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WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91123
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
PASTOR GENERAL
August 25, 1985
Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ:
Two Sabbaths ago, in a sermonette before the Pasadena
Headquarters P.M. congregation, Mr. Dwight Viehe, a local elder,
referred to my letter to you dated June 25. He elaborated on my
letter. What he said is important and timely at this critical
time. I want to share it with all of you, and I repeat it here as
transcribed from a taped recording of his sermonette:
I brought with me this afternoon a recent member and
co-worker letter from Mr. Armstrong. I'm sure most of you will
recall this one. You should. He began by telling us how we are
helping fulfill Bible prophecy. It goes on to explain how there is
indeed a purpose being worked out here below, and that the events
working out that purpose of God are recorded in the history of the
past, and the prophecy of the present and the future in the Bible.
A few paragraphs below that he mentions how, right now, it
seems that God has been holding events in the world back.
Mr. Armstrong says: "We had expected the Great Tribulation
to come before now. Why the delay? Surely it seems God has held
the winds of terrorism and the Great Tribulation back to allow
time" for the preaching of the Gospel message as a witness unto all
nations "in a more complete way." And then Mr. Armstrong concludes
the paragraph: "Perhaps we ourselves have been holding the march of
events up."
Mr. Armstrong has mentioned that before. I've heard him
mention it several times. And each time I pondered that thought,
but then something else would get on my mind and I would soon
forget it. But this time I decided to think a little more deeply,
because it's an incredible, awesome thought that it is possible for
God's chosen people, his called-out ones, spiritual Israel, to
actually alter the divine agenda of the Almighty God. Let us look
at an example. In Acts 13 Paul is giving what has been said to be
his first sermon. Beginning in verse 14: " ... when they [he and
Barnabasl departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and
went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. And
after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the
synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have
any word of exhortation [or earnest urgings] for the people, say
on."
Speak up. What an invitation, because Paul, being Paul,
stood up, and he said, Well, as a matter of fact, I do. It says
then he, " ... beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye
that fear God, give audience. The God of this people of Israel
chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as
strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he