Do Not Lose Focus

Good afternoon, everyone. Nice to be here with you. Thank you very much for allowing me to come. I guess you didn't have much choice. I did. I was asked by Ministerial Services if I wanted to come up to Buffalo and to Elmira areas for services on the last Holy Day. And, of course, I relished the opportunity to come back to an area that I served for four years from 65 to...actually from 64 to 68 before moving to Canada. And, driving through here to come to this area, I went...I had so many flashbacks. I kept saying, I think this looks like the house these people used to live in. And that one, it's their name again. And I remembered so many names that I hadn't really thought of in about 40 years or more. So it's really nice to be back here with you. It's nice to have such a beautiful meeting hall from Mr. Lambert and Mr. Regard and others here to welcome me and all of you. Thank you very much for being here. I just want to say thank you.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for your faithfulness. And the more I read the scriptures and teach the minor prophets, I realize that there will be just a small remnant of God's people left.

At one time, we were 150,000 strong and we were almost what you would say a sect. People would call you a sect. You moved out of the cult category. You're now a sect. You're no longer looked upon, looked down upon as much and you're looked more favorable because you have a few numbers behind you. And then we've been decimated. You know, you get decimated, you grow and then you get decimated and grow and get decimated. So God has a remnant that he's bringing through. And when he talks about at the end in the book of Amos, he says that the city that leaves by a thousand will leave a hundred. The city that leaves by a hundred will leave ten. So it's almost the tenth of the people that God is working with. And I don't know why. You know, I don't know what happens, but I do know one thing that I always... is my bottom line is Scripture. You violate the Scripture. I will not be with you. The Scriptures are clear. You don't leave because you don't like some administration. You don't leave because you don't like the way somebody treated you.

You hold fast to what you have as long as they are teaching you the Word of God. And it's clear. And they are doing a work. I see a lot of groups say, well, we're doing a work. What work are you doing? What work are you doing? Basically holding on to your own. And some groups actually left. And all they did was hold on to their own. They just kept the money for themselves. They didn't preach the gospel. They didn't do a message. They didn't send the message out. They said, let's just keep it for ourselves. I know one fellow that I worked with, he had over like $300,000, according to someone who was his treasurer, in the bank. Doing nothing with it. Because he thought the gospel has already been preached. But what about all the people who died? Between the time Mr. Armstrong died. What about all the people there who lived and died since? Do they get no chance? Do we write them off? Or do we have a message to get out? And the one thing I'm pleased to tell you as a council member that we did the budget. And the budget is about 31% taking care of the brethren, about 30% taking care of preaching the gospel. It's almost equal. It's never been that way before. But we're trying to make sure we balance it. And we want a message to be sent out there in a serious and dire times in which we live. We want a message to be sent out. So I'm very pleased. I'm very happy to work on the council. I'm very happy to work at the home office now. It is a pleasure to go to work. It's nice to work with people. And we have a lot of bright young people. I was just telling Mr. Lambert at lunchtime, I have a list of over 72 individuals that are younger men that I would really like to see developed. 72 of them, and that's not all of them. That's just the 72 that I have a list of recommendations from their ministers and men who could be brought in for a leadership program to have that as a start and then maybe to move work on developing them. So that we don't, we can replace some of us who are getting older and we can train them while we're still young enough to train them. And so it's really important that we, you know, the work keeps on going on and keeps caring for your, for the church. And so we have a lot of things coming up. We have a general conference of elders coming up. It's this particular time and the planning of it is going to go very, very well. And we have a number of things that we're going to be discussing. We have some educational programs going on during that time, some good lectures happening, as well as just the overall general conference and business that's being done, a few amendments here and there, nothing outstanding and nothing extraordinary. But a few things to try to tweak some of the governing documents, basically. So no changes in doctrine, which I think people, they've changed doctrines. You know what? It takes three quarters of all the elders in the entire church to agree to a doctrinal change, even as small as a wording. Someone didn't like it that our main mission statement says we preach the gospel singular of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God. They said, it shouldn't be that. We don't preach two gospels. We don't. We preach one because it involves both kingdom of God and Jesus Christ, who's the means by which you can get there. But they said, let's tweak this a little bit. Let's call it the gospel of Jesus Christ about the kingdom of God. Didn't go through. This minor thing is that was. And yet some said, well, no, you needed to keep Jesus Christ in there.

Not just have him preaching it, you need to have him in there too. So it was turned down.

There wasn't some major doctrinal change, but a doctrinal statement change. It was turned on. That was many years ago. I don't even know there's been any doctrinal change ever made of the foundation. Even though there have been a few proposed. So people tell you they're going to change doctrines. It's just not true. But anyway, I just want to bring you greetings from the home office, from the ABC, from Mr. Luker, Mr. Kubik, over in Africa. It seems like a lot of our ministers are in Africa. We've got Mr. Kubik down there. We've got Mr. Luker and his wife. We've got Mr. Rhodes down in that area. We've got Mr. Kennebec, who just been recently ordained, his diner helping them with their office, setting up the computer's diner. We have Mr. Fred Callers is in Ghana. We have Mr. Mickelson, who's in Nigeria area. And we also have Mr. Elliott, I believe, down there in Kenya. So we have really being flooded with elders down in Africa this time. Please remember them as they return back, that they'll return safely home. So it's really nice to be here with you. My wife and I will enjoy being a Buffalo tomorrow. I guess we'll talk to some of you on the webcast or whatever out of Buffalo for the services tomorrow morning. But anyway, it's a joy to be here with you. I don't know if that's it. Is, now am I ever going to be tuning into that or no? Yeah, yeah, it will be. Okay, so anyway, we'll get a chance to talk to you then. But it's been a joy being up here. It's been a privilege to come here. And I thank you for your faithfulness. And I thank you for hanging in there. And I know it's not easy. And I thank all these children for being here for two services. That's not easy to sit through. It's not easy for me. And yet you have to sit through it too. So I'll try to make this as lively and as enthusiastic as I can. And there's plenty to cover on the last great day of the feast of Unleavened Bread. Not the last great day. Don't changing doctrines. And I'm not going to put on the last great day here. The last great day or the last day of the days of Unleavened Bread. There's plenty to cover. So I don't worry about anybody stealing my thunder, although a lot of the messages did seem to blend in quite nicely. Moses was the key human instrument used by God to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. In leading them to the Promised Land in order to serve God. But Moses along the way was provoked to lose his focus. Moses was provoked by the children of Israel to lose his focus and was denied entrance into the Promised Land.

You and I must not lose our focus as we leave the days of Unleavened Bread. Now tonight after sunset you can have bread. And by the way, you're not a sinner or unrighteous if you have bread. And in fact, leavening outside of the days of Unleavened Bread is a good thing. Jesus Christ talked about leavening being a type of the kingdom of God.

Leavening, not unleavening. The leavening is only wrong and only used as sin within the days of Unleavened Bread. And that's bad. It's bad during the days of Unleavened Bread. Guess what I found in my garage two days ago? I cleaned out the garage trying to be extra diligent. I don't eat in the garage, but just in case there was anything there, I cleaned it, I swept it, and I put the stuff in the bag, and I took it out of the... they're having an older vacuum cleaner that I use in the garage. Took the bag out, and I put it in this bag, and I set it down beside the post to put it in my cart or put it in the garbage. Now something distracted me, and I never got back to it. So the other day I walked in the garage, and I see this paper. Well, is that the one we have in these coffee, you know, free coffee from Starbucks because you got to bought a certain bag that has... Is that what's in there? And I open it up. Oh, no. Here's the garbage bag in my garage. So my wife took it and disposed of it in somebody else's garbage can outside the area off my property. But the point was, we do mess up from time to time, but do not lose your focus.

We dare not lose our focus because our focus must be on the promised land, and that is God's kingdom. Let's look at some of the examples in the Old Testament of the Israelites losing focus after they were rescued by God. They lost their focus. 1 Corinthians 10.

1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 11. Just as a kickoff scripture, we can read this one. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 11, where he's talking about the Israelites and how they followed that rock and how they behaved and misbehaved. Verse 11, he says, Now all these things happened to them for examples, and they were bad examples, and they are written for our admonition, for our learning, that we might learn about them, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Upon whom are the ends of the world come?

We preached for years. The end was going to be in 72 or 75. And then we preached, it's going to be years later, a few years, a few years, a few months, a few years. Just like the Apostle Peter said, the end of the world's coming. James said, the end of the time is coming. Paul said, I'm going to be resurrected when Christ comes back. I'm going to be changed. We shall be changed. They all thought the end was coming in their day, but is it closer now than it was 20 years ago or 30 years ago? I would say so, and that's not because I'm getting older. It's because I see a world that's not doing so well. But God says, these things are written upon for people who are living in the end time. And we need to take a look and take note that they are written for us to learn from, as we had many scriptures given today about the Israelites and what they did. Let's take a look at some of the examples, and I'll try to abbreviate some of it. But Exodus 14, some of the bad examples of the Israelites. Exodus 14, here are the people that have just been led through the Red Sea who have just been rescued by God, a magnificent rescue. In Exodus 14, verses 10 to 12, notice what they said. And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. Sorry, it was before the Red Sea was opened. But after they had been pulled out of Egypt, after all the miracles to get them going, and he said, behold, the Egyptians marched after them, and they were so afraid, and the children cried out to the Lord.

They were fearful. God had just performed so many miracles so that they would be allowed to leave, and now they're crying out to God. In verse 11, they said to Moses, because there were no graves in Egypt. They don't have any cemeteries in Egypt. You had to take us out here to die in the middle. There are no cemeteries here in the wilderness. Are you going to take us out here to die?

Is it because there are no graves in Egypt you've taken us away to die in the wilderness?

Why have you dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt? There's no deliverance, and there are no graves. No graves, no deliverance. Let's look at Exodus 16.

And now on their journey, verse 2, the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. Would you say they had their focus on the kingdom of God or the promised land, the promised land of Israel? Do you think they had their focus there? No! Notice what their focus was on. Food. The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt when we sat by the flesh pots. Now you tell me, did they have great food in Egypt? They didn't have great food, but their memory was, well, at least we had food. You take us out here, we don't have anything to eat.

And when we did eat bread to the full, when was that? I thought slaves didn't get a lot of food. When was that that they ate bread to the full? See, that was their memory. They were losing their focus.

They were all over the map. Now they're thinking of it. They have no graves, no deliverance, no food. For we have you have brought aside here this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger. There's no food. Now what else did they forget about?

Exodus 15. Exodus 15, back when chapter. And also in Exodus 17, which I won't go there, but Exodus 15. In verse 22. So Moses brought the Israel from the Red Sea and they went out to the wilderness of Shear and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Other than what they took along with them, they're running out of water. And that when they came to Mara, which is bitter, they could not drink of the waters of Mara, for they were bitter.

Therefore, the name of it was called Mara. You know, somebody's name is Mary. It's bitter Mara. So verse 24, and people murmured against Moses saying, What shall we drink? What was their focus now? There's no water here. They did the same thing in Exodus 17 that I don't need to repeat. Then we go to Numbers chapter 16. Basically here, they say there's no authority. There's no authority. Now their focus is on who's in charge here anyhow. Numbers chapter 16 verses 2 and 3. And notice who was doing the complaining. Numbers 16 verses 2 and 3. And they rose up before Moses with certain of the children of Israel, 250 princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown.

These were no slouches. These were no underlings. These were men of renown who were standing up. And what were they saying? And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, You take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation or holy, every one of them. The Lord is among them. Why then do you lift yourselves up above the congregation of the Lord?

And Moses, when he heard it, he fell on his face. Now they didn't like authority. Now it was Moses. Why did you do this? Moses can open red seas. Moses can bring darkness over the land and not affect them. Moses can bring flies and frogs on the land and get rid of them.

Why, Moses must have been some super special human being. But it was the God he served who did it. And they failed to recognize that because their focus was off the promised land that God had for them. Then Exodus 32, they said there's no Moses. Before they said they didn't like Moses. Now there's no Moses. Exodus 32. Verse 1, when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mountain when he went up there to get the beautiful Ten Commandments, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, Up!

Make us gods! Now they have a problem with God, which shall go before us. For this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what's become of him. Maybe fell off the mountain. Maybe a grizzly bear met him. Maybe the lion met him. Maybe he had a heart attack. We don't know what's happened to him. Up! Make us some gods to get us out of here.

So no Moses. They lost focus. They continued to look at different things. They continued to jab at Moses to the point that Moses let them cause him to miss out on the promised land. Because Moses too began to lose focus. It's interesting that in Hebrews 11 it tells you all that Moses went through even come to the point of being willing to yield to God and lead children of Israel. Hebrews 11 verse 23.

By faith Moses, when he was born, Moses' parents this is, was hid. He hid him three months of his parents because they saw that he was a proper child and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. So his very birth, his protection after his birth. Verse 24. But by faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He gave up opportunity to be king of Egypt, Pharaoh of Egypt.

Choosing rather to suffer the affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Esteeming, valuing the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. He would rather suffer the affliction with the people of God than to have all the treasures that Egypt had to offer, for he had respect to the recompense of the reward. He knew what God had in store for him.

And then we read Deuteronomy 32, those faithful verses. Deuteronomy 32.

Moses lost his focus because the people lost their focus and they continued to provoke him. That's no reason. You know, I often read the Scripture that says that if you offend one of these little ones, you're going to get a millstone hung about your neck. Oh, whoa! But you know what, brethren, if you let yourself be offended, you're not going to be there either. Is it going to be a consolation to you that he gets a millstone thrown in the lake of fire and you get thrown in the lake of fire? Oh, he's got a millstone. He's worse off than you are. If you let anybody offend you, you're out of there too. Does it make you feel good? It's just like you say, well, we have an accident. It's his fault. But your car's crinkled, you're damaged physically. Does that make you feel good? Because it wasn't his fault or your fault?

No. Deuteronomy 32. You have no reason to let other people derail you. Verse 48. And the Lord spoke to Moses the same day, saying, Get up to this mountain, a barom, to Mount Nebo, which I've been to, by the way, and saw over into the land where the Israelites would be inheriting, which is the land of Moab that is over against Jericho, and behold, the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel for a possession, which the scouts said is beautiful. It's flowing with milk and honey. This is an awesome land. We can take it. God is with us. The true spies. The others said, Oh, it's a nice land. We can't win. They're bigger than we are. Let's turn away from here. And they said, No, we can do it. It's a great land. But he says, Go up and take a look, the land that I will give for a possession, verse 50, and die in the mount where you go up and be gathered to your people, as Aaron, your brother, died in Mount Horne was gathered to his people, because you trespass against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Miraba, Kedesh, in the wilderness of sin, wherein you sanctified not, me not, in the midst of the children of Israel. What did he do? He said, Do I have to get you water again? Slap. God said, Bad move. Bad move. You aren't giving them the water. I am. You just took my glory from me. You don't get to go in. He lost his focus. He forgot who was in charge. He forgot that there was a better land ahead of him. He forgot that God is leading him somewhere to the Promised Land, where the children of Israel could worship God together.

And then freedom and in peace, verse 52, Yet you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there into the land, which I give to the children of Israel.

Moses lost his focus. The Israelites lost their focus. And of course, that generation, he made them wander around until they all died for 40 years. And it was their children who ended up going into the Promised Land because they lost their focus. What about us? What about you?

What about me? As we leave these days of unleavened bread, will we lose our focus too?

What issues will come up that will cause you to lose your focus?

Will it be a job? Will it be a job situation? Will it be temptation? Will it be some sin? Will it be some woman or some man who takes you away? What will it be? What will cause you to turn away? Will it be something exciting that you want to do that's sinful? What will cause you to turn away?

What will cause you to lose your focus on the Kingdom of God? Because, see, God brought them out of Egypt for one reason, that they might serve Him and ultimately lead them to the Promised Land. And that Promised Land is a very great type of the Kingdom of God, that rest that we can all have in God's Kingdom. So what about you? It's easy to lose our focus too. We can get caught up in various issues that may be seemingly important. Some of them are unimportant. We can get caught up in them and we can fail to keep our eyes on Promised Land. Lose sight of the Kingdom of God. Ever see a picture that's out of focus? Take your glasses off. Maybe my glasses aren't working right here. Let me see. It's just out of focus. Is it pleasant to look at? It's not. You try to make it. If I lose that, I can't quite. It's blurry. You can't see. Don't lose your focus. And it's easy too. We've had seven days of working on ourselves with the Spirit of God and guidance, us guiding us to be like Jesus Christ. None of us can change ourselves without Christ giving us the strength and help to do so without the Spirit of God in us. But now that we've been focused on that, and focused on His Kingdom, will we walk away from here and say, okay, sunset tonight, the days of Unleavened Bread are over, and even though we have a Sabbath right at the other end of it, will we fail to keep our eyes on the Kingdom of God? What will cause you to lose focus? Luke 12, verses 22-32. Luke 12, verses 22-32. Let's bring this down to us.

You see what Jesus Christ taught. What Jesus Christ said our focus should be.

Luke 12, verse 22. Then He said to His disciples, Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, for what you shall eat, neither for your body, which you shall eat. Don't worry about those things. Don't lose your focus. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

Don't worry. Consider the ravens, for they don't sow or reap.

Neither have they storehouse nor a barn. I don't have any silos.

Have anybody ever seen a raven silo? I've never seen any.

Maybe in their nest they put a little bit. They don't have any storage means. They don't have any freezers or canning equipment. How do they keep their food fresh?

And God feeds them. How much more are you better than the fowls?

He said, And which of you, while taking thought, can add to His stature one cubit?

He said, Make me taller, make me taller, make me taller. Sorry. He didn't get it taller. Oh, make me taller. I'm only five, nine and a half, five, ten. I played basketball.

God, if you just give me six, three. I don't ask six, eight. I don't ask six, ten, because I could jump. I could jump high and I have a long arm, so I could jump. I'd jump all the big boys and get rebounds because I had good timing and I could get up there.

Just give me six, three. Can I ask for six, ten? I don't ask for six, eight, six, five. No, just give me six, three, and I'll go up against all of them.

I never got six, three. Thinking about it is not going to make you any taller. It's not going to get you there, is it? He said, which of you, taking thought, can add to stature one cubit? Or if you, verse 26, if you then be not able to do the thing that is the least, why do you take thought for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow. They toil. They don't toil not. They don't spin. And yet, look how beautiful they are. Solomon and all of his glory is not a raid like one of those.

And if then God so clothed the grass, which is today here in the field, and tomorrow it's gone, cast into the oven, it's mowed and used for fuel, how much more will he clothe you, O you, a little faith? Quit losing your focus. God will take care of you. That doesn't mean you lie in your hammock and say, Take care of me, God. I expect you to do. But he doesn't expect you to worry. He doesn't want you to get your focus on those things. We've heard about it, material things, what the world has to offer. Don't let yourself be derailed. Don't even let yourself be spiritually derailed. You get to study. I'm going to study this one topic. I'm going to be a master of understanding this one word. And you spend all your time studying this one word, so you can be a master of it. Who cares? I can look up that word in Strongs and Chordons, get a meaning. I don't need to study it for the rest of my life. But people get hung up.

I have a nephew who graduated from Washington University, was graduating with a degree in anthropology, but basically it's on the study of monkeys in Madagascar. Now, what good is that degree going to do him? He lives in America. Is he going to go move to Madagascar so he can study monkeys? But he's an expert on monkeys in Madagascar. It doesn't do him any good. A four-year degree. Hundreds of thousands of dollars spent for him to get that degree. At least a couple hundred.

What good? His focus was too narrow. So he can get a good job somewhere? Any schools want somebody who can teach them about the monkeys in Madagascar? I don't think so.

Don't lose your focus. He said, if then God so clothed the grass which is here today and next day, verse 29, and seek not that which you shall eat nor that which you shall drink neither be of a doubtful mind. For all those things do the nations of the world seek after but your father knows that you have need of those things but rather seek you the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you. Don't lose sight. Don't let your focus be taken off to things in areas that aren't important, especially in your quest to walk the paths of righteousness, to enter into that kingdom of God, that narrow gate. And there is an opening, by the way, out of the world into God's kingdom. There is a gate that goes into God's kingdom and that's the gate that God wants each one of us to take. Let's take a look at a few other descriptors. Matthew 9, verse 35. What should our focus be? Matthew 9, verse 35.

Jesus Christ said this. It's reported by Matthew. Jesus went about all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. He went up all abroad. That's what his focus was. The kingdom of God. How many parables did he say? The kingdom of God was like under this. The kingdom of God was like under that. The kingdom of heaven was like and under this. The kingdom of heaven was like and under that. How many scriptures do you find? It says in which Jesus went preaching the kingdom of God. That was his focus, that there's a better world coming and needs to be our focus, too. We want to help spread the message and that we want to be a part of it because that kingdom is incredible. Talk about the Promised Land, the grapes that were so big that it took two men carrying one cluster in a middle.

You talk about, eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those that love him. I try to think of the happiest moment in my life. I've had many happy moments. I try to think of a happy moment in my life. God says, you know what? That's nothing compared to what you're going to have in the kingdom of God.

Think of the best, most joyous, happiest moment that you've ever had.

God says to you, my kingdom is going to be far better than that.

Your part in my kingdom is going to be far better than that, that you can't even explain.

Eye hasn't seen, ear hasn't heard the things that God has prepared for those that love him and the sufferings of this present time aren't even worthy to be compared to what God has in store for you. Don't lose sight. The spies came back and said, well, that's a beautiful land over there. We can take it. At least Caleb and Joshua did, but the others said, oh, we can't take it. Or just like ants and they're grasshoppers and they're like giants. We can't take it. You know, with God, you can. God wants you to keep your focus.

We need to. That was Jesus Christ's focus. Acts 1 and verse 6.

Acts 1 was the disciples' focus too. Acts 1 and verse 6, and it needs to be our focus.

Acts 1 verse 6. When they therefore had come together, they asked of him, saying, this is that disciples after Christ's resurrection. They said, will you at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? What was their focus? Kingdom of God. Jesus, you're resurrected now. Now's the time for your kingdom. They wanted God's kingdom. They wanted it now.

1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 16, the apostle Paul said, woe be to me if I don't tell people about the kingdom of God. Woe be to me if I don't preach the good news of that kingdom. 1 Corinthians 9, 16.

But for though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of.

So I'm out there doing my job. And Paul said he preached the gospel to every creature in the world.

It was Paul's view that he had done his job. Colossians 1, 23 verifies that.

I've done my job. Now he leaves it up to us to do our job, which is like his.

But he said in verse 16, for though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is laid upon me. Yes, woe to me if I don't preach the gospel.

I've got to tell people about this kingdom of come. I've got to keep my focus on it.

I can't quit. We can't quit. We dare not. Acts 25, is this true? Yeah, even when he was in prison, he didn't lose his focus. He didn't say, woe is me. I have some people that I've known in prison, some friends formerly. And it's tragic.

It's tragic to know that they can't get out for, I don't know how many years.

Nice people now. They were nice people before. A little act. They can't get out.

What is their focus? Just staying alive and staying sane.

Just staying alive and staying sane. And trying to think of good scriptures. So, every so often, when I write, and I do write every couple weeks to this person, I give her a scripture of hope.

Don't lose hope.

Trouble with many people who get depressed, they have no hope.

You have the kingdom of God in front of you. Nobody can take that from you but God.

Nobody. You've got a hope that nobody can take except you. And God. And God won't take it away, unless you don't want it. Acts 28. What did Paul do when he was in prison? Acts 28, verse 23.

And when they had appointed him a day, there came to him many to his lodging, he was house arrest, to whom he expounded and testified, what? The kingdom of God. He didn't quit. He didn't say, Oh, woe is me, I'm in prison. I can't do anything here. I just hear my chains and here I probably chained to the guard, Caesar's guard, Caesar's household guard.

Probably chained to him, but he still testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus. Both out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets from morning until evening.

And some believed the things which were spoken and some didn't.

Verse 25. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word.

Well spoke the Holy Spirit by Isaiah, the prophet to our Father, saying, Go to this people, hearing they shall hear, and shall not understand, seeing they shall see and not perceive. For the heart of this people's wax gross. Their eyes, their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have, they close. Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears. Understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them. God wasn't calling everybody then. That's what he's saying.

It wasn't clear to a lot of them, some it was. And when he had said these words, the Jews departed. They had great reasoning among themselves.

And Paul dwelled two whole years in his own hired house. He was in prison. He was allowed to have a hired house there, so he wasn't under house arrest more than in a prison. And received all that came to him, preaching the kingdom of God. Paul didn't lose his focus.

Boy, most of us would lose our focus. I'm just trying to stay alive here. I'm just trying to keep from the games. I'm just trying to have these guys not hurt me. I'm just trying to get enough food, which by the way, in some prisons is looked upon as slop. I'm just trying to stop worse than vomit.

What would you be looking at?

Paul kept the kingdom of God as his focus, which concerned the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence. No man forbidding him. Mark 16, 15, Jesus Christ's exhortation to his disciples.

Mark 16 and verse 15.

He said this, he said to his disciples, go into all the world and preach the gospel. Tell people the good news to every creature. That's every creature they could hear. Animals don't hear. They don't hear the gospel. But preach the gospel to everyone. Tell them about the kingdom of God. Be on fire for it. Keep your focus. There's a better world coming that's going to straighten all these things up. A world that's coming that's going to heal the sick. A world that's coming that's going to straighten out the economic system. A world that's coming that's going to straighten out race issues. A world that's coming that's going to bring people together instead of separating them. A world coming that God has invited you and me to be a part of. Isn't it hard to believe? Why would he call you? Why would he call me? What did he see in you? What did he see in me? I don't know. Maybe a willingness at the time he called us to be helped.

Many people had that willingness, but they lost it.

150,000 people gone their separate ways. I have about 1,200 friends on Facebook.

I would say probably a good thousand of them are not in the church.

They're friends from college, from church areas, and so on, who asked to be my friend. I'd love to be my friend on Facebook. They're not walking and I've had the same path that we heard about. They're walking a different path, and my hope for them is they never were converted in the first place.

If they were converted, they're walking a wrong path.

At the end, Jesus Christ is going to say, I never knew you.

Who are you? You want to come in? Who are you? I don't know who you are. You lost your focus.

You forgot about my kingdom. You forgot about a better world that I wanted to lead you to, and you refused to be led anymore. Go to all the world. Preach the gospel to everyone.

Romans 8, verse 16 to 21. God says about our part in the kingdom. I mentioned this in type, and I'll just read a few more of these scriptures. I will wrap it up by four, so I'd like to finish up, especially in the afternoon of a holy day. I know people get tired and they get, you know, weary. You had two sermons and two services, and sitting in between and eating. I noticed a lot of you juiced up with your coffee. I did too, so I didn't fall asleep during my own sermon. I always make sure I do that. Very bad to fall asleep in your own sermon. Romans 8, Romans chapter 8, I know the kids got a lot of energy out. They were playing games, and they were sitting, and they were using their energy, and that's good. Romans chapter 8, verse 16, the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

And if children then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and if so be that we suffer with Him, we also may be glorified together. Now, I don't ask for suffering. You ask for suffering. God, make me suffer today. I think it's a good day for suffering. You don't ask for suffering, but suffering will come as a natural part of living a Christian life in a world that's un-Christian, biblically un-Christian, not un-Christian in name. There are lots of Christians out there in name.

Biblically un-Christian. And you have to live in that world. And God says, I'll be with you. I'll take care of you. You are my children. Verse 18, for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, whatever, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. The world is waiting for you to change it, to make it better, to clean up the pandas in China. We went to China back in 1991. We went to the zoo in China with a number of people from feast after the feast. Some of us went and there was another group from Sweden or whoever with us as well. We're walking through the zoo in Canton, China, and everybody's looking at us, not the animals. All the Chinese are looking, who are these white guys over here? What are they doing here? And then we look at the pandas, which are indigenous to China, and we look at the pandas, and they're dirty. They weren't white and brown stand out. It was almost like brown and tan. They weren't cleaned up. They weren't looked after. In the world waiting for you, the animals are waiting for you too to rescue them. The people are waiting for you to rescue them.

The thousands starve every day because they don't have enough to eat.

The people that are being mowed down in Syria, some of them might even be my relatives because I am Syrian. Some of them might even be my relatives. I don't know who my relatives are over there anymore.

Being killed. Nobody will stop it. You see, they lined up little kids and shot them.

They lined up little children, mothers, fathers, shot them. And our world does nothing because Russia says, you can't do anything. We back Syria. I say, hang Russia. I'm sorry, Natasha. I don't mean that bad. Natasha is my friend.

Hang Russia. We're going over there and we're stopping this. And you get but in, we're going to stop you too. And if you want to unleash your nuclear weapons, we've got them too. They won't do it.

You got to call their bluff. But you let people do this in a land, in a world, but we go over and take out Muammar Gaddafi, who repented of what he did, apparently, years ago for the Americans, and they were good to him. And we, oh, let's take him out. Why don't you take out this other guy? We're not fair. God's looking for fairness in a world. God's looking for honor. God's looking for integrity. You have that in our world. You don't have that in our world anymore. He says, they're waiting for you. Verse 20. For the creation was made subject of vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who subjected the same of hope. The world is hoping. You hope. You didn't ask to be made subject of vanity, but that's part of the process of growing up from a baby. A lot of these babies, they cry. Why did they cry? They're hungry. They're tired. They're uncomfortable. They're wet. They want to change. Or they just want to be loved. And they don't know any other way to do it, because so far they can't communicate.

Other than to cry. So when they cry, you have to respond to it. But if they aren't taught, when they get older, they will become big cry babies. And there's nothing worse than a big cry baby who never learned to discipline him or herself. God says, the world's waiting for you and me. For we know that the whole world groans and travails. Verse 21 says, because the creation itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption to the glorious liberty of the children of God. Your feast is about you being liberated, you being free. Not free to do what you want, but free from sin. Think of the time when you're going to have a chance to help the world be free from sin. What a glorious, wonderful time that will be. They're waiting for you. He said, and not only they, and so verse 22 says, for we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain till now. Verse 23, and not only they, but also ourselves which have the first fruits of the Holy Spirit. Even we ourselves groan. We wait, too. Don't lose your focus. The world's waiting for you. Philippians 3. Philippians chapter 3 and verse 14. The Apostle Paul didn't lose his focus, though this was a prison epistle, and though in this epistle, you know what Paul says? I can do all things! That's a pretty bold statement where somebody's in prison. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And whatever condition I'm in, I've learned to be content. That's what Paul said. If I'm in prison, I've learned how to deal with it in a contentful way. Not a contentious way, but a contentful way. But Philippians chapter 3 and verse 14, he says this, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I press. I don't let my focus be taken off. I press toward that mark. I'm aiming toward God's kingdom. Verse 17, brethren, be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as you have us for an example. And he didn't mean to follow him no matter what he did. 1 Corinthians 11.1, he clarified it. Follow me as I follow Christ. For many walk of whom I have told you often now tell you even weeping that they are enemies of the cross of Christ.

People that used to walk with us, they're enemies now, he said, whose end is their destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

They let their focus get taken off of the kingdom of God. They lost their focus. Verse 20. For our conduct, our citizenship is in heaven from where we also look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. When he comes, he's going to change our vile body that may be fashioned like his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself. We're looking for the time when we can be changed to spirit beings and remember flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. So you can't get into the kingdom as a human being. You must be changed. When that change takes place, you become a citizen of that wonderful, glorious world tomorrow. 1 Thessalonians 2, verse 11. The Apostle Paul said this, as you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father does his children. We looked after you. We took care of you. We charged you. We directed you. What did he say? Verse 12. That you would walk worthy of God who has called you to his kingdom and to glory. God has called you to be in his kingdom. We urged you to keep your eyes on the goal. Keep your focus there. 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 4. He says it this way. But you, brethren, you're not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief. Verse 5. You are all the children of light, the children of the day. We are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. Let's not lose our focus. For they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that be drunk are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation, not being turn aways. Verse 9. For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation.

God doesn't want you to miss out. He wants you to be in His kingdom, to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. You know, the Apostle Paul, at the end of his life, he was able to say, I've run my race. I finished the course. I've kept my eyes on the kingdom, and I'm ready for God to take me. And he died. He kept his focus. He knew I was waiting for him a crown. Hebrews 11. The heroes of faith. Hebrews 11 and verse 10. Notice about Abraham.

He looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Abraham had lots of flocks, lots of herds. Abraham had lots of blessings, lots of sermons.

But Abraham did not lose sight of the kingdom of God. He looked for a city that had foundations, whose builder and maker is God. And what city is that not other than the kingdom of God? Verse 13.

These all died in faith, all these previous heroes, not having received the promises, but having seen them far off and were persuaded of them. They didn't lose their focus, and embraced them. They didn't lose their focus and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on this earth. I can't fully be a part of this system. I can't fully be a part of this world system, because this is in God's system. I love our country America. I hope that our country America can survive. I love it. I hope God, I hope it will change. You know, and I hope, I hope for a Jonah miracle in the United States. Is it probable? No. Is it possible? No. Probable? No.

I hope that it could change. But they kept their eyes on the kingdom of God.

They were persuaded. They embraced. They confessed. They were pilgrims and strangers. We can't fully throw into the system. We're just here as representatives of God's kingdom to come.

In verse 14, for they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

Are you seeking a country? Verse 16. Now, if they, verse 15, and truly if they had been mindful of that country from where they had come out, if they kept their focus on it like the Israelites did, they might have had opportunity to return. They may have wanted to go back. But they didn't keep their eyes on the earthly kingdoms. But now they desire a better country. That is a heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God. For he has prepared for them a city, New Jerusalem, and the kingdom of God. That's an awesome future. Hebrews 12, 28.

Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Keep your eyes on God's kingdom as you depart from here, as you begin to ingest regular bread. That's not going to do anything bad to you after sunset.

As you begin to ingest regular bread. And if you like to finish up your matzo, we still have some egg and onion at home. We're going to probably enjoy some butter when we get home. Still, I don't mind, but it has nothing to do with righteousness after these days.

But though we go back to regular bread, let's not go back to our regular routines. We've heard that. Let's also not go back to losing focus.

Pull out other things, seemingly unimportant things, crowded into our lives, and crowd out that hope that we all can have. Not just for us, but for the whole world.

Matthew 6, verse 25.

Matthew 6, verse 25. Don't let your mind be cluttered with earthly things. All their things on the earth that you have to attend to. You have to feed your family. You have to get dressed every day. You have to wash. You have to pay your bills. You have to pay your mortgage. You have to pay for gasoline. I don't know if they give it away yet anywhere. So you still have to do those things. You still have to pay for those things. You have to be concerned, but not worried. You have to be concerned, but don't lose focus. Matthew 6, verse 25. He says, Therefore, I say to you, take no thought for your life.

There's Matthew's account of what we read before. What you shall eat, or what you shall drink, or yet for your body, what you shall put on, is not the life more than food, and your body more than clothing. Behold, the files of the air. He doesn't say ravens here. They sow not, neither do they reap, nor they gather in barns, which your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not better than them? Which of you, by thinking, taking thought, can add one cubic to a stature? We already talked about that. Verse 28. Why do you take thought for your clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don't toil, not. Neither do they spin, yet they're arrayed. Even Solomon, in all of his glory, was not as beautiful as these. Beautiful flowers come up. Sometimes they're wildflowers up in the field. Nobody planned them. They come up. They're beautiful. Wherefore, if God so clothed the grass of the field, which is today, and tomorrow's cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Don't lose your focus over things on this earth. Therefore, take no thought, saying, What should I eat? We eat, or what should we drink, or where are we going to get our clothing? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek the outer world, the world outside of the church. That's what they're looking at. That's all they're about. Let's thank God it's Friday. TGIF, thanks God. And I'm not advertising a restaurant. TGIF, thanks God. And thank God it's Friday. We go party. The week's over. Now we can go party. We don't have any joy in our jobs. Just give us the money so we can go get drunk for a couple nights, and then we'll get back. We'll sober up on Sunday and go back on Monday again.

Is that the world? Is that what we want? That isn't what we want. I don't mean every single person does that, but that's a trend for sure. But he says in verse 33, but seek you first, the kingdom of God. Let that be your focus and is righteousness.

And all these things will be added to you. You don't have to worry. And not only will all those things be added to you, but you will so be...entrance into God's kingdom will be ministered to you.

The door will be opened wide, and God will say, Come, you blessed. Receive the kingdom that was prepared for you from the foundations of this world. As you leave the feast of unleavened bread, do not forget to keep your focus on the Promised Land, the kingdom of God.

Thank you for being here. Have a great trip home. Nice to see you, and see some of you on Sabbath, and see the rest of you on video.