by Herbert W. Armstrong

GREETINGS TO YOU MINISTERS AND YOUR WIVES FROM PASADENA, ONCE AGAIN:

I have spent very little time the past six years in Pasadena – and none for two years and three months – until last week when I returned for a brief visit. Five and six years ago I was away from Pasadena, carrying the Gospel around the world for approximately 300 out of each 365 days. In 1977 I had moved to Tucson, and in August of that year experienced total heart failure. For six months or more I was pretty much bedridden on a hospital bed – although in my own home. I refused to enter a hospital.

Let me say that reentering the office here – as well as the home – was like a new, glorified vision from God – an inspiring, refreshing experience. HOW GRACIOUS God has been to have built here the most beautiful, cultural, high character atmosphere for the HEADQUARTERS of His Church, His College, and His Work!

Being here has made me realize this is where I BELONG! This is the nerve center of God’s Work.

That very important END-TIME Work may be more nearly finished than we realize. God’s overall PURPOSE is far from finished. Indeed, when Jesus said, on the cross just as He was dying, “It is finished,” He was referring to THE WORK God had given HIM in the human flesh to do. That phase of God’s overall PURPOSE and Work was then finished. The apostles then went out, beginning the proclaiming of the GOOD NEWS of the KINGDOM OF GOD to the world. In just over 21 years, the suppression of that Gospel had set in. Thereafter false preachers proclaimed that Jesus was the Divine Messenger – the CHRIST – but not HIS MESSAGE – His GOSPEL! The world was DECEIVED!

In 1927 – precisely 100 time cycles after Jesus began teaching His first apostles, He had converted, and began teaching His apostle to carry that same Gospel Message TO THE WORLD for the first time in 100 time cycles. In 1931 – precisely to the month, 100 time cycles after the first apostles were ordained and started on proclaiming that Gospel, Christ ordained and started his apostle for this time proclaiming that same Gospel. In 1934 that Gospel of the Kingdom began going out over the air. Precisely one time cycle later, to the very week, first week in 1953, after one time cycle in which the Gospel had gone Coast-to-Coast in the U.S.A. it started going out on the most powerful radio station on earth – Radio Luxembourg in Europe. And that was precisely 100 time cycles from the time Paul wrote (Gal. 1:6-7) of its suppression!

God’s TIMING is perfect. When the first real persecution against the entire Church struck, January 3, 1979, God had already providentially moved me to Tucson, Arizona. The State shut off our mail privilege at the Pasadena Post Office. We immediately began operating outside this state, and from Tucson.

The fact God seems to have now inspired me to make this trip back to Pasadena (although my home and residence are still Tucson), indicates another possible crucial date.

Right now the situation is TENSE in Poland. It is reported the Soviet forces are poised ready to strike in Poland. And April is the best month in the year for a Soviet military invasion in massive form. The Poles are tensely alerted. They might move even faster than the slower-moving Russian Bear. They might, under the Polish Pope, start the long-prophesied revival of the medieval “Holy Roman Empire.” For some time now, I have foreseen the possibility of this revived “Beast” power being almost half from Russian satellite nations, such as Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary – instead of the Israelitish northern European nations such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium. They were not in the old Roman Empire – but these Balkan nations were!

The disturbance and crisis in Poland might start several of those nations becoming Fascist, into the lightning-quick Fascist, German-led United Europe!

I am beginning again a more in-depth study of the Scriptures on the flight of the Church into her place of safety, as foretold in Revelation 12 and many other Scriptures.

Meanwhile, with the Church basically back on the track doctrinally, WE NEED TO BE CALLING TIMES OF INTENSE FASTING AND PRAYER TO GET OURSELVES CLOSER TO GOD, MORE FILLED WITH HIS HOLY SPIRIT – FARTHER FROM THE WAYS AND PLEASURES AND INTERESTS OF THIS WORLD!

We need to be “UP” for what’s soon coming! HOW MUCH, AND HOW FERVENTLY ARE YOU PRAYING? Right now the ministry, and the whole Church, are closer together and to Christ than ever before – but this is the very time Satan will try to strike his hardest blow. PRAYER, and closeness to GOD and to CHRIST is our only protection and way of deliverance!