Is Bob Thiel The Biggest Waffle Maker The Church Has Ever Seen?

 

The other day we reported some things that came to us by a person that had information about Thiel's African evangelist who apparently is converting half of the continent into the amazing "continuing" Church of God. This whipped the doubly blessed Elijah Amos Habbakuk Thiel into a prophetic frenzy. How dare we criticize his ministry or any of the things he does. How dare we! Oh wait, I know...we are tools of Satan himself who are deliberately trying to destroy the one true church which is doing the biggest worldwide work the Church of God has seen in human history.

The great Bwana and savior of Africa starts his waffling off immediately be claiming he is NOT the only COG doing a work. It doesn't take much of a rocket scientist to know that. Many COG groups are actually doing good things for people around this world. The problem comes from Thiel's waffling language. 

First, before going further, let it be pointed out that I have NEVER said, written, nor posted that CCOG is the only church doing a work. I have written that we of the CCOG are the only Philadelphian organization, other COGs do various types of works, there are Philadelphians in other COGs, and just being in CCOG does not, of itself, make one a Philadelphian. Yet, Banned cannot seem to even get that right.

Notice his "Philadelphia" keyword that sets him apart as the one true church doing the one true work. He is Philadelphian and all of the others are either Sardis or Laodicean groups who don't know the true timeline of prophecy so that they will know when to flee. Never has the COG had a name player like Thiel. Duplicity and waffling are his favorite methods of play-acting as the greatest leader the church has ever seen.

Bwana then goes on to take great umbrage at the fact his African followers do not consider him a prophet. Notice how he waffles his answer and never denies that they do not think he is a prophet. It's all about how he is so much better than the Living Church of God and how many magazines he is publishing in different languages.

That is another lie–it is not that no one may have told Banned that lie, but the statement just is not true. Consider that groups such as LCG spend more money in Kenya than CCOG does. Yet, we have probably over 10 x the number of congregants in Africa Kenya than they do. If people wanted money there are other groups who spend more money in Africa than CCOG does. One thing that CCOG does that most other COG groups have not done is produce literature in local languages, such as Luo, Kiswahili, and Ekegusii. People in places like Kenya appreciate having the truth available in languages other than English–yes it is helpful for the the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to be preached throughout the world (Matthew 24:14) in numerous languages. But the idea that people in Kenya could have interest in the truths that the CCOG teaches is something that then anti-COG types do not wish to accept–instead they prefer to promote lies.

The Great Bwana then quotes Jesus as if he actually follows the guy:

Jesus prophesied:

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:10-12)

And here we go again...PERSECUTION! 

Brethren, we are being persecuted! 

It is a sign of the end times. 

Satan is angry and Christ warned us this would be happening to us.

It's not only those of us here at Banned and its readers who are persecuting the Great Bwana, but The Painful Truth website is doing Satan's work too! Ghastly days!

Those at Banned, the Painful Truth, and various other places have regularly been fulfilling that prophecy and saying all kinds of things falsely against me and CCOG.

What people at Banned and the other anti-COG sites cannot stand is the idea that the true ministry is having success and is not in it for the money. The fact that my wife and I do not take a salary from CCOG grates on them as it is opposed to the lying narrative they wish to believe. While commandment keepers are to be rewarded, scripture warns about those who believe and love lies:

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. (Revelation 22:14-15)

True ministry? True ministry? What the hell? Again, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know the improperly named "continuing" Church of God is NOT a true ministry.  From the tall tales of dreamweavers, double blessings, and all kinds of nefarious proclamations that no follower of Jesus would ever make. The flowers of Christ never went around proclaiming their mighty deeds. They did their work humbly. Is there even a humble bone in Thiel's self-aggrandizing personality?

The Great Bwana then takes offense that no one believes he received a double blessing. That double blessing is vitally important to Thiel's legitimacy. He loves to quote various Living Church of Go ministers making outlandish statements about him and prophetic duties...as if any of them are legitimate ministers of truth either. Gaylon Bonjour certainly never believed he was anointing Bob so he could start a new splinter group or completion for LCG.

Here is a short version for what happened: In November 2011, both LCG minister Dr. Jeff Fall and LCG minister Gary Ehman told me that I did NOT need to have hands laid upon me in order to be a true prophet of God. Yet, I told them that something like that needed to happen for me to accept it. And in November/December 2011, I prayed that if I truly had a prophetic role from God that He would have something happen during a planned mid-December 2011 trip to Charlotte, North Carolina to confirm it or deny it if that were His will. As it turned out, on 12/15/2011 hands were laid upon me in Charlotte by LCG minister Gaylyn Bonjour, who I had not even intended to see then (I had asked to see Gary Ehman, but as it turned out, he was not in the Charlotte office due to an unexpected illness). After seeing Gaylyn Bonjour mentioning some health issues and wisdom, he laid hands on me, and specifically prayed that I would be granted a “double-portion” of God’s Holy Spirit, and he anointed me with oil. Afterwards, Gaylyn told me that he had not ever requested a “double portion’ of God’s Spirit before on anyone, but he felt that it was reminiscent of the time that the prophetic and ecclesiastical leadership mantle passed from the Prophet Elijah to Elisha (2 Kings 2:9-13). Gaylyn Bonjour had been unaware that I had prayed that God would have me anointed or somehow identified for a prophetic role on that mid-December 2011 trip if that were His plan for me and I had never discussed my possible prophetic role with him prior to this anointing. On 12/18/12, I asked Gaylyn Bonjour if he knew what he may have unintentionally done and he said yes. This 12/15/11 anointing appears to be the first biblically-appropriate prophetic anointing in the Church of God in many decades, if not many, many multiple centuries. And the legitimacy of this anointing has been proven by subsequent events–though many do not seem to understand how God works at times.

He then goes on to state that his place as a prophet in the church came about because he had visions about Rod Meredith's wife and how this is proof he is a prophet.

As it also turned out, I tried to meet with Dr. Meredith on December 19, 2011 to tell him that it seemed God was telling me that his wife was about to be struck with something serious. A few weeks later (per Dr. Meredith’s letter dated 1/12/12), Dr. Meredith reported that his wife (who was much younger than he) was stricken with stage four cancer (she later died on November 29, 2013). That prediction was not the result of analytical skills on my behalf, but I believe were insights from God’s Spirit.

In my view, the unexpected ‘double-portion anointing, Gaylyn Bonjour’s comments about the mantle passing, and my feeling led to tell of something about to hit Sheryl Meredith, were the result of God answering my prayers in November/December 2011 that the prophet matter would be confirmed or denied in Charlotte with my December 2011 trip. Essentially, this was THREE confirmations.

Let this be clear, I was absolutely anointed, had hands laid over me, and the LCG minister who did so prayed that I would receive a ‘double-portion’ of God’s Holy Spirit, and afterwards that same minister (Gaylyn Bonjour) stated that this was reminiscent of the mantle passing from Elijah to Elisha (Gaylyn Bonjour also brought up the passing of the mantle related to this when we spoke on March 23, 2012). The fact that he did not originally intend to pray that I receive a ‘double-portion’ of God’s Holy Spirit is of no consequence, as the Bible shows that although Isaac had not intended to provide certain blessings to Jacob, once Isaac laid hands upon Jacob and gave the prayer, the anointed blessing would remain according to the Bible (Genesis 27)–and Gaylyn Bonjour concurs with this. Let it be noted that unlike Jacob, I did not employ any deceit in the anointing.

Furthermore, understand that I believe that I do have the appropriate prophetic fruits that Jesus discussed (Matthew 7:15-20) and that those truly interested in the truth can see this if they truly wish to prayfully look into this. Perhaps it should be mentioned that while some question my ordination, others have also had concerns about God’s anointing and ordinations (2 Kings 9:1-11; Jeremiah 43:2; Genesis 27:26-37). God does not always do things the way humans think He does (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9). 

The Bwana Bob finally makes a truthful statement: 

Gary Leonard does not want to accept that I have the fruits of a prophet and meet the biblical and COG criteria for that.

Absolutely! There is no way on God's green earth that Theil is a prophet of God. That I can state as a fact.  Pigs will be flying and rats dancing when I ever believe that nonsense. Plus, the so-called COG criteria for prophet is as pathetic as Bob's claims.  The Church of God has never produced a real prophet in the last 80 some years of the church and Thiel is NOT one for the end times. That I can state as a fact again. 

I can also stare as a fact that no real Christian needs Theil, his prophetic utterances, or his end-times timeline in order to be saved from tribulation. No COG member needs Thiel's crap in order to know when to flee to Petra. That is a lie of epic proportions.

If you are interested you can read the rest of Thiel's sad little response here...and even see a video he has produced about the big bad meanie people on the blogs who are picking on him.  Banned promotes lies about evangelist Evans Ochieng and CCOG

Dave Pack: "Remember, most of Nostradamus’ prophecies failed. And again, this could not occur with a prophet of God."

 

From a reader:

I know that this year's Feast in RCG has gotten a lot of press on this blog (due to all the leaked sermons) as it should. If anything, it highlights how crazy the prophetic teachings (and other teachings) are in RCG, so that's a good thing. Perhaps it can stimulate some of those who are there to wake up to the insanity.

However, for those who don't know, this is the same exact thing that happened last year. There were multiple streamed/distributed messages from the "Pastor General" all covering Christ's supposed return by the end of the Feast. This is literally a repeat of what happened last year. When Christ failed to materialized on the LGD, then Dave proclaimed he would come throughout November. With a new date Every...Single...Saturday... Then when that didn't happen, he claimed Christ would come in the Christmas season and on and on. So we are still going here. It is insane but honestly not a lot more insane than last year. We all bought it up to a point but hey, there is no better time to leave...it's just so obviously wrong.

In order to stay with Dave's group, you either need to be a hireling or invent a new portion of HWA's theology to allow for false prophecies. From talking to members there, it is clear there is a mix of both.

Perhaps after the Feast, the membership could review the following RCG article. I will provide a few helpful quotes for those who don't want to read it.

Did God Send Nostradamus?

"These events clearly did not happen. Based on number and size of failures, Nostradamus is a particularly poor prophet. Among false prophets, he falls into extra false.

Now ask: Could the God of the Bible inspire prophecies that did not come to pass? What about even one? No. If so, He becomes a liar. Read what He says: “...I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure” (Isa. 46:9-10).

Only God can declare the future. And Hebrews 6:18 says it is impossible for Him to lie. His Word is certain. What He foretells—God does not predict—will come to pass. Even one failed prophecy means one was not sent by God."

"Remember, most of Nostradamus’ prophecies failed. And again, this could not occur with a prophet of God. Let’s see: “We [Christians] have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place...” (II Pet. 1:19). God’s prophecies are sure. They never miss. Not one! And they do shed light in dark places.

Here is God’s command regarding prophets: “And if you [ask] in your heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken? [God’s answer] When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken, but the prophet has spoken it presumptuously: you shall not be afraid of him” (Deut. 18:21-22). This states that men can presume to speak for God. This is very serious to God. It should also be serious to you. You must know if God sent a man—or if the man sent himself." 

When COG Leaders Wake Up Each Morning

 

Good News! You Have 4-5 Years To Do What You Want Till The Tribulation Hits in 2025 (or later, maybe much later, or...)

It is official! The only True Prophet of God on earth today has decreed that the trib will not happen till at least 2025, or maybe later. That means we have 4-5 more years to do what we want and enjoy life!  No more sitting in some dank high school gym, Masonic Lodge, or sitting at home dressed in Sabbath wear listening to your favorite prophet speak for 4.5 hours as he goes over 176 points on why he is The Man! Now it is time to party down!  Enjoy life while you can!

The Great Tribulation Cannot Start Before 2024!


Those who believe and understand what the Bible actually teaches realize that the Great Tribulation cannot begin before 2024.
While years ago I wrote that the Great Tribulation could start during Donald Trump’s first term (which ends in January of 2021), it should now be more certain for others to realize that this is so.
Jesus gave a variety of signs/events that had to happen prior to the start of the Great Tribulation in Matthew 24. Not only have many not happened, a preceding event in Daniel 9:27 involving the confirmation of a seven-year deal still has not happened. Since it did not happen as of yet, this means that it is not possible for the Great Tribulation to begin for at least 3 1/2 years (half of a biblically-prophetic week).

I imagine Jesus is getting pretty pissed at having to constantly cancel his second coming (or 3rd if you are Dave Pack) because people in the Churches of God just aren't ready. Plus, with so many prophets running around speaking in his name, I imagine it is hard to keep track of which one he is supposed to be returning to. 

At this instant, unless we see more major conflict in the Middle East between now and the end of the Summer and Daniel 9:27 fulfilled in the Fall, it is unlikely that the Great Tribulation can begin prior to 2025.
People who claim to be COG, like Ronald Weinland and the late James Malm, have repeatedly been in error as to timing as they have looked to their own understanding instead of what the Bible teaches.

I find it funny to watch the various self-appointed prophets of Armstrongism constantly claiming the other guy is wrong, while they never are. It does not require much thinking by COG members or the public to know that Ron Weinland is a liar. He proved that in 2008 when he became the laughing stock of San Franciso and the COG.

The Great Tribulation is coming, but it will not begin in 2020 or 2021.

The problem boys and girls is that NO ONE outside the True Prophet's group has the intelligence or theological understanding to know WHEN the trib is about to hit so they can skedaddle to Petra and start decorating caves and digging latrines. Because you are not in his little cult, you CANNOT know when to flee or when the trib is about ready to hit. What an inconvenience!

That being said, please understand that the COGs associated with the Sardis and Laodicean churches cannot possibly know when the Great Tribulation will begin unless they change..

CG7-Denver, for one example, believes that most events in the Book of Revelation have already been fulfilled, so they are not officially looking for it. And the Laodicean churches have added extra, non-biblical events/requirements to precede the Great Tribulation, that are not necessary and hence those who believe them will NOT believe that the Great Tribulation will start until it is too late (see also The Laodicean Church Era).

As usual, our wanna-be self-appointed True Prophet has a long list of points to prove he is right and everyone else is wrong. It is a laundry list of some of the most idiotic stuff you could ever read and comes from a mind that constantly lives in a state of make-believe. It is a psychotic fantasy dream world, literally!

You will quickly see that he considers all other COG's to be blithering idiots and incapable of interpreting scripture. He and he alone is The Man!

Here is a listing of some of the wrong prophetic views of real and claimed COG groups:

1) Many COG groups (ICG, CGI, UCG, COGaIC, CG7-D, CGG, CEM, etc.) do not officially teach and/or do not believe in the idea of Church eras (The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3), though they sometimes teach about the churches of Revelation. They tend to take more of a preterist (past) view of those churches, despite the fact that many statements made to them had to have future prophetic ramifications (e.g. Revelation 1:19; 3:3; 3:10). Because of that they do not teach certain prophetic aspects of this, most do not see their own problems and will have to go through the Great Tribulation.

2) Many COG groups do not believe that the Gospel of the Kingdom still needs to be preached to the world as a witness per Matthew 24:14 (e.g. GCW, PCG), do not really make that a high priority (e.g. COGWA, CGG), or do so in less than truly loving the truth, hence do not have the real Philadelphian work. As only the Philadelphians are promised to be protected from the hour of trial that will come on the whole world, they will not understand when Matthew 24:14 is fulfilled or when to flee per Matthew 24:15. Hence they do not have or lead the Philadelphian work. Only the Philadelphians are promised to be protected from the hour of trial that will come on the whole world. There you have it once again, your salvation rests in his hands. There is no other COG or any church anywhere in the world that can protect you from the hour of trial coming. No one!

3) At least three groups misunderstand the Gospel and COG doctrines so much (PCG, CGPfK, and RCG) that I question if their top leaders are actually converted members of the COG. Two of those leaders have had major predictions be proven false (CGPFK and RCG).

I don't need to question whether our True Prophet is converted or not, it is plain as day. He is not. He is not even Christian because he denies the very one he claims to follow.

4) Many, if not most, COG groups do not realize that the Great Tribulation begins with the King of the North invading the USA. UK, and/or their Anglo-Saxon descended allies (Daniel 11:39).

Pure unadulterated bunk! This is the fantasy world he has been dreaming about for years. Even Rod Meredith mocked his understanding on this, as did most LCG ministers.

5) Many COG groups misunderstand the identity of the King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43), and some have the wrong prophetic sequence regarding the King of the South (see PCG and LCG do not understand the end-time King of the South sequence–do you?). This is not the order that Daniel 11 teaches (see Who is the King of the North?). This view overlooks the fact that since the Great Tribulation is the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), that it begins with the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies like the United Kingdom getting invaded (cf. Daniel 11:39). Some of the groups cling to this sequential error, because it was once held by the late Herbert W. Armstrong, who changed his view by 1979 (Armstrong, Herbert W. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General’s Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979). Since the King of the North will eliminate those of the strongest fortresses (the USA, Canada, etc.) in Daniel 11:39, prior to invading the King of the South in Daniel 11:40, those who hold to this view will not know when the Great Tribulation will begin until after it has started.

The only person who knows what will happen is our True Prophet. He and he alone has the answer. Herbert and his crew were too dumb to understand prophecy. God had to finally give the truth to our True Man!

6) Some (CEG, GCG-UK) teach that there is no biblically-required King of the South, while at least one group is unsure (CGF-NW)–but this is an error (see also Is the Future King of the South Rising Up?). This error contributes to other prophetic errors that those groups have.


7) Some have insisted that the final King of the South will be from the nation of Ethiopia. This is partially based upon a mistranslation in the KJV version of the Bible as well as a position that the late Herbert Armstrong once held. However, he changed his position in the 1960s and 1970s to an Arabic-Muslim confederation. Those who insist that the final King of the South must be Ethiopia will not possibly realize that the Great Tribulation will begin until it is too late (RCG once held that position, but later changed it; in 2018 LCG has pushed involvement, but not specifically kingship for Ethiopia).


8) Several COG groups (like CGG, RCG, PCG, COGWA) clearly misunderstand Daniel 9:27, the second half of which ties in with Daniel 11:31 and Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:15. Those who misunderstand it will not have a proper pre-warning of what is happening nor likely know when the Great Tribulation will begin.

Neither will any follower of our True Prophet, because none of this stuff is true. The church overall has spent 8 decades feeding us one bullshit story after another and not once has any of it been true when it comes to prophecy. All have been totally ignorant of prophecy and still are because that is where their focus is and not on the one to come. That inconvenient dude is always left by the wayside as the COG prepared to fight off the rampaging hoards of Germans, Muslims and Chinese or whoever the current boogeyman the church needed as a scapegoat.

9) Various COG groups (UCG, COGWA, COGaIC, RCG, and CGOM, come to immediate mind, but they are not the only ones) have so many areas of undefined prophecy that they will not know what certain events will mean. And groups who define matters wrongly will have problems that way as well (PCG and LCG come to immediate mind, but so do nearly all other COG claimed groups).


10) A couple of groups, such as Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God and Triumph Prophetic Ministries, have been repeatedly proven wrong about their dates for the start of the Great Tribulation and the return of Jesus Christ. Those who rely on the leaders of those groups really do not understand biblical prophecy. 

As has our True Prophet, Rod Meredith, Gerald Weston, Herbert Armstrong, Garner Ted, Herman Hoeh, Dean Blackwell, John Rittenbaugh, and all the rest of the prophecy nuts in the church. 

11)  Certain groups teach improper interpretations of the 1335, 1290, and 1260 days of Daniel 12 (CGPFK is one) or have other problems with that (most other COG groups) that they will not understand when the Great Tribulation will start. Herbert Armstrong changed his view on this by 1979 and many never understood the change.

12)  Most COG groups fail to understand Habakkuk 2:2-8 and hence are not properly getting the warning out to the USA and UK. PCG totally misses it, and LCG, while it once would teach it, has backed off because of what appears to be internal politics. The rising ‘time bomb’ of USA debt is something that needs to be pointed out and Habakkuk 2:2-8 points out the biblical threat that this poses. It should be proclaimed and we in CCOG are doing it. Many do not realize that Habakkuk 2:2-8 is related to fleeing and the start of the Great Tribulation, that the time will come when those Philadelphians who understand it in its proper timeframe will flee, and is one of the reasons for the attack against the indebted descendants of the tribes of Joseph.

13)  At least one group (LCG) is no longer certain that France or certain other Israelitish nations will support the Beast power. This differs from the position specifically taught by the late Dibar Apartian as well as what the Bible teaches. Those who misunderstand this are likely to not possibly realize when the final Beast power has formed.

Dibar Apartian was not a sound theologian and made some of the most idiotic predictions and biblical interpretations ever. He caused a lot of damage over the decades with the junk he preached. 

14)  Many COG groups have various ‘Elijah heresies’ (CGI-derived groups and RCG come to mind). Because of this, they will not be able to recognize the final Elijah.

Every single COG out there that believes any human leader of any of the COG's is Elijah is a fool. That includes believing the self-appointed True Prophet we are expected to believe. 

15)  Some think that either there is no Elijah to come (ICG) or that it is the church and not an individual (cf. LCG), which goes against Jesus’ teachings on the subject in Mark 9:12-13 (for more details, see The Elijah Heresies).

Lazy Christians who need to be told what to believe and need an Elijah to come and save them because they have never been taught about what Jesus did and accomplished.  They need some self-appointed twit in the church to be their saviour and tell them what to do. Jesus cannot do anything for them, but our True Prophet can!

The COG has had literally hundreds of Elijah's pop up on the scene over the decades claiming they were the true Elijah.  I remember one who picketed with huge signs in front of the Hall of Ad in the 1980s for weeks on end, till his prophecy failed. He was a self-appointed liar like our True Prophet. 

16)  Many groups do not understand the differing persecutions (and other matters) to come in Daniel 7:25, 11:30-39, Matthew 24:9-22, and Revelation 12:14-17, hence when the prophesied wave of persecution initially hits the Philadelphians primarily (and not them), they will not see this persecution as evidence that the Great Tribulation is about to begin. The old Radio Church of God specifically applied the persecuting scriptures of Daniel 11:32-35 to the end time Philadelphian church.

Our True Prophet claims that he and he alone will be persecuted before any of the other COG's are. Because the other COG's are not being persecuted like he is, they will not know it is time to flee.

Never has the COG had a self-appointed leader filled with such a persecution-complex as we have with our True Prophet. This poor guy claims he is constantly being persecuted. He has no idea what persecution is as he sits in his nice home each night with his stomach full and his trusty glass of wine close by as he listens to the Young Ambassadors sing songs from the '70s and '80s and he dreams of days gone by when Rod Meredith actually liked him. Those were the good old days!

17)  Most groups that came out of groups once led by the late Garner Ted Armstrong (ICG, CGI, CEM, etc.) do not seem to teach that there is a physical place of safety (despite what Revelation 12:14-16 teaches), hence they will not be inclined to flee towards one just prior to the start of the Great Tribulation.

18)  Most ‘independents’ do not believe that they need to ‘gather together’ prior to the time to flee despite what Zephaniah 2:1-3 teaches, hence it is not likely they will be inclined to flee together when a group they are not part of does just prior to the start of the Great Tribulation.

Like Dave Pack, our True Prophet had a nightmare where a "demon" told him that it was his job to gather in all the wayward COG's and independents out there and bring them into his group so that there can be a final push and so he can bring as many to Petra as possible. 

19)  At least one group (PCG) misunderstands the final Prince of Rosh. Those who insist on a pre-return of Jesus Christ for the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38 will be disappointed as that is in scriptural error.

20)  At least one COG group (CG7-D) basically teaches that most of the events of Revelation have already taken place and no one needs to worry about coming persecution. Jesus warned those of Sardis to be careful about losing the doctrinal understandings they had (Revelation 3:1-6), and this loss of prophetic knowledge proves that those in Sardis will not know when the Great Tribulation will begin.

If there was a Sardis era, which there isn't in this day and age, it is the only COG that is actually doing a work and making a difference in people's lives.  HWA, Meredith, and others used to mock the Church of God Seventh Day as being the Sardis era because they rejected a lot of the dreamed-up stuff HWA tried to foster off on them. COG7 ahs more members and baptizes more people in a year than all the COG's combined. They actually make a difference in peoples lives, unlike the present hodgepodge of floundering COG's

21)  At least one COG group (LCG) erroneously believes that the abomination of desolation of Daniel 11:31 occurs after the King of the North invades the King of the South. Since this will not happen that way, those who hold to that position will not understand when the Great Tribulation will begin.

22) At least one group (RCG) totally misunderstands various prophecies in Haggai and Zechariah and expect a type of reunification that is not prophesied. Those who rely on this and other misinterpretations will not know when the Great Tribulation will begin.

23)  At least one group (LCG) erroneously teaches that the ‘Falling Away’ warned about in 2 Thessalonians 2 has mainly to do with the world and Protestants and not the Church of God. This improper emphasis seems to be leading to a falling away of certain prophetic understandings for those who hold to it.

24)  Some groups teach (UCG, COGWA, LCG, CEG) that the man of sin who sits in the temple of God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) is the Antichrist/false prophet, not the Beast of the Sea. Yet, it is this Beast of the Sea, the final King of the North. So, when this happens, those who hold to the wrong position will not understand its prophetic ramifications. The Beast identity of the ‘son of perdition’ (cf. Revelation 17:7-11) is important to understand in the end times.

Most people realize that the man of sin sits in Arroyo Grande. Has the church ever had a bigger sinner that our True Prophet?

25)  At least two groups teach that the ‘man of sin’ is (or could be) Joseph Tkach, Jr. (PCG, COG-FF). This absurd position also partially leads to many other misunderstandings.

26)  At least one group (RCG) has declared Satan will enter a COG leader to make him the man of sin.

I think this may have already happened. Never has the church had a man in its midst with more dreamed up self-aggrandizing qualifications than our True Prophet. From fake double blessings, wild fantastical nightmare/dreams, retracted blessings of Rod Meredith and so much more. Only a possessed mind that is on the verge of a psychotic break can come up with so much of this stuff.

27) A few teach that a Jewish temple in Jerusalem must be rebuilt before Jesus returns (CBCG, RCG, COGFF, CEG, and TPM teach this, as do some in LCG). While this is remotely possible it is not required. Since this will not happen as a few sometimes teach, those who hold to that position will not understand when the Great Tribulation will begin.

28) At least two groups (PCG and LCG) teach that the Beast power will consist of 10 or 11 current nations in the European Union. The European Union has 28 nation members with several others hoping to join it. And while it may lose nations, the reality is that if the Beast power rises up when there are more than 11 nations in it, those who hold to that position will not understand when the Great Tribulation will begin. Under Herbert Armstrong, the old WCG taught in at least a dozen documents (Plain Truth, Good News, Tomorrow’s World, booklets, Co-worker letter, Bible Correspondence Course) that this passage referred to 10 nations or GROUPS OF NATIONS. Presuming it will be another number of nations, those who insist on 10 or 11 will not realize when the Great Tribulation will begin.

29) Some groups (CBCG and CGG) teach that the ten kings are to be in charge of ten regions around the world as opposed to being a primarily European power. Overlooking what will happen in Europe could mean that such a group would not understand when the Great Tribulation would begin.


30) None of the Laodicean or Sardis COGs seem to teach that the “strongest fortresses” in Daniel 11:39 refers to the USA–but it does. Although the evangelists at LCG all agreed I was correct about this, when I checked LCG’s two major websites in 2017, there was no place where LCG teaches this–this is an improper and dangerous error of omission for LCG–and for the other claimed COGs.

All the evangelists of LCG did NOT agree with our True Prophet. That is just a fantasy of his own making. Our True Prophet was widely mocked behind his back by certain LCG evangelists and leading ministers. Do not swallow the grandiose fantasy that LCG leaders looked upon our True Prophet as a true prophet of God. They did not. That is why Meredith had to publicly rebuke our True Prophet and knock him down a lot of rungs on the ladder.

31)  At least two groups seem to teach that the first verse in the Daniel 11 sequence relating to the beginning of the Great Tribulation is Daniel 11:40. Instead they should teach that it begins with Daniel 11:39 (see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses), which is shortly after Daniel 11:31, which is also consistent with the start of the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7; see also Who is the King of the North?). Those who hold to the Daniel 11:40 position will not understand when the Great Tribulation will begin.

32)  The leader of at least former one group (GOI, James Malm, now deceased) has claimed that the Great Tribulation could begin within a year for the last 11 or so years. Since he did not recognize why this is in error, any his his remaining followers will not truly know when the Great Tribulation will begin.

Our True Prophet and others have been claiming the end is near for many years now.  The date keeps getting pushed back further and further as nothing happens year after year and they get older. The church is never ready. Never fear though, the True Prophet is here to tell you when the crap is hitting the fan.  You are supposed to believe you need him. You don't need that inconvenient dude who said to place your trust and faith in him and he would carry your burdens because you have been made weary from all the bloviating COG prophets.

33)  Some independents and some groups (PCG comes to mind) insist that the late Herbert W. Armstrong was the final ‘Elijah to come’ despite the fact that he has been dead since 1986, and that death disqualifies him according to his writing about that.

34)  Leaders of at least two groups (CGPFK and RCG), who once insisted publicly that Herbert Armstrong must be the final Elijah, now falsely claim that they hold that role.

As does our True Prophet. Gerald Flurry, Dave Pack, Ron Weinland, and a couple other crackpots believe they are Elijah. In order to leave them by the wayside, our True Prophet also had to claim he was Elisha, Amos, Habbakuk, Jeremiah, Joseph, Micah, Johsua, Malachai, and a host of other nonsensical names. 

35)  Some groups either do not believe there is an Elijah to come (CGIcomes to mind) or do not believe he needs to be a person (LCGcomes to mind).

36)  At least one group has confused the final Elijah with the return of Jesus (LCG comes to mind).

37)  At least one group has publicly claimed that God has no prophets today and will not have any until the two witnesses are empowered (LCG comes to mind). This downplays how God works (cf. Ephesians 2:20) and that the Bible teaches, “Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

There is no need for a prophet today. The one and only prophet you need has come and will come again, at some point. You don't need to worry when or about all of these lying self-appointed wannabe's littering the landscape out there. They are worthless and irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

38)  At least one group (CGG) teaches that the Beast power is not European. Since the Beast power will arise in Europe, those who do not understand this will not realize when the Great Tribulation is about to begin.

39)  At least one group (LCG) teaches that the European Union will collapse like the old Roman Empire. But the lessons of history and the Bible contradict that.

40)  At least two groups (BICOG and TPM) have taught that a US president is the King of the North or could be the Antichrist.

41)  Nearly all COG groups and independents do not accept that God has been fulfilling prophecies of Acts 2:17-18 .

And there you have it, 41 useless and irrelevant points that are of no use to anyone who is a follower of Christ. Because our True Prophet has lied to us so much over the last several years and uttered many false prophecies, he is not to be believed or followed. If you are a follower of Christ and scripture you immediately know what a liar he is. Scripture condemns him.

So the next time you see Bob Thiel bloviating on his miraculousness, turn and run. Your brain and God with thank you!

Ron Weinland: "I am the last apostle for the Church of God in this final age of mankind"

Its been a while since we have featured the one and only official FELON leading a COG ministry. We have plenty of ministers arrested for various things over the years, but none that have gotten out of prison and still pretend to run a church. and be an apostle.

Ron Weinland, like so many other self-appointed prophets and apostles to the church, just cannot get over the fact that people ignore him.

Candidly, I cannot help but be reminded of the prophet Jonah who tried to escape having to tell Nineveh what God told him to say about their destruction. I am not Jonah, but what I am to inform others concerning the writing of this book is that I am a prophet of God and have been sent by Him to do this job. In addition, I am the last apostle for the Church of God in this final age of mankind.

Poor Bob Thiel. When he read this he went whimpering to the back storeroom of his little HQ in Arroyo Grande whimpering like a sad little boy. How can this be?????  He and he alone is that last apostle to the church!

All of you ignorant Laodicean COG members out there that do not recognize this amazing truth are destined to suffer in the upcoming time of destruction that Mr. Potato Head is wishing upon us. Silly members!

I hate the fact that it has to take time and people having to experience the most destructive of end-time events before the reality of the events prove what I am saying. By that time, it will be too late to prepare. It would be so much better if the truth that God has revealed and given to me would speak for itself.

It has been the task of prophets through the ages to warn mankind of what will happen as a result of choosing to not listen to God. In those instances, the prophets would clearly identify the fact of who they were and that God had sent them with the messages they carried.

When has the church ever had a modern-day prophet in its midst? Every single self-appointed prophet has been proven to be a certified liar.  Not one thing they have said has ever come true, and this includes Bob Thiel.

So from this point forward, there will be things that I will state as a prophet and an apostle that have to do with those things that God has revealed to me to give. I am not as one of the prophets of old who were given prophecies that were given for the purpose of being recorded as scripture. Instead, I am one who has been given to interpret many of those prophecies that apply to this end-time about those things that are now going to come to pass.

I cannot help if some do not find what is written as being authoritative or true, but it is. So when I speak of something being “revealed,” it will be up to the reader to decide whether they believe that is true or not. There is simply nothing that can be quoted from scripture that “proves” these things as true. The proof is contained in all that has been previously written that exposes those things that are false in traditional Christianity and what is true biblically.

The point being in all this is that it isn’t the individual who carries the message that is important, but the fact that what they say comes from God, that is important. However, how people respond to what God has to say has most often determined how any prophet has been received. That in turn has much to do with how God will respond to those who listen and to those who do not.

God is making it clear in this final age of mankind’s self-rule that He will listen to those who will listen to Him and who begin making changes in their lives based on what He has revealed.

Ron goes on to list in detail all the failed prophecies he has uttered since 2008 and how God has miraculously inspired him to reveal new truths each time a prophecy failed. Weinland has so many failures that it's like Mr. Portato Head looking at all the pieces and being unable to figure out which one belongs where.

All of these stinking false prophets in the church has a new catchphrase when their prophecies never happen.  They were fulfilled "prophetically".

This book is entitled When the Countdown Ends. It has been stated repeatedly that there is a countdown leading up to WWIII and Christ’s return. It is my strongest belief that the count of prophetic 1,260-day periods has been completed and that countdown has ended, which was on the Pentecost of 2019.

However, that does not mean that WWIII or Christ’s return had to happen on that day. It should be obvious that there is still a prophetic countdown that will one day be revealed that led right up to Christ’s coming. How is that? It is by the knowledge that Christ will return on a Pentecost, but God has not revealed on what Pentecost that will be. So God’s Church will continue to watch for any new prophetic markers and inform everyone of those as soon as they are revealed if there is time and ability to do so.

What God has revealed is that the end-time countdown that led up to its complete prophetic fulfillment on the Pentecost of 2019 has been accomplished. All of this cries out that WWIII is at our doorstep and there is not much time to prepare.

There are many who have mocked God’s Church for warning people to prepare physically for what is coming by having a stock of food and other needful items that can last for one to three months. This isn’t as funny or weird to those people as it once seemed to be. With a pandemic, now people can more clearly grasp the need for such a thing and that will become far more essential once a war begins. Even something such as storing water becomes far more important and/or the use of a gravity type water filtering system (the Big Berkey is one of the best).

The event of the COVID-19 pandemic is proving to be the catalyst that will push nations into the final events that are about to be unleashed on a very unsuspecting world. The impact of the economic crisis that is now looming all over the world cannot be swept under the rug as it was in 2008. Nations are quickly hurtling toward a day of reckoning and that is now pushing nations toward war.

The global economy is beginning to implode. This began to accelerate well before the pandemic as a result of tariff wars that have thrown many nations into economic frustration with one another and massive disarray in the reliability of their own economic posturing and future plans. These are the kinds of things that push nations into war.

Time is not on our side any longer as everything is beginning to cry out that the world has arrivedto the point of final prophetic events that are about to be unleashed in this last period of the end-time. That final period begins with WWIII and ends with the return of Christ. From this point forward, the world is somewhat living on borrowed time.

You can read this train wreck (Chapter 9) from his new book here.

Dennis On: "The Plain Truth About Scoffers"

The Plain Truth About Scoffers

2 Peter 3:
3First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

The average well read member of the WCG knew these scriptures well and , in fact, all the scriptures that showed just how soon, around the corner, in the next 3, 5, 10, 15 (pick one) and shortly the Second Coming of Jesus was going to be.  We were in the final gun lap, which turned into laps until WCG/COG ran out of bullets.  We all knew how the Apostle Paul went from all will live to see the Second Coming to some will die but not himself who would be changed to "oops, I fought a good fight and I'm outta here..."  We all should also understand the Gospel Jesus telling the disciples that they would see it in their time as well.  I know we tried, but you cannot make "soon" or "shortly" in the New Testament mean "a period of time lasting thousands of years that is still within the parameters of  the Bible meaning of 'soon' and 'shortly.'"  That is just nonsense.

So as time went on and on and on and on to where members were joining On and On Anonymous just to stay on track,  scoffers at the whole idea of "soon" arose in the Church.  Is that really all that difficult for us to believe and in doing so were they really doing it because they had evil desires?  Is that not a bit like saying "the only reason Scientists want to believe Evolution is because they don't want to obey or believe God and the Bible."  Really???  Is that their motive.  Of course not but when scoffers, which is the church term used against people who merely notice things aren't going as advertised, arise, they have to be put in their place lest others start thinking this through on their own as well.

"Peter" goes on to say that they "deliberately forget,"  about Noah's Flood to justify their evil ways.  Really???   Can we see the hot button words that are used against those who notice such realities,  to demonize them to the church members?  I think we can.  Is the scoffer to blame for observing that nothing of what has been said to date about Jesus returning and the arrival of the Kingdom of God has happened yet or appears to be about to happen?  Can we see that what would be considered mature and sane observations by those not in the Church are only called scoffers by those in?  Can we see it is the leadership doing the labeling and it is the membership who is supposed to pick up on the negative word and apply it themselves to others outside the church or at least on the way out?  Of course we can.  

Peter again goes on to say that it is obvious God is giving humans more time in his infinite wisdom.  Sound familiar?  This is a classic recovery used when some predicted event does not come to pass.  It is never that the prediction was slap wrong from the beginning.  It is now that God is just so much more merciful than we thought and we have more time to get our act together.  There is nothing new under the sun. It's a great out when a simple "I was wrong," would do.  
And when all else fails, tell the brethren that while soon had dragged on and God has given us more time, Jesus will still come quickly and in a much more sneaky way than when we first believed.   So there you have it.  Sincere observers are scoffers.  They do it be evil and forget the Noah story.  God is giving us all more time.  But it can happen tonight so still send it in.   2 Peter shows that ministers have been using the same excuses and accusations against the observers among them for 2000 years.

Remember the buzz words and phrases used by WCG (and many many other fundamentalist organizations) when someone strayed for the "soon", "shortly" and "3-5 years and I mean it brethren"?  

Rebellious

Deceived

Scoffers

Worldly

Just want to sin

Unconverted

Never converted

Fallen away

chaff

bad seed

fence sitter

Lazy

Faithless

Taken by Satan

Buttheads

I'm sure you do and I am sure I have missed some good labels.  

But one man's scoffer is another man's wise observer.  Let's face it... the scoffers that Peter rails against were right!  Now whoever actually wrote the text adds the new twist that again it is the members fault as they need to know that "a day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day."  You see, the problem is with the members misunderstanding how God views time.  Of course this was not taught or mentioned in the early years when soon meant soon and shortly meant shortly.  It is only something one throws in after years of disappointment, growing older and seeing the hopeful die like everyone else.  Kinda like Ron Weinland chiding the brethren for thinking some things he said were literally true when in fact they were merely "spiritually true."  He made that up when what he also thought was literally true simply did not happen.  Of course, rather than say, "I goofed,"  the whole thing is redefined by leadership and the blame for ignorance is put on the membership.  Usually, "I NEVER said that," sneaks in there somewhere.  

The fact is that, as John Denver might say,  "Churches need their skeptics (scoffers) like the ocean needs the sand."  

When I or anyone else who has grown through the WCG years,  observes the reality of this or that wrong idea in the past or the foolishness of the ones being currently offered to keep the faithful faithful,  we are not scoffing.  It is a realistic, up to this moment and a true observation based on the observable fact that yet another date for "Soon" has come and gone.  

 It is not scoffing to notice that 100% of the predictions of Jesus Second Coming have been 100% wrong, 100% of the time over the last 2000 years.  That is just a 100% accurate observation.  It is only leadership within an organization that wants to keep the system intact and the "just around the corner" motivator alive and running who calls people scoffers and full of evil desires.  

Leadership must assign judgmental and negative labels to those who think outside the box and observe what any clear thinking human would observe in such situations.

  
The Apostle Paul NEVER admitted to anyone he was wrong about his soons and shortlys.  He kept changing the meanings until all he could come up with was "I have kept the faith..therefore there is laid up for ME..."   Kinda sad actually. While he does add "and not only to me," someone could have penned that in to fix the problem of all the others who had been faithful like Paul not being counted.  Habitually it was all about him in his writings.  Almost feels like the excuses the Captain of the latest Cruise Ship disaster made when he said he slid down the deck when the ship tipped and fell into a lifeboat that then left the ship.  (His second in command also ended up in that very same boat of all things.)  It is just terribly difficult to say, "I was wrong."

When "all those in Asia have forsaken me,"  Paul was unable and unwilling to ask himself why.  He simply asked God not to hold it to THEIR charge.  It would never have crossed Paul's mind to wonder why everyone thought he was nuts.  And so it is today.

As a result of Peter's statements, the soon that wasn't has been dragged out into a "soon" that only has meaning if one reads the Bible. Bible "soon" and "shortly" as well as days far spent really mean long, longer and really long times.   In the real world, we know better.  

A healthy skepticism protects people from going down the wrong paths or at least recognizing they are on one and rethinking the trip.  It is not scoffing. It is reality.  That "Scoffer" label is what those who do not think critically, or refuse to see what they do see, or refuse to say what they need to say, or believe everything they are told in the updates by the church, use.  Blame the messenger for the message is a very old old concept when it comes to Church leaders getting input they don't want to hear.  

  
I don't know if it's the last days or not.  But noticing that nothing has happened in 2000 years since the story ended is not scoffing.  The ultimate problem is that the WCG and the current COGs do not take observations from the bottom up.  All observations and skepticism on this or that must come from the top down.  If it does not, it is not a problem and the membership should not concern themselves with it.  Problems the leadership does not notice or have a clue about simply don't exist.  Problems the membership notices and has plenty of clues to work with are simply one of those listed on the  labels for the lazy and lying slackards listed above. 

To question Church teaching as part of the leadership is just endeavoring to stay on track and obey God with an occasional admission of "God is revealing more truth to the church."  To question the church teachings, or even the Biblical text from the bottom up is rebellion and is nothing but trouble for the one who notices. 

It's ok to be skeptical of claims made by Bible readers, including the minister.  It's ok to not be impressed with his education or the way he cobbles scriptures together to weave a tale.  The reason it is ok is because there will be things you will be expected to do because of his tale weaving.  It might be to send more in than you can afford, do something you normally would not do or believe something and act it out hurting yourselves, your family and mind in the process. 
The day might come when you will thank the Skeptic who opened your eyes to a problem that needed to be recognized and not just view the observations made as coming from unconverted and uncalled Scoffers.  

Sometimes todays scoffer becomes tomorrows heroic observer and their truth may truly set you free in ways you never could imagine.

Dennis C
DenniscDiehl@aol.com