with each passing year. The end of this society is not going to be tomorrow or this year. We are not saying that. Rather, we are saying that we are truly living in the “time of the end” and that God is going to continue to intervene with increasing power to show that He is God! We need to prove that to ourselves and begin to act accordingly.
At this point in modern history, there is only one Work, one group of dedicated human beings—who are preaching the true message of Christ’s coming Government to this earth with increasing power, who truly do understand the details of Bible prophecy, and who are willing to do what God says in every area of our lives. The Living Church of God is sponsoring that very Work!
Each month, this Work increases with power in our impact on the entire world. Right now, we are having a tremendous increase in our impact through many aspects of the Internet. We are very grateful for this—and grateful for so many of you who are helping us out as members and co-workers in the Body of Christ. I am grateful that so many people are responding to our powerful new Internet initiatives, such as the telecast on Roku. But I also appreciate that for many long-time supporters of this Work, plain old postal “snail mail” still has its place. Most of you brethren and co-workers already have your own copy of our powerful and inspiring DVD, Feed My Sheep, which we sent out several years ago, featuring insightful comments by many Living Church of God ministers revealing their hearts about the Work being done around the world. A couple of months ago, we sent a special offer to more than 46,000 U.S. subscribers who did not already have that DVD, and more than one-in-six responded to request the free DVD! As any of you who work with “direct mail” will know, a response rate approaching 17 percent can be considered outstanding—especially for a DVD like this that focuses more on the spiritual impetus of the Work rather than the “flashy” details of end-time prophecy that some “religious hobbyists” like to hear. This response shows powerfully that so many of those being reached by this Work really do have their “hearts” in what Jesus Christ is doing through this Work!
Also, I hope and pray that thousands of you who have not yet read Mr. Ogwyn’s powerful booklet, The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy, will now want to write in, call in or order over the Internet to request this free booklet. As most of you know there will be no charge and no follow-up for donations as a result of your requesting this booklet. It is very interesting. It is filled with information that will really help you understand what is beginning to occur all around you right now. So call or write today and request your free copy of this powerful and insightful booklet that every one of us ought to read and study to understand the events that are now beginning to occur in a massive way affecting the British-descended and American peoples.
Please remember—for your own good—Almighty God’s instruction in Proverbs 24:11-12: “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this,’ does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?” God certainly rewards those who have their hearts in His Work and in proclaiming the warning which we are trying to give about the events that are now beginning to come upon our peoples. We certainly need your help to “grow” this Work in power and effectiveness.
Almighty God also tells us: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
If you will join with us in “going all out,” in doing your part to help get this Work going and growing more than ever, God will certainly bless you—bless your family, your children, your job and everything you have. For He is God. God is “real.” As you learn to obey Him and serve Him, this reality will become more and more fixed in your mind and you will understand and you will have faith as you see God intervening. So put your “treasure” in the very Work that is preparing the way for Christ’s Second Coming as King of kings.
“Boy!” How we need His coming Government on this earth right now. Let us do everything we can to help prepare the way and have God’s blessing on our lives and our families as we walk with God and join with Him as “co-workers” and members in His Body in preparing the way for Christ’s Second Coming.
With Christian love,
Roderick C. Meredith