Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ,
Greetings from Charlotte, NC! I have some inspiring and exciting news to report. Mr. Wallace Smith’s Tomorrow’s World television program entitled, “Seven Signs of the Antichrist” completely overwhelmed our previous television response record! This program brought in a grand total of 8,696 responses including the Web response for just this one program! So we are very thankful for the increased impact this Work of Christ is having. Congratulations, Mr. Smith!
As we now have the Tomorrow’s World television program on more major stations than ever—and as the impact of our Internet work grows and is bringing in an increasing number of Web responses to the program—we are now breaking new ground and reaching far more people than ever with Christ’s message. As the European Union seems to be coming apart, as China and Japan line up against each other in the western Pacific, and as the Middle East comes ever closer to a full-scale war in that region, far more people around the world are becoming aware that this present human society is in mortal danger.
From what I perceive, it is obvious that more and more and more professing Christians realize that they really do need to be praying, “Thy Kingdom come.” I pray that all of you dear co-workers will come to profoundly share that feeling and do all that you can to help others understand the purpose which the great God is working out here below, and that you yourselves will “grow in grace and in knowledge” and do all you can to prepare for your part in Christ’s coming Kingdom.
In that vein, I would like to share with you the fact—which many of you know—that several thousand of us recently returned from observing an annual Holy Day festival which Almighty God commands His people to observe. This spiritual Feast—called in the Bible the “Feast of Tabernacles”—will soon be observed by the entire world when Christ returns. So, those of us observing it now are simply “pioneers” in doing what God has always told His people to do and what the world will be doing within a few short years when Christ’s feet are on this earth again. Notice how God describes this festival in your own Bible. In Zechariah 14:1-4, God describes the coming great “day of the Lord” when all the nations will be gathered to battle against Jerusalem. Then, your Bible says, “the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations…. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives…” So Christ is coming back to this earth just in time to stop these various nations from utterly destroying all human life—as Christ Himself warned might happen (Matthew 24:22). Verse 9 tells us, “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that day, it shall be—‘The Lord is one, and His name one.’” So Christ will then become “King of kings” over the entire earth as Revelation 11:15 clearly predicts.
Then what happens?
“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles” (Zechariah 14:16-18).
Therefore, in the near future when Christ is on this earth, all “nations” will come up—not to watch the Jews keep the Feast of Tabernacles—but themselves to keep the Feast of Tabernacles by the command of Jesus Christ Himself! If they will not obey God—as most people are unwilling to do today—God will get their attention by taking away the rain and “they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.”
Your Bible states clearly that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). So it is vital that each one of us comes to fully understand the fact that a true Christian is one who has Christ actually living within him the same kind of life which Christ Himself lived 1,900 years ago and observing the same Sabbath and the same “Holy Days” which Christ observed—“setting us an example”! Is that complicated?
Those of us who have just observed the Feast of Tabernacles in dozens of Feast sites around the world came back spiritually refreshed, invigorated and very grateful that we were able to have eight full days of fellowship with God’s people, a full sermon or two nearly every day—plus some Bible studies and special socials—and thoroughly “drink in” the kind of atmosphere we will have in Tomorrow’s World when Christ returns. Frankly, as thousands of brethren could tell you, it was wonderful! Keeping the Feast of Tabernacles or, as it is also called in a few places in your Bible, the “Feast of Ingathering”—picturing the time when Christ will gather in the big harvest of souls which He is not trying to do now—this festival portrays what is going to happen in Tomorrow’s World. By observing the seven Holy Days which God outlines in His inspired Word, the great Master Plan of our Creator is burned into our brain so we are able to understand the plan and purpose which our Creator is now working out among men and nations. If you would like to learn more about this, please write us or call us immediately and request your free copy of our inspiring and very informative booklet entitled, The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan. This booklet will really “open your eyes” if you are willing to actually follow the example of the Christ of the Bible and the early New Testament Church.
For, dear friends, one of the major themes of this Work is “Restoring Original Christianity.” We have a booklet by this title—which I hope you will also request if you have not read it. As the end of this age approaches, it is vital that each of us “gets real” and honestly and sincerely and fearlessly comes to be willing to actually do what God says!
Each of you will find—if you will do this—that God’s way is not “so hard.” God’s laws and God’s Holy Days are definitely not burdens! Rather, tremendous understanding, peace of mind, and blessings come to those who are willing to truly “walk with Christ” and let Him live His life within us through the Holy Spirit. We need to follow the example of the Apostle Paul in this. For, as Paul was inspired to write, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, KJV).
Through the Holy Spirit, the living Jesus Christ will supernaturally live His very life in yielded Christians and help them come to full understanding, help them grow in grace and in knowledge and help them prepare for eternal life in Christ’s everlasting Kingdom. All of you dear brethren and co-workers have the opportunity before you to achieve this magnificent goal if you will exercise the faith and the courage to step out and do what God says regardless. Yet, many are fearful of being looked down on by their fellow man, losing some of their friends and family or other possible consequences of obeying God (Mark 10:29-31).
But what is really important—the “praise of men,” or eternal life? Remember, the Apostle John recorded how, in Jesus’ time, many even then were afraid to confess Christ “lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42-43).
Almighty God tells us: “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:7-8).
Dear friends, I know that it may not be “politically correct” to warn you in this way, but the great God who gives us life and breath tells us not to be “cowardly” or “unbelieving.” If you will read the Psalms over and over, you will see that King David and other psalmists constantly referred to how God blesses the men or women who learn to trust in the Creator. For instance, David wrote, “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord” (Psalm 4:5). Again, he wrote, “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them” (Psalm 5:11). Again, David wrote, “O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; save me from all those who persecute me; and deliver me” (Psalm 7:1). Over and over and over God tells us He wants men and women of genuine faith and courage to be part of His everlasting Kingdom! Will this include you?
May God bless, inspire and guide every one of you as you are willing to truly do His will and walk with God. My prayers are with you and I am sure that God’s Spirit will be with you and guide you to the degree you are willing to heed His Word and give your life to Him.
As this present society comes to an end, as the nations rage against one another and things around us continue to change—usually in a negative way—may God inspire us to “go all out” in helping prepare for His coming Kingdom! You will be rewarded forever. So please put your heart in your prayers and put your heart in this Work which the living Christ is using us to do. We do appreciate your help and your support very much. Thank you, in Jesus’ name!
With Christian love,
Roderick C. Meredith
P.S. There will be no regular co-worker letter next month as we will be sending out the semi-annual letter to all of our subscribers.