Living Church of God Weekly Update 1/21

Greetings from Charlotte,

More severe weather conditions erupted this week. A “monster” snow and ice storm blanketed the state of Washington in the northwestern part of the USA, while torrential rains produced flooding in northeastern parts of South Africa. Here in Charlotte, Mr. Meredith finished a co-worker letter and a Personal for Tomorrow’s World magazine in addition to holding a number of meetings. Mr. Wayne Pyle reports that Mr. Meredith’s television program last weekend, The Real Jesus, is expected to draw more than 3,400 responses. Today, Mr. Meredith flies to Houston for a Tomorrow’s World Special Presentation. Mr. and Mrs. Ames are on their way to Jamaica for a TWSP this weekend. Dr. and Mrs. Wilner Pierre are on their way to Haiti for a Sabbath service and TWSP. Mr. Ed Breaux reports that a total of 48 new visitors attended the two TWSPs that were recently held in Pensacola, Florida. Please remember to keep these important activities and the needs of our brethren in your prayers.—DSW

Church Administration

General Ministerial Conference

We are planning to have a General Ministerial Conference this year. The conference is scheduled to run from Monday, April 30 through Wednesday, May 2, 2012. A Council of Elders meeting is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, April 26-27. More details will be forthcoming.

Prayer Request Update: Wenceslas Kamwenubusa

In the December 8, 2011r 8, 2011
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, issue of The World Ahead, we requested prayers for Mr. Wenceslas Kamwenubusa, a long-time member in the Central African country of Burundi suffering with terminal liver disease. Mr. Kamwenubusa later fell into a coma and, hope given up on his recovery, subsequently released from the hospital and sent home. We are thankful to report that this week Mr. Rees Ellis, French-speaking Africa Area Pastor, was able to speak with Mr. Kamwenubusa on the phone; he is no longer in a coma and is improving. Mr. Kamwenubusa would like to “thank all the brethren for their prayers which have been heard… God has graciously given [him] longer days,” wrote Mr. Ellis.

Feast of Tabernacles 2012

2012 U.S. Congregation Feast of Tabernacles Assignments (by State)

The Festival Office and the Internet Department are in full gear preparing for festival registration, planned to begin in February. As we prepare for registration, we would like to let our brethren in the U.S. know how congregations are assigned to the various Feast sites in 2012. As a reminder, brethren are assigned to a Feast site according to the congregation they attend, not according to their home address. For example, if you attend the Charlotte, North Carolina congregation, but live in Rock Hill, just across the border in South Carolina, you would be assigned to the Feast site for North Carolina, which is Virginia Beach. Following is the list of U.S. Feast sites and the States assigned to them:

Chattanooga, TN
Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee

Kauai, Hawaii
Hawaii

Lake of the Ozarks, MO
Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma

Newport, OR
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington

Panama City, FL
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Puerto Rico

San Luis Obispo, CA
Arizona, California, Nevada

Tannersville, PA
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Vermont

Texas
Louisiana, Texas

Vail, CO
Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming

Virginia Beach, Virginia
Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C.

Wisconsin Dells, WI
Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Note: Brethren in International areas, please check with your Regional Office to find out to which Feast site your congregation is assigned.

Living University

We are now in the second week of the semester and classes are off to a strong start. Just over 200 students are enrolled from around the globe, and many are taking advantage of the tuition-free courses. It is exciting to see the focus, dedication and enthusiasm for learning in those who have enrolled in classes. It is also encouraging to hear comments of how thankful they are for the opportunity to take classes that will prepare them to be better Christians today and more effective leaders in Tomorrow’s World!—Scott Winnail

Media

Twitter Feeds

Have you checked out the enhanced @TomorrowsWorld and @LCGinfo Twitter feeds lately? It is our goal to deliver to you timely Bible topics, news and prophecy, current events, and news of the Living Church of God announcements in “real time” so you can stay on top of the important developments that are affecting you and our world. We encourage you to take a moment to sign up for the upgraded @TomorrowsWorld and @LCGinfo Twitter feeds at www.TomorrowsWorld.org and www.lcg.org. We also would like to remind everyone about our E-Zine service where you can receive the Tomorrow’s World Newsletter, Weekly Digest and News & Prophecy sent directly to your inbox. You can sign up for the E-Zine e-mail service at www.TomorrowsWorld.org. –Wyatt Ciesielka, Internet Manager

Comments

The Importance of Wisdom: When Solomon reflected on life, he concluded that gaining “wisdom is the principal thing” (Proverbs 4:7Proverbs 4:7
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7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.  

). Solomon also records that wisdom “is more precious than rubies” and that learning to make wise decisions brings happiness and long life (Proverbs 3:13-18Proverbs 3:13-18
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13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. that getteth...: Heb. that draweth out understanding ¹⁴ For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. ¹⁶ Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. ¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.  

). With this biblical emphasis on wisdom, it is not surprising to see that Jesus, who as a child studied the Scriptures, “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” as He grew older (Luke 2:52Luke 2:52
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52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. stature: or, age  

). The Apostle Paul also urged Christians to use wisdom in dealing with people (Colossians 4:5-6Colossians 4:5-6
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5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. ⁶ Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.  

). The key to gaining wisdom is to learn to fear God and develop the desire to live by every word of God ((Proverbs 1:7; 9:10Proverbs 1:7; 9:10
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7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. the beginning: or, the principal part ¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.  

). If we earnestly ask God for wisdom (James 1:5-7James 1:5-7
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5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. ⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.  

), if we diligently seek wisdom by studying His word (Deuteronomy 4:1-10; 2Deuteronomy 4:1-10; 2
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4 ¹ Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. ² Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. ³ Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you. ⁴ But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day. ⁵ Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. ⁶ Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. ⁷ For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? ⁸ And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? ⁹ Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; ¹⁰ Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. ^{2 1} Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days. ² And the LORD spake unto me, saying, ³ Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. ⁴ And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore: ⁵ Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession. no...: Heb. even to the treading of the sole of the foot ⁶ Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink. ⁷ For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing. ⁸ And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Eziongaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab. ⁹ And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession. Distress...: or, Use no hostility against Moab ¹⁰ The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; ¹¹ Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims. ¹² The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the LORD gave unto them. succeeded: Heb. inherited stead: or, room ¹³ Now rise up, said I, and get you over the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered. brook: or, valley ¹⁴ And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them. brook: or, valley ¹⁵ For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed. ¹⁶ So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people, ¹⁷ That the LORD spake unto me, saying, ¹⁸ Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day: ¹⁹ And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession. ²⁰ (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims; Zamzummims: also called, Zuzims ²¹ A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead: ²² As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day: ²³ And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.) ²⁴ Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. begin...: Heb. begin, possess ²⁵ This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee. ²⁶ And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying, ²⁷ Let me pass through thy land: I will go along by the high way, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left. ²⁸ Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my feet; ²⁹ until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the LORD our God giveth us. ³⁰ But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day. ³¹ And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land. ³² Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz. ³³ And the LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people. ³⁴ And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain: the men...: Heb. every city of men, and women, and little ones ³⁵ Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took. ³⁶ From Aroer, which is by the brink of the river of Arnon, and from the city that is by the river, even unto Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us: the LORD our God delivered all unto us: ³⁷ Only unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto any place of the river Jabbok, nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God forbad us.  

Timo thy 3:15), and if we spend time with and listen to older and wiser people (Proverbs 10:1; 15:7; 18:15; 22:17Proverbs 10:1; 15:7; 18:15; 22:17
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10 ¹ The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. ⁷ The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so. ¹⁵ The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge. ¹⁷ Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.  

) we will become more like the wise God whom we worship (Romans 16:27Romans 16:27
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27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.  

).

Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail

News and Prophecy—January 19, 2012

Vatican Wants Greater Involvement in the Holy Land. Several leading bishops from the Vatican recently visited a “Christian” village in the Gaza Strip. This event was done in coordination with the Palestinian Authority (PA). The “high profile group” of bishops later described the living conditions of the Gaza Christians as being like in a “prison”—due to the intensified sea and land blockades of Gaza by the Israeli military. However, this one-sided description by Catholic leaders overlooks Israel’s stated objective of defending its cities against rocket attacks launched from Gaza, and the ongoing Muslim persecution of Christians in the Palestinian territories. In December, a Vatican center in Jerusalem also hosted a conference with Christian and Muslim leaders entitled, “How to live together in a future Palestinian state?” (IsraelNationalNews.com, January 11, 2012). The Vatican has long wanted greater involvement in the Holy Land and Jerusalem in particular. This recent visit and further cooperation with the PA against Israel appears to support this long-standing agenda. Bible prophecies have long stated that just prior to the return of Jesus Christ to this earth, “gentiles” (non-Israelites) will occupy and control Jerusalem for a 3.5 year period (Revelation 11:1-2Revelation 11:1-2
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11 ¹ And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. ² But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. leave out: Gr. cast out  

). The actions of the Vatican in the Holy Land today appear to fit with biblical end-time prophecies. For more information on this topic, review our booklet The Middle East in Prophecy.

Archaeology Validates the Bible—Again! Archeologists continue to discover more evidence that corroborates clear statements in the Bible. Israeli archaeologists, excavating near Jerusalem’s Western Wall, recently unearthed what they believe to be a 2,000-year-old clay seal. “The button-shaped object bears the Aramaic words ‘pure for God,’ suggesting it was used to certify food and animals used in sacrificial ceremonies.” The Israel Antiquities Authority said, “it believed it was the first time such a seal had been excavated, providing direct archaeological evidence of ritual activity in the temple described in ancient texts” (Reuters, December 25, 2011r 25, 2011
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Izbrano poglavje ne obstaja!

). Archaeological finds like this one are exciting, because they help validate the authenticity of the Holy Bible as an historical document. It also makes it more difficult for critics to continue to refer to the Bible as “just a book of fables.” Jesus stated several times, “there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known” (Matthew 10:26Matthew 10:26
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26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.  

, Mark 4:22Mark 4:22
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22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.  

, Luke 12:2Luke 12:2
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2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.  

). Even though archaeological and historical evidence continues to emerge that supports the authenticity of Scripture, critics continue to ignore this evidence. For more information on the authenticity of the Holy Bible, review our free booklet, The Bible: Fact or Fiction?

2011 Texas’ Driest Year on Record. Throughout 2011, the average rainfall in Texas was just under 15 inches (37.5 cm). It was also the second warmest year on record. News reports stated, “The prolonged Texas drought is to blame for devastating agriculture and livestock losses, estimated in the billions of dollars. The historic drought has killed as many as half a billion trees, not including those that died in wildfires that scorched some 4 million acres in 2011” (Reuters, January 7, 2012). While Texas has experienced extreme drought since September 2010, many northeastern states experienced record rainfall in 2011 (NJ.com, November 25, 2011r 25, 2011
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Izbrano poglavje ne obstaja!

; Silive.com, September 13, 2011r 13, 2011
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; ncdc.noaa.gov). Ancient prophecies in the book of Amos indicate that God will punish His people at the end of the age for their disobedience, “I also withheld rain from you, when there were still three months t o the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, and where it did not rain the part withered” (Amos 4:7Amos 4:7
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7 And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.  

). As prophecy marches on, these extreme trends in weather will only continue and intensify. We need to watch world events and pray for those who are suffering, because fulfilled prophecies are clear indications that Christ’s return is coming closer!—Annette Wright, Julius Hart and Scott Winnail