Mr. Armstrong meets First Ladies

America's First Lady Nancy Reagan	India's Prime Minister Indira Ghandi
Thailand's Queen Sirikit	Israel's Prime Minister Golda Meir

Jesus Christ said, He would send the promise of God the Father upon His Church. He told the Church it would be endued with power from on high. Remember, the Holy Spirit of power was the light that was revealed in the life of Jesus Christ. "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12). This power from on high is the Holy Spirit of God. And the power of God does fill His Church with the Spirit of prophecy. Through the prophetic words of Holy Scripture, The Church of God is the shining light that shines in a dark place.

The Apostle Peter wrote to The Church of God, reminding them to take heed to the prophetic words of Holy Scripture. "We also have the prophetic word made more sure, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:19-21).

The spirit of prophecy simply means understanding Headline News before it becomes the news. The revelation of comprehending the spirit of prophecy always comes through the Holy Scriptures. "And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45). Now it is clear that Jesus Christ is the Light that opens the Holy Scriptures, so God's Church can understand and comprehend what is the will and Work of God. Therefore, only the Church of God will bear the true witness of the true light of God's Word - the Bible. Notice these plain words of Christ: "And you are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:48). In this verse, Jesus Christ said "you", which is God's Church, are witnesses of "these things", which means the words of Holy Scripture.

The witness of the true light is in the one true Church of God. God's Church does bear witness that all this world's ways are evil. It witnesses to mankind that God dearly loves human beings, but God hates the evil doings of mankind. The Church of God does bear witness to the testimony of God's power - that it is the true light.

The joy of the true light of God the Father is being fulfilled through the Church. The Church of God certifies the testimony, that what God has spoken, is true. Therefore, the world that is under the sway of Satan's deception would hate the light of God's Church. "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:20).

Remember, only the Church of God would believe the light that was revealed in the life of Jesus Christ. "He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand" (John 3:33-35).

What does it mean - "God does not give the Holy Spirit by measure?" Remember, the Bible is Jesus Christ in written form. The end-time Zerubbabel (Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong) always would say again and again, "Don't believe me - believe your Bible". Why? For the answer, notice John chapter seven, verses thirty eight and thirty nine: "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified".

Jesus Christ said, "He that believes in Me, as the Scripture has said". What is Jesus Christ telling us? Our Lord is plainly telling us, just as He told the people on earth during His earthly ministry, not to believe what He said until they read it from the words of Holy Scripture. In other words, Jesus Christ is saying the same thing that Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong said - don't just believe what I say - go and check the Scripture to see if it be true.

Also, the Apostle Paul realized this and quoted King David, when he wrote his epistle to the Romans. "Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged" (Romans 3:4). Notice the Apostle Paul boldly stated: "Let God be true but every man a liar". This warning is to every man who preaches, if he does not faithfully preach the words of Holy Scripture, will be found a liar .

Likewise, The Church of God is saying the same thing today - don't believe it unless you read it in the words of Holy Scripture. Then, as we believe and obey the true light of the Holy Scriptures, out of our lives will flow the living waters - which is the power of God's Holy Spirit. As Jesus plainly stated: "It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63).

It is through God's Holy Spirit of Power that the Church of God can know when Holy Scriptures have been fulfilled, and when Holy Scriptures are presently being fulfilled, and when Holy Scriptures are yet, in the future, to be fulfilled. God's Church absolutely knows that Matthew chapter seventeen, verse eleven, is prophecy that is being fulfilled at this time.

The plain truth about the gospel of the Kingdom of God has been restored after it was suppressed in 53 A.D.. With the passing of many centuries, that true light of the gospel of the Kingdom of God got lost. Therefore, the light of the true gospel was not proclaimed to the world by The Church of God. Incredible as that may sound, it is the undeniable truth. The Church of God almost perished, until God revived it with the light of the true gospel.

Think deeply upon this! For 1900 years, God the Father and Jesus Christ patiently waited for a major event to occur in the fulfillment of Their awesome Master Plan - the coming of the end-time Zerubbabel. Not until 1953, during the Philadelphia era of God's Church, would the mighty arm of the Lord be revealed, to open the tremendous door for His end-time Zerubbabel to proclaim the true light of the true gospel to the world as a witness. Also through His Elijah, God will revive again His Church spiritually, by restoring truth back into His Church.

Around the world, the message of the true gospel has been proclaimed. This awesome witness, of demonstrating the mighty power of the Great God, has been revealed to the nations. Yet, the nations of the twentieth century did not heed that powerful witness. Now, in this twenty-first century, the nations continue to disregard God's message of the true gospel.

"Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you: Behold, you despisers, marvel and perish; For I work a work in your days, a work which you will by no means believe, though one were to declare it to you" (Acts 13:40-41).

Like in the days of Jesus Christ's earthly ministry, as it is in our day, mankind has ignored the will and the work of God. Though it was declared to them, they laughed at, mocked, and scornfully rejected the work of God in the life of Jesus Christ. Likewise today, they will do the same at the work of God.