“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

(Heb. 13:8)

CIRCULAR LETTER December 2006

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I greet you in the precious name of our Lord Jesus with Rom. 9:24-26,

“Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.” (Hos. 1:10).

It was God’s intention even since before the foundation of the world to have sons and daughters. Adam was the created son of God in the image of God. Jesus Christ, the second Adam, is the Son of God begotten by the Holy Ghost — the very image of God (2. Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3). Throughout the Old Testament the birth of the Son of God was announced. At the beginning of the New Covenant we see the fulfilment (Mt. 1:18-25; Lk. 2:1-14). In the Son all sons and daughters of God were accepted and placed into their original position. “… having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will …” (Eph. 1:5). For all things which were designated unto us by God according to the plan of Salvation He gave us promises and all those who truly believe experience the fulfilment thereof.

Abraham believed what God promised to him and did not stagger because of unbelief (Rom. 4). Thus he finally experienced the fulfilment of something that seemed humanly impossible. True believers are the seed of Abraham, they do not stray because of unbelief, for they themselves are the children of promise, “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.” (Gal. 4:28).

God’s promises remain true for ever. By the covenant of His blood Jesus confirmed what He promised in His Word. There is an absolute in every promise, a divine assurance which does not leave any room for doubt (2. Cor. 1:20).

The Lord God has taken an oath for the things He promised. “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself …” The same oath applies to us, “… wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath.” (Heb. 6:13-20). Amen. Amen.

God concerns Himself with the realisation of His plan of Salvation, above all with the Church of Jesus Christ, with the sons and daughters, with the people that He chose for His Own. The Almighty God/Elohim Who already manifested Himself throughout the entire Old Testament as Lord/Yahweh is the same invisible One Who showed Himself in a visible form and thus walked in the Garden of Eden, visited Abraham, and spoke to the prophets; the same God, besides Whom there is no other, has revealed Himself as our Father in heaven and in His only begotten Son here on earth, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Gal. 4:4-7).

Time and again we are told about His plan of Redemption for humanity, “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee (Ps. 22:22). And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me (Isa. 8:18).” (Heb. 2:10-18).

The example for all sons and daughters of God who are predestined to obedience in the Will of God is the Son of God Himself, Who was obedient right to His death on the cross (Phil. 2:5-11). On His way to the crucifixion He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemaneh and said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death … and He fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Mt. 26:38-39).

Mark writes in his gospel, chapter 14, verse 36, “… nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” Once it states, ”not as I will”, and then, “… not what I will, but what thou wilt.”

In Luke 22 we are told that our Lord and Saviour prayed in the agony of His soul, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (v. 42). We also must consciously submit our will to the Will of God. Only then can we be in fellowship with Him and walk in His ways, so that we are finally transformed to do the good, acceptable and perfect Will of God (Rom. 12:1-2). For only they that do the Will of God shall abide for ever (1. Jn. 2:17)!

Our Lord said, “For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.” (Mk. 3:31-35). They are the ones, “… which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (Jn. 1:13).

Lucifer, the son of the morning, removed himself by his own will from the Will of God and thus became the adversary and enemy of God. Repeatedly he said, “I will ascend …”, “I will exalt my throne …”, “I will …”, “I will …” (Isa. 14:12-14). That was his sin, his fall, and he pulled a part of the angelic world down with him. Lucifer exalted himself, he wanted to be equal to God, just as, “… the man of sin who exalts himself above everything that is called God, or that is worshipped …” (2. Thess. 2:1-12). After being cast down to earth he visited paradise, entered the serpent, and entangled Eve in a conversation about what God had said. First Satan dragged Eve, then Adam, and subsequently all of humanity into the fall, thus taking them out of the Will of God. The enemy succeeded in luring Eve with his interpretation, pulling her into unbelief, into disobedience, and then into the transgression, subjecting her to his will. He is still the prince of this world who misleads the people in all the religious institutions by getting them to believe his interpretations instead of God’s Word. The Son of God withstood the enemy in all the temptations, for even with Him he tried to use the catchphrase, “It is written …”, “It is written …”, “It is written …” (Mt. 4:1-11; Lk. 4:1-13). Christ has delivered us from the power of Satan, saved us from the power of darkness, and has brought us back into the Kingdom of God, according to the Will of God (Col. 1:13).

Our Lord admonishes us with these very serious words, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Mt. 7:21). Of what use are the Lord’s prayer, a “prosperity gospel” that people love to hear, meetings where Bible stories are told, or services that are held for religious entertainment? What good are all the charismatic healing services if everything with everyone happens according to the will of a man? What is gained by singing, “He is Lord, He is Lord”? To what avail do the false prophets, who present themselves as the anointed ones of the Lord, list the many things they have done in His name?

“Did we not prophesy in Your name?”

“Did we not cast out demons in Your name?”

“Did we not do great wonders in Your name?”

It becomes obvious that the most important thing is not found in their list. Not one of them can say,

“Have we not been baptised in Your name as the Apostle Peter commanded?” (Acts 2:38; a. o.).

“Have we not baptised the believers in Your name as the Apostle Paul did?” (Acts 19:5; a. o.).

The apostolic baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is generally being rejected and declared to be a heresy in front of the people. Yet the apostles dutifully carried out the Great Commission according to Mt. 28:19-20, exactly as the Lord commanded, and, as instructed, they baptised into the name in which God revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

On that day the Lord will have to pronounce the verdict upon those who had the gifts of the Spirit, those who worked miracles, the ones who, according to their conviction, preached the Full Gospel, even those who used His holy name to cast out demons from others, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Mt. 7:21-23). In the eyes of men they seemed to be very blessed, in the eyes of God they were men conducting their own programs without personally submitting to the Will of God. In 1. Sam. 15:23 we read that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Of what use are their worship services, when the Lord Himself says, “This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Mk. 7:6b-7). Wherever creeds and man-made declarations of faith are introduced and made a rule, all the worship is in vain, for God can only receive a worship that is offered unto Him in the name of Jesus Christ in Spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24).

Time and again the Apostle Paul speaks about the Will of God. At his calling he was told, “The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.” (Acts 22:14). A true calling requires that, first of all, the one ordained for service must have the Will of God revealed to him. A calling for service is a call to recognise the Will of God, a commission is the actual proclamation of the Will of God to the people of God. On account of a divine calling I, too, write to the Church today, as Paul did back then, addressing the true Bible believers to bring them into the perfect harmony with the written Word, for only therein the Will of God is declared.

The following Scriptures are given to us for reflection and for confirmation of the fact that the Lord, our Redeemer, builds His Church according to His Will and that He shall complete His Work unto the day of His glorious return.

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God …” (1. Cor. 1:1).

“Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself ...” (Eph. 1:9).

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding …” (Col. 1:9).

“… Lo, I come to do thy will, O God … by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all … For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Heb. 10:9-14).

The Will of God is shown to us solely in the Word of God, and only when we actually believe as the Scripture says, then the prayer of the Son, Who calls the redeemed His brethren (Jn. 20:17), will be fulfilled, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (Jn. 17:17).

The true Church of Jesus Christ must now be built on the original foundation of the apostles and prophets according to the perfect Will of God. In teaching and in practice the divine order of Salvation must be restored and become a reality in the lives of all believers who are part of the Body of Christ. As the Church was in the beginning, so shall she be at the end.

His Will is Done in His Own

Through the fulfilment of what God promised in the Old Testament His Will has been coming to pass in His Church since the beginning of the New Testament. John the Baptist came on the scene in the Will of God. He was the promised voice that would be heard in the wilderness (Isa. 40:3). He was the promised one to prepare the way of the Lord (Mal. 3:1), as our Lord confirmed in Mt. 1:1-19. In the Kingdom of God there are only scriptural ministries, which can be accepted or rejected. Therefore the Lord Jesus addressed the priests and scribes with the question, “The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?” (Mt. 21:23-27). The answer of the clergy was, “We cannot tell.” This is interesting: The religious leaders did not know how to place the things which were happening in the Kingdom of God. In Lk. 7:24-30 our Lord once again confirmed the ministry of John the Baptist as a fulfilment of Scripture, “And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.”

Traditional religious services are being celebrated everywhere, but the counsel of God is rejected by the spiritual leaders, because they do not accept what God is currently doing according to His Will. Even worse is that they keep the people away from it. The same has happened repeatedly in the course of the 2,000 years in which the Holy Spirit was moving on earth through various revivals.

Looking back at the past 500 years, the following questions can easily be answered:

Was the reformation sent from heaven, or was it a human endeavour? Were Jan Hus, John Wycliff, Martin Luther, Schwenkfeld, Zwingli, Calvin, etc., fanatics, or were they the vessels that God used in their time?

Were John Wesley, Whitfield, and others that were active in the subsequent revival men of God, or were they just troublemakers?

Were William Booth, Meno Simos, John Smith, Moody, Finney, George Muller, and Duke Zinzendorf men of God, or religious fanatics?

Was William J. Seymour, the coloured preacher who came on the scene in April 1906 in Los Angeles, a man of God, or a demagogue?

Did all the revivals since the reformation come from men, or from God? Did the outpouring of the Holy Spirit come from heaven, or was it the work of a man?

The breakthrough of the Pentecostal revival happened at the same time worldwide. Different men appeared on the scene in various countries, but in each place it was the work of the Holy Spirit. The Pentecostal movement is no longer being denied, in the contrary, it has gained worldwide acceptance, but it is not yet what the original Church was at the beginning.

God by His amazing grace sent another revival, this time according to the apostolic pattern. If I would be unable to testify of what the dear Lord has done in our time and still continues to do, I would have to apologise for even writing. I am asking with all sincerity: Was the ministry of William Branham from God, or from men? Did the call he received on May 7th, 1946, come from heaven, or from a man? Was the extraordinary, unique ministry, which before him no man of God ever had on earth, the work of a man, or the work of God? Thereby our attention was to be drawn to the divine message. Who would dare to deny what God has done?

After World War II Germany and Europe were left in ruins. No one had heard anything about Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, or any other evangelist. It was an unassuming man that God had placed His hand upon. Originally he was ordained as a preacher by Dr. Roy Davis in the Southern Baptist Church. He later received a direct, divine commission and the first revival wave broke through, accompanied by the supernatural power of God. Bible days were here again. According to official reports, about 500 healing evangelists were inspired by his ministry. Then followed the second and third revival waves, wherein all denominations participated.

Through the special ministry of William Branham a promise pertaining to the plan of Salvation was being fulfilled, the way it had been with the ministry of John the Baptist. Both were part of the predestined Will of God. God Himself said that He would send a prophet like Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord, he was to turn the hearts of God’s children back to the fathers of the beginning. So it is written in Mal. 4:5-6 and it was confirmed by our Lord and Saviour in Mt. 17:11 and Mk. 9:12. Who would dare to deny this? Three witnesses should suffice. If we asked the clergy today, “Was this extraordinary ministry sent from heaven? Was it part of God’s plan and therefore according to the Will of God, or of men?”, then their response in our day would be the same as it was back then. It is tragic that even today those who claim to be in charge will pronounce judgement upon something they have actually never verified with the Word and in reality are not even interested in doing so. They do not really want to know what God is doing in His Kingdom. Therefore the Lord must accuse the religious leaders in all the churches worldwide of personally rejecting the counsel of God and then not permitting the people in their congregations to comply with the Will of God. Self-will is dominating the people in all the religious programs, although every one claims to be right.

Each of the various revivals in the past 500 years led ever deeper into the Word. From justification to sanctification and to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit were restored to the Church. Now all things must be brought back into harmony with the Holy Scripture – according to the pattern of apostolic times. The Church of Jesus Christ is not founded upon what has been decided since the third century in various councils and then proclaimed as dogmas, she is resting upon the Word, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, whereby Jesus Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:20).

What our Lord predicted for the end time is now being fulfilled before our very eyes, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Mt. 24:14; Mk. 13:10). And furthermore, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Mt. 24:24).

Likewise Mt. 25 is now in the process of being fulfilled, “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.” The last message is the true wake-up call. What we were told in Acts 3:19-21 is also coming to pass now, “… the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” That is the actual objective of the message of the hour, which foreruns the second coming of Christ, and we have been granted the privilege to participate therein.

At this time there are two things happening simultaneously: The return of the tribes of Israel from all nations back into the Promised Land and the restoration of the original, God-ordained borders of their country (Ez. 47:48), culminating in the building of the Temple and the ministry of the two prophets (Rev. 11). In like manner the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in the promised Word within the boundaries of the Holy Scriptures is now taking place, until we all actually come into the unity of the faith.

Whoever is part of the Church of Jesus Christ will heed the last call and be obedient, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2. Cor. 6:14-18), and also, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Rev. 18:4). The true believers hearken to the call that comes directly from heaven, they come out of every Babylonian confusion and captivity. All the others do the opposite, they go back and remain therein.

Unity at the Expense of the Truth?

It is becoming increasingly obvious from where the strings are pulled when it comes to world politics and the unification of all churches and world religions. All those who keep their eyes open realise that September 11th, 2001, was the unforgettable day when we were put on notice. The towers of the World Trade Center collapsed. All that remained was a pile of rubble – “Ground Zero”.

In 1776 the United States of America were founded. The dollar was introduced as the official currency and until today we find these Latin words printed on the one-dollar bill “Novus ordo seclorum” – “new world order”. For the Pilgrim Fathers it was a new world which required a new world order. People from all over Europe crossed the ocean and found a new homeland. Amongst them were believers of different faiths who were fleeing from the persecution of the Roman-Catholic Church, especially Quakers and Mennonites. It was a country with unlimited possibilities – a land with true religious freedom. Everyone was given back his human rights and could believe according to his own convictions. There was no state church, no state religion – it was truly a new world with a new, liberating world order for all.

Now the world power USA must, like all the other empires, submit to the last world power, the European Union, and become part of its new world order. The Euro is increasingly becoming the leading currency of the trades. The voice of the Vatican declares time and again, “The new world order must be securely anchored in the Christian roots of Europe.” All who have studied the Christianisation of Europe know what this statement signifies. However, no one should be surprised by this – everything in this development is part of the predicted end-time prophecy, for the last world power must be the Roman Empire, and it will draw in the whole earth. God has already foretold this through the prophets of the Old Testament, somewhat encoded, but clear nonetheless. In Daniel 7:23 it is written: ”Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.” A little further on we are told that the power will be taken away from that last world ruler and then, “… the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” (v. 27). The time is at hand!

The world empires which existed since the days of Daniel are known to us: the Babylonian, the Persian, the Greek, and the last one is the Roman Empire.

The Church of Rome has an advantage because of the diplomatic relationships she has with all the countries on earth, regardless of their religious or political constellation. The Roman Catholic Church is the only world power which is represented in the pope, and he declares himself the official representative for all of humanity on earth. Only through her the “New World Order”, which encompasses all nations, religions, and cultures, can be established.

In recent times we have experienced the accomplishments of Pope John Paul II from Poland, where the six death camps with gas chambers were located which the Nazis had built for the “final solution” to the Jewish question. He was the one to bring down world Communism, which was the only threat to the Catholic Church. With his assistance Germany and Europe were reunited. The new pope from Germany has made it a priority to reconcile with the Orthodox Church and to reverse its renunciation dating back to the year 1054. Now all denominations are invited to join the ecumenical movement and return to the mother church of Rome. All denominations are cooperating, even the “Seventh-day Adventists” with their 15 million members worldwide, for they are being more and more recognised as a Protestant church. They now wish to join the Evangelical Alliance. That particular Alliance, in turn, is in negotiations with the Vatican Council of Unity. Since the days of Luther there has been no other non-denominational church which has as fiercely attacked the pope in its publications as the “Seventh-day Adventists” have, even labelling him as “antichrist”. They assert that the papacy introduced the Sunday as the day of worship, that this is the “mark of the beast” and therefore all who observe the Sunday instead of the Sabbath day have that mark and will be tormented for ever according to Rev. 14:9-12. The truth is that neither the Sabbath nor the Sunday is the “Day of the Lord”, which will come as a thief in the night (1. Thess. 5:1-3; a. o.). It was Caesar Constantine who decreed in the year AD 321 that the Jews must worship on Sunday and forbade them to observe the Sabbath day, because he was being pressured by the church fathers, all of whom hated the Jews.

The Pentecostal-charismatic groups, and they have over 500 million members, are joining the unification process as well. Now the “Berlin Declaration” of 1909, in which the Pentecostal movement was declared to be a “demonic movement from hell”, is rendered obsolete. All are solely interested in being recognised and being part of the system. What was the significance of the term “Pentecostals” even in recent times? They were people who had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as the believers did on the day of Pentecost. Now they are proud to no longer be considered a sect, like the Church was in apostolic days (Acts 24:14), but rather as the second-largest Christian movement besides the Catholic Church. According to statistics the Pentecostal-charismatic groups hold 27.6 % in the Christian world. How many or, more accurately, how few of them truly belong to the Lord and are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of Redemption (Eph. 1:13)?

No Unity at the Expense of the Truth

The unification process of all churches and religions under Rome is indeed in full swing. A committee has already been appointed to make some decisions on how to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in Rome in the year 2017. The deep wound inflicted upon the world power by the Sword of the Spirit during the Reformation shall now be completely healed. The question, of course, is the following: Can this be the unity for which Jesus Christ prayed? Nobody can seriously believe that. Whoever reads Jn. 17 carefully will notice that the Redeemer speaks of the redeemed, and the Son of God addresses all sons and daughters of God who are born-again of the Word Seed by the Holy Spirit. At this point we shall only refer to verses 6 and 23, “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word … I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” Does this apply to the members of all the churches on earth who are now participating in the unification process? Can the world church or the ecumenical movement, the joining of over 2 billion people, be the small flock of which Jesus Christ spoke (Lk. 12:32)? Which one of them has experienced the grace of God personally? Who has come through the narrow gate? Who is walking on the narrow way which leads to eternal life (Mt. 7)?

In this context we also think of the reformer Martin Luther, who exclaimed at the Reichstag in Worms 1521, “Cursed be the unity that is achieved at the expense of the truth!” Is truth the actual concern in this unification process? Or is it about compromise, in order to establish a political and religious unity in multiplicity? Is it not the mystery of “Babylon the Great”, the mother and her daughters spoken of in Rev. 17:5, a modern tower of Babel?

Before the unification process becomes final, the calling-out of all true believers and the preparation of the Bride Church must happen. All those who now listen to the Voice of the heavenly Bridegroom, those who hear what the Spirit is saying unto the churches are part of the Bride and they do not bypass the message of the hour. We now most surely live at the end of the time of grace. The Return of Jesus Christ is imminent, as it was promised in Jn. 14. The hour is drawing near. Even though no one knows the day or the hour, we all recognise the signs of the time and the message and we are aware of what our Lord said in Mt. 24:33, Mk. 13:29, and Lk. 21:31, “When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.”

May it once again be emphasised from the biblical point of view: Now is the calling-out time for all true believers from all churches, all religions, all peoples, and all languages. We have to experience the return to the only biblical faith, the sole biblical teaching, the only biblical example, go back to the complete harmony with the teachings of the apostles, as they were left unto us in the testimonies of the Holy Scriptures. This is the hour of decision and everyone now determines where he or she will spend eternity.

Current Events

With great concern the whole world looks to the Middle East, especially to Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and, of course, Iraq. The terror is growing; we are receiving daily reports of related deaths. The number of the civilians who have died in Iraq during this so-called “war on terror” is already estimated to be a few hundred thousand. More than three thousand U.S. soldiers have also lost their lives. The problem was not solved when the U.S. government paid over twenty million dollars for the capture of Saddam Hussein. It will not be solved with his trial and subsequent verdict, and much less by implementing yet another new “Iraq strategy”. Unrest and disorder prevail. The Shiites are fighting with the Sunnis and vice versa. From the biblical point of view these are pre-labour pains, until Rev. 9:13-21 and other prophecies inevitably find their fulfilment. In this Scripture the sixth trumpet angel receives the following command, “Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.” At the moment when these forces are set free, one third of the world population will be killed. The Prophet Isaiah predicted this event, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt …” (Isa. 27:12).

No matter how we may perceive the current international situation, we must admit that peace has been taken from the earth, although the whole world yearns for it. Now that their initial euphoria has subsided, even the president of the USA and the prime minister of Great Britain are at a loss, although there are talks about winning the “war on terror”.

When we consider the way the heads of state, especially those in the Islamic world, speak about Israel and the USA, then one can sense how far things have deteriorated. Is it not significant, when during a UN plenum, where representatives from 192 countries were gathered, Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela, steps behind the pulpit, crosses himself in accordance with Catholic tradition and says, “I smell brimstone … speaking here yesterday was the president of the USA, Satan personified.”? Then came the speech of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and all realised what time it is. The world will go up in flames, it makes no difference whether there are eight or ten powers with nuclear capabilities. In any case, now the countries of the North and the East are uniting with the enemies of Israel. This is precisely the constellation predicted in Bible prophecy.

By everything that is now happening worldwide in politics, the economy, and in the religious realm we recognise that the end of the time of grace is very near. In this context we can quote what our Lord said, “For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” (Lk. 21:34-36). “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2. Pet. 3:10).

How can it be that especially the Islamic world denies Israel the right to existence and openly demands the annihilation of God’s people? Why can they not concede that the Israeli people have a right to dwell in their own country, as promised and given to them by God Himself? Manifested therein is the rebellion against the Almighty, Who said, ”And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee.” (Gen. 12:3). Did not Mohammed himself say in regard to the people of Israel, “… return to the Holy Land that God has ordained for you!” (Sura 5:21)? Apparently these powers, whether they are religious or political, are so filled with hatred that they are ready to self-destruct for their cause. Nevertheless, in the end the whole world will have to recognise that Israel is God’s chosen people. Before the Kingdom of God is established on earth, the following prophecies must be visibly fulfilled. And it shall come to pass,

“For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land.” (Isa. 14:1)

“Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.” (Jer. 31:10)

“For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.” (Ezek. 36:24)

“… and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.” (Joel 3:2)

As we were recently informed, the Vatican wanted to use the UN partition plan 181 from 1947, whereby Israel was to be split into a Jewish and an Arabic state, in order to put Jerusalem under the direct rule of the Roman Catholic Church. Only now, after being kept under lock and key for 55 years, the secret documents can be viewed. Back then the Vatican negotiated especially with the Catholic countries Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and Italy to place Jerusalem under Catholic rule. On account of the world public this plan could not be executed when Israel became a nation in May 1948. But now the time seems to be at hand.

In the final phase Jerusalem will become the focal point of the disputes. It will become the burdensome stone for all the nations, as it is written, “And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.” (Zech. 12:3)

Jerusalem is the city that God has chosen right from the beginning. Three thousand years ago David was anointed as the king over Israel, according to God’s Will. In the Bible Jerusalem is mentioned more than seven hundred times in connection with Israel. God Himself appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and chose Israel as His people through whom He showed forth His plan of Salvation with humanity, and it was put in writing by the prophets of Israel. The prophets had their main ministry in Jerusalem and so did the Lord Jesus Christ, there He suffered, died, rose again and ascended to heaven. The first sermon on the Day of Pentecost, when the New Testament Church was founded, was preached there by the Apostle Peter under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. The true Word, the true teaching came forth from Jerusalem, as ordained by God Himself (Isa. 2:2-5; Mic. 4:1-3; Acts 2; a. o.).

Now Jerusalem is placed in the center of world politics. The official statement is that Jerusalem supposedly belongs to the three religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. That could not be further from the truth. Jerusalem is the capital city of Israel. The Koran does not mention Jerusalem a single time. The security zone in southern Lebanon has been established and all their efforts will inevitably lead to the proclamation of “Peace and safety” (1. Thess. 5). From the latest news we can gather that the Vatican is now strongly urging the world community to present “a very concrete and final peace plan for the Middle East”. What remains is the “Jerusalem Question”. Why do they not debate over any other capital in the world? Why Jerusalem? Because God has chosen Jerusalem and Mount Zion for His reign on earth (Isa. 24:23). According to Dan. 9:27, the final thing will be a seven-year contract over Jerusalem. Shortly thereafter this present age will come to an end and the reign of Christ will begin.

It was a tactical move by Pope Benedict XVI to hide what he wanted to say behind a statement that was made about Mohammed in the 14th century. Thereby he could reproach the other party with what they had done in the past, when the Muslim Turks slaughtered one and a half million Christian Armenians in World War I. Representatives of the Islamic religion, in turn, reminded the Catholic side of the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition, wherein many Muslims were killed. Then the pope emphasised that his controversial statement had been misunderstood. He stressed that he very much respects all great world religions, especially Islam, and once again called for the continuation of the dialogue between the religions. His predecessor had already done a good job paving the way when he kissed the special Koran presented to him by the Patriarch and Imam of Baghdad on the occasion of his visit to the Vatican on May 14th, 1999. The Vatican has the advantage of being able to manoeuvre both the religious and the political scene, and therefore is bound to achieve its objective, one way or another.

Although they all speak about God, everyone is talking about something else, even another God, all the while actually bypassing the one and only Almighty and Eternal One. The assertion is made that Jews, Christians, and Muslims supposedly all believe in the same God. That is not true at all! The truth is that the only Eternal One gave His people of Israel the statement of faith through His prophet Moses, to whom He spoke face to face, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD!” (Dt. 6:4-9). That statement was confirmed by our Lord in the New Testament (Mk. 12:28-33). The Bible does not know a triune, three-person God, nor does it know a God called Allah.

The one and only true God manifested Himself in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, Who was born in Bethlehem, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and died on the cross of Calvary, thus reconciling the world with Himself (2. Cor. 5:14-21). God appeared to humanity personally only in Jesus Christ, only in Him did God come to us, and only through Him can we come to God. In Him alone do we have the redemption and the forgiveness of our sins. Only by the blood of the Lamb, in which there was divine life, we have found grace with God and have received eternal life.

The true testimony states, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (Jn. 17:3). “… God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1. Jn. 5:11-12).

In the 114 suras of the Koran there is nothing said about forgiveness, redemption and reconciliation with God, about conquering death, or receiving eternal life. Of what value is a promise of going to paradise, if we do not know or call upon the One Who said, “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Lk. 23:34). A promise made by a man has no divine guarantee. Only what the Redeemer promised to the redeemed He has given to them by His grace, only someone who has received eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour can live eternally.

The religions are the actual obstacles between God and humanity. Every religion has its founder and is the invention of a man. This remains true for ever: God’s way to us is our sole way to God.

Ever new Interpretations

There was a tremendous response to my last brochure. Especially the ministering brethren are thankful for the clear language. I purposely chose the title “People ask questions – God answers by His Word”. We are not interested in any individual’s answer or any self-serving interpretation of the Scripture or the message of the hour. Whoever is truly born of God, in him the seed of the Word remains (1. Jn 3:9). In every interpretation the enemy turns the head of the people, as he did with Eve. The poison of asps is found in every tongue which spreads interpretations (Rom. 3:12-17).

Already at the very beginning, in the time of the apostles, brothers got under the wrong influence and introduced corrupted doctrines. Not even the apostles could prevent this. Very early on, the Nicolaitans and those who represented the teachings of Balaam found an audience and followers. There was also a prophetess, Jezebel, who thought she was a teacher and deceived even the servants of the Lord (Rev. 2). Those things are predicted especially for the end time (1. Tim. 4; 2. Tim. 3; a. o.). It was and still is the declared intention of Satan to destroy the divine order. Nevertheless, the true teaching of the apostles remains, in all its clarity. The Church is built on the true foundation laid by God and thereupon it unshakably stands. The elect are built up a spiritual house, to offer up spiritual sacrifices (1. Pet. 2:5-10). Right to the end the true Church will remain the house of the living God, the pillar and the foundation of the truth (1. Tim. 3:15).

In 2. Cor., chapter 6, from verse 14, to chapter 7, verse 1, all of us are asked this question, “… for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” What does God’s Word have in common with any of Satan’s interpretations? We are either members of the body of Christ, the temple of God, or we are a religious association which could be compared to the synagogue of Satan (Rev. 2:8-11). Either we believe God’s Word, or the interpretations.

Our Lord speaks to His own, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (Jn. 15:3). Whoever abides in the Word abides in God. The person who gets caught in the interpretations is a prisoner of Satan. That is the reason why the Apostle Paul wrote that the people who are trapped by the enemy should free themselves and refuse to do the will of Satan any longer (2. Tim. 2:26).

Until the very end all true servants of God will serve the pure food, the revealed Word of God, on the Lord’s table (Mt. 24:45-47). On the other hand we read in Isa. 28:8 about the other tables which are, “… full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.” Then comes the promise, “This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.” (v. 12). The Apostle Peter referred to this very important thought about the refreshing time in Acts 3:19-21, stating that Jesus Christ remains in heaven until the times of restitution, the times of refreshing, and, finally, the latter rain comes, when all things are restored and brought back into their original state (Zech. 10:1; Jas. 5:7). We will reach this goal only by remaining in the true faith and by being obedient within the Will of God. The divine message was proclaimed anew and crystal clear from the lips of Brother Branham, so that the Bride Church would be prepared for the moment when the Bridegroom returns.

I firmly believe in the calling and commission of Brother Branham. I believe and respect his faithful and biblical preaching of the Word. I believe every revelation he received by the Spirit of God for the Church. I believe he was the promised prophet who was to come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. I believe the message entrusted unto him is the one that precedes the second coming of Christ. I do not, however, believe a single one of the many interpretations that some individuals made up from his statements. In all my publications in the past forty years I have honoured and defended Brother Branham’s ministry. That is something I did in all the meetings throughout the whole world as well. My first brochure “Only believe the Thus saith the Lord”, wherein I show forth Brother Branham’s ministry from the scriptural viewpoint, has been reprinted many times over the years, and more than two hundred thousand copies have been sent out just in the English language.

Right in the very first meeting I attended in 1955, when I heard Brother Branham preach I recognised him to be a man sent from God. I experienced that the text of Heb. 13:8 was not just displayed over the platform, but that the resurrected Lord revealed Himself on the platform as the same yesterday, today, and for ever. I became a witness to that infallible prophetic ministry and I can testify of what my eyes have seen and my ears have heard.

With deep gratitude I remember when I first shook his hand on August 15th, 1955, and all the other times I met this man of God. In a conversation on June 11th, 1958, I asked Brother Branham about the difference which I had noticed between him and all the other evangelists who were participating in the “Voice of Healing Convention” in Dallas, Texas. His reply was, “I have a message to bring.” At the end of this conversation he said, “Brother Frank, you will return to Germany with this message.”

The ever true God ordained it for me to share His Word and Will with His people in this time. God also led in such a way that I received all the sermons Brother Branham had preached. For ten years, right until he was called home in December 1965, I was connected with him and with his ministry as perhaps no one else on earth. I had to put the precious spiritual food in storage until the time of the giving-out came. I translated his sermons into the German language and thereby passed the spiritual food on to God’s people. (Please see the photo with the brochures in Zurich, Switzerland.) I also made provisions for his sermons to be translated into many other languages.

I had nothing to do with my calling, I was just found worthy by the Lord Himself to take His revealed Word to the ends of the earth, therefore I give all the glory to Him. Neither the calling nor the commission were my decision – it was the Will of God that I should bring the last message to His people the same way I have received it from Him. On every continent, in every country where the ever true God could use me as His mouthpiece there are people who have gratefully accepted His Word and who remain true and faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am thankful to God for the brethren who stay steadfast in the Word of Truth. At the same time I am grief-stricken by the thought of all those who have fallen prey to their own interpretations and to the illusions of others. But we are still living in the time of grace and all have the opportunity to return to the Word and Will of God (Jas. 5:19-20).

In the year 2006 I continued taking my monthly missionary trips all around the world. Thousands heard the Word of God and especially the ministering brethren were blessed by it. Many things could be reported of what God has done and is still doing to this day.

We are also very grateful to God for the great number of people attending the special meetings held here in the Mission Center on the first weekend of every month. Each time believers travel from all over Europe and even from other continents to join us. The sermons in those meetings are simultaneously being translated into twelve different languages, so that all who are present can hear the message in their own language. Via the Internet our services are being transmitted live in seven languages and can be heard worldwide. We are especially thankful for the elders in the local church, Brother Leonhard Russ and Brother Paul Schmidt, who have not wavered throughout all these years. We have all gotten older, but the Lord renews our strength for His service every day. Likewise do we appreciate all the brethren in the various cities and countries who carry the true Word of God and proclaim the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Special thanks go to all the brothers and sisters who faithfully work here in the Mission Center in the offices, the print shop, the publishing facilities, and also to the brethren who are responsible for the Internet transmission and all the TV programs which are being broadcast in a number of countries. We can truthfully testify to the fact that God has seen to everything and provided all the necessary means for the local and the international ministry.

Now I would like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to all of you for remembering this missionary work which is directly connected to God’s plan of Salvation. Thank you for your prayers and for your support. As everyone knows we send out all the printed materials, all the CDs and DVDs, absolutely everything in every to us available language free of charge worldwide upon request.

Not everybody can be working here in the Mission Center, not everyone can be part of the local church, but all can belong to the Church of the Firstborn, no matter where they live on earth and all can partake in this blessed work in the Kingdom of God. It is our conviction, and our belief is anchored in the Holy Scriptures, that we are now experiencing the very last part of the plan of Salvation. The divine message does not return void, but rather accomplishes what it was sent for. We are very grateful to God Almighty for what He is presently doing and we are expectant of His final work right to the completion, when we shall see Him. This shall be the case according to the Will of God with all those who will be waiting and living for the Lord in faith and obedience.

For the year 2007 I wish all of you God’s richest blessings. May it be a year of jubilee for all of us, so that we may return to our rightful possession. Please, remember me in your daily prayers, “… for the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.” (2. Jn. 2).

By His commission

Br. Frank