Our Journey to God's Kingdom

Good afternoon, everyone! It's wonderful to be here at God's Feast Days. What a blessing! First of all, let me just say I really appreciated both the offeratory music and also the special music very well done. Really appreciate all the work that goes into doing special music throughout the feast and throughout the year as far as that goes. Also, I'd like to welcome those on the webcast. I understand we have about 250 connections, so we're very glad to have you with us.

Another thing is I'd like to say that down to my right, you probably noticed the signers over here, the interpreters for the Deaf. This is the official site for our Deaf members here in the United Church of God. My wife and I have traveled with them to the feast for many years. We really have gotten to know them and love them very much and would welcome you to come back down and talk with them. The interpreters would be glad to help you communicate, so feel free to do that throughout the feast. Also, I'm going to teach you some sign language, even though I'm somewhat sign language challenged. I've had a class or two, but I'm not that great at it, but I can teach you this. We're going to learn to say Happy Feast. So we're going to do it together. I'll show you first, then we'll do it together. And children, we'd like you to also get involved in this. So with both of your hands, I'll step back a little bit so you can see me. I'm going to touch my body a couple times like this. You have to touch your body, I've been told. It's important that you touch your body. This means happy. And then feast is the F. This is an F if you're finger spelling. So the thumb and the index finger together, and then you put it together like a tabernacle. Like a feast tabernacle. So it's Happy Feast. Okay, let's all do it together now. Ready? Happy. So Happy Feast to all of our deaf brethren and to everyone else that's here today. Also, I would like to thank Charles and Jackie Mollire for all that they've done behind the scenes for the past several months. And I believe Charles was the one instrumental in finding this site for us a few years ago. Someone may have helped him, I'm sure. But anyway, he is also the coordinator over all of our feast coordinators and manages the entire operation, you might say, so very much appreciate Charles. And I work with him throughout the year on various things in regard to the feast. So it's wonderful to be here with Charles and Jackie.

And you know, last night it was a very inspiring service for me personally, especially when we were singing the Holy City. And behind us was Jerusalem, because it reminded me of a 10-day ministerial trip. That is, we had about 40 ministers and wives who went to Jerusalem, who went to the Holy Land back in the summer of 2010. And as we were coming into Jerusalem, as we were going up the mountain to Jerusalem and to the Temple Mount, we broke out in song and we sang the Holy City together. It was really, really inspiring to be there in the Holy City, and to be there together with so many friends, and to sing such an inspiring song together. So as we ascended the mountains toward Jerusalem, we were extremely inspired and grateful to be there. Now, brethren, we're here in Utah to worship the King and also to give glory to His Father.

We're here to rejoice at God's feast, and that's not really that hard to do, is it? I have never found that difficult to rejoice at the feast. This is such a wonderful time of rejoicing. So we're going to be glorifying God the Father. We're going to be worshiping the King as well as the Father throughout the feast. And as long as we keep this as our top priority, we're going to have a marvelous feast. There's no way that you cannot have a marvelous feast as long as it's your top priority to worship the King, to glorify the Father and His Son.

Now, I know that you've been anticipating coming here to the feast for months now, and we're here, we're keeping the feast together. In fact, our countdown has begun. If you're like me, you go through this every year. Oh, I'm halfway through the feast already. It's already the fourth day. Oh, now it's the fifth day. And, you know, today's the first day, thankfully, so... but the countdown has begun. And it goes all too quickly for us, doesn't it? So let's be sure that we really cherish each and every day. Now, as Mr. Mollier mentioned, I'm going to also ask you a few questions. So how many of you have been here... how many of you are here for the very first time for the Feast of Tabernacles? Not Utah, but just keeping the feast ever for the very first time? How many do we have? We have a few out here for the very first time. It's wonderful. Welcome. We're glad you're here.

Okay, how about between two and five years? How many have been here? This is your second to your fifth feast. Okay, it looks like we have a few that have only been here less than five years. How about between six and ten years? How many between six and ten? Okay, we're getting a few more hands. How about between between ten and twenty? Ten and twenty... oh, a lot more hands came up with that one. Ten and twenty. How about twenty to thirty years? Got a lot of hands on that one. Thirty to forty years. Okay, a lot of hands there. How about forty to fifty years? How many? I'll raise my hand on that one. It's forty-eight years for me. How about fifty to sixty years? How many of you... oh, look at how many hands. Fifty and sixty years. Many, many hands. How about between sixty and seventy years? Wow, there's quite several between sixty and seventy. Is there anyone here that's been here more than seventy years? Does anyone see any hands? Nobody?

I can't tell. I don't think there's anyone here that's been seventy years, right? If you have been, speak up. Let us hear you. Okay, well, sixty years. We've got quite a few here that have been here that long, and that's awesome. That's what is really all about called, chosen, and faithful. Faithful for over sixty years in God's church. Let's give them a hand as well.

All right, brethren, as I said, we've come up or we've gone up to worship the King this feast. So what I'd like to do is go through four principles that we should consider as we worship this feast and also as we continue our journey to God's kingdom. So four major principles that I'd like to discuss, and the first one is we must all realize that we are sojourners seeking a new and a better homeland. You and I are pilgrims, the Scripture tells us. We're pilgrims, we're sojourners, we're pioneers, and we're on a journey to the kingdom of God.

A spiritual journey, but also, as Mr. Miller pointed out, there's a lot of physical things that are involved in this journey as well. This journey has begun and it is continuing and our relationship with God and Jesus Christ is certainly the key to our success along the way, along this journey to the kingdom. We must always keep our eyes single-mindedly focused on the kingdom.

The Scripture is very clear that God wants us to be single-minded. He does not want to see double-mindedness, so we do need to be very single-minded and very focused throughout this feast and throughout our lives. The Scripture says, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. God will take care of you. You need not worry. I have seen that very true in my own life and I know in yours as well. God is a faithful and loving God. He does take very good care of us. He has promised He will never leave us and He will never forsake us.

So we can go forward in faith knowing and believing that God is always there for us. So let us seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Let's go to Hebrews 11. We all know this as the faith chapter. Hebrews 11. We're going to begin reading in verse 8. We have something in common with one of our ancestors. His name is Abraham. By faith, this is Hebrews 11 verse 8, by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called. God called him and He moved him on a journey to the promised land.

He was called to go out to the place which He would receive as an inheritance. And He went out not knowing where He was going. That's true for us to some extent. By faith, He dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob.

Again, a sojourner, dwelling in tents. The heirs with Him of the same promise. We're here in temporary dwellings, the Feast of Tabernacles, temporary dwellings. We're all going to leave this area when the Feast is over, but we're here, and this is on our journey. Verse 10, for He waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

God is the builder and maker of this glorious kingdom that we're moving towards. By faith, Sarah also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age. And I believe she was way past the age. She was like 90 years old, right? She was very old. Abraham was 100 years old. They were both quite old, quite a miraculous thing. But Isaac was the Son of Promise. God was faithful in keeping that promise. Now, we know she laughed, but I wonder how many of us would have laughed.

How many of you women would laugh if someone told you you would have a child at age 90? That's kind of laughable. But she also had great faith. So she's listed here as one with great faith. She judged him faithful who had promised. She believed him. Therefore, verse 12, from one man and him as good as dead—he wasn't really capable of having children either—were born as many as the stars of the sky and multitude, innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

These all died in faith. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. So let's notice that again. It says they were assured of them. They believed. They had faith. They embraced them. We need to also embrace these promises wholeheartedly. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. We're looking for a better place. I'm looking for a better place.

You are looking for a better place to live. This is good in many respects, but just think of all the billions of people who are truly suffering on this earth today.

We have it very nice in this country. We've been extremely blessed, and much of the world has been blessed, but much of the world is not so blessed. And so we look forward to going to a new homeland, a better homeland. Verse 15, and truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. If they would have dwelt on that, like the Israelites dwelt on some of them wanting to go back to Egypt, they would have gone back had they been allowed to go back.

But we know the story there in the wilderness with them. But now they desire a better that is a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. The new Jerusalem is being prepared for us. What a wonderful, wonderful city that's going to be. So, brethren, it is not surprising that you and I don't fit so well on this earth.

No, we're different. We have different values in many ways. You know, we have a different mentality in many ways. God has called us. He's opened us, opened our minds to truth and understanding. That, frankly, most people don't grasp, or many people do not grasp today.

And it was just like the heroes that we read about in the Bible. They were all so different. We're often inspired by the examples of the men and women of the Bible. For example, the righteousness of Noah. Thankfully, he was a righteous man. God saved the world because of Noah. The faith of Abraham and Sarah, we've already discussed that a bit, they were faithful. The humility of Isaac and of Rebekah. Isaac was willing to be sacrificed. He trusted his father. The tenacity of Jacob, who even wrestled with God. The character of Joseph, one who was tempted and yet did not yield to temptation and showed tremendous character. Joseph. The love of Moses, a man who would have died himself for the people of God, for the Israelites. He would have laid his life down for them. The courage of Joshua and Caleb, who stood up and said, let's go in, let's take the land. God is with us. They're nothing to us with God on our side. We cannot fail the courage that they had, the loyalty of Ruth.

How Ruth laid at Boaz's feet and she followed Naomi. The heart of David, a man after God's own heart. The repentant mind of the Apostle Peter, who changed, who really did change. Yes, the rooster crowed three times and he failed, but then he picked himself up and with God's help, he succeeded. He went on from there. He had a repentant mind and then the perseverance of Paul, who went through so much, who struggled and suffered so much that he might be an ambassador for Jesus Christ. So, brethren, our relationship with God and Christ is key. Your relationship with God and Christ is key. It's key toward this homeland that we're seeking, this kingdom that we're seeking. Daily prayer is vital. That's an integral part of our journey. Studying the word of God daily, that's also an integral part. I hope we're all doing this. We're praying, we're studying the Bible, we're meditating on spiritual matters, and we're also fasting on a regular basis. You know, whatever that might be for you personally, that's between you and God, but it should be more than the day of atonement. If we're healthy enough to do it, and I think God will help us be healthy so that we can fast if we really prepare ourselves to do it, these are integral parts along the journey that we all are on. Again, we're so journers. We're seeking a new homeland, a better one, so let's stay focused on the kingdom throughout our journey. So that's point number one, the first principle to keep in mind. A second principle. Brethren, now is our day of salvation. Now is your day of salvation. If you're going to truly embrace these promises that God has for you, this is your day of salvation. And this fact is clearly revealed in our observance of these holy days. These holy days are vital to our understanding that this is our day, your day of salvation. Let's rehearse these days for a moment. Let's think about it. You know, some think that we keep these holy days and also the weekly Sabbath because we're legalists. We're trying to earn our salvation. Not so. In fact, these holy days, again, they picture God's plan for us and it is a plan of salvation through grace. We cannot earn a place in God's kingdom. The wages of sin is death and it's eternal death. If those sins are not repented of, it's eternal death. But God, through His grace, allows a way through repentance. Brethren, we would not understand the fullness of God's grace if it were not for our observance of these holy days. Now think about it. We start out with the Passover. It's because God calls us. He draws us. John 644, He calls us. And so we respond to that call. And we're baptized. We accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, our Messiah, who died for us, but now lives as our High Priest and makes intercession for us when we do sin.

And I'm so grateful. I know you are, too, that we have such a wonderful, loving High Priest. We are repentant members of the body of Jesus Christ. Christ laid down His life for us. We memorialize that when we keep the Passover, that Jesus Christ died for us. We accept that sacrifice for us. We've been called, and we've been chosen. We were chosen when we were baptized and we received God's Holy Spirit as an earnest, as a down payment on the way to the kingdom. We have been called and chosen by God. Let's never lose sight of that calling. And then we go on to the days of Unleavened Bread. Right after Passover, Christ is the Unleavened Bread that comes down from heaven, who came down to live in human form, to be a human being born of a woman. But He was the perfect sacrifice because He lived without sin upon this earth. He was tempted in every way, as you and I have been tempted, and yet He did not sin, setting a wonderful, perfect example for each of us. Brethren, we strive to put sin out of our lives as we attempt to glorify God, the Father, and Jesus Christ, who now live in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit when we're baptized. Upon the laying on of hands, God grants us His Holy Spirit. And then the next holy day is Pentecost. Pentecost. We're Spirit-led members of the body of Jesus Christ, the New Testament Church of God, called now. Again, we know that we're saved by grace. We're saved by that sacrifice, the Passover sacrifice. We are to become unleavened as Christ is unleavened. We are to put sin out of our lives as best we can with God's help. It's something that we strive to do, and then we repent when we fall short. And then Pentecost, we learn to walk in the Spirit, producing the fruit of God's Holy Spirit. Love and joy and peace, patience, long suffering, kindness, goodness, gentleness, meekness, self-control. These are the fruits of God's Holy Spirit, because we are the called out and the chosen of God, and this is how we're to live, and we are to be different. We are to be faithful. So we are faithful as we observe those Spring Holy Days. Let's go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and consider a scripture here from the Apostle Paul. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 18. Okay, here Paul says, Now all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Now certainly Paul was an apostle. Paul was a minister. Paul was to lead the way in this reconciliation to set the example. We ministers should set that type of an example, and when we don't, shame on us. Frankly, now we will be held accountable for how we live our lives and the example that we set for one another. So Paul set this example as a minister of reconciliation, but we all have been called to be ministers of reconciliation. We reconcile with one another. We don't allow these schisms to go on between us. We're ministers of reconciliation. That is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. So that's where it all starts, is God is the great reconciler, Jesus Christ, the great reconciler to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. We have been forgiven our sins to our Savior, Jesus Christ, and we are to forgive one another, aren't we? In fact, we're to be forgiven in the same manner that we forgive others. So if we don't reconcile, then God isn't reconciled to us either.

So it's so important that we do make amends, one with another. We humble ourselves and we make amends. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. You are an ambassador for Christ. I am an ambassador for Jesus Christ. It just means that we represent Jesus Christ. We represent Him. People look to us as Christians. So it's important that we live this way and that we set the proper example for people, even if they don't understand it, realize it, even know who we are. We are ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sinned for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Again, we reflect the character of God in how we live our lives and we see God living in one another. Let's go to 2 Corinthians 11 at this time too and consider Paul sacrificed himself as an ambassador for Christ. 2 Corinthians 11, verse 22. Paul says, Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? There were people that had problems with Paul. You know, not everyone loved Paul. Not everyone appreciated Paul.

He says, Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more in labors, more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews, five times I received forty stripes minus one. Thirty-nine stripes, five different times.

He says, three times, verse 25, three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. He spent a night and a day in the deep, out in the ocean, in the sea, in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. You name it, he was imperiled by it. He sacrificed himself completely in service to God and in service to God's people.

Verse 27, in weariness, in weariness, in toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, besides the other things, what comes upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches. Now, he had so much more pressure upon him than I do, than any of us do. You know, he was such a wonderful example of perseverance and of love as well.

Brethren, let's enjoy the good things of life. You and me, God gives us these good things. Let's enjoy them, but let's always remember that material things are secondary when it comes to bringing true happiness. We'll never get true happiness because of physical things. True happiness really does come from serving and helping and loving one another. It starts with our families and should be very strong in each and every one of our families, but it also branches out to our brethren. And then, from the brethren in God's church, it branches out to all people. We're to have that love for all people. We should always keep that in mind. And again, we are ambassadors for Jesus Christ. You know, I can't be an ambassador for you because I don't know everyone you know. I don't know the people you come in contact. You have to be an ambassador for those people. I'm an ambassador for anyone I come in contact with.

So we are all in this together as representatives and ambassadors for our Savior Jesus Christ. God and Christ, we know, are unified. They are one. And we are also to learn to be one with them in unity and in complete harmony. This is our goal. It is a worthy one indeed. It's one I hope that we're all striving to live up to our name, the United Church of God. Let's truly be more and more united as the days draw nearer to the return of our Savior. The Father and Son are known by their willingness to sacrifice. That's really what they're all about, to sacrifice themselves for their family. That's what they've done. Two beings that were together for eternity, who loved each other beyond our comprehension. One giving the other for us. The other being willing to give his life to become mortal flesh.

That's a step down. Trust me, that's a huge step down. But that's what God did and that's what Jesus Christ did for us. They sacrificed themselves for us. They are shaping and molding us to be like them. We're familiar with John chapter 3 verse 16 and 17. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but should have everlasting life. For God set not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. God is saving the world. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to a knowledge of the truth and come to repentance. Now God won't force anyone to do that. We're free moral agents. We will make that choice.

But we all have this wonderful opportunity to be in God's kingdom forever. We are to be like Christ. We are to be like the Father. We are to be pure and true.

We are to be reliable, trustworthy, faithful. Perhaps we could do better. I know I could do better.

We should all strive to do better. In Philippians chapter 2, let's go there for a moment.

Philippians chapter 2.

Philippians chapter 2. Let's start in verse 1.

Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded. That's what God wants from us. He wants us to be like-minded. That's what Paul wanted to see. That's what Jesus Christ wants to see. He wants us to be like-minded.

Having the same love, being of one accord of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. Let not that motivate us any longer. But in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. Let's look out for the welfare of others.

Let's care more about others than we do ourselves. That's basically what it's saying here.

Let's be willing to sacrifice like the Father sacrificed, like the Son has sacrificed. We should be willing to lay our lives down for one another. That's how much we should learn to love each other, to care for each other. We're all made in God's image. We're all in God's likeness. Everyone has value. Everyone is worth a great deal, and we should be willing to die for them. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. So let us again become unified as Christ and the Father are unified and are one. We really do represent Jesus Christ. We're considered true Christians, right? We're true Christians. Let's be true Christians, true followers of Christ. We follow his example in all things. When people see us, they should see Christ in us. It should not be confusing that we are Christians. Christ lives in us. Galatians 2, verse 20.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live. I no longer live.

I'm looking at a bunch of dead people. In a sense, that's a good thing, right? I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. In the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Let's never minimize the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. That was not an easy thing for Jesus Christ to go through. It was a very humbling, humiliating, awful death that Jesus paid for us.

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. No, we know that we don't earn salvation through keeping the law.

It is a gift, a gift of grace. And these Holy Days help us understand that more fully than anyone, frankly, that these are wonderful days that God gives us to understand His plan, not just for us, but for all of mankind. You know, that's where grace really comes in. Because many people believe that there are millions of people arriving in hell right now.

As we speak, I had one woman tell my wife that she knew that Mother Teresa was burning in hell as they spoke to each other. We have better understanding of what God is doing. There is true grace in God's plan of salvation, revealed in His Holy Days.

So, brethren, again, we are ambassadors of Christ, so let's be good ambassadors. Let's be very, very good ambassadors. This is where we all are now, you might say. We're somewhere in the time between Pentecost. You know, those days are fulfilled, in a sense. Prophetically, they've been fulfilled. The Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread, the Pentecost, the New Testament Church has begun. We're waiting for the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets. Christ has not yet returned. We're waiting on that. So, we're in this period where we walk in the Spirit. It's our day of salvation right now. We're awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. Will we be changed if we're alive in the moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet? If we have died, will we rise first in Christ?

That remains to be seen, doesn't it? But this is your day of salvation. It's a day to take seriously.

It's a day to contemplate, to meditate upon, and to think about on a regular basis. What will happen when the Feast of Trumpets is fulfilled and Christ returns? For you personally, what will happen?

I believe you will be in God's kingdom. I believe the vast majority of you, hopefully everyone in here, will repent of whatever they need to repent of. And, you know, none of us will be perfect, right? We're still in the flesh. But we have to have repentant minds and hearts, and then God will give us His kingdom. That's His desire. That's His pleasure. He wants to give us His kingdom. So I'm very, very hopeful for the future. I'm hopeful for your future. For everyone, every single person, every child, every adult, everyone in this room.

You know, I've often said that if we don't learn the lessons of the spring holy days, we're not going to look forward to the fulfillment of the fall holy days.

We've got to learn the lessons of the spring holy days.

Right? And then we'll be looking forward to the fulfillment of these fall holy days. If we're right with God, then bring them on!

Bring these days on. The sooner, the better. And not just for us, but mostly for all of mankind. So realize, brethren, that we are in training to be kings and priests right now during this day of salvation for us. This is your day to be trained.

Don't wait to be trained. This is your day to be trained. Because you'll become a king. You'll become a priest when Christ returns. So now is your preparation time. That's why we go to church every week. That's why we crack the Bible every day. That's why we get down on our knees every day. That's why we fast on a regular basis because we're now in training to become kings and to become priests and to become teachers of the law.

Revelation 5 verse 10. Revelation chapter 5 verse 10. Prophecy for the future.

5 verse 10. And have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth.

We will reign on the earth. Now is our day of salvation. Now is our day of preparation.

Let us all be teachable and humble now so that we may teach in the future. So that we might fulfill these roles of kings and priests. In Revelation 3, several times it talks about, He who overcomes. He who overcomes. He who overcomes will I grant to sit with me on my throne. We must be overcomers.

Again, it's our day of salvation. This is your day to be an overcomer, to grow spiritually. And that's the second principle to consider. Now is our day of salvation. And this fact is clearly revealed in the observance of these holy days.

And then the third principle. We long for God's kingdom. We all long for God's kingdom, and we sigh and we cry for all the heartache present here on this earth. That's something that we should all have in common.

Yes, we are grateful that we're alive. We're grateful that we live in such a wonderful country and in such a time when we're so blessed beyond measure. We're so blessed. We take it for granted we're so blessed. But we should long for God's kingdom, and we should sigh and cry over all the abominations that are happening upon the earth. Let's not be oblivious to what's going on around us. Billions of people are suffering right now. You know, slavery, they say, is the worst it's ever been.

Have you heard that? The sex trafficking and the other things that go on around the world and downright slavery in other countries, it's worse than it's ever been. And it's been horrific in the past.

Life is hard. Life is hard for so many people. We live in troubled, uncertain times.

We have war in the Ukraine right now. We have rising inflation around the world. We have skyrocketing prices for housing. We see moral decay at an alarming rate.

It's not that great in many respects, but it's easy to lose sight of that because we're so blessed and we have so much. It's going to get harder and harder, and the devastation will become increasingly more and more widespread as we draw nearer to the return of Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of these fall Holy Days. We sigh and we cry over the abominations that occur upon the earth because we love each other, and we hate to see the curses and the heartache and the despair. In all countries of the world today, one way or the other, I saw a statistic nearly 10% of Americans are often hungry. 10%. That's a lot of people. That's a lot of people that are hungry. Man's inhumanity to man has been happening throughout the ages. How we treat one another is appalling. What we do, we go in and try to take over countries so we can have other land. We kill people. We bomb elementary schools and other things just so we can possess some land and have more resources. That's the mentality of this earth today. We should be sighing and crying for a better time. In Ezekiel 9, and we're not going to take the time to go there, but it talks about the writer's inkhorn. It's very sobering. He's to put a mark on the forehead of those who sigh and cry over the abominations that are committed on the earth. Let us all have this mark.

Let us all have this mark of people who understand how much suffering there is upon the earth today. Let us pray earnestly, thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. The sooner, the better.

Let us properly mourn for this dying world and let us long for God's kingdom. Let us all long for it.

Part of our journey is to learn genuine empathy and godly love, even for our enemies. How much more for those who are just simply suffering today? So many who are suffering.

So the third principle, let us all long for God's kingdom. Let us sigh and cry for the heartache that's present upon the earth. And let's go on to a fourth and final principle that we'll discuss today. Brethren, let us be filled with hope and anticipation for Christ's return. Let us persevere as we await His coming and the establishing of His kingdom and as we learn to climb our own mountains in life. Again, this is our day of salvation. Some of you have climbed some pretty hard mountains. I've talked to some of you. You've climbed harder mountains than I've ever had to climb. I was telling someone recently that I know I can't really grasp what you've been through because I've never been there. I've never really had a life-threatening illness that I thought, you know, I don't know if I'll be alive in a month or two. Some of you have gone through that. You know what that's like. There are all kinds of mountains that we're going to have to climb as we await the return of Jesus Christ. We have to be willing to climb those mountains. So again, we have these fall holy days. We've kept the Feast of Trumpets that pictures the return of Christ. We've kept the Day of Atonement that pictures the binding of our adversary, the accuser of the brethren. We're now keeping the Feast of Tabernacles, which pictures the Millennial Rule of Jesus Christ upon this earth. We saw in the video that we saw in the video last night Isaiah 2, verse 2 and 3, and it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow onto it. We're going to climb some mountains when Christ returns, but we also need to learn to climb whatever mountains God allows us or requires of us to climb these days. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 2, and let's read another verse here. Isaiah chapter 2. Isaiah chapter 2, verse 2, now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the eternal's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, it shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it. And many people shall come and say, come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. You see, we're going to be among the teachers and the kings and the priests at that time, because now is our day of salvation. Now is our time to be taught these things. And then we will be teachers. And then in verse 4, Christ will judge between the nations, He will rebuke many people, they shall beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. What a blessed, wonderful day that will be.

So we're in the faithful phase right now as we await the fulfillment of these fall Holy Days.

Ask God to help this feast be a spiritual hope transplant for you. If you need more hope, we should be very hopeful for the return of Jesus Christ.

Our joy should be renewed during this feast. We should be rejoicing, and our joy should be renewed because we have been called and chosen, and we're faithful. And God is working a great work in us.

And God never fails. God will not fail you. He will give you the victory.

You know, no one climbs a mountain alone if they're smart. They climb mountains with help, with other people around if at all possible, especially if you're climbing something like Mount Everest. It takes a team, a well-oiled team, to survive Mount Everest. Many people have died trying to take on Mount Everest. Even with a team, they've died, depending on what happens with the weather, with their oxygen, with their health. Many people have died. But there's a young man—I don't know if you've ever heard of him—his name is Eric Weynmayer, and his last name is spelled—I'm going to spell it for you, so you might want to look him up because he's quite a remarkable person. His last name is W-E-I-H-E-N-M-A-Y-E-R. W-E-I-H-E-N-M-A-Y-E-R. Eric Weynmayer. He became the first blind climber to conquer Mount Everest. The man was blind. He was born with a rare degenerative eye disease. He had completely lost his eyesight by the time he was 14—a teenager.

He struggled to accept and embrace his future in darkness as a blind man or a blind teenager at this time. But he was not one who would give up easily. He did have an eyesight until his teen years. He continued to wrestle, for one thing, and he became not only a high school wrestling champion, but he also became a champion at wrestling with and conquering the trials of life.

Climbing not only Mount Everest, but the seven highest summits on each of the seven continents, he later returned to Everest and took several blind Tibetan teens to the second highest summit on Mount Everest. He was someone who was dedicated—I think he's around 50 years old now—he became a teacher, he became a wrestling coach. I'm guessing his parents were fairly wealthy or he would have never been able to climb Mount Everest at the time that he did. I don't really know the full story, but there is a book that he's written. It's called Touch the Top of the World. I understand it's a very inspiring book. I haven't yet read it. I do plan on doing that, but he didn't just sit home feeling sorry for himself because he became blind.

He didn't just sit around twiddling his thumbs.

And his motto now—and actually he's a very fine motivational speaker now—his motto for his company is, what's within you is stronger than what is in your way. What is in you is stronger than what is in your way. And, brethren, that's especially true for us, isn't it? Those of us who are baptized, who have received God's Holy Spirit, what is in us is so much greater than anything that will get in our way. And, brethren, that's much greater than Satan the Devil. Satan can't hurt us.

If we draw near to God, that's what the Scripture says. Draw near to God, Satan will leave you.

Resist Satan, he will leave you. Draw near to God.

So, brethren, another thing about this Eric Weynemeier, in 2014, he kayaked the entire 277 miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. 277 miles, a blind man obviously had people with him to help him along the way, but he hasn't let a lot of moss grow under his feet in the years that he's been alive. Let's go to Psalm 121. This is one of the Psalms of Ascent. The Psalms of Ascent go from 120 to 134. I would suggest you take some time to read all of them during the feast. I was reading several of them this morning. They're all very inspiring.

So, that's Psalm 120 to Psalm 134, the Psalms of Ascent. But I want to turn to Psalm 121, as we think about climbing our mountains in life, our challenges, our trials in life.

Psalm 121 verse 1.

I will lift my eyes to the hills, from whence comes my help. That's a question. I'm going to lift up my eyes to the hills. I'm going to climb these mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Eternal, the Lord who made heaven and earth.

Anyone who can make heaven and earth ought to be able to help you. Right?

I can't even make a tree. I've tried. I've tried. I can't do it. I haven't figured out how to craft even a simple tree. But God created the entire heavens and the earth. And He's there to help us. He's there to help you and to help me. Our Helper is none other than the Maker of heaven and earth. How can we fail if we don't give up on Him? We must meet these challenges that will come upon us, no doubt, in the future with faith and strength.

And we must use adversity to fuel us instead of destroy us. That is the difference between those who are conquerors of their problems and those who are conquered by their problems and by their trials. In Romans chapter 8, this is one of the most inspiring passages as far as I'm concerned in the entire Bible. Romans chapter 8, we're going to read it together, verse 31. Romans chapter 8, verse 31, What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Again, that's what God wants to do. He wants to give us His Kingdom.

Who shall bring a charge against God's elect?

It is God who justifies. Who is He who condemns? It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen and who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us, our high priest. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Who's going to be able to separate you from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written, for your sake we are killed all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors.

We are more than conquerors, the Scripture says. We're not just conquerors. We're more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Paul says, for I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us. And remember, Lucifer was created. He's included in that. He can't hurt us either. Nothing can stop us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels there is again nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Brethren, we have been sealed by the very power of God's Holy Spirit. You have been sealed with with God's Holy Spirit. Stay faithful to God. You have nothing to fear. You have nothing at all to fear. And the Scripture is clear that we should not be so concerned about what can happen to our physical bodies. It's our spiritual lives that we're most concerned about. Man can kill us, yes, but we should fear God because he's the one that could end it. He won't. He won't end it because he loves us. You know, it's a wonderful plan at all. I'm in awe of God's plan revealed in his Holy Days. The eighth day, we're going to hear about that later, what that picture is, eye is not seen nor ear heard neither has entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him. What a calling we have, brethren. What a calling. What mercy God has toward us. What faith he has for all of us. He believes in us. He will give us victory.

God is on your side. So this is part of our purpose to climb any challenging mountain that God puts in front of us. With God's help, we can do that. We can encourage others as well. We can start learning how to do this now by both overcoming adversity and by using it as fuel for greatness. Rise above whatever adversity, whatever trials come your way and help others do the same. So, brethren, let this feast encourage you that you can climb any mountain, any trial, any problem, any adversity that comes along. You will complete your journey to God's glorious kingdom. You're on a journey now. Some of you have been on this journey for 60 years. Some of you, maybe only a few months. But with God's help, you will complete your journey, however long it is, before Christ returns or before we're sealed in the grave. We have a great team leader. His name is Jesus Christ. He's our team leader. We can and we will arrive at the ultimate summit together at the glorious kingdom of God. So, let us worship the King throughout this feast. Let's make it our number one priority. Let us glorify God the Father. Let us rejoice in this festival. Let us continue the journey. Let us keep the feast.