November/December 2007

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=100 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04000640egdysm.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Arial" ><B>Church of God, In Truth</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B>    |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church of God, In Truth"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> back to<B>  </B><A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Letters to the Brethren"><B>Letters to the Brethren</B></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#0000BF" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <A HREF="novemberdecember_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2008">November/December 2008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="septemberoctober_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2008">September/October 2008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="julyaugust_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" 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>CONCERNED</FONT> </div> <bR> <div>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 James Russell, Elder</div> <div>    </div> <div>  Dear scattered Brethren,</div> <div>    </div> <div>      It seems impossible there could be a Feast of Tabernacles better than the one the Church of God, In Truth observed last year in 2006, but ALL those reporting about the 2007 Feast from Kenya, Philippines and Branson West Missouri; said knowing God's true Holy Day dates has made this the greatest Feast ever for them! </div> <div>      Speaking of dates - did you notice those who kept September 13 for the Feast of Trumpets, utilizing the oral Hebrew Calendar started on the same day as the Muslims began their observation of Ramadan, and the Jews kept Rosh Hashanah (the beginning of their new year)? All those associated with them, counted their “holy time” from Allah, the Crescent moon god! And those who always count time from the Crescent moon after the vernal equinox, started their count for their fall holy days on October 12, 2007, causing them to keep their final last holy day on November 2! </div> <div>      Does God, in the book of Isaiah condemn these traditions of men-keepers?  “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem... . `Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward... . Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto Me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates: they are a trouble unto Me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil” (Isa 1:1, 4, 13 -16).</div> <bR> <div> <B>Church of God, In Truth feast reports:</B></div> <div>      Kenya reported, "the atmosphere was one of Unity, Warmth, Joy and Peace. Festival messages kept the Feast attendees focused on the soon coming Kingdom of God. Every brethren was prepared to long for the millennial period when the whole earth would be peacefully ruled by Jesus Christ, the King." </div> <div>      The Philippines wrote of their successful Feast of Tabernacles - and that a group of people in Lucena City in Bicol region, south of Manila on the big island of Luzon, are interested in joining us after a noble exit from their former Church of God. </div> <div>      Branson West Missouri in the United States was the location of God's Peaceful, Rejoicing Feast of Tabernacles - near the shore of Table Rock Lake. There too, was Unity in having the fruits of God's Holy Spirit filling the room. The inspiring sermonettes, sermons and videos gave witness to the fellow-shipping each day. All seemed eager to renew old acquaintances and make new friends, before and after services. These were added benefits God gave us as additional blessings. This year we were blessed with a special treat: Bonny Chrisman, Sue Ryan, and the three “joyful noises,” (Pat Clinton, Cindy Whorton, and Joyce Russell), who sang special music and were, accompanied on the piano by Carol Vogan, who also enlightened us with her talented special piano playing. </div> <div>      The really big reason for our being at the places God has placed His name should be, first of all, because God commands us to be there - and we desperately want to be obedient to Him, at least some do. Invitations to God's Feast Of Tabernacles were sent out to all on the "Prove All Things" magazine mail list - prior to the autumn Holy Days- announcing God's true appointed times for keeping His annual Sabbath Holy. Most chose not to accept. God's Holy commanded Word shows a series of contrasts between the faithful and those who rebelled against His invitation. “`But you are they that forsake the LORD, that forget My holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop [Heb. Gad, the name given to the god of fortune.] Therefore will I number you to the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, you did not answer; when I spake, you did not hear; but did evil before Mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, BEHOLD, MY SERVANTS SHALL EAT, but you shall be hungry: [God's called will have their wants supplied, while those who set a table for the tradition of men will suffer for want of God's spiritual food,] behold, MY SERVANTS SHALL DRINK, but you shall be thirsty: BEHOLD, MY SERVANTS SHALL REJOICE, but you shall be ashamed: BEHOLD, MY SERVANTS SHALL SING FOR JOY OF HEART, but you shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. And you shall leave your name for a curse unto MY CHOSEN: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, AND CALL HIS SERVANTS BY ANOTHER NAME'”(Isa 65:11-15). </div> <div>      God's called people are to receive a NEW NAME appropriate to their new experience, to the glorious state to which they, as a nation, have attained. Concerning the nature of their new name in the book of Revelation divulges to us, “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him My new name” (Rev 3:12). The prophet Isaiah also enlightens us, “And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name... . For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee... . And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD...” (Isa 62:2, 5, 12). </div> <div>      The marriage relationship is often used in the Bible to represent the covenant relationship between God and His chosen people. “For your Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called” (Isa 54:5). </div> <div>       Brethren, I wonder if  we all are beginning now to realize the  tremendous  responsibilities  God  is </div> <div> putting upon us. When God gives His TRUTH to His called, He expects each one of us to grow in “Grace and Knowledge”of that truth, not stagnate in measure, but keep pace with His Word and work He is doing through each of us! Actually by way of analogy, we might say, God is showing us we should be growing spiritually stronger every day, week, and year. We should be increasing in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of His ways! </div> <div>                                                                            </div> <div> Church of God, In Truth </div> <div> P.O. Box 1120 </div> <div> Kimberling City, MO 65686-1120</div> <div> <B>Tel:  417-338-0033</B></div> <div> <B>Fax: 417-338-0031</B></div> <div> Contact:   James Russell, Elder                                                   Or                                                           Pete Fleming, Elder</div> <div>                                                                                                                                                                  Tel: 830-885-5502</div> <div> E-mail: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="mailto:cogit@flash.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:cogit@flash.net"><U>cogit@flash.net</U></A></FONT>                                                                                                                         E-mail: pmf06@gvtc.com</div> <bR> <div>              Spanish:                                                                          Or                                                                 Philippines:</div> <div> Contact: Martin Martinez, Deacon                                                                                                     Contact: Sotero Sonza, Deacon</div> <div>         Tel: 787-786-5856                                                                                                                              Tel: 0639168814846   </div> <div> E-mail: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="mailto:marty@onelinkpr.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:marty@onelinkpr.net"><U>marty2k@onelinkpr.net</U></A></FONT>                                                                                                       E-mail: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="mailto:soterosonza@yahoo.com.ph" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:soterosonza@yahoo.com.ph"><U>soterosonza@yahoo.com.ph</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> Our Sabbath Telephone Conference number is <B>toll free:</B> 1-888-206-2266.  An automated speaker will ask for your access code.  After the beeps, enter 346041 followed by the # sign.  Hook-up time is 11:30 AM Pacific time zone.  The Sabbath Internet Conference is found at: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="http://www.postponements.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.postponements.com"><U>www.postponements.com</U></A></FONT>  Also at 11:30 AM Pacific time zone.  Click on live sermons!</div> <div>    </div> <div>                     </div> <div>                           </div> <div>   </div> <div>    </div> <div>    </div> <div>    </div> <div>    </div> <div>    </div> <div>    </div> <div>    </div> <div>   </div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>