“And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.” (Genesis 36:35)
In Retrospect the year 2006 has not been a very good year, with its wars, terrorism, corruption in politics, governments and corporations. Also, we mention the changes in climatic conditions with hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis and global warming. Many are very concerned about global warming, which they blame on the use of fossil fuels such as gas, oil, coal and others. However, those who are so concerned about global warming cannot explain some things that have been discovered. For instance, it has been discovered that some of the plant and animal life in the ocean beds have died for no apparent reason. They have been found at the bottom of the ocean with no life in them. Even the worms were dead. This cannot be explained as being caused by the use of fossil fuels. Of, course, fossil fuels have contributed to the condition, but it is not the entire reason. We are in the beginning of a new dispensation and a better order of affairs, both in the affairs of the people and in the reordering of the earth itself.
But let us reason together a moment. If the earth is to become as the Garden of Eden then what was Eden like? We recall that Adam and Eve had no clothing on until after they had sinned, so it was surely a tropical climate. When they did put on fig leaves, it was not because they were cold, but because they were ashamed and realized they were naked before the Lord. Imagine the whole earth having a climate like that. There will still be seasons of spring, summer, fall and winter, but they will not be so severe as they are now. However, they will be even more severe during the change of dispensations.
But let us look beyond that to the Paradise after all the changes are made. We can glorify our God and our Lord Jesus Christ for the new earthly Kingdom. It will indeed be a grand and glorious Paradise (Isaiah 35:1-10; Acts 3:19-21). This is our, and the world’s, Prospect for the future. Hallelujah!
WORLD EVENTS
“Iranian President Ahmadinejad recently wrote a letter to the 12th Imam, who is supposedly hidden in the bottom of a well in Jamkaran, Iran. Many Shiites believe the 12th Imam is the Mahdi who will return in the Last Days to reign over a just world in which Islam is universally embraced. Experts believe that Ahmadinejad's threat of nuclear weapons development may well be his effort to create an Islamic world for the Mahdi's return.”
(USN and World Report, May 22, 2006)
Comment: This plan poses a problem. If this Mahdi is to return from the well and rule, then it is no wonder that the Iranian President is planning a nuclear war to bring on Annageddon. If it is not brought on quickly this Mahdi could be dead by then. But if he is to return from the dead to rule over the world, it still is a problem, because there have been four universal empires and the fifth is to be Christ's Kingdom. Many have tried to rule the world since Napoleon deposed the Holy Roman Empire. Napoleon himself was a rascal and his purpose was to control the world, but he failed. Hitler tried and he failed. Now comes Iran who say they will rule the world, but that they must kill all the Jews first. But they, too, will fail.
Some of you may have seen Benjamin Netanyahu, former prime minister of Israel, who spoke on TV giving his assessment of President Ahmadinejad of Iran. Netanyahu says that he is a religious fanatic who will not use reason or logic. Netanyahu also says that Ahmadinejad’s main target is the U.S. and other western nations. Israel is only the first step of his plans. He calls the U.S. the “great Satan” and Israel is the “little Satan.” After he has killed all Jews then he will destroy the U.S. and Moslems will rule the whole world. If you haven’t seen this program, it is aired on CNN Headline news, usually on Fridays at 7 pm and 9 pm. It is on the Glenn Beck show, and has been repeated several times and may be again. It is well worth seeing.
“VANDALS DAMAGE, DEFACE JEWISH SHOPS IN ROME: Jewish shops across Rome were vandalized and defaced with swastikas in an apparent neo-fascist attack linked to fighting in the Middle East, officials said Wednesday. Owners of about 20 shops in the center and outskirts of the Italian capital found door locks filled with glue, shutters nailed closed and swastikas on near-by walls.” (No source given, August 3, 2006)
Comment: This is reminiscent of the Kristallnacht in Germany in 1938 just before World War II.
“SADDAM SENTENCED TO HANGING: He, six others convicted in deaths of 148 Shiites after attempt on his life in 1982. An Iraqi court sentenced Saddam Hussein to the gallows yesterday for crimes against humanity, closing a 25-year chapter of violent suppression in this land of long memories, deep grudges and sectarian killings. . . The death sentences automatically go to a nine-judge appeals panel, which has unlimited time to review the case. If the verdicts and sentences are upheld, the executions must be carried out within 30 days. A court official said that the appeals process is likely to take three to four weeks once the paper work is submitted. If the verdicts are upheld, those sentenced to death will be hanged despite Saddam's second, continuing trial in the deaths of thousands of Iraqis Kurdish minority.”
(Associated Press, November 6, 2006)
“VOTERS OUST EVOLUTION FOES IN KANSAS EDUCATION BATTLE: TOKEKA, KAN. ─ Conservative Republicans who pushed anti-evolution standards back into Kansas schools last year have lost control of the state Board of Education once again.
“The most closely watched race was in western Kansas, where incumbent conservative Connie Morris lost her GOP primary Tuesday. The former teacher had described evolution as ‘an age-old fairy tale’ and ‘a nice bedtime story’ unsupported by science.
“As a result of the vote, board members and candidates who think evolution is well- supported by evidence will have a 6-4 majority. Evolution skeptics entered the election with a 6-4 majority. Critics of Kansas’ science standards worried that if conservatives retained the majority, it would lead to attempts in other states to copy the Kansas standards. ‘There are people around the country who would like to see the Kansas standards in their own states,’ said Eugenie Scott, director of the National Center for Science education in Oakland, Calif., which supports the teaching of evolution.
“Control of the board has slipped into, out of and back into conservative Republicans' hands since 1998, resulting in anti-evolution friendly ones in 2001 and anti-evolution ones again last year.” (By John Hanna, Associated Press, August 3, 2006)
“BLOCKING HAMAS: The EJC has made political interventions to block visas for Hamas Representatives throughout Europe. The EJC has addressed letters to the Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly Rene van der Liden as well as other officials to block Hamas officials from European territory.”
“FIGHTING INTERNET HATE: The CJC launched a new initiative to fight hate on the internet: Stop Internet Hate. The CJC web site now carries a link for anyone wishing to report what they believe may be an Internet site with hateful content. This new initiative seeks to educate and empower Internet users to recognize and report sites that promote hate and can be viewed at www.cjc.ca.”
(The above two items are from World Jewish Congress Report, Summer 2006)
“THE NEW UNBELIEVERS: Books on atheism are hot. But do they have anything fresh to say?
“‘Atheism is unknown there; Infidelity rare and secret; so that persons may live to a great Age in the Country, without having their Piety shocked by meeting with either Atheist or Infidel.’
“Little seems to have changed since Benjamin Franklin penned those words of advice to would-be immigrants in 1782. Most polling data suggest that some 90 percent of Americans believe in God or a supreme spirit. And a recent University of Minnesota study finds that atheists ─ or at least that lonely one percent of the national mix that dares to identify itself as such ─ are the least trusted group in America. So why in this land of the God-fearing have the gloves-off arguments of a few God-denying intellectuals been garnering such wide popular attention?” (US News and World Report, November 13, 2006)
Comment: The above is a long article about the rise of a few very vocal atheist in the U.S. This is a real commentary on the failure of the churches. They have sent many missionaries to developing countries to convert them. But they have failed to do that, and now it seems that they have failed to convert citizens of this country.
“PERCEPTION OF CORRUPTION IS PREVALENT, SURVEY FINDS: BERLIN ─ Nearly three-quarters of 163 countries ranked in a new survey suffer from a perception of serious corruption, and in nearly half it is seen as rampant, a watchdog group reported yesterday.
“Transparency International's 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index gives the worst scores to many of the world's poorest countries, including almost all African nations. ‘Corruption traps millions in poverty,’ the agency's international chairman Huguette Labelle said in a statement.
“Countries are ranked out of 10. Anything below five indicates ‘serious’ perceived levels of corruption, and anything below 3 ‘rampant,’ the agency said. Russia scored a dismal 2.5, putting it in a 121st-place tie with among others, Rwanda. The best were Finland, Iceland and New Zealand, a first-place tie at 9.6. Britain was 11th at 8.6, Germany 16th at 8.0 and the United States 20th at 7.3. (WS Journal Wire Report, November 7, 2006)
IN FINANCE
The G.N.P. (Gross National Product) is forecast to 2.5% growth in 2007. The interest rate seems to be staying at 8.5% in 2007. Crude oil went up again. Housing sales will be slow. Retail sales are predicted to be up 3.5% in 2007.
Mortgage payments for many are higher and credit card payments are higher after new rules jacked up minimum payments.
Stock gains added more than one trillion dollars to consumer wealth this year. We see this continuing next year, but at a slower pace.
Jobs are plentiful. The unemployment rate of 4.4% was the lowest since 2001. However it will go up again in 2007, but still stay low enough to keep people spending.
14.7 trillion dollars in new net wealth plus 5.8 million new jobs and productivity has grown 10%, and to which the tax cuts have helped.
The Democrats are set to run congress starting in 2007. Charles Rangel (Democrat from New York) says he has no plans of rolling back any of the tax cuts before their scheduled 2010 expiration date. For one thing President Bush still has the veto power. Also the legislation is just not possible yet. The tax cuts on dividends, individual income, and capital gains will not expire until 2010. However big business is expected to be put on the hot seat, as congressional committees question oil and drug executives about compensation and pricing among other issues. 2007 is a hard year to predict.
Some financial advisors are optimistic and some are pessimistic, but they are all very cautious in their prognostications because Matthew 24:39 tells us, “they knew not” or “understand not.” It is only by the understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation, that we know that this present “evil” order (Gal. 1:4) of things must be destroyed in the Time of Trouble before Christ’s Kingdom can be established.
Our only advice at present is to “Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” (Zeph. 2:3) “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5)
IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
“SUPERNATURAL HORRORS DEBUNKED BY SCIENCE: It is the season for vampires, ghosts, and zombies. Just remember, they are not real, says physicist Costas Efthimiou. Obviously, you might say.
“But Efthimiou, a professor at the University of Central Florida, refers to surveys that show American gullibility for the supernatural.
“Using science and math, Efthimiou explains why it is that ghosts cannot walk around us and also glide through walls, like Patrick Swayze in the movie Ghost. That violates Newton’s law of action and reaction. If ghosts walk, their feet apply force to the floor, but if they go through walls they are without substance, the professor says. ‘So which is it? Are ghost’s material or material-less’ he asks.
“Zombies and vampires fare even worse under Efthimiou’s skeptical microscope. Efthimiou looked at the most prominent child-turned-zombie case that thrills zombie aficio-nados: the 1989 case of a 17-year old Haitian who was declared dead and then rose from the grave a day after the funeral and was considered a Zombie. The boy, who had not died but was paralyzed, had been poisoned with toxins from a relative of the deadly Japanese pufferfish, later research showed.
“Efthimiou took out a calculator to prove that if a vampire sucked one person’s blood each month ─ turning each victim into an equally hungry vampire ─ after a couple of years there would be no people left, just vampires. He started his calculations with just one vampire and 537 million humans on January 1, 1600, and showed that the human population would be zero by July 1602. Take that Dracula and creepy friends.
“All this may seem obvious, but to Efthimiou and other scientists, the public is often not as skeptical as might be thought. Efthimiou refers to National Science Foundation reports showing widespread belief in pseudosciences ─ such as vampires, astrology and ESP.
“More than one in three Americans believes that houses can be haunted, a 2005 Gallup poll showed. More that 20 percent of Americans believe in witches and that people can communicate with the dead. TV shows such Medium and Ghost Whisperers are popular fare.
“‘We’re talking about a large fraction of the public that believes in subjects that scientists believe are out of the question,’ said Efthimiou. His paper is in an archive awaiting publication either in the journal Physics Education or the magazine Skeptical Inquirer, he said.”
(Associated Press, October 27, 2006)
Comment: Obviously the above was written before Halloween. But at least, now some scientists are coming closer to the Biblical teaching that the “dead know not any thing” (Eccl. 9:5) and that “there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest.” (Eccl. 9:10)
However, there will be many who will not listen to the Bible, or these scientists, because the belief has been ingrained in them from childhood and further back for generations.
IN RELIGION
The September 18, 2006 issue of Time magazine gives the pros and cons of whether God wishes his people to be Rich. There are Scriptures given on each side of the matter, but there are no really substantial ones given for the unreasonable and unscriptural ones
that refute the idea that God wishes his people to be rich. Remember the rich young ruler of Matthew 19: 16-29. He ask of Jesus what he should do to obtain eternal life. Jesus told him to obey all the laws, which he said he had done, but what else could he do? Jesus told him to sell all that he had and come and follow him. But the young man went away sorrowful for he had great possessions. Also, remember Jim Baker? His philosophy and teaching was prosperity, but it landed him in prison because he was using illegal means of obtaining his prosperity, and this is one of the dangers of this kind of teaching. It encourages one to cut corners in their effort to obtain riches.
We will only mention the Scriptures given for the belief of riches being God’s plan. They are:
Deut. 8: 17,18: “And thou say in thine heart, My power and might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth” This is taken out of context, because God is chastising the Israelites for forgetting all that He had done for them in bringing them out of the bondage of Egypt and sustaining them for forty years of wandering in the wilderness. But now that they are in the land of plenty, they are claiming that they have obtained all that they have by their own “power and might of mine own hand” and have forgotten God. This is shown in the previous verses.
Eccel. 5:18,19: “Behold that which I have seen; it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.” In verse 4 of this passage it says: “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.” This means that those who have made a consecration to give all that they have, or will have, in the service of God are to use it for that purpose. They are merely stewards over whatever they possess, whether it be little or a lot. Of course, as stewards they are able to use whatever is needed for their own livelihood. See also verse 14. Also see Jesus’ words in Luke 13:33: “So likewise, whosoever, he be that of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”
Mal. 3:10: “Bring ye thee all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Not because He is needy, but because He seeks evidence of our sincerity and faithfulness in respect to our covenant engagement when we pledged all that we possessed. Partakers of the spirit of the Lord have a mind, not merely to give a tenth of all possessions and income to the Lord, but to consecrate it all and prove it by fulfilling the terms of their covenant. He then will pour out His blessings by a revival of spiritual health, energy, vigor, joy ─ not of earthly riches.
Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom, for with the same measure that you mete, withal it will be measured unto you again.” Reckon yourself God’s steward, commissioned by Him to use all your goods, as well as your personal talents, to His glory in serving those about you. It will be measured back to you again (in your bosom) because you will have shown yourself to be either a child of wrath or a child of love, and God must deal with you accordingly.
John 10:10: Then Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.” Those becoming participants in their Lord’s grace, renounce, or sacrifice with Him the earthly inheritance, the earthly life, that they may attain heaven and its “life more abundant” ─ not an abundance of earthly things.
The Apostle Paul writes Timothy in chapter 6, verses 17,18,19: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”
THE POPE AND MUSLIMS: Also, in September Pope Benedict XVI made a statement about Mohammed, the founder of Islam, that set off a firebomb of protests by the Muslims. What the Pope said was supposedly from some historic document. It said in effect that Mohammed was an advocate of violence against those he termed as enemies of Islam. In the aftermath of this statement the Muslims burned churches, both Catholic and Protestant, in Gaza and the West Bank, and murdered a Nun. This seems to us to prove what the Pope had read from the document. This does not show them as peace loving people as they would have us believe, although we are sure there are some who are.
However, if the Muslims had known the history of the Papal system and all the violence they carried out against those whom they termed as “heretics” before their power was broken by Napoleon, there would have been a greater outburst. Here we have the pot calling the kettle black. The problem is that the Muslims say they will dominate the world after they have killed all the Israelites. And the Papacy wants to get back the dominance of the world they had in ancient times. So here we have both sides striving for the same thing. Pope Paul VI, the previous Pope, had succeeded in influencing almost the whole world. Many Protestants, as well as Catholics, gave great honor to him. But he did it with tact and subtlety and had he lived a few more years he would have had practically the whole world worshiping him. But the present Pope doesn’t seem to have his finesse. We cannot prophesy what is going to happen, but we can only hope that these two entities will negate each other, at least in their false religions.
LITERAL AND MYSTIC BABYLON: Fleshly Israel was taken into literal Babylon, which was built on the literal Euphrates River. In the Gospel Age mystic Babylon which sits on the mystic Euphrates carried away captive Spiritual Israel. Literal Babylon being built on the Euphrates River, which materially contributed to its wealth and resources, its overthrow was accomplished by diverting those waters. The waters from that river signify revenues from all nations. Literal Babylon's wealth, supplies and sustenance came largely from that source. That represents it being supported by many waters (people, nations). The turning aside of the "waters” would represent the alienation of the people, which would be indicated by their withholding of financial support. Cyrus turned aside the waters of the river leaving the old channel dry and enabling him to march his army under the gates.
All this is typical of mystic Babylon. The waters represent the people who, by their influence and money support Babylon the Great, mystic Babylon. Mystic Babylon sits upon, is supported by many waters (people, nations), and its fall is predicted through the turning aside of its supporters and sustainers, the people. (Rev. 17:15) This implies a cessation of the revenues of Babylon, a decline in the contributions which heretofore have made her wealthy.
We believe we can see this happening now with the drop off in attendance in the churches and that in turn means the withholding of financial support. The drying up will probably require many years for its accomplishment, but it seems to be progressing rapidly. Apparently the people are loosing their respect for the churches. Only a few older members hold on tightly to their congregations. Attendance is dwindling in all denominations.
The Catholic church says that it is suffering badly financially. This is partly because of the cost of paying off the debt caused by their wayward Priests poor behavior. But that in turn is causing many of their members to withhold donations.
“WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES: Relations with the World Council of Churches (WCC) have been strained in recent years as a result of their condemnation and criticism of Israel. The WJC has been in contact with WCC Secretary General Samuel Kobla and has reason to believe that the Council has mitigated some of its negative attitudes towards Israel. At a World Council of Churches meeting in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Rabbi Henry I. Sobel, representing the WJC and IJCIC, presented the Jewish communities opposition to the WCC’s negative statements against Israel.” (World Jewish Congress Report, Summer 2006)
“ANGLICAN CHURCH DIVESTMENT: In a February 2006 vote that sparked outrage around the world, the Synod of the Anglican Church, the premier body of the 75 million-member global Anglican Communion, voted to support divestment in firms whose products are used by Israel in the West Bank. Sharp condemnations of the move were issued by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Jewish leaders around the world. WJC officials condemned the move at the February Governing Board meeting in Jerusalem.
Ultimately, acknowledging that divestment was a “highly contentious” issue, the Church’s Ethical Investment Advisory Board voted unanimously not to divest.”
(World Jewish Congress Report, Summer 2006)
“POPE TO LOOSEN RULES FOR USING LATIN MASS: VATICAN CITY ─ Pope Benedict XVI has decided to loosen restrictions on use of the old Latin Mass, making a major concession to ultraconservatives who split with the Vatican to protest liberalizing reforms, a Vatican official said Wednesday.
“The Pope's intent is to ‘help overcome the schism and help bring [the ultraconservatives] back to the church,’ said his official, who asked that his name not be used because the papal document has not been released. . .
“The Late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the Swiss-based Society of St. Pius X in 1969 in opposition to the reforms of the 1961-65 Second Vatican Council, particularly allowing Mass to be celebrated in local languages instead of Latin. The Vatican excommunicated Lefebvre in 1988 after he consecrated four bishops without Rome's consent. The issue of the Mass will only be one of the points in the Papal document that will reach out to the ultraconservatives, the Vatican official said.”
(By Victor L. Simpson, The Associated Press, September 12, 2006)
“U.S. CHURCH HOSTS SAINT’S HEART: Relic of St. John Vianney marks parish's anniversary. In life, St. John Vianney was a revered 19th-century French clergyman who was said to be blessed with the ability to read the hearts of worshipers. In death, his own heart has become an object of worship.
“For reasons unknown, the saint's body never decayed after death, and his heart and body have been encased in a separate glass reliquaries in France for more than a century. The heart was brought to the U.S. for the first time last weekend to help Long Island's Cure of Ars church celebrate its 80th anniversary. Pastors from some of the Roman Catholic parishes around the country that also bear his name flew in for the occasion, and thousands of worshippers came. The Rev. Charles Mangano said hosting the relic at his American parish ─ the first named in St. John Vianney's honor ─ was a ‘historical moment for Our country, our diocese, our church.’”
(By Frank Eltman, The Associated Press, October 11, 2006)
Comment: This is idol worship as much as the worship of any graven image. In the first place, no one but God knows if this man was a saint. And even if it were surely known that he was, worshiping his body parts would be either idolatry or angel worship. People will make a God of all sorts of things.
“PRELATE SENTENCED: A high-ranking Roman Catholic priest was sentenced to prison for stealing more that $800,000 from his parish to finance vacations, country clubs and fancy clothes. ‘I am truly, truly sorry for what has taken place,’ Monsignor John Woolsey said before a judge sentenced him to one to four years in prison.”
(Orlando Sentinel, September 24, 2006)
“CHAPLAIN REMOVED: Following pressure from Argentina's government, the Vatican has agreed to remove from his post as the head chaplain of the armed forces, a Catholic bishop who announced that he would lead a prayer meeting with neo-Nazis, and has publicly denigrated Jews.
“The government had called on the Vatican to dismiss Bishop Antonio Juan Baseotto, and when the Church refused, cut funding for the position.
(World Jewry, September 2006)
“RELIGIOUS-BIAS SUIT AGAINST AIR FORCE ACADEMY REJECTED: WASHINGTON ─ A federal judge Friday threw out a lawsuit against the Air Force Academy that claimed evangelical Christian values were being illegally pushed on cadets. The academy's critic said the decision by senior U.S. District Judge James A. Parker in Albuquerque, N.M., would likely be appealed. The high-profile case was brought by a group of Air Force Academy graduates who charged that a military chaplain violated their religious-freedom rights by urging cadets to attend Christian services or face being burned ‘in the fires of hell.’”
(Orlando Sentinel, September 28, 2006)
“CHURCH REVERSES ITS POLICY ON ISRAEL: The Presbyterian Church (USA) voted Wednesday to back off a decision it made two years ago to pursue divestment from companies that profit from Israel's involvement in the Palestinian territories.
“The resolution, passed overwhelmingly at the church's general assembly in Birmingham, Ala, responded to outcries by some church members and Jews who accused the church of insensitivity to Israel. The resolution apologized for ‘the pain that this has caused among many members of the Jewish community and within our Presbyterian communion.’” (By Laurie Goodstein, The New York Times, June 22, 2006)
“CHURCH FIRES TEACHER FOR BEING FEMALE: WATERTOWN, N.Y. ─ The minister of a church that dismissed a female Sunday School teacher after adopting what it called a literal interpretation of the Bible says a woman can perform any job ─ outside the church.
“The First Baptist Church dismissed Mary Lambert on Aug. 9 with a letter explaining that the church had adopted an interpretation that prohibits women from teaching men. She had taught there for 54 years. The letter quoted the first Epistle to Timothy: ‘I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.’”
(AOL News, August 21 ,2006)
Comment: In the 1 Tim. 2:12 passage alluded to the word silence is from the Greek word hesuchia, which means quietness. St. Paul does not mean that a woman's lips must be sealed, that she may not declare the good tidings of great joy to others. She may not usurp authority over the man, but she may lead a study if no consecrated or competent brethren are present. In Acts 18:24-26 Priscilla with her husband, Aquila expounded truth to
Apollos. In the Bible there have been women who have been respected and honored. Jesus gave recognition to some, such as Rahab, Mary Magdalene, the Samaritan woman at the well, the widow who anointed His head for burial, and, of course His Mother Mary. Also, he appeared first to the women of the early church after His resurrection. So the women of the Bible have not been downgraded as some are now.
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We are saddened to report the passing of Vinessa Roach of Trinidad. She had a long illness, but through it all she was strong and courageous. She is survived by her sister, Ruth, who has our great sympathy. We trust that she will be remembered in the Kingdom.
Many thanks and much appreciation for the beautiful Christmas cards received, with special thanks for the love and prayers expressed which we heartily reciprocate. We wish for all our readers that they will grow in Grace and Knowledge of the Lord for a blessed New Year.
Announcement: The date of our Memorial is March 31, 2007, after six p.m.