The Restitution of All Things

This fee should be one of the most spiritually invigorating experiences in your life. A great pivotal point. A great pivotal point. When you pivot, you turn from something you've been doing, you go do something else, the trumpet is sounded, the handwriting is on the wall, but he who has an ear to hear, let him hear. He who has an eye to see, let him see. The trumpet has sounded in silent. If you wait till next year to get your spiritual house in order, you may not be here. I have titled this sermon, In View of All of These Things, What Manner of People Should We Be? In view of all these things, what manner of people should we be? This next year will really be a time in which the wheat and the chaff will be sifting. Our times in which we live will become more and more difficult with regard to keeping to the straight and narrow in God's way. God is indeed sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat. He's going to know and know that He knows where each one of us stands. The messages of the feast should be, hopefully they are indelibly stamped upon our minds. The urgency of the times in which we live is one of the great things we should understand. This world desperately needs to know who the true God is and to understand the true path to love, to joy, and to peace. Remember, the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. The peoples of this world desperately need to be relieved of the suffering and pain. The world desperately needs godly leadership. The world desperately needs to learn the fear of God, the true fear of what it's all about, the awe, the reverence, the respect for God and His way. The world desperately needs the God-ordained family. That's family structure that's ordained by God from creation of man and woman, marriage and family. The world is entered into a terrible time of trouble and turmoil, and it will never be the same. The good old days are gone, but the days that lie ahead are better than those that have gone in the past for those who know God.

For years, I've understood this saying. The saying says, I pity the person who is more proud of his past than his future. The future for each one of us, if we hold to the end of the row, is indeed bright.

On the other hand, there's no question that the world is at war on many fronts, and the peoples of the world are filled with fear and anxiety, wondering where the next shoe will drop. The news abounds with rumors of war. There are hot wars, especially, going on in Syria, in Yemen, and there are skirmishes in other places as well. Where will the next shoe drop?

It can be at your front door, or it could be on the freeway, or it could be in the heart of one of the world's largest metropolitan centers. This world desperately needs the restitution of all things, and we're going to play a role in the restitution of all things.

The whole creation yearns and groans for the manifestations of the sons of God. Let's note this Romans 8 and verse 19.

Even the earth itself, and God says that one of the things that he's going to do, is to punish those who have destroyed the earth. All aspects of the creation are in trouble to some degree. The physical earth, universe, and in addition to that, the societal order structure of humankind.

Romans 8 and verse 19, For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, this is 18, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. As I said, the future for us is very bright, but at the same time, the world must go through many pains, troubles, trials, tribulations, and so must we.

For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. What a glorious time that is going to be when the manifestation of the sons of God takes place. Glorious, radiant spirit beings, sons and daughters of God, born into the family of God at the resurrection, made kings and priests and going to rule and reign with God and Christ forever and ever. For the creation was made subject to vanity. And what vanity means, not just necessarily, well, I'm better than you kind of thing, but vanity in the Scripture generally means temporal.

That is, lasting but a short time. The whole people of the world as a whole want their thing now. They don't want to delay gratification. And willingly, the whole creation is subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him, Christ subjected the same in hope.

Because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. What a wonderful time to look forward to that glorious liberation that is coming. So in view of all the challenges that lie before each one of us, what are your goals and plans for meeting these challenges? Do you have a plan? Have you come to grips with things in your life during the feast and said, I am going to do better.

I am going to make a plan for myself and my family. Can you provide an answer for the hope that lies within you? In 1 Peter 3 and verse 15, the Apostle Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes the following, But sanctify the Lord God in your heart, set him apart, make him number one. Who is number one in your life?

Set the Lord God apart in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. It's not because you are better than anybody else, but you do have an understanding that the world doesn't have. And as I mentioned in the sermon on the first Holy Day, how that regardless of your social or economic status, regardless of your educational level, you have been called and you have knowledge with regard to who is God, what is God, what is His great purpose, who is man, what is man, and what is His purpose.

Could you recite those questions and give an answer? You don't have to give a long answer, but let's briefly do that right now. What I call the seven great questions of life. Number one, does God exist? In the companion Scripture that I always use for that question, does God exist? It's Hebrews 11 in verse 6. He who would come to God must first of all believe that He is.

That God exists. And there's a great attack upon the existence of God, and of course the world is going the way of profane secularism and denying the great Creator God. Then, who is God? God is our Creator. He is our Father. God and Jesus Christ created all things, both in heaven and in earth. What is God? God is Spirit. God is Spirit. And those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

And what is God's great purpose? I believe the greatest purpose of God is to bring sons and daughters to glory in His family. And the reciprocal of that is, who is man? Well, man is made in the image of God with faculties of mind that are akin to God. That is, he can think. He can reason. He can think about the future. He can understand that God created all peoples to have the opportunity to be in the family of God, to have eternal life. But what is man? On the other hand, man is made at the dust of the ground.

He's subject to sin and death. And the wages of sin is death. But through Jesus Christ, we can have life everlasting. As Noah says in Romans 6.23, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And what is man's great purpose? The reason why God created human beings was for them to be in His family. And the world desperately needs to become as God is.

For God is perfect. What would you say is the greatest characteristic of God? The greatest characteristic of God is love. In 1 John 4.8 it says God is love. In 1 John 4.16 it says that God is love. We're admonished to become perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect. When one says that something is, God is love, that is His state of being. He doesn't have to think about it or mull over it, make a decision.

That is His state of being. That is what He is. We'd like for us to turn to 1 Corinthians 13, what we call the love chapter. If you've got nothing else from the feast, maybe you could take this home with you. I'll be doing what I would call several mini-sermanets maybe during this because I'm here to dump the whole load, not just apart. In 1 Corinthians 13 and verse 1, an inset chapter which really describes what love is, chapter 12 ends with, Yet I will show you a more excellent way, a way that far surpasses any other way.

And so Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 verse 1 writes, Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity. This word charity in the Greek is agape, and it is spiritual love. See, God is love. God is spiritual love. We're to become as God and Christ are. They are love.

So it wouldn't be doing violence to the Scripture to say that we need to become as God is, as Christ is. God is love. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and am not becoming as God is, God is love. I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, so many people through the years have come into the church because of prophecy. People are enthralled about the future, what's going to happen to the future. And so we have the fortune tellers and the suit-sayers and people like that who claim to know the future. And people will flock to their doors and pay money, tell me what the future holds for me.

And God warns us against that. And so this says, though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and I have all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and am not becoming as God is, have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, if I am not becoming as God is, it profits me nothing. And then Paul proceeds after that to give a description of the various key aspects of what love is really like. So there's one challenge to become love as God is love. So we can ask ourselves, am I becoming love as God is love? Am I filled with the zeal and with the determination that was exemplified by Jesus Christ and the apostles? Or am I just treading water? Let's note what Jesus says in John 2 and verse 13. We'll start in John 2 and verse 13. And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. The Gospel of John is basically centered around the Passovers of Jesus' earthly ministry. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves and the changer of money sitting. And then he made a scourge of small cords, and he drove them out of the temple, and the sheep and the oxen poured out the changer's money and overthrew the tables. And said unto them that sold the doves, Take these things from here, make not my father's house a merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of your house has eaten me up. He was consumed with doing the work of God, the work of the Father. I came to do the work of him who sent me. I am consumed with that. That is my desire to do his will. Now, on the other hand, we are living in a time in which people are in a very destructive attitude. What do you think is the most destructive attitude that you can be in, and especially our youth and attitude? Satan wants you to be in this state of mind. The state of mind that I'm referring to is, I don't care. I don't care state of mind. Of course, there was a German philosopher by the name of Nietzsche who advocated a philosophy of nihilism, of nothingness, and nothing matters anyhow. And nihilism is being sold to our youth. And the leading cause of death of those 30 and under is automobile accidents. And the second leading cause of death of those 30 and under is suicide. And the suicide among teens especially is accelerating in this nation because they have been led to believe there is nothing, that this life really doesn't matter. If you come to the point that you don't care, then it's pretty much over until you renew the spirit of deep desire to be in the Kingdom of God. You have to desire it. You have to seek it. You might want to jot this down and look at it later. Proverbs 2, the first 12 verses, especially, are dedicated to seeking God with your whole heart. And if you seek God with your whole heart, He will respond.

Note the words of the Apostle Paul to the young evangelist Timothy. I turn please to 2 Timothy 1. Scholars speculate on how old was Timothy, probably some say as young, maybe as 20 or so. He was a young man, and Paul had taken him under his wing, and he had ordained him. When Paul writes the two Timothys, 1 and 2 Timothy, he is in prison. And Timothy apparently was beginning to draw back at that time and become more and more doubtful with regard to his calling and what he should be doing. So in 2 Timothy 1, verse 2, I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers, with pure conscience, that without ceasing, I have remembrance of you in my prayers night and day. So Paul earnestly prayed for Timothy and for many others throughout his ministry, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy. When I called for remembrance, the unfeigned faith that is in you, which dwelled in your grandmother, Lois, and in your mother, Eunice, and I am persuaded in you also. Wherefore, in view of that, instead of being timid and drawing back, wherefore I put you in remembrance, that you stir up! You stir up! The Greek word there for stir up, anizo-purio, which is to inflame one's mind, to set your mind on fire. Set your mind on fire, for strength and wazeal. To stir up the gift of God, which is in you through the putting on of my hands. For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of sound mind. Be you therefore, be you not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. He was beginning to draw back to become timid and not boldly proclaiming that which He should, nor of Me. Don't be ashamed of Me, His prisoner. But be you partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with an holy calling. We'll talk more about this holy calling a little later. The holy calling. The holy calling is also a sacred calling. It is something that God has individually revealed to you. For example, in James 1, 17, 18, it says that, Of His own will begat He you with the word of truth. God knows whom He has called and chosen. He knows those that are His. A holy calling according to our works, but not according to our works, but according to His own purpose. God has a purpose for each one of us, to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before time began. That word world is chronos from which we get chronology or time.

So God has given us this holy calling, and He asked us to stir up the gift that is within us by the putting on of hands. The Holy Spirit is, are we on fire?

Your state of mind is perhaps the greatest key to seeking first the Kingdom of God in His righteousness. Your state of mind. And we can control our state of mind. But we need God's Spirit and Word to control our state of mind. God's Spirit and God's Word, along with our will, will help us, and it can be done, as we shall see, rule over the flesh. Proverbs 4 and verse 23, very important Scripture. Keep your heart with all diligence. Keep your heart, your innermost being, the center of your thoughts. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it come the issues of life.

The issues of life. Then you couple that with Proverbs 23, 7, which says, As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. So what do we think of? So a thought reap an action. Reap an action. Reap character. See, thought is a precursor to action. So as a man thinketh so is he. We're even told in the Bible what to think. If you'll turn back a page or two there, maybe more, to Philippians 4. God even tells us what to think.

Philippians 4. I don't have quite enough light here. I don't know if we can increase the light or not. Philippians 4, verse 4, Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. We have access to the greatest power in the universe.

24-7. We can come boldly before the throne of God at any time. Be careful for nothing. That means be anxious for nothing. Be anxious for nothing. But in everything in prayer and supplications with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God that passes all understanding. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. Shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

See, there are two types of peace spoken of in the Bible. Peace with God in which you repent and you are reconciled to God. You receive the Holy Spirit as peace with God. Then the peace of God is to come to a state of mind in which you understand that regardless of the situation, circumstance, God is with you and everything is going to be alright.

There are certain times in life in which you just come to that state in which you understand that all is well. We sing that the hymn, all is well. Wuthering life and death, all is well. The peace of God which surpasses all understanding. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. Shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, see, thinking. What do we think on? Keep your heart with all diligence. Out of it flow the issues of life. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report. If there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. If the man thinketh in his heart, so is he. The human mind, to some degree, is like a computer, but it far surpasses a computer.

Garbage in, garbage out. And whatever is put into your mind at the conscious level can be admitted back into the conscious mind, and you have to deal with it. So, of course, the pure your heart, the pure your thinking is, then the probability that you're going to have to deal with something that's admitted into your consciousness will not cause you to stumble. You know, I love that verse 4, which says, Rejoice in the Lord always.

Think on these things. Life has been made to appear cheap by the movies, television, video games, wars, and mass murder. Many youth come to church with a turned off state of mind. They've already determined that no appeal to logic, no appeal to emotion, no appeal of any kind is going to move them. They're biding their time until they can leave home and do their own thing. The parents of this generation. See, I read on the first holy day that what I call the perfect storm, Satan's perfect storm, there is a generation, there is a generation, there is a generation.

And all of those behaviors are now manifest in the times in which we live. Biding their time until they can leave home and do their own thing. Can we stand in the gap? The greatest pool of prospective members for the church of God is our youth. And from days gone by to the present time, most of the people that are baptized in the church are those that come from families of church members or friends of church members. See, the good news is you don't have to treat your sacred calling as profane. And some people say, well, maybe they have not been called. One of the first things that United did when it began was to write a paper titled, Is God Calling Our Children?

And the answer is yes. It's like being put in the Garden of Eden. There it is! You can reach out and partake of the Tree of Life! Or you can choose the other tree, as you heard from Mr. Lucas yesterday morning. But the admonition is choose like Esau. Don't be like Esau. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup. Then bitterly, bitterly, weep wept over that, wanted to change. See, he wanted his thing now. As a general rule, the people who succeed are those who delay gratification. They do not give in to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or pride of life.

They do not give in to the glamour and glitz of what this world so-called has to offer. Why would one trade, say, 80, 90 years for eternity? It's difficult to understand why they would. It is the wise who will understand, the wise who will understand and heed. The yea-butters and the gainsayers will remain just that. But the good news is you can change your mind.

Look at Daniel 12, verse 10. Daniel 12, verse 10. Daniel 12, it's even better. We can get it to stay. That's good. Daniel 12, really, I gave a sermon not all that long ago with regard to the countdown after the abomination of desolation was placed. And Daniel 12 talks about that countdown after the abomination of desolation is placed. And Daniel writes in Daniel 12, 10, Many shall be purified and made white and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

You can be one of the wise. The tree of life is set before you. We see a similar warning in Revelation 12 and verse 11. With regard to being wise, see, in spite of all of the things that happen around when the trumpet plagues are poured out and all of that, there's still some who refuse to repent. Revelation 22, 11 says, I'm not sure what I said, but it's Revelation 22 and verse 11.

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still. And he which is filthy, let him be filthy still. And he that is righteous, let him be righteous still. And he that is holy, let him be holy still. See, we can all avoid being and sitting in the seat of the scornful. The seat of the scornful is described in Psalm 1. Let's turn to Psalm 1. I think that Psalms are perhaps the most overlooked set of Scriptures in the whole Bible. Of course, it's the longest book with great admonition on all fronts.

In addition to that, a lot of prophecy is in the Psalms. In Psalm 1 and verse 1, Blessed is a man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. You don't have to sit in the seat of the scornful. We have read Philippians 4 of the things to think on. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night, and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth fruit in his season.

His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he does shall prosper. But the ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

So once again, why would one trade 80 or 90 years for eternity? So many in the church over the years have been on a knowledge trip instead of a conversion trip. The human condition can only be solved, it can heal through the power of God's Spirit. The regeneration of the human condition can only come through the power of God's Spirit. You can know we've read v. Corinthians 13. Do I have all knowledge? Understand all mysteries? Do I have the gift of prophecy?

Faith? I could remove mountains? If I'm not becoming as God is, it profits me nothing. And I think the reason that so many people have fallen away is that they never really understood what the church was really teaching. And of course, for a long time, and still to some degree, I have no prophecy about what's going to happen in the future.

Or people thinking all my problems can be solved. Or thinking I can suddenly be healed. You know the story of how they said, let me go and tell my family about the torment here. And Jesus said, though one be raised from the dead, they will not hear.

They won't hear Moses and the prophets. They won't hear one who's been raised from the dead. So you have to develop that personal relationship with God. Do we have a personal, intimate relationship with God and Christ? And do we understand what it's all about? Become you therefore, convert it. For harder to be in the Kingdom of God, we have to have a personal relationship with God and Christ and the truth.

Develop your own love of there with God and Christ and the truth. You can't depend on just, quote, the church, the ministry. You have to dig yourself. You must know the truth. Live the truth. Are you providing a cradle to grave education to your children? Are you teaching them to have a relationship with God? Relationship is impossible apart from communication. Let's turn to Hebrews 13. In Hebrews 13, we see here one of the great sacrifices that we are to offer up.

In 1 Peter 2, we're admonished to offer up spiritual sacrifices. Here's one of the greatest spiritual sacrifices we can offer up. And it's not only to God and Christ, but it's to our family and others. In Hebrews 13, in verse 14, here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually.

The sacrifice of praise. To praise, you have to speak. You have to communicate. The sacrifice of praise continually. See, when the prayer begins, Jesus' model prayer of our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name, recognizing God's office power, who He is and what He is. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually.

That is the fruit of our lips. And giving thanks to the same. One of the things I read from Philippians 4 in prayer, giving thanks. With thanksgiving. But to do good and communicate, for God not, with such sacrifices, God is well pleased. Are we truly being led by the Spirit and Word of God? What is the turn now to Romans 8? Romans 8. These first six verses here are so very important to understand.

And what it shows is that you can live in the flesh and yet overcome sin. That's one of the main things that Jesus brought to us. That example.

It showed that you could live in the flesh and condemn sin in the flesh. Romans 8, verse 1. There is therefore now a condemnation to those which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. See, the Word of God reveals the mind of the Spirit. The Word of God reveals the mind of the Spirit. I would put John 6.63 there.

Here's what John 6.63 says. The flesh profits nothing. The words I speak, they are spirit and they are life. So to quote the whole thing, John 6.63, the flesh profits nothing. It is the spirit that makes a life. This is Jesus speaking. Then He says, the words I speak, they are spirit and they are life. So, the Word of God reveals the mind of the Spirit. Verse 2, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin. Why would it say and for sin?

Because wages of sin is death. He paid the price. Condemned sin in the flesh. How did He condemn sin in the flesh? Because He perfectly ruled over the flesh. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. The righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Doing what God says to do. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit do things of the Spirit. And v. 13 tells us, for if we live after the flesh, we shall die. But if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. For as men Israel led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Are we truly led by the Spirit of God? In some of our surveys, especially surveys at the Fies, people say they want to know how they can overcome and prepare for the Kingdom of God. Virtually every sermon that is given contains some of that kind of information. But for some reason, the simplicity that is in Christ oftentimes evades our understanding. There is no great magical, mystical formula out there. There is great simplicity in Christ. Pray, study, meditate, and obey. For there is no other way. Are you like people that Paul confronted on Mars Hill? They wanted to hear some new thing as if additional knowledge would solve their problems and save them. Well, that's not the answer. Or are you one of the ones spoken of in Isaiah 30, v. 8? Turn to Isaiah 30, v. 8. This is quite an admonition here. Quite a description of those who need help. Isaiah 30, v. 8. Brethren, remember, the Bible was written first and foremost to you and me, to those He has called.

Now go write it before them in a table noted in a book. Isaiah 30, v. 8. That it may be for the time to come forever and ever that this is a rebellious people lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord, which say to the seer, see not, and to the prophets, prophesy not unto us, write things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits, get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One to cease before us. Wherefore, in view of that, says the Holy One of Israel, because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereupon.

Therefore, this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out as a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly at an instant. Brethren, we have come to that time in which so many people don't want to hear the Word of God, the pure, unadulterated, thus saith the Lord. Now, the world is filled with articles similar to what you would see in Guideposts magazine for other such things. And those things have a value to a certain degree to maybe give encouragement. But the two convicting elements from God are His Spirit and His Word.

Therefore, Paul writes to Timothy. Let's try to repeat this over and over again in 2 Timothy 4 and verse 1. Remember, we've read from Timothy already the first chapter of, Stir up the Spirit that is within you, be not ashamed of me, His prisoner, and do the work of an evangelist as it says here. 2 Timothy 4, verse 1, I charge you therefore before God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom. Preach the Word. What do we preach?

The Word. Be instant, end season, out of season. Reprove. Rebuke. Exhort. With all long suffering and doctrine. For years when I was teaching, oftentimes I would close the class with this verse 2. For the time will come when they shall not endure sound doctrine. They will seek out what we read from Isaiah 30. Speak unto us smooth things. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. But after their own lust, shall they heed to themselves teachers having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

We must never let this happen to us. What I'm about to share now, I've never shared publicly before. I've told some people before the pastor general back in the 90s for his infamous trip to Atlanta, Georgia in 1994. He called me, it was a Friday morning, and said that he had two sermons. He was trying to decide which one he was going to give.

One was essentially trying to justify that the law of God was not in effect. And the other was basically the church's traditional teaching. For as he was trying to fill me out to see where I stood, my response to him came from 1 Timothy 6, verse 13. We start, this is an admonition for all of us for all times. Of course, he chose Sherman 1 trying to show that the law of God had been done away. And then he later that month came to the campus of Big Sandy on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1994, and the rest is history.

In 1 Timothy 6, 13, I give you charge in the sight of God who makes alive all things and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession, that you keep this commandment without spot unrebucible until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. The commandment is for all times, for all peoples, all ages, which in His time He shall show who is the blessed and only potentate the King of kings, the Lord of lords, who only has immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man has seen, nor can see, to whom be glory and honor, power forever.

Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy, that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, to share, willing to communicate, which means share, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come. See, that foundation, the sure foundation, that they may lay hold on eternal life. And finally, keep that which is committed to you. See, keep that which is committed to your trust.

God has placed in sacred trust His precious truth with us. Avoiding profane and vain babblings and oppositions of science falsely so called, which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be unto you. As I said, He chose number one. The rest is history. What about you? Are you going to keep that which is committed, placed in sacred trust with you?

Or are you going to betray the trust that God has placed in you? He called you. He revealed Himself to you. Am I? Are you seeking the Kingdom of God? Are you willing to deny the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, and awake out of slumber and realize what has been committed to you and me? Are we willing to keep the big picture burning brightly in our minds? In the millennium, the peoples of the world will submit to the government of God. And Christ says He will rule the nations with a rod of iron. And God is looking for men and women right now who are willing to stand in the gap and make up the hedge. And we must honestly ask ourselves, am I one of those who must not fall victim to the SMS syndrome? The SMS syndrome is Survival Mode Syndrome. I'm just trying to survive treading water. The Word of God declares that the just shall live by faith. Faith has two major components. One is the abstract. That is to believe with your whole heart.

And the second is to live by what you believe. The simplest definition of faith. The simplest definition of faith is to believe God and do what He says. That's what Abraham did. That example is given to us in James 2, v. 19. Let's go there. James 2, v. 19. To believe God and do what He says. You believe that there is one God. You do well. The devils also believe and tremble. Even the demons recognized Jesus Christ when He was here on earth. Are you come to torment us before the time? So one aspect is to believe. But will you know, vain man, that faith without works or obedience is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works or faith? When he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? We had a sermon at Offertory that covered that.

I believe it was in which Abraham had already received Isaac as good as dead, but on the other hand, as good as alive in resurrection, because he knew God, he believed God, and he did what he said. See, you have faith wrought with his works for obedience and by works for obedience. Faith was made perfect. And the Scripture was fulfilled which said, Abraham believed God and it was imputed. Now this word imputed is not what many of the Protestants make it. It means reckon to his account. It doesn't mean that because Jesus did it, then it's automatically, actually, automatically imputed to you. It is reckoned to his account unto him for righteousness, that he was called the Friend of God. You see therefore how that through his obedience, he was justified and not by faith only. By faith only meaning just to believe. He acted upon that faith in so much weight.

Abraham looked for a city that was an eternal city, not vulnerable to terrorist attacks. That city will never pass away. We sang that in the opening hymn today about the city of God. God expects us to do the first works. In essence, it means to obey the two great commandments and to do the weightier matters of the law.

We go now to Revelation 2. Revelation 2.

What did I just say? God expects us to do the first works, which in essence means to obey the two great commandments. You shall love the Lord God with all your heart, all your mind. The second is like unto it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself and the weightier matters of the law because you cannot love God with all your heart, mind, and soul unless you are reconciled to God and your neighbor.

This is addressed here. Message to the seven churches.

The angel of the church of Ephesus writes these things. Says the first. I'm sorry, these things says He that holds the seven stars and is right Him. Each one of the messages to the seven churches gives us some of the characteristics of Christ. You put all of that together and you have many of the characteristics of Christ. I mean, by that, the greeting or the heading for each one of the messages to the seven churches. These things says He that holds the seven stars in His right hand, which are the seven churches, who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, which are the seven churches, the seven stars of seven angels, and the golden candlesticks of seven churches. I didn't say it correctly at first. I know your works and your labor and your patience, and how you have tried, and how you have seized not, I'm sorry, now I see it, and how you cannot bear them which are evil, and you have tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars.

We've been through that. And have borne and have patience for my name's sake, and have labored and have not fainted. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against you because you have left your first love. And people talk about the flash of love that is there. Love of the truth. Drive hundreds of miles. Do all kinds of things. Be at church services. Go to the feast. Whatever else. And you do have that first love. Of course, as time goes by and for 100 years we're saying the gun lamp is here, the end is near. Hold on.

God wants us to hold on whether we have one day, one year, or a thousand years. This is our time right now. There's something to the first love, but there's more because it says, remember therefore from which you are fallen and repent and do the first works. What are the first works? Do you receive God's Spirit? You repent. You exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ. You're baptized. You receive the Holy Spirit. You're reconciled to God, to each member of the body of Christ. And you try to live peacefully with all men. Do the first works. Or else, how serious is it, I will come unto you quickly and will remove your candlestick out of its place except you repent. But this you have that which but this you have that you hate the deeds of the Nicolae Iatans, which I also hate. Apparently, the Nicolae Iatans taught that the more sin, greater God's grace, you repent of the sin, and God gives you more grace than that so-called glorifies God. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, to him that overcomes will I give the eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God. What are the first works? Well, the two great commandments are to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul. And the second is like unto it, love your neighbor as yourself. Now look at Matthew 23, 23. I am convinced that the first works and perhaps the most neglected are the first works. This is what we're about to show right here in Matthew 23 and verse 23. So you have to be reconciled to God. You have to be reconciled to each other. If any man says that he loves God and loves not his neighbor, he's a liar. You cannot love God and not love your neighbor. And conversely, you must love God and love your neighbor. One, you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites, where you pay tithe the men, anise, and coming, have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith. These things ought you up to done and not to leave the other undone. What does that mean?

I know some people can or will defend the Sabbath and hold a grudge against their neighbor. See, what this means is how do you exercise judgment, mercy, and faith? What are these? They are the weightier matters of the law. How do we judge? We judge righteous judgment based on the Word of God.

So when will you come before God? We exercise judgment, mercy, and faith on the road to conversion when we come before God and say, I have sinned. Forgive me of my sins. God says I will extend you mercy. Now go walk in faith. The same thing with our neighbor. If there is a dispute, or if you think someone has ought against you, go be reconciled to your neighbor. And say, I understand this or that. What has happened? Judgment is made. You talk it out. Then you say, I forgive you. Both should say I forgive you. Mercy is extended. You go and walk in peace together. See from the book of Genesis where Cain and Abel in their dispute, Cain killed Abel. Cain's retort was, to my my brother's keeper. And the resounding answer from Genesis' revelation is, yes, you are. See, one of the great weaknesses of all times for the people of God is when something occurs to tell somebody else rather than the person that you're really talking about. Judgment, mercy, and faith. Repent and do the first works.

Be reconciled to God. Be reconciled to the one another. Brother, I hope that we will respond to what we have said here today. Once again, it's been a great pleasure to be with you. God has issued to us a calling. God has invested Himself in each one of us.

Will you treat that which is holy and sacred as profane? I hope not. As we have noted, He has committed the great pearl of great Christ and sacred trust with you. We are partakers of the heavenly calling. We must not let these things slip. We must not treat the sacred as profane.

We must make our calling and election sure. Now let's note one final Scripture. Hebrews 10 in v. 35. 10.35 through 39. Hebrews. Great admonition. A great way to close with this admonition from the inspired Word of God. Hebrews 10 in v. 35. Cast not away therefore your confidence which has great recompense of reward. For you have need of patience that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come and will not wait or tarry. Now the judge shall live by faith. Believe God. Do what he says. But if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But you are not of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Brethren, today and every day, let us pray. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as in heaven.