Jesus said that the gospel of the kingdom of God was to be preached to all the world as a witness and then the end would come. Herbert W. Armstrong told of the "final phase of the work," sometimes called the "last phase." Could you be part of that final, last, phase? May it have started in the 20th century or is it for the 21st and the last generation? Was the Philadelphia era or its succession to fulfill Matthew 24:14? Are Christians to do more than "pay and pray"? What about obey? What are some of the ways people are supporting the final phase of the work in the Continuing Church of God? Are the faithful supposed to be able to "instruct many" at the end, as well as be subject to persecution? Is there any ...
The Apple of God's Eye
The late deacon Richard Close put together a message about faithful Christians being the "apple of God's eye." He started out by referring to a line in Gordon Lightfoot's 1976 song titled "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." The line was, "Does anyone know where the love of God goes ...?" Richard Close wanted his listeners to realize how precious they were to God and how much God loved them. This sermon, by Dr. Thiel, uses Richard Close ...
Truth About Mary, Mother of Jesus
Jesus was born of a woman named Mary in Bethlehem. Was she prophesied in the Hebrew scriptures (the Old Testament)? Did an angel appear to her? Did she make a prophecy about herself that came to pass? Should Mary be called blessed? Was she a "perpetual virgin"? Did Jesus have brothers and sisters? What do we see from the Bible as well as writings from early Christians such as Papias of Hierapolis, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, and Melito of Sardis? …
Cults and other Name Calling
What is a cult? What is a heretic? If the Continuing Church of God holds to the original faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3) can it be a heretical cult? Was the Apostle Paul accused of being the ringleader of a cult? Did Jesus warn that people would insult His faithful followers? Do scholars teach that the Greco-Roman Catholic churches have or do not have the teachings of the first two centuries of the Christian church era? Does the ‘Parable of the Sower,’ recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s Gospel accounts warn that Satan the Devil will try to try people away from the true faith? Was the original church trinitarian? …
The Book of Colossians
In this sermon, Dr. Thiel covers each and every verse of the Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Colossians. This short book was written while Paul was imprisoned in Rome c. 61 A.D. Paul mentions that he was an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. The letter is addressed to the saints in the Gentile region of Colossae. Paul mentions Christian fruits, forgiveness of sins, love, continuing in the faith, prayer, Jesus as head of the church and before all things, and we are to be part of His body. What was the "handwriting of requirements" that were "nailed to the cross" (stake ) …
End Time Persecutions and the Love of God
We are fast approaching the end of this age. Jesus will be here soon. Prior to His return, there will be a final chastisement on the remaining Christians that belong to the church Jesus built. Why would God allow His children to be chastised? Because God chastises those He loves. If we are not chastised God considered us to be "illegitimate". …
NINTH COMMANDMENT: Joys to the World
The ninth commandment is, "You shall not bear false witness against you neighbor" (Exodus 20:16). Jesus said Satan the Devil was a liar and the father of lies. What were the first lies? What are the results of lies? What about vanity, self-deception, and pornography? What about gossips and talebearers? Are Christians supposed to lie? If there were no lies, would there be less war and more joy? What about justice? Should you change and not harden your heart? Are God's people to …
What is Your Work?
James Martenet address topics and makes statements about the work of God and your part in it. Should you support the work of God? What is your work in order to do so? Do you have false humility or super vanity? Only YOU can fulfill the role that God has for YOU alone. You need to get pride out of the way to better do the work of God. You need to obey God, show love, and be hopeful. We should all be optimistic and hopeful. We need to focus on the correct goal of the kingdom of God. Be merciful.
Jesus and God's Plan for Muslims
Do the Quran and Bible agree on numerous points of doctrine and prophecy? Both Islam and Christianity teach that Jesus' mother Mary was a virgin and that Jesus is our intercessor. While the Bible teaches that Jesus was the Son of God, died, and was resurrected, most Muslims do not believe that--but is this because there are errors in the Bible or mistranslations in the Quran? Does a literal translation of part of Sura 5:117 (مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِى كُنتَ أَنتَ ٱلرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ) show that Jesus said He did die? Does the 'Great Isaiah Scroll' and the other 'Dead Sea Scrolls' help prove that the Bible was not corrupted? Have "traditions of men" impacted …
Dajjal, Antichrist, Gold, & Mark of the Beast?
Islam tells of a deceiver arising called the Dajjal, whom Muslims tend to equate with the Beast that rises from the sea in Revelation 13:1-10. Whereas they tend to use the term Dabbatul-Ard for the Beast that comes out of the earth in Revelation 13:11. While both are 'antichrists,' the False Prophet of Revelation is the final Antichrist, consistent with 1 John 4:1-3. Do biblical and Islamic prophecies point to the time of the greatest tribulation in history coinciding with the reign of these beasts? Do Islam and the Bible tell of any who will be spared, "from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth"? (Revelation 3:10). Will gold be valuable after the start of the great tribulation? Might the Beast and Antichrist use wealth to gain support? Will 666 use Artificial Intelligence and digital/electronic currencies, like a CBDC, to control buying and selling? Why might gold …