Due to changes in the ministry and a part of shifting work loads, we are making some adjustments in how we can better serve the Church, although we may not have the time remaining to implement all our planning. We must continue to look ahead and strive to best serve the needs of the Church as if time will continue past Pentecost of 2014 for Christ’s return, yet knowing this could be the actual date. God has directed us to simply continue to focus from Pentecost to Pentecost; therefore, we must be wise, alert and spiritually on guard to the reality that things can accelerate at any moment in time.
The Church needs to be ever vigilant and ready for quick changes that can take place in this world within an hours notice. The United States will undoubtedly soon make a move on Syria. The reality before us is that it could happen before or even on Trumpets. That is just how volatile conditions are in this world.
Israel cannot idly sit back for very long concerning Iran’s capability in the development of nuclear weapons. Israel knows where those weapons will first be used and that they will be used soon after they have been developed. With the kind of unrest and instability that exists in Egypt to the south and growing internal struggles within Lebanon to the north, a strike on Syria by the United States would serve as perfect timing for Israel to strike Iran. A strike on Syria by a few coalition forces could indeed be a well-planned and coordinated effort to enable Israel to make an initial attack upon Iran, thereby giving coalition forces potential scenarios to use as an excuse to also engage Iran in the same effort to destroy all potential for continuing development of nuclear weapons. This could easily be done on a day that most might least expect Israel to attack – on one of their holy days, just as they have done before.
So we too must plan ahead and consider such possibilities, as we are about to enter the Holy Day season that is just before us. Therefore, we are going to load the Holy Day sermons onto the Church site so that you can download them all in case things in this world should quickly escalate to a level that might prevent travel in order to meet together on those days. Considering where we are in time, we must simply “be prepared” for any possibility. Remember, these sermons have been inspired by God to be used on the specific day that is listed by each sermon. Everyone is being directed to listen to those sermons on those dates and not before.
In addition, we are making some administrative and speaking changes as well. Johnny Harrell, as senior evangelist, has been carrying a heavy load and now that we have only one evangelist in North America, that load and responsibility has been multiplied significantly; therefore, he will be spending a lot of additional time helping take care of more administrative needs of the ministry, and as a result, he will be giving fewer sermons. Thankfully, we now have a newly ordained evangelist, Willem, who is in the Netherlands. He will help pick up some of the sermon load as time goes forward. In the mean time, Wayne will also help by preparing additional sermons.
Hopefully all of you can clearly see the significance of the Church-wide fast we have just experienced and the incredible importance of why God is sanctifying His Church at this time. The pace of things is picking up and we need to do the same – to pick up the pace in the race God has set before us.
The Church of God - Preparing for the Kingdom of God