Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ,
Greetings from Charlotte, NC! The great God of all the universe is intervening powerfully in world affairs! More and more people are beginning to realize that the Creator is—in many expected and unexpected ways—starting to “shake” the nations and humble human beings so they can realize how weak they are. As our British-descended and American peoples fall into more and more difficulties, and as the American dollar and the British pound continue their collapse—with fits and starts—it will become increasingly evident that the former “glory” and power of the Anglo-Saxon peoples has indeed diminished. Even as I write, by far the worst wildfires in Australian history are still raging. Almost 200 people have been killed, and more bodies are being discovered every day. Our eye-opening booklet, Who Controls the Weather?, thoroughly explains how and why the Creator is intervening—and will continue to intervene even more powerfully if our peoples refuse to heed His inspired warning! May God help us all to understand!
Meanwhile, in Europe, events are occurring which may stir the nations of the EU to get together in a more complete union against threats from Russia, the Middle East and elsewhere. Also, the great “Mother Church” is now extending her tentacles in an ominous manner. As this article from the newspaper of the Perth, Australia, Roman Catholic diocese states, “History may be in the making. It appears Rome is on the brink of welcoming close to half a million members of the Traditional Anglican Communion into membership of the Roman Catholic Church, writes Anthony Barich. Such a move would be the most historic development in Anglican-Catholic relations in the last 500 years. But it may also be a prelude to a much greater influx of Anglicans waiting on the sidelines, pushed too far by the controversy surrounding the consecration of practising homosexual bishops, women clergy and a host of other issues” (January 28, 2009).
As many of you know, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has already become a Roman Catholic. Many other high ranking British officials and their families have also joined in worshipping at Catholic churches in the last few years. It will be sobering to watch how increasing millions of people come back “home”—as they may look at it—to the Catholic church. It will be interesting to see how the nations of Europe are increasingly pressured to regain their spiritual “roots”—as Pope John Paul II urged them to do—and begin to draw closer to the Roman church. That institution will be the “glue” which will eventually help these very nations get together in a way that they have not been able to do thus far. We, in God’s Church, understand the meaning of all of this. We know that it heralds the time just prior to Christ’s Second Coming. We know that—within a few years—a second“beast” will rise up out of the earth, who will look like a “lamb” yet speak the message of the “dragon”—Satan the devil (Revelation 13:11).
This soon-coming religious leader “performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast” (vv. 13-14).
May God help all of us understand the fearful reality of those things which are about to happen! And let us do all we can to reach out to this world with the prophesied “Ezekiel warning”—warning our peoples ahead of time about what is to happen, and how they need to turn to God before it is too late. Also, every one of us, personally, needs to do our part to prepare to be those kings and priests which Christ is preparing to assist Him in ruling the nations in Tomorrow’s World (Revelation 2:26-27; 5:9-10). Remember, Christ and the saints are not going to “float off to heaven” after He returns! Rather Christ will rule over the nations “on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). We in this Work of God are trying to teach every one of you as best we can to understand the true “calling” of every Christian. For it is not, as I said, to float off to heaven with “nothing to do.” Rather, as your Bible states again and again, it is to surrender our hearts, minds and lives to Christ and let Him develop His character within us so we will be fit to assist Him in ruling the suffering and confused nations of this earth after He returns. Even the Apostle Paul fully grasped this and was inspired to exhort the Corinthian church about the true Christian calling: “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3).
Dear brethren and co-workers, as the end draws closer and closer, it will become increasingly apparent that there are not many scattered churches—all teaching different ideas and doctrines—whom God is using. Rather there is one church which is teaching the Truth. That biblical Truth began to be stamped out by a massive apostasy even while the Apostle John was still alive. That is one reason why John wrote about the “Truth” so many times during the end of his life. He stated in 2 John 1:1, “The Elder, to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” In 3 John he was inspired to write, “To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth” (v. 1). Later, “For I rejoice greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear than that My children walk in truth” (vv. 3-4).
By the time John wrote, he could not speak so much about following the “church.” For, as he indicated, a false minister named Diotrophes had surreptitiously taken over the church and was not receiving the brethren, “and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church” (v. 10). Today, more than ever, as we approach the time Jesus Christ will really be on this earth ruling from Jerusalem, it is vital that each of you examine himself and exercise the understanding and the courage to act on the Truth. We at Tomorrow’s World will do everything we possible can to give you the full Truth. Also, we will do all we can to give you the “keys” as to how Christ’s Kingdom will be organized—and in our local congregations we strive with all of our hearts to practice the correct form of government which will soon be set up on this earth. For, if we do not practice the very government we are soon to administer, how can we possibly expect to be there as part of Christ’s “team” and administering the true Government of God over this entire earth?
All of us need to realize—perhaps more fully—that Christian rulership is not a matter of just “being important,” or “being in charge.” It is a matter of servant leadership—of truly desiring to help, encourage, bless, deliver and heal our fellow human beings who will be suffering massively by that time as Christ descends to this earth. Literally billions will be malnourished or diseased or imprisoned—fearful human beings who will need help and encouragement beyond what we may have ever seen before. So we will have an opportunity to follow the example of the Apostle Paul, who was able to sincerely tell the Christians in Thessalonica, “But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:7-9).
Each of us must learn, right now, to “lay down our lives” and do our part in helping spread Christ’s wonderful Good News of the coming Government of God over this earth as a “witness” to all the world (Matthew 24:14). Again, may God help each of you “catch the vision.” May God inspire you to exercise the spiritual and mental energy to “get involved” and do your part in helping genuinely prepare for the return of the King of kings.
Dear friends and brethren, please do not underestimate or “kid yourself” about the “raging wildfires” in Australia or the other massive weather upsets and calamities occurring around the world as though they are merely “passing events.” The great God who gives you life and breath really is beginning to intervene. In addition to the wildfires in Australia, many of you have been reading about the terrible drought affecting much of California, the soon-coming “water wars” which will affect many cities and states in the western part of the United States as they run out of water, and the looming food shortages which will affect increasing hundreds of millions of people all over the world—including you!
From the February 6, 2009 Wall Street Journal we read, “China’s leaders ordered emergency measures to battle one of the country’s worst droughts in decades, which is threatening to damage nearly a fifth of China’s wheat harvest and millions of livestock.” And from the Daily Israel Report, “Russia’s nuclear energy agency plans to have Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant ready for technical launch sometime during 2009, it was reported on Thursday. On the same day, a Russian space corporation president commented on Iran's global missile capabilities. Rosatom Nuclear Energy State Corporation Director Sergei Kiriyenko told reporters in Moscow that Bushehr will come online very soon, according to Russia's Interfax news agency. Barring any ‘unexpected events,’ Kiriyenko said, ‘the launch of the plant is expected to take place this year. I intend to personally visit Bushehr this month’” (February 6, 2009).
The point is, brethren, many prophesied events we have predicted for years are all coming together at this time! We in this Work of the living Jesus Christ pray with all of our hearts that our peoples will “wake up” and really turn to God before it is too late. As the Apostle Paul was inspired to write, “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11). Again, may God help you to understand, to genuinely turn to Him in faith and obedience and to put your whole heart into serving Him and helping others by taking part in the Work of the living Christ in proclaiming His message to this dying world.
With Christian love,
Roderick C. Meredith