Weekly Update

December 7th, 2023

Greetings from Charlotte,

We held an online conference for ministers worldwide on Wednesday, where Mr. Ames, Dr. Winnail, Mr. Rod McNair, and I covered a variety of subjects and answered questions from the men. December 7 was Pearl Harbor Day, marking 82 years since the surprise attack by Japan on the United States. As each year passes, and as history continues to be degraded, derided, and devalued in school, lessons from the past are being lost to younger generations. This lack of historical perspective is seen in ignorance and lack of contextual understanding. Words such as Fascist, Hitler, and Nazi are thrown about recklessly and lies prevail. Let us make sure our children are taught history, for which the Bible is a good starting point. Please take note of the very encouraging report below regarding congregations started as a direct or partial result of Tomorrow’s World Presentations. We have already set up 61 TWP campaigns in the U.S. for 2024, with a goal of 70. When we say “campaigns,” we only refer to the first TWP in a location. Any follow-ups are not included. The telecast, “Will You Escape Armageddon?” presented by Mr. Richard Ames and offering the booklet Armageddon and Beyond, was dubbed in French and will be posted this week.—Gerald Weston

Church Administration

New Congregations and Tomorrow’s World Presentations

The primary objective of TWPs is to encourage those who may be following the Tomorrow's World telecast and magazine to start attending church. In this regard, TWPs are a great tool for growth in the Church. Perhaps what is most exciting is when we are able to start new congregations due to that growth. Below is a list of the 16 congregations that were directly or indirectly started because of growth from TWPs since the beginning of 2021:

  • Bend, Oregon
  • Binghamton, New York (restart)
  • Colorado Springs, Colorado (restart)
  • Gaffney, South Carolina
  • Hartford, Connecticut
  • Lawton, Oklahoma
  • Morristown, Tennessee
  • Sanford, Florida
  • San Marcos, Texas
  • Savannah, Georgia
  • Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
  • Sioux Falls, South Dakota
  • St. Petersburg, Florida
  • Syracuse, New York (restart)
  • Tallahassee, Florida
  • Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The TWPs require a lot of work from the presenters, the pastors, and the supporting congregations, but God has blessed these efforts. We are thankful to God for His blessings on the TWPs, and as always, we are thankful to our membership around the world that continues to beseech God in their prayers for the success of these presentations.

Travel and Winter Family Weekends—Repeat Announcement

We encourage you to attend your regional winter family weekend; however, there may be a few reasons that you may attend another region’s family weekend. For example, your congregation may not be associated with a regional weekend, or you may have family you wish to visit in another region. If you do plan to attend a family weekend outside of your area, please contact the local pastor to let him know how many people to expect and plan for.

Comments

What Is in Your Heart? The Bible reveals that God looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). God chose David to be king because he was a “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22). What did God see in David’s heart? God saw David would “do all My will” (Acts 13:22). David was teachable, and he “loved” God’s law and meditated on it daily so he could gain God’s mind and perspective (Psalm 119:97, 105). David did not argue with the Scriptures or look for ways to get around God’s instructions (Psalm 119:16, 18, 27). David praised God with his whole heart (Psalm 119:1–2) and repented wholeheartedly when he was wrong (Psalm 51). This is why David will reign as king over Israel in the coming Kingdom (Ezekiel 37:24). God is testing our hearts today (Psalm 7:9) to see if we are developing the mind of God (Galatians 2:20). The Bible reveals that our reward, to reign with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom, will be based on what is in our heart.

Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail

News and Prophecy—December 7, 2023

Somalia: Can It Get Any Worse? Somalia’s recent past is riddled with wars, fighting factions, pirates, a famine that killed over a quarter of a million people, and governmental instability. The terror group Al Shabab is based in Somalia and frequently carries out its activities across the border in neighboring Kenya. Ongoing fighting between factions and government forces have forced many Somalis to leave their homes to seek safety elsewhere. Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, has been the center of the fray for many years.

In recent weeks, torrential rains have pummeled this embattled country. “According to the humanitarian group Save the Children, the flooding has forced an estimated 250,000 people, or 90% of Beledweyne’s [a city in south-central Somalia] population, out of their homes…. Many parts of Somalia, as well as in neighboring Horn of Africa nations Kenya and Ethiopia, are still receiving torrential rainfall” (PBS, November 23, 2023). The United Nations warned that as many as 1.6 million Somalis could be affected by floods during this year’s rainy season, which lasts through December. So far floods have killed over 200 people and displaced over 700,000 in poor nations where citizens are already suffering (Reuters, November 27, 2023; Deutsche Welle, November 29, 2023). Sadly, the citizens of Somalia have borne the brunt of this ongoing and worsening suffering.

While many in the West and the developed world see their privileges slipping away, it is easy to overlook the profound suffering experienced by human beings in other places of the world. In His “model prayer,” Jesus Christ instructed His disciples to pray for God’s Kingdom (Matthew 6:10). This world is rife with suffering and desperately needs the relief that will come when Christ returns to establish His Kingdom. To learn the real cause of this world’s suffering, be sure to read or listen to “The Origin and Future of Suffering.”

Russia Arming Iran: Business Insider reports that Iran has provided Russia with ammunition, unmanned drones, and other munitions during its war with Ukraine. Now, Russia plans to send advanced fighter jets and attack helicopters to Iran, greatly increasing the power of that nation’s air force (November 29, 2023). Top U.S. officials have noted that the increasing military cooperation between Iran and Russia is evident and represents a negative development for both Ukraine and the Middle East. This deal will be the first time Iran has purchased new military aircraft since the 1990s.

As Business Insider notes, “Iran supports several militant groups across the Middle East, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and various proxies in Iraq and Syria.” Arms sales are also a big business for developed nations including Russia and the United States.

While Russia attempts to build closer ties with Iran, China, and North Korea, the European Union has become more defensive about Russia’s aggression in Europe. The outlines of this geopolitical polarization should not be a surprise. Bible prophecy states that while the European “king of the north” is warring in the Middle East in the end times, adversarial “news from the east and the north” of Jerusalem will trouble him (Daniel 11:40–45). Other prophecies describe a coming alliance of eastern powers—potentially including portions of Russia, China, and other nations east of the Euphrates River—that will control a massive 200-million-man army and initiate a military exchange that will kill a third of mankind (Revelation 9:13–21). Eventually, these eastern forces will cross over a dried-up Euphrates to join with others at Megiddo before heading to Jerusalem (Revelation 16:12–16). As the global geopolitical scene shifts and changes, we need to view these changes through the lens of Bible prophecy. To get a bigger perspective, be sure to read or listen to The Middle East in Prophecy.—Scott Winnail, Dexter Wakefield, and Wyatt Ciesielka