God's Kingdom Is Closing In, Pt. 2

Ron Weinland

February 24, 2018

Last week we began a new series entitled God's Kingdom Is Closing In. Today is Part 2. And we began by looking at the need for each of us to be watching. God has called us to do that. We understand a lot of that has to do in our own personal lives of being spiritually alert, being on guard.

And I'll just say at the outset, which I'll probably say at other points in the sermon today as well, some things have happened this past week that make it abundantly clear that we are approaching Passover. We should all know and understand that during this time of year (perhaps more than any other), you need to be spiritually on guard – on guard against especially a spirit world that tries to get you off course before taking of the Passover. So again, be on guard, be spiritually alert. Strive to be very close to God because we're in that time of year and this is the time of year you can get jammed up bad. You can get off course. Your mind can get off course. And you don't want to enter in taking of Passover with not being focused as you need to be on a spiritual plane. So again, take that to heart.

So we need to be close to God, as was brought out. We're also to watch individually and collectively as a part of a work that God has given us as His Church. That has always been a part of our calling. Mr. Armstrong, in that respect, knew we were in the end-time and taught accordingly, but… And I guess I should say too, as I've mentioned many of time, he had a sense of urgency and he was always able to pass that along to the Church, a sense of urgency. Now we live in a time where we should have a greater sense of urgency on a regular basis indeed. And a part of that comes from what it means to watch, to be alert to the things that are around us that are happening in the world because we are rapidly closing in on a particular period of time that's going to catch the world totally off guard and it's going to catch some in God's Church off guard as well, on a spiritual plane.

So it was stated last week that God has given Thunders and Trumpets that will be used to bring people to listen. And by the time that first Trumpet begins to be fulfilled, be able to be manifest in a physical way—because the second, third, and forth, they're going to be right there together. If not exactly at the same time right on the heels, because they're all connected just like the first four Seals were connected—one led into the other and all very rapid in the sense of what they began to do within the Church. And so it is with the Trumpets when they begin. And certainly some are going to get caught off guard when that happens, even within the Church. And then Thunders, we've had them ever since 9/11 off and on. We had them at a period of time, 2008/2009, in through there in a more intense way. And that was basically for the Church. Wasn't for the world, it was for the Church. It was for you. It was for you to be able to have a focus, to be stirred to a focus, to be watching for certain things that would help you to be sobered. And God knowing full well, obviously, well before that what we were going to do, what we were going to go into, but He didn't give that to us. So again, those things are going to be stirred up far more as we go along. They're starting to be stirred up mightily already but nothing compared to what's going to happen once the Trumpets begin.

And so God has given us a responsibility to watch, to be close to Him through prayer in our relationship with Him and with others in the Body of Christ, within the Church. And all of this obviously so that we can do our job, our work within the timing, the timeframe that He leads us to fulfill. Because it's all in God's hands and we follow, we wait on God. We follow God. And our minds are more set to that than ever before.

So the kind of watching, or that kind of watching in that sense as far as seeing what's happening in the world around us has much to do with our recognizing the timing of events. That's why we're going through this series right now. Because everything that's going on should stir us, should motivate us, should help us to be sobered because we see certain things coming together in the world in a way that we have never seen for the end-time that have been prophesied. And it's all around us. It's all around us. And we're not hearing it in this country. I would dare say that Australia is probably not hearing it, Great Britain is not hearing it. Basically Ephraim and Manasseh are not hearing it and eyes are blinded to it by other things going on. Now, in Great Britain they tend to focus a little bit more on some of those things because they're tied very close obviously together with Europe, and so there are things they look at over there in a way, and always have, on a global scale that this country never has…never has, and especially toward this end-time.

So again, those things ought to motivate us and move us, and again, to be sobered to the timing of events and to be inspired, to be excited, in one respect, to recognize that indeed God's Kingdom is closing in. That's what we look forward to. That's what people have looked forward to for a long, long time throughout history who have been a part of God's calling and a part of those with whom God has been training and working with to be a part of 144,000, a part of His government, a part of His Kingdom when it comes.

So again, the events that are happening around the world that are building up to the message of what is soon coming in a far greater way upon this world is really astounding. It truly is, what's taking place, which, again, is very much about what it means to watch as well. Because it's a broad word in that sense for us in the sense of what we're to do at the end. First and foremost, though, it's to be spiritually alert. Because if you're not spiritually alert you're not going to see diddly squat. I can go through all these news articles and you're not going to see what it means and how it fits in. They'll just be news articles and they won't be as moving, they won't be as stirring. Because it takes God's spirit as well for that to work, for that to work for us to see in the way that God wants us to see what's taking place, because it is a testimony, a witness of where we are. It truly is! Those things are a powerful witness of where we are that God is allowing and bringing about various things at this end-time. It all fits together.

So that's why we've been going through some of the news articles as we did last week. I've been dumbfounded what's happened in a week's time. If you look at news around the world it's overwhelming. Spent hours and hours on this, just working on some of the news parts, because it's constantly changing. To know what to give in this sermon and what not to give, what to omit, what to include to have that overview to give what we should be able to see in a very powerful way. It's awesome! Probably going to spend more time on that today than what I would ever do at any other time because we need to "see" it. We need to "see" what's taking place. So God is giving us every opportunity for that because it gives us a pulse, in that respect, of what's taking place and where we are indeed as a witness and a testimony, if you will, as to exactly where we are, in that respect. Doesn't mean there's not a timeframe involved – but there is – but you know, I don't care, just looking at it on a physical plane, if you just look at what we're going to discuss today, it's coming. It's coming rapidly, more rapidly than we've ever seen.

We didn't see these kinds of things in 2008 by any measure, by any stretch of the imagination, as what we do now. Awesome! And so along with all this still, for us individually, goes our personal responsibility of how we are living, how we're living our lives on a spiritual plane in a relationship to God, in a relationship to His Church, in the community, wherever we are. How we're living our lives day by day is what is first and foremost of importance, because if we're not living them as we should we're not going to see. We're not going to "see" to the degree God desires us to see. We're not going to grasp to the degree that God desires us to grasp where we are and what's taking place around us. We're not going to be moved and motivated to the degree we should otherwise be moved and motivated on a spiritual plane. Because what we're given is spiritual, in that respect, that ability to see.

The world is starting to get shaken up by some of these things but they can only see things on a physical plane of what's happening and this interaction between different parts of the world. So some people in the world are becoming more fearful because of where they live geographically. Here? We're just fat and sassy, you know, things are going smoothly. We got more money coming back in our taxes (we're told), and companies are building up more and more, and the stock market's going up and up and up. And the news we get is just what's on us, about us and what happens in our own country. Incredible, what's taking place. How we live is so important.

And so we're going to pick up today in the book of 1st Peter 1 where we were at the end of Part 1 last week. We were reviewing verses that precede what was stated later about how we're able to have the gospel preached to us through the holy spirit, how God works with us, because He gives it to His Church, He gives it to His ministry. That then is given to the body, to the Church, and there is a way that God works by His holy spirit, He says, that He sends down and He gives to us and gives that ability to learn and be molded and fashioned by what He gives to us.

So let's back up there now, 1st Peter 1. So we're going into some verses that precede those that talk about how we're able to know what we do. Verse 6—Wherein you greatly rejoice… So it builds up to that section we read last week that talks about how we're able to receive what we do because God gives it to us; we're able to see it, we're able to understand it. The world doesn't. And that's something we're never to forget – how God gives us His truth. Because where His truth is is where His Church is. Where He gives more truth, that's where His Church is. It's where His holy spirit is working. Without that what do scattered groups have? What truth is coming? What growth has been there? That's why there's total stagnation, living in the past, thinking they have to do something they don't grasp Mr. Armstrong fulfilled. The gospel went into all the world as a witness and then the end came, and those things that were prophesied to happen at the end, an Apostasy first and foremost. And people don't understand why they went through it. They don't understand what happened. What a shame! Because that gives such clarity. It gives such clarity as to who we are, how blessed we are to see what we do, that we grasp those things. We understand about the stones of the temple that were cast down. We understand what it means that God spewed the entire Church out of His mouth. Everyone was cut off! Everyone fell asleep spiritually! No one was guiltless; we all let down. We fulfilled the message to Laodicea—lukewarm—and God will not have that.

So that's a lesson that we keep with us to this day. Some become lukewarm. Because when you have affluence, when you have a lot of wealth spiritually and physically the tendency is to let down. The tendency is to let down and coast – coast, take it easy. You can't do that in God's Church! You've got to fight now more than ever before.

Wherein you greatly rejoice though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through various kinds of tests and trials. Trials, testing, whatever, it's the same word, basically. Has to do with the same thing. What have we been through? That's why we went through that Extraordinary 4½ Years. And it didn't stop. Testing and trying still continues on. But it was intensified during that period of time as we got closer and closer toward the end of it, in that last year and a half especially. Powerful what we went through. Trying and testing and a heaviness that can go with it because it tries you to the core of your being. And what will come out of you determines what's going to take place later, determines whether you're able to continue moving forward, pushing forward, whether you're stronger or whether you become weaker. And many became weaker and are no longer here.

Someone mentioned at one time this used to be filled up toward the end, toward the back; we had so many more people.

That the trial of your faith… That's something we've had to learn in a greater way than ever before. We've known about some of these things but we've lived this in a very powerful way and we've learned from this in a very powerful way. That that trying of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with the fire (trials, testing). This was not meant to be easy. This was not meant to be easy at the end of an age. I'm excited by that because God's let us see that, because we've been able to have an opportunity to grow, to be made stronger. If we've yielded ourselves to that process that's what's produced. And I wouldn't trade any of those things for anything in the world to be where I am now. What about you? How do you feel about that? You have to ask yourselves those things. Stronger? More determined than ever before? Closer to God? Well, you have to maintain that; it doesn't just happen.

…you might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Now, for those in times past that this was read to, initially written to even, but to those in the Church who have read this through time and it's been preached to them about what this was talking about, they had their focus upon the return of Jesus Christ, whenever that would be. And so many, doesn't matter what time period, had feelings it would be in their time. Had no idea when it would be. Ephesus had no idea. It wasn't until Paul finally came along and said something has to happen first. It's not going to happen for a while till something very clear takes place. And then what about the period of John, John's time? Think his eyes, his desire weren't on a desire as they're going to be in his time period, especially after he was given what he was in the book of Revelation? I think, hey, to see what you see, to experience that experience, to write what he wrote, to envision what he envisioned? Because he wasn't sure what it was. He says, "I was in the spirit on the Lord's day," and the timing of God and those things at the end-time. And what did that mean? What did he…? To have that kind of an experience? I would think that it'd be very easy to think, "We're really close now. God has given this now; we're really getting close. He's preparing us for his return." That'd just be natural. But it wasn't given to him that "No, it's going to be about 1,900 years up the road." Crazy. Amazing!

Whom having not seen, you love; and we learn that and we grow in that. You don't see God directly. It's only in a spiritual plane. Spiritual. The ability to see what's happening in the world right now, spiritual. Oh, you can look at it and you can think, "Wow! That's amazing." But if you're moved to see and to understand how this fits into what we're talking about in this sermon series, that's spiritual, okay? That's different from what the world is and separate from this. And if people can see things that are going on and they realize something has to be done…

Just like right now. Don't be deceived. There's a lot being sent toward North Korea right now and toward China. There's a lot being sent over there as far as military assets are concerned. And they know something is coming. They know that sooner or later something is coming, a showdown is coming. They know it over there as well and they're preparing for it. It's just a matter of time.

We're living in a time… I couldn't help but going through these articles and think, reminds me of pre-World War II, of things that were going on in the world. Because sooner or later it just takes off. And this is going to be a lot faster—of necessity and because of how everything has been prepared as it has so that it will go faster. And because of the technology we have and everything else that takes place today compared to what it was like back then nations are not going to have the luxury of sitting back and waiting. "Well, we don't want to get into this conflict." No, this is going to be worldwide conflict just like that. Overnight it becomes a worldwide conflict.

Not like World War II and World War I where people could stand back and nations could stand back knowing slaughter was taking place, knowing Jews were being killed by the hundreds of thousands and just setting back and winking your eye at it and not doing diddly squat to intervene. They knew it! It's in the newspapers! It's in other places! They knew these things were taking place. You didn't live then. Unless you go back and read history and read some of those things…? Amazing how people can be, human beings can be, and just sit back. "Well, we don't want to… That's not our… We don't want…" and so we stay out until it finally comes to our doorstep. If it hadn't been for Pearl Harbor when would we have gotten into the war, you know? And how many hundreds of thousands more, and millions more could have lost their lives, would have lost their lives?

Human nature is really a sick thing. Truly us. I get worked up over some of these things, I'm sorry.

"Whom having not seen, you love…" So is your love becoming greater and greater toward God and toward Jesus Christ? Are you growing in that? Do you sense that you're growing in that? Do you know that you're growing in that? And do you know that that's directly tied into a couple of very important things? The truth. And the more you love the truth because you go through it on a regular basis, whatever that might mean for you, because you see those things, you know those things, you know what's been given to us as a Church and that stirs you up and moves you and motivates you; because you love the truth you love God. They're tied together. That is God! The truth of God is the mind of God, the Word of God, agape. [AH-gah-peh].  Agape [ah-GAH-pee], different people pronounce it different ways and get all twitter pated about how to pronounce it. Think, what's more important? To have it living in your life or to know how to say it? I've known people get into arguments over it and get upset about it. I think of Toledo when it first came together and a man up in Detroit that had this, "If it wasn't this way it just isn't right." Well, let's get all bent out of shape over that one. Anyway, I'm sorry. No, I'm not.

Anyway, having not seen, you love, you love God. And there is something about God's Church and God's people that you learn to love. You recognize that there is something unique about God's people as God's spirit works in different individuals. We have awesome variety. We have awesome differences, and we have different places of growth and talent and everything else. And we learn to love each other in all of that and we learn to see the beauty in all of that. And it's a part of recognizing God. It's a part of recognizing they are God's, we are God's. We have the blessing of God's spirit living in us. How do we act toward God? How do we act toward God? Because, you see, that's what it's about.

We can say that that, oh, well in my prayer…you know, it's our prayer life and it's this and that. And you don't want to be like the Protestant world, "I love God. I love Jesus Christ." Doesn't work that way. That can only be true to the degree that you love the truth, that you love the way of God, the truth of God, and you love His people. That reflects whether it's true or not and to the degree it's true or not. The patience we have, the mercy we have toward one another, all those things are a part of it.

Whom having not seen you love, in whom although you do not now see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable, full of glory. There's a joy in that. There's a fullness in that. There's a richness in that, a rejoicing inside because of that. Doesn't mean that there aren't difficulties, there aren't problems and things that must be dealt with. But wherever those are you hope and pray that individuals – and you pray about those things, that people are able to see certain things so that they can conquer them and overcome them so that we can be together. And yet I've done that for a long time and I've seen far more leave than have ever stayed – far, far more leave than have ever stayed. It hurts. It wouldn't hurt if we didn't care. If you hurt and you love and it comes from God then you will care.

Receiving the end (purpose) of your faith… And so we have to go through things. We have to go through hardships. We have to go through things that try us, because those are the things that bring things out of the mind that we otherwise could not see and could not address. And God blesses us. Just like dross rising to the surface and gold is heated up, if you don't know where it is and what it is you can't deal with it. But then when it comes to the surface it's up to us as to whether or not we deal with it. So these things are first and foremost to have a right mind, to grasp in a very clear way, to see what God wants us to see right now, to see where we are. …even the salvation of your life (your lives).

So we live by faith concerning the time we now live. And God has given us incredible witness, as I said, testimony as to where we are, more powerful and mightier than ever. And living here in this country you'd never know it.

So we recognize the importance of having markers set before us as we do. We press forward as we look to those markers that God has given to us. It's becoming clearer that we're very near the homestretch.

I can't help but think of races I've been in in times past, one especially in Bricket Wood. And ran a course that I'd never really been in that particular area; ran through an area that I think it was only about 3½ miles but with all the twisting and winding roads around Bricket Wood and then going down through the farm and places I'd never been before, and then all of a sudden coming up this one hill that I'd never been on and all of a sudden to finally – not knowing where is this going to end. Because as soon as I took off I'm looking for the finish line. I want it to be over with. I want it to be done. Human nature. And finally you come up over this hill; it was that hill, "Am I going to see something after I get to the top of this hill?" "Am I going to see something when I make it around this building up here by the chicken coops?" "Am I going to see something then? Am I going to see where the line is? Because maybe I'll have enough to kick in a little bit more and maybe I'll just have enough to make it, I don't know." And so you press forward. And then all of a sudden when you do see it. Brethren, that's where we are. We're cresting the hill, if you will, able to start seeing something here that looks like, "Hey, I recognize that building and I know where we started and that's pretty close by. Awesome!

So we are in a final time of final watching, and that's a large part of our job and a witness of who we are. And as we watch and we support a warning… Because the reality is we support it as well. I think of how some of the advertising has already started and it's going to become stronger and stronger depending on the conditions of the world. But we're there. We're already in different languages now starting to advertise. And we're just going to keep adding to that and keep testing different things and trying different things. And the biggest ones are going to be when certain things begin to happen. Then, see, then… But then we're in place. And that's awesome. And we've been getting in place here now for about a month and a half – something like that anyway.

Let's turn over to Hebrews 10. So again, besides watching and supporting God's work, which is also one of watching and warning, because that's what God's Church has done for a long time, and especially toward the end. Mr. Armstrong did that for a long time and we've done it off and on depending on what God has given us as a focus and a purpose of what we're to do. And it's turning back to that point in time again. And that's why it's up to people as to whether or not they listen.

Hebrews 10:19. Love going through some of these things and looking back to what people have gone through and how we're to be focused. But first of all here in chapter 10, verse 19 it says, having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus… That word for "liberty," or "boldness," I should say, is a matter of a liberty. There should be a boldness in it because of a confidence we have. But it's about a freedom. It's about a liberty that God has given to us. And we're approaching that period of time, the Passover, that has given us that liberty, that freedom to be able to do that. And that's part of what it's talking about here.

So we enter God's… We come before God's throne. Every time you pray that's what you're doing, you're coming before the Great God of the universe. How incredible is that? Who are we? Well, we're nothing except God called us and He's given us purpose, a part of His purpose, which there is no greater purpose, no greater purpose in life but to be called by Almighty God, to have our minds opened up to see what we can see so that we can begin to be transformed and then to live through that transformation.

So again, to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. What does that mean? It means we have access only through repentance. We are filled with sin. Our lives, our minds, our selfishness, that's… We're selfish human beings – "lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, the pride of life" that makes up every one of us. And we all have it and we reek with it. We really do. It's not a pretty thing. It's ugly. And the more we see it then the more we can become refined, the more we can fight against certain things that we detest and don't want to be a part of our thinking. And so that's the process we go through.

And so again here, we enter into the Holiest of Holies if you will, God's very throne, by the blood of Jesus Christ because we're able to have our sins forgiven us. Because whenever we get to a point where we're not repenting of certain things or we're not fighting in certain things in our life then we're cut off from that and we don't have that liberty, we don't have that freedom. I think of so many who have gone by the wayside who got cut off so long before they ever left. Sometimes it shocks people that certain ones are gone or certain ones leave, and always in time it comes out certain things that were going on, certain things that happen that reflect even more so, "Man, how could you live like that?"

…by a new and a living way, because it's filled with God's spirit. It's alive. There is an element there of something that is beyond that which is physical, beyond physical thinking, beyond the physical mind. It's of God's spirit. …by a new and a living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. Again, this is all about Passover. We're approaching Passover and it is incredible what blessings we have that have been given through Jesus Christ indeed. And having an high priest, again, Jesus Christ, over the house of God. Let us draw near with a true heart… A true heart! Not one that's lying. Not one that's lying to God. Not one that's not genuine. We must strive to be genuine. We must strive to be truthful before God. We are what we are! And be fighting against those things that we are in order to become what He will give us to live.

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, because the point is you can't live and dwell in sin and think that somehow we have a relationship with God, like we see in the world around us, of people that go through certain things. And they don't have the truth. They don't have God's way of life. They don't have this life living within them that's transforming the way they think. …having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, because that's what we are. Our minds…our minds are atrocious. The more you grow the more you see, the more you hate the human mind and it's selfishness, the more you want God's spirit, that right thinking. Our minds are filled. We are bombarded just in things in the world, whether it be music and TV and other things around us, and advertising. And I don't care what it is around you in the world and the way of the world and how life is, it's sick, sick, sick. And the more we're able to see, the more we're able to conquer and overcome the more blessed we truly are.

So let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, in other words of what we believe, we live that way because of what God's blessed us to believe, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith. Let us hold fast. So that's a choice each one of us has to make, we'll hold on to this way of life. How much are we fighting for it? How much are we fighting against self? How much are we fighting to change? How much are we fighting to love God's truth more and be more thankful for it and thanking God for it and thinking about it in those terms? "Thank you, God, for giving this to me. Thank you for helping me to see this." I can't help, when I think about this season of the year, and I think about Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread and all that it pictures, that your mind can't be flooded with the incredible plan that God set in motion, especially if you go back to the children of Israel coming out of Egypt and then see the greater fulfillment of that through time, what God meant by all those things that we're able to learn from as far as a Church is concerned. And on and on it goes. And then how that's tied in, the wave sheaf and how things go on from there with Pentecost not far behind and then what that's picturing here soon as well.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith, our belief, what we believe, what we hold on to, what we're able to see. That doesn't just happen! There are far more who have left than who have stayed. There are far more who have been called than what remain. It's always been that way, especially in this end-time. …without wavering; being tossed back and forth. It's a fight. Keep fighting day by day. Keep focused day by day. Ask God for help to keep focused and to fight the fight. Are you going to sin? Yes. But you can grow through that, you can fight against those things and ask God for help and ask God for repentance, or to repent before God and ask God for forgiveness. And on and on you go.

Verse 24—And let us consider. This word means "to contemplate, to think about." It doesn't just happen. It doesn't just happen by listening to it today and hearing and saying, "That's good." You've got to do it now at some point, say we have to do these things. And let us consider (think about, contemplate), one another to provoke, or stir, or to spur unto love and to good works. How do you do that? The main way is by your example. The main way is by how you live toward others. It's by your example. That is the most powerful, most meaningful way, because then it's not a matter of correcting, it's not a matter of chastening, it's not a matter of how sometimes some of these are thought of or translated even, because they didn't understand, those who translated it. To stir, to spur, and it's primarily by example, by what you're living. And you keep doing what is right and in time others who seek help and growth begin to do the same thing. They want… They see that's the way it is.

You know, people come into the Church and after a time, after being around a congregation, and the more united, the more at one that congregation is then individuals begin to change certain. They begin to see certain examples, even on a physical plane, in the beginning. And then one change after another and time for growth. They can't see everything all at once. It takes time.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. Now, this in times past had been used very much exclusively so as far as Sabbath attendance. That's not all it's about by any measure…by any measure. Certainly, it can be applied to that, but some used this exclusively for that, and it goes way, way beyond that. And so "not forsaking." That word literally means "to desert or abandon." That's what it means in the Greek language. Not to desert or abandon getting together. It doesn't mean it has to be an assembly in the sense of a commanded assembly. See, that's how it was taken in times past, as though this was a commanded… No, it's more than that. It's broader than that. It's about God's people and it's about God's Church. "Don't forsake," don't abandon, desert "the getting together of ourselves," in essence, together or getting together; that's really what it means in modern English. Getting together. In other words, when we have opportunity we should rejoice in that, we should want that, we should desire that. What else do we want? Where do we want to be that's better than this, than to be with God's people?

…as the manner of some is, but exhorting, encouraging. And that's, again, by example. It's not because we have to preach. You know, this "one another" has been added in there and it can give the wrong thinking here if we're not careful. Its like, "Well, I've got a job to talk about certain things and whatever." And I've seen this through time in times past and people misunderstanding what it means. It's not about preaching to people. It's about what you live. It's about bringing people into your fellowship. It's about accepting and receiving people and receiving God's people and loving God's people, and so forth.

…and so much more, as you see the day approaching. See, what did that mean in times past for those who read it, "as you see the day approaching?" Well, they had their focus, they had their desire, but it means more today than ever before, literally. On a spiritual plane God gave people a focus and understood certain things, and especially when you live on in your life and you're getting toward the end of your life more of those things become more meaningful because you realize at some point here it all stops. This stops, whatever. It will stop in physical life. And when people are more to that point they can begin to think about what are the more important, meaningful things in life, and especially in God's Church in our relationships. Helps to give a better perspective.

So when we look at various things as far as the world around us is concerned, again, it's important how we think about ourselves as a body, how we see one another within the Body, how we recognize the opportunity to grow. And to love God has to do with the Body and with the truth that God has given to us, to love those thing that we have been blessed to see, to know, and to understand. Nobody else has them, brethren. Nobody else has that. Nobody else has all those things, to understand why the Apostasy occurred in the first place. They don't understand those things. That sounds… From the beginning it just sounded nutty to them. "Man of sin? You're saying he was the man of sin? Boy, I wouldn't touch that one." Well, why not? The truth is the truth. Can't acknowledge who you were, that you let down, that you fell asleep? You can't humble yourself to a degree to be able to acknowledge? Amazing.

So do we see what's coming, and that, therefore, the day of Christ's coming is rapidly closing in on this world? Do we really see those things? Because I'll tell you what, if you see what's taking place out here you should be sobered to the core of your being. How long do we have? Don't know. I have a focus and within that I realize one year from now, one year from now the potential of what could be in the world around us. Could be something that just scares everything out of you, even physically. That scary. That horrifying. But you know the truth, you know what it's all about, you know why it's there. You look to God more than ever before and God will bring you through, God will protect you. God will take care of you. You're in God's hands. We're in God's hands. That's how you live your life.

You can do your part, even physically to a point, and there are certain things we should do, but we look to God. God is the one who brings us through everything we're going to go through. He alone has that power, Him and His Son Jesus Christ. You don't. It's a matter of confidence. It's a matter of boldness. It's a matter of knowing because you know the truth, because you know what He's told you over and over and over again in preparing for this time that's ahead of us.

So there are a lot of things that are witness to that. I'm going to spend some time here just going through these articles. There is so much! I'm speechless almost, dumbfounded by all that's going on out there. And what we hear in this country? Drama, drama, drama, drama in the news. They try to… Every side is…. It's atrocious. It's a diversion from what's really happening. Some know and some are preparing. Some see clearly. But you know what? Just like what happened in a Church group that first came together that I was a part of for a time it was like, well, the Church can't handle certain things that you tell them. They can't handle it all! And this world, the government thinks that way today as well. I got reamed out a few times. I know. One thing I said after the Apostasy, "There is never going to be a time where I will not share with the Church exactly what's going on in the Church. And if you want to give me my final paycheque, so be it. I work for God. I do not work for you if you're going to go against what is true."

And sometimes we have to make a stand like that in our lives. You represent, you work for, you serve the Great God of the universe. And yet I was told by several leaders in that group, in that organization, chastened for it, "You should not," by the president himself, sitting down on a bed there as he was talking to me one evening, "You should not be telling people everything that you know what's going on in the Church, in the ministry right now and the things that we're discussing and working with. They can't handle it!" Thought, you've got to be kidding! And I'm saying that because the exact same thing… See, we go through things on a spiritual plane and there is duality and fulfillment of certain things. There are things happening right now in this country that are right down the line exactly like we went through spiritually after the Apostasy. They are exact spiritually because there's a spirit involved. Okay? There was a spirit involved at the Apostasy and after the Apostasy, and there is a spirit involved right now in what's taking place in the world. And it's a powerful spirit. And so some of the same things are happening today.

So there are certain things that are being planned and are being done and they know what's best for you. That's why there's such contention right now going on in some cases, because some thought they knew what was best for the country and the best for the country was not having who they have in there right now to do what he's doing. And so they have power and they know what's best for everybody else, as these others did. They knew what was best and it shouldn't be discussed. Keep your questions to yourself. I'm sorry, but brings up a lot of bad past. But I see it reflected in what's happening in the world today. And when you lived through it you make a greater stand to do what's right and to fight against it. And I hate what I see going on in the world but it has to take place. And so it's happening in the States.

And my point being in all this? They already know what's taking place and there are already plans for what's going to happen in North Korea. There are already contingencies of things being planned for China. Do you think the Chinese and the Russians don't know that? They are already planning what they're going to do. And when it comes down to it they're intent is to do it first. They will do it first. They're not going to let this country do it first. If you think differently you don't understand what's coming and why it's coming and what has to take place. That's the world we live in, okay?

Some of the things going on right now are absolutely mind… And I don't even have time to go through it all to give the picture. Because there's a picture on a spiritual plane here that we should be able to see.

"China about to throw down the gauntlet to the Petro-Dollar."[1] Dumbfounding! "The world's top oil importer, China…" It's not the United States any longer. It used to be the United States. It's China. "…is expected to launch its long-awaited and delayed Yuan-denominated oil futures contract at the end of March, according to Reuters' sources. The petroyuan is seen as Beijing's challenge to the US dollar, the dominant global currency in oil contract settlements. The contract could reportedly be launched on March 26 on the Shanghai International Energy Exchange (INE)."

Dropping farther down, "The Chinese government announced plans last year to start a crude oil futures contract priced in Yuan and convertible" …and convertible—please catch this one here— "and convertible into gold." That's why they have been storing up gold. That's why they have been taking the market on gold for years and years and years now and the world, as a whole, except for governments, have been totally oblivious, and blind to it. They have a lot of gold. They're not stupid people. And yet this country treats them like they are. They are so far ahead of us in some things it's not even funny in understanding world and how it works.

So again, "The contract will enable the country's trading partners to pay with gold or to convert Yuan into gold without the necessity to keep money in Chinese assets or turn it into US dollars." See, something happened, and we'll get to that article hopefully, where things happened in this country where it used to be backed by gold and countries were taking in some of the gold and requesting some of the gold and they finally started asking for so much gold that we couldn't do it anymore and so a president decided we can't do this anymore and finally it just became a thing of Treasuries and Bonds going out here and having nations buy them and dealing with petro-dollar, and so forth.

And some of the shenanigans of some of the things that have gone through time here are absolutely mind-boggling; to put us in this kind of a pickle we're in right now. Because this is a big pickle. And if you think there haven't been wars because of and strategies because of oil…? You've heard people talk about some of those things. It's the oil. Don't fool yourself, it's been the oil, because it's about the economy and it's about a few other things. So certain strategies and why people are involved in certain parts of the world and want to be involved there? Oh, it might sound noble and "they have weapons of mass destruction at their fingertip." Ridiculous. Sad. "Since the 1970s, the global oil trade has almost entirely been conducted in US dollars."

Here is another article here on this. There is so much information on some of these things. "Yes, The Petro-Yuan Is A Threat To The U.S. Dollar."[2] Another article here. This was just on Tuesday. "China is rolling out a new gold-backed Yuan oil contract next month as part of its attempt to replace the US dollar's dominance of that commodity trade." Little farther down: "…it is important to understand how the United States got into the position of controlling the world's primary reserve currency." I'm going to read this because if you have the vision of this and can see what this is all about then you understand what they're doing there. And it is really awesome how these things are fitting into place…and I don't want to go farther there.

"It has its roots in a 1944 conference held at the Mt. Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire that was attended by 730 delegates from all 44 Allied nations. After 22 days of deliberation, the delegates eventually devised a monetary system in which the United States dollars would be directly convertible into gold and all other currencies would be pegged to the dollar. As the United States owned approximately two-thirds of the world's gold at the time, this system made sense and it put the gold standard into place as fiat currencies were widely considered to be one of the root causes of the Second World War. This also resulted in the US dollar becoming the reserve currency since all other currencies were pegged to it (and the dollar itself was directly convertible into gold)."

"However, in the 1960s, the United States had a growing trade imbalance and a rapidly growing public debt due to its declining dominance of the world's economic output and expenses related to the Vietnam War. This, combined with monetary inflation due to Federal Reserve policies, resulted in the US dollar being increasingly overvalued. Some foreign nations were becoming increasingly disenchanted with the privilege that this situation provided to the United States compared to its partners in the Bretton Woods system. Some nations, led by France, began to convert their dollars into gold, putting pressure on the gold reserves of the United States to the point where only $3.2 billion worth of actual gold was backing $14 billion held by foreign central banks. In 1971, West Germany left the Bretton Woods system and both France and Switzerland demanded physical gold in exchange for their dollars."

"Finally, in August 1971, President Richard Nixon suspended the convertibility of US dollars into gold in an attempt to remedy these problems. While it did stop the problem of declining gold reserves, it also sparked widespread speculation against the dollar due in part to the high trade deficits, mounting debt load, and high unemployment in the United States at this time. This led to its own problems, including a high inflation rate in the United States. This also led to problems with international trade since foreign currencies were appreciating so rapidly that it was difficult to price goods appropriately. The United States began to look for a solution for these problems."

"In 1973, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger negotiated an agreement with Saudi Arabia," it just gets worse, "the largest oil exporter in the world then as now. In the agreement, the Kingdom would require all sales of its oil to be paid for in US dollars and in exchange the United States would provide Saudi Arabia with weapons and protection. As the United States was its biggest customer at the time, the arrangement made sense. Other oil exporting nations followed Saudi Arabia's lead on this out of convenience and soon the international oil trade was being conducted in dollars. This generated artificial demand for US dollars globally since nations that imported oil were essentially forced to maintain holdings of US dollars in order to pay for their needed oil. It also led to a growing stockpile of US dollars in oil exporting nations. This setup makes the dollar more valuable than it would otherwise be due to the artificial demand."

Hence petro-dollar all over the world. That's all they could trade in. "This process of paying for oil using US dollars has also led to a phenomenon known as petrodollar recycling. As already mentioned, the fact that oil importing countries were paying for their oil using US dollars resulted in growing stockpiles of dollars in the central banks of those countries that export oil, in particular the OPEC nations, Norway, and Russia. In many cases, this was more money than these nations could efficiently invest in their own economies."

"The logical thing for these nations to do then was invest in US dollar-denominated assets abroad, especially US Treasuries." And I hope you see, I hope you understand what's taking place now and with that which is being passed – and you talk about trillions – as far as debt and things are concerned and things that are down the road and the need now for other countries to buy these up en masse to take care of us and our needs. Because that's basically what it boils down to. That's why we live at in such a dangerous time and people don't even know it. They don't even grasp what's coming down the pike. They just think they can keep the same old system going and everything is going to be hunky dory. No, after a while everything changes.

And you know what nations see above and beyond all this with all the problems that are taking place? They have a belief – not here – some do – that the problems are at a point where it needs a reset. And the only thing in history that has reset anything? War. War. War. And now they're talking more about it. I don't care… I mean, in essence, yes, I'm focused on Pentecost of 2019, but the point is, brethren, above and beyond all that about anything to do with that, is it is rapidly approaching and everything screams out and cries out to that truth.

"This influx of money into treasuries increased the demand for them and held interest rates down, thus allowing the US government, businesses, and individuals to borrow money more cheaply than they otherwise could. Thus, the United States was able to enjoy a higher standard of living than it could otherwise afford." And other nations see that and they don't like it. But there's nothing they have been able to do about it.

So on this part of the article it says, "Enter The Petro-Yuan" "The agreement with Saudi Arabia…" and I'm going through this because I feel we need to see these things. We need to understand some of the basics of some of these things so that we can have a vision, a picture of what's taking place and why. Because that's the very thing that should stir us, sober us to the core of our being, to understand where we are right now and what they're getting ready to do. And candidly, when this goes down the tubes the only one that can hold them up for a while is, sadly, China. They're the only ones set in place that can keep a global ball rolling. And those nations know that so they're not totally afraid, though they hate… You know… I'll get some other things in a bit here.

"The agreement with Saudi Arabia that established the US dollar as the dominant currency in international trade was created at a time in which the United States was both Saudi Arabia's largest oil purchaser and the largest oil importer in the world. However, things have changed since that time. In April 2015, China supplanted the United States as the largest oil importer in the world. China is also Saudi Arabia's biggest oil buyer. The communist nation has already begun to use some of its leverage with the Kingdom and has put some implicit pressure on it to begin settling oil purchases with the Yuan."

"The Saudi riyal," I'm not sure how you pronounce that, but I think it's 'ree-yal' "is also one of only a handful of currencies that is directly convertible into Yuan. China already actively conducts business with two other major oil exporting nations, China and Russia, using Yuan. It is interesting to note that both of these countries have been targeted by the United States for economic sanctions over the past few years." Don't be deceived, some things that take place have deeper roots than what people understand or don't know, and they have to have an excuse and a reason sometimes to do some of the things they do.

Anyway, going on: "…the Yuan used in these contracts will be directly convertible into gold." This country can't do that anymore. This country isn't doing that anymore, won't do that anymore. Not sure what's even there. No one really knows for sure. They won't let anyone in to do an audit, to go over it, to be able to explain it to the world, what's there. Amazing! "…the Yuan used in these contracts will be directly convertible into gold, similar to the US dollar prior to 1971."

Another article here. Try to put them in a type of order that shows some of these things that are ripping through the world. "Stock and bond markets are doing a strange thing that is reminiscent of the 1987 crash"[3] "Wall Street is buzzing over what the recent sell-off in the stock market means for investors and what will happen next." And I don't know if you remember some of the stuff, hit 666, 777, 1175 I think it was down and things happening and it's an adjustment in the market, and then they get things back up again, going again, and not understanding what's taking place underneath all this. It's a foundation that's ready to crumble, ready to implode on itself. Incredible. "Gluskin Sheff and Associates' David Rosenberg found one aspect of the decline very peculiar and warned it is similar to time periods with significant market turmoil. The S&P 500 fell officially into correction territory on Thursday, down more than 10 percent from its record reached in January." So this is an article going back to February the 9th.

"Rosenberg noted how the yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose 16 basis points during the drop. 'I cannot tell you how rare a market condition this is – that yields are rising into this risk pullback…' Rosenberg cited how bonds rallied during the financial crisis in 2008," important to try to pick up on this, they rallied during 2008, "when the market fell and during other big corrections. 'But not this time. This rare occurrence of bond yields rising even as stock markets decline was a feature in 1987 and 1994,' he added. '…One of these years had a huge correction and one had massive volatility and rolling corrections." He said, "Pick your poison." "…and this "huge corrections" he is referring to was a reference back to the "Black Monday" when the stock market crash when the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 23 percent on Oct. 19, 1987." And so people slough that off and it doesn't mean anything. But when you think about what's getting ready to happen over in China and what's happening with the petro-dollar and the things that are going on with treasuries, and not just the debt just gets higher and higher… And how long are nations just going to keep supporting us? How long are they going to keep writing it off? And that's where we are. It's coming to a head.

This article here on the 20th, "Historic Market Test On Deck: Record $179BN In Treasurys For Sale Today, Quarter Trillion This Week"[4] "As Bloomberg observes, the glut in supply follows the passing of a two-year budget deal on Feb. 9 that raises government spending by nearly $300 billion. And, as Goldman and others have warned, investors will now brace themselves for a deluge of issuance over the coming months and years as President Donald Trump's fiscal stimulus seeks trillion's in debt to boost growth…" Just a bit of an overview.

Another one on the same day, on the 20th: "Futures Slide As Dollar, Rates Jump Ahead Of "Monster" Treasury Issuance."[5] Says it all. Comes a point when people quit, where other nations are already looking someplace else, and where they will take advantage of it, especially as other things are happening in the world.

So in the midst of all this, again, North Korea yesterday: "US imposes largest ever sanctions against North Korea."[6] "The US Treasury Department announced on Friday sanctions against "27 entities and 28 vessels located, registered, or flagged in North Korea, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Marshall Islands, Tanzania, Panama, and Comoros. More than 50 trade businesses and shipping companies are targeted by the new set of restrictions for assisting the DPRK and evading sanctions, according to the report. Eighteen of the shipping companies and vessels were sanctioned for coal exports from North Korea and the engagement in ship-to-ship transfers of petroleum products prohibited by UN sanctions."

Now, it's interesting here, as I was going through some of this stuff, listening to a speech President Trump was giving yesterday, he announced this yesterday about these sanctions now and basically said something here, just reiterating some of it because it was more than once that hopefully this will produce something, meaning something good will come out of this, but basically that if this does not then phase 2… then "phase 2 may be very unfortunate with the world." Incredible! And then I listened to another program there where he stated it again, "If these sanctions don't work then we'll have to go to phase 2, and phase 2 will be a very rough thing." There are already plans in motion for things they're going to do and it's not about sanctions, and it's not about negotiations anymore. And nations know this. Russia knows this. China knows this. Think, how close are we? It doesn't take a whole lot.

And do you think people are going to sit back and wait and be the last ones to be involved? Russia and China have already moved huge troop forces into those regions. Where Russia meets in part of it they brought many forces up. So has China along the border there. Incredible times we live in, brethren.

I just wanted to throw this one in there, thinking how sick. You know, I don't know if you've seen some of the thefts that have taken place of some of this currency that's out there. It's out there in ones and zero's somewhere, no one's exactly sure. These different "coins" that are there supposedly and people latch and get into that and using that for mostly no good reasons. But I can understand a lot of it. But I thought it was interesting, "North Korea…" And you think about all the things that have been happening in this country and I'm not… I can't help it but those Russians that are so good with some of the things they're doing, and what they're doing with the internet—I can't help but razz him every once in a while—and the North Koreans and what they're doing. You know where they get their internet in the first place? From China and now Russia. Incredible. See, if they wanted to do something they could do it. They're doing a lot of this stuff themselves. And so there have been millions, hundreds of millions already stolen out of Italy, out of South Korea, out of some of these places that have been done—they believe it's from them—and they're getting all these millions then in these coins that are out there, these ones and zero coins. And incredible what's taking place. And they've stolen a lot of it already – literally into the hundreds of millions already.

I just thought I'd read this article. I couldn't help it. I heard someone mention it on TV about how the Russians, how the Chinese are supplying it, but I found out that the Russians are as well more so as far as the internet is concerned. "A state-owned Russian telecommunications firm has given North Korea a new Internet connection, potentially increasing Pyongyang's ability to stage cyberattacks and protect the embattled country's online infrastructure. …a new connection for North Koreans provided by the Russian firm TransTeleCom appeared in Internet routing databases… The new connection appears to supplement a connection run by China Unicom that has operated since 2010. With two connections, experts argue, North Korean Internet users could expect a higher international bandwidth capacity as well as a greater ability to withstand attack."[7] The games they play between nations. Absolutely incredible.

Here is an article: "The United States Is Headed for War in the South China Sea, and No One Seems to Care."[8] You know, back in 2008 and 2009 you couldn't find articles like this to this degree over and over, week by week, day by day now of what's going on over there. "The U.S. Navy is heading toward war in the South China Sea at a faster pace than ever before. For years, China has been building islands and military bases in the South China Sea, outright ignoring the claims of neighboring nations and even the ruling of an international court. And now, the United States is stepping up its efforts to contest China's aggressive moves. Yet recent developments in the region have largely gone unnoticed – especially by American mainstream media. Between last week's market volatility, this week's tragedy in Florida, and the ongoing Winter Olympics, the South China Sea dispute has gone woefully underreported." That's what we talked about last week. All these things are a diversion. People aren't, this country is not focused on news overseas and what's taking place between some of these countries and how close some of these are at war. They're talking about it. They're shifting their militaries around at a very fast pace right now.

Going on: "In fact, even the Navy's top commander is now warning about the consequences of ignoring the regional roiling conflict." And then it says here, "The Alliance that Could Set Fire to the South China Sea. The United States and Vietnam," amazing, history, "– the two countries that have defied China the most – are officially teaming up. This marks the first time the U.S. military will have a physical presence in the Communist nation since 1975. This is likely because Vietnam is among the only South China Sea nations remaining steadfastly defiant of the Red Dragon. Even the Philippines – who originally brought the conflict to the International Court of the Hague's doorstep in 2016 (and won) – has done a 180…" I don't know if you know this; these are not small things. "…actively aligning itself with China in order to reap massive investments from Big Brother Beijing." They are pouring out money to some of these nations right now. They're pouring out tons of money and support and so that's where they give their allegiance. "I can get more from them if I give in on this. Let them have those islands," to their own destruction. … Now, the U.S. Navy's sole nuclear-capable warship – the U.S.S. Carl Vinson – is expected to dock in Vietnam next month, according to East Asian news outlets…" How do you think China likes that one? How do you think Russia likes that one? Do you think they're unaware of what's going on? This is in the news. They knew it as soon as it started happening and they are planning for all these things. Incredible!

"In response to the news of the Carl Vinson's arrival in Vietnam, China deployed its new fleet of Su-35 Flanker-E jet fighters and Chengdu J-20 stealth fighters over the South China Sea. These are brand-new war planes the world had not yet seen in action. These new war machines have the military brass wondering just what would happen if the United States and China came to blows. Yesterday, in fact, the U.S. Navy's top officer warned precisely what would happen if the U.S. military failed to properly prepare for a war in the South China Sea…"

These aren't just words. These are things that are growing in momentum every week.

Another one here: "Japan puts missiles on island that could become front line in war with China."[9] You didn't read about these things years ago or last year. These are just all piling up now all at once – wham, wham, wham – in such fast fashion I don't have time to go through it all. Just in one week! "If war is to break out, then Ishigaki would be the front line. This is the island where Japan feels the most under threat from China and the place it will be installing missiles and troops amid clashes at sea, accusations, and recriminations. … Throughout last year, while US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un traded public insults, Beijing has been quietly bolstering its presence on the extraordinary chain of artificial isles it has been building in waters near and far, taking advantage of what it calls “the strategic window of opportunity”. … "The Japanese government are now finalising the deployment of missile batteries, anti-aircraft and anti-ship, radar installations, and … troops to Ishigaki."

Another one: "Chinese Warships enter East Indian Ocean amid Maldives tensions."[10] I mentioned that last week about the Maldives and their switching of allegiances as well, but here is one about what China is doing now because… Money. "SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Eleven Chinese warships sailed into the East Indian Ocean this month, a Chinese news portal said, amid a constitutional crisis in the tiny tropical island chain of the Maldives now under a state of emergency." It's always been influenced and closely related with India, and now that's changed. And so it's always good to say that, like nations tend to do, well, there is a crisis going on there and we need to be there. You know, they're not the only ones that do that. A lot of others do that. "We need to be in Syria." Look how many nations are in Syria because there's a crisis. And Russia needs to be there, and Saudi Arabia needs to be there, and Jordan needs to be there, and Israel needs to be there, and Turkey, oh Turkey needs to be there and…" Amazing.

Another one: "Western Dragon: Chinese Air Force Deploy Advance Fighters to Indian Border."[11] This is on the 22nd. I mean, these things are just this week. "The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has boosted their high altitude capacities along their southwestern borders, sending more top-of-the-line jet fighters to parts of China that border rival state India. … Speaking to the Chinese Communist Party-owned Global Times, PLA expert Song Zhongping explicitly labeled the purpose of the additional fighters to boost Chinese military strength in case of conflict against India. "The upgrade in the Western Theatre Command is urgent because in China's western region, relations with India have been strained due to the border tensions, with no resolution in sight," Song said. … "India is gearing up already, so it's necessary for China to prepare for a possible military confrontation. And in these mountainous areas, superiority in the air is of utmost importance."" It just gets ratcheted up more and more each week.

Another one: "India To Build Major Overseas Military Base Off Africa To Combat China."[12] So this is a little farther around through the Indian Sea, because now they don't have the Maldives so they move farther over and it's about them putting military bases in another area of the world to combat what they've lost in the Maldives. And to us that doesn't mean anything. Most people don't even know where the Indian Ocean is. Well? I won't go into that. "India is preparing to construct a significant overseas military base on an island in Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, off East Africa to counter growing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean."

Another one here: "India Test Fires," and this is, again, just yesterday's news. "India Test fires Nuclear Capable Ballistic Missile Dhanush From Naval Warship."[13] "This was the third test in a month of Dhanush…. It has the capability to carry conventional and nuclear warheads and strike sea and land-based targets; it can hit targets at a distance of up to 350 kilometers." And on and on it goes here about the different missiles, different ones they're using in India as well. And I don't even have time to read them all. But see, they generally test fire things for a reason. When you see someone test fire and there is something happening in the news, is why they respond and why they do certain things…whether it be Iran, North Korea, India, China, on and on it goes.

This is about the European Union: "EU: PESCO – One “Giant Leap” Towards European Defence?"[14] "PESCO, a dormant Lisbon Treaty provision to deepen defence integration among EU Member States, finally saw the light of day. While broad questions remain about the future of European defence, the initiative surely promises to be the biggest leap forward for the bloc's defence policy in decades. Twenty-five EU countries have announced they will participate in a new cooperation pact in the area of security and defence policy, known as Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), which was officially launched at a Foreign Affairs Council summit on the 11th of December. The decision activates dormant Lisbon Treaty provisions (Articles 42(6) and 46, as well as Protocol 10) to establish a legally binding pathway to deepen defence integration among Member States capable and willing to do so. Participants have agreed on a list of commitments that include devoting 20% of defence spending to investment, increasing defence research and technology expenditure…. The aim is ultimately to improve the effectiveness of EU military operations and stimulate European defence capability development. … Let me be clear: this doesn't mean giving birth to an EU army. Decision-making will remain in the hands of participating Member States by unanimous vote…" Oh, do they deceive themselves.

"EU countries combined are the second largest military spender in the world, half the defence budget of the US…" So we think they don't have anything? Yeah, they do, and they have everything that NATO does over there – all those nukes. All those nukes they don't even have to make themselves. Of course France has some in their part of it but they don't even have to have the ability to make them, they're already all over Europe, including Turkey, which they regret, I think, quite highly now.

Here's another article: "Germany To Triple The Number Of Soldiers In NATO Drills Near Russia."[15] It's just they're worried a little bit over there. I'll tell you, it's getting more and more clear here that they are.

Here's one, Thursday, 22nd: "Germany RULING the EU: Now THREE of EU's most powerful institutions are run by GERMANS."[16] Hmm, interesting. "GERMAN influence is rising within the EU after Martin Selmayr was appointed to the post of secretary-general of the European Commission, meaning the country now holds the position in three of the bloc's most powerful institutions. Mr. Selmayr will switch his role as European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's chief of staff to be Brussels' top civil servant when he moves to his new post on March 1, replacing the retiring Alexander Italianer." So again, it's just a part here telling what's taking place over there. But anyway, "Mr. Selmayr, 47, who is a lawyer, will join fellow German secretary generals Klaus Welle, at the European Parliament and Helga Schmid, at the European External Action Service, in a Teutonic triumvirate whose presence at heart of the EU has left plenty concerned at the prospect." One [EU] diplomat stated, "There needs to be a balance of nationalities. Three Germans is too much." Might have a point there. How Germany is going to have such influence, it'll just have to come from there. It's in the EU itself, in Brussels. Incredible.

"Another went as far as describe his appointment as “power grab that gives lots of power to the Germans”. Confirming Mr. Selmayr's appointment, Mr Juncker said: “The next 20 months will be decisive in fully delivering on a Europe that protects, empowers, and defends. I need the best team in place.""

Here's one from Thursday: "MERKEL'S GRAND PLAN: German Chancellor puts EU SUPERSTATE at heart of desperate coalition."[17] "As she addressed the Bundestag, Germany's parliament, Mrs Merkel revealed her so-called plans to revive the EU, which crept towards the creation a European State of the Union. Speaking ahead of a EU summit on Friday, which Britain will not attend, Mrs Merkel said: "We want to have a Europe capable of action that is in solidarity and has self confidence." "To achieve this we must be ready to strengthen Europe where a European solution is better than a purely nationalist one." She called for the EU to “prepare for change” ahead of 2019, when Britain leaves the bloc and Jean-Claude Juncker is replaced as EU president. The German Chancellor, a strong anchor of Brussels, also expressed her desire for greater integration between member states in dealing with the migrant crisis, economic issues and security. In signs the Brussels club could be one step closer to uniting an EU Army, Mrs Merkel revealed the first joint EU security measures would be introduced soon. … Mrs Merkel said Germany was "clearly committed" to the European programme, saying it was a "new dawn for Europe"."

Some of the things that are going on there and what they're striving to do right now. Again, I wish I had more time to read more things to you but I'm taking this time because I feel it's that important.

Here's an article that says, "Dancing To Washington's Tune: NATO Creates Military Schengen, Launches Iraq Mission."[18] This article here, it says, they're dancing to Washington's tune, but they aren't stupid. There's a reason why they're doing some of this. And candidly, I don't think it has much to do with Washington, but this is all that the world can see as they look at various things taking place. And they don't realize what they're being motivated to do, whether they even understand it themselves or not. There is a being and there are other beings working very actively to influence individuals in their thinking, to work at, to bring about something more quickly than what's already in their hearts. It's already there. And those beings are stirring those things up more so now than ever before.

In this article it says, "The NATO defense chiefs' meeting on February 14-15 was mainly devoted to sharing the defense burden and other issues routinely discussed at any event. As usual, there were turgid speeches with opaque meaning to leave one guessing what's really behind those nice words. The ministers said yes to the creation of military Schengen to ease forces movements across the Old Continent. NATO is to do away with the cumbersome and lingering bureaucratic procedures hindering transportation of troops and hardware through territories of member states." So now, in other words, they can just move freely as they need to as soon as someone calls upon them to do so. "… The decision is taken amid burgeoning preparations to boost military infrastructure near Russia's borders." They fear what's over there. They see what he's doing. They know what this man is doing. They're not fooled by it like we might be here and it's worrisome to them. They've lived through a lot through their history and they know certain things about how certain peoples have responded at different times throughout history.

"The ministers announced another important decision using euphemisms to obfuscate the essence." Again, I don't think they're as bright as they try to write here. But anyway, "NATO agreed to launch an assist and train mission in Iraq, “establishing specialist military academies and schools.” … the alliance's priorities “in the South” include improving “the ability to react to future crises in the region, including with enhanced planning and exercise.”" And so again here, what it's saying in essence, is they plan on putting some schools and taking care of some military schools and other things like that to support in the region there but it goes far beyond that. So it says here, just by what they've stated, "So, it's not a pure training mission but rather a commitment to join the US campaign aimed at rolling back the Iran's influence."

No, it's their interest to do so. It's their interest because they see what's happening in that part of the world and how it affects all of Europe because of the Muslim world. And so many have gone into that part of the world that Europe is no longer the way it used to be and they know that. They're dealing with that now. And that's some of the biggest political problems they're dealing with right now. Traditional Christianity and the Catholic Church and the Muslim religion do not mix. It is a conflict for war. That's exactly what's been taking place here. It's exactly what's stepping up to the plate in all this.

"NATO is also lending the US a helping hand in Syria, the country viewed by Washington as a battlefield in the campaign to roll back Iran. French President Macron has just threatened to strike Syria if the information about the use of chemical weapons by its government is confirmed." So they've been talking about that for a while. But it just shows that so many countries are involved in all these things taking place and it's a quagmire. And one day, just like any great war that starts, somebody does something and it all takes off.

Here is an incredible article: "Munich Conference: "For The First Time In Decades We Are Facing Threat Of Nuclear Conflict""[19] This was on Monday. "Over the past fifty years, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) has traditionally reflected the current state of world military affairs. Each February, more than 450 senior decision-makers from around the globe descend into Munich, Germany, to discuss current and future security challenges. And while there have been times in recent years when the MSC demonstrated signs of hope and optimism, none of that was evident this year. This year's motto “To the Brink – and Back?” - which seems to be an accurate portrayal of the current geopolitical situations in most regions. After several days of senior decision-makers bickering back and forth, the negativity in the atmosphere only means one thing: A global conflict between nuclear superpowers is lingering."

I mean, for people to talk like this? For these things to come out in something like this? It's really sobering. And it's a testimony as to where we are. It's not by chance all these things are happening all over the world.

"Conference Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger opened the event by warning that the world has moved too close to a “major interstate conflict” and faces a “dire reality.” “We have too many unresolved crises, instabilities, and conflicts,” Ischinger warned."

Thought it's interesting here, they show the number of nukes in different nations here. 1,950 operational right now in the U.S., but really have 7, 700 in total. The UK has 225 total but 160 operational. France 300 but 290 operational. Israel, they think 80. Russia 8,500 total, 1,800 ready. Pakistan 100-120. India 90-110. China 250. North Korea somewhere below ten. They don't know. They think they have certain things already.

"Israel and Iran: Inching Toward Armed Conflict"[20] The article asks, "Can you hear the drumbeat of war? It is getting louder." I mean, we ought to be dumbfounded and sobered just by the kinds of things you can read in your newspaper if you can look around news all over the world and just see what's being said. The fact that it's even being talked about should be dumbfounding to us. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on the final day of the Munich Security Conference that Israel might go a step beyond striking the proxy powers and instead take direct action against Iran." It's coming. You know when it's coming? When it starts it starts everywhere. No one is going to hold back because they know that one's going to have a repercussion on the other and it's just like dominos, this time, all over the world that just start falling quickly.

"Top Israeli Minister: Us To Move Embassy To Jerusalem On 70th Independence Day"[21] "A May opening appears to represent an earlier time frame than what had been expected." So this was in the news yesterday. Some of you probably already heard it. Just a week before Pentecost and here it is their seventieth anniversary. Unique number. Have any meaning? "The US embassy will move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on May 14, in honor of the 70th anniversary of Israel's declaration of independence, according to Minister of Transportation and Intelligence Israel Katz. … The date has not yet been confirmed publicly by the White House." But they're already talking about it.

I'm going to keep going because there's so much.

"Hezbollah Leader Threatens "We Will Open Fire" On Disputed Israeli Offshore Oil & Gas Operations"[22] I don't know… See, oil, oil, oil. It's amazing. And I don't know if you know off of Cyprus, what's taking place and all the drilling and they have it all divided up into patches now just like you would any patch of something and different ones can have or have certain areas allotted to them. Different countries do, and so forth, and now they're fighting over it and threatening war over it. Amazing.

"During a televised address in Beirut on Friday Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah once again warned Israel to back off its claims over disputed oil and gas field just off the southern Lebanese coast, threatening that Hezbollah could "disable [Israel's offshore oil installations] within hours." … "Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in late January, "They [Lebanon] are announcing a tender on the gas field, including Block 9, which is ours by any definition," and Lebanese actions "very, very challenging and provocative conduct here.""

Here is another one: "Turkish Warships Threaten To Sink Italian Drillship In Cypriot Waters."[23] Same thing – oil, drilling. "Amid escalating tensions between Cyprus and Turkey in the Mediterranean Sea, the two countries appear headed towards an inevitable resource war. …on Friday morning, when five Turkish warships threatened to sink the drillship SAIPEM 12000 commissioned by the Italian energy company ENI. The drillship had set out to reach block 3 of Cyprus'…" so again, this is just like in grids and you can see it on a map. They have these different grids and different ones have supposed rights over it. "According to Cypriot and Turkish media, the captain of one of the Turkish warships contacted the SAIPEM and threatened to sink the drill ship if it should not change its route. The drill ship changed the route [and making maneuver through the Turkish warships turned to the West and left the area]." They did change the route and so things got stirred up over that one, just what happened there. And that was against an Italian drilling ship. It was talking about it then left from there and went on down, was headed down to Morocco after that.

Here's an article: "Afrin offensive: Turkey warns Syria against helping Kurds"[24] Again, this is just building up worse and worse. "Turkey has warned the Syrian government not to help Kurds fighting against Turkish forces in northern Syria." They've warned the United States, because of what I read last week in that particular area. Then farther to the west in this particular area here they're also fighting in this particular area, the Turks are, and this is beginning to be a real quagmire. I'll tell you what; you see some pictures of this guy when he's speaking… He's nuts. His eyes remind me of one during World War II. Same kind of look. Incredible what's taking place! So this thing about Turkey and what they're going to do in time here, they've already started doing it. But this betrayal that's coming from there, it's big, truly is.

"Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said Turkey's operations were going ahead as planned and it would be a "disaster" if Syrian troops were to intervene. Syrian media had earlier said the army would help Kurds resist Turkish operations in the enclave of Afrin. … Turkey regards the Kurdish fighters, just across its border in Afrin, as terrorists. It launched a major offensive against them last month. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russia's Vladimir Putin that Damascus would face "consequences" if it struck a deal with the Kurds."" So Russia is involved. All the sabre rattling.

Here's another one: "Turkish warplanes strike convoy entering Syria's Kurdish-held Afrin region"[25] I'm not even going to read all this. I just don't have time for all these. But Turkey has stepped it up. They're threatening everyone and everywhere. They're not holding back. They've threatened Russia. They're threatening the United States. And you know what? He means every word of what he's saying and he's actually doing something to back up what he's saying. He's not backing up one bit.

"Turkey Threatens to Invade Greece.[26] Their history is filled with hatred. I was surprised when we visited there in Greece, how they spoke openly of their enemy the Turks. "In an incident that took place less than two weeks after the Greek Defense Ministry announced that Turkey had violated Greek airspace 138 times in a single day, a Turkish coast guard patrol boat on February 13th rammed a Greek coast guard vessel off the shore of Imia, one of many Greek islands over which Turkey claims sovereignty. … The islands, however, like the rest of Greece, are legally and historically Greek, as their names indicate." So this goes way, way back in time and all the battles back to 1821 and everything else.

"Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), however, and even much of the opposition seem intent on, if not obsessed with, invading and conquering these Greek islands, on the grounds that they are actually Turkish territory. … "We warn those,"" This is from Erdogan, ""We warn those who have crossed the line in the Aegean and Cyprus. Their courage persists only until they see our army, our ships and our planes...Whatever Afrin is to us,"" so he's talking about all these different areas and he's basically still warning whether it be Russia or China, or anyone else that stands in their way, he says, ""our rights in the Aegean and Cyprus are the same. Do not ever think that the natural gas exploration in the waters of Cyprus and the opportunistic attempts in the Aegean Sea drop off our radar. Just as we disrupt the plots [in the region] through Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch [on Syria], and soon in Manbij and other regions, we can and we will disrupt the plots of those who engage in miscalculations on our southern border..."" which means the United States and Russia and everybody else that's involved in these things.

""Our warships and air forces are keeping an eye on the area closely to intervene in every way when required." Referring to the days of the Ottoman Empire, Erdoğan went on: "Those who think that we have erased from our hearts the lands from which we withdrew in tears a hundred years ago are wrong. We say at every opportunity we have that Syria, Iraq, and other places in the geography [map] in our hearts are no different from our own homeland. We are struggling so that a foreign flag will not be waved anywhere where adhan [Islamic call to prayer in mosques] is recited. The things we have done so far [pale in comparison to the] even greater attempts and attacks [we are planning for] the coming days, inshallah [Allah willing]."" That's how he's talking! And if you could see his eyes… He has help.

""Tillerson Says US Turkey Relationship At 'Crisis Point'"[27] The US secretary of state has acknowledged that his country's relationship with Turkey is "at a bit of a crisis point,"" understatement, "as his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, demanded that the United States "turn words into actions" to resolve their differences in dealing with the Syrian crisis."

It's all about the Kurds and what people think they have a right to. I'll tell you right now, it's getting so confusing. See, I'll probably get it all wrong. See, Syria is going to help the Kurds in this one area, the U.S. is helping support the Kurds in another area, and Turkey is fighting against all. And we're supporting and yet we're against Syria and… It gets a little confusing. And it's that nuts out there. It really is. And Russia in the midst of this? Israel in the midst of this? All the countries in the midst of what's taking place.

Took a long time to go through all that. And I haven't had a chance to get some of the things I'd like to get to having to do with those things that are a matter of the economy and what's happening in the world there. Just touched it briefly. There's a lot more, things that just keep happening. And we ought to be sobered. All these countries and all the things that are going on – China, India, North Korea, Russia, what they continue to do in the Ukraine and some of those things that haven't stopped by any measure, and some of the talk and the sabre rattling that's going on, it just gets worse and worse and worse. And it only takes one moment I time, brethren, when it's God's time…

And the reason it's going to catch so many off guard is because you don't know when it's coming. God makes it very clear that these things are already in planning. It's already in planning in China and Russia. They've already started making the plans, what they're going to do. And North Korea is just a little puppet. You can put a disclaimer on something and it can come from there, and maybe not even really come from there but said it came from there, and it actually even be made from there and actually have a trace of it going back to there. That's how things are done in the world. There are things that can happen so quickly, so powerfully, so shocking.

Going on here in Hebrews 10, going on down to verse 37. We just completed verse 25 a little while ago. Hebrews 10:37—For yet a little while, that means a lot more today than ever before. For yet a little while and he who shall come will come, and will not wait. The word has to do with "take time," "will not delay time." And that's exactly what scriptures make very clear. So when it comes there's a time when it comes and time isn't held back any longer and we're living in that time right now. Things are speeding ahead. All the news ought to tell us those things, help us to see and understand. We're just at a tipping point whenever that happens, one domino to another.

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any draw back (let down or withdraw). Again, warnings over and over again. And for us these things that talk about this time that's coming but now it's really our time. They had to be forward looking, as everybody has through time, but we're actually living there! We're actually living in the things that testify of prophecies that are taking place in scripture. Just like this thing with Turkey, it should be coming clearer and clearer that they betray the United States; that what God said prophetically is going to come to pass. They are already starting a process where they're already doing that, in essence.

The just shall live by faith; but if any draw back… It means to let down, to withdraw. That's what happens when you withdraw from something that God wants you to be involved in deeply. When God's desire is that we be deeply involved, that this be very much a focus in our minds, of who we are, what we're doing, the timing that God has called us to, and we pull back into something else and we let down in our lives, it's a stern warning. It's a stern warning. Every Sabbath God has been having me cry out for a long time now, because we have those who are not doing what they should be doing. They haven't been sobered to a reality of drawing closer to God. They haven't been sobered to a reality of focusing upon the need for repentance in areas of their life that they should be looking upon.

Says, my soul shall have no pleasure in them, for any who draw back, who let down, who let up. Not at this time especially. Testimony, a witness is all around us, brethren. But we are not of those who draw back, if we do what we are supposed to be doing. We in the Church are not meant for that at all. God has called us to something else. We are not of those who draw back unto destruction and loss, if you will. God has called us to be blessed! God has called us at an awesome time in all of life and the opportunities are just over the hill for us.

I think of those who quit that race that I was in, who just quit at different parts along the way. You can do it! You know, that young you can do it! You might not be as fast as some of the others up there but you can do it. You just keep at it. You can do it! And sometimes your mind might say, "No, you can't," or it seems too hard or "This way is too difficult," or "God requires too much of us." Does God require too much of us? Amazing! God not only doesn't require too much of us, He tells us how to live, but He gives us the help. He wants to give us the help if we will stay close to Him, if we'll keep focused on Him.

So again, but we are not of those who draw back to perdition or loss, destruction, if you will, but to those who believe to the saving of life. So no longer is this a time… or no longer, I should say, is time being held back. These things I just went through and spent all the time doing, they testify to that. You've never read anything like that that's happened so quickly over such a short period of time any time in your life, unless you live pre-World War II, and then you still didn't because it wasn't like that all over the world. This is something that's all over the world just ready to one domino on top of the other. Every large nation is involved. Every nuclear power, every nation that has nuclear weapons, they're all involved.

And everything prophetic about Europe it marches on. They have greater strength now. I didn't even read the one about the budget they have and what they're doing and what Brussels decided and this military alliance they now have and everybody's agreed to it. And basically what they have said in that agreement is that when Brussels makes the decision — and it only takes a little bit, and God's makes that very clear, it's only one time in one agreement and then it's too late. And when they all say yes there is nothing they can then do about it, because what they do is like pushing a button and they can't back away from it because they did it. And from that point on they're going to hate each other. They're not going to be closely aligned. They're going to hate the Catholic Church as they go through all this. It's going to be a hideous, hideous thing that takes place in Europe if they don't listen.

[1] https://www.rt.com/business/418638-china-yuan-oil-futures/

[2] https://seekingalpha.com/article/4148232-yes-petro-yuan-threat-u-s-dollar

[3] https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/09/one-strange-thing-about-this-market-correction-that-is-similar-to-1987.html

[4] https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-02-20/historic-market-test-deck-record-179-billion-treasurys-sale-today

[5] https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-02-20/futures-slide-dollar-rates-jump-ahead-monster-treasury-issuance

[6] https://sputniknews.com/us/201802231061932109-trump-us-sanctions-nort-korea/

[7] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/10/02/north-korea-appears-to-have-a-new-internet-connection-thanks-to-the-help-of-a-state-owned-russian-firm/?utm_term=.862e7030f1e9

[8] https://moneymorning.com/2018/02/15/the-united-states-is-headed-for-war-in-the-south-china-sea-and-no-one-seems-to-care/

[9] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/japan-puts-missiles-on-island-that-could-become-front-line-in-war-with-china/articleshow/62917265.cms

[10] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-maldives-politics-china/chinese-warships-enter-east-indian-ocean-amid-maldives-tensions-idUSKCN1G40V9

[11] https://sputniknews.com/asia/201802221061913134-chinese-air-force-indian-border/

[12] https://southfront.org/india-build-major-overseas-military-base-off-africa-combat-china/

[13] https://sputniknews.com/asia/201802231061930578-india-test-fire-missile/

[14] http://politheor.net/pesco-one-giant-leap-towards-european-defence/

[15] https://sputniknews.com/europe/201802211061863680-germany--to-triple-soldiers-near-russia/

[16] https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/922404/german-power-grab-eu-martin-selmayr-european-commission-brexit

[17] https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/922389/Angela-Merkel-EU-latest-news-Germany-coalition-SPD-EU-superstate-Bundestag

[18] https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-02-19/dancing-washingtons-tune-nato-creates-military-schengen-launches-iraq-mission

[19] https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-02-19/munich-conference-first-time-decades-we-are-facing-threat-nuclear-conflict

[20] https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-02-22/israel-and-iran-inching-toward-armed-conflict

[21] http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Report-US-embassy-Jerusalem-move-date-decided-543465

[22] https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-02-18/hezbollah-leader-threatens-we-will-open-fire-disputed-israeli-offshore-oil-gas

[23] https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-02-23/turkish-warships-threaten-sink-italian-drillship-cypriot-waters

[24] http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43107013

[25] http://www.euronews.com/2018/02/23/turkish-warplanes-strike-convoy-entering-syria-s-kurdish-held-afrin-region

[26] https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-02-19/turkey-threatens-invade-greece

[27] http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/02/tillerson-turkish-relations-crisis-point-180216091659908.html

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Footnotes