Job Interview With God

Thank you again, Mr. Henry. I want a positive message. Mr. Ewell, instead of having an accident, and, you know, having a fear of real positive and encouraging, and we had a chance, so my wife and I, to look at the Beyond Today and what's going to be coming out this coming Sunday, I think it is, and talk about people that have been through some real trials.

There's going to be a couple of interviews of people that have gone through some real trials, and continue to look at the Beyond, continue to be positive, despite what they've been through. So I think that's going to be early tomorrow by Wednesday. So, I'd like to ask you a question, which is maybe a series of questions that I sometimes like to get us out of the think about, and if you see it, and have us all contemplate a little bit. Can you remember your first job interview? Can you remember your first job interview? Now, for some of us that are sitting here, that's probably quite a long time ago. Maybe it's going to be hard to remember that particular interview or that particular situation, and for others, maybe you just recently had that.

And for some of you, maybe that's just ahead of your life. But perhaps you can remember a little bit about how you felt. Maybe a little bit apprehensive. Maybe even a little fearful. Perhaps your potential boss and his face have been cut out of a piece of granite, you know, these steaming hives that were almost piercing right through you, and you hardly could keep control of yourself without feeling you ought to melt them on the floor.

What if you were interviewed for a job with Microsoft and you had to go before Bill Gates? You know, how would you feel? Or, you know, what if the next president of the United States, Obama's term is going to end as far as we know, and for some reason, they wanted to talk to you about sitting on that cap. You were going to be interviewing with the next new president of the United States or one of his trusted advisors.

How would you feel? Could you feel qualified for the job? Would you feel, you know, I wish I would have gotten some more education. I wish I would have some more on-the-job training in order to lead a people. How would you feel? Do we realize that we have an appointment that's coming up here in the next few weeks? Or, an interview with our boss in the near future? We've got a meeting. We've got an appointment that's coming up with our boss.

Who's our boss? Well, it's God. It's God and his son, Jesus Christ. And God is looking to hire us. He's looking to employ us. Put us as a laborer if you will into the field. I'll just refer to Matthew 9, verse 37, verse 38. We won't turn there. We can turn there. If he talks about, you know, the harvest is right, but we need laborers. We need servants. We need people to work with God and with his son, Jesus Christ. God is looking to hire us and employ us, if you will, in his firm in the future.

Now, he's giving us right now on-the-job training, isn't he? Boy, are we going through a lot of rewarding experiences still here. And he knows that. And that's why he designed it the way that he did. There's things that he knows that we have talents, that they need to be developed, they need to be told, they need to be fashioned. And we've got attributes and skills, and he's given us abilities to do the job. He already sees where we fit in. It's amazing.

He sees the end from the beginning. He's willing to help us, to qualify for the job. He's willing to help us to qualify for the position that he intends us to fill in the family. We're going to take a look at that appointment that we have with God that's coming up, and how God expects us to prepare for this coming meeting. There are a series of meetings, because there's actually several of them.

Only three times between now and the end of the Spring Hall are the fall Holy Days. We've got Pumples, we've got the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. But before we do that, let's look at an example of you and I in having a job interview, and see if there's some parallels or things that we can learn before we talk about the interview or the meeting that we have with our boss.

When we look at some of the experts' job interview experts, and what they tell us, things that we should think about before the interview even happens, and things, guidelines, the things that should happen during the interview, and even guidelines after the meeting with our potential boss or with the interview. Let's notice what an organization by the name of Career Builders has to say and recommends that potential hirees that want the job are some things that they should think about.

They talk about making a good impression, making a good impression on the potential boss or the job interviewer. Here's what they suggest that one should keep in mind on the day of the interview and even afterwards. So, things to think about even beforehand.

For instance, one of the things they talk about is to be on time. To be on time. Or even early. Being on time usually, if not almost always, lets the potential boss or the interviewer know that you're taking this position seriously. They take that as an interpretation that you're going to be committed. That you're going to be dependable. That you're going to be professional.

That you take it seriously. To be on time. Or if you can't be on time, they say, to be a little bit early. Another point that they talk about is to be positive. To be positive and try to make others feel comfortable. Show openness by leaning a little bit forward and giving that firm handshape to that person. And smile. And don't make negative comments about prior employers. Or either current employers or prior employers. Another point that they talk about is to relax. To relax. Think of the interview as a conversation rather than an interrogation.

Sometimes you can be so much nervous and feel like you're under the gun that you're being interrogated. But they recommend to relax. They give it as a conversation. And remember that the interviewer is probably nervous as well. As well as you. That's normally how it goes. What about during the interview some things to think about? Well, they suggest to show self-confidence. To make eye contact with the other person.

And to speak in a clear voice. And to establish a rapport. To establish a rapport with the other person. To begin to talk a little bit. Maybe to see some things in their office. If you have some common interests. Begin to establish a rapport. They also suggest that remember to listen. Remember to listen during the meeting. And that conversation really is a two-way street. And if we find ourselves talking too much, we might miss some of the cues that the interviewer or the potential boss is trying to suggest that it's important.

We might miss some of those things that we find ourselves talking too much. Another thing they suggest is to reflect before answering a difficult question. To reflect. To think about before you answer a difficult question.

And if you're unsure of a question how to answer it, they suggest that sometimes you can answer a question with a question. Like for instance, if they're asking you, what are your salary expectations? You can say, that's a good question. How much are you willing to pay your best handle? So you answer a question with a question. And then when it is your turn to talk, try not to talk too much, but you can listen as well.

But when it is your turn to talk, to ask questions that you have prepared in advance. Maybe you try to do your research ahead of time, but you weren't able to get the questions answered. And so you can maybe ask questions about the physician, what it entails, what their expectations are. And so you can ask some of those things. They talk about when you ask questions, be careful about raising questions or asking questions that raise red flags. Like for instance, if you ask a question, is relocation a requirement? Well, they may get the impression that you're not willing to relocate at all.

So you have to be careful. Or if we ask too many questions about the vacation policy, they may think we're more interested in vacations than we are in serving their customers with a product or service. So make sure the interviewer or the potential boss understands why you are asking these questions. Rather than just basically asking a simple question, they're not necessarily explaining why you need to know. Because they may come to different assumptions as to why you're asking the question.

Another point is to show you want the job. Let them know that you want to work with them. Display your initiative by talking about what functions that you could perform, what gifts or talents that you have that you could benefit the organization. And then give specific details of how you have helped pass employers, how you've helped pass organizations.

You might also want to ask about specific details of the job position, the functions, the responsibilities, who you would work with, who you would work with. All good things to know in order to do a good job. They talk about avoiding negative body language. Avoid negative body language. What types of body language would be negative? These are some of the examples that they give. Frequently touching your mouth is a negative body language.

Taking a cloth gives you more time to think about an answer. Okay. Nine at your lip. Nine at your lip. Back lip. For a tight smile. For a forced smile. Notice you're not really relaxed. Swinging your foot or leg? Swinging your foot or leg during the interview. Maybe you're going to make a real positive impression. Folding or crossing your arms? Maybe these are some things that you didn't know that may be helpful to you in the future. Or slouching, not having good posture. Or not making eye contact. All negative body language. What about after the interview? Some things to think about after the interview. End the interview with a handshake. And thank the interviewer for potential loss for those of your time. Thank them for the interview. Thank them for their time. Let them know you are still interested in working for. Restate your interests and your qualifications. And ask for a follow-up. Ask if you can telephone in a few days to check on the status of what's going on with the hiring process. And if they say, don't call us, we'll call you. Maybe someone's heard that over the years. Don't call us, we'll call you. Ask for an indication of when can I expect to hear from you on that phone call. You know, as far as whether the position's been true. Politely ask when you could expect to call. Send a note after the interview. Send a thank you for allowing me to interview you for the position notice. For the brief explanation of thanking them for it. And try to make it so that it arrives a few days before the hiring decision is going to be made. It's going to serve as a reminder to your potential loss of the interview that you will still be interested in the position. Feel free to mention in that note any topics that we'll discuss during the interview that would be helpful for them to know. Or to be reminded. If the job contact responds to you instead of by phone, by email, then respond by email. Respond with a thanking note immediately after the interview with a new mail thanking note. And then mail a letter shortly before the hiring decision is made. To let them know you were interested in the position working for this organization. Further, let's notice in scriptures that we have an appointment. That we have a meeting with our boss. We have an appointment that we have with God. Let's talk a little bit about our boss before we talk about that appointment. Let's turn over to Isaiah, chapter 45 and verse 9. Isaiah chapter 45 and verse 9. This is a very inspiring chapter for me. I've liked this chapter over the years. It talks a little bit about our boss. It talks a little bit actually a lot about our God. Isaiah chapter 45 and verse 9. Let's look at some of the characteristics of our boss. That God inspired one of his prophets Isaiah to share with us and written down in scripture. Isaiah chapter 45 and verse 9. God says to you and to me, What to him who strives with his maker? Let the pot-shards strive with the pot-shards of the earth. Shall the clay say to him who forms it, What are you making? For shall your handiwork say, He has no hands? What to him who says to his father, What are you begetting? You know the child would turn to the father and say, Why did you have me? Why did you beget me? Or to the woman, What have you brought for her? To the mother of such a child? The child would say, What have you brought for her? Mercy 11, Thus says the Lord, The Holy One of Israel and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons. God has something in mind with his sons and his daughters of things to come.

God says, Just ask me, I'll tell you what I have in mind for my sons and for my daughters. Ask me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the work of my hands you command me. You know, you and I, as we sit here now, are the work of God's hands. And whatever God does, it's good. It's good. And God is, at the peak of his creation, was man. His man kind. And God said, all of the creation was good. God goes on to say in verse number 12, I have made the earth, and I have created man on it. I, my hands, there's no other God out there that has created you. I have done this. I made you. I gave you life. I breathed life, the breath of life into you. He says, you're the work of my hands. I have made the earth verse 12 and created man on it. I, my hands, they stretched out the heavens. And all of their hosts I have commanded. We talk about how big the universe is and how long it takes. He even gets at the nearest star. And then there's all of it in our own galaxy. And then there's all of these galaxies out there. And all of these hosts have heavenly stars that He has named, that we want by name. We have how many billions of people on the earth God knows that we want. A sparrow doesn't fall from the sky. And our boss, he knows about us. He knows the hairs that are on our head. He knows them. And for some of us, that's getting a little bit easier as time goes on. But he knows all of these things. He goes on to say, let's jump to verse number 18. For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens, who is God, who formed the earth and made it, who has established it, and He didn't do this in vain. He had a good reason for doing all of this. There's going to be good things that are going to happen from this. It's not done in vain. He formed it to be inhabited by living creatures, including man. He said, I am the Lord, and there is no other. I haven't spoken in secret. I haven't spoken in a dark place on the earth. I didn't say that the seat of Jacob seek me in vain. There will be good things to happen for those that seek me. You don't do it in vain. He said, I speak righteousness, and I declare the things that are right. Verse 20, assemble yourselves and come. We'll talk about some of the appointments here in a moment. Assemble yourselves and come. Basically, come to me. Come to a meeting with me. Draw a meter together, you who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge who carry the wood of their carved image, and pray to a God that cannot save. Look to me. Look to me, God says, and be saved. All the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there isn't anyone else that is God. There isn't any other God, do you? Put your trust and your faith in me. Verse 23, I have sworn by myself. Can't swear of anything greater. I have sworn by myself the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and it shall not return that to me every knee is going to bow, and every tongue is going to take an oath. He shall surely say, He shall say, Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. Everyone is eventually going to come to say, someday, Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and I have strength. In God, in the Lord, I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, men and women, all of creation will come to Him. And those that don't, all shall be ashamed, who are incensed of anger against God. Verse 25, and in the Lord all the descendants of Israel shall be justified.

In God all of the descendants of Israel shall be made right, because of what He is doing, and shall glory. God is in the process of bringing many sons and daughters to glory, to share some of the same glory that He has got. He has all the process, and has to do with some appointments, and has to do with some meetings.

Let's turn over to Leviticus chapter 23 and verse 1. There's a lot of you who are familiar with this Scripture. We cover it often during the festival season. Leviticus chapter 23 and verse 1. I'm always fascinated how God can say so much of such, so few words. He can say so much of just a few words.

In verse 2 we're going to focus on, we'll pick it up in verse 1, and we'll focus a lot in verse 2. Let's notice an appointment that we have with our boss, that we have with God. Leviticus chapter 23 verse 1, it says, And the Lord spoke to Moses, and He said, I want you to speak to my people in this room, and I want you to tell them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to the holy convocations, even these are my feasts. You know, there's a lot here in verse number 2, but sometimes we can't derive by just reading it in English.

Because if we look at the original Hebrew, there's a rich mistake. There's a lot more meaning there. If we look at this verse 2, and we look at the word feasts here, where it says, Say unto them, concerning the feasts. The Hebrew word is mo'ed, spell M-O-E-D, and it's rich with meaning. Concerning the feasts, or concerning the mo'ed.

Now, one of the ways, among many, that that word can be translated, hourly feasts, it can also be translated, appointed times. It can be translated also, as a fixed time, or a fixed season, or a sacred season, or an assembly, involving a congregation, God's people, a congregation, or a place of meaning. All of these things are tied in with the same word, and appointed time, where people meet, with God, with their boss.

You can also be translated, a tent of meaning, a tent of meaning, a place of meaning. You know, over in the...we'll come back here to Leviticus, but let's just turn over a few pages to Numbers, chapter 1 and verse 4. Numbers chapter 1 and verse 1, we see that God is the one, that these are His appointed times. They're not the Jewish appointed times. They're God's appointed times. And he talks about here in Numbers chapter 1, and verse 1, we see here, he talks about the tabernacle of meaning.

Let's notice Numbers chapter 1 and verse 1. It says, now the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meaning. And it talks about the day that He came together with God. And the tabernacle of meaning is where God would meet with His people, whether they are the leaders of His people, whether He was Moses, or whether He, when He consecrated the Aaronic priesthood, He had them come to the tabernacle of meaning, and they met with God. They had an appointment with God, the consecration of the Aaronic priesthood. They had, there was a meeting, a tabernacle of meaning for the Aaronic, and the Levitical priesthood, a separate time, and the Levitical priesthood was established.

And when the whole congregation would come, when they were going to be kings and priests of God, a special people to all the earth, they met with God at the tabernacle of meaning. It's a place where God meets with His people. He met with Moses. He met with the leadership. It's where God makes known His will to His people. You know, we attend the festivals to learn more about God. We attend the festivals. We come to these appointed times to learn more about God and for His purpose, His purpose for us, so we can begin to understand more perfectly what He's doing.

We don't attend the piece of tabernacles, for example, just to play or have recreation. I mean, there is a place for that. But that's not the main reason why we do it. We go to meet with our boss and to learn more of Him, and for Him to learn more of us at this meeting. Now, maybe you haven't thought about that before, but God learns a lot about us when we come to this meeting, when we come to this appointed time.

He begins to learn what our motives are. Why are we coming? Will we come? What's our motive for being there when we do show up and come? You know, something to think about. He knows us because we're transparent. He knows what we're doing. He knows why we're there. So, He learns a lot about us as much as we learn about Him. There's a rapport that's established during this meeting, during this appointment. Let's go back to Leviticus chapter 23. Just a few pages back. Leviticus chapter 23. You'll notice there's more here in verse number 2.

And we'll also read verse number 4. Verse number 2, Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, The priests are the appointed times of the Lord, which you shall proclaim. So, God says, I want this to be known, I want for the people to proclaim, to be holy convocations. Let's focus on our word convocations for a moment. God convokes us to come. He calls us to come. He's the instigator of the meeting, of the appointment. He's calling us to come. And He sets a time and a place for the meeting. They're required and commanded meetings and assignments that our future boss asks us to come to.

Turn over to Exodus chapter 34 and verse 21. Exodus chapter 34 and verse number 21. Take a look here a little bit about what our boss has to say to those of us that are potential laborers or employees in this family.

It says, Six days you shall work, and the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time or in harvest you shall rest. So God knew the human proclivity. He knows us. He said, you know, in that planting time in the spring you're going to be tempted not to harvest. He says, but you're going to rest. This isn't a point of time between you and me. Whether it happens in the spring when you think you're too busy to plant or whether it happens in the fall and you think you're too busy because of the harvest.

He said, I'll take care of that. But you come to the meeting. You come to this appointed time. He goes on to say, verse 22, you shall observe, talking about some of these appointed times, the Feast of Weeks, referring to the Feast of Pentecost or the Feast of First Roots of the wheat harvest and the Feast of Ingodly, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, at the year's end. He says three times or three seasons, and it could also be translated into here, all of your men shall appear before the Lord.

He says it pretty frankly, I want you all to come. And you're going to appear before me. He says, I want all your men to appear before the Lord, the Lord God of Israel. We'll see you later. He wants all of us to come. Verse number 24, for I'm going to cast out the nations before you, and I'm going to bless you. No, I'm going to remove these other nations. I'm going to enlarge your borders, and neither will any man covet your land when you go up to appear before your God.

Three times, three seasons, and a year. God says, don't worry, you think you're going to leave your land, and the enemy's going to come? And he's going to overrun your property? No. You still come with a meaning. I'll take care of that. I have the ability to take care of that.

I have the power to do so. You know, today, I'm pretty much going to focus on the piece of tabernacles. We're talking about this at a point in time that really, it ties, it is relative, or relevant, I should say, to all of the appointed times, isn't it? Of all of the Testaments, the piece of God. But I'm going to focus today mainly on the piece of tabernacles, which is just a few weeks away, although these same principles can apply to all of the Testaments.

Let's notice that the piece of tabernacles is a shadow of what's to come. Colossians 2, verse 16. Colossians 2, verse 16. It's amazing how God gives us a glimpse of the reality to come. He helps us to understand through these appointed times. Colossians 2, and we'll pick it up here in verse 16.

Speaking to our brothers and sisters in Colossae, he says, verse 16, don't let anyone judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival, or of a new moon, or of the Sabbath. God's inspiring Paul to say, don't let anyone judge you when it comes to these things. And he goes on to say, but let the body of Christ judge you. Let God's church be responsible for that part. Don't let any person judge you. Verse 17, because these things, which he just mentioned, or in festivals, or new moons, or Sabbaths, are a shadow of things to come. But the substance, or it could be rather the body, is of Christ. But notice they're a shadow of things to come. The fall festival, particularly in the Feast of Capernacles, is a shadow of a great harvest of God. Spiritual harvest. We talked about spiritual blessings, and physical blessings, and the first message. And this is talking about helping us to understand that this ingathering of produce at the end is really important to the ingathering of human beings. To be harvested into the family of God. Just like right now, God has called you to be first fruits, a first harvest, pictured by the Day of Pembroke. But this is picturing an ingathering of a large harvest at the end. The pictures of the Millennium. The Kingdom God begins on the earth for a thousand years. God sets up His government, and His saints, His servants, His laborers, who move with Him. The Feast of Capernacles teaches us about our job. It teaches us about the responsibilities that we're going to have. It teaches us that we're going to assist Jesus Christ in the work that He's doing, and the work that God the Father is doing. It's a job that they have. It's a responsibility that they have. The Feast teaches us about our job, in helping to bring many sons and daughters to glory. To help extend salvation to billions of people.

I'll just refer to Matthew 9, verse 37-38. If you turn it into black, maybe I'll reference the Scripture already. But it talks about the Lord in the heart. Let's turn it into Matthew 9, verse 37-38.

See, the job God is doing, and He's wanting co-workers to work with Him. He's offering us a job. He's our boss. Someone asked Him to know that He's the type of boss. You know, sometimes you have bosses that you didn't get along with very well. And there were other bosses that you actually grew to a boss. It began to be more than just an employer-boss relationship. Well, this is the type of relationship that God has in mind. Matthew 9, verse 37, though, talking about the job. Let's read that there.

It says, Matthew 9, verse 37, The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. So God is looking for laborers to help Him. Therefore, pray, the Lord of the harvest. God is, that's His job. That's the boss. What He's trying to do is to have a spiritual harvest. Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. So we see the best part of the responsibility. But God is giving Him this job if we want it. If we want it. We're crying for that. We're being called to Him there. And so, the meaning of our boss that happens on these appointed times, we learn more about our job.

When we go to the feast, we also get a foretaste of that coming kingdom. We get a foretaste of that. God wanted us to have a foretaste of it. If you could think back in the 5th piece that you attended over the years, when you got that foretaste and we thought, this is good. I don't want to leave you. This is fantastic. The things that I'm learning, the fellowship that I've had, the experiences that we've had, the feasting that we've had. Not only physical, spiritual, a spiritual feast.

God wanted us to have a foretaste. He commands us to come so we can experience it. He says, be there with me, because I'm there with you. We have an opportunity to experience these just eight short days. For God's beginning to roll out in the morning. For those that are alive at that time and then later on, the last great day. We have a foretaste. It's like your mom baking a cake. And she scoops most of the cake out of the batter, out of the pan, but she lets you have a little bit of a taste. Or my case, when she was being whipped with it, you know, the blend you should take out was really good.

And he's like, oh, that's good. That's good. Foretaste is what's to come. We experience a foretaste of the King who walked out. But we go. So that we can be encouraged, that we can be inspired, so we can be fired up about the job that God has in store for us. So we go forward about the future, a future world, a future of mankind. The rest of our brothers and sisters, and the family of God.

Let's go back to Leviticus chapter 23, verse 33. Leviticus chapter 23, and we'll pick it up in verse number 33. When we come in for this interview, and the meeting that we have with our boss, he's got something to share with you. Leviticus chapter 23, verse 33. And he says, First, number 37. These are the feasts, or the appointed times, of God. They're his appointed times, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations. An offer, an offering made by fire to the Lord. A burnt offering, a grain offering, a sacrifice, a drink offering, everything on its day.

Besides the Sabbaths of the Lord, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your free offerings, which you give to the Lord. And on the fifteenth day of the subsequent month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the peace of the Lord for seven days. And on the first day there shall be a Sabbath rest, and on the eighth day a Sabbath rest. Let's jump here to verse number 39, or I guess we're here for verse 39.

So we're done. Verse 40. And you shall take for yourselves, on the first day of the fruit of the beautiful trees, of branches, of palm trees, of the boughs, of leafy trees, and willows of the grove, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. You shall keep it a feast to the Lord for seven days, for a year, which shall be a statue forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

And you shall dwell in boots for seven days. And all who are native Israelites shall dwell in boots, that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in boots when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I'm the Lord your God, and Moses declared to the children of Israel the appointed times of peace of the Lord. Why don't we dwell in boots? You know, why don't we come to the meeting with our God, with our boss?

Why does he ask us to dwell in temporary dwellers? Why does he ask us to dwell? Well, if you look at the Hebrew word, boots, it's sukkah, spelled S-U-K-K-A-H, S-U-double-K-A-H. It means boot. So, one of the reasons it's translated that, it means a rude or a temporary dwelling. You know, as a reminder to the Israelites, that they dwelt in temporary dwellings for 40 years. When they wandered in the wilderness, they didn't have it from their home. They dwelt in tents. For boots, for 40 years, was a time of wandering. In the Lord the Messiah, before they came in and inherited the promised land.

Well, there's a connection. Let's go to Hebrews chapter 11, verse 8. There's a spiritual connection here. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse number 8. We'll see here that we're sojourners. We don't have a permanent residence just yet. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse number 8. It says, by faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive later as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. You know, he trusted God. God called him and he convoked him, in a sense, to come into a place that he didn't even know where it was.

Yet he had faith in God. He was going to afterwards, he was actually living in this place, which afterwards he was going to receive as an inheritance. Verse number 9. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise, as in a foreign country. You know, he never really did during his lifetime receive the promises. Yet he was dwelling in the area of promise.

But he was dwelling there as if he were in a foreign country. He dwelt in tents, notice. He dwelt in tents and boots, temporary dwellings, with Isaac his son. And Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise, so they were going to have the same promise, but they dwelt in tents as well. Verse number 10. For he, and I guess you could say they, that he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. God was eventually going to make permanent, well, permanent residents. He was going to build a city, he was going to build his maker, rather, his foundation was first ten.

Let's go on to verse number 13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, so they were still dwelling in temporary dwellings and tents. Not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, they were assured of them. They thought of it as sure as sure as could be that they were going to have a permanent residence someday. They weren't going to be dwelling in temporary dwellings forever.

They saw them afar off and were assured of them, and they embraced them, and they confessed that they were strangers and pogans on the earth. For those who say such things declare, clearly and plainly, that they seek a homeland. And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had an opportunity to return. And so, I look back, and she wanted the sins to be turned. But now, verse 16, that they desire a better, that is a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God. He says, those are my kids. Those are my neighbors. God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Brother, God is going to give us a spirit to want. And we're going to be able to dwell in for Him. We can't live in this body that we have not lived in, this temple. God is not going to live that way. But He's going to give us a spirit to want. We're going to have a permanent residence. We're going to be headed for the promised land. He came for God. There are some lessons that God wants us to learn at the peace. There are some, among many things, I'm going to cover a few of them. We go there to learn about Him, and about our job, and our responsibilities. But He also learns about us. We have to keep that in mind as well. What are some of the lessons that God wants us to learn at the peace? Let's turn over to Deuteronomy chapter 16 verse 11. One of the first lessons I'll cover is that God wants us to rejoice. He wants us to rejoice at this peace. Deuteronomy chapter 16.

And we'll pick it up in verse number 11. It says, And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God. And not just men are required to appear, but notice you, and your son, and your daughter, and your servants, your male servant, your female servant, the Levi who is within your gates, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, at the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name alive. So God makes the choice of when it's going to be, where it's going to be. Verse number 12. And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statues. You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress, that you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, again, the female servant, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates. God says, I want everyone to rejoice. And notice for the first time, He's now saying, it's your feast too. Did you see that? It's not just the Feast of the Lord, but now it's your feast too.

As it says in verse number 14, you shall rejoice in your feast. It's our feast as well, God's beginning to say. Verse number 15. Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the Lord your God, and the place which He chooses. He mentions that over and over again. Because, why? Because the Lord your God will bless you in all of your programs, and all of the work of your hands, so that you shall truly rejoice. God says, come, meet with me. I'm going to bless you, so that you can come. Notice verse number 16. Three times, or three seasons, a year, all of your males shall appear before the Lord. God says, I want you there. How can we have an interview? How can we have an appointed time? How can we have a report if you're not there? So, He says, we have to appear before God and the place that He chooses. At the feast of Unleavened Bread, at the feast of Weeks, at the end of Pentecost, and at the feast of Tabernacles. And when we come, God says, when we appear, we don't appear before the Pentecost. And we give back to Him as an offering of the blessings that He's given to us. Covered already in the first message, verse 17. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God, which He has given to you. So, we rejoice at the feast. God wants us to have that little bit of matter, to take that, to experience it, to know and be inspired by it. So, we realize that this is what we're bringing to the rest of mankind. Deuteronomy 12, verse 17. Deuteronomy 12, verse 17.

It says, you may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your new wine of your will, of the firstborn of your herd, or of your flock, and of any of your offerings which you vow, of your freewill offerings, or of the evil offering of your hand. But you must eat them not in your own gates, but you must eat them before the Lord your God, in the place which the Lord your God chooses. And notice, everyone, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your servants, and the David, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, in all to which you put your hands.

And so, if we see it's a family affair, it's not just the men that appear, it's the entire family, the parents, the children, even the servants, if they're in your gates, everyone rejoices, everyone gets a chance, an opportunity. And you know, we will be able to rejoice, God says, because He gives us the tithe to do that. He gives us what we call the second tithe, 10% of our increase. But we read about it verse number 17.

God says, I want you to live on 80% of what I give to you, but I want you to put inside the first 10% as an offering to me. And the second 10%, it's still what I command you to do. It's still my tithe that I want you to spend your time with yourself and on your family. And you rejoice that these are pointed times. What's another lesson that we can learn?

When we go to the feast, we are to learn to fear God. We are to learn to fear God. God is our future employer, He's our future boss. He's the one who gives out the positions. He does the hiring. And God says He wants us to fear Him.

Deuteronomy chapter 14 verse 22. But probably better be rendered, respect. I say, it's an awe. It's a respect. When we talk about the word fear, but we show respect to God, our boss, always. Deuteronomy chapter 14 and verse number 22. He talks about, again, you shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year, and you shall eat before the Lord your God. In the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, or the tithe of the firstborn of your birds and your clots, why?

That you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. To respect God always. What are some of the ways to show respect? Well, when it comes to this appointed time, then we come, and we're on time. That will be respect, wouldn't it? To arrive on time, to be saved, not to be late for the interview. Another way to show our respect for God is to attend services every day. Is this the main reason we're there? You know, if you were invited to an interview or an appointment with the boss, why not show up? How would that interview go?

How would that go? Would He be willing to hire? Would He be willing to put you and I as laborers in the field? I don't think He'd be too happy with us. You know, sometimes when we come to the feast, when we come to the appointed time, she has to know. Are we going to be feasting so much, staying up so late, that we feel we're too tired with those services? Something to think about, something that's happened in the past, maybe even to you, to me. Another way to show respect for God is by maintaining contact with Him at least a couple of times. Through prayer, talking to God, from Him talking to us, to study of Scripture.

You know, if you were invited to a meeting with Him and we never have anything to do with Him, that would be strange, wouldn't it? If we don't talk to Him over there, if He doesn't talk to us during the meeting, we show God that we're willing, one of the lessons here, we talked about where to learn to fear God, but we also show God that we're willing to follow His instructions.

Jesus Christ is willing to be that. And we need to show God that we're willing to follow instructions, for directions, for to follow authority, to learn humility and harmony, and the fruits that come along with that. Let's run over to New Romany. Let's notice verse number 23. We just read it and let's read it again in different contexts. And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place where He chooses. We don't necessarily decide that we may learn to fear God. So we attend where He chooses. We don't decide for ourselves. And sometimes we might be asked to park in a certain area. Sometimes we might be asked to sit in a certain section.

There's always good reasons sometimes we don't know what they are. So we can tend to wonder, or even be critical. But our job in the future is going to be able to follow directions of our walks. We have the Father, Jesus Christ, maybe Abraham, or Isaac, or Jacob. We're part of the disciples.

You know, you and I are always going to be under a fold to someone. It's just the way God designed that way once. It will work eventually. It will become people of God. Another thing we can learn by going to this appointment is to demonstrate to God that we are capable of moving.

To demonstrate to God that we are capable of moving. Now, maybe some of the leadership groups they talk about, the great leaders, the great followers. They were great followers. What do you think that God's going to be looking for when it comes to hiring you or me? What do you think of the qualifications that He's looking for? What does He say in Scripture?

What are the qualifications? Matthew 22 and 36. Matthew 22 and 36. We'll pick it up here. Now, a lawyer was testing in verse 35 and he asked it, verse 36, teacher, what's the great commandment of the law? Good question to ask, with asking Jesus Christ. Now, all the different commandments in the law, what's the greatest? Well, what we're about to read is the greatest. That's something that God's going to be looking for. He says in verse 37, Jesus replied to his question, He said, You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind, our boss.

We already know the boss loves us. He loved us so much, he was willing to risk his son so that we could be a part of the firm, part of the family, part of the job. He said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your soul, with all your heart, with all your mind. This is the first and the greatest commandment. And the second one is very similar to it.

It's very much like the personal, this little different. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. You know, I guess if we're going to be helping with a spiritual harvest of other human beings, we teach them a way of God. We're going to have to love them. We're going to have to love them just like God loves them. Verse 40, on these two commandments, hang everything.

It's like they all are related together. Everything really points. It's all integrated together. These two things. These two commandments. So one of the things that God is going to look for is whether we're people like this. What's the second one? Humility. It's a whole sermon in itself. Let's just look at Isaiah 66 and verse 2. Isaiah 66 and verse 2. God talks about it over and over and over in the Scriptures. And he has his characteristics as well. As powerful as he is, it's combined with his characteristics of humanity. What's God looking for? Isaiah 66 and verse 2.

It says, For all these things my hand is made, and all those things exist. He's been our Maker and Creator. Says the Lord. But then he says, you know what I'm looking for? This is what I'm looking for. But on this one will I look on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit. We already heard about what's foreign spirit in the first message.

Talking about somebody that doesn't have a very big look at themselves. They think, I'm really nothing. Whatever God can do with me, He can confuse me. But that's the kind of spirit. It's a humble spirit. God, you can use me on yours, but I don't think, you cannot without your help, I can be my son. And a contrite spirit. He knows. God says, that's the type of person I'm going to look to. The one who trembles and respects my word, is their trust and faith in me, and the things that I say. There's a third thing I think God's looking for, and that's a sermon attitude.

Number one was to love God, and love our neighbor. God's looking for that. He's looking for humility. It's the second thing. The third thing, He's looking for a certain attitude. Matthew 24 and verse 45.

Matthew 24 and verse 45. We'll pick it up here, verse 45. He says, a faithful and wise servant. God's looking for laborers. He's looking for servants. Who is the master, who made a ruler over his household. He's looking for rulers. To give them food in due season. To take care of the household as a servant. To make sure that they are fed.

And that they're being taken care of. Just as God takes care of us. Verse 46. Blessed is that servant, who his master, when he comes, find that servant so doing. I'm telling you, the truth, verse 47, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. So God's looking for someone with a servant attitude.

Now we can turn to other scriptures. I'll refer to Matthew chapter 20 and verse 25 through 28. You can write that down. Matthew chapter 20, verse 25 and verse 28. For Jesus Christ, He's having to talk to His disciples, one on any occasion. Because you know what?

Don't be like the Gentiles who've lowered it over people. To be a servant. Someone who helps other people. Someone who takes care of other people. Serves them. God's looking for a servant attitude. And He's looking for the laborers that will help him with the spiritual harvest. You and I need to be thinking about maybe serving in some capacity at this point in time with the peace of happiness. In some way. We need to be thinking about how we can serve.

You know, there's a lot of different paths for volunteers in the announcements. Whether it be parking, whether it be ushering, whether it be helping by sitting in the choir or playing an instrument, or by helping to set up for one of these socials. I asked him for help. I think it was a scrap of the answer. To set up a take down that's going to be at the dose. Maybe help parents to have a night out, to feed their children. Maybe someone who's a little more shy, maybe a little bit of a loner.

Do it out of our way to serve. I'm going to encourage all of us to pray before this time of peace of happiness. Pray that we would enter into that relationship. Have that report with our boss to serve. If you come with the right attitude to have a great peace, a spiritual peace. And I'll bet that you think in the past some peace has been better than others, haven't they? Some of you said this was fantastic. I feel spiritually uplifted. And there's other times when you probably came back loaded to the spiritual end of the past. Because it wasn't the best experience. We can't necessarily make a choice for anybody else, but we can choose ourselves.

We can choose to pray. Before we go, to pray that God would bless the peace and all aspects of it, to bless the messages. And you know, I'm even going to make a suggestion that if you've had troubles in the past without really having a spiritual peace, you would feel like you're a little bit empty. But thanks to that fact before you go to peace. So thanks to that fact. You know, I know we're going to be fasting on atonement, which is certainly before the peace, but we fast on that day for different reasons.

So it's a fast to humble ourselves, to see God, to ask for His presence, to ask for His inspiration, for His will to be done. And you know His will. This is how I start a spiritual peace. And to be able to rejoice in all aspects. I don't visit it, but spiritually as well. You might have time to go to Isaiah chapter 58, which talks about fasting.

That's such a great chapter. You may want to take a look at that. If you do that before you go to peace. He basically talks about freedom. Being free. From slaves to our own ways. To the bound of our sin. When we begin to reach out to others outside of us to help them to have freedom. Because we give them our resources. Share the tides with others. Give them their less fortune. To consider praying in fasting before the peace this year. Another thing that God wants to learn about us is how we spend the second tide at the peace.

That learns a lot about us. By how we spend the second tide at the peace. Let's turn over to New Rom. chapter 14, verse 26. So you shall spend that money referring to this tide. You shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires. For oxen, sheep, the vine, the signal of the drink.

For whatever your heart desires. You shall eat there before the Lord your God. You shall rejoice and your household. We're talking about the entire household. Not just the men that come, but everyone.

So we see that God wants us to have this. He wants us to be able to rejoice. He's also going to look at how we spend it. How do we spend it? Are we spending it just on ourselves? Or are we helping others? It's almost Nehemiah chapter 8 in verse 8. Nehemiah chapter 8 in verse 8. We'll see an example here of God's people being restored and our right relationship with Him.

They have not even been keeping the Holy Days. Now they're starting to again. Coming back. These people are coming back to Jerusalem. Nehemiah chapter 8. We'll pick it up here in verse number 1. It says, All the people gathered together as one man in the open square. They all came together as one. Everyone came, the entire household, the servants. They're all there, in front of the Watergate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law, Moses was slaughtered, commanded Israel. And so Ezra the priest brought God's word, the law, before the assembly of men and women.

And so all could hear with understanding. On the first day of the 7th month, so we're talking about the piece of trumpets here, eventually goes on to talk about the piece of tabernacles down in verse number 15. But let's stay here with trumpets for a moment. Verse number 3. Then he read from it the open, in the open square that was in front of the water, and gave from morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those who could understand, and the ears of all the people who attended to the book of the law. So they're coming to learn about God.

On this holy day, this appointed time, verse number 4. So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform which they had made for the purpose, so they could see him and maybe hear him a little bit better. Verse number 5. And he opened the book and the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people, and when he opened it, all the people stood up. It's like respect for God, wasn't it? It wasn't for Ezra, it was respect for God, because God was there.

In verse 6. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered and said, Amen, Amen. While lifting up their hands, and they bowed their heads, and they worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. So they were worshiping God, and they were humble before, and they were respecting Him. Verse 8. So they read distinctly from the book of the law, and they gave sense, and they helped them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who taught the people, said to the people, This day is holy to the Lord or God.

Don't mourn, or wait. In a way, I suppose they were weakly because, and mourning because of their sins. That they hadn't been doing this. And now they realize that God was gracious to them, and they were feeling in a sense a little bit sad.

But they said, Don't mourn, or wait. Because the people were weakly. And they heard the words of the law. Verse 10. And then He said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, this is a feast day, drink the sweet, and notice and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. God says, Help those that don't have enough. Help those with the blessings that God has given you to send portions to whom nothing is prepared, so that they can rejoice as well. So God loves to see how are we going to spend the second time that He gives to us.

So, we're going to try to help others, not only serving them, but try to help them as well. And remember, the feast is a family time. We've already talked about it. It's for the whole household. We look after all those that we're responsible for as heads of family. We spend time. We plan activities for the family, for the children. And we should, as men, make special time for our lives as well.

We have special time together. We may want to consider sharing some of our second time with our children, and then teach them that this is a blessing for you and God, and that you can use this for some special things for yourself. But also, think about using some of it for someone else. Send portions to someone else that doesn't have enough.

Some things to think about at this point in time.

So, brethren, as we conclude, we go to the Feast of Jabbot Naches to meet with our boss. We have an appointment with him. We have an opportunity to learn more about the job position that he's offering to us as we meet with him. We have a chance to learn more about his plan and our part in it. He has an opportunity to learn more about us as well. He works both ways in this report. We should come away with a greater desire to work for the firm, the company, the organization that we work with. To be a part of that team. To be a part of that team's commitment. So, when it comes to after the Feast and we all come back, you or I ask them, how was your feast? And they say, well, whether it was at the Dalles or when it was at Grandson or some other feast site, they say, well, I watched five shows, five great shows. And we found several different awesome restaurants that we ate at. You know, one day we took a whole day and went with some friends and we went to the amusement park. And you know, another day we spent the whole day shopping. It was the coolest place to shop downtown. No, brother, don't get me wrong. There's a place for those types of things. Well, what if we asked somebody else, on the other hand, they said, how was your feast? And they say, I had a great feast, too. I had a great feast. The messages were so inspiring. You know, I really wanted Mason's rare efforts to change. I learned so much. You know, I got my sleep. So I was able to take in all of the Bible studies and they were really good. I had an opportunity to serve. And you know, I met a family there at that place where we served. We got to know each other. We became good friends. And we're going to spend some more time with them later on in the future. And my kids had a chance to go to the teen Bible studies and the teen dance. They got to meet some friends. They met some people they didn't know before. And you know what? I came back really moved and inspired. I'm wired up for God's way of life. And then they turn and they ask you, only, how was your feast? What will we say?