Pastor’s Comments September 15, 2006

Dear Brethren,

Attached and also pasted (copied) to this writing from me is my latest letter to the Journal (The Big Sandy, Texas Church Newspaper). At this point I am not sure whether it is yet in circulation or not, but due to the little time left before the Feast season begins, I feel it is necessary for me to make it available to all of you.

The letter from Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong that I added to my letter is very important! The contents are even more applicable to us in our time than it was at the time of his writing it. Please study it closely and meditate on its content.

In his letter he makes abundantly clear we are indeed living on the threshold of not only the very end-time but also we are in gave danger from the radical terrorists who live right here in this country! To add to the problem, some of them are reportedly in possession of all the components of a nuclear 10 kiloton bomb that have been smuggled into the United States from across the Mexican border.

As it may be recalled, it was a 10 kiloton nuclear bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. It killed over 75,000 people at the time and more died later from the effects of it.

While listening to the Michael Savage Talk Show on Radio this week, I learned that the nuclear technology has now become so sophisticated that once the components have been put together it is the equivalent of the same 10 kiloton bomb and so small that it can be carried in a backpack. The news source being interviewed by Michael Savage also stated that there are a number of these here in this country and the plans of the terrorists are to explode them in various cities all about the same time. In other words they will try to follow the same pattern as they did on 9/11/01 by using four huge airliners to do what they did at that time.

Needless to say this is very frightening when we realize that, IF GOD PERMITS THEM TO DO THIS, THEY COULD VERY WELL PARALYZE THIS NATION!

What cities are they choosing to use these nuclear bombs? It would seem cities that would be very important to our national security just as they were able to fly one of those planes into the Pentagon in the Washington, D.C. area. It was believed that the one that crashed in Pennsylvania was headed for the White House but it is my firm belief that God prevented that from taking place by putting into the minds of a few passengers to overpower the terrorists. And they did. This resulted in the crash of the big airliner and the loss of all life on it.

And it is very possible that God may permit them to do this, but it would be on a very limited scale!

God Rules Over All Nations

We MUST realize that God watches over mankind and He RULES over all nations. To refresh our memories please consider and meditate on the following Scriptures in this day and time of uncertainty knowing that radical terrorists are living among us with the avowed purpose of trying to destroy both the tribe of Judah and the House of Joseph!

More than ever we need to recognize the fact of life that the invisible Almighty God rules over all nations:

To King Belshazzar of ancient Babylon, son of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel said:

"O king, the Most High God GAVE Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. ... But when his heart was LIFTED UP and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. Then he was driven from thee sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, TILL HE KNEW THAT THE MOST HIGH GOD RULES IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN. and APPOINTS over it whomever He chooses (Daniel 5:18-21).

Further we read from the Book of Psalms:

"He RULES BY HIS POWER FOREVER; His eyes OBSERVE the nations; Do NOT let the rebellious exalt themselves" (Psalms 66:7).

With this knowledge in mind, if we really believe these Scriptures, as well as others that also testify to this fact, we should know that God is NOT going to permit these radical terrorists to bring this nation down and destroy it! Why not? Because Scripture makes known that it will be the revived Roman Empire of the very near future who will destroy Israel as nations (Please review the writings of Mr. Armstrong as well as studying: Isaiah 10:5-26; Daniel 2; 7: Revelation 13; 17; plus.)

Though the radical terrorists will undoubtedly do much harm in the near future and bring about the loss of many lives, possibly God even permitting them to blow up two or three cities, however they will NOT destroy this country. It is too large and they have no armies to follow up after possibly doing such terribel destruction and loss of life.

One Enemy at a Time

Perhaps many of you will remember Mr. Armstrong saying that the leaders of Israel only see one enemy at a time. The enemy some years ago was Russia! After WWII, we learned that the secret of the atom bomb, and then the hydrogen bomb, had come to be in their possession! They then made their big boasts of burying us! People were frightened! Later during the the presidency of John Kennedy there was the Cuban crisis with Russia that was thought to begin nuclear war with that vast country. But it did not happen! Why? Because God with His sovereign rule over Russia and all other nations did not permit it to take place!

Neither will God permit the terrorists to bring us fully down either for that will take place a little later by the 10 nations of Europe under the ruler-ship of the man who Biblically is called the Beast.

Never, ever, forget the leaders of nations, or even a group of radical terrorists, or even just one terrorist, cannot do anything on such a massive scale UNLESS God permits or leads them to do it. Prophecy makes known what God will do or permit to be done and in no other way! God has already spelled out how Israel, as nations, will be destroyed and by whom! And He makes it known to those to whom He has given eyes to see with His understanding through and by His Holy Spirit.

And that Holy Roman Empire in the leadership of ancient Assyria, and every probably an Assyrian to become the leader of the 10 nations, has been building for a rather long time! But our leaders are blind to what they is taking place before their very eyes and what they will do to us in the future.

In actual fact this country had been encouraging their development not knowing what they do!

In Conclusion

Brethren, BELIEVE God!

Our love and prayers,

Don Billingsley0

A Shepherd’s Warning Cry

To the true and faithful members of

God’s Little Flock

– Scattered Worldwide –

“… thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel: ‘An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land. Now the end has come upon you, and I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways; and I will repay you for all of your abominations. My eye will not spare you, nor will I have pity; … The end has come; it has dawned for you; behold, it has come …A day of trouble is near and not of rejoicing in the mountains. Now upon you I will soon pour out My fury; and spend My anger on you’” (Ezekiel 7:2-4, 6, 8).

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,

The war in the Middle East is over -- for now! Please know that it will not be long until it flares up again! Already the situation has become very tenuous and is on the verge of erupting into war again! Will it be localized? Or will it involve other Arab nations?

Was there a purpose for this war? Does it somehow fit into the end-time prophecies? Time will soon make this known in one way or another and before much longer. At this present time it appears to be only a prelude that will lead into something much bigger in the near future that will begin to fulfill end-time prophecy.

Though it is very sorrowful, Scripture and past history along with present circumstances make known the whole area surrounding Jerusalem will never know peace until after Jesus Christ returns to this earth and begins His rule over all nations on earth with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:9). Until then, we should be praying, “Thy Kingdom come.”

Nighttime is Rapidly Approaching

In the meantime while some daylight can yet be seen we should also know the night is coming very rapidly when the Work given to the Church can no longer be done (John 9:4; Romans 13:12).

Of recent date, Jesus Christ has graced this little flock of this part of God’s true Church with 15 satellite websites that link with our mother website, www.cog-ff.com/

One of these is a World News site http://www.worldnewsbulletin.com/ Another website has to do with the new world that will soon be here in which Jesus Christ will be reigning http://newworldahead.org. One has by itself well over 100,000 pages on it with the Works of Mr. Armstrong, http://www.coghomeschool.org/.

These websites have most of the Works of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong on them and are becoming a real witness to the Tribes of Israel and even to the nations of the world before the end finally comes.

Though Mr. Armstrong is sleeping in his grave, it is noteworthy to realize that with the use of modern technology his Works will very possibly reach more people now than he did during his 50-plus years of his mission to reach the nations of Israel.

And this is the way it should be for he was the man God raised up to fulfill this great responsibility of the end time and no one else! Further, when we study Ezekiel 34 and Jeremiah 23, along with Daniel 12:7, 10, there is no Scriptural indication that Jesus Christ would raise up any other chief human shepherd before the return of our Savior.

There is no need of anyone else to succeed Mr. Armstrong in that high office in view of all of his works that can be used through the use of the technology that is available today.

Scripture reveals that through the Holy Spirit Christ can use a small flock such as we are as long as we faithfully follow and hold forth ALL of the doctrinal teachings Jesus Christ used Mr. Armstrong to restore within His Church on these websites without embellishing, adding to, or taking away from them (Zechariah 4:6).

At the same time we consider ourselves as only a conduit to make all of this possible for we are nothing of ourselves. And as such, we know we can do nothing beneficial or constructive for anyone unless Jesus Christ sees fit to use us in this manner (John 15:5).

An Indicated Sign of the End-time

A real sign of the closure of the end-time can be seen by the radical Islamic terrorists who are so fully devoted to perpetrating their religion on the Middle East, Europe, and the world, that they willingly continue to sacrifice their lives in killing and murdering others to further their objective and there is no real letup!

One can well realize that the Pope and leaders of Germany will not let the Islamic terrorists continue with their effort to take over Europe. Before much longer we will see where Satan will give the power of miracles to the Pope and this will be the beginning of the end for these terrorists.

Presently the terrorists could be likened to hornets and bees who will undoubtedly continue to sting and weaken the House of Joseph by inflicting devastation and the loss of many lives but they will not be able to destroy Israel as nations. Prophecy reveals this will be done by the revived Holy Roman Empire.

In the meantime there are several thousand true members of God’s Church scattered here and there – many of them yet in the wrong places!

Are You in the Wrong Place?

It does behoove you as a true member of God’s Church to prove whether you might be under a leadership that is off-track. Leaders who are deceived into believing they are being used by Jesus Christ while watering down, embellishing, or actually changing the doctrinal teachings Jesus Christ used His late apostle to restore within His Church?

Jesus Christ said there would be many in this latter time who would be seeking to deceive us! With this warning in mind, we of the elect should know that it is highly doubtful that any outright and total protestant teachings could deceive us for they did not before in our recent history! Then comes to mind the question -- how could we be deceived?

The answer can be found in what Jesus said of the danger of deception even to the very elect (Matthew 24:5, 11, 24)! From this it must be realized that our danger comes from within the Church itself – just as it did after 1986! It is just as subtle today as it was then!

What makes it so dangerous now is the acceptance of well-known leadership who over the years prior to 1986 were faithful. But since 1986 many of these ministers have accepted some of the protestant teachings and have brought them into their churches of which many of you are members under them.

These ministers feel they are much more advanced in this day of enlightenment than was Mr. Armstrong and pride themselves because of it. Yet, Scripture makes known:

“The man who is so ‘advanced’ that he is not content with what Christ taught has in fact no God” (II John 1:9, Williams Translation).

If you will prayerfully study your Bible and take a hard and close look at what is being taught by your leadership you will very probably see changes have been made in some of those teachings by virtually all of the Churches of God.

This is made even easier to detect by studying the Bible alongside the last book Mr. Armstrong wrote before he died (MYSTERY OF THE AGES). As I have written in past letters, it can be easily proven that he did NOT change any of the restored teachings God revealed to him, nor did he have a last minute desire to do so!

These are some of the deceptive lies one can hear and sometimes read from a few who want you to believe such lies. I even had one evangelist to say this to me and I told him he was wrong! He did not respond to what I said to him.

If you should hear this, then respectively ask such leaders to make available to you Mr. Armstrong’s writing or his speaking of his supposed change at death’s door! He didn’t do either! And they cannot produce anything authentic that would reveal otherwise! To disprove these lies all one has to do is to read the two letters he wrote that are reproduced in his Autobiography, volume II, pages 640-641. The last letter of the two that was written by him was 52 days before he died.

In those letters he made known the MYSTERY OF THE AGES was the best book he had ever written and this was 6 weeks before he died. And in that book he wrote of ALL of those doctrinal teachings God had revealed to him and had taught over the many years.

Who Changed Before He Died?

From what I have heard from at least three different sources, including Dr. Herman L. Hoeh, the one who replaced Mr. Armstrong admitted he made a terrible mistake in what he had done! Just before he died, he is allegedly to have said: “I have been a fool!”

Judas Iscariot also came to realize what a terrible thing he had done in betraying Christ and then went out and hung himself (Matthew 27:5). During the time of King David, Ahithophel, a close friend, confidant and counselor, who after betraying David also came to the same conclusion and then hung himself (II Samuel 17:23).

Are you also making a serious error in judgment by remaining with a leader or leaders without really checking them out? If so, will this find you among the many thousands who will soon be facing martyrdom in the Great Tribulation?

The Feast of Tabernacles, 2006

Many thousands of members will be attending the Feast of Tabernacles this year. Are you sure you will be attending the site God has chosen to place His name (Deuteronomy 14:23; 16:15)? Will Christ be there in the midst of those gathered in a place of their choosing and inspiring the services? This is a very serious question and one to which each member should give studious and prayerful thought.

The Vital Importance of the Truth of God

Over and over again throughout the Holy Scriptures you will find where the LOVE for the truth of all of God’s teachings is emphasized! Do we recall that it was BY THE TRUTH OF GOD that we were brought forth from the world to the Church of God?

“Of His own will He brought us forth BY THE WORD OF TRUTH that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:18).

Do we remember who it was that Christ used to bring His true teachings to us? The answer is given by the apostle Paul:

“Never forget your leaders, who FIRST spoke to you the Word of God. Remember how they lived and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Do NOT be swept off your feet by various peculiar teachings (Hebrews 13:7-8, Williams Translation).

It was none other than Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong who was used by Christ to teach us the truth! Some might say it was this one or that one that taught them. One should realize that if they were in the Church, then they were originally taught by Mr. Armstrong!

Please know that it was through this one man that Jesus Christ used to bring us out of this world of deception. And at the time of our calling we recognized who he was by the word of truth from Christ!

The Little Flock

Jesus Christ spoke of His Church as being a little flock (Luke 12:32). And since we have been so wonderfully blessed to be numbered among His elect people then we should also realize that each one of us has an individual part in supporting the Work that Jesus Christ has given to it.

The truth that we hold fast and the fruits resulting from it make known that we are of this little flock. For those who question this statement should seriously do a study of all the Scriptures that speak of the importance of the TRUTH that Jesus Christ revealed to His apostle and then check and see whether this Church is holding on to ALL OF IT, along with upholding and obeying God’s form of government without lofty titles.

We should also know that the reward that will be given to each of us at His coming will be based on how much we love Him, His truth, and how involved we are in His work to try and reach everyone before it is too late (Matthew 16:27).

Israel is Destroying Herself

At the same time, can we not see the end is in virtually in sight for Britain and America? Mr. Armstrong sometimes spoke of our developing our own Frankenstein! Can we not see this taking place in the House of Joseph?

It is very probable that many innocent people will be killed on all sides in the Middle East by these terrible terrorists living in the midst of the House of Joseph. And though for the most part they have been held at bay, we should also know that high ranking authorities in government tell us we are very vulnerable and it is just a smatter of time before another 9/11 takes place, or worse!

Whether we realize it or not these Islamic terrorists are being coddled in Britain and in the United States as well! In Britain they march and openly espouse their radical killing cause in the very presence of the law enforcement agencies! And nothing is done about it!

Recently pictures have been made available on the internet of these radical Islamists in Britain carrying their signs of hate and purpose! Pictures that Newspapers and the Television News Channels for the most part will not show to the public for fear of not being political correct. Political correctness is a Frankenstein that is killing Israel!

Brethren many of us believe that we are very close to the end of this age! With this in mind, should we not also have the love of God within us desiring to be as involved as Christ makes possible to try and reach as many members of the Church, Israel, and the world as possible with caring concern for them before it is too late (Luke 9:62)?

In closing I am going to paste part of a letter from Mr. Armstrong about the Work Christ was using him to do at the time. This is being done with the realization that its contents are applicable now as can be seen in the Church and the world around us.

Pasadena, April 21, 1982

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

I have very frightening, very sobering -- yet very reassuring -- news! You need the real FACTS on nuclear TERRORISM now threatening the lives of every one of us. You need to know the imminency and REALITY of this impending threat -- but we need also to know the PROPHECIES about it and that the assurance of God is also REAL!

Let me briefly summarize the existing FACTS of nuclear war possibilities, frightening as they are -- and the Bible PROPHECIES about it -- and then what prophecy says is actually GOING TO HAPPEN!

The world entered the Atomic Age 37 years ago [now 61 years ago] this August. At eight seconds past 8:16 a.m. on August 6, 1945, an American atomic bomb was detonated over Hiroshima, Japan. The violent shock wave produced by the uranium weapon, coupled with the intense heat of its huge fireball, totally devastated the city. More than 75,000 people were killed or fatally injured.

Three days later, the Japanese city of Nagasaki suffered a similar fate at the hands of another U.S. atomic weapon, this time a plutonium bomb. In two awesome displays, the world witnessed for the first time the terrible power of the atom!

In November, 1952, the far more frightening hydrogen bomb -- a thousand times more powerful -- was an awesome announcement!

The U.S. lead in atomic weapons' development was soon followed by the Soviet Union. Later Britain, France and China became members of the so-called "Big Five" nuclear powers. For years these five nations were an exclusive club. They were in sole possession of the knowledge and technology necessary to produce weapons of mass destruction. .
But not so today! The "secret" of atomic and hydrogen military technology is no longer even remotely secret. Possibly a half dozen additional countries now already secretly possess nuclear weapons.

The shocking fact is that no less than 35 countries already have, or will have by 1985, the technological know-how and the capacity to produce nuclear weapons! These include Argentina, Brazil, Israel, Iraq, South Korea, Egypt, Libya, Pakistan, South Africa, Taiwan and Yugoslavia.

No corner of the globe will be safe from the specter of cataclysmic destruction!

Even more disturbing is the growing prospect of NUCLEAR TERRORISM -- nuclear MASS MURDER by madmen bent on their own insane goals! Many authorities believe that when the next nuclear bomb is used, it will be by terrorists and not by a national government.

The destructive capacity of nuclear bombs in terrorists' hands is a growing risk. It is a documented fact that uranium and plutonium -- vital nuclear arms materials -- have been stolen, smuggled internationally and offered for sale.

One expert estimates that there is enough "material unaccounted for" at American facilities alone to make more than 20 plutonium bombs and half a
dozen uranium bombs! Officials have no idea where this nuclear material is!

In addition to terrorist groups, experts fear that unstable regimes in various countries could also get the bomb. An unbalanced Third World dictator with a nuclear device could kill millions of people. A new Stalin or Hitler in a major nation would have the stockpiles to literally obliterate the entire human race!

The nuclear "genie" is out of the bottle! Events are even now impelling the world toward a time of cataclysmic destruction. It is time to awake to the imminence of nuclear war and nuclear terrorism!

Now what does PROPHECY reveal actually WILL happen!

The one central prophecy in the New Testament is Matthew 24. Luke 21 and Mark 13 are parallel accounts of the same prophecy of JESUS!

Just outside the temple at Jerusalem, Jesus' disciples were showing Him the buildings of the temple. He said the temple was going to be totally destroyed. A little later, on the Mount of Olives they asked Him, "When shall these things be? And [another question] what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"

Jesus answered their first question first -- because He knew that destruction of the temple was to occur in the latter part of their lifetimes.

"Take heed that no man deceives you," He said (Matt. 24:4). Actually the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70. But many deceivers were to enter before then, turning people to a different gospel (Gal. 1:6-7 and II Cor. 11:3-4 and 13-15), and so Jesus warned that no man deceive them -- the apostles. "For" Jesus said, "many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" (Matt. 24:5).

Even down to TODAY, gospel preaching going out to all the world says that JESUS is the Christ -- that is their message. But it is their message, not Christ's. Christ's MESSAGE was His GOSPEL. Ever since A.D. 70 gospel preaching has been the message of PREACHERS and EVANGELISTS ABOUT Christ, but not Christ's Gospel message. Jesus' message was the Gospel of the KINGDOM OF GOD (Mark 1:1, 14-15).

That message was NOT proclaimed to the world for 1,900 years, until I began proclaiming it the first week in January, 1934, by radio, and after proclaiming it for 19 years coast to coast, it went out to Europe over the world's most powerful radio station, Radio Luxembourg, first week in January, 1953.

Jesus did not answer the second part of the disciples' question until later, recorded in verse 14, "And this gospel of the KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

Co-workers, this Church is proclaiming that Gospel for a witness to all nations -- not actually into every single nation, but for a WITNESS to all nations. It had not been proclaimed for 1,900 years! If it had been, its being preached now would NOT be a sign of the end of this age, and the coming of Jesus Christ.

But now continue on. When this Gospel of the Kingdom of God is proclaimed, it is not the actual coming of Christ and end of this world -- but the SIGN that it is coming. But of specific events, what's prophesied NEXT?

Verses 21-22: ''Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved alive!” (see Moffat translation).

"NO HUMAN LIFE SAVED ALIVE!" That is, UNLESS God intervenes to cut short that time. But, last part of verse 22, for the elect's sake -- HIS CHURCH -- HE WILL INTERVENE AND PREVENT THIS TOTAL BLASTING OF ALL LIFE FROM THE EARTH! Here is a prophecy that could NOT be fulfilled UNTIL:

1) The Gospel of the Kingdom of God had gone out as a witness for the WHOLE WORLD, and;

2) Until the development of NUCLEAR POWER that could ERASE ALL HUMAN LIFE FROM EARTH!

Look at Daniel 12:1-2: At the time of the END (chapter 11:40) of this world, "there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people [God's Church] shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book [of life]. And many of them that sleep [dead in the dust of the earth shall awake" -- in the resurrection at Christ's coming!

Now back to Matthew 24. Verse 29, immediately after the tribulation, frightening signs in the sun, moon and stars, and then, verse 30, the Second Coming of CHRIST!

Speaking of this same END TIME, "In all your dwelling places, THE CITIES SHALL BE LAID WASTE" (Ezek. 6:6). Cities now have populations into multiple MILLIONS. No such destruction in ALL the cities could have occurred before the hydrogen bomb!

But God WILL INTERVENE! His Church SHALL BE PROTECTED!

We who have restored CHRIST'S TRUE GOSPEL to the world, who have come out of this world, and served the great GOD, and SUFFERED PERSECUTION and FALSE ACCUSATION, shall be delivered from terrifying evils such as never occurred before. Let us REMAIN FAITHFUL and supportive of God's great and END-TIME WORK! ...

With much love, in Jesus' name,

Herbert W. Armstrong

Brethren, please think soberly and seriously about what he wrote in this letter. Though it was written years ago it is more applicable today than it was at the time he wrote it. It is very important that we realize this and find refuge in Jesus Christ and His truth!

Your servant and brother in Christ,

Don Billingsley

P. O. Box 8819

Modesto, CA 95357

Phone: (209) 772-0737.

For more information please visit our website: http://www.cog-ff.com

NOTE: The quotes in the above letter are intended for educational purpose.