December, 2005

Fred R. Coulter, Minister

December 8, 2005

Dear Brethren,

We have been working nonstop on the book Occult Holidays or God’s Holy Days—Which? As a result of new material and editing progress is steady, howbeit slower than we anticipated.

This world is being set up for a massive occult deception—a clever all encompassing deception. Satan is accomplishing this through major book publications such as the Da Vinci Code and its coming movie, Harry Potter books and movies, films, videos, television, advertising, music, pornography, the corruption and moral pollution of our children by the government school system. We are not far from the time when Satan’s delusion will be so thorough and pervasive that it will be almost like a world possessed (Rev. 12:9).

In the last century, this could be said of Germany, Japan, the Soviet Union, Communist China and Cambodia—whole populations possessed. They were all fanatical and seemingly controlled purveyors of evil, war, destruction, sadism, carnage and cruelty on massive scales that were so horrific our minds and emotions were numbed by the sheer magnitude of it all. Now we are in the middle of World War III, the war on terrorism. Likewise, its radical leaders are fanatical, and ruthless, “possessed” lovers of death and destruction.

As we view the world, in spite of all that has happened and what is taking place, we are not yet near the end. We are closer than in the past—many prophetic things must develop and take place before we reach the end time. Down through the centuries, because men have wanted God to fulfill His prophecies during their lifetimes, they have artificially set dates predicting when the end would come—all of which have failed. They forgot that God the Father will do every thing according to His own timetable. This is what Jesus told His disciples before ascending into heaven: “So then, when they were assembled together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?’ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has placed in His own authority; but you yourselves shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the ends of the earth.’ And after saying these things, as they were looking at Him, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:6-9).

In the Olivet prophecy, Jesus had previously explained to His disciples that the timing of all the prophecies in the end time were under the Father’s control: “But learn the parable of the fig tree: When its branches become tender, and it puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that it is near, even at the doors. Truly I say to you, this generation shall in no way pass away until all these things have taken place. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away. But concerning that day and the hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. Take heed, be watching and praying. For you do not know when the time is coming” (Mark 13:28-33).

Because we are close to the end times, we do have a fairly detailed understanding about the events that will take place. Also, based on the framework of the holy days, we have a good understanding of prophecies yet to occur. But we still do not know exactly when they will take place.

Consequently, we must watch for these events as they transpire. Jesus revealed a major prophetic key event that will signal the beginning of the great tribulation. He said that when the Abomination of Desolation stands in the holy place, then the tribulation will begin (Matt. 24:15, 21). This means that the temple has to be built (Rev. 11:1-2). The man of sin, the son of perdition must be on the scene. Proclaiming himself to be God, he will go into the holy of holies in the Jew’s temple in Jerusalem and men will worship him as God—the false Messiah (II Thes. 2:1-12; Rev. 13:3-8).

During the past few years I have given a sermon several times on The Fourteen Things That Need to Happen in Prophecy before Jesus’ second coming. Since I do not plan on repeating it again this year, you might retrieve it from your tape library and listen to it again to refresh your understanding. While some things have continued to develop, many more things have not yet begun to take place. Remember Jesus said, “When you see ALL these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matt. 24:33). It cannot be half of the things, nor two thirds or three quarters of them, but we must see “ALL THESE THINGS” then we will know that the end is near.

Two additional major prophecies have yet to be fulfilled: 1) There is not yet a king of the north . 2) Nor is there the king of the south. Daniel writes that the events of the end time will not take place until they come into power, and the king of the south pushes at the king of the north: “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time” (Dan. 11:40-45; 12:1).

Europe today is weak and in disarray—politically, economically and religiously. Furthermore, a strong leader has not appeared on the horizon who could fulfill the function of the king of the north. Likewise, all the Islamic countries are far from becoming a united entity with a king to challenge Europe. Eventually, they will unite, perhaps in a loose confederation. At the present time, many Islamic intellectuals and economists desire to restore an Islamic Empire stretching from the Atlantic to India. This accomplishment will take a considerable length time. Perhaps they may be able to use the Arab League Organization as its foundation.

Since it becomes apparent that the prophesied end time events will take much longer to develop, we need to keep in mind the apostle Peter’s warning that we will be mocked and ridiculed because it will appear to the world that the prophecies in the Bible will not happen: “Now, beloved, I am writing this second epistle to you; in both, I am stirring up your pure minds by causing you to remember, in order for you to be mindful of the words that were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord and Savior, spoken by us, the apostles; knowing this first, that in the last days there will come mockers, walking according to their own personal lusts, and asking, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the forefathers died, everything has remained the same as from the beginning of creation.’ But this fact is hidden from them—they themselves choosing to ignore it—that by the Word of God the heavens existed of old, and the earth came forth out of water and amid water, by which the world at that time, having been deluged with water, had itself been destroyed. But the present heavens and earth are being held in store by His Word, and are being reserved for fire in the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly” (I Pet. 3:1-7).

Recall, Noah preached for 120 years that God was going destroy the world with a flood. They didn’t believe him. Undoubtedly, they mocked and ridiculed Noah and his family while they were building the ark. This is why Jesus gave us this warning: “Now as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it also be at the coming of the Son of man. For as in the days that were before the Flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark; and they were not aware until the Flood came and took them all away; so shall it also be at the coming of the Son of man” (Matt. 24:37-39). Just as Satan deceived the world before the Flood, so he is deceiving this end time generation.

Jesus further admonished that the world would become a Sodom and Gomorrah: “Now as it was in the days of Noah, so also shall it be in the days of the Son of man … And it was the same way in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed them all. This is how it shall be in the day that the Son of man is revealed” (Luke 17:27, 28-30).

Consequently, how can we avoid allowing ourselves to become spiritually complacent and lazy—partially deceived and blinded?

Stir Up the Spirit of God: In Paul’s second epistle to Timothy, he counseled him to stir up the Spirit of God: “I remember the unfeigned faith that is in you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice—and I am convinced that it dwells in you also. For this reason, I admonish you to stir up the gift of God that is in you by the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound-mindedness” (II Tim. 1:5-7).

We can achieve this through repentance, prayer and study, so we can grow in grace and knowledge (II Pet. 3:18) and let the Spirit of God lead us (Rom. 8:14). When we strive and do the will of God, rather than having good intentions, He will stir up His Spirit within us, as He did with the people of Judah at the time they were building the second temple in the days of Haggai the prophet. First, they had to repent of being slack handed in building the temple and get back to work: “Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD. Then spake Haggai the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD. And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God” (Hag. 1:12-14).

While the Jews had a physical temple to build, we have the spiritual character of God that we need to develop and build up in our hearts and minds because we are a “temple of God” (I Cor. 3:16-17). We attain this by focusing our minds on the ultimate goal of the kingdom of God and becoming spirit beings at the resurrection, rather than on the problems and troubles that confront us daily. If we actively pursue the first things of loving God, praying, studying, growing in grace and knowledge, we will then be able to cope with our physical circumstances.

Jesus exhorted us not to become consumed with our physical needs, because God will provide for us if we seek Him first: “But as for you, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow shall take care of the things of itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil of that day” (Matt. 6:33-34).

Shortly before the apostle Peter died, he wrote his second epistle. At that time, the conditions in the world were similar to those we are facing today. In order to help the brethren, he made it clear that he was stirring them up to keep their minds on the goal of their calling and to continue to develop the character of God, thereby attaining the divine nature and enter into the kingdom of God: “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained the same precious faith as ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who called us by His own glory and virtue; through which He has given to us the greatest and most precious promises, that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

“And for this very reason also, having applied all diligence besides, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly love; and to brotherly love, the love of God. For if these things exist and abound in you, they will cause you to be neither lacking effort nor lacking fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But the one in whom these things are not present is spiritually blind—so shortsighted that he has forgotten that he was purified from his old sins. For this reason, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure; because if you are doing these things, you will never fall at any time. For in this way, you will be richly granted an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, I will not neglect to make you always mindful of these things, although you already know them and have been established in the present truth. For I consider it my duty, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by causing you to remember these things” (II Pet. 1:1-13). In these verses, Peter gave a step by step formula of how to grow in grace and knowledge (II Pet. 3:18).

If we have really slipped into complacency and negligence, we need to heed the apostle Paul’s admonition to the brethren in Rome: “Now consider this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour that we should be roused out of sleep; because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost over, and the day is drawing near; therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk decently, as in the day: not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and emulation. But let us put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and not make any allowance for the flesh to fulfill its lusts” (Rom. 12:11-14).

In a most heartfelt appeal to the Church in Ephesus, Paul encouraged the brethren how they were to live before God and in the world: “Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children; And walk in love, even as Christ also loved us, and gave Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.

“But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, do not permit it even to be named among you, as is fitting for saints; nor filthiness, nor foolish talking or jesting, which are not becoming; but instead, thanksgiving. For this you know, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Do not let anyone deceive you with vain words; for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not be joint partakers with them. For you were once darkness; but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, (Because the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is well pleasing to the Lord.

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them; for it is shameful even to mention the things being done by them in secret. But all of these things being exposed by the light are openly revealed. Therefore He says, ‘You who are sleeping—wake up, and arise from the dead! And Christ shall shine upon you.’ So then, take heed that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as those who are wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. For this reason, do not be foolish, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:1-18).

As we come to the end of this year 2005, we need to prepare for the long haul and not be weary in well doing or fighting the good fight of faith. As we yield to God the Father and Jesus Christ, they will stir up our hearts and minds—our spirit. In this way we can continue to grow in faith, hope and love in our lives to meet the challenges of the coming year 2006.

Brethren, we are grateful for your continued support of love, prayers, tithes and offerings. May God the Father and Jesus Christ’s love, grace and mercy be with you all. May He continue bless you in everything.

With love in Christ Jesus,

Fred R. Coulter

FRC