The World is Plunging into Chaos, Pt. 2

Ronald Weinland

December 10, 2022

We’ll now continue in the new series entitled The World is Plunging into Chaos with this being Part 2, and also remembering here that we’re asking the question, “How prepared are you?” Because it’s kind of a subtitle to all this in that sense to what we’re addressing here. It’s about our being ready. It’s about our looking ahead and doing the things we need to do if something were to happen that would otherwise or has the potential to shake the Church.

The Church has gone through a lot of things from it’s beginning. Much of that we don’t know about because Thyatira is pretty much lost in those things and we don’t have the history of that, and Sardis. But as far as Philadelphia and Laodicea and now PKG there are those things that have shaken from time to time. It’s just a part of a process. And on top of that, it’s a very needful process because we have to be tried, we have to be refined, and it’s one of the primary means by which we’re able to grow.

It’s a matter of being tried if you will or going through the fire in that respect because human nature being the way it is there are things we might think we would do under certain conditions but when the conditions come about that’s when we’re tried. Because we don’t always know. We might think we would want to do a certain thing, or we would intend to do certain things. Sometimes things can be exceedingly overwhelming and that generally depends on where we are on a spiritual plane.

So, many have gone by the wayside because of that, but it’s a needful thing within the Church, it’s a needful process whereby God molds and fashions us, and whereby the mind is able to be transformed. It’s a matter of growing in faith, becoming stronger, and doing the things we’re supposed to be doing. That is very much what this series is about right here.

Anyway, in Part 1 it was covered from those meetings in Dallas about what would follow if a transition in leadership did happen in the Church. Again, I don’t expect that to happen, but a lot of things I haven’t expected to happen. So, we grow through experience. That can’t be given to us, the things we learn, the things we mature in.

This point also emphasises exactly what we’re to hold fast. I couldn’t help but think today as I’m working on the next part of this, Part 3 how incredible it is that some things are so simple. We’re covering some very basic things in reality of what we’re going through in this series, but they haven’t been lived by the overwhelming majority of God’s Church. Hence the problems. So, sometimes we think we would do certain things, or we know certain things, or we are a certain place spiritually until something comes along and tries us to see where we really are at any moment in time.

We don’t know when those things are going to happen. That’s why we’re to be on guard. I love those examples. To be on guard – that means when you’re on guard in something of this nature especially, I think of the area around Jerusalem and them rebuilding the walls and so forth, and they couldn’t be on guard part of the time. You can’t be on watch part of the time. You can’t go off and do something else and get sidetracked for a time and think it’s going to be okay. It doesn’t work that way in the Church. We have to be on guard, watchful all the time, and mindful of remembering, if you will, the basic things, the things whereby we’re grounded, the things that give us that ability. It’s a matter of holding fast.

So, we’ll go into that more as we go through this series.

So again, this point also emphasises exactly what we’re to hold fast, as I said, a lesson that should have been learned from what happened to the Church during the Laodicean era after Herbert Armstrong died, after the Philadelphia era came to a close. It should have been even learned within the Philadelphian era but wasn’t fully learned. Then we had Laodicea.

Now, we go back to some of these things from time to time, and I hope we never get tired of hearing about our past, about what has brought us to this point in time because there are lessons in them, profound lessons that we’re to have deeply embedded in our minds. And yet it’s so easy, it seems, for human nature to forget them or not to put the emphasis on them or be as important as they should be in our lives.

So, in the meetings it was addressed concerning what would be taught and/or what might be changed concerning the teachings of the Church if something were to happen to me. Now, these are basic things, and we should know the answers to these immediately. And so, if we go through a trial or a test it’s not going to be a trial, it’s not going to be hard, we’re going to ace it because it’s so deeply ingrained in our minds. It’s just going to be a natural response spiritually because it has to be something that’s spiritual that’s deeply embedded in you already, a conviction that can only be between you and God, in that respect, on a spiritual plane.

So again, this same principle also has much to do with what our response would be if anything, again, of a shaking measure, if you will, was to strike the Church. So, it was addressed, “What could be changed doctrinally or in the truths if something were to happen?” Simple!

That’s so simple! But it hasn’t been in God’s Church. That’s the marvel of it all. These are simple things, but it hasn’t been for the majority of God’s people through time, even the majority who have been a part of PKG. Because they’re gone; the majority has already gone by the wayside.

So again, there would be nothing new in teaching. Absolutely nothing. If we understand how God works, if we understand the structure of the Church nothing could be changed as far as truths are concerned. So the truths, again, that we’ve been given would not change. Now, that should be something basic in our thinking.

Should any of the 18 truths be changed? Well, there might be certain wording in parts of them because of things God’s revealed, but the truths, the basic truths are still there. Perhaps to be built upon, whatever, just like different truths may contain the name “Jesus” in it, but we understand it’s Joshua now. Those aren’t major things. Or other things that have happened and taken place that maybe tweaks them a little bit but not much. It’s not a matter of a change in the truth itself.

So again, the truths that we have would not change. It’s as simple as that. The Church would simply go forward with the truths that it has, or that had been established to that moment in time. Now, it seems simple. Sad, sad, sad the history of the Church.

So, consider what happened after Herbert Armstrong died. The Church, speaking of the ministry, as a whole, did not continue in what God had given through His apostle. They didn’t continue in it. Even during Philadelphia, obviously a lot of people didn’t continue it. But the Church itself, most assuredly, didn’t continue in those things. There were so many things lost.

It's incredible to me by the time we got to the Apostasy that basically even within a scattered Body people didn’t believe in eras anymore. That’s our history! Those are things we’ve gone through. It describes the struggles and what was to be learned at those moments in time that were more pronounced during a specific era of God’s Church.

So, the truths given through him were not being periodically addressed in literature. If you have a history in that period of Laodicea after Herbert Armstrong died, very rarely did these things ever come up. As a matter of fact, there was a process of trying to get rid of all that literature, and a push and an effort from ministers to have you get rid of it all. That’s where it was moving slowly but surely.

It wasn’t addressed in sermons. 18 truths, as a whole, were not being spoken of, addressed. 21 truths if you will were not being gone through. And that, candidly, led to a much deeper Laodicean spirit. That’s the spirit that comes from that kind of wrong thinking, letting things go by the wayside, not holding fast. Because on a spiritual plane how God addresses that, He says the result is we already think we’re rich, we don’t need those things anymore. Otherwise, we’d be going back and reviewing them and going over them and making sure we’re holding fast and that they’re grounded in our minds. That’s how simple it is.

But it didn’t happen so there was a gradual drifting away, a shifting away from those truths that had been given through God’s apostle, Herbert Armstrong. That’s what we lived through. They weren’t being spoken of. They weren’t being remembered. They weren’t being taught.

John 17:17. This is one of Christ’s prayers to God, to His Father on his final night at Passover when he said to his Father, Sanctify them through Your truth. Now, hopefully that means more to us today than ever before. We are set apart, the word “sanctified” having to do with “holy use and purpose.” God can work with us, holy use and purpose. God can lead and guide and direct us. We can grow within the Body of the Church.

“Sanctify them through Your truth.” So, sometimes people think, well, that’s the Ten Commandments. I’m kind of simplifying some of that but that’s about how goofy some things got at times past. It’s like when it talks about the word of God it’s talking about the Ten Commandments, it’s talking about the law.

There is so much that’s been built upon that it’s not even funny. All the things that the apostles gave, that Christ gave them early on there especially while he was still with them and that forty days he was with them, the things he taught that came out in their lives in things that they taught and wrote about in scripture, and it continued on.

Then God called Herbert Armstrong toward the end of the age and more was being given, more than had ever been given before, in that sense, to clarify much of what the apostles had earlier on. So, God raised up someone to give something to the Church it hadn’t had before.

It didn’t have it in Thyatira, it didn’t have it in Sardis, and it didn’t even have it in Ephesus, the Church in Ephesus. More was being given because we’re at the end of the age.

So again, the truth does set us apart. I think of the scattered Churches out here. What sets us apart? Joshua, one God that’s ever existed eternally, and Father of us all, and Joshua had a beginning. This sets us apart dramatically. Women who can be ordained in God’s Church and speak in God’s Church. It sets us apart dramatically. Sanctified, set apart for holy use and purpose. This separates us from everything else because it’s a matter of God’s work and what He’s doing in our lives.

So again, so simple and so basic. But until you’ve gone through certain trials and tests in life and certain things have shaken you — that’s why you have to be ready and prepared. That’s been the history of the Church. A lot of people have been shaken out because things have come along that they forgot all the basics. I don’t care whether it was during the time of Ephesus, Pergamos, Smyrna, Thyatira, wherever you look.

So, the Church in the last three years as a Church testifies, obviously, to this truth in it’s very history and in its experience, what it experienced.

It’s a marvel thinking about some of those things, how Herbert Armstrong was called at the end of Sardis. It was dying out. God said, basically, they were dead. He said there were a few during that period that came through that were a part of God’s Family, but as a whole it was dying, and by the time that Herbert Armstrong was drawn and called it was dead.

And so, if God’s Church was to continue on like God promised it would to the end of the age, until Christ’s return, things had to change. Something dramatically had to change. He had a plan for all that before anything was ever created. That’s what’s a marvel. When you begin to understand that things have not happened by chance through time, what God gave to His Son to give to John to write in the book of Revelation, as an example, all those things that would carry on in time toward the end, and the different eras of the Church that would exist, those were planned long before.

They were given to Christ to give to the Church, but they had to be given to him and God the Father had already planned it out long before anything was ever created. That’s a mind-boggling thing to understand about God, that nothing happens at the last moment.

It’s not like on a construction site that all of a sudden you realize, well, certain equipment is not coming in or certain things you’ve ordered so we’re going to change this and we’re going to change that. God doesn’t work that way. There might be different pieces that have to be worked with in a different way to fit in that exact spot, but the reality is the plan isn’t going to change.

That’s why the seven eras happened exactly the way God said they would. He knew exactly what people would do through time under the various conditions that would exist through time in the past 2,000 years. Awesome!

He made us inside and out. He knows us in ways that we can’t even begin to comprehend because He made every bit of us. That’s why when you think of evolution you think how stupid. How stupid. Little pieces somehow in our bodies that we decided we had to have at some point in our evolution. It’s like, “I need this,” so we waited there for a million years and finally, it happened. “Ugh! Think harder!!”

Revelation 3. So again, the Church, in the last three eras of the Church testifies to this truth. So, Herbert Armstrong was called at the end of Sardis, and it says then, Revelation 3:1—Then to the angel of the Church in Sardis write, These are the things said by him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. So again, these things that were given to Christ as a matter of leading and guiding and directing His Church, the Body of Christ.

I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, Church of God, but you are dead. Be watchful. Now, things that are given here, they’re for all periods. But it was especially needful at that time more than any other because if anyone was going to come through that this is what they needed more than ever. But the reality is this is something we have to have all the time. Every person who has ever been called into God’s Church needs this, needs this guidance and direction in their life. There are just certain things accentuated, magnified at specific times as far as the Church eras were concerned.

Be watchful (be alert; be on guard) and strengthen the things which remain. So, it wasn’t just something that the Church of Sardis was to do. It’s something that everyone is always to do in God’s Church, “and strengthen the things which remain,” and generally, that would indicate that obviously there is something going on here that things are going by the wayside. So, what is there at that present moment in time? Well, whatever that moment in time is.

If you look at the end of Philadelphia, the Church didn’t live by that. Things began to be lost little by little by little, weaker and weaker and weaker. But the Church, and especially exemplified by the ministry, thought things were great, “We’re doing great! We’re rich and increased with goods. We’re doing great spiritually.” Sad. Pathetic. Because we weren’t.

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. So, we can look at Sardis and say, “Yeah, look at all they had lost!” “That are ready to die.” Any time something comes along and shakes the Church in a very powerful way some are going to have things that die. They’re ready to die in their lives, the truth. Whatever it is they were given there are going to be people who go by the wayside because what they had before them when they first started isn’t there at this moment in time. They’re ready to die because they’re not being watchful and alert and on guard. I hope that makes sense.

…for I have not found your works perfect before God. Therefore, remember how you have received. What an incredible thing to remember! …remember how you have received and heard. What’s it talking about? Gods way of life, the truth. Don’t forget how you heard.

Remember how you received what you did receive. This has been a major failing in the history of God’s Church. Major! But it’s so simple. So, what happened during Laodicea? “Remember how you received and heard?” No, they were anxious to get rid of how they received and heard and who they heard it from.

They tried to do away with his name, got to the point where it wasn’t kosher, so to speak, to even mention his name if you were speaking at a Feast of Tabernacles. Sad. Pathetic that anyone would back down from that. But it happened. The pressure, the peer pressure from headquarters was not to remember Herbert Armstrong or to speak of the truths that came through him.

So, God tells us to remember. Why? Because we wouldn’t know diddly squat otherwise and it helps us to understand government. It helps us to understand how God works in our lives. It’s not some kind of private relationship that we have with God and that we’re so lifted up sometimes. Because this has happened so much in God’s Church, that people began to think they had this special knowledge. “I have this special insight and I have this thing that’s given to me from God. And so, they’re not doing what I think they should be doing so I’m going to go somewhere else or start something else.” Generally, it’s trying to persuade others to follow what they’re doing, spread it around.

Anyway, that’s been the history of God’s Church and much of the ministry of God’s Church. That’s how different factions and different groups have taken off in different directions. I don’t care what you want to look at. Pentecost was a grand example of that, what took place there.

…remember how you have received and heard, hold fast and repent. Because that’s the problem too often, that we’re letting things, if we’re not careful, slip through our fingers. If we’re not being on guard and watchful and remembering these things that’s what’s going to happen.

We’ve got to keep focused. We’ve got to pray about matters from time to time, that we not lose them in our mind, so that they’re reinforced.

…hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch… So, the other side of the coin is shown here. This is a choice. But if you won’t do it…? So, was that just for this period of time? It’s for all people at all times in God’s Church.

If we’ll not watch, Christ says, this is what’s going to happen, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. How often has that repeated itself in the environment of God’s Church? Tens of thousands upon thousands of times. Even in the last forty years tens of thousands this has happened to. Incredible!

He came. That means something comes along that’s going to try and test. Something is going to come along that’s just going to shake the tar out of people to see where they are. Now, for those who are determined, who are close to God, who are seeking God, there are blessings in that portion of it with the strength and help to go through whatever is out there.

You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. Whoever overcomes, whoever conquers – this is for everyone – whoever conquers shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out their name out of the Book of Life; but I will confess their name before my Father and before His angels. So, this is for everyone who’s been called in the last 2,000 years, in that respect, into God’s Church that you live right, you do what is right before God, you hold fast to what’s been given to you at that point in time. Basically it’s just an absolute promise from God you’re going to be in His Family.

Any who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the Churches.

So, whether or not we’re going to be tried at some point here before Joshua returns, to what degree, how hard it will be, how strong it will be, I don’t know. But I believe there is something or we wouldn’t be going through all this to prepare us, to help us to be better prepared, to be able to not be shaken.

What an awesome thing if you go through a certain thing, different ones do what they do and you’re not shaken, you just have to say, “I can’t believe the choices. Why are they doing that? Don’t they understand what they’re doing to themselves?” That’s how easy it should be, but it hasn’t always been.

So, yes, the world is plunging into chaos, and each has to ask, “How prepared am I?” Looking at self. It’s about looking at ourselves and asking God to help us to see any area of our lives that we need to see more clearly, that’s hidden to us. Those are good prayers. It’s something to share with God that you want to be right with Him, you want to be at one with Him, and if there is that which you are not able to see, that you have a bit of a blindness to, whatever that might be, that you be able to see it so that you can repent and move forward.

God wants to know those things from us, that that’s where our heart is, that that’s what our desire is. It’s not something we can just say, “Well, that’s pretty good,” and then not do anything about it. No, it’s something we have to engage in and be a part of because God wants to know our engagement. “Do you really want this? Are you really going to come to Me and ask? Are you really going to come to Me and cry out for it, for the help?”

Kind of like being anointed. Are you going to ask because God says we’re to ask? Well, there are many other things in our life we’re to ask about that’s not specific like that until we go through something like this and then we’re told something. Then it’s up to us.

So, do we hear the incredible Thunders? I watch the news at times and it’s astounding how much has changed. I mean, the difference in the world just in two years, just in one year in that area alone is staggering. It’s absolutely staggering the kinds of things that are out there now and what’s being shown, as an example, just in TV. It’s staggering! It’s so perverted. It’s so sick.

Now, the answer isn’t just unplugging the tube and throwing it out the nearest window. The answer is being able to go through the things and see various things in our life and make a distinction and not sin and not be moved in a wrong direction but being sobered by things we see.

I’m just going to share something with you a little ahead of time. Didn’t mean to go here necessarily yet. But I’ve held some meetings in a place: “Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” It’s their motto, basically. It’s their catch phrase. I know there are people who found fault with me for having ministerial meetings out there.

Thought about having a Feast of Tabernacles out there and say, “Okay, go ahead. Do your mocking. I really don’t care!” But I’m not going to do that. But there would be nothing wrong with that. Just because you’re in a certain environment, there is sin everywhere you look in this world! There is sin all over TV! I don’t care where you look! Does that mean you’re to shut your eyes and play like those three monkeys, you know, or do you deal with it in your mind in life?

Are you in control of your own mind? Do you have to look upon something and be pulled by it in a wrong distorted way? Are you going to sin in sin city because something is wrong with your mind and you’re not in full control. Do you let your eyes wander? Well, that’s a place to find out, yeah. TV is a place to find out. Society in the world is a place to find out. It’s a tough thing, but it’s a reality. You can’t separate yourselves from everything in this world if you understand what I’m saying.

Sometimes it’s like, “Well, if I went and lived in a box somewhere and had nothing’s coming in, maybe even put tinfoil on all the walls so the waves don’t even come through!” Some people go that far, “I’ll be okay, I’ll be protected.” You want to be a zombie in a box. Okay.

You can’t protect everything. You can’t control everything in life. You can’t control things that happen around your children or to your children in this world. You can strive to do the best you can, have a right relationship with God and seek His protection, His guidance, His favor, and His help. But bad things are going to happen in this world, and it’s in this world we learn how to deal with the bad. That’s how you learn to deal with what’s bad. You learn to make judgments and decisions and choices.

Now, if you want to go off someplace up in the mountains and live as a hermit and be removed from everything so that you don’t have to worry about any of that, well, that’s a choice, but you’re not going to grow spiritually. You’re not going to be able to learn things that are profitable and good. You’re not going to be tried and tested in things that you can battle and conquer that are up here deep in the mind!

I hope we understand those things! But sometimes we don’t. It’s about what’s up here in the head, in the mind, in the spirit that God’s concerned with. More than anything else it’s the mind. That’s all you take with you. And you don’t even know it in the beginning because when you’re dead it returns to God.

That spirit is His and one day He’ll give it a different body or a new body. You don’t take anything with you. Everything you’ve saved up, everything you’ve done, everything you’ve worked for, one day somebody else is going to have it. It’s just to enjoy life for what God gives you, the blessings of life while you are able to, whatever that might be.

So, I’ll probably come back to that thing about the meetings and stuff because it has to do with some other things I’ll discuss later on. But people can find fault with various things and judge various things when they don’t have the slightest idea what they’re doing. They don’t understand why certain things take place. There are certain things that take place for the very purpose of trying us, what are we going to do? How are we going to respond to it?

I think of people who have gone off the wall because they heard that Herbert Armstrong ate some pork one time. Well, “He ate pork! How could he do that? How could he sin like that, God’s apostle?” They don’t understand the spirit of what he did. If you know the history of it and you’re able to discern the spirit you’ll know exactly why he made the choices he did and what changed after that.

What is more important in the spiritual part of it, in that respect? It’s not about a piece of a pig that isn’t going to kill you. You’re not going to hell for it! Now, if you with the wrong spirit and the wrong attitude start doing it, that’s the spirit, that’s where you go astray. We should be able to judge those things, especially by now. But I think of different things like that that have taken place in times past.

People don’t know why David was allowed to go in and eat the showbread. There’ve been great debates back and forth with people: “That’s a toughie, let’s go on to something else.” Why he was able to eat the showbread. Because it was forbidden for anyone else but the Levites to eat it. Whew! He was a prophet. If you don’t know the whole story and the whole purpose and things that were done, well?

So, we learn, and we grow, and sometimes we go through a lot to get where we’re going, but we have to have trials and tests a long the way and we have to be able to hold on to the most basic of things – they will take us through, will help us to be strong, to wait for an answer if need be until it comes. We may not understand it.

Yeah, I don’t know, how many people left the Church because David did what he did. I don’t think anyone has. Maybe… “This can’t be! This can’t be God’s Church then. They don’t have an answer to why David ate the bread!” But Herbert Armstrong eating some pork? Yeah, because they use that. I could give a couple of other things. Yeah, he played cards on the plane. People go ape over it. I could add some more to that, but I won’t.

What a horrible thing people don’t understand. But they can use that for an excuse to begin going someplace else, doing something else, because he couldn’t have been God’s apostle. “Couldn’t have been God’s apostle if he did those kinds of things. Whew!” Yet the very truths that God gave through him reveal who he was over and over and over again.

The doors that were opened up, the things that were accomplished, the things that went out in the world.  People have madly tired to replicate that. There are different organizations out here they’re madly trying to replicate all that. Trying to send out their magazines that are so protestant now it’s not even funny. Because that’s what happens. Trying to be on TV and trying to be as many places they can be on TV programs because they’ve got to replicate. Why? “Because he didn’t finish Matthew 24:14. Somebody else is going to have to finish that. We don’t have the 144,000 yet so we need the 144,000 so we got to get bigger.”

They’re all going to die before they get that. I hope you understand that. Because they don’t have that growth, period, exclamation. They don’t even have anything close to the kind of growth God gave to Philadelphia to show that that was from God. The reason it grew by the percentages every year that it did is because God was doing it, but He was doing it in a unique way through His apostle.

So, you have people out here trying to replicate something that they’re sinning in because they don’t believe. They don’t believe there was an apostasy. They don’t believe the many thing that have already been revealed at the very beginning of PKG. The vast number of them, especially in the ministry, know what those things are. But they don’t believe them. They had choices to make about them.

So, picking this up here, Then to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write, This is what is declared by he who is holy. So, again, it’s given from God the Father to Christ and Christ is giving it to John. He who is true, he who has the key of David. The reason I stopped there is because I believe that God’s in the process of revealing some things about the key of David that will make another bit of a separation with some of the Churches. But anyway.

He who opens and no one shuts and shuts, and no one opens. I know your works. He knew what they would be before they ever happened. Knew exactly what they were going to do, knew exactly what would happen during this era.

I have set before you an open door. What an incredible thing. Powerful. …and no one can shut it. A lot of people tried. Whether it be TV, The Plain Truth, various things that took place, evangelists who rebelled, tried to shut the doors. Anyway, going on… and no one can shut it, for you have a little strength, have kept my word, and have not denied my name. So, haven’t denied Christ, haven’t denied God because they have kept on this path to do what was given to them, haven’t denied Joshua the Christ in that respect.

That’s a matter of holding fast. Again, these things are a matter of holding fast to what God has given because those who have denied God, denied Christ’s name have become antichrist because they don’t believe the things that were given to them, and they begin to work against the very things that were given to them.

So, those individuals who have denied Christ, in that regard, in that vein, have denied the Church, have denied the truths, have denied the government that God established. I hope we understand. I hope these sound very basic, simple, simple to see, simple to understand. But boy, they haven’t been simple to live for people especially in trying times.

I think of the time when Pentecost came along. For a lot of people in the Church, I’d say the majority in that time easily, that wasn’t a problem. It wasn’t a big thing. It wasn’t a thing that was trying to them. But there were certain others who already were weak by this point, who already had different desires, who had already begun to be judges of God’s apostle and of things he was giving and didn’t agree with everything that was being taught.

That right there in itself cut them off from God’s spirit. They didn’t agree with the things that God had given. Some attacked from one viewpoint of criticizing him because he didn’t change it quick enough and others because he did change it. So, who can win? Well, not them because they went off in different directions and different groups broke off and went off and did their own thing. Even back then some went to Sunday again and began doing protestant things. Crazy! Gave them the excuse they needed to do what they wanted to do anyway.

Verse 9—Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie. Now, you know generally we’ve looked at this in the regard of saying, “Look, that’s the churches of the world.” Well, they’re deceived. They don’t know it. And yes, what they’re teaching is wrong and they twist and distort it not knowing that what they’ve accepted since 325 and even before. But on from that time forward they’ve been duped by a spirit being in a very powerful way. Because why? Well, they’ve never been called into God’s Church. That wasn’t God’s purpose ever to call them, so He allowed that to grow and become big in the earth for a purpose and for a reason.

But to apply this to someone who is a part of God’s Church? Everyone who has ever gone away from the truth has become antichrist. Now, one fulfilled the great antichrist, if you will, in the sense of what Paul was talking about. John later spoke of it in the terms of antiChrist because to do such a thing, for a person to become the man of sin, the son of perdition, would definitely be antichrist. But John came along later on and was saying there are already antichrists in the Church. Not speaking of that one because that wasn’t happening yet.

But he was already speaking, “Many antichrists have already come.” What was he talking about? He’s not talking about what was happening out in the world. He wasn’t talking about what this group was doing that was going to eventually become this church in 325 AD. He wasn’t talking about any of them.

He was talking about people who have been called into the Church. That’s mind-boggling, to put this in proper perspective and in the truth of what’s taken place in times past. So, “the synagogue of Satan?” Pretty strong words but it’s the truth. To become antichrist you could have no better term than to say, “This is what you are a part of then.”

Everyone who has ever left the truth, that’s what you made yourself a part of. You made yourselves pawns for him in a way that has brought incredible shame before the Church, before God, and God won’t tolerate it, so He gets rid of it, separates it from the Church, won’t give them His holy spirit, obviously, because they’ve chosen something else. What is that? The way of Satan. The way of carnal, human nature. “Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,” what someone else wants above what God has given that is true. That’s about as basic as it gets.

“I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews…” Spiritually. Do they out there in the world? Yes, they claim to be so-and-so. But to have been in God’s Church, to claim spiritually that this is what they are, at one time when they were because they were impregnated with God’s holy spirit, and then to turn against that? So, those who have turned, and there were a lot of people who turned against Herbert Armstrong. There were a lot in the ministry. When you pan it all out, a lot of ministers before he even died turned against him. A lot of other people went with them, all claiming that they’re the Church of God.

They’d claimed some other name “The Intergalactic Church of God,” or whatever it might be. I mean, it got that crazy. Still using that name, Church of God. Intercontinental? “See, what else can we use?” I won’t go into that. But that’s what people do. They claim the name, they change it a little bit, but they’re not of God. God’s not working there. What is it?

…and those who say they are Jews but lie. They’re lying. They started lying when they started disagreeing with what was true, with what Herbert Armstrong gave. It’s as simple as that. When they quit believing in some of the truths or other doctrinal things that had been given through Herbert Armstrong or revived in the Church through Herbert Armstrong, that’s what happened. They began to lie, a lying spirit. Where does that come from? From that same synagogue.

Indeed, I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. One day there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth and they’re going to have to acknowledge the wrong that they did, the betrayal that they did in God’s own Church.

Those are the ones that have weeping and gnashing of teeth. They’re the primary ones who in the Hundred Years, the beginning, are going to have weeping and gnashing of teeth because God is going to show them in a very powerful way, “Look at what you did. Look at what you did. What was it you were striving to hold on to? What belief was it that you tried to hold on to and tried to mix this big old pot together in things that were given by Herbert Armstrong, and then you began to do other things and change it?”

Because you have kept My command to persevere… I can’t help but think of the name Israel, persevere. You keep pushing forward. No matter what happens, no matter what trial, no matter what hardship, you hold on to the trunk of the tree, you hold fast, you watch, you stay on guard to what God has given to you and you don’t let anyone come along and rip that away from you. You don’t listen to that big “c” word that some people may not like to hear from time to time, but I strive to use it in a way that will have an impact. It’s amazing how we can get in some of those things.

You think, look at what they chose and what they did. You are to persevere, hold fast, keep what God has given to us. So basic. Seemingly so simple. The majority haven’t done that. That should be mind-boggling in itself to really let that sink in deep. The majority who have ever been called have not done this. Didn’t continue to wrestle.

Israel did. Well, he was given the name of Israel, “to persevere.” You persevere. It doesn’t matter what happens, you keep fighting. You never give up because you love what God has offered you and given to you, and you fear what those others have done, shamefully so.

I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. So, regardless of when things come in people’s lives in their time there are trials and tests that come along, but especially as we get closer to a moment in time that we know is going to shake this earth. But this has much to do, as well, because these things are about spiritual things more than anything else.

It’s about the Church. The more we really see the Church in scripture, like we did in the Old Testament during the Feast, and on and on it goes, and before the Feast and after the Feast, so much of it is about the Church through time and so much of it is about the Church now because it’s exceedingly important to God. It’s almost finished. After 6,000 years things are almost complete before His government will be able to be seen on the earth, known on the earth, and very powerful. To have one government, one Church, it’s going to be a different world. But before that?

This is an exceedingly important time to God. Should be to us. To recognize how blessed we are to be a part of it. Awesome. Just because we live in this time, we’ve been called at this time. There is no richer time in the sense of the first 6,000 years to be called. Really. It should be overwhelming.

I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. So, is it talking about everyone in the world? Well it depends on who is Revelation talking to.

What an incredible thing to think about, how blessed we are, the time we’ve been called in. So again, a matter of persevering, a matter here of understanding where we are in time toward the end of this age and how blessed we are to be a part of it.

Verse 11—Behold, I am coming quickly! Oh yes, let me go back.

So, when it says, “I will keep you from the hour,” again, it’s not about the world. It’s to the Church. These messages are to the Church and only the Church can understand them because it’s about us. So, it’s not given to the world to understand and it’s not about bombs going off. Yes, there’s a physical type here of that which God’s going to do in taking care of us and bringing us through, those who He has purpose for of living; not those necessarily a part of the 144,000, because they can die at any time once they’re sealed.

But for the rest who have been called to enter into a new age God will take care of that if we do our part, if we yield to that process and are thankful for that and cry out to God regularly and draw closer to Him. So, the big thing that was going to happen within the Church is the thing that should be simple for us to understand, what these eras were leading to, the Apostasy.

I am so thankful Herbert Armstrong never had to live to see that. I’m so thankful he didn’t have to live to see what happened in Laodicea. Of course, if he’d been around it would have been a lot different story, things he would have said. Anyway, it wasn’t God’s purpose because it was a purpose for Laodicea, for people to be tried who came out of Philadelphia, the Worldwide Church of God, and continued on, and to try and test, to bring them to this moment in time that would try the Church who is throughout the world, the Worldwide Church of God. That’s what this is about.

“To test those who dwell on the earth.” To try those who dwell on the earth. And it did. It came and what happened? God promised that He’d bring a remnant out of it otherwise it would have destroyed everything. That’s how powerful it was. Incredible to understand that.

Now verse 11—Behold, I am coming quickly! Sometimes we think time, it just seems like it’s wham, wham, wham… Anyway. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast... Well, if you look at billions of years it’s a snapshot, it’s a polaroid, that flash goes off and it’s gone, that moment in time. But we don’t think that way because we’re geared to live three score and ten, basically, and if we go beyond that... It’s a countdown any way you look at it. It is in all human life.

For I am coming quickly, hold fast what you have, that no man take your crown. Incredible… I marvel at what we went through since 2008, because you wait for God, and He eventually will show you. You’re faithful, you continue to look, you continue to hold fast, and in time God will give the answer. Just like what happened with the Apostasy and everything else. It’s just that His purpose was to begin revealing some of those things more quickly. But that still took 3½ years to become fully settled, before Pentecost of 1998 when we became established, finally, as a remnant.

So again, time, how we look at it, different, but we’re to hold fast. Then after 2008 and to realize that there are different ones who sinned at that particular moment in time that they were rejected already. Because they sinned at that moment in time, basically around the timing of the sermon that had to do with a change in understanding that Christ wasn’t going to return on Trumpets. That’s the time for the announcement, but he’s going to come back on Pentecost. Because the Wave Sheaf and the wave loaves are tied together powerfully so.

What happened in the Wave Sheaf, those things are going to be fulfilled also in the wave loaves but on a Pentecost. When that happened, certain individuals had some difficulties and battles before it even was given, and afterwards, and they made choices. Some openly and some not so openly. Just a little bit here, a little bit there, but God knows, and God doesn’t forget.

And literally, some who were being molded and fashioned to become a part of the 144,000. What a horrible thing to eventually be screened out, to be brought to a point where they were able to be seen for what they were. God revealed it.

I marvel when I was over in camp, two different fasts we had. So fast. So fast. God blessed us because it was better that that kind of thing not be around because it hurts the Body. God took care of it.

“Hold fast what you have that no one take your crown,” whether it be that of the 144,000 or whether it be for what God is preparing us for in the future.

Whoever overcomes, the word “conquers.” “Whoever conquers.” That means we have to fight, and you don’t ever quit fighting. You’ve got to remember that example of wrestling physically with God until God touched his thigh and displaced it and he still didn’t stop! He just didn’t give up. He just kept at it. Finally, had to bring it to that point where there was so much pain and the like, so it was over with. But what an incredible thing, he wanted to continue on.

Well, that’s the way we should be. What battle, where in the battle are we going to quit fighting? God wants to know that about us and He’ll bring this out of us. He’ll help to refine things in us, and if we yield our self to the process we’ll be thoroughly refined, transformed.

Whoever overcomes I will make them a pillar in the temple of my God, and they shall go no more out. And I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my new name… It doesn’t say, “I will write.” Those are not even in Greek. …and my new name, so, whatever this fully means, whatever he’s given as well. Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the Churches.

So again, yes, the world is plunging into madness, into chaos, and it’s getting worse and worse and worse. We can’t become numb to it. Because, candidly, the world is. It’s amazing to watch what happens, over time how people respond to things. There is this thing within the body, the mind, where after a while it just kind of all melds together and becomes the norm and acceptable and you just work with what’s there and do the best you can, so to say.

That’s why I think about the economy of this world and what’s going on and how they’re so playing games right now that it makes 2008 look like a picnic in comparison to the state of the way things are. But they keep playing the game because it’s a faith in the system. As long as they continue to put money into it, or creating more money to put into it, and believe it’s going to go on, they keep pushing it forward. But it’s coming to a screeching halt at some point here, a crescendo. Incredible, where we are.

That’s why we ought to be able to see the Thunders out here and not become numb to them in the sense that it doesn’t move us and stir us up and do something within the mind and help us understand we are so close to what’s coming and asking, “How prepared am I?”

So again, we should understand time goes by quickly. We think maybe it lasts a long, long time. I mean, I think the Apostasy, 1994, December. It really seems like so long ago and yet it seems like it wasn’t long at all. Because I see certain things in my mind and I think, incredible, but it’s been a long time. So again, we have to be careful how we deal with time and our going through time as well.

I was just thinking here the other day about the time and how much time is left. We really don’t know. God isn’t showing us for whatever purpose and reason, of things that we don’t fully grasp or comprehend. We look at different markers – 2023… 2024, the Year of the Lord. Because God hasn’t shown us what the Year of the Lord, the length of time it is. That’s what I was thinking the other day as well. 2012, what did we do? We geared up to 2013 because that’s the only plausible thing that would seem to fit in there on a prophetic plane.

So, we watch for those markers. And the next one? Well, 2024. I’m going to keep looking ahead. But it stirs us up if we realize that things could be that soon and we don’t put it off in the distance as some have done, some groups out here. We keep looking, we keep on guard. Because if you think something is not going to be for seven years, fourteen years, twenty-one years… Well, I know where I’ll be by that time…or at least what shape I’ll be in. I won’t go any farther than that.

We look at these things, but we should be moved and motivated by what we see going on around us because everything is moving so fast right now. I think of the time, February this year, next year, will have been seven years since I was out. Seven years have gone by already. It’s amazing to think there is that much time that’s already gone by. We turn around and it’s gone! What did we do with it? Well, that’s what we always have to ask ourselves, “What are we doing with all the time that’s always in front of us?” Because it goes by quickly in many respects. So, we have to press forward, move forward.

I’m going to go into a few more news articles. I’m not going to go into as much as I did last week, but these things just keep coming. I even heard on the TV today they’re talking about nuclear war. Now, in times past you could find various articles and so forth, but to hear them openly talk about it now on TV, that’s mind-boggling, and it’s almost becoming, well, sadly, that’s what happens in the mind that so many are talking about it it’s a reality that’s in front of us and people are starting to take note this is where we’re headed.

“North Korea vows to create world’s most powerful nuclear force.”[1]  “Kim Jong-un hailed Pyongyang’s new ICBM as the strongest strategic weapon on the planet.” Well, it may be better than what we know. Who knows. Especially if the Chinese are helping them out, which we’d be foolish to think they aren’t, and that’s why they have all the things they have. Their little puppet down there and they’re happy with that.

But they feed him what they want to. They help his paranoia. He’s a certain type of personality that someone in the background can do a little whispering and stir it up worse to where one day they can stir it up so much that he could do something really stupid. You think that’s possible? It’s exactly that kind of mind.

“Germany at risk of mass exodus of companies…”[2] That’s amazing, what’s going on and why they’re starting to turn more and more and more against this country. I have always marveled at that in times past, not understanding how on earth could Europe strike the US. Ten nations! In times past it just didn’t make sense. I didn’t see how it could fit.

There wasn’t a scenario that seemed real that could possibly happen or take place. But over the last five years, the last two years, the last year, and now it’s so bad, how they’re turning, how fast they’re turning. And commonly, people are talking about a geo-political change that’s taking place fast. Rapid change over there in Europe right now all preparing for exactly what’s going to happen in the Fifth Trumpet.

But it’s going to be easier for them to do, simple to see, especially in some of the news articles we have. I’m not sure if they’re all this week but anyway.

“One in four German companies is considering moving production to other countries amid the energy crisis…” Now, Germany knows this. Do you think they want to see this? Do you think they’re going to allow this to happen? Do you think they’re the kind of people that are just going to sit back and say, “Well, I wish we could do something about it. We’re powerless.” Just watch.

Here is a good one. I mean, what a brilliant thing. It’s like the king bringing everyone in to look at all the wealth of his kingdom and all the power that they have militarily and then God saying, “Shouldn’t do that.” Not supposed to do it. But we do it. ow today with technology you can hardly hide anything.

Here is one, “20 NATO States ‘Pretty Tapped Out’ After Weapons Transfers To Ukraine.”[3] Now, that’s far greater than what people even begin to comprehend, sadly. That means they’ve moved them into Ukraine. What do they have?

Do you think Putin is really stupid, maybe, or really brilliant? What would you want NATO to do? What would you want Europe to do if you already have some plans to see NATO gone? And how would you feel in the midst of that one day when you suddenly wake up and realize, “Look what we did! Stupid.” Then all of a sudden to make a decision, “We’d better make some peace over here and take care of that over there.”

That’s exactly what’s going to take place. I hope you see these things falling into place quickly. Russia knows this and very likely Russia planned all this. You think they don’t have the power to go in and squash their neighbor? Wouldn’t be that hard for them, candidly, but he’s willing to take being called a fool and all the other things, not being smart, not having any military wisdom whatsoever, getting rid of generals, and all the other stuff, and there’s a pretty side story then. But in wars you do things to outmaneuver someone else.

“Size Of British Army To Hit 200-Year Low, Only Sufficient To ‘Stay At Home & Tootle Around’ Warns SecDef.”[4] “The once-feared British Army will soon consist of just 72,500 soldiers, a 200-year low dating back to the Napoleonic Wars.” Well, this is the time to cut down, isn’t it, in the times we live in.

Another one: “Israel, US Holds Aerial Drill Simulating Attack On Iran Nuclear Sites.”[5] “The Israeli Air Force has unveiled that this week it will conduct its largest joint aerial drills in years with the US Air Force, which involves a highly provocative mock mission to take out Iranian nuclear sites.” Well, there is some talk about propaganda and things that take place and many of them are involved in this right now. There are reasons for this behind the scenes.

“S. Korea scrambles fighter jets as China, Russia aircraft enter air defense zone.”[6]

“US Pending Home Sales Plunge To Biggest Annual Drop Ever.”[7]

“Powell Pushes Dow Back Into Bull Market As Dollar Crashes To Worst Month In 13 Years.”[8] They’re just playing games over there. It’s amazing what’s going on.

“US Approves Heavy Weapon Sales To Newest NATO Applicant.”[9] “The US government has authorized a flurry of arms sales to European allies in recent weeks, including more than $850 million in advanced missiles and rockets to Finland, which is currently seeking to join the NATO military alliance . .. Despite reports that Washington and its NATO allies have severely depleted their weapons and ammunition stocks after countless arms transfers to Ukraine – with some officials suggesting it will take years to replenish certain systems…” They’re depleting what they have. On a chess board, that might look pretty good to somebody. “– the State Department has approved several other large military sales to European partners this month.”

Now, what’s ironic about all this as well is to understand that Europe is really disgusted with this. The US is profiting. They’re not. We’re the ones sending all these goods and the weapons and the manufacturing of war machines and so forth and sending them over there. They’re not making it. They’re not making the sales. We’re putting the money into it from somewhere.

Another one: “Russia warns of ‘huge’ risks of sliding into nuclear war.”[10] Just a headline that they have out there. Well, if they have it out there, why do they keep doing this back and forth? That’s what’s so dangerous.

Another one: “"Gloomiest In A Decade" - US Manufacturing Surveys Tumble Into Contraction.”[11]

“Latvia calls for NATO…”  You listen to some of these people on the different news stations that have, I don’t care who it is, when you look at the stock markets, when you look at the various things they’re discussing as far as the economy, they’re living in a “la la land,” as a whole; they really are. It’s like they’re going to keep this things going no matter what. And yeah, we might have these ups and downs and these just happened periodically. And you think…?

“Latvia Calls For NATO To Allow Ukrainian Strikes Inside Russian Territory.”[12] This went over really well.

“Azerbaijan’s war against Armenia matters as much as Russia-Ukraine.”[13] And who’s hearing about that war? Just showing things are so crazy all over this world.

“EU chief says bloc must act over US subsidies plan.”[14] “European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc should work with Washington amid a dispute surrounding massive subsidies and tax breaks for US-made products.” So, this new program the US has in going out there right now, they are totally upset. That’s part of why France made a visit. We’re all smiles to the public.

“European Union calls for action against USA, days after 'profiting from Ukraine war'…”[15]

“Raytheon Reveals US Plan To Remove Anti-Air Systems From Gulf For Ukraine.”[16] So, some of the Gulf states when you talk about the area, the region in the Middle East, and now they’re not only taking them out of NATO but they’re taking them out of there and not giving them to some of those countries it was promised. They’re transferring them farther north and using them, using up everything that’s out there. What happens in a war? Nothing there. Where do you get it? You make it overnight? Weapons manufacture.

“NATO Exists To Solve The Problems Created By NATO’s Existence.”[17] “The Romanian city was where NATO initially made the promise to Ukraine back in 2008, and at the time, US officials acknowledged that attempting to bring the country into the alliance could spark a war in the region. ‘We made the decision in Bucharest in 2008 at the summit,’ NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday. ‘I was there … representing Norway as Prime Minister. I remember very well the decisions. We stand by those decisions. NATO’s door is open.’”

Some have good intent in certain things, or I guess what you might call a good intent the way they are looking at it. But I hope you see through some of these articles and see what’s going on and see the chaos. Massive chaos out there right now, disorder, the type of chaos talked about in Part 1 here, things that they’re there for a purpose. It’s all by design. It’s at the doorstep.

“Third Russian Airbase Set Ablaze By Drone Strike As Ukraine Extends War Across Border.”[18] “This significance of this can’t be overestimated” as it says in the article “ – it takes all sides into dangerous, new and unpredictable territory which makes eventual direct Russian-NATO confrontation all the more likely.”

See, it’s going to come down to a point here it’s pushing Europe. Europe is going to have to make choices and decisions here before it’s all over with. That’s why it leads to the Fifth Trumpet. I hope you can see that.

“Putin: Risk of Nuclear War “Rising”, Will Defend Russian Territory ‘Using all Available Means.’”[19]

Another article: “Poland planning to enlist 200,000 for military training in 2023.”[20] They’re worried. They’re on the doorstep and they know it.

“NATO Knew Ukraine Was Preparing Attacks on Russian Military Airfields, Diplomat Says.”[21]

“Germany greenlights Ukrainian strikes inside Russia.”[22] So Russia claims. You know, if they feel that way or that’s what’s being told to their people, gives them open door to do other things too, to wrap things up just a little bit more. He’s determined to get rid of NATO. He’s determined to get back his other countries that was lost in the USSR.

“Putin says one missile will trigger 'hundreds' of warheads in stark message on nuclear deterrence.”[23] “‘It is a terrible war in Ukraine. It is also a war that can become a full-fledged war that spreads into a major war between NATO and Russia…’” Now, if he’s saying this he’s doing it for a purpose and a reason, “NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday in an interview. ‘There is no doubt…’” Well, he’s agreeing with this as we go on in these articles: “‘There is no doubt that a full-fledged war is a possibility,’ he added, noting that NATO was doing everything possible to prevent this.”

“Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Friday accused Putin of engaging in ‘deeply irresponsible nuclear saber-rattling’ and said that the U.S. ‘stands ready to negotiate new arms control agreements with partners operating in good faith.’” If you believe that, as they used to say, I know some swamp land you might be interested down in Florida.

“Putin says Russia could adopt US preemptive strike concept.”[24] Here’s where it is: “Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Moscow could adopt what he described as a U.S. concept of using preemptive military strikes, noting it has the weapons to do the job, in a blunt statement amid rising Russia-NATO tensions over Ukraine.” I’m going to stop with what he has to say here in the rest of this article, “‘We are just thinking about it. They weren’t shy to openly talk about it during the past years,’ Putin said, referring to the U.S. policy, as he attended a summit in Kyrgyzstan of a Moscow-dominated economic alliance of ex-Soviet nations.”

“For years, the Kremlin has expressed concern about U.S. efforts to develop the so-called Conventional Prompt Global Strike…” Which is a plan, a program. “…capability that envisions hitting an adversary's strategic targets with precision-guided conventional weapons anywhere in the world within one hour.”

“‘Speaking about a disarming strike, maybe it’s worth thinking about adopting the ideas developed by our U.S. counterparts, their ideas of ensuring their security,’ Putin said with a thin smile, noting that such a preemptive strike was intended to knock out command facilities.”

“He claimed that Russia already has commissioned hypersonic weapons capable of carrying out such a strike, while the U.S. hasn't yet deployed them. He also claimed that Russia now has cruise missiles that surpass their U.S. equivalents.”

So, sabre-rattling on both sides. They’re both doing it and so, it’s on TV now. They’re talking about this very thing here, about what’s being spoken of.

Again, we need to be alert to where we are in time and realize we’ve got to press forward, we’ve got to fight. You’ve got to look at yourself in introspection, if you will, and do what we read here early about repenting, asking God for help to see the things we can’t see with a desire before God that you’re expressing yourself, that if that’s what you desire and want, you want to be in oneness with God. You want to see the things that you aren’t seeing that can be changed, that need to be changed because you want to be a part all the way through until it’s over.

So, in those meetings in Texas an example of something that could happen that could create division if anything did happen to me, as an example, was put forth to the group. And again, this is just showing something as an example, not that I believe in any fashion or form that it’s going to happen. But again, anything that might come along that might shake, and there are things out there that can happen. There is a being that would love nothing more and God may allow it before it’s over. I don’t know. Because there are some scriptures that seem to indicate there is something coming.

Now, this was only given in order to show, again, one simple example of something that would potentially and easily have the ability to cause some to stumble. We might think that no, nothing could happen. People have felt that way for a long, long time in God’s Church, and then they come to a point where something does happen, and they go by the wayside.

So again, please understand this is just one example of many things that could happen that might shake some within the Church, or has a potential if we’re not on guard, alert, and striving to be ready.

So again, you may not think that there are various events that could potentially try or test us but there are. I’ve seen so many since I’ve been in God’s Church, things that have happened. If God allowed Satan certain latitude in order to try or test there are a number of things he might strive to do to create division, havoc, or whatever within the Church.

He might strive to do that, but we should be as strong as the majority of the Church was back during the time of Pentecost in 1974 when Herbert Armstrong looked at it between ’73 and ’74 and made the change. The majority of the Church didn’t flinch. It was like when he finally gave that sermon he said he was going to go into it, look into it, and then tell us the result. And he did, and it was clear.

Revelation 11. Here is one that has the potential to come up as a question in some people’s minds perhaps because things are not happening or wouldn’t happen or might think they’re not happening in the way that they should.

Please understand, there are going to be a lot of things the overall basics are all there, the outline, the diagram is there, but how it all fits together, we don’t have it. There are things that can happen out here that God hasn’t shown, not giving for a purpose and a reason.

Revelation 11:1, it’s about the two witnesses. Because I’ve already heard certain things already that’s popped up in times past, so I thought this would be a good one to give as an example. Interestingly enough when we were down there at that meeting, I already knew that God was giving some more things about Revelation 11 that hadn’t seen before, making it clear, gave to them in the meeting, and I knew He was going to give more, and He has. So, we’re going to go through some of this.

Revelation 11:1—Then there was given to me a reed like a rod, which is for measuring. And the angel stood, saying, Arise and measure the temple of God. Now, the temple has continually been going through a process of being measured at times, if you will, understanding that the Church makes up the temple. Those who are impregnated with God’s spirit are called for the purpose of being able to be molded and fashioned for a place within that temple.

There are things to be learned by others through time, that these things can transpire and take place. But this is talking about a point toward the end that becomes greater in the sense of this.

Just like the different eras of the Church. There were certain things that happened that were, again, for all the Churches to see and learn from, but there were certain ones that were more important for that particular period or age. This here is more important or at a higher mark, if you will, at this point in time than any other in the sense of its application.

It says, There was given to me a reed like a rod for measuring the temple. And the angel stood, saying, Arise and measure the temple … and the altar. So again, if we understand this is about the Church and we comprehend this is about us, this is about what we’ve been going through, and if we grasp things about what has been written even from over in that little town over there that has to do with high ground in French. (Dirty word! No, I’m just kidding.) …and what was taking place back there and talking about measuring of the temple.

Incredible what we’ve gone through that’s about us and what God has been doing within the Church and helping us to see that things aren’t finished. He’s helping us to come to learn at a point, look what happened. Their crowns, they gave them up. We didn’t even understand that fully until recent time even though some of the other things about measuring the temple were being done back then, but not understanding what it meant to the scale of what it meant.

So, “measure the temple of God and the altar.” Again, what’s that about? It’s about sacrifice. It’s about how we live our life. Because we can’t just be in the Church and go through the motions and not be doing what we need to do in our own lives. Sacrificing self, that’s the ultimate in that sense of yielding ourselves to God, our ways, “the way I see” it should be done, or whatever it might be, and just getting rid of selfishness.

…and those who worship in it. So, it’s going to be made clear by God. There’s a part that He’s given a responsibility of that within the Church to have it done, to measure it, to bring things to the surface, perhaps through things that are taught, things that are given within the Church and people’s response to it. Some things having to do with the process here as well as making a distinction.

Because I have never seen a time or known of a time like this when God has made it clear if there are those who are not doing what they should be doing they’re on the outside and they belong outside. There are so many ministers who were just transferred from one area to another. People can find fault in a physical, carnal world with what some people have done in some churches by taking their preachers and ministers or whatever, priests and whatever you want to call them, from one area to another, moving them around and never dealing with the problem and the sickness and the perversion that goes on there.

The reality is we’ve been guilty of the exact same thing, taking someone who had certain sins, when in reality they should have been gotten rid of in the ministry immediately. When someone sins certain sins they should be put out of the ministry and put out of God’s Church without hesitation because you have the conviction this is what’s best for the Body of Christ because a little leaven can leaven the whole lump, or leaven those around them at least.

That’s harmful. That’s hurtful. That’s painful to watch. I’ve seen those things so often. Seen it so long through PKG. Thankfully, that’s not happening now like it was, but it’s happened a lot in PKG. We’ve gone through a lot of people! Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people one way or another.

…and the altar and those who worship in it, but, or as the word means, also then the court, which is without/outside the temple… It’s kind of interesting. It’s not the word “leave out.” It’s a word that means “sent away; cast out from; expelled from; separate from.” It drives home what I know is being given even more now to see and understand. A part of, candidly, my job in this end time is to see that these things take place, to make a distinction that sin is not to live in the Body of Christ and that we have to deal with it and repent. Depending on what we’ve done, how far we’ve gone with various things as to whether we’re separated for a time or just totally separated in disfellowshipment.

Because I don’t hesitate to do those things. I haven’t for a long time. I know I’ve been made to be able to do that to this point in time. Now I understand it even more so why God wants it that way. Because it’s about the perfection, if you will, the cleansing, the washing of the Church, that we’re clean before God individually and collectively as a Body; that we are stronger as a Body because that’s what’s left.

It's not about the numbers. It’s about what we are. It’s about who we are with whatever that is. I know some people haven’t liked that in times past, and they’re not around. Huh. Surprise.

So, even in that just this week to find out, or this last week, whenever it was, that this word “leave out” means more than that. It means “to expel; get rid of,” separate it from the Church, don’t let it stay in the Church. There are certain things that are bad enough, that are divisive enough that unless there is absolute stark clear repentance… And I’ve been happy to see when those things take place. When it does it’s in the past, nothing is remembered; it’s put aside.

But my experience is that’s rare in times past. Good to see some of those things that have changed here in the last decade, if you will.

So, I’m going to just give a few examples of how that word is used. You can just jot this down.

Matthew 7:5 it says, You hypocrite! First cast out… It’s that word. It’s not “leave out.” It’s “cast out.” You have to get rid of it. You have to do something to get it out, expel it, if you will, remove it. …the beam out of your own eye, and then shall you see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother’s eye.

Acts 7:58—And cast him out of the city and stone him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. So again, cast out of the city. So, it’s the same word here.

It’s telling us back here in Revelation that this is something in that respect that’s to be done in those in the court, which is outside of the temple, meaning there is sin. Meaning it’s not a part, it’s not living what is right, it’s not living this way of life. It’s divisive somehow or it wouldn’t be there. Anyway, “cast out.” Simple.

So, that’s a part of what we’re doing to this age, to this time right now more than ever before. What an incredible thing you can read something and realize this is what we’ve been living. Ever since I wrote some of those articles over there that’s what we’ve been living through more and more because the Body is going to be cleansed. I have to do my part to the point God reveals it within the Church, and then what is left toward the end here God will take care of. There is nothing going to slip by God.

But His desire is, is that we handle it amongst ourselves so that we can learn through the process, to understand why certain ones are gone, to understand that’s a good thing for the Church, to agree with God that that’s the best thing for the Church. Because that is the best thing that would have been for Philadelphia or Laodicea, especially within the ministry when certain various kinds of sins that had been done, that they should never have been allowed to ever be a minister again, period, let alone to remain in God’s Church.

And if we can’t have conviction in that and agree with God that that’s what’s best? If we’re God’s people, if we’re the children of God, if we have God’s spirit living and dwelling within us we better fight what’s inside of us that’s wrong. And if it’s around us we better work with that too one way or another.

So again, Revelation 11:1—Then there was given to me a reed like a rod. And the angel stood, saying, Arise and measure the temple of God, and the altar and those who worship in it. Then the court, which is outside the temple send out, expel, and do not measure it for it is given unto the gentiles, meaning nonbelievers. That’s all it means. They can’t have this anymore., They’re cut off from God’s spirit. Before they were ever put out, before that decision is ever made they’ve already cut themselves off from God’s spirit.

So why play games and have the potential of hurting others within the Body. It’s better those things be upfront and gotten rid of quickly so that they can’t hurt others in the Body.

And do not measure it for it’s given to nonbelievers. And the holy city shall they tread underfoot forty and two months. You know, we tend to look at these things all physically and what it’s about. And so what’s this about, “and the holy city shall they tread underfoot forty and two months?” Well, duality? Because it can spiritually apply to two different things here. Those who are cast out being nonbelievers. God makes that distinction. It says they’re out, they’re given, made clear, in other words, they’re nonbelievers. The whole Church knows it.

They don’t believe like we do, or this wouldn’t have happened. That’s why they’re separated. For these committed even worse, in that respect then than the Apostasy. Think about that. They’ve committed even worse than what happened to those that came up to the time of the Apostasy because they have been given more truth than any other time in 6,000 years because some, and quite a few, especially going all the way back through our history as we can see it, made choices after they’d been awakened.

What an awesome thing to not only have been called at one point in time and then spewed out of God’s mouth, separated from God for a time, whatever that time might have been, and then brought back with a mind opened up to see, awakened from sleep. What an awesome thing. But then to go against what they were given? That’s far more heinous than those who came up to the Apostasy and did some of the things they did in some of the groups.

So again here, those who are cast out being nonbelievers simply tread underfoot all that they had been taught, in this case here in PKG, if you will, for us in this age and this time, for this period of time, that they feel vindicated especially just before and after God’s apostle was put in prison.

They felt vindicated. They felt just. They felt right. Sad. Pathetic. Because this is about the Church. This is not about the world, what’s going on here in this verse. It’s about the measuring of the temple and the things that were to take place and those who would tread underfoot that which the Church has, which is a matter of the truth and a matter of leadership, if you will, or whatever it might be. But the things that they at one time did have but how they treat it.

But then there is another part, because again, it’s talking about “the holy city shall they tread underfoot forty-two months.” So, it’s also understanding here some of the translation of this sometimes. Sometimes words are put in that really aren’t there or they’re not in the right place. But it’s also about a time of treading underfoot by way of revealing those who are unfit to be measured as part of the temple as they are expelled. “And the holy city shall tread them underfoot forty-two months.” There is a period of time of cleansing that is unique and special to God’s Church that’s above and beyond other periods of time.

So, with all my being I believe that is what God is showing us and helping us to understand. Yes, there is a partial duality here but it’s about God’s Church, and so is the rest of what we’re going to be reading. We tend to read things in a physical place.

I had thought in times past that and there was a reason and a purpose for it to go through that process because we learn through experience. We went to Jerusalem for a purpose, to become acquainted with various things there in the region and to pray about various things as well while we were there, but to focus on things in a very unique way knowing what God was doing within the Church and thinking about the end. Dead bodies, three and a half days, hmm, in Jerusalem.

It's not about Jerusalem. It is not about Jerusalem at all. So, no, we don’t have to worry about ever being there. No one does.

Probably getting ahead of myself in some of this.

So, why?

I’m going to stop there. You know what? That’s a good place to stop.

Because the question that should come to mind at this point in time is why is all this happening as a part of measuring the temple and it being cleansed? In essence, what’s being revealed in the following verses that show why this is all taking place. Because that’s what it’s all about. It’s all in a nutshell, in a sense, to understand what God is doing toward the end of an age and how He’s doing it.

We’ll stop there. Pick it up next Sabbath.

[1] https://www.rt.com/news/567249-north-korea-powerful-nuclear-force/

[2] https://www.rt.com/business/567226-germany-mass-exodus-companies/

[3] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/20-nato-states-pretty-tapped-out-after-weapons-transfers-ukraine

[4] https://www.zerohedge.com/political/size-british-army-hit-200-year-low-only-sufficient-stay-home-tootle-around-warns-secdef

[5] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/israel-us-will-hold-aerial-drill-simulating-attack-iran-nuclear-sites

[6] https://www.reuters.com/world/skorea-scrambles-fighter-jets-china-russia-aircraft-enter-air-defense-zone-2021-11-19/#:~:text=S.Korea%20scrambles%20fighter%20jets%20as%20China%2C%20Russia%20aircraft,identification%20zone%20during%20what%20Beijing%20called%20regular%20training.

[7] https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/us-pending-home-sales-plunge-biggest-annual-drop-ever

[8] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/powell-saves-stocks-bonds-today-dollar-crashes-worst-month-13-years

[9] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-approves-heavy-weapon-sales-newest-nato-applicant

[10] https://www.rt.com/russia/567469-lavrov-risk-nuclear-war/

[11] https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/gloomiest-decade-us-manufacturing-surveys-tumble-contraction

[12] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/latvia-calls-nato-allow-ukrainian-strikes-inside-russian-territory

[13] https://theprint.in/opinion/azerbaijans-war-in-armenia-worse-than-russia-ukraine-its-in-indias-interest-to-do-more/1229099/

[14] https://www.dw.com/en/eu-chief-says-bloc-must-act-over-us-subsidies-plan/a-63978626

[15] https://www.hindustantimes.com/videos/european-union-calls-for-action-against-usa-days-after-profiting-from-ukraine-war-charge-101670264829057.html#:~:text=European%20Union%20calls%20for%20action%20against%20USA%2C%20days,affect%20Europe%27s%20economy%20which%20is%20already%20battling%20crisis.

[16] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/raytheon-reveals-us-plan-take-anti-air-systems-west-asia-ukraine

[17] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/nato-exists-solve-problems-created-natos-existence

[18] https://ussanews.com/2022/12/06/third-russian-airbase-set-ablaze-by-drone-strike-as-ukraine-extends-war-across-border/

[19] https://www.newswars.com/putin-risk-of-nuclear-war-rising-will-defend-russian-territory-using-all-available-means/

[20] https://www.anews.com.tr/world/2022/12/08/poland-planning-to-enlist-200000-for-military-training-in-2023

[21] https://sputniknews.com/20221208/nato-knew-ukraine-was-preparing-attacks-on-russian-military-airfields-diplomat-says-1105178603.html

[22] https://www.rt.com/news/567866-germany-ukraine-strike-russia/

[23] https://www.foxnews.com/world/putin-says-one-missile-trigger-hundreds-warheads-stark-message-nuclear-deterrence

[24] https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/putin-russia-adopt-us-preemptive-strike-concept-94876110