Dr Winnail has written a brief piece encouraging us to be gracious and kind to each other. Many are wondering if this is an indirect slap at some of the ungracious things that Weston, McNair, Meredith and others have done to members over the years and still are doing today.
The Importance of Kindness: Jesus told His disciples that we glorify God when we “bear much fruit” (John 15:8). One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit that God is looking for in the lives of Christians is kindness (Galatians 5:22). The Scriptures tell us that Christians are “children of God” who are to grow to become “like Him” (1 John 3:1–3). The Scriptures also tell us that God is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness” (Nehemiah 9:17). David wrote that God “has shown me His marvelous kindness” (Psalm 31:21). Solomon describes the virtuous woman: “on her tongue is the law of kindness” (Proverbs 31:26). Jesus said that God is even “kind to the unthankful” (Luke 6:35). In 1 Corinthians 13:4, we learn that “love suffers long and is kind,” and that anyone who ministers to others should be recognized “by longsuffering, by kindness” (2 Corinthians 6:6). This is why the Apostle Peter urged believers to “add to your faith… brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Peter 1:5–7). If we hope to become like God and be in the Kingdom of God, we need to develop and exercise this important quality of kindness.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
Weekly Update
Gerald Flurry is nearing the end of his life, and reading his articles in the January 2019 issue of The Philadelphia Trumpet, one would think that he has thrown all caution to the winds. On page 8, he writes, "The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the greatest event ever, will happen in six to 10 years, as I calculate it. That means the Great Tribulation, the worst suffering this Earth has ever experienced, will start within a few short years."
Nevertheless, Joel Hilliker on the very next page, warns that, "In recent decades, it seems that every few years someone comes along with a new prediction of the world as we know it. And then those predictions prove false. This problem of failed prophecy has plagued many religions for thousands of years. People predicting Jesus Christ's return have set dates."On page 10, Hilliker again: "Be wary when you hear someone predicting a specific date of Christ's return." But what if the "someone" doing the predicting is the leader of your own church? What if Gerald Flurry himself is date-setting, "as he calculates it."
Flurry has another even more bizarre article in the latest PT, called "Is America's Supreme Court In Bible Prophecy?" To put it briefly, the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh does two things. First, Flurry says, "I believe... [it] indicates God will likely see that President Trump has a second term." Secondly, the end-time Amaziah (= Joe Tkach Jr., who turned WCG around after Herbert Armstrong's death) is going to persuade the Supreme Court (full of Catholics, Flurry says) to throw the PCG out of the United States! But not to worry, Flurry says: 'The Supreme Court's rejection of our message is God's way of getting His people out of this country to a safe place.' Armstrongite-watchers will know that this used to mean Petra! --D. K.
Comment: The following words are taken from the January 24, 2017 PCG letter:
Gerald Flurry has prophesied that Trump is the "End Time Jeroboam" that will ally with Joe Jr. Tkach and the WCG and finally kick the PCG members out of the USA, exiling them to Jordan/Petra. Flurry has also made a prophesy that Trump will be the last President of the USA because the Tribulation is very, very close and could happen at any time. Exit and Support
