THE ETERNAL
VOL. 5 NO. 8
“CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH WHICH WAS ONCE DELIVERED UNTO THE SAINTS.” JUDE 3
Pope Calls For A New World Order
Auto Dealers to ask Defend Sabbath Legislature for Sunday Preaching Sales Ban by F. D. Nichol Associated Press, December 5, 2008 GLADSTONE, Ore. -- Oregon's struggling auto dealers plan to ask the Legislature to impose "blue laws" prohibiting car sales on Sunday.
Promoting a New World Order Worthy of Human Beings Jan. 2, 2009, Vatican Information Service VATICAN CITY, 1 JAN 2009 (VIS) - At noon today, shortly after celebrating Mass in the Vatican Basilica, Benedict XVI addressed the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus. The Pope wished a happy New Year to all present and to those who were following the Angelus on radio or television, assuring them that "with the Lord's grace - and only with it - can we have ever-new hope —continued on page 2
Preparing for the Sealing Time - Part 1 By Elder Mike Nicholson Dear Friends, thought I would share with you some of my thoughts that I have been studying as I am asking God to change my life into His life, ready to be sealed and receive the Latter Rain to give the Loud Cry to the 6.7 Billion people upon this earth to be ready for the soon coming of our Savior. May God Bless you all as you read this. Please keep us all in your prayers as we seek to serve our precious Savior. Friends, we must live by the principle that Christ has set before us with His own precious life. We must be clean vessels waiting to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Bible set this principle before us. —continued on page 6
Sixty-six Nations Ask the U.N. to Decriminalize Homosexuality Associated Press, December 18, 2008 UNITED NATIONS - Alone among major Western nations, the United States has refused to sign a declaration presented Thursday at the United Nations calling for worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality. In all, 66 of the U.N.'s 192 member countries signed the nonbinding declaration — which backers called a historic step to push the General Assembly to deal more forthrightly with any gay discrimination. More than 70 U.N. members outlaw homosexuality, and in —continued on page 7
The day off would help them cut costs during an economic downturn that has already put 19 Oregon dealerships out of business this year. Nationally, sales of domestic cars declined more than 35 percent in 2008. Greg Remensperger, executive vice president of the Oregon Automobile Dealers Association, told The —continued on page 3
Sunday Shopping? France Says ‘NO’ By Bruce Crumley Time Magazine, Dec. 17, 2008 In policy terms, December, 2008 is not turning out to be a keeper for French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Less than 24 hours after his government was forced to delay much touted education reforms in the face of protests by high school students, Sarkozy was forced to make big concessions to plans to legalize Sunday trading in France. Far from the sweeping liberalization Sarkozy had called for as part of his plan to let French employees "work more to earn more", the compromise bill will modestly augment the number of exceptional Sundays shops are already permit—continued on page 3
Greek Unionists Protest against Sunday Shopping The Associated Press, Dec. 28, 2008 ATHENS, Greece: Labor union activists blockaded some shops in central Athens that were trying to open Sunday to make up revenue lost in three weeks of rioting that badly damaged the capital's retail district. The shopkeepers' association had asked to keep their businesses open for a second consecutive Sunday one more than the customary Christmas exemption to the usual opening hours. They wanted to try to recoup some of their losses from the economic —continued on page 3 The Eternal Gospel Herald Florida Mission P.O. Box 15138 West Palm Beach FL, 33416
Review and Herald Sept. 11, 1930, page 7 If I, personally, have been too zealous in presenting the Seventh-day Adventist F. D. Nichol, view of the Sabbath doc- former Editor trine in the closing chapters of the Review of my booklet, I trust that and Herald for you will forgive such zeal 21 years. when you remember that I believe it to be a solemn responsibility of a minister of the gospel to endeavor to arouse all men to a consciousness of their duty to give homage to God on the day that He has set apart as holy, the day that He intends shall be kept as a memorial of His creative power. I preach the Sabbath doctrine, not with the thought of merely adding another doctrine to a —continued on page 3
The Battle for Sunday By Richard Palmer www.thetrumpet.com Feb. 2009 The Vatican wants to establish Sunday observance in EU law. If our peoples really understood history, this would terrify them. The Roman Catholic Church has been fighting to make Sunday observance mandatory in Europe for the past 15 years. Its efforts have not yet succeeded in having a Sunday rest enshrined in European Union law— though at times it has come close. Over the past few months, the church has been on the attack using the EU’s Working Time Directive. A hideously socialist piece of legislation, the Working Time Directive makes it illegal for a person to work for more than 48 hours a week. When originally passed back in 1993, the directive required all employees to have a weekly rest period, which “shall in principle include Sunday”—though it did concede that “it is ultimately for each member state to decide whether Sunday should be included in the weekly rest period, and if so to what extent.” But before EU nations enforced the directive, the European Court of Justice annulled the provision that would require employees to —continued on page 3 Non Profit Org. US Postage PAID West Palm Beach, FL Permit No. 4317
page 2 the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 8
Are Sunday Laws Coming Suddenly and Unexpectedly? —Pastor Raphael Perez The answer to this questions is both yes and no. Yes—for most of the people who are too disinterested with spiritual matters or just too occupied with worldly pursuits. No—for God’s people who are studying the prophecies and observing world events. We can see in this issue of The Eternal Gospel Herald what is about to happen. Read what some of the headlines are saying about Sunday Laws. “The warning from heaven is: ‘If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation.’ Revelation 14:9, 10. But not one is made to suffer the wrath of God until the truth has been brought home to his mind and conscience, and has been rejected. There are many who have never had an opportunity to hear the special truths for this time. The obligation of the fourth commandment has never been set before them in its true light. He who reads every heart and tries every motive will leave none who desire a knowledge of the truth, to be deceived as to the issues of the controversy. The decree [Sunday Law/Mark of the beast] is not to be urged upon the people blindly. Everyone is to have sufficient light to make his decision intelligently.” Great Controversy, pp. 604, 605. God wants everyone to know “intelligently” what the issues are. It is true however, that Rome will try to work secretly to help bring about a National Sunday Law. “She [Rome] is silently growing into power. Her doctrines are exerting their influence in legislative halls, in the churches, and in the hearts of men. She is piling up her lofty and massive structures in the secret recesses of which her former persecutions will be repeated. Stealthily and unsuspectedly she is strengthening her forces to further her own ends when the time shall come for her to strike. All that she desires is vantage ground, and this is already being given her. We shall soon see and shall feel what the purpose of the Roman element is.” Great Controversy, p. 581. Yet the issues will not be kept secret because God’s people will have been giving a warning against the beast, the image, and the mark. “If they do nothing to disabuse the minds of the people, and through ignorance of the truth our legislators should abjure the principles of Protestantism and give countenance and support to the Roman fallacy, enforcing allegiance to the spurious sabbath, God will hold his people, who have had great light, responsible for their lack of diligence and faithfulness. But if the subject of religious legislation is judiciously and intelligently laid before the people, and they see that through Sunday enforcement, the Roman apostasy would be re-enacted by the Christian world, and that the tyranny of past ages would be repeated, then whatever comes, we shall have done our duty.” The Review and Herald, March 9, 1911. In view of this overwhelming evidence of the nearness of the Lord, I appeal to each of you to not only get yourselves ready but to help others too. Let’s finish the work which God has given us to do for this time.
THE ETERNAL GOSPEL HERALD PO Box 15138 West Palm Beach, FL 33416 1-800-769-2150 eternalgospel@att.net Subscription: FREE If you wish to receive a free subscription of this publication, please contact our office at: PO Box 15138, West Palm Beach, FL 33416 | 1-800-769-2150 email: eternalgospel@att.net Online Edition: www.eternalgospelherald.com Editor Raphael Perez Assistant Editor Andy Roman Copy Editor Patricia Rocco
Co-Editor Ron Spear Contributors Miriam Ponce Norma Perez Peter Prestol
The Eternal Gospel Herald is published from West Palm Beach, Florida, USA, by the Eternal Gospel Church, a ministry that was founded in 1992 by Seventhday Adventist believers to bring true, genuine, world-wide revival and reformation by proclaiming the Third Angel’s Message. The Eternal Gospel Herald is sent to you free of charge, with much love, work, and sacrifice. Every effort is made to insure the accuracy of the information contained herein. This publication is printed to communicate the issues and subjects pertaining solely to the development and fulfillment of the third angel’s message and the advance of Christ’s character in the lives of God’s faithful people. We hope and pray that you will not only enjoy it but that it will be informative and spiritually enlightening to all of you. It is only by the grace of God and the support of each of you that we are able to participate in publishing, radio, newspapers, billboards, and foreign missions.
—continued from page 1 “Pope Calls For a New World Order” that the future will be better than the past". With the message for the World Day of Peace, the theme of which is "Fighting Poverty to Build Peace" in 2009, he affirmed that his wish "is to dialogue anew with those responsible at na- One of our latest billboards on a major Highway. tional levels and in international organizations, offering the Catholic Church's contribution in promoting a new world order worthy of the human being". "At the beginning of the new year", he said, "my first objective is precisely to invite all leaders and ordinary citizens not to be disheartened in the face of difficulties or failures, and to renew their commitments".
Letters
Pastor Raphael Perez, Please send me some back-issues of your publication The Eternal Gospel Herald. I have a few copies but I would like to receive them all. I will pray for you and the work which you are doing. Angel Diaz, San Salvador, El Salvador. Dear Sirs, I would like to receive your free copy which you are offering about the Sabbath. Also please send to me your publication entitled The Eternal Gospel Herald. A friend of mine wrote to me and told me about your ministry. Many believe that Sunday is the Lord’s day, but the Bible says God only blessed and hollowed Saturday. Thank you for your time. Sincerely Glenn Fox, Michigan. Dear Eternal Gospel Church, I agree with all the articles in your paper and believe we need more of this in our churches. Thank you for your work in reminding us of these truths. I would like to continue receiving your paper. Sincerely, Betty Walker, Montana. Dear Eternal Gospel Ministry, I am writing because this Sabbath one of our elders gave a message on the end-times, regarding the statue of Daniel Chapter 2. He also was sharing from a publication he received from you and I am writing to request a copy. Thanks so much, Charlotte Leonard, Minnesota. Dear Eternal Gospel Church, I am requesting that you send me your news periodical. I am President of the ________ Conference. North America. Dear Seventh-day Adventist Believers, I am also a believer in the Seventhday Sabbath. I never knew why I believed this other than what the Bible says. I just finished reading your book The Antichrist Identified by Lawrence Nelson. Please send me any other information because I want to grow in wisdom and spiritual knowledge so as to be of service to others. Also send a copy to my friend. Thank you so very much. Billy Williams, Indiana. Eternal Gospel Church, I would like to share with you the heaviest appreciation for the materials which you sent. May the Almighty God grant to you the richest blessings. Yours faithfully, Busoulwa B. Robert, Uganda, East Africa. Dear Pastor Perez, I was handed your beautiful news-magazine publication of The Eternal Gospel Herald by a friend, and I was so delighted reading it. I thought that it is one of the most informative and spiritually enlightening literatures that I have seen and read, especially on the subject of end-time events and Bible prophecy. Please include my name for a continuous FREE subscription as you announce in your paper. It is rather unfortunate that I know your publication only at this time. If you could, also send me some previous issue. Keep up your good and urgent work. More courage to you and your staff, and may God bless your laudable ministry, and rest assured of our prayers. Rodolfo Bautista, California. Pastor, and Staff, I am a new believer in Christ Jesus. I used to be a devoted Muslim. I have dedicated myself to studying the Bible and in conducting Bible group studies. I came across a very interesting article about the Sabbath and I have been moved to study more about it. Please be kind and send me the free book on the Sabbath and the Ten Commandments which you offer. God bless you, L.F., ______ State Prison, California.
the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 8 page 3 —continued from page 1 “Defend Sabbath Preaching” creed, or merely with the desire of being a little different from others, but because of the deep spiritual conviction that the Sabbath stands as a symbol of God’s creative power, a proof that He can fulfill His promise to recreate us new creatures in Christ Jesus. In an age when the whole world is turning away from the creative power of God over to materialistic conceptions, it seems to me that what is needed more than anything else, if we are to rear again the structure of spiritual beliefs, is to present to men the great truth and memorial of the creative power of God, the seventh-day Sabbath: “In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.”
—continued from page 1 “Auto Dealers Ask for Sunday Ban” Oregonian his members strongly favor the measure. "No question, there's some troubled times out there," Remensperger said. It's unclear if legislators will take to the idea. The plan wouldn't cost the state anything, but lawmakers already have a full plate when their session starts next month. A spokesman for House Majority Leader Dave Hunt, D-Gladstone, said he hadn't heard of the proposal and didn't know enough about it to comment. Eleven other states have a similar prohibition on Sunday auto sales. Among the dealerships to close in recent months is the Gary Worth dealership in Gladstone. After 49 years, it ceased operations Oct. 31. "It was very difficult," said Mike McManus, whose father and grandfather co-founded the dealership. "It just got to the point it wasn't fun anymore." In Medford, Lithia Motors, which operates 98 stores in a number of different states, has slashed its payroll by 1,000 people, through the sales of a number of dealerships and downsizing. "I've been through six recessions and this is as bad as any of them," said Sid DeBoer, Lithia chairman and chief executive. If lawmakers don't approve the restriction on Sunday sales, Oregon dealers could opt for a voluntary pact among themselves. Dealers, however, figure a state law is needed to ensure that nobody takes advantage of the others' closure.
—continued from page 1 “France Says ‘No’ To Sunday Shopping” ted to open. Parliament is scheduled to begin debating the bill today, more than a week later than intended. The reform would have overturned a 1906 law that sets aside Sunday for rest and allowed shops in France's largest cities to open as they wished. But it faced fierce opposition from both the left and right. Socialist legislators have already filed over 4,000 amendments to the draft law, while members of Sarkozy's own ruling conservative majority have used a mix of religious and familial concerns to oppose it. With the number of right-wing dissenters growing ever larger, Sarkozy was forced to cave and save what he could of his Sunday legislation. "We're no longer talking about a generalization of Sunday opening hours," crowed Marc Le Fur, a member of Sarkozy's conservative Union for a Popular Majority (UMP). "France and the French people remain fond of Sunday as a rest day. This text will conserve Sunday as a day of rest." Opinion polls in France show that slightly more than half the population want shops to have the freedom to open on Sundays. But a powerful range of opponents combined against the idea. Leftist politicians and unions, for example, denounced the plan as introducing a seven-day work week. That, they say, would allow bosses to force workers to work Sundays — despite measures in the original bill that stipulated Sunday hours were both optional, and higher-paid. Conservatives, meantime, brushed off Sarkozy's assurances that the extra day of activity would boost France's economy, and focused on the fact that Sunday trading would deprive families, associations, and church groups the one day of free time people build their week around. (See pictures of Sarkozy and his wife in London.) Realizing he would not win this battle, Sarkozy amended the proposal. It now calls for doubling the number of exceptions to Sunday closing rules per year from the current five to 10, not counting the period prior to Christmas. Even then, however, city councils must approve local extension of Sunday openings, a green light that may prove hard to obtain after the nation-wide romp the Socialists enjoyed in municipal elections last spring. "Don't bother voting this text, because it won't be applied," warned Socialist Party leader and mayor of Lille Martine Aubry. "We'll be as ferocious in battling this project as we were the initial one." Perhaps. But the government still appoints regional prefects, and they wield veto power over how municipalities apply new laws. Sarkozy and Sunday-minded shop owners could yet have the last laugh.
—continued from page 1 “The Battle for Sunday” rest on Sunday. Catholics have been trying to get the provision back in the directive ever since. They may be close to doing so. The principle of Sunday rest is already codified in EU law for all employees under 18, within the 1994 Protection of Young People at Work Directive. It would be just one more step for the EU to impose it on the whole workforce. Many members of the European Parliament (meps) have supported the introduction of a Sunday rest clause over the past few months. More than 40 meps signed two amendments to the Working Time Directive that would enforce Sunday observance “in principle.” The amendments did not go to vote for procedural reasons. Of course, behind the latest Sunday amendment proposals is the Catholic Church. The Brussels-based Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (comece), a group of Catholic bishops, has been leading the charge. In a November statement calling for the European Parliament to enforce Sunday, comece said: “If the European Parliament is taking seriously the point clearly outlined in the directive, it would be logical that it completed the present text with a disposition on Sunday as a day of weekly rest.” The protection of Sunday, said comece Secretary General Piotr Mazurkiewicz, “is a cornerstone of the European social model and an issue of central importance for workers and their families” (TheParliament.com, Nov. 10, 2008). comece representatives have also met with a number of politicians to push their cause. The directive will be under discussion for a few more months. comece admonished the church to “stay mobilized” on the Sunday issue (press release, Dec. 17, 2008). Don’t be surprised if a little pressure from the right place gets a new amendment added enforcing Sunday. The pope has been a strong advocate of the revival of Sunday keeping. “Without Sunday [worship], we cannot live!” Pope Benedict XVI declared during a mass on Sept. 9, 2007, stating that it was a “necessity” for all people. The prospect of a European government so powerful that it could declare one specific day a day of rest is frightening. This would be an EU willing and able to enforce lifestyle changes on its subjects whether they liked it or not. It would be a Europe that enforced a state religion: Catholicism. Historically, when the Catholic Church has started telling everyone to observe Sunday, it has soon after started enforcing that law with brutality. Take the Council of Laodicea, for example. In A.D. 363, the Catholic Church proclaimed that all those who did not keep Sunday, but rather rested on Saturday, were “anathema”—cursed, or excommunicated—from Christ. The Roman Empire then started torturing and martyring all who disobeyed. After Charlemagne gained power over Europe, he too began murdering those who kept Saturday. Throughout the Middle Ages, Saturday observers were tortured and murdered at the behest of the Catholic Church. Every time Europe has been strong and united, it has enforced Sunday worship. Europe is becoming united, and its leaders are once again trying to enforce Sunday. Making Sunday observance mandatory is just the first step down a bloody but well-worn road. Yet Pope Benedict has said that the revival of Sunday worship is fundamental to his mission.
—continued from page 1 “Greek Unions Against Sunday Shopping” slowdown that has begun to affect Greece, and from the riots that followed the police killing of a 15-year-old boy. Outraged unionists said the shopowners wanted an excuse to extend Sunday shopping throughout the year. This, they claim, will only benefit the large department stores and supermarket chains and harm the small shops, resulting in longer hours for employees and, ultimately, job losses. Many large department stores, fearing unionist reprisals, stayed shut Sunday, while bookstore employees blocked access to all major Athens bookstores, including Public, a big electronics shop that also sells books. Shop employees and management were trapped inside the Public store, while dozens of protesters prevented customers from entering and chanted slogans. They said they would stay throughout the opening hours, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. , but left at around 1:30 p.m. By early afternoon, all shops in central Athens were open and business was brisk. Despite their stated intention to blockade only large shops, protesters had shut down premises at random, including smaller shops. Some customers were physically prevented from entering premises, and angry shopkeepers and shoppers voiced outrage at the protesters. "We will force the shops to close. At the moment, only one in six are working, and no one is shopping," Dimitris Stratoulis, a highranking member of the Left Coalition Party, declared shortly after opening time. He led several dozen marchers around the city center, where they forced a large cosmetics and department store to shut down temporarily.
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Obama’s Interfaith Relations—Literally By Michael Paulson Setember 4, 2008 The Boston Globe His dad was raised a Muslim. He is a Christian. And now, it turns out, Barack Obama's wife's cousin is a rabbi. Michelle Obama, wife of the Democratic presidential nominee, and Rabbi Capers Funnye, spiritual leader of a mostly black synagogue on Chicago’s South Side, are first cousins once removed. Funnye’s mother, Verdelle Robinson Funnye (born Verdelle Robinson) and Michelle Obama’s paternal grandfather, Frasier Robinson Jr., were brother and sister. Funnye (pronounced fuh-NAY) is chief rabbi at the Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation in southwest Chicago.
From left, first lady Michelle Obama, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, his wife Jill Biden, former President Bill Clinton, and Secretary of State nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton attend the inaugural prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral in Washing- He is well-known in Jewish circles for acting ton, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. as a bridge between mainstream Jewry and the much smaller, and largely separate, world of Hong) black Jewish congregations, sometimes known as black Hebrews or Israelites. He has often urged the larger Jewish community to be more accepting of Jews who are not white. Funnye’s famous relative gives an unexpected twist to the much-analyzed relationship between Barack Obama and Jews in this presidential campaign. On the one hand, Jewish political organizers, voters and donors played an essential role in Obama’s rise to power in Chicago, including some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent families. But the Illinois senator has struggled to overcome suspicions in some parts of On June 25, 2008 Obama visited the Wailing the Jewish community, including skepticism Wall in Jerusalem, the only remaining relic of about his stance on Israel and discredited but the ancient Temple of David, and the most sa- persistent rumors that he is secretly a Muslim. cred spot for Jews. As customary, he placed a prayer in the cracks of the stones. Barack Obama also visited Israel's Holocaust memorial laying a wreath in memory of the 6 million Jews who died
Obama is greeted by Pastor Rick Warren, Evangelical pastor at his Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, August 16, 2008. (Mark Avery/Reuters)
The Rev. Rick Warren, of the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., gives the invocation as President-elect Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, left, bow their heads during swearing-in ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
President Obama with the Rev. Jessie Jackson (above) and the Rev. Al Sharpton (below), both who are American Baptist minister and political/civil rights activists.
September 1, 2006 - Sen. Barack Obama dressed as a Somali Elder by Sheikh Mahmed Hassan, left, during a visit to Wajir, a rural area in northeastern Kenya, near the borders with Somalia and Ethiopia. Obama visited a sprawling tent camp in The man holding this photo is Barack Obama’s eastern Ethiopia on Thursday for people older brother Malik Obama. The photo shows displaced by devastating floods earlier this President Obama (left) wearing the traditional month, saying the U.S. military will conMuslim garb. (Associated Press Photo) tinue to help the region.
the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 8
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Our Lake Placid, Florida Camp Meeting took place on January 16-18, 2009. We want to praise the Lord for giving us such wonderful weather and such a wonderful spiritual experience. We were blessed by the sermons we heard, by the fellowship we experienced, and by all the other activities which took place during the camp meeting. We had more people that we were expecting which is always good to see. For the glory of God, five precious souls sealed their commitments with the Lord through baptism. Also, six other souls From left to right: Moses Mason, Mike came forward and expressed their need to We praise the Lord for the fellowship we had. Nicholson, Ron Spear, Raphael Perez, Dennis prepare themselves for future baptism. Please keep us in your prayers because we Simpson. know that the labor is great and the time we have to do it is short. Our next camp meeting is going to be April 10-12, 2009 in Oklahoma. Please make your reservation on time so that you can also partake with us in these blessings. May the Lord bless each of you greatly, and let’s all remain faithful to our Savior. As always, I’m asking for your prayers and support as we continue in the finishing of the work of Rev. 14:6-12. I’m looking forward to seeing all of you very soon. Friends at lunch-time, eating by the lake.
Mr. Obama went to the West Bank city of Ramallah to have talks with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.
—Pastor Raphael Perez
Obama with Keith Maurice Ellison, the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress.
July 20, 2008—Obama walks with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai in Kabul.
Precious souls partaking of baptism by water.
July 22, 2008—Obama talks with Iraqi tribal leader through a translator during a meeting with tribal sheikhs of Anbar Province in Iraq.
On October 16, 2008 Cardinal Egan of New York sits with Obama at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, an annual fund raiser that supports projects for the Roman Catholic Dioceses of New York.
page 6 the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 8 —continued from page 1 “Preparation for the Sealing Time” “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matt. 5:48. “By the wedding garment in the parable is represented the pure, spotless character which Christ's true followers will possess. To the church it is given ‘that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white,’ ‘not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.’ Revelation 19:8; Ephesians 5:27. The fine linen, says the Scripture, ‘is the righteousness of saints.’ Revelation 19:8. It is the righteousness of Christ, His own unblemished character, that through faith is imparted to all who receive Him as their personal Savior.” Christ Object Lessons, p. 310. “He encouraged the believers to look forward to the time when Christ, who ‘loved the church and gave Himself for it,’ would ‘present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing’ - a church "holy and without blemish.’ ” Acts of the Apostles, p. 470. Friends let us understand the tremendous sacrifice our Creator has made for us. It is through the blood of Jesus that we can have victory over sin. It is through His blood as we repent and accept this most ultimate sacrifice, that we will be clothed in fine linen, clean and white. We must be clean vessels waiting to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Friends, we all know that time is short, oh so short, and soon the angels who hold back the winds will be instructed to let them go. Let us endeavor to repent lest we should be found wanting. When the time comes that we cannot repent of our sins, and we know that is when the first Sunday Law comes, let us follow what Peter stated in that upper room. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19. This blotting out of sins and refreshing—Latter Rain—are the evidences of the unfailing merits of our mighty intercessor, Jesus Christ, on behalf of all who will by faith enter into His work. “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.” Isaiah 60:1-5. This period describes the time when the Loud Cry of Rev. 18:1-5 shall go forth. “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Rev. 18:1-5. What is this Glory that John is talking about in this verse? “Let the soul, in living faith, fasten upon God. Let the tongue speak His praise. When you associate together, let the mind be reverently turned to the contemplation of eternal realities. Thus you will be helping one another to be spiritually minded. When your will is in harmony with the Divine Will, you will be in harmony with one another; you will have Christ by your side as a counselor.” Testimonies to Minister, p. 499.
“But to pray in Christ's name means much. It means that we are to accept His character, manifest His spirit, and work His works. The Savior's promise is given on condition. ‘If ye love Me,’ He says, ‘keep My commandments.’ He saves men, not in sin, but from sin; and those who love Him will show their love by obedience. All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us. As Christ lived the law in humanity, so we may do if we will take hold of the Strong for strength. But we are not to place the responsibility of our duty upon others, and wait for them to tell us what to do. We cannot depend for counsel upon humanity. The Lord will teach us our duty just as willingly as He will teach somebody else. If we come to Him in faith, He will speak His mysteries to us personally. Our hearts will often burn within us as One draws nigh to commune with us as He did with Enoch.” Desire of Ages, p. 668. To summarize what I'm trying to describe and say, in Leviticus 16:30 it says: “You shall be clean before the Lord.” And the Scriptures say in 1 John 1:9: “ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” These two texts tell us that we will be cleansed from all known sin even our subconscious sins. Could this be part of the work of Daniel 8:14 in the lives of the Remnant people, which states “then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed.?” “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Cor. 6:19-20. And in Malachi 3:3: “And he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.” Is this not the 144,000, the first fruits? And in Isaiah 4:4: “When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.” And in Zechariah 3:4-5: “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments.” Is this not the fine white linen that we need today, the Righteousness of Christ ? And in Jeremiah 50:20: “In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; ----and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.” This is talking about sealing of the 144,000 whom God is waiting for. And to close, Rev. 7:4: “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” Friends, this is talking about Spiritual Israel, and we can be in this number, the 144,000. May the Lord add His blessing and give each one the Holy Spirit as we all study, God Bless. Sincerely in Christ, your brother & friend, Mike Nicholson
the eternal gospel herald — volume 5, no. 8
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Jewish group sued over 'Adventist' name By TERI FIGUEROA North County Times (California) December 21, 2008 VALLEY CENTER ---- What's the first thing that pops to mind upon hearing the word "Adventist"? The Seventh-day Adventist Church, probably. Leaders of the international Christian church with 15 million followers have a trademark on the word in the United States. They say no one else can use it, not even a small Jewish society in North County. The church filed a lawsuit Nov. 24 against The Federation of Jewish Adventist Society to force the Valley Center group to stop using the word in its name. The Maryland-based leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church alleges trademark infringement and unfair competition in the suit, filed in San Diego federal court. It argues that use of the word "Adventist" by any other group creates confusion. But the Federation's leader, Rabbi Ben-Hayil Yellen, said the suit violates his religious rights. The Jewish group has hired an attorney, but he said they don't have the money to fight a suit he called "unjust." At his rural North County home on Wednesday, Yellen said that the Hebrew meaning of the word "Adventist" is central to his group's spiritual beliefs. Yellen and his wife, Heidi, said that the word, when spoken with a different pronunciation, "AD-vent-ist," is an old Hebrew term referring to an earthen pot. The Christian group's name is often pronounced "ad-VENT-ist." And they believe that a specific vessel with Moses' signature on it is tied to the second coming of the Old Testament prophet Elijah and to the scriptural writings of Moses. The couple said they teach that Elijah will be a direct descendant of King David, a biblical figure, and will carry the stone pot with him as proof of his identity. "No matter what happens, our religious identity is with the word 'Adventist' ---- and we cannot just give it away," said Yellen, adding that he is a direct descendant of King David. The suit is "taking away our religious freedom to identify ourselves with the prophet Moses," Heidi Yellen said. A spokesman for the North American operations of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church directed questions to attorney Nancy Dix, who said the lawsuit was filed to avoid confusion. "It's really, in essence, an effort by the Seventh-day Adventist Church to protect its name and prevent confusion with another entity," Dix said Wednesday. She said even the inclusion of the word Jewish in the name of the group doesn't negate any possible public confusion with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Dix said church leaders sent letters to the Jewish federation, asking it to cease using "Adventist." The lawsuit, she said, was a last resort. Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition, defines the word "Adventist" as "a member of a Christian sect based on Adventism." And Adventism, the dictionary states, is "the belief that the Second Coming of Christ will occur soon." It will be up to the Seventh-day Adventist Church to prove trademark infringement, said David Steinberg, who teaches a course on law and religion at Thomas Jefferson School of Law.
Rabbi Ben-Hayil Yellen and his wife, Heidi, run a small religious group called The Federation of Jewish Adventist Society. (Photo by Jamie Scott Lytle - Staff Photographer) "The general bias is in favor of free speech and free use of terms of language," Steinberg said after reading the complaint. "And if someone is going to take the word 'Adventist' out of circulation, they really need to have a good reason, and they have to prove that people are being misled or confused by the use of the word. "Would someone who read the name 'The Federation of Jewish Adventist Society' be confused and think this was a part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church? That is what the court will have to figure out." The Yellens won't say how many members they have, but acknowledge their following is small. The couple's home is the base for their group's operations, and the living room resembles a small church, with about 20 chairs lined up facing an altar. Dix said it's the use of the word "Adventist" that matters, not the size of the church using it. "I think it's about trying to protect the church's name and potential implication and inference that this organization is somehow affiliated with or sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church," Dix said. Contact staff writer Teri Figueroa at (760) 740-5442 or tfigueroa@nctimes.com. —continued from page 1 “Decriminalizing Homosexuality” several of them homosexual acts can be punished by execution. Co-sponsored by France and the Netherlands, the declaration was signed by all 27 European Union members, as well as Japan, Australia, Mexico and three dozen other countries. There was broad opposition from Muslim nations, and the United States refused to sign, indicating that some parts of the declaration raised legal questions that needed further review. More than 50 countries opposed to the declaration, including members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, issued a joint statement Thursday criticizing the initiative as an unwarranted attempt to give special prominence to gays and lesbians. The statement suggested that protecting sexual orientation could lead to "the social normalization and possibly the legalization of deplorable acts" such as pedophilia and incest.
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“So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” Matthew 24:33
Firefighters gain ground on wildfire near Denver—High winds cause a flare up on a ranch in rural Boulder County, Colo. on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. Three wind-driven wildfires swept across Boulder County grasslands Wednesday, prompting authorities to call for evacuations of threatened residential areas. (AP Photo/Peter M. Fredin)
Cancer to Replace Heart Disease as Leading Killer in World by 2010—Dec. 9, 2008 – Cancer may soon replace heart disease as the leading cause of death in the world according to a report today from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This news that cancer is projected to become the leading cause of death in the year 2010 has moved the nation's leading cancer organizations to join an event called Conquering Cancer.
Gay Bishop to offer Inaugural Prayer—Bishop V. Gene Robinson, of New Hampshire, the Episcopal church's first openly-gay bishop, speaks in favor of civil unions during a public hearing before the state Senate Judiciary Committee at the Statehouse in Concord, N.H. The first openly gay Episcopal bishop will say a prayer at the Lincoln Memorial for one of President-elect Barack Obama's first inauguration events. Robinson will deliver the invocation at an event on Sunday Jan. 18, 2009 to kick off inauguration festivities. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, File)
Death-toll reaches 1,000—Smoke billows following an explosion after an Israeli air strike in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. Israeli forces battled Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip's main city early Wednesday and bombed the enclave's southern border with Egypt as the death toll from the war on Hamas neared 1,000. (AFP/Said Khatib)
Nearly 400 sickened in US salmonella outbreak—(AFP News) An outbreak of salmonella has sickened at least 388 people across the United States, including 67 who required hospitalization, health officials said. The CDC has said that salmonella, which can be fatal, especially in children, remains a "major public health problem in the United States." Eggs and cheese are among the foods most likely to be contaminated, the agency said.
Hundreds of Thousands without Heating Gas—Jan. 11, 2009, Europe's energy crisis deepened Monday as the failure to resolve a bitter dispute between Russia and Ukraine left hundreds of thousands enduring a second week of freezing conditions without heating gas. (AFP/Alexander Khudoteply)
Pope Worships Idol of Baby Jesus—Millions of people watch the unveiling ceremony of the crib in St. Peter's square at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI kneels down in prayer as he visits the nativity scene after celebrating a New Year's Eve vespers service, at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008. (AFP/Filippo Monteforte)