Fuel and Fan the Feast Flame

We’ve been to the mountain top! Most of us were again blessed to be with other Church members to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast is a joyful highlight of the year for several reasons.

God intends that all of His annual feasts help fuel the fire of godly zeal. It should ignite within us good intentions that we will be more zealous than ever during the upcoming year. But coming back to wintertime (here in the northern hemisphere) and the not-so-exciting everyday routines is anticlimactic and it’s easy to lose steam.

That’s normal. That’s human nature. Often when we human beings start out with good intentions and enthusiasm, we are naively overconfident. What tends to happen with any resolution or project is losing some of our interest and zeal. People let down, get sidetracked or even quit.

For example, at Mt. Sinai, the Israelites said, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:7). However, we know how the people acted shortly after that!

Furthermore, we know there will be increasing obstacles, temptations and persecution in this end time. Satan’s evil influence is increasingly dominating our society. We must resist the many tempt-ations and distractions.

When times are tough, let’s be tough! Let’s rise above our human nature and increasingly develop godly nature. Build on the spiritual foundation laid at the Feast and set some long-range goals. Make plans to fan the flames of passionate devotion to God and keep those fires burning throughout the coming year.

Spiritual perseverance is a major theme in the Bible

God is highly aware of our weaknesses and the world’s temptations, so His Word is full of admonishments for us to endure and persevere. And God is always by our side to help us whenever we ask for His help!

After Jesus warned of the increasing temptations and persecution in the end time, He said, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 10:22; 24:13).

After Paul warned of the “wiles of the devil,” He wrote, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:11, 13).

To Timothy, Paul wrote, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ . . . If we endure, we shall also reign with Him” (2 Timothy 2:3, 12).

The parable of the sower in Mark 4 illustrates several spiritual dangers. The seed “sown on stony ground [are those] who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble” (Mark 4:16-17). The seed “sown among thorns . . . are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:18-19).

Then Mark 4:20 describes the result of seed sown on “good ground.” They are those who persevere, grow and bear much good fruit! The “good ground” is the humble receptive mind of a disciple who is firmly dedicated to learn, grow, serve and remain forever faithful!

Theme of the Book of Hebrews: Perseverance

A major theme in the Bible is the necessity of spiritual perseverance and that is especially true in the book of Hebrews. The epistle of Hebrews was written primarily to those Jewish Christians long after their conversion. The author of this epistle (maybe Paul) had become aware that many of those Hebrew Christians were discouraged and letting down spiritually, sliding into lukewarm attitudes and actions like the description of the church of the Laodiceans (Revelation 3:14-22).

Many were discouraged by their increasing trials, including persecutions. They were disappointed that Christ had not returned and were now having serious doubts. Many had come to think nostalgically of their lives in and around the Jerusalem temple with its impressive attractions.

They were tempted to think life was better under the Old Covenant and Judaism. To counter that thought, the word “better” is in the book of Hebrews 13 times! The point is emphatically made that everything that God and Christ offer us under the New Covenant is immensely better!

The book of Hebrews is brilliant writing and full of powerful reminders of how extremely blessed we are to be called by God to become converted children of God! This epistle was written to motivate those Christians to rekindle the spiritual fire that they once had and rededicate their lives to Christ.

Probably the best two verses to sum up the message of Hebrews are Hebrews 10:35-36—“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”

The book of Hebrews is a priceless book for longtime Christians to occasionally review and meditate on!

Persevere in spite of pressures and persecution

Paul wrote his last epistle from a prison cell to Timothy about how to spiritually survive and thrive even through adversities: “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:12-17).

Let’s keep what Paul wrote uppermost in our minds, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

In today’s societies, most people are lukewarm, cold or downright hostile toward biblical values! Don’t let those negative influences or the weaknesses of our own human nature drag us down into lukewarm attitudes and temptations to let down!

God’s Feast days have fueled and fanned the flames of our godly zeal! Let’s be sure to persevere and keep that fire burning brightly this year and every year!