Prove the Facts

(Elder's Conference Review—Sabbath—AM)

Fred R. Coulter—May 5, 2007

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We see all of these things coming upon the nations of modern Israel today:

• drought
• famine
• unemployment

It's a false employment situation, as you know, and the only currency of the modern nations of Israel that has any substance today is the pound. The Canadian dollar is worthless, but is worth more than the American dollar. The American dollar is worthless, but we have entrapped the whole world with the American dollar that they can't pull the plug. If they pull the plug, they go down the tube, too.

So, what they're figuring out is how they can pull the plug sometime down the road without going down themselves. Likewise with the Australian and New Zealand dollar, currencies in Western Europe are now with the euro; but those people are suffering because of the euro. We have a man who calls us from Italy, and I talked to him and the he said that the people are suffering because of the euro.

I'll also say this, because this year—2007—some are saying that 'all Fred is talking about this year is tithes and offering and money.' I'll tell you why. I have received more papers than ever before by misguided people saying that you don't have to tithe.

Well, let me give you a proposition: the day will come when the dollar fails and those who believe that are totally unprepared and will be completely wiped out because they haven't obeyed God. They are going to wish that while they had the 'funny money' that they did tithe, and did give offerings!

Another thing that's important to understand, and we had quite a discussion yesterday concerning it. Because your church affiliation in the past misused tithes and offerings, don't bring that into your life today. That's not God Who did it. That is men who did it! We use every penny that comes in, that brethren give:

• to serve the brethren
• to provide for them
• to give them the tools that they need

And also to prepare for the next generation of the Churches of God!

I don't live 'high on the hog' or even the 'steer.' I draw all I need. Our cars and house are paid for. Out of that I still set aside for the coming disaster and I tithe! So, just to let you know!

Let's see what these non-tithers do. Watch their lives! I've watched it through the years. Those who are on retirement, most of those give offerings regularly, even out of the little bit that they have. God blesses them!

Think about those who have gotten themselves so far 'head-over-heel' in debt that not only is the water up to necks, but it's gradually coming up. Once you start down the road of anything going away from God, what does it tell us: a little leaven leavens the whole lump (1-Cor. 5)! We need to understand that in our lives!

• Have we experienced false prophets in the Churches of God? Yes!
• Have the brethren at first accepted them as wonderful ministers of God? Yes!
• Did you test them by their fruits?

Jeremiah 23:20: "The anger of the LORD shall not return, until He has executed and until He has performed the purposes of His heart; in the latter days you shall understand it perfectly." We're in the latter days!

How many more latter days we have until the end we don't know. But I'm going to guarantee you this: It's going to be a whole lot different than your past thoughts when you were in the Worldwide Church of God.

Verse 21—God says: "I have not sent these prophets, yet, they ran…" This is talking about the prophets of Israel, all the Sunday-keepers! It happened to the Church of God—didn't it?

"…I have not spoken to them, yet, they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel…" (vs 21-22).

I want you to understand how important God's Word is.

"…and had caused My people to hear My words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings" (v 22).

Anyone who has the Word of God, anyone who preaches, it is their responsibility to make sure that those whom they to turn from their sins!

Verse 23: "'Am I a God Who is near,' says the LORD, 'and not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him?' says the LORD. 'Do I not fill the heavens and earth?' says the LORD" (vs 23-24).

What did Jesus say what would fall and God would have knowledge of it? A sparrow!

Verse 25: "'I have heard what the prophets said, who prophesy lies in My name, saying, "I have dreamed, I have dreamed."'"

Go on TBN and watch all of them, they all say that they have 'dreamed a dream' or 'the Lord spoke to me.' But which lord? and which dream?

Verse 26: "How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies…" There are a lot of other prophets who are not religious:

• monetary prophets
• commodity prophets
• social prophets

God will use those, too! They're not perfect but they warn the people.

Sometimes God uses some people that are on radio or television—rarely will you see it on TV—to dare tell the truth and tell the American people to wake up.

"…and who are prophets of the deceit of their own heart? They scheme to cause My people to forget My name by their dreams… [that's what they do] …which they tell, each one to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten My name for Baal" (vs 16-17).

God draws the line! Here is the line right here: v 28: "The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream. And he who has My Word, let him speak My Word faithfully.…" (vs 27-28). That's what we want to do!

• we may not be many, which we're not
• we may not be strong, which we're not
• we may not be young, which we're not

But IF God can make a jackass speak, if God can even use false prophets that properly preach His Word if they would, then God is going to use His people and His ministry to do His work if they are faithful in it. God gives us work to do. He's designed things that way.

We discussed that during the conference! That's what we intend to do, preach and teach the Word faithfully! That's how all of us need to live our lives.

• live by every word of God
• love God
• trust God
• be led with God's Spirit
• understand His Word as He gives us understanding

Don't go running down the road with some cockeyed, cockamainy, stupid ideas of false doctrine.

I say that not for you here, but foe everybody out there who is going hear/read this. There's one giant lust that men and women have…

I've got a book by Ruth Rimm… Remember me talking about the Jesus Seminar and covering that, and I put some of that in the commentary in the New Testament on why this book was written. They are alive and well, and they have a lot of other teachers out there. She is producing a series of books called The Lost Spiritual World using the translation of the Jesus Seminar for the book of Mark in her first book. She is going through Hinduism, Buddhism, Mohammadism and Christianity to bring it all together so that 'if we love God, and if we have the courage to take the plunge into the lost spiritual world. You can believe anything you want as long as you have love in your heart.'

What's going to happen, v 29: "'Is not My Word like a fire?' says the LORD, 'and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets who steal My words… [that's what they do; 'they cast the Law of God behind them' (Isa. 5).] …each one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets who use their tongues and say, "He says," when I did not say. Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams and tell them, and cause My people to go astray by their lies…" (vs 29-32). That happens because people do not prove!

We talked yesterday about Ronald Reagan who said, 'Trust but verify!' God has it, 'Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good!' Once we hear the Word of God, and:

• if we hear false doctrine
• if we don't disprove it ourselves
• if we don't have the equipment with the Word of God
• nor have provided our mind with the Word of God internally to understand what is wrong

You are still held accountable, because you have the Word of God!

There are too many people who are led by emotions and feelings. There is a place for emotions and feelings after you prove the facts. That's how con-men in the world… The way people are conned out of their own money is:

• they don't prove
• they don't check
• they don't think
• the con-men appeal to the lust and emotion

Then when they lose all their money, they say, 'I never knew.' And then they expect somebody to reimburse them. Never happen! Likewise, spiritually! If you run your spiritual life and let con-men con you emotionally into false doctrines, wrong things and wrong beliefs, and lead you into going against the Word of God and the commandments of God, God is going to hold you responsible! Anyone who does so, doubly responsible in teaching people falsehoods!

We are at a critical time in the Church, a critical time in a point of history. We need to be doing what God wants us to do with every fiber of our being. In doing that, do not be concerned about your personal feelings toward other brethren, because we're all imperfect. Do not judge things by how you feel, judge them by the Scriptures!

I know a lot of people don't like us. But if God loves us, who cares? Who's approval are we seeking? men's? or God's? For those who are truly called of God, and truly have the Word of God, those who preach and teach the Word of God to them, they will receive it!

We have a great and tremendous responsibility in teaching. God has designed it that way. There has to be a teacher. Woe be to the one who exalts himself above the brethren. But God does give to the teachers and the elders an extra measure of His Spirit, because He's holding them responsible to accomplish what He wants them to do.

We have a lived in a hierarchical system in the past that has exalted men and put men between brethren and God. With the things that are coming the way that they are, I don't think they have a very long leach from God. That's why we do what we do. I'm not concerned with things in the world. I don't need new things; I don't need new gadgets. I don't need lost of new clothes. My wife bought this shirt and guess where it was made? Not China! But the Island of Mauritius! And she got it Costco.

I know that with all the elders, and all the brethren here, is to let the Word of God—with His Spirit—fill our minds:

• to lead us
• to guide us
• to teach us
• to help us
• to strengthen us

We're going to have to have strength because the things that are coming are going to be God's beginning anger, which will be fulfilled with His absolute fury with the seven last plagues. We've got to be strong:

• spiritually
• mentally
• physically

Take care of yourselves; take care of your bodies. Don't eat like the world! Let's just give you some quick things to avoid like it were the black plague:

• processed foods
• microwaves
• artificial sweeteners
• sodas

If you have health problems, you find out how to take care of your health problems by whatever means you need, but ultimately if you're going to improve, you're going to have to go beyond any medication that the doctors give you. You're going to have to take care of your body and be responsible for your body. Take care of it!

Since we still live in an age where we can get reasonably decent food, if you search it out, and we have vitamins and supplements to add to it, that's fine. I've got my own weaknesses physically. I have to discipline myself, and I exercise. I always remind myself when the little voice inside my head says, 'Fred, take it easy. You don't need to exercise today. Oh well, why don't you do just half of them. You've been pretty good in exercising and things.'

You know how it is, we all have this little voice. If you have a goal to do say 50 sit-ups and you say, 'Maybe 35 will do.' I have to discipline myself. I have a 'fight away' problem. I have to recognize that that's my weakness. Therefore, I avoid the things like a plague that cause me to gain weight.

God's not going to come down and say, 'Fred, don't eat that.' He's not going to come down and knock on my office door and say, 'Four o'clock, time to exercise.' That's why we have a mind. God has given us responsibility.

The messages you heard by Ken and Norbert stirred me to do. They may not be orators, but they preach the Word of God. That's what's important. It's not who you are, it is what you are through God that's important, regardless of where you live, what you do.

{information on The Holy Bible in It's Original Order, A Faithful Version; this portion is left out of transcript}

My lovely wife Delores says to me every time I preach; she's burned a little place back here in my brain, because she's sick and tired of vain preachers strutting around in a show and pretense. She says, 'Fred, just speak.' It doesn't mean that you can't have emphasis or whatever. Just speak!

{more on the Bible project}

Let me just mention this. It didn't start with the elders, but started before that with Delores, in a good way. She said, 'Fred, if you die I'm in big trouble, because I don't know all the things going on. I don't know about this, that and the other thing. You've got most of it right up here in your head. If you're dead I can't take a hammer and knock on your forehead and say, 'Fred, tell me. You've got to do something.' That's where my son David comes in.

David is an excellent business manager and also promoter. He's handled millions of dollars and at one time had $5-billion cash and unfortunately, because it was publicly funded, he was outnumbered on the Board of Directors and they took it all and left him penniless. He knows how to make money and knows the ups and downs of it.

I told him that when he starts again, never, never, never lose control of your company—period!

Same way with the Church. I was advised after the things happened in Biblical, because of Boards. Boards are only as good as the integrity of those on the Board. A single man operation is only as good as the integrity of the single man. You own life is only as good as your integrity before God. So, it's not necessarily the system that is bad. It is the behavior of those who run the system.

Esther Grisinger of the first congregation we had with Christian Biblical Church of God said, 'After what happened with the Board in Biblical and so forth, never, never leave it in the hands of other men.' That is the business control.

So, the business corporation that we have, I am president. My wife is secretary, and I have my son David listed on there so if something happens to me he can continue on as business manager only! He's very competent to do it.

He came up and spent three days with us and went through the whole operation where we are, where everything is, who gets what, where payroll is, where the bank accounts are, what Jim and Betty Hyles do, and how the operation of the Church works.

But I have to make it my responsibility to take care of myself good enough that I can deprive him of being business manager as long as I can.

We talked about, in the conference: What about the spiritual leadership? Brethren, we all together have to pray about it and ask God to provide what He desires. That our lives are right before God in such a way that we do not get penalized with a wrong spiritual leader. We can see the example of what happened.

• Did that not happen?
• Is that not an operation of Satan the devil?
• Yes, indeed! '

I just want you to know that we're in God's good hands, all of us altogether, every one of you, all the elders, and what I do. Because I work full time I feel an obligation to work harder. Not to get things done so that I look good. I don't care about me. But so that the brethren can have the Truth. So that those who are going to come after us will be able to immediately get in and start learning and doing and growing.

Someone made a comment about some of the people that have been in our past affiliations. Many have them been burned and hurt. Many of them have been lackadaisical, going back to the world and things like this. But remember that as long as there is life, there's hope!

What we do with people like that, the first thing we do when they are from one of the Churches of God, and you need to have some of these messages on hand, too:

• Love of God—Second Calling (Love series #7)
• When All Else Fails, Remember, God Loves You (Love series #1)

They need to know that! Most of them out there have been betrayed. They feel hurt. The worst part about it is that they still have a conscience of God's Spirit grinding away, but they let themselves get into sin and lackadaisicalness and go to sleep.

However, God is not done with them, yet, until they have expired their last breath. I think that we need to provide for them. So, when some of the slumbering and sleeping virgins wake up (Matt. 25), and they want to buy. We can say, 'Here!' with all the books that we have; that's why we're doing them.

There are still some other books that we need to do. Phil Neal is a very good editor and I'm thankful for him. He's with an independent Church in Mississippi. The book he's working on is Judaism: Revelation of Moses, or Religion of Men? Very important!

We are going to do Transcript Books. Jim and Betty Hyles do their Bible study by listening to the tapes and reading along with the transcripts. They said they get more out of it that way, so 'Why don't we do a book?'

You can sit down and open up the Transcript Book and listen to the sermons without going from book to Bible, it's all right there.

We're going to do that with the sermon series that we have. It's good to have books, because they go beyond electric things.

What we need to do is end by going to 2-Tim. 1. This is what we need to do in our lives.

• just because God is gracious and merciful, and God does not come down with a blow torch and get us every time we sin
• just because God has put up with some of our lackadaisicalness and sleepiness
• just because God has been merciful and kind

does not mean that you coast!

Remember what Paul said in Heb. 12, 'Let us run the race that is before us, looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Who for the joy that was set before Him, despised the shame of the cross and is set down on the right hand of God!'

Keep that in mind when we read 2-Timothy 1:3[transcriber's correction]: "I am grateful to God—Whom I have been serving from the days of my forefathers… [we can say since we have been baptized] …with a pure conscience—because I never fail to remember you in my supplications night and day."

Brethren, I want to thank all of you for your prayers. People say, 'How do you do what you do?' The answer is that I yield to God and a lot of people are praying for me!' There is not a day that goes by that I don't pray for the brethren:

• those who are sick
• those who have trials
• those who are depressed
• those who are in doubt
• those who are close to death

Remember: Do not be discouraged when people die in the faith!That's God's plan!

Verse 4: "As I recall your tears…" It can be anything:

• your dedication
• your work
• your service

"…I am longing to see you, so that I may be filled with joy."

I tell you what, in spite of all the troubles and difficulties in flying, and every time I go through the security with my artificial hips, and they go through my brief case and I say, 'Be careful, this Bible is 50 years old and the Lord might not like it if you hurt it.'

I travel because of the joy of being with the brethren, and being able to get together. We need these things to stir us up. We need these events for God's Spirit to inspire us and to lead us, and to guide us and direct us. I don't want to come preaching my words. I want to come bringing the words of God that are going to:

• nourish
• feed
• stir up
• result in you attaining to eternal life

Verse 5: "When 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."

Remember this coming close to the end of Paul's life, coming close to the end of an epic in God's Church, because soon after his death Jerusalem would be destroyed. The Church would be scattered. So, it fits right in with today.

Verse 6: "For this reason, I admonish you to stir up the gift of God that is in you by the laying on of my hands." You stir up the gift of God through:

• prayer
• supplication
• study
• dedication
• determination
• God leading you

We need God to lead us by His Spirit!

Verse 7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound-mindedness."

That's what we need to do, brethren! Also remember that whenever there are difficulties, whenever there are things that come along that prick us in our heart because of the sins or lackadaisicalness that we have, God is not picking on you! I'm not picking on you!

• God desires that we grow
• God desires that we fulfill to the greatest degree possible

whether it's 30-fold, 60-fold or 100-fold!

Whatever God has given us to do! That we be faithful and zealous to the end!

Let's all just confess before God that we've all been Laodiceans and don't deceive yourself that you haven't been, or that I haven't been. That's why we need to repent and be zealous. That is good, because God says, 'If you do, I will grant you to sit in My Throne as I overcame and am set down My Father's Throne!'

Then He says, 'The one who has an ear to hear, let him hear what He says to the churches!'

Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version

Scriptural References:

• Jeremiah 23:20-32
• 2 Timothy 1:3-7

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• 1 Corinthians 5
• Isaiah 5
• Matthew 25
• Hebrews 12

Also referenced:

Sermons

• Love of God—Second Calling (Love series #7)
• When All Else Fails, Remember, God Loves You (Love series #1)

Book: Judaism: Revelation of Moses, or Religion of Men? by Philip Neal

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 6/20/19