Newsletter 59, February,
2001
What is Giving & Sharing? | What Is the Sharing Library? | Sharing Library Order Form | Why Read the Early Writings of
Herbert W. Armstrong? | How Giving &
Sharing Preserves the Legacy of Herbert W. Armstrong | Vaccines:
Are They Really Safe and Effective? | God Won’t
Ask | Bible Correspondence Course | PAL Format Videos for International Brethren | Victor
Kubik’s Good Work for Needy Brethren | Think on These
Things | The Race Change | Peter in Rome? | The Awful Crime of Rape
| Why Count Pentecost? | Imitators or Followers of Christ?
| A Simple Lesson inTithing | Bible Sabbath Musicians: United in Music
Sometimes, folks get the wrong idea just what our Giving & Sharing
ministry is all about. Giving &
Sharing was founded in 1978 by me, Richard C. Nickels. Giving & Sharing is a nonprofit
religious service, not a church organization.
Giving & Sharing’s Board of Directors each volunteer to assist our
program. Our goals are: (1) to
distribute Bibles, religious books, and articles at the lowest possible
cost; (2) to promote the Good News of
the Kingdom, observance of Biblical Law, Bible Sabbath and Holy Days, Tithing,
Healing, Laws of Health, Marriage and Family; and (3) to oppose eating Unclean
Meats, observing Holidays of Pagan Origins, unscriptural Divorce and
Remarriage, and Sexual Perversions.
We publish and distribute many items to further these goals, both on
the Internet at www.giveshare.org, and
from our nonprofit, mail order bookstore at PO Box 100, Neck City, Missouri
64849. See our latest Order
Blanks. Earl and Wanda Lewis do most of
the mailing of books and literature from our Missouri Bookstore, assisted by
John Guffey of Oklahoma City, and sometimes myself. Steve Kieler of Fort Dodge, Iowa, counsels and helps people with
personal, religious, and financial problems, through the “Help Lines”
service. I edit the free 24-page Giving
& Sharing Newsletter, published 4-6 times a year. Several writers, typists, and proofreaders
assist Newsletter production.
Representatives in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United
Kingdom distribute the Newsletter and receive funds from orders and donations
to cover local postage expenses.
Literature orders are forwarded to Missouri for shipment. Other Newsletter distributors are in Ghana,
Kenya, Nigeria, and the Philippines.
It is not correct to say that the Nickels’ family operates the Giving
& Sharing ministry. Many people
volunteer their time and contribute funds.
I work full time as an Accountant for a major coal mining company, and
also volunteer many hours a week for Giving & Sharing. In 22 years of service to God’s people, I
has never received one cent of remuneration.
Giving & Sharing does not “sell” books or literature. Like Focus on the Family, we ask for
a “suggested donation” for some of our literature, which roughly represents our
cost. If someone cannot afford to send
our suggested donation, we will send an item free, or on loan. Only contributions above our “suggested
donation” are USA income tax deductible.
Widows, prisoners, or less fortunate brethren in Africa and Asia, are
usually the recipients of gratis books and literature.
Giving & Sharing needs volunteers to manage our website, translate
articles, and duplicate audio tapes.
Those who desire a hands-on ministry, may find these and other positions
within the Giving & Sharing service, rewarding and satisfying. Our reach overseas, especially to Africa,
stretches our resources. Would you like
to help? Please contact us.
Our “Sharing Library” began as an auxiliary service of
G&S in 1990. Recently, John
Crissinger, a professional librarian of the Columbus, Ohio, area, agreed to
assume the leadership role of this free lending library of good family and
religious material. He is excited about
the possibility of expanding this service.
Books are loaned for four weeks, and tapes and videos for one week. With this issue, we include a listing of
Sharing Library resources. If you have
good used books, tapes, or videos, that you wish to donate to Giving &
Sharing’s free lending library, send them to: Sharing Library, Box 581,
Granville, OH 43023. There is no
request for donations. USA income
tax-deductible contributions to “Sharing Library” are receipted through Giving
& Sharing, as it is an integral part of our operation. At the present, the Sharing Library service
is limited to North America. Thanks for
your help in promoting good reading and listening material to God’s
people. Is anyone interested in
setting up an International Library?
Sharing Library is a service ministry
founded by Giving & Sharing. It provides Sabbath-keepers access to a
diverse collection of helpful resource materials to aid in their Christian
walk. It is difficult and
time-consuming to locate good Christian living, home schooling, inspirational
biographies, music, Christian recreational reading/viewing, and Hebrew/ Jewish
roots materials, etc. The Sharing
Library seeks to meet this diversity of need in a timely manner by
lending a variety of resources through the mail. This ministry operates solely
through the freewill giving of friends of the library, and therefore
recommendations, although appreciated, far exceed available funds to buy them.
Sharing Library Librarian John Crissinger is a past library director at
Ambassador University. Other volunteers serve as reviewers of selected new
resources for the Library.
Borrowing Guidelines
Collection
Development Guidelines
Why Read the Early Writings
of Herbert W. Armstrong?
Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986) is both vilified and deified by people in the Church of God today. As the most famous Sabbath-keeping minister of the Twentieth Century, Armstrong was an instrument God used to teach tens of thousands of people around the world, the seventh-day Sabbath, and many other Bible truths.
Because of his corrupt lifestyle, some reject Armstrong’s teachings. Quite a few throw out many of his doctrines because of his later abuse of Church government. Others seem to worship Armstrong, but cling only to the teachings he espoused at his death in 1986.
Yet, it is shocking that so many, who owe their spiritual roots to
Armstrong, have strayed so far from his original teachings. Few realize that Armstrong himself departed
from many of his earlier beliefs. We
need to continually review his early teachings in order to be encouraged to
hold fast to God’s Truth. Our book, Early
Writings of Herbert W. Armstrong contains public domain articles
written from 1928-1953. Giving & Sharing distributes a bound edition of
this book for a suggested donation of $9.00. Order from Giving &
Sharing, PO Box 100, Neck City, MO 64849.
Or, you may view the entire book online at www.giveshare.org/library/hwa/. If anyone cannot afford a copy, we will send
one free of charge.
Why should we read, and reread, the early writings of Herbert W.
Armstrong? Because he explains key
aspects of Bible Truth essential to Christian life. We need to be jolted out of our complacency, and have a burning
passion to get back to the faith once delivered to the saints. Here is a summary of some of the early
writings of Herbert W. Armstrong:
The core teaching of Herbert W. Armstrong can be summed up in one word:
FAITH. Armstrong defined faith in God, made faith plain and understandable, and
showed how faith and works are one characteristic, that we need to have faith
in God to be healed, that we should be faithful in marriage, that we need to
trust the Savior to run His Church, that the Sabbath is a test of faith, that
we can faithfully trust Christ when He said He would be three days and three
nights in the grave before His resurrection, that God has not cast off His
people Israel today, and that we, in faith, can look forward to the return of the
Messiah and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on this earth (the World
Tomorrow). The world is on the verge of end-time wars, earthquakes, famines,
disease epidemics, and martyrdom of God’s people. FAITH is the missing
ingredient that we need to carry us through to the return of our Savior, to
overcome all and to endure to the end. Herbert W. Armstrong was indeed an
Apostle of faith.
Yet today, most people in the wealthy nations have more faith in their
retirement savings account, than faith in God. They spend much more time thinking about, and working with, their financial
portfolio, than their spiritual portfolio. Armstrong’s articles, “What is Faith?” and “What Kind
of Faith is Required for Salvation?” are of great help to our faith. These are the two lead articles in our book,
Early Writings of Herbert W. Armstrong.
One in two marriages today end in divorce. Marriage and family are the foundation of our society, which is
crumbling before our eyes. Even in the
Church of God, divorce, and divorce and remarriage, is as common as water. These things ought not to be so! Marriage is for life, no if’s, and’s, or
but’s. That is the way God designed
marriage. God’s scattered people need
to recapture the vital Truth that marriage is for life! We do not need to miss out on the full,
joyful, abundant life that God intended us to have.
In light of this, God’s people today need to recapture the Truth about
health and healing. God is our only
healer, not doctors, medicines, herbs, etc.
Where is faith in God for healing?
Where is the desire to observe laws of health to keep our bodies
healthy? Health and divine healing are
complimentary doctrines sorely neglected in the Church today. Armstrong’s article, “Does God Heal
Today?” along with “The Importance of Fasting,” and “Ten Simple
Rules That Lead to Health,” cover a subject often neglected in the Church
of God. Satan and his minions are
bombarding God’s people with unhealthy food, poisonous chemicals, and polluted
air and water, in order to weaken and destroy us, so we will give up on God and
not be able to perform His work. The
promised protection of Psalm 91 is available only to those who
faithfully trust, and obey, the Eternal.
Do you know the fundamentals of your belief? In the 1960s, and 1970s, many in the Church of God never saw
their own Church’s Statement of Beliefs, or even knew it existed. When I dug them out from dusty filing
cabinets at Ambassador College in 1973, I was amazed. The twenty doctrinal points of “Fundamentals of Belief, Radio
Church of God,” beautifully summarize major Bible teachings. Written by Armstrong in the 1930s and 1940s,
these points are well worth memorizing.
If you do not review basic doctrines from time to time, you are in
danger of forgetting them. Here is point
#20, “We believe in the personal, visible, premillennial, imminent return of
the Lord Jesus Christ to rule the nations of earth as King of Kings, and to
continue His priestly office as Lord of Lords; that at that time He will sit
upon the throne of David restoring all things during a thousand-year reign upon
earth and establish the KINGDOM OF GOD upon earth forever.”
Information is being spread
today that Armstrong taught that his Church organization was the only true
Church, and that he and his ministers would not baptize people unless they
agreed that the Worldwide Church of God was the only true Church. That was not the case in 1969,
when I was baptized. And, Armstrong’s
early writings clearly contradict such false teaching. Here is an important example of how later
doctrinal corruption replaced, in some instances, earlier teachings. Armstrong’s Bible Studies, “Did Christ
Reorganize the Church?” (also known as “the 1939 article”), and “Why
Should We Have Churches?” clearly present Bible Truth on Church
organization and government. God’s
Church is a spiritual organism, not an organization. We are baptized into Christ, not a denomination. Let us never forget that.
The Sabbath and Holy Days are vital tools to worship God, and to
understand His plan for mankind.
Armstrong’s early Sabbath and Holy Day articles are classics: “Which
Day is the Sabbath of the New Testament?” “The Sabbath a Perpetual
Covenant,” “When, and How Often, Should We Observe the Lord’s Supper,”
“How to Figure Passover, 14th or 15th?” “How to
Figure Pentecost,” and “Beautiful Secluded Mountain Resort Taken Over
for Feast of Tabernacles (Belknap Springs).”
The latter article should be read especially by those who keep a
worldly, materialistic, Feast of Tabernacles, typified by Destin, Florida. Several groups today keep the fall Feast at
Destin, a wealthy resort community, with lots of cars, shopping, and
amusements, and expensive condos. Yes,
it is possible to worship God in Spirit and Truth at the Feast in Destin. But, there is a better way. Contrast a Destin-type Feast with that of
the 1945 Feast of Tabernacles in Belknap Springs, Oregon. At Belknap Springs, everyone was together in
a natural scenic resort, far from the maddening crowd. They prepared their own wholesome foods and
stayed in the same accommodations.
Compared to the modern Babylonish Feast atmosphere, a Belknap Springs
type Feast is smaller, more intimate, away from worldly influences. You get to know the brethren better. You do not waste time in thick automobile
traffic. Food tastes better in God’s
Creation. You can appreciate God’s
creation and pray to Him on your knees in the woods, rather than in your chic
condo. A Belknap Springs type Feast
costs less, so you can afford to keep three pilgrimage feasts a year
(Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, Deuteronomy 16:16)
instead of one big orgy of spending.
Belknap Springs stands in stark contrast with Destin. We need to worship God in an atmosphere of spirituality
rather than commercialism and materialism.
That is one of the main reasons why you need to read, The Early
Writings of Herbert W. Armstrong.
Another major topic covered by Armstrong’s early writings is Israel. “The Truth About Israel — Bible Study
Quarterly,” and “The United States in Prophecy,” explain that the
blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, have descended upon the Anglo-Saxon
peoples of the United States, Great Britain, South Africa, New Zealand, and
Australia. We are part of the tribe of
Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh). We have
God’s blessings for a purpose: to
spread the Gospel to the entire world.
Those who work for the destruction of modern Israel are fighting against
God. The identity of Israel is one of
the most important Bible truths.
Finally, we Sabbatarians of the Church of God need to realistically
look at the life of Herbert W. Armstrong.
My brief biography of Herbert Armstrong, in Appendix C of Early
Writings of Herbert W. Armstrong, is a frank analysis of Armstrong’s
life and legacy. We should not idolize
this great preacher of so much of God’s Truth; neither should we disdain him
for his sins and shortcomings. We
should be thankful that God used Herbert Armstrong to spread His Truth, and to
give it to us. The zeal of Herbert
Armstrong for spreading God’s Truth is a phenomenal example for us to
follow. The reason we publish Early
Writings of Herbert W. Armstrong is to encourage the Church of God to
renew its zeal during this time of lukewarmness. May we all earnestly contend for the faith which was once
delivered to the saints.
How
Giving & Sharing Preserves the Legacy of Herbert W. Armstrong
To preserve the legacy of Biblical Truth proclaimed by Herbert W.
Armstrong, Giving & Sharing was founded in 1978. Giving & Sharing is a religious service, not a church
organization. Here are some of the
major items published by Giving & Sharing to accomplish our goals:
·
To preserve the history of the Church of God: History of the Seventh Day Church of God, Vol. I,
by Richard C. Nickels, 158 pp., $9.50, covers the history of Church of God,
from 1800 to the present. Six
Papers on the History of the Church of God, by Richard C. Nickels, 354
pp., $14.00, provides additional historical material. “The Remnant of Israel, 1915-1929,” compares G.G. Rupert and
Herbert W. Armstrong’s teachings. History
of the True Church, by A.N. Dugger and C.O. Dodd, 108 pp., $7.50, is
the classic Church of God (Seventh Day) Church history. Giving & Sharing’s “Church History
Resources” include many more books.
Write for a free listing.
·
To preserve true Bible Doctrines: Biblical Doctrine, 92 pp., $4.00,
analyzes doctrines of various Sabbath-keeping groups.
·
To support faith in the Almighty for healing and obedience to Bible
health laws, including abstinence from Unclean Meats: Biblical Health and
Healing, 98 pp., free.
·
To show the validity of Biblical Law and help believers understand
which Old Testament laws are in force today: Biblical Law, 68 pp., $5.00.
·
To promote observance of the Bible Sabbath and Biblical Holy Days: Biblical Holy Days,
over 500 pp., $20.00.
·
To promote the sanctity and permanence of marriage and the family
relationship, in opposition to divorce and remarriage and sexual perversions: Biblical Marriage
and Family, 92 pp., free.
·
To encourage tithing: The Tithe in Scripture, by Henry
Lansdell, 60 pp., free, is a definitive book on tithing.
·
To encourage personal Bible Study using Bibles and Bible helps: we publish Newsletters,
and Bible Studies. Our free article, “Basic Bible Study Tools,”
explains how to use Bibles and Bible helps. The book, The Bible Home
Instructor, by A.N. Dugger, 182 pp., $9.00, presents home Bible Studies
in question and answer format.
The above is only some of the material we
offer. Write for our free Giving
& Sharing Order Blank. Our
motto is, “Freely ye have received, freely give,” Matthew 10:8. Thank you for your contributions to assist
this ministry.
The legacy of Biblical Truth taught by Herbert W. Armstrong will only
be preserved if we, through the Holy Spirit, live the Eternal’s Truth, and
fulfill the Great Commission by sharing it with others.
Vaccines:
Are They Really Safe and Effective?
Your immune system is one of the most
important assets you have. You need a
strong immune defense system to ward off disease. For years, we have objected to routine vaccinations because they
often are made from unclean substances.
Neil Z. Miller’s book, Vaccines: Are They Really Safe and
Effective? ($9 suggested donation, plus $2 postage from Giving
& Sharing, Box 100, Neck City, MO 64849) gives additional good reasons
not to choose vaccination. Vaccines can
cause the disease from which they are intended to protect you. All vaccines have undesirable side effects,
which can in some cases lead to seizures, brain damage, and death. When you tinker with the body’s immune
system designed by the Creator God, all sorts of developmental disorders,
autoimmune diseases, and unprecedented rise in criminal activity and violent
crime, can result. This book is packed
with facts and well-documented footnotes to help you make decisions regarding
vaccinations for yourself and your family.
Well-substantiated scientific statistical
reports have shown a trend in America towards deteriorating health in children
and young adults. Allergies, eczema, autoimmune
diseases, behavioral disorders, and chronic fatigue syndrome, have
skyrocketed. While unhealthy diets and
exposure to toxic environmental chemicals have their part in this trend, Miller
targets vaccination as a major cause.
Childhood vaccinations thwart the normal development of immune
systems. Many common infectious
diseases were already declining due to improved sanitation, before vaccines
were introduced. There may be a direct
relationship between vaccinations and the modern epidemics of chronic fatigue,
autoimmune disorders, AIDS, learning disabilities, and other health
problems. Before the mid-twentieth
century, minor childhood diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella (German
measles) may have served a major role in the normal development and
strengthening of the immune system of children. By altering nature’s normal defensive pattern with unnatural
vaccines, we likely have set the stage for more serious diseases later on in
life.
There is no credible evidence that the
polio vaccine caused polio to disappear.
In fact, the number of polio cases increased after mass
inoculations. From 1973-1983, 87% of
all polio cases were caused by the polio vaccine. Similar results occurred with other common
vaccines. In 1984, 58% of all measles
cases were contracted by people who were vaccinated against the disease. This demonstrates a little-known fact: vaccinations do not necessarily prevent
you from contracting the disease! A
study shows that of 103 children who died of SIDS (sudden infant death
syndrome), 70% had received the DPT (diptheria-pertussis-tetanus) vaccine
within three weeks. Doctors tend to
report deaths caused by vaccine under some other name, and are generally
reluctant to tie vaccines to a host of neurological problems. Many neurological problems caused by
vaccines are then treated with high-powered drugs, which, in turn, cause other
problems.
Neil Miller states that no vaccine can guarantee genuine immunity. Often, the opposite is the case: the vaccine
increases the chances of contracting the disease. All vaccines produce side effects, and their
long-term effects are unknown. Many
choose not to take the risk. Most
states provide waivers permitting parents to object to mandated vaccinations on
personal, religious, or philosophical grounds.
However, many colleges are now requiring new students to be fully
vaccinated as a prerequisite to admission.
All states, except Mississippi and West Virginia, permit a religious
exemption. For more information about
vaccines and how to avoid them, see the Global Vaccine Institute’s website, www.thinktwice.com.
God won’t ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how many people
you drove who didn’t have transportation.
God won’t ask the square footage of your house, but will ask how many
people you welcomed into your house.
God won’t ask about the fancy clothes you had in your closet, but will
ask how many of those clothes helped the needy.
God won’t ask about your social status, but will ask what kind of class
you displayed.
God won’t ask how many material possessions you had, but will ask if
they dictated your life.
God won’t ask what your highest salary was, but will ask if you
compromised your character to obtain that salary.
God won’t ask how much overtime you worked, but will ask if you worked
overtime for your family and loved ones.
God won’t ask how many promotions you received, but will ask how you
promoted others.
God won’t ask what your job title was, but will ask if you performed
your job to the best of your ability.
God won’t ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask what you did
to help others.
God won’t ask how many friends
you had, but will ask how many people to whom you were a true friend.
God won’t ask what you did to
protect your rights, but will ask what you did to protect the rights of others.
God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, but will ask how you
treated your neighbors.
God won’t ask about the color of your skin, but will ask about the
content of your character.
God won’t ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but will ask how many times they didn’t. — from the Internet
We are grateful when other brethren are doing a good work for the
Lord. Tom Justus and the Springdale,
Arkansas, Church of God, have for several years been republishing basic Bible
doctrine booklets for free distribution.
Write them for a listing of free booklets. Recently, they have also been publishing the 32-lesson Bible
Correspondence Course, edited by Jerald and Marcia Byers. I especially urge those of our readers who
are in prison, or in Africa and Asia, to write for the Bible Correspondence
Course: Church of God, Sabbath Day, PO Box 1645, Springdale, AR 72765.
PAL
Format Videos for International Brethren
VHS NTSC videos commonly used in North America do not work on video
players in some other countries.
Instead PAL format is generally used.
Giving & Sharing is pleased to announce that our International
Representatives have a PAL format VHS video for lending purposes, of the
outstanding 85-minute history of the Waldenses, “Israel of the Alps.” Truly, God has preserved and protected His
Sabbath-keeping Church throughout the ages!
Filmed onsite in the Alps, this inspirational video is available for the
equivalent of US $5 for a 14-day loan.
Write to our reps in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, or United
Kingdom (for addresses, see masthead on page 2). Those in North America may obtain an NTSC format of “Israel of
the Alps” for a suggested donation $30, or borrow for $5, from Giving &
Sharing, PO Box 100, Neck City, MO 64849.
If these PAL videos are well-received by our international audience, we
will plan to add more items in the future.
Victor
Kubik’s Good Work for Needy Brethren
Matthew 24 and 25 are a continuum. The Messiah’s Olivet Prophecy of endtime events in chapter 24
continues in chapter 25 with three parables of instruction for the
Church. The Parable of the Ten
Virgins in verses 1-13 instructs God’s people to be ready for His
coming, and not go to sleep spiritually.
The Parable of the Talents, verses 14-30, admonishes the
Church of God to work and produce results for Him. Finally, the Parable of the Sheep and Goats at the Last
Judgment, verses 31-46 is a serious call for us to feed the hungry,
cloth the naked, and visit prisoners.
These three parables essentially have the same message: “What are you doing spiritually? As believers, you must have a direct part in
God’s Work, or you are none of His!”
We should draw a direct connection between Matthew 24:14, “And
this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness
unto all nations; and then shall the end come,” and these three critical
“Church doing” parables. Preaching the
Gospel and taking care of the poor are two sides of the same coin.
Victor Kubik is a remarkable individual who has grabbed the bull by the
horns in his efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Church of God brethren
around the world. In our “fat, rich,
and dumb,” culture, we tend not to have proper empathy for those less fortunate
than we are, shockingly, not even for our spiritual brethren!
It is difficult for us to conceive of living in a country where meeting
together on the Sabbath is outlawed.
Nevertheless, many of God’s people have, and still are, facing such
extreme difficulties. They face a real
challenge providing for their families because, in some areas, it is well nigh
impossible to get a job that does not require work on the Sabbath. Are we turning our backs on God’s people? If we are, we may hear the awful words from
Jesus, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not
to me,” Matthew 25:45.
Mr. Kubik didn’t purposely start out to feed and clothe the needy. As a leading minister in the Worldwide
Church of God, Kubik was introduced to a Ukrainian refugee Michael Palchey in
1991, in Florida, after Palchey had gained religious asylum in the USA in
1980. Palchey was the founder of a
group in the Ukraine that came to the Sabbath Truth in 1946. Originally a stubborn, Sunday-keeping
Baptist, Palchey at first refused to heed the visions of one of his members, a
woman, who was told by an angel that they were keeping the wrong day of
worship, and that many other things needed to be corrected in their religious
belief and practice.
However, God struck down Palchey and opened his mind. About 200-300 people changed from Sunday to
the Sabbath at the preaching of Palchey.
He established twenty-six or more Sabbath-keeping churches in the western
Ukraine with over 3,000 members. During
the Communist era, you could go to jail for merely possessing a Bible. Palchey was arrested and sent to Siberia for
20 years. After the death of Stalin in
1953, his sentence was commuted. In the
Transcarpathian Mountain region, Sabbatarians are now the third most-recognized
Church. It is said there are 3,000 in
this part of Ukraine, 4,000 in Romania, and another 3,000 in Moldova. They keep the Sabbath and the Passover, but
most do not at this time keep the rest of the Holy Days.
In 1990 at their meeting in Florida, Palchey urged Kubik to visit the
Sabbatarians in the Ukraine. After
several failed attempts, Kubik and John Karlson met the brethren in 1992, and
has since made further visits. In the
post-communist Transcarpathia, unemployment runs at 70%, and a good job earns
$50 per month. The Sabbatarian brethren
were undergoing severe difficulties.
Kubik’s sister (not in the Church) had been involved in sending 20-ton
container shipments to Russia, and Victor learned from her the mechanics of
conducting relief operations. Medicine
can be had for 5% of cost, and in some cases, government agencies will fund the
full shipping costs. Several
containers have been shipped to Chernobyl, Ukraine, as needed.
Also as a result of the breakup of the former Soviet Union, a large
group of Sabbatarians in Tajikstan were being oppressed by the dominant Islamic
government. The winter of 1996 was
their time of Great Tribulation, as they needed to flee to Ukraine.
A worldwide time of fasting and prayer was called, and miraculously,
next spring, the brethren were able to flee unharmed. The last to flee was their pastor, Franz Klassen, in August,
1997. The day after he left for the
Ukraine, Islamic rebels captured the airport.
The Ukrainians, and Tajik refugees, have been helped by Kubik’s efforts.
Victor Kubik wears many hats.
He pastors several United Church of God congregations in Indiana. He has formed an independent humanitarian
organization, “Lifenets,” which co-ordinates relief aid to our brethren and has
a network of distributors. Kubik says
that every dollar given is multiplied many times over in thrifty measures to
get the most help to God’s people. Kubik maintain two websites, www.lifenets.org, and www.kubik.org. Current Lifenets projects include helping brethren in Guatemala
with clothes, and to pour concrete on the dirt floors of their homes, assisting
brethren in Malawi, Zambia, and elsewhere.
The emphasis is on helping needy people in practical ways to become
self-sufficient. For example, a
shipment to Guatemala will include income-producing sewing machines and stoves
so that the brethren can be self-supporting. If you would like to participate
in direct aid to our brethren, contact Victor Kubik at 888-821-0095,
or E-mail him at vic@kubik.org.
There are some real lessons for us in helping the poor and needy. As the saying goes, “There, but for the
grace of God, go I.” Paul exhorted the
New Testament Church to gather up produce to aid the Jerusalem brethren during
a time of famine, I Corinthians 16:1-3.
The example of Ukranian Palchey demonstrates that God works with anyone
He chooses, even the “other sheep,” not of this fold, John 10:16. Victor Kubik has a unique ability to find
those other sheep, and mobilize spiritual and physical help to these scattered
brethren. This is what God’s people
should be doing.
So, this is where the rubber meets the road. There are so many believers who do little or nothing for others,
whether to spread the Gospel, or to help our needy brethren. A recent telephone call I received
highlights the tragic shortsightedness of some. A man called to condemn me for my frank historical biography of
the life of Herbert Armstrong. Rather
than wanting to work for promoting God’s Truth and sharing it with
others, he wanted to lure me into an argument.
I don’t have time for such things.
There is work to do in serving God’s people. Most of the spiritual harvest that is ripe at this time is
concentrated overseas, in places like Africa, the Philippines, Ukraine, Latin
America, and elsewhere. Instead of
bashing or worshipping Armstrong, debating the Sacred Calendar and the Sacred
Name, or other trivial pursuits (relative to the big picture), we need to be
doers of Matthew 25. Keep oil in
your lamp by immersing yourself in God’s Word.
You fulfill this by sharing God’s Truth with others, combined with a
genuine outreach program to the needy.
May we all be Victor Kubik’s.
It doesn’t take a Bach or Beethoven to realize that folk melodies,
especially Celtic tunes, are an excellent musical genre to uplift and
inspire. Accomplished poetess Barri
Armitage has adapted lyrics poetically from Scripture with new arrangements of
traditional melodies to produce an outstanding 71-minute Audio/CD, “Think
on These Things.” Long-time
Church of God member and deaconess in the Washington, D.C. area, Barri brings
prize-winning poetical talent, professional musical ability, and zest to her
work.
Sixteen songs are on this professional production, including “Think on
These Things,” “Joy Will Come in the Morning,” “Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul,”
“Song of Moses,” “Healed by His Stripes,” “Bought With a Price,” “Under the the
Shadow of His Wings,” “The Virtuous Woman,” “Fear Not, Little Flock,” and my
favorite, “Oh Lord, You Have Searched Me,” which is based on Psalm 139 set to
the old tune which we now call Greensleeves. Barri’s goal is to offer
praise to God, and she has succeeded well.
Vocalists include Barri’s husband, Dave Armitage, Rose Bello, and
Eileen Townsend. Piano accompaniment is
by Carnegie Hall performer, Rachel Franklin, and guitar by Billy Kemp. “Think on These Things,”
Inspirational Songs by Barri Armitage, is available postpaid for $11.50 for an
Audio Cassette, or $15.50 for a CD (Maryland residents, add 5% sales tax). Sheet music with words and notes is
available for $4.75. I like to have the
sheet music so I can sing along.
Write: Barri Armitage, 13904
North Gate Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20906.
Music is such an important part of worship and praise to the Eternal, that Giving & Sharing is promoting a Bible Sabbath Musicians Association. If you would like to be a part of this group, to share and discuss Christian music with other Sabbath-keeping brethren, please contact Robin Todd at 360-923-9236, robinsyngs@aol.com, or see our website, www.giveshare.org/music.
Why was Simon Magus and his Gnostic teachings so readily accepted in
Rome? Why did the Roman Empire
fall? Why did the prophet Daniel see
only one image representing a series of Gentile kingdoms that was to
rule the world (Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome)? Why does the Bible say that “Mystery Babylon” is the city on
seven hills (Rome), and how is Rome connected with Babylon? Why is the dominant philosophy today in
favor of doing away with national barriers (globalism), eliminating races by
intermarriage, and forming a one-world government?
These and more questions are answered by an amazing article, “The Race Change in Ancient Italy, 300 B.C. and 300 A.D.,” by Ernest L. Martin. The answer is simple: the Romans who founded the greatest of human world empires were gradually replaced by Chaldean peoples from Babylon, who had migrated through Syria, Phoenicia, Egypt, and elsewhere. Hordes of slaves were brought into Italy, and often they were freed to become Roman citizens. Latin Romans migrated out of Italy to the colonies. Historians confirm that the “Romans” who fell at the demise of the Roman Empire were not from native Latin Roman stock, but were overwhelmingly Babylonian in race, religion, and culture. And, Rome did not “fall” either. Babylonian religion and race, which contributed to Rome’s demise, remained a powerful influence in the Roman Catholic Church, and even to our time. The Chaldeans of Babylon figure prominently in Bible prophecy (Isaiah 13:19-22, 43:14, 47:1-15, 48:20; Jeremiah 21:4-5; Habbakuk 1:6).
“Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods?” Jeremiah 2:11. Later “Romans” did not change their gods to Mithraism from the East. These new “Romans” were basically Babylonian by race and brought their Babylonian gods and worship with them to Italy. Babylon had figured prominently in the religion and political power of the Persian, Grecian, and Roman Empires. In a literal sense, Rome ultimately became the “New Babylon.”
Rather than being distinct kingdoms, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome were a continuum, influenced and often led by the same Babylonian people. As given in “The Race Change in Ancient Italy” article, the historical proofs are absolutely astounding!
What are the implications of the “race change” today? The Anglo-Saxon peoples of the United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, I believe are part of Israel. They are being overwhelmed by a “race change” today. By about 2025, demographers expect that Hispanics will be the majority race in the United States. As a result of disobeying God, curses rather than blessings are befalling our nations. “The stranger [non-Israelite] that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low,” Deuteronomy 28:43. These strangers are not necessarily “bad” people, but they think and act differently than Israelites. They usually have strikingly different religious views. These various peoples are changing the Anglo-Saxon countries in many ways, and not always for the better.
Israel is God’s instrument for teaching His ways to the world. Israelites have failed miserably in this divine task, and will be punished severely. Since they have oppressed other races, Israel will learn how it is to be oppressed, in a coming national captivity. Knowing they are being punished for their sins, many will repent. In the World Tomorrow, Israel will be the leading nation to assist the Messiah rule all nations. After the return of the Messiah, all nations will be forced to live in racial peace and harmony, in their own territories. There will be one law and one God, with the many racial and national varieties that God intends among men. May the Eternal speed that day!
The well-documented article, “The Race Change in Ancient Italy,” by Ernest L. Martin, 29 pages, is available for $4.00 from Giving & Sharing, PO Box 100, Neck City, MO 64849. Or, view it online at www.giveshare.org/babylon/racechange.html.
There is little credible evidence to support the common belief that the
Apostle Peter was ever in Rome. David
Albert’s 1973 thesis, “Peter in Rome?” presents Biblical and historical
evidence that contradicts one of the fundamental teachings of the Roman
Catholic Church.
Paul noted that he did not wish to build upon another man’s foundation,
Romans 15:20. Paul’s ministry
did not overlap Peter’s. Peter was in
Babylon in Mesopotamia, I Peter 5:13, where a great many Jews and
Israelites lived. The earliest records
of Church history do not support Peter’s martyrdom at Rome, nor his supposed
twenty-five year episcopate at Rome.
Only later did the tradition develop, because of the need to support
Papal supremacy. Another “Peter” did
come to Rome during the first century.
This was Simon Magus, originator of counterfeit Christianity.
Giving & Sharing has reprinted, “Peter in Rome? A Review Of The Literary Record In The
Light Of Scriptural Evidence” a public domain thesis by David Albert. It is available free on the Internet at www.giveshare.org/churchhistory/peterinrome/. A 31-page printed version is available for a
suggested donation of $4.00 from Giving & Sharing, PO Box 100, Neck
City, MO 64849.
The Bible is clear that
convicted rapists deserve the death penalty, Deuteronomy 22:25-27. Often, there are no corroborating witnesses
to the crime, so what is a victim to do?
It behooves young girls, as well as women of all ages, to be informed
about rape. One source of information
is on the Internet at www.911rape.org,
produced by the Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center.
Teenage girls and college
students are vulnerable to rape. In a
recent survey, fifty percent of rape victims were under 18 years of age. Eighty percent of victims are raped or
assaulted by someone they know, “acquaintance rape.” Much information about rape, including rape drugs, “What to Do if
You Are Raped,” help for teenagers, and more, is at this website. If you do not have Internet access, go to a
public library that does, and read this educational material.
May God protect righteous women and girls who trust in Him. May His Kingdom of peace and safety come
soon!
—
written by Richard C. Nickels