Audio - 23 Mar 2024

Latest Audio - 2024-03-23

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Sermonette
by Philip Henderson
Hidden In Plain Sight
given Wales UK 23 Mar 2024
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Sermon
by Jon Bowles
Robes of Righteousness
given Bristol UK 17 Feb 2007 - played Wales UK 23 Mar 2024
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News Review - 22 Mar 2024
Water

Loaded with industrial pollution, toxic waste from farming, industry and untreated sewage:
Our stressed out

Water Supply

All life - humans, animals and plants - cannot survive without water. The question has to be asked, has humanity got a death wish?

Clean water is a scarce commodity, as the following article points out:

Cause Of Conflict

Only 0.4% of the world’s drinkable water is accessible to humans. With a growing population of 8 billion people, disputes over potable water sources are familiar, especially in regions where water is scarce. Rightful ownership is often contested whenever a water source such as a lake, a river, or an underground aquifer crosses national borders.

The Nile River in North Africa flows upstream, and it is arguable that Egypt has historically benefited the most – economically and culturally – from the river’s resources. With several countries downstream, including Ethiopia, motioning to build a dam for their purposes, Egypt is facing the reality of losing access to its most precious resource.

Bangladesh and India rely on the Ganges River as a significant water source for their people. With India posturing to build a dam for energy and efficiency, Bangladesh would be in a more critical condition than it already is.

Because of the decreasing amount of potable water, it is not uncommon for nations or people groups to have conflict over a shared body of water.” (worldwaterreserve.com)

Weaponised Water

Water Conflict Throughout History

“The Pacific Institute publishes a regularly updated list of water-related conflicts since history’s earliest recorded events. Here is a partial list of some of the most significant cases throughout world history.

430 BC - Spartans Poison Cistern. The Spartans are accused of causing a plague outbreak in Athens by poisoning their cisterns during the Peloponnesian War.

537 AD - Goths Cut Rome’s Aqueducts. As barbarian tribes invade the Roman Empire, the Goths cut off most aqueduct access to Rome and successfully besiege the city.

1187 - Saladin Cuts Crusader’s Water Supply. Saladin defeats the Crusaders at the Horns of Hattin by filling their wells with sand and destroying the Maronite villages which the Crusaders relied on for water.

1863 - General Grant Destroys Levees. During the American Civil War, General Ulysses S Grant cut levees in the battle against the Confederates, leaving them without access to water.

1941 – Sabotage Of Soviet Dam. The Dnieper hydropower plant, a strategically-important dam and power plant in the Ukraine is a coveted site by both the Soviets and the Germans in World War II.

1964 – Cuba Cuts Off Water To US Navy. In retribution for the capture of several Cuban boats, the Cuban government cut off the water supply to the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay.

1992 - Serbs Cut Water And Power To Sarajevo. Serbia cuts off power and water to the city of Sarajevo during a siege despite promises to the UN not to do so.

1997 – Troop Deployment On Kyrgyz Border. A highly contended water reserve straddling Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan borders leads to the deployment of 130,000 Uzbekistani soldiers to stand guard on the Toktogul reservoir.

2000 – Kenyans Fight With Monkeys Over Water Source. [Hard to believe but…] Drought-stricken monkeys attack a Kenyan village for water-tanker access leaving eight monkeys dead and ten Kenyans wounded.

2002 – Violence Over Indian River. The dispute over the contested Kaveri River in India, between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu caused riots, property destruction, injuries, and arrests for a period of almost 2 months.

2004 – Somalian Clan Dispute. Two Somalian subclans, the Murusade and the Duduble, fight for control of a single water well resulting in 23 deaths.

2004-2006 - Ethiopian Water Conflict. 250 died.

2008 – Dispute Between Villagers And Border Guards Over Dam Access. A dam located in a region where the border between the countries of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has not been agreed upon has caused a series of conflicts over water resources. Tajikistan villagers cross into contested Kyrgyzstan territory in order to access the dam and allow an irrigation canal to reach their village, often conflicting with Kyrgyz border guards.

2010 – Pakistani Tribal Dispute. Tribal conflict erupts in Pakistan as the Shalozan Tangi tribe cut off irrigation to the Shalozan tribe, resulting in over 100 dead in a two-week long battle.

2012 – Protests Turn Violent Across Egypt. Several public protests over water shortages across Egypt turn violent: one person killed in Beni Sueif in irrigation conflict, villagers and officials in Minya clash over water shortages, and water shortage protests in Fayyoum involving hundreds result in fires and blocked highways.

2014 - Over 1000 Killed In Nigeria Over Water Resources. According to Human Rights Watch, over 1000 people in Nigeria were killed in disputes between farmers and herders regarding water shortages in 2014 alone.

2016 – Water Crisis In Yemen. 20 million people in Yemen deprived of access to clean water due to internal conflict and destruction of water and power infrastructure.

2016 – Clash Between Indian Army And Protestors. Political disputes between the Indian Army and protestors in New Delhi result in 18 deaths and 200 injuries over the reopening of the Munak Canal, a source that supplies New Delhi with three-fifths of its clean water supply.

2017 – 70 Dead in Darfur over clean water source. Clashes between farmers and herders in Southern Darfur over freshwater sources have resulted in over 70 deaths.

2018 – Water Protests In Iran. Continuing protests about water shortages in Iran are escalating and gaining media attention.” (worldwaterreserve.com)

Areas Of Concern Today

“According to Innovative Energy and Research, the following water sources are stressed enough to raise concern about possible conflicts in the future:

  • The River Columbia (conflict between Canada and the US)
  • The Colorado River (conflict between Mexico and the US)
  • The River Senepas (conflict between Ecuador and Peru)
  • The River Senegal (conflict between Mauritania and Senegal)
  • The River Zambezi (conflict between Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana)
  • The sources in the Sahara Desert (Reaction Egypt, Chad, Niger and Sudan)
  • The River Nile (conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia)
  • The River Tagus (conflict between Tagus and Duero)
  • The River Syr Darya (conflict between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, Kazakhstan)
  • The River Ganges (conflict between India and Bangladesh)
  • The Jordan River (conflict between Israel and Jordan)
  • The Mekong River (conflict between Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam)”

(worldwaterreserve.com)

Mankind cannot survive without water - so how do we treat the water supply?

UK Rivers Used As ‘Open Sewers’

“The way our Victorian sewers are built is that wastewater and rainwater are carried in the same pipe. When it reaches a certain height, it pours into another pipe and into rivers.

The River Wye: It’s the nation’s favourite river and through agricultural pollution and sewage hitting our river it’s in a diabolical state.

Water is life.
If we haven’t got clean water, we have got no life.
(dailymail.co.uk)

Reader comment: ‘In this year of 2023 we pride ourselves on being a technology advanced people capable of outstanding scientific achievements … yet … YOU still chose to dump waste directly into our waterways. You cannot tell me that a people who are able to land a tiny satellite on a rock billions of miles away in space cannot solve this issue. As always it is profit above all else. The multi million rewards given to chief executives are payments for failure.’” (deframedia.blog.gov.uk)

US Rivers Used As ‘Open Sewers’

“Extreme weather events linked to the climate crisis, such as droughts, hurricanes and floods are a growing threat to rivers, communities and drinking and wastewater systems.

‘In Missouri we have coal ash, radioactive waste, abandoned lead mines and a variety of other toxic accidents waiting to happen. When an area floods, this chemical soup becomes part of our water system, potentially impairing your drinking water or your favorite fishing stream,’ said Rachel Bartels, the director of Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper, a conservation group. Toxic waste from factory farming, extractive industries and sewage plants is also pouring into the nation’s rivers, rendering them dangerous for humans and aquatic life.

In Iowa, the state’s largest water utility was forced to invest in one of the world’s most expensive nitrate-removal systems due to harmful levels of agricultural pollutants in the Raccoon River, which is relied upon by more than half a million people for drinking water. The Raccoon River, ranked ninth in the endangered rivers list, is polluted by more than 700 factory farms given free rein by state lawmakers who refuse to implement mandatory pollution controls.

In Oklahoma, toxic pollution from one of the country’s biggest Superfund sites has made Tar Creek a feared no-go zone for communities including several tribes who once depended on the river for subsistence and cultural practices.

The legacy of toxic waste from what was once the world’s largest lead and zinc mine, has turned Tar Creek orange, killing aquatic life and threatening human health with heavy metals including lead and arsenic. Every day, 1 million gallons of contaminated water are discharged into Tar Creek, which is ranked sixth in the endangered list.

‘For 42 years, acid mine water and toxic runoff has been pouring down Tar Creek under the eyes of the state and the EPA,’ said Earl L Hatley, Grand Riverkeeper at Local Environmental Action Demanded [LEAD]. ‘To date, they have no plan for stopping this toxic off site release. When will our lives matter?’” (theguardian.com)

China’s Rivers Used As ‘Open Sewers’

“China’s rivers have suffered profound water quality impairments due to the undeniable pressure of economic development on the environment since China’s Reform and Opening-up in 1978. Water pollution in China has been confirmed to be a major cause of 40 billion cubic meters of water shortage in China per year. The elevated input of anthropogenic nutrients is a critical cause of reduced water quality in Chinese rivers.

Excess nutrients from rivers were transported to lakes and the ocean, resulting in frequent episodes of blooms and red tide, endangering human and aquatic health and ecosystem services.” (nature.com)

India’s Rivers Used As ‘Open Sewers’

“Standing on a small concrete bridge, environmental activist Janak Daftary gestures toward the crowded banks of the Mithi River, which runs through the heart of Mumbai.

On one side are garages with heaps of car parts that slope into the river, bleeding paint, metals, and oil into the Mithi, a mere 120 feet wide at this point. On the other side are shanties made of brick, tin, and plastic; metal scrap dealers; and a middle-class housing complex flanked by concrete walls that plunge into the water. Below the bridge, a dark slurry with floating bits of plastic, cloth, and rubber slowly passes downstream, toward the office buildings and construction cranes of Mumbai’s new financial district.

This is how you kill a river,’ says Daftary, an engineer who works with Jal Biradari, a water conservation group. Rivers and streams have borne the brunt of the recent urban explosion in India, a nation whose population has nearly doubled in the last 40 years to 1.35 billion. Unplanned growth has led to the use of water bodies as dumping grounds for sewage and industrial effluent.

According to India’s Central Pollution Control Board, 63 percent of the urban sewage flowing into rivers (some 62 billion liters a day) is untreated. In addition, riverbanks, wetlands, and floodplains have been claimed over time by infrastructure, slums, offices, and housing developments - all of which has narrowed natural river channels and distorted flow, greatly reducing the ability of India’s rivers to buffer flooding.” (yale.edu)

Water: Vital For Life - Being Destroyed By Neglect

It doesn’t matter where you look in today’s world, most nations mistreat their rivers and lakes. All types of noxious waste is simply dumped in rivers: plastics, chemical run off from farms, chemical pollutants from industry and huge quantities of unprocessed human waste. Many rivers are considered dead zones, with oxygen levels too low to support most fish life. Not only is the water unusable, fish, an important food source in many nations, is destroyed!

Death By Hypoxia

Rivers end up in the sea - and even the sea is suffering!

“Hypoxia occurs when algae and other organisms die from lack of oxygen and available nutrients. This lack of oxygen creates dead zones in which most aquatic species cannot survive.

The Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico has a seasonal hypoxic zone that forms every year in late summer. Its size varies from fewer than 5,000 square kilometers (1,931 square miles) to approximately 22,000 square kilometers (8,494 square miles, or the size of Massachusetts). Concern over its increasing size led to the formation of the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force in 1997. Its mission is to reduce the five-year running average of the Gulf of Mexico dead zone to less than 5,000 square kilometers.

The Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is home to seven of the world’s 10 largest marine dead zones. Increased runoff from agricultural fertilizers and sewage has sped up the eutrophication process. Overfishing of Baltic cod has intensified the problem. Cod eat sprats, a small, herring-like species that eat microscopic zooplankton, which in turn eat algae. Fewer cod and more sprats mean more algae and less oxygen. The spreading dead zones are starting to reach the cod’s deep-water breeding grounds, further endangering the species.

Scientists have identified 415 dead zones worldwide. Hypoxic areas have increased dramatically during the past 50 years, from about 10 documented cases in 1960 to at least 169 in 2007. The majority of the world’s dead zones are located along the eastern coast of the United States, and the coastlines of the Baltic States, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.” (nationalgeographic.org)

This World Is Suicidal!

The population of the planet continues to grow - now over 8 billion - but the available supply of water hasn’t changed. Only 0.4% of the world’s drinkable water is accessible to humans. Since clean drinking water is essential for human existence, surely mankind would be going all out to preserve this vital resource? The opposite is happening!

The Great Creator God warns that He will …

Destroy them which destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:18)

Toxic waste from factory farming, waste from industry, and untreated human waste continues to be dumped into the nation’s rivers, rendering them dangerous for humans and aquatic life. The situation is now so serious that huge areas of ocean are now “dead zones”, where the oxygen level is so low that life cannot exist.

Mankind is slowly committing suicide. Much of the food supply is ultra-processed - corrupted - the water supply is being destroyed and even the air we breath is polluted.

Can There Be Any
“Hope For The Future”

Mr Armstrong writes:

“DO YOU see a bright future ahead? For you? For humanity?

Personally, I do – and if you can join me in saying that, you are one in a hundred thousand!

Where is any good news today?

Where is any future to be found in nations developing nuclear weapons that can erase all human, animal and plant life from the earth?

Where is any hope to be found in the wretchedness, ignorance, poverty, squalor and filth in which more than half the world’s population lives?

Where is any joyous anticipation to be found in prosperous ‘have’ nations where sources of drinking water – the rivers and lakes – are being polluted and the air we breathe is being befouled, the soil is worn out and contaminated and the foods are being robbed of nutrition in food factories; where homes and families are being broken up, crime is rapidly increasing, racial problems and violence are erupting, and sickness and mental disturbances multiplying?

Where is happiness today?

Where do we find inspiration in the assertions of world leaders and the ‘great,’ warning us that we must adjust to a future of growing problems and dangers where there are NO SOLUTIONS?

There is a CAUSE for every effect.

There is a CAUSE for the state of the world today.

And there has to be a CAUSE that will produce the peaceful and happy world tomorrow.

This all means one thing. Man, imbued with human nature, is utterly UNABLE to solve his problems. He can only worsen problems and create new ones. By the ‘knowledge’ and efforts of man, this world faces doom and hopelessness.

But there emphatically is a bright future ahead! The world tomorrow – which The Plain Truth proclaims – will bring world peace, universal prosperity, universal right education, universal good health.

In the wonderful world tomorrow, we shall have knowledge of the TRUE values. People will cease chasing the false values and suffering the painful consequences. People will learn the WAY to real happiness and find it.

Life will be continuously interesting and invigorating.

There will be world peace.

There will be universal prosperity.

The greatest event of all history will be the coming of the living Jesus Christ again to earth. When he returns, the world will know something of the meaning of ‘the power and the glory’!

He is coming to crush every government of men, as if to grind them into powder! He is coming as the King of kings, ruling over ALL NATIONS. He is coming to change human nature!

He is coming to enforce the WAY of outgoing concern, or love, of giving, serving, sharing, helping, instead of grasping, taking and self-centeredness.

He is coming to abolish war, competition, strife and violence. He is coming to inaugurate a universal, right education.

He is coming to clean up this filthy earth.

He is coming to restore the government of God as the all-powerful world government.

Yes, I see a very bright future – just ahead!

It’s the only GOOD NEWS in the world today!(The Plain Truth – February 1983)

The Millennium: The Vital First Phase

One of the first things Jesus Christ will do to show His supreme power and concern for people:

“When the poor and needy seek WATER, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst …

I the LORD will hear them,

I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

I will open RIVERS in high places, and FOUNTAINS in the midst of the valleys:

I will make the wilderness A POOL OF WATER [lake], and the dry land SPRINGS OF WATER.

I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree;

I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:

That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, THAT THE HAND OF THE LORD HATH DONE THIS, AND THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL HATH CREATED IT.” (Isaiah 41:17-20)


You don’t have to believe it!

It will happen, regardless.

It is sure – the world’s only sure hope.

This advance good news of tomorrow is as certain as the rising of tomorrow’s sun.

(Tomorrow… What It Will Be Like)

Pastor’s Report - 15 Mar 2024
Tailor-Made Training

Tailor-Made Training

"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands." (Psalms 138:8)

Any parent with more than one child will soon realise they each have different personalities, strengths and weaknesses and therefore each must be handled differently to bring out the best in them – correcting faults and building on strong points. And so it is with our Heavenly Father and us. We read of Christ taking this into account when dealing with a rich young ruler;

  • And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
  • And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments ...
  • ... The young man saith unto him, All these [commandments] have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
  • Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. (Matthew 19:16,17,20,21)

Notice ... "if THOU – singular – will be perfect". Possessing wealth is certainly not wrong: both Abraham and Job were exceedingly wealthy. But Christ was not only aware that this young ruler "had great possessions" (verse 22) – but that the accumulation of riches was his god. The LOVE of money (I Timothy 6:10) was his problem. So for him, he needed to forsake those possessions. For others Christ pointed out what they – as individuals – needed to change if they were to be a disciple:

  • And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
  • And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. [Christ was not always welcome – verse 34]
  • And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. [ i.e."my family comes first"]
  • But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. (Matthew 8:19-22)
  • If any man come to me, and hate not [love less by comparison] his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
  • And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
  • So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26,27,33)

And so it is today. We are not just one of a "job lot" but each of us in God's church is being dealt with on an INDIVIDUAL basis ... whether we have been born into a church family of parents and grandparents, uncles and aunts – all in God's Church – or conversely, find ourselves as the only one ... it makes no difference. This personalised, tailor-made training applies to us all. For some, that includes unemployment and financial hardship. For others, it could be chronic illness, bereavement, loneliness, family breakdowns etc etc. The whole gamut of human experience ... all of which God can use to refine us, mould and shape us to bring us to perfection. (Ephesians 4:13) Occasionally God will bring a trial into our lives, but more often than not, it's our own human nature and the society around us which gives Him the opportunity to coach and guide us:

  • In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

And by inference, prepare you for that place.

OT Key Personnel
  • "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:8)

It's easy to think that the examples given in the Old Testament don't really apply to us today in our 21st century – they happened thousands and thousands of years ago. But in God's perspective – a day being a thousand years and a thousand years a day (II Peter 3:8), this makes His hands-on training with certain key individuals just this past week! Knowing these examples are written for us it's worth taking a little time to consider the uniqueness of their training.

Abraham

As a key, foundational individual in His Plan, God worked with Abram (as he was called at first) for decades. Abram was very wealthy and had many servants – but He wasn't asked to give up his riches. What Abram needed to do initially was to move out of the bright lights of Ur of the Chaldees to somewhere God would eventually show him. (Genesis 12). Very much a "come out of the world" scenario.

Throughout his life, Abram's training was focused on trusting God in family situations that seemed totally impossible ... becoming a first-time father at 100 with a wife who was barren, then commanded to sacrifice the son through whom God had said he would be the "father of a great multitude" (Genesis 17:5,6). That took faith!

  • And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. (James 2:23)

Abraham was once without any children, but when resurrected, he might well be astounded to see the "over and above" fulfilment of God's promise, in millions upon millions of descendents . And not just physical descendents and royalty either .. the Messiah – the King of kings, was part of his lineage! "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1)

Abraham's training, severe as it was, was indeed tailor-made for him because of the exalted position God had in mind for him and his "seed", far into the future.

Jacob/Israel

From the very day he was born, Jacob's name carried the inference of "supplanter" (Genesis 25:26) and for many years this is how he operated – devious and unscrupulous. He obtained the birthright promise from his brother Esau in an underhanded and selfish manner, (verse 31-33) but he met his match in his uncle Laban, who was as unscrupulous as Jacob himself;

  • This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
  • That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.
  • Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
  • Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times. (Genesis 31:38-41)

Jacob certainly did not have an easy life! There was constant aggravation between his two wives and two handmaids, and his beloved wife Rachel died in childbirth (Genesis 35:18). He also thought that Joseph "the son of his old age" had been killed by a wild beast (Genesis 37:33). His comment to Pharaoh summed up how he felt: "... few and evil have the days of my life been" (Genesis 47:9)

God knew though that a converted Jacob had real potential and saw him as one of the key players in His overall Plan, so He continued to work with him right through his life, changing his name to Israel ... the name carried by his descendents to this day. Israel's life was indeed one of heartache and hardship, but once reunited with Joseph – who he'd given up for dead – he was able to say : "And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed." (Genesis 48:11). And the names of each of his children will live on throughout eternity:

  • ... the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
  • Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
  • And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (Revelation 21:10-12)

Joseph

As a teenager of 17, Joseph was given two dreams which seemed to indicate that one day he would be someone of great importance. (Genesis 37) It no doubt would have been wiser not to discuss these with his brothers – but God used their animosity towards him, as Joseph was destined to go to Egypt one way or another; "Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." (Genesis 45:5). Even though he handled himself circumspectly and within God's law, he found himself thrown in prison on a trumped-up charge, which must have seemed so unfair. But knowing now what position God had in mind for him – this was obviously part of HIS individual, tailor-made training programme:.

  • And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
  • But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. (Genesis 39:20,21)

We can't know what went through Joseph's mind those 13 years in prison – though presumably he thought of his dreams from time to time. All these years later we have the advantage of seeing how all the jigsaw pieces fell into place. It's obvious to us – although not to him back then – that he was being specifically trained for an incredibly high-profile position, and that eventually and overnight he would be thrust into being second in command under Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:40-42). An astounding turn-around of events!

Moses

As recorded in Exodus chapter 2, Moses was a Levite by birth ... a tribe that by nature wasn't known for a laid-back attitude to life! (Genesis 49:5) In Book 2 of the Antiquities of the Jews by Josephus, we have a word portrait of a cunning and courageous general in the Egyptian army – who was not averse to using devious means to gain any advantage over the enemy. For example:

Tharbis was the daughter of the king of the Ethiopians: she happened to see Moses as he led the army near the walls, and fought with great courage; and admiring the subtilty of his undertakings ... she fell deeply in love with him; and upon the prevalency of that passion, sent to him the most faithful of all her servants to discourse with him about their marriage. He thereupon accepted the offer, on condition she would procure the delivering up of the city; ... No sooner was the agreement made, but it took effect immediately; and when Moses had cut off the Ethiopians, he gave thanks to God, and consummated his marriage [to Tharbis], and led the Egyptians back to their own land. (Chapter 10)

Years of commanding thousands, if not tens of thousands of men would certainly be an advantage to the person God would choose to lead His people out of Egypt, but there was a certain amount of individual and tailor-made training Moses obviously needed before God could use him in that capacity. It appears that after fleeing from Pharaoh, he spent 40 years in the wilderness, shepherding sheep – no doubt to mellow his combative nature. (Exodus 3).

Even so, years later we can see the Levite blood coming out in Moses when he smashed the original tables of stone on which God had written the 10 Commandments, and had to hack out replacements. (Exodus 32 and 34) And again at the waters of Meribah, when he disobeyed God's command to just speak to the rock, but hit it twice instead, failing to give God the glory. Although God backed him up, it was vitally important – for all – that this blatant disobedience would not go unpunished. So Moses was to die before entering the land of Canaan (Numbers 20:10-13). No doubt though, God had revealed to him that in the next moment of his consciousness he would indeed be in THE Promised Land – and in a high position of authority. (Matthew 17:2,3)

David

Even before Saul finally disqualified himself from being king over Israel, it's clear that for some time, God had had his replacement in mind;

  • And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. (I Samuel 16:1)

David's father Jesse hadn't even bothered to call him in from tending the sheep, but God knew David's potential – even as a teenager he'd shown courage and trust in Him. (I Samuel 17:37). With David's future kingly role in mind, God orchestrated a certain amount of training in the royal court – initially as Saul's armour bearer and later ... "Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants." (I Samuel 18:5)

But David had to wait many years to become king over Judah – years spent in hiding from Saul who wanted him dead. But all that time, although he had more than one opportunity to kill Saul, building faith, he waited on God's timing (I Samuel 24 and 27).

The chances are adultery and murder wasn't unusual during David's reign but because of what God had in mind for David far into the future, when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and organised the death of her husband the correction had to be severe – the death of the child and a shameful assault on his other wives. (II Samuel 11:27, 12:9-12). God was specifically working with and training David so his later error in numbering Israel, recorded in II Samuel 24 also had to be dealt with very seriously.

Although God didn't allow David to build a temple (as he was a man of war), He did promise "And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever." (II Samuel 7:16) And at Christ's return: "... they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them." (Jeremiah 30:9)

End-Time Key Personnel

Important as it was two thousand years ago for God the Father to guide the choice of the apostles (Luke 6:12), choosing the right person to teach and train the end-time church was just as critical. With not much time left before the end of the 6000 year "week", the man God called for the role of His end-time apostle would have to be someone exceptional, and one who would submit to His tailor-made training programme.

Consider the responsibility He would lay on this man's shoulders;

  • Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
  • And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. (Malachi 4:5,6)
  • 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. (Matthew 24:14)
  • I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (Revelation 3:8)
  • And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. (Revelation 10:11)
Mr. Armstrong

Years of experience in the advertising profession became of great benefit to the Work in later years. But Mr. Armstrong admitted quite openly that in his 20's he was a "cocky, self-assured" young man who was incredibly successful financially. His goal in life at that time was to be seen as important in the eyes of the world's most eminent men. But there were other attributes – strengths – that God knew he had and could use to great effect. From the Autobiography volume 1, chapter 5:

But, if there was ego and cocky conceit, there also was ambition, determination, fire, drive, and honest and sincere effort toward what then seemed to be a right goal.

When the Unseen Hand mentioned in the introductory chapter took a hand, shook me up, knocked me down, took away what financial success I appeared headed toward, beat out the proud conceit and punctured the inflated ego, my eyes were opened to what they had not seen before.The goal was changed.The self-confidence was replaced with faith.But the fired-up desire now flamed forth in the new direction.The sincere drive, and energy now was applied with increased zeal to the new and far better goal. (Autobiography - Chapter 5)

It's not easy to think of a hardship and heartache that Mr. Armstrong wasn't personally acquainted with; 28 years of poverty, death of his first-born son, backstabbing from another son, slander, character defamation, disloyalty, bereavement, and as the apostle Paul mentioned: "Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches." (II Corinthians 11:28)

Having now replaced his main goal of being viewed as being a success in the eyes this world, God gave him real status in later life in the eyes of kings, presidents, rulers, emperors and prime ministers. Almost 40 years after his death, character assassination and libel continues but, as recorded in Revelation: "Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee." (Revelation 3:9)

Firstfruits

Since the time of Mr. Armstrong's death in 1986, the church has suffered crisis after crisis, shattering after shattering, with many long-time and faithful ministers and brethren dying. It can appear that what is happening to the church just doesn't make sense, and many times, neither do our personal trials.

Like so many God has used throughout history, 99% of the time we don't see the big picture and know the whys and wherefores of our trials and adversities. We can rest assured though that – as key personnel in the coming government of God – we are continually being worked with individually and our training is tailor-made to our specific and distinct needs. If we can keep this at the forefront of our minds, it becomes a little easier to agree with what the apostle James had to say:

  • My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into [various trials];
  • Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.[endurance]
  • But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2:4)

After all ... like humanity at the time of Noah, this world relies on "an elect" if it is to remain! (Matthew 24:22)

Joseph - and the Firsfruits

At the time, those "key personnel" throughout history had only an vague idea – if any at all – of how God would work things out, or turn adverse conditions around, whereas we have the benefit of reading their life histories and seeing God's loving and miracle-working hand in their lives. And if there is one individual that we, as part of the end-time church can identify with – and take courage from – it has to be that of Joseph. His story is OUR story also:

  • Joseph was excited about his dreams, but his family certainly were not! And how many of us – when initially called into the church – have enthusiastically tried to share with others, what was to us some wonderful truths, but with a negative response?
  • He spent many years in prison as part of his training. We too are living in a "world held captive", often suffering what appears to be unfair and undeserved "punishment" – sometime for years on end.
  • But his life was turned around in the "twinkling of an eye" when he was in effect, shot to glory overnight and given the opportunity now to use what he'd learnt in those years of tailor-made training.
  • Joseph was reunited with his brothers, father and many other family members born since his incarceration. And his family given status in Egypt and the best of the land: "And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed. (Isaiah 61:9)

There are not many people, even if they are unfamiliar with the whole story, haven't heard of Joseph and "his coat of many colours". In fact, by 2008 more than 20,000 schools and amateur theatre groups had staged productions of the original musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat" (1973). Far, far more than merely having a musical named after us, at the conclusion of OUR training, as Sons of God we have this promise:

  • Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
  • Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
  • That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
  • For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.
  • As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
  • And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. (Isaiah 66:9-14)
  • Now to him, who by the action of His power within us, is able to do all, aye far more than we can ever ask or imagine, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20 Moffatt)
Transcript - 31 May 2022

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I Corinthians 1 and 2 20 Jul 1980
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Listen to Me, You who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My Law: …I have put My words in your mouth, I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, That I may plant the heavens, Lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, “you are My people” (Isaiah 51:7,16)