I Am What I Am by the Grace of God

Greetings, everyone! Bring your greetings from the great state of Texas. Thanks to the choir and Mr. Japheth and everyone. Thanks for those volunteers who came in at the last minute. Very fine job. Now, I pastor what we call East Texas. We have a beautiful church building in Big Sandy. While I'm sure it's the finest meeting place in all of the United Church of God worldwide, we were very blessed to have that building. And also, Pastor Texarkana, we have one member that lives in Arkansas, and then I pastor Ruston, Louisiana.

Ruston is about in the midpoint of the northern part of Louisiana between Shreveport and Monroe. So greetings from that part of the world. It's a pleasure for my wife and I to be here. This is either our third or fourth time to Jekyll, and it's changed quite a bit since the last time we were here. Maybe I should put on my glasses. I suppose you've heard of a man named Fred Kellers.

He came to visit us in East Texas back in February and said he wanted to take us to dinner on his nickel. He must not have wanted to be seen with us because he took us to the Outback Steakhouse, which reminded me of growing up. We had two books on the place. One was the Bible we kept inside, and the other was Sears and Roebuck catalog we kept outside, and the little brown shack out back. Mr. Kellers likes to talk about how much younger he is than I, but I don't think it's that much. Anyhow, he was on Noah's Ark, but we are here to celebrate a wonderful time in the plan of God.

So we began where Mr. Kellers began last evening with, why and how are you sitting here today? Why and how? There are many possible answers to the question of why and how you're sitting here today. You might say that God commands us to be here, and so he does. That's true. You might say, I need a break, and I'm sure many of us do. I felt that I needed a break.

You might say that this is where my friends are, and many friends are here. You might say this is what we've always done. I'm sort of swept along with the culture of the church. Many of you have made great sacrifices to be here. You prayed, you worked, you scraped, and you were able to come.

But at the most basic level, why and how are any of us here, rich or poor, young or old? The question is similar to why were you born. Many will say to become a son or daughter of God in the kingdom of God. And of course, that's a true statement.

But at the most basic level, what is the most basic level and why and how are you here today? You would turn to 1 Corinthians 15, verse 10, and the apostle Paul gives us a part of the answer here because, as you will read here, he says, I am what I am by the grace of God. 1 Corinthians 15.10. You could read the rest of the verse. I am what I am by the grace of God.

The word grace is the Greek word karas, and it means divine favor because of God's divine favor. And grace stems from God's love. God is love. That is his state of being. Because God is love, he wanted to share who he is and what he is with humankind in a family relationship. Because of God's love and his grace, his divine favor, we're here. We oftentimes get the cart ahead of the horse, as it were, but if you come to understand why you exist at the most basic level, it should give us a greater appreciation for God.

Because of God's great love and grace, he deeply desires to have an eternal relationship with each one of us, as spirit-born sons and daughters in the kingdom of God, to live with him, to rule and reign forever with God and Christ and the saints.

So yes, we were created for a great transcendental purpose, to become spirit-born sons and daughters in the kingdom of God. So my purpose here today is to impress upon our minds the purpose for our being what is the most important thing in life and to impress upon our minds the urgency of the times and in view of all these things, to stir up the Holy Spirit that God has so graciously given each one of us.

I want to say that again. The purpose is to impress upon our minds the purpose for our being. What is most important in life and to impress upon our minds the urgency of the times and view of all these things, what should we be doing? We need to recapture the crusading spirit and be filled with zeal. We have been drafted into the battle of the ages. We've seen the hymn, Onward Christian Soldiers. We've seen it with great gusto, but do we really mean it? Onward Christian Soldiers marching as to war with the word of Jesus going on before.

Onward Christian Soldiers is a 19th century English hymn. The words were written by Sabine Bering Gould in 1865. He wrote the words for English schoolchildren to sing as they marched on Whit Monday. Whit Monday or White Monday is another name for the second day of Pentecost, and some people keep Pentecost two days, in honor of sending the Holy Spirit on the Sunday before. The music was composed by Arthur Sullivan in 1871, and Sullivan named the composition St.

Gertrude. After his wife, Ernest Clay Kerr Seamer, at whose country home he composed the composition. It was sung at Dwight Eisenhower's funeral, and it was later adopted by the Salvation Army as its favorite professional of what they march to. The theme is taken from references in the New Testament to the Christian being a soldier for Christ. You shall endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. We have been drafted into God's great army. We are enrolled in the battle of the ages between good and evil, between light and darkness.

Are we indeed Christian soldiers, fully committed and obsessed with our mission and commission? Do you understand and can you explain the greatest questions of all time? I call them the seven greatest questions of the ages. Does God exist? Of course, the academicians and scientists, astronomers are trying to do everything they can to cast doubt in the minds of people as to whether or not God exists.

The very first article of faith, if you would turn to Hebrews 11, verse 6, is to believe that God exists. The first article of faith is to believe that God exists. And if there was no other reason for the existence of God, I would say nothing else makes sense. Or, as someone else says, I don't have enough faith to be an atheist.

In Hebrews 11, verse 6, "...but without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God must believe that he is." You must believe that God exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. So does God exist. Yes, it's an element of faith. Who is God? God is our Creator. He is our Father. In Genesis 1, 26, and 27, it says that God made or created male and female in His image. In Isaiah 64, verse 16, it says that He is our Father.

Maybe we should turn to Isaiah and read those two verses. First of all, Isaiah 63 and verse 8, who is God? He is our Creator. He is our Father. Do we really understand it? Because of His love, because of His grace, because of His divine favor, we exist, and humankind has been deceived and confused on whether or not God exists. Just to understand that you are here because of God's love, His grace. If you could just teach your children that, and if we could come to understand it to the very depth of our being. In Isaiah, I think it's 64-01, Isaiah 64 and verse 8, but now, O Lord, You are our Father.

You are the clay, we are the clay, and we are all the work of Your hand. You are our Father. In Ephesians chapter 3, verses 14 and 15, it says, I bow my knee to the Father. So who is God? He is our Creator and our Father. What is God? God is Spirit. John 4.24, those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

And what is God's purpose? God's purpose is to bring sons and daughters to glory. Of course, there are other purposes, but the overriding purpose in what the Bible is about and why you're here. God's purpose is to bring sons and daughters to glory in His family, to rule and reign with Him forever. And then the corollary to that is about man. Who is man? Man is made in the image of God with faculties akin to God, ability to think and reason, but yet not of the same essence.

God is Spirit. So what is man? Man is made of the dust of the ground, Genesis 2.7. Man is made of the dust of the ground with a chemio-physical existence.

But he has the potential to be a Son of God, and that leads us to what is man's purpose?

The great overriding purpose of why we're created is to become a son and daughter, or daughter of God, in the family of God and live forever. So once again, in review, the seven basic questions, greatest questions, does God exist? First, article of faith. Who is God? He is our Creator, our Father. What is God? God is Spirit. What is His purpose? To bring sons and daughters to glory in His family. Who is man? Man is made in the image of God with faculties akin to God, but not of the same essence. What is man? Man is made of the dust of the ground with a physio-chemical existence, but having the potential to become a born Son of God. You see, all humans are sons of God by creation. But to be in the kingdom of God, see, it says in 1 Corinthians 15, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The only way you can be in the kingdom of God is to be born, and resurrection is equated with birth, resurrected, born into the family of God. So those seven great questions. Who is man? Made in the image of God? What is man? Dust to the ground? What is His purpose or potential to be a son of God? You know, many people come into the church because of prophecy, and that is still more important to some than understanding the great questions of life and their meaning. The great questions of life and their meaning are far more important, as we shall see.

Understanding those questions and living according to the understanding of who you are. To some degree, we have an identity crisis. Do we know who we really are? You must not allow Satan to steal your identity. You're made in the image of God with the potential of becoming a son of God.

Now, the church does have a limited knowledge, a framework of prophecy, but that is not where our principal focus should be. You need to ask yourself, am I on a knowledge trip or am I on a conversion trip? The greatest and most important understanding we have is the process of salvation. How do you become a son or daughter of God to live and rule and reign with God and Christ forever?

That is where it is. The process of salvation is revealed through the Holy Days.

Mr. Keller has reviewed the meaning of each Holy Day last evening.

The meaning of the Holy Days leads you through the seven great doctrines of the church.

Now, the seven great doctrines of the church, if you turn to Hebrews chapter 6, you will see them.

I shall quote them as you read, as you turn there. If you want to turn there, in Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 1, Paul writes, "...not laying again the foundation, let us go on to perfection." Or, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith toward God, baptism, laying out of hands, resurrection and judgment. See, going on to perfection cuts across all six of those.

Repentance, faith toward God. The only way sins can be forgiven is through faith in Jesus Christ.

When we know, and here's where the world goes astray, they don't understand that obedience is inextricably linked to faith. You can't have one without the other.

As James writes, show me your faith by your works. That's where it is.

He said, I'll show you my faith by my works, or obedience.

So the meaning of the Holy Days leads us through the seven great doctrines of the Church of God.

We have to repent. We have to have faith in Christ, baptism, making that covenant with God in Christ to bury the old man, to be raised to newness of life, to receive the laying out of hands and the Holy Spirit, to live the resurrected life now, to realize that judgment is now on the house of God. Therefore, having that foundation, let us go on to perfection. The process of salvation also centers on an understanding of the great questions of life that we have briefly explained. And I hope that you have written those down and you think deeply about them, and that you can at least give a brief answer to each one, and that you can at least give a brief answer to the meaning of each Holy Day. The French have a term called raison d'être, which means your reason for being. What is your reason for being? Do you have a reason or purpose for being? If so, what is your mission and commission? Of course, the Bible makes it clear we've already stated it. Our ultimate goal for being, our ultimate reason for being born, is to become love as God is love and to be born in the family of God at the resurrection.

Here's where the rubber meets the road. If you go to 1 Corinthians chapter 13, oftentimes these first three verses are sort of read or glossed over 1 Corinthians 13. We call it the love chapter, and so it is. But as we shall read here, and hopefully we understand, there are two places in 1 John chapter 4 verse 8, chapter 4 and verse 16 that says, God is love. That is His state of being.

So let's read that with those two verses in mind.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not agape, spiritual love, and God is love, what does God want us to become as He is?

So we would not be doing violence to the Scripture to say, though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and am not becoming as God is, I am become a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, though some want that, the gift of prophecy, because there's just something about people that they want to know the future. And it's like if I knew what the future was, then I would really get my house in order. If I knew that Jesus Christ was coming tonight, how would I live today?

Or tomorrow or next week?

You know, the Old Country Song talks about, I would like to live as if I'm dying. In other words, if you knew that you were dying, how would you live? You see, when we do television programs beyond today on prophecy, more responses than other topics, more hits on the Internet. You can put in most any prophetic topic and get anywhere from 500,000 to a million hits. Because people out there searching, they want to know something, but they don't really want to get down to where it is, where the rubber meets the road and here's where it is.

And that goes back to, are we on a knowledge trip or are we on a conversion trip?

Though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, so you know it all. You know the exact date that Christ is going to return. You know the exact identity of the beast. You know the exact identity of the ten kings that will give their power to the beast, as it says in Revelation 17. I have all knowledge, understand all mysteries, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity, in other words, if I'm not becoming as God is, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing, if I'm not becoming as God is.

I've been on this theme now for three or four years, this 1 Corinthians 13, 1 through 3.

This is where it really is. Oh yes, I do a lot of study on prophecy. I send out a newsletter of prophetic articles every week to our email list and a few other people that have requested.

But here's what's really important, what we are becoming. God is more interested in what you're becoming than what you're doing.

Of course, what you're doing has a role to play in what you are becoming. So we ask the question, what do each one of us plan to do with the rest of our lives? I fear that we have become far too passive in our individual mission and commission in our quest to be Christian soldiers and ambassadors for Christ. What do I mean by passive? We take on the attitude that nothing can change or be done until Christ comes and the kingdom is established on earth. And we've been conditioned to leave everything to the home office or the central office. They will do the work. We will stand back and watch and feel free to evaluate how effective they are if they could just do their job.

Some people believe that you can preach the kingdom down. Is that what God's looking for? I believe that God is looking for the person that fears and trembles at his word, as it says in Isaiah. So we can ask our questions also.

Have you become a cultural Christian? That is, maybe you grew up in the church. This is what you've always done. And maybe you're friends that you came into the church through your friends or your family. And this becomes your way of life, and it should become your way of life. And this is something you sort of do robotically.

And you tend to forget these great questions and the great reason for our being and why God has called us. I see many of our brethren, the weekly Sabbaths, come to church passively, sit with a pleasant look on their face. Some never open their Bibles, much less take notes It's as if we know it all and we're just waiting for Christ to return. Even the Apostle Paul writes later in 1 Corinthians 13, we see through a glass dimly darkly now, and he was taught by Jesus Christ face-to-face in the Arabian wilderness for three years. Apparently, the Laodiceans don't know they are Laodiceans. Let's look at Revelation chapter 3. Revelation 3 and 2 and 3, the seven letters to the seven churches. These letters contain a message for each one of these letters to each one of the churches, contain a message for us today in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 14. And under the angel of the church of the Laodiceans, write these things, says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. For I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot, I would that you were cold or hot. You know, I see church attendance fluctuate up and down, up and down. In fact, in our national statistics for attendance Pentecost, we had 1.4 percent fewer people attending Pentecost with United in the U.S. this year than we had last year. I know that sometimes on the Holy Days, we'll have a good 20 to 25 percent more than we do on the weekly Sabbath. It's as if, well, if I go on the Holy Day, I don't know what people think. And of course, Paul writes in Hebrews, forsaking not the assembling of yourselves together, and so much more as you see the day approaching. Yet almost everybody says, oh, look at the way the world is and the days that we're living in, and surely we're living in the end times. But really, the behavior doesn't reflect what they're saying. Continuing here, I would that you were cold or hot, so then because you are lukewarm and neither cold or hot, I will spew you out of my mouth because you say I'm rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and know not that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, all symbolic of that which is lacking spiritually. I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, symbolic of the highest form of character, that you may be rich and white raiment, that you may be clothed, the white raiment is the righteousness of the saints, and that the shame of your nakedness, nakedness can symbolize sin, your nakedness do not appear and anoint your eyes with eyesave, that you may see, that you may see spiritually.

The Laodiceans, there was, of course, a place named Laodicea, a church there. Laodicea was known for two or three things. One, it was a very rich place where a lot of rich Jews had settled and they had a lot of gold. In addition to that, there was a type of sheep that they raised in that area. It was known for its fine black wool, and they also had a school of medicine there, and they developed an eyesave to treat ailments of the eye, but they had one great thing lacking in Laodicea. They had to pipe in water from a distance, and by the time the water got to Laodicea, it was lukewarm. And, of course, we don't want to be caught in that state of being lukewarm.

Christ says, verse 19, As many as I love, I rebuke, and chasten, be zealous, therefore, and repent. That's one of our purposes today, is to us to realize who we are, what our purpose is, and to stir up the Holy Spirit that is within us and become zealous, so that we will go forth as Christian soldiers and fight the great fight of faith and do what we need to do.

I wonder if the tares know that they are tares.

Christ continues here, verse 20, through John, Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door I will come into him, and will set with him, and he with me. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my father in his throne. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Brethren, I hope that we have not become dull of hearing.

What precedes Hebrews 6, where we read the seven basic doctrines there, is chapter 5, Paul writing the Hebrews before the temple was destroyed.

He said, at the time when you ought to be teachers, you have become dull of hearing, and in need of that milk, but strong meat belongs to those who are really going on to maturity, to perfection, who have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. Now, back in Matthew 24, in the sermonette, this was referenced in Matthew 24 and verse 46.

Matthew 24 and 25 and one verse in 26 constitute what's known as the Olivet prophecy, because it was on the Mount of Olives. It was during the time that Christ and the disciples were going in and out from the Mount of Olives, where they were staying at night, to the temple the six days or so before Christ was crucified. And on one of those occasions, the disciples asked him the question, what is the sign of your coming and the end of the age? And in response to those questions, we have Matthew 24 and 25. In Matthew 24, verse 46, blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he comes, shall find so doing, as was emphasized in the sermonette. The work is not done, and some say, you don't lie down and go to sleep, you don't become lukewarm.

Verily I say unto you that he shall make him ruler over all his goods, the servant that he shall find so doing. But in if that evil servant shall say in his heart, my Lord delays his coming, I doubt that anyone goes around verbally saying, my Lord delays his coming.

It is by their actions that they say, my Lord delays his coming, and shall begin to smite his fellow servants. We have had plenty of that, fighting and, you know, smiting the fellow servant. Oh, no, you don't want to be like them or him. Well, you know what he does. You know what they do.

And on and on it goes. But if you come and join me, you'll be a good guy overnight. Miraculous. And shall begin to smite his fellow servants that eat and drink with the drunken. The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him and in an hour that he's not aware of.

And he shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then when that's going on, shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins?

And you know the story of the ten virgins. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

And then the knock came on the door, and the ten virgins arose, five wise, five foolish.

And for the five foolish, it was too late.

So, brethren, in view of what is going on in this world, what are we going to do? Are we going to be lukewarm, Laodiceans? Or are we going to stir up the spirit that is within us and realize what we're involved in?

Now, we don't let Satan steal our identity. They talk about identity theft, one of the fastest growing crimes. Well, Satan stole humankind's identity in the Garden of Eden, and basically very few have been able to gain it back. Do you know who you are? Let's look at Joel, the name Joel, the prophet Joel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, and so on. Joel, chapter 3, this describes here in Joel, chapter 3, verse 9, what the nations are doing at the present time. Joel, chapter 3, verse 9, proclaim you this among the nations, the ethnos, the Gentiles, prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up, beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears, let the weak say, I am strong. And so suddenly we have the rise of a small group of people called ISIL, creating great havoc in the Middle East, in Syria and Iraq.

The U.S. yesterday carried out extensive bombing missions in eastern Syria, the city of Kobani, but it seems that in spite of the various bombing missions being carried out that ISIL continues to make progress and gain more cities and control of more people. Let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves and come all you heathen, gather yourselves to gather round about there, cause your mighty ones to come down, O Lord. And let the nations be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Of course, eventually they're coming to the great battle of the day of God Almighty. So the nations are arming themselves to the hilt.

The weak are saying that they are strong.

Now we now have this deadly disease, Ebola, that is ravaging western Africa.

It has also come to the U.S. The man that was sick in Dallas died in the last 24 hours.

There will be no funeral. Another health official writes today that there are more cases in the U.S.

In addition to arming themselves with strategic and tactical weapons, several nations, especially in the Islamic world, have a religious reason for being, and that seems to be what primarily motivates them. Our leaders don't seem to understand that those who are caught up in the spirit of jihad, so-called holy war, they're not just fighting for a political cause.

They believe they're fighting for Allah and they will be greatly rewarded.

I think they've increased the number of virgins that the suicide bomber gets. It used to be 72, I think. I think it's more now, they say. The spirit that motivates them has stirred them to the point that they are ready and seemingly anxious to give their lives for their misguided beliefs. What about us? And we should not forget that Satan is the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience, and Satan now has a reason for being, a raison d'etre, to deceive the whole world, to break prophecy, to become the object of worship, which he will do for a short period of time, and everyone whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life will be deceived. That's straight out of the Bible. That's Revelation 13 and verse 8.

The major religions of the world are expecting a great messianic-like figure to come on the scene and lead the world into a new age, an era of peace and prosperity for all the peoples of the world.

The Hindus are looking for Krishna. The Buddhists are looking for the fifth Buddha.

The Islamic people are looking for the Grand Mahdi.

The Jews are looking for the first coming of the Messiah.

And Christians are looking for the second coming of Jesus Christ. And the New Agers are looking for Maitreya. All of these religions are looking for the great messianic figure to come on the scene and deal with the world's problems. In addition to these groups, there are various nations and political blocs that are struggling to gain world dominance and hegemony. China, North Korea, Iran, Russia, the European Union, the United States, the United Nations, NATO, and a new, seemingly out of nowhere there is ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant. Levant is a word that describes a broad geographical area or a broad area of hegemony or rulership.

The gap between rich and poor continues to dramatically increase.

The stock market has been going crazy to all-time highs, over 17,000, but in recent days has begun to drop, while the wealth of the common man decreases. And so, in the economic sense, and if you understand this, you understand a lot, the peoples of the world are being conquered without a shot being fired in the economic sense. Recently, I gave a sermon titled, Independence, Dependent, or Interdependence.

Independence, sovereign nations, is basically a thing of the past.

We are dependent to some degree. All nations are dependent to some degree.

The kind of world that we live in, with satellites, with instant communication, with a kind of transportation, supersonic weapons of mass destruction, there's really no place to hide. There's really no way to become isolationist. And so, the world has been locked into interdependence.

The manufacture of your automobile, one part is made in this country, another part in another country, and so on it goes. I talked to a man recently, not in the church, and several times he talked about Christ coming and straightening out the world. He even said maybe it will be on Rosh Hashanah, Feast of Trumpets. And I said, he won't be coming this year. And he said, why? I said, there are many prophecies that must be fulfilled before he returns. Then there was deafening silence.

We all want Christ to return, and we should be praying continually, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. But what are we to do in the meantime? What are we supposed to do now? Are we as dedicated to our reason for being as the other religions and nations? Are we as dedicated as the Islamists? Because they're dedicated in the wrong way, a way of destruction, yet they claim to serve God. And yet we have had presidents who claim that they worship the same God, and presidents who say that such and such is a peaceful religion. So once again, I ask, do we really understand why we were born and why and how we're sitting here today? Do you know that we have been spiritually translated into the kingdom of his dear son? Let's notice Colossians chapter 1 verse 12 translated into the kingdom of his dear son.

In one sense, we're living our millennium. We're living under the government of God in the flesh now. I mean, when Christ comes and we are in the first resurrection, we'll no longer be in the flesh.

We will be resurrected, glorious, radiant spirit beings who cannot sin.

So this is our opportunity to live under the government of God in the flesh right now.

Paul writes, Colossians 1, 12, giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us fitting to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son. This word here translated mythus tami, mythus tami in the Greek to transpose, transfer, remove from one place to another, change of situation or place.

We've been translated spiritually into that kingdom.

And we have been made to sit in heavenly places.

It says that in Ephesians chapter 1, we can appear before the throne of God.

In the sermon I gave on atonement, I talked about living in the holy of holies.

You see, the middle wall of partition has been broken down, and we can live in the holy of holies.

In view of all of these things, what manner of people ought we to be?

We should live as we've been raised to newness of life.

If we've been translated into the kingdom, look at Colossians 3, if you then be risen with Christ, are we risen with Christ?

If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.

For Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection. Set your affection.

This word, affection, proneo, proneo, meanings, feelings or emotions. Set your affections. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.

For you are dead and your life is hid with Christ and God. When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory.

Mortify therefore, in other words, put to death your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, covetousness, which is idolatry, for which things say the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. And yet we'll have those who try to say, well, you don't have to obey, you just have to have faith, and don't understand that faith and obedience are inextricably linked together.

Are we living as if we have been translated into the kingdom of His dear Son, our dear Savior?

Or are we awash in the political correctness, multiculturalism of the day, where everything is gray, evil is called good, and good is called evil, and the watchword is toleration, and the only commandment of the day is, thou shall not be intolerant?

Anything goes.

God wants all of our affection. He wants it now.

It says very clearly in the Pentateuch that God is a jealous God.

It says, you shall not have any other gods before Me.

There's no middle ground with Him.

You cannot serve God and Mammon. You cannot pursue the things of this world and live the resurrected life.

So once again, I ask each one of us individually and specifically, are you a Christian soldier? Are you an ambassador for Christ?

Are you an ambassador for the kingdom of God?

And once again, I ask, what is your reason for being?

Is Christ truly your life?

Many are still being tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine and split loyalties between organizations. Satan couldn't be happier. He has this where he wants us.

Look at Ephesians chapter 4.

Ephesians chapter 4. Paul makes this eloquent plea. Verse 1.

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called. Are we walking worthy of the vocation? With all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the faith and the bond of peace.

There is one body, one spirit, even as you are called, and one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. The Bible does speak of three baptisms.

So how do you explain one baptism? There is the baptism by water that man can do. There is the baptism by fire for the incorrigibly wicked at the end of the age. But there is one baptism into the body of Christ. One baptism, and God the Father is the one who gives you, baptizes you with the Holy Spirit. One baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all. Then Paul talks about the various gifts that have been given to the various offices in the church. And for what purpose? Verse 12, Ephesians 4, 12, for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying, the building up of the body of Christ.

Till we all come in the unity of the faith of the knowledge of the Son of God into a perfect man, and the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie and wait to deceive. But speaking the truth and love may grow up unto him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. See, some people just don't want to make that commitment. They view the truth almost as like you might view going to a cafeteria, and you pass through the line and you ask for this dish and that dish and the other.

Whereas the truth of God is universal, it is absolute, and there is no middle ground. Even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working and the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying, building up of itself in love. Once again, I remind you, 1 Corinthians 13, unless you're becoming as God is, it profits nothing.

Brother, we have been given the highest calling there is. There's no greater calling than to be called to be a son or daughter of the great king of the universe, called into that royal family.

We're going to be priests and kings.

We're going to rule over the whole earth.

The New Testament is replete with admonitions to fight, to struggle, to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered.

You remember Jude, he writes, to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered.

As I've already mentioned, Satan the devil has a raison d'etre, a reason for being, that is to break prophecy, to make God into a liar, direct God's plan of salvation, and destroy humankind. And Satan has tremendous power, and he's continually waging war.

We're in Ephesians there. Just turn forward a few pages.

In contrast to what God wants us to become, see, you look at Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 10, the real battleground, finally, my brother, and be strong in the Lord and the power of his might, and put on the whole armor of God. He goes back to the soldier kind of analogy of a Christian soldier. The weapons of our warfare are mighty to the pulling down of strongholds.

Maybe we'll have time to read that verse.

Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

We wrestle a lot against flesh and blood. See, when you do the things that the Bible commands us not to do, we become an instrument of Satan, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God every last bit, the whole armor that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand therefore, period. That's how it ought to be punctuated. Of course, punctuation is that of men, and we can stand, and we will stand. If you put into practice the things that you hear at this feast and the things that you already know, and of course, at every feast in which I give a sermon, I mentioned the greatest challenge before the people of God and has been for decades is to close the gap between what we know and what we do. Close that gap.

Stand therefore, period, having your loinsgirt with the truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. That means that you are willing, ready to take the gospel to the world. Above all things, take the shield of faith, whereby you'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan. How is that so? Because if you know and know that you know that God will deliver you regardless of the situation or circumstance, Satan cannot lodge one of his fiery darts into your mind. See, the four great enemies of faith are fear, doubt, human reason, and anxious care. If we list them in the way they are listed in Matthew, anxious care, oh, what's going to happen? How am I going to solve this? Fear, doubt, and human reasoning, and human reasoning feeds on all three of these first three. The great enemies of faith. See, if you take that shield of faith that you know that God is going to be with you, God before you, who can be against you, you'll be able to stand no matter what comes. You'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan. And take the helmet of salvation. What is the helmet of salvation? Paul defines it in 1 Thessalonians 5.8. It is hope. What is hope? Hope is in your mind and heart you have the big picture of the kingdom of God burning brightly in your mind and nothing will turn you away from it. You know and you know that you know what lies before, and therefore you're willing to forsake all for the pearl of great price, for that crown of righteousness, which Paul says is stored up for all those who love his appearing. Take the helmet of salvation, which is hope, and the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Rather, therein a nutshell is that armor of what the soldier puts on. The governments of this world and academia are spending billions in space exploration, building nuclear reactors, and an attempt to explain how the universe and human life began apart from the great creator God.

Western civilization, the bastion of Christianity, is so disoriented, demoralized, that people have become putrid putty in the name of toleration, political correctness, multiculturalism. Our youth have been especially targeted, so do they really know and understand their reason for being? If you can teach your children the answers to the great questions of life and help them to understand why they exist, the culture of God will be the only culture allowed to exist in the wonderful world tomorrow. You'll be hearing a lot about that culture throughout the feast. This culture will be built on the foundation of moral and spiritual knowledge, the Word of God. The world will indeed recapture true values. The motto that was adopted by Herbert Armstrong for Ambassador College is just as valid today as it ever was.

Recapture true values, and the Word of God is the foundation of knowledge, of course, spiritual knowledge. So are we going to go forward? Will we stir up the spirit that is within us? Will we fill our lamps with oil? When the bridegroom knocks, we will be among the five wise. Will we become living sacrifices? Will we really take heed according to the Word of God?

God used John the Baptist, and John did no miracle.

John the Baptist did no miracle. Christ says among men there is not a greater risen than John the Baptist. John did no miracle. God used Apollos, who in the early days of his preaching didn't even have the Holy Spirit. God used the deacon Philip to mightily preach the gospel after the Church was scattered because of persecution after Stephen was stoned.

God used the deacon Stephen to preach one of the greatest sermons of all time. God used Esther, a young woman of about 20 years of age, to save her people.

I therefore submit. I therefore submit. He can use you. We have an opportunity to be a light, to be the salt of the earth, to turn our hearts to the children so their hearts can be turned to God.

We can be turned on and zealous for the Word of God and His way of life.

We can begin in our own homes to teach God's truth to our children.

We can begin to exercise judgment, mercy, and faith in our interaction with each other.

We can put away envy, jealousy, and strife. We can heed the messages without judging the messenger.

All of the messengers, just like Elihu, said when he came to Job, I'm made out of clay just as you are. We're all human beings. God has given us different gifts, and we can use them. We can learn to discern between good and evil.

We can be a source of encouragement to others.

We can make a difference in our homes, neighborhoods, and in our workplaces.

We can be ambassadors for Christ. We can be filled with hope, with a big picture of the kingdom of God burning brightly in our minds.

We can put on the whole armor of God and especially the shield of faith, whereby we'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan.

We can become new creations in Christ. We can exemplify the righteousness of God.

All of this and more can be done regardless of the governmental system or the definitions of the gospel or the work of God. In short, we can do what God has called us to do.

We must rekindle the fire in our bellies for marching onward to the kingdom as Christian soldiers. We must not continue to march forward armed with the sword and spirit of God.

Armed with the sword and spirit of God, we cannot fail.

So let us renew the zeal during this feast.

Dedicate ourselves to making a difference in our own lives and the lives of others. Let us march forward as God's great army, carrying forth a banner of truth and righteousness, and all the while praying, "'Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'"