Greetings Everyone:
Everything here seems to be running very smoothly. We are preparing for a busy Pentecost season. Traveling speakers for Pentecost are: Mr. Meredith—to Vancouver, BC Canada; Mr. Richard Ames—to Chicago, Illinois; Mr. Gary Ehman—to Minneapolis, Minnesota; Mr. Don Davis—to Albuquerque, New Mexico; Mr. Mario Hernandez—to Guatemala, and I will be in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mr. Apartian will remain in San Diego for this Pentecost. We are looking forward to meeting many of you during the Pentecost weekend.
Man's political and social world continues to unravel at the fringes. The political situation in the Philippines continues to grow worse—with militants bombing crowded areas such as shopping Malls even in Manila. In an election year, everyone wants his "voice" heard.
Philippine Regional Director reports:
As most of you know, the tension in parts of Mindanao has gripped the Metro-Manila area. Two prominent Metro-Manila shopping malls have been the targets of bomb blasts in the past week. Glorieta mall in Makati was the scene of a bomb explosion in a video-game arcade on Wednesday, May 17.
Glorieta mall is only about one kilometer from the Church office in Makati. SM Megamall, another popular mall in Mandaluyong City, was the target of a bomb placed in the women's restroom of a cinema. It exploded at 4:40 PM, Sunday afternoon, on May 21, rocking the whole building of Southeast Asia's biggest mall. One person was killed and 14 were injured. On the same day, multiple bombs went off in a city in Zamboanga. Bomb reports or threats are becoming almost a daily occurrence in the news around the country.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the bombings in Manila, rebel groups vowed to take the fight to the populated urban centers if the government would pursue it's offensives against them. The rebel elements seem to target high-density areas such as markets and shopping centers in cities all around the country. Thankfully, most of the brethren in the Philippines are living in areas where there is no current fighting. However, in many places, the situation is still volatile. One Pastor reports that some of the members in the Makilala congregation (Eastern Mindanao) were frightened last week when they saw "around a hundred fully armed MILF fighters walking along the highway en-route toward Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat. The residents [watched] from their homes, their "guests" marching near midnight.
Brethren, please be prudent, and curtail unnecessary exposures to risks. And, most especially, let's pray for one another, as God is our Rock, and our Deliverer. Our ultimate safety is in HIS hands. As David said, "The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them." (Psalm 34:7)
KENYA: Stratfor.Com today reported on Kenya's current woes. Essentially, it boils down to a serious water crisis due to lack of rain, political bungling and (probably) corruption in the Energy sector. What is the result? According to our Elder in Nairobi, the President warns "23 million Kenyans face potential starvation." That is almost 80% of the population facing starvation!
Brethren, the signs tell us that we have precious little time remaining to finish the Work Christ is doing through His Church. Sadly, a small percentage of those (living) called into the Work under Mr. Armstrong are concerned about persevering in the Work. Many are only concerned about themselves and their social circle.
Christ is completing "His Holy Temple," which Temple we (His Church) are. As in the days of the re-building of the temple at Jerusalem, there is much opposition from false friends and from enemies of the Work. Then God spoke to Zechariah (Zechariah 4:6) & "This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. [Might=army] Those words are fitting for us today!
I believe the JFB commentary is correct on this scripture:
"Zerubbabel need not be disheartened because of his weakness; for as the work is one to be effected by the living Spirit of God, man's weakness is no obstacle, for God's might will perfect strength out of weakness. "Might and power" express human strength of every description; "might" is the strength of many (such as an "army"); "power, "that of one man God can save, "whether with many, or with them that have no power." "Zerubbabel" is addressed as the chief civil authority in directing the work. [With my editing out extraneous words and phrases]
God is doing His Work through us as we yield to His direction—He adds what we lack by multiplying the effect. We have a little strength but God has all power.
Thought for the week:
"Humility is a virtue; timidity is a disease."
The Treasury of Quotes, by Jim Rohn