What Is Most Important in God's Eyes

Some of you have paid a dear price to be here. Many families and individuals are undergoing severe trials. And trials separate the wheat from the chaff, sheep from the goats, and they make manifest what foundation our faith is based on. Is it based on the sure foundation? And do we have that sure hope that you heard about in the Sermonette? On behalf of the Council of Elders, the administration, Home Office, Home Office workers, the ministry around the world, we want to thank all of you for your great faithfulness, all the great sacrifices that you have made in spite of the economic situation in the nation, and many other factors.

This past fiscal year, we had a tremendous increase. I would call it a tremendous God's great blessing with regard to income in the church, closing at about 8% or so above that which was budgeted. And so far this year, it has basically remained the same. So here we are. We have made it through another year of the sacred calendar. You've been presented with a number of opportunities to grow, to overcome during this past year.

If you were not as successful as you hoped you would be in the spiritual sense, you have the opportunity to start right here and now, reaffirming your commitment and determination to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Many of the events of the Olivet Prophecy are coming to pass.

In view of these events, Luke writes, and this is Luke 21 verse 28, and when these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your attention draws nigh. Now, if you look at the world news, and we'll look at a few things that are going on in the world today, you might say, well, it's not the time for great rejoicing and joy, or time to lift up your heads, but here Luke writes, once again, this is Luke 21 and 28, lift up your heads for your redemption draws nigh. The social fabric of our nation continues to unravel. We're not only slouching toward Sodom and Gomorrah, but we are now wallowing in Sodom and Gomorrah.

The cesspools of moral depravity are upon us. Every institution on the face of the earth is social, economic, political, and religious, that is supposed to promote the common good, and the general welfare and security of the people has basically been disgraced and failed in one way or another. Spiritually, all the zealots are on the wrong side. ISIS, the Taliban, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, and you can name others. Intellectually, there is a dumbing down of the population. People do not know who to trust or where to look for hope and security. Couple this with all the mind-boggling geopolitical events and natural disasters that have taken place in the past year.

You can readily discern that these are the most critical, crucial times in human history. We are in a great transitional period in human history. These are critical, crucial times. These are not tough times. It is surprising how normal in one sense that we still are. It is mainly because if you do have that sense of normalcy, it is because you do know so many things that the world doesn't know and are able to continue, even in the face of all the things that are going on. We are led to believe that we are living in the time of enlightenment, that science will soon discover the cure for all diseases, that you will live to be 100 at least.

And of course, some are now talking about living for hundreds of years. And one of the things that is frightful to me is that they are now trying to merge human intelligence and consciousness with robots. In fact, they already have robots prepared to go into battle on the battlefield. And robots are beginning to play a role in many aspects. And this field is broadly called artificial intelligence. And it is very frightful to think about the thing of merging human consciousness and brain activity with machines, with robots. They're saying that the Pentagon and some of the scientific research facilities want to plant some kind of artificial intelligence within the brains of soldiers of the 4,500,000 soldiers that have gone to Afghanistan, Iraq, and other recent wars.

300,000 of those have severe post-traumatic syndrome, and they are committing suicide by the scores every week or so. And they say maybe they'll be able to do something with the brain that will allow them to be able to cope with a battlefield and what they face after being exposed to what they are on the battlefield. I mean, it is really something that's unbelievable.

But in spite of the so-called scientific advancements, the human misery index around the world increases every day. And we don't even begin to realize the blessings that we have been given in a time like this. Here's a bit of a sampling of what the world's 7 billion plus people are facing. Let's take a look at some of the more challenging problems that the people of the world are facing at this critical time. One billion people have no access to clean and safe water. I think the actual number is higher than that. 2.6 billion lack toilet facilities.

What if you were in the line of those refugees who are marching there from various places in Eastern Europe hoping to get to Germany or France and maybe the UK or eventually to the USA? 4,000 children die every day from diarrhea, a waterborne disease. 1,400 women a day die needlessly in pregnancy or childbirth. One in 30 or so Americans are imprisoned or have been in prison in their lifetime. We have more people in prison than any nation on the face of the earth. War rages in many countries and scores of people are dying every day. Millions of people have fled from Syria and other parts of the war torn the Middle East. The Pope comes to America and talks about America doing more, Europe doing more to help the refugees, and yet they don't talk. Why are they fleeing? They're fleeing because of senseless, needless wars and the struggle for power and supremacy. Behind this, really, it is spiritual warfare because those who are leading the warfare, ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the various other groups have a religious bent. We live in paradoxical times. On the one hand, we hear of new medical breakthroughs almost every day. On the other hand, more and more people cannot afford health care, even in the nations where it is available. I would not dare ask you raise your hand if you don't have health care because it is almost out of reach of what we used to call middle-class America. A couple of others with upset weather conditions that the world faces, and we see an ever-increasing rise in the human misery index. Several news reports describe the devastating droughts in the United States, which continue in California and parts of Texas, and a lot of other parts of the world as well.

More and more money is being poured into what is called the defense budget. All nations are scrambling to beat their plowshares and the swords, opposite from the special music department. First, the first song that you heard, let's turn to Joel chapter 3. This is a vivid description of what the nations are doing at the present time. It's Hosea Joel. In Joel chapter 3, more and more we see that the nations are scrambling for armaments, just as it says right here, regardless of the size of the nation.

Joel 3 verse 9, proclaiming this among the nations, prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears, let the weak say, I am strong. So that's where the world is today, preparing, as it were, eventually for gathering all nations, to fight against returning Jesus Christ, to battle the great day of God Almighty. They gathered at a place called Armageddon, but the battle is actually called the battle the great day of God Almighty. When God destroyed the world in Noah's day with a flood, only God had the power to destroy human life from off the planet. Now humankind has the power to destroy itself, himself, themselves, many times over. Did you ever think about that? At one point, only God had the power to destroy life from the planet. Now humankind has this power. In my view, the only thing restraining this, that is all-out warfare and destruction, of course, the nations, since the two bombs were dropped at the end of World War II in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world entered into what was called MAD, or Mutually Assured Destruction. Let's look at Matthew 24, verse 23, the Olivet Prophecy. Many of these events, as we were mentioning here, are coming to pass.

So this restraining power that God is holding back events before the great and terrible day of the Lord. Of course, you didn't see it last night, but the blood moon has come and gone. The world is still here. I'm sure we've had some people in the church caught up in this, and millions of dollars have been made by the, I call them gospel hucksters out there, praying off people. See, the blood moon, or the harvest moon, as you heard about last night, is a naturally reoccurring phenomenon based on the movements of the heavenly bodies, and eight such harvest moons are projected for the 21st century. But when God intervenes, it won't be based on naturally occurring events and the astronomical movement of planets and heavenly bodies. God is going to directly intervene, and He will be the one.

The sun becomes black as sackcloth and hair, and the moon becomes His blood. In Matthew 24 and verse 23, Jesus Christ is speaking, He's answering the question, What shall be the sign of your coming in the end of the age? In Matthew 24 and verse 23, Then if any man shall see unto you, lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not, for there shall arise false Christ and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders insomuch that it were possible they shall deceive the very elect. Of course, you could read 2 Thessalonians 2, where this one who sits in the temple saying that he is God, performs signs, wonders, miracles, deceives the world into believing that he is God. They're talking about now being able to produce holograms in the heavens to give the impression of various things in which you have a virtual reality set up with regard to things that really aren't happening, but if you didn't know it, you would think that it was happening because it will seem so real. So look at this. Shall show great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. And we could all ask ourselves this afternoon, are we the very elect? Look at Revelation 13. How vast will be the deception? You look at Revelation 13 in verse 8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Everybody whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life will be deceived. And of course, the love of the truth is a great anecdote for not being deceived. It is evident from the words of Jesus Christ that when these things begin to unfold, that reports will abound that Christ has come. There will be signs, wonders, and miracles.

And everybody whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life will be deceived. Satan has surely increased his activity on all fronts. Evil is called good. Good evil.

And no one is really standing in a gap on the world scene. About the best they can do is Pope Francis. For example, Pope Francis' visit to the White House on Yom Kippur on the day of atonement was designed to give the President what he craves, the appearance of a moral high ground. I've got the greatest religious figure on the face of the earth who is here. I don't know if you saw any of the ceremony there on the White House lawn on the day of atonement. They replayed that several times. And then the Pope went through various places. Throngs gathered. Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York. And people were there just like in a worshipful kind of attitude. Sort of like, just let me, and one little girl was in effect saying that, just let me touch the hymn of his garment, and I will be healed.

The Word of God clearly condemns many of the issues on the agenda of world leaders. Carl Gallups, the author of two books about end times, said the Pope's visit to the White House, when she is especially, significant, given its scheduling along in advance, giving the scheduling of it long in advance on the day of atonement. They knew what they were doing.

Even the secularUSNews.com reported, quote, that the meeting was arranged to give Obama a sense of moral authority to his agenda of global warming, immigration, the Iran nuclear deal, and other controversial issues. He went on to say, quote, in a way, Pope Francis has become a conscience for this age of the world. Today he addressed, and that was when they were writing this, today he addressed the joint session of the UN, and so did Putin. That is, today.

I didn't read that clearly, but anyhow, today President Obama and President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, are addressing the UN. Other world leaders as well, the president of Iran, Rouhani, he also addressed the UN today. For Obama, the visit offered a chance to imbue his remaining goals with a sense of moral authority as he approaches the end of his presidency. For all their differences, the president and the pope have several things in common, shared interests, radical climate change agenda, desire for redistribution of the world's wealth, a passionate advocacy for the Palestinian statehood. But of course, this so-called moral authority is not from God. It is, at best, a man-made authority and a man-made perception. The irony of so much of this is the fact that it is done in the name of freedom.

We know what we've already mentioned, what Isaiah cries in Isaiah chapter 5, woe to those who call evil good and good evil. Let's go now to Joel again to chapter 2. Joel chapter 2. So we have seen here a bit of the world situation of where the world is. This is just sort of the tip of the iceberg.

And of course, people even who are not, quote, religious, are very concerned about what is happening in this world. In Joel chapter 2, blur with trumpet and Zion. Now, Zion is a geographical place, location in the environs of Jerusalem just southwest of the Temple Mount.

It's also called the City of David. But symbolically, if you hold your place here, we're coming right back to this verse. I want to look at Hebrews 12. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 21. The book of Hebrews, and here's how you can learn a few things along at the feast, just some of these comments that are sort of fillers in one sense, you might say. But the book of Hebrews compares and contrasts elements of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. The Old Covenant had a priesthood, a rabbinical priesthood, the New Covenant priesthood of Melchizedek. The Old Covenant had sacrifices. Today it's a sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant had promises, physical blessings. The New Covenant has a promise of eternal life. The Old Covenant had a temple. Today the temple is the Church of God. And Paul brings all of this out and much more in Hebrews. Now look here at Hebrews 12.21. And so, terrible was the scythe that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake that was talking about their gathering there at Mount Sinai just before God thundered the Ten Commandments from there. Now, in contrast to them being gathered at Sinai, you are come unto Mount Zion. And we'll see that Mount Zion symbolically represents the Church. You're coming to Mount Zion to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels to the general assembly and church of the firstborn. So Zion symbolizes the Church which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirit of just men made perfect.

So we go back to Joel 2, blow you the trumpet in Zion, in the Church of God, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord comes, for it is nigh at hand.

And so that is one of the things that God is saying to the Church. Blow you the trumpet in Zion. Lift up your voice. Look at Isaiah. Isaiah 58. Isaiah has so much about the end times and about the millennium emerging from this present evil age and to the millennium.

And notice this very similar to Joel 2.1. And remember what Zion symbolizes. And the trumpet symbolizes the human voice. God speaks through human beings. God raised up the church. And God raised up a ministry. And He raised up members. And we're all members, one of another. We're joined together by God's Holy Spirit. The same essence is in God and Christ is in each one of us. Cry aloud, spare not, Isaiah 58.1. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet and show my people their transgressions in the house of Jacob their sins.

One author described the hallmark of this so-called postmodern era as the age of toleration. And of course, that's what we're hearing. The age of toleration. No moral judgments are to be made. There is one law of the land today, and that law of the land today is you shall not be intolerant.

All lifestyles, moral codes are to be tolerated and appreciated for their diversity.

And many are falling for the lie that in diversity there is strength. Now, the Bible says a house divided against itself cannot stand. Then ironically, we turn around and state that we need a great leader who will unite us all. And of course, that's what the Pope has tried to do. And eventually the world will be deceived into worshiping the beast, the false prophet in that system. And everyone whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life will be deceived. So, let me say this again. Ironically, they say we need a great leader who will unite us.

And by that they mean we need a leader who melds together people regardless of their moral code.

This is being done in the name of toleration, human rights, peace, and love, oftentimes misapplying Scripture in an attempt to take the moral high ground. Yes, God loves everybody, but the age-old axiom that God loves human beings, God loves the sinner, but hates the sin.

Oftentimes they misapply the Scripture. Diversity and unity are in opposition, especially when it comes to moral and spiritual values. You cannot unite people who hold deep-seated moral, spiritual, political, and religious ideologies that oppose each other at the very seat of their conscience. And this is conscience, the knowing within.

For example, the Bible states, you shall do no murder.

The Quran states that the infidel must be converted or killed.

How do you unite that diversity? The Bible says it is a shame and a sin for mankind to lie with mankind.

But yet we have those who are in office, and the Supreme Court of the land says that's okay. It is surely a time, as never before, to sign cry. Let's look at Ezekiel chapter 9. We're talking about those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life will not be deceived.

In the book of Revelation, of course, it talks about the mark of the beast. And on the other hand, there is the ceiling in the foreheads of the people of God.

And I don't want to get into all of it. Does this mean that? It means that? And all that stuff. Because I've never seen anybody could totally sort that out. But in Ezekiel chapter 9, verse 4, the Lord said unto him, well, we need to read verse 3, and the glory of the Lord of Israel was gone up from the carob, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with the linen, which had the rider's inkhorn in his hand. The Eternal said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry, for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

And so it surely is a time for this. That is to sigh and cry. It is a time to pray diligently, as in the model prayer, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

So let's ask ourselves today, what is the biblical definition of the kingdom of God?

Like so many of you, you could say, well, what is the biblical definition of sin? I would imagine over 50% here could say, well, it's 1 John 3, 4, sin is the transgression of the law. But what is the biblical definition of the kingdom of God?

Now, before we read that definition of the kingdom of God, biblical definition, you could be thinking about that.

What is the biblical definition of the kingdom of God? And what is the main theme of the millennial reign of Christ and the saints?

Let's look at a few things before we turn to that verse. See, oftentimes we focus on what the kingdom of God will be like in the physical sense.

We talk about the restoration of the earth. The environment will be healed. The land will be watered. Rain-induced season. The deserts will blossom like a rose. We talk about cessation of war. The nations will beat their swords in the plowshares. They'll learn war no more. We talk about being able to eat and drink in the kingdom of God. You'll be able to still enjoy a good state. The physical restoration of the earth and the pleasures that we will be able to enjoy in the kingdom of God are surely worthy of contemplation. But there's much, much more to the kingdom of God than the physical side of things. As the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2, 9, The eye is not seen, the ear is not heard, neither has it entered in the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him.

What are the things in your life that cause you the most grief, worry, and concern? Is it the environment?

Do you spend endless nights, apparently some of these, who they call them tree huggers, maybe they do. Is it your financial situation? I know that could cause a lot of worry and anxiety, especially in the times we live. Is it the food you eat? And as bleak as the world's scene is, as we have noted, is it the geopolitical situation that is extant in the world today that causes you the most grief, worry, anxiety, and concern? Is it the fact that you might be a victim of terrorism, even though all of these things can cause anxiety and worry? Are these the things that worry you most? Are these the things that break your heart?

I submit to you that the things that cause people the most grief, worry, and concern are those situations and circumstances that involve human relationships and ultimately our relationship with God.

These are the things which wrinkle, crack, and break the heart. Let's look at Proverbs 17, verse 22, back a few pages here from Ezekiel. In Proverbs 17 and verse 22, Proverbs 17, verse 22, A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.

Also, let's notice there in chapter 18, chapter 18, verse 14, The Spirit of man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear. Then you go back a page or two to chapter 16.

So, a wounded spirit, a broken heart, the ability to maintain your spirit. The two main reasons that are given in Deuteronomy for going to the pishar to rejoice before the eternal, it is a command, and to learn to fear God always.

So, you look at Proverbs 16, verse 32, He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and He that raises spirit than He that takes a city.

So, what are the things that really cause us to have sleepless nights? When the husband or wife announces that he or she wants a divorce.

When the son or daughter says they're on drugs.

When you learn that people are falsely accusing you.

When you learn that your best friend has betrayed you. When one of your children or all of your children says, I'm leaving the truths.

I'm not going to the Church of God anymore. When you learn and you fill in the blank of anything that has to do with human relationships. These are the things that wound the spirit and wring out the heart.

I think that most of us can say that our hearts have been wrung out so many times that it's bound to be wrinkled.

The weary hearts and emotions of humankind need to be restored. Yes, there are needs in the physical realm. The nations need to learn the way of peace. It will be refreshing to drink the fruit of the vine, the new in the kingdom of God. But more importantly, the hearts, the minds, the emotions of humankind need to be relieved of worry of anxiety, of fear, of guilt, of suffering, pain, and shame. So what is the Bible definition of the kingdom of God? Let's look at Romans chapter 14.

As far as I know, this is the only place that just says the kingdom of God is such and such.

In Romans chapter 14 and verse 17.

Romans 14 and verse 17. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink.

It is not those physical things. What is it? What is the kingdom of God? Righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Righteousness, peace, and joy.

Righteousness, all your commandments are righteousness.

It is safe to say that the Constitution of the kingdom of God will be based upon the immutable spiritual law of God. We're in Romans 14. Go back there to Romans 7. Romans 7 and verse 10. You know, I do not understand how people who read the Bible could ever possibly say that the law of God is that away with it. Now, here I'm quoting Psalm 19 verse 7, which says the law of God is perfect, converting the soul.

You can't improve on the law of God. It's perfect. That's what the psalmist writes, Psalm 19. Here, the apostle Paul writes in Romans 7 and verse 10, and the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death. Why? The wages of sin is death, and because of sin, he found the commandment to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me and it slew me. Wherefore, the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Was then that which was good made death unto me? God forbid! It wasn't the law, it wasn't the commandment, but sin, that it might appear sin, working death unto me, but that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual.

Are you going to do away with the spiritual? We know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. See, the law of God will be the basic constitution, as it were, of the kingdom of God. Now we go back to Isaiah chapter 2. These first four verses here are my favorite Feast of Tabernacles verses in the whole Bible here. In Isaiah chapter 2 verse 1, we sing in the hymn service there at the beginning, the mountain of the Lord. The special music focused on the mountain of the Lord. Isaiah chapter 2 verse 1. The word that Isaiah the son of Amos saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 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. Mountains represent nations, hills, smaller nations. And all nations shall flow unto it to the mountain of the Lord. Where is it? And many of the people shall go and say, Come, let us go unto the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob, for He will teach us His ways and we will walk in His paths.

You learn to fear God always, to learn of His ways, for out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of God from Jerusalem. And the Bible study on Friday evening, I'm going to pursue a lot more in depth about Zion and the importance of Zion in Scripture. And of course, we have some of that we've already covered here today. And He shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war anymore. What's going to go forth from Zion and Jerusalem? For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, a parallelism, as much of Isaiah has written in that poetic form of parallelisms.

The kingdom of God, righteousness, peace, and joy. There's not much joy in the world today. This is also true among many members of the body of Christ, the Church of God. It seems that in a lot of cases, joy has been rung out of our beings. See, joy stems from righteousness. When the righteous rule, there is joy. That's what it says in Proverbs 29 too. When the righteous rule, there is joy. We don't have much righteous leadership in the world today.

Now, in the world tomorrow, if you're there, you'll be a king and a priest, and you will be righteousness, and righteousness will reign. Now, of course, with regard to peace, there are two kinds of peace that the Bible speaks of. One is the peace with God. You make peace with God when you repent and exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ for a remission of sins. And then, the peace of God is when you continue to go on to perfection. If you would turn to Philippians 4, as you go on to perfection, you're not laying again, as Paul talks about in Hebrews 6, the foundation, the elementary foundation of repentance, faith toward God, baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection and judgment. But you're going on to perfection. You've made peace with God. You have gone into the watery grave of baptism. You have said, I'm burying the old man. I'm being raised to do this of life from henceforth. I will serve the living God. I will put on the whole armor of God. You know what it says about this armor above all things, taking the shield of faith, whereby you'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan. How is that so? Because if you know and know, you know that no matter what happens, God will deliver you. Then the darts of Satan fall harmoniously at your feet.

Get behind me, Satan, because it is written, you shall worship the Eternal, your God, and only shall you serve or worship. In Ephesians 4, I turn to Ephesians 4 and 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. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. And see if you're able to do these things. In the view of the trials, troubles, difficulties you have on, the whole armor of God, you have exercised repentance, faith, you've been baptized, you've buried the old man, you're raised in the newness of life. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. To have that kind of peace, to have that kind of understanding, it's just like a way you just lift it off your shoulders and it just falls to the ground, sort of just like taking off a robe and it falls. Come and learn of me because my yoke is easy, my burden is light.

You can make it. You can make it. And one of the big parts of that has to do with offering up spiritual sacrifices, the fruit of your lips, this thanksgiving that is talked about here. So in the kingdom of God, the focus is going to be spiritual. As I've already noted, it is the things of the heart, the mind, and emotions that cause us the most grief, worry, anxiety, pain, and suffering. The things of the heart, mind, and emotions are the things that we agonize over. These are the things that keep us up, that wake us up, and we get up because we can't go back to sleep in the wee hours in the morning. In today's world, we're talking a lot about purpose, about goals, mission statements. To a large degree, these do help us in charting the course and serving to give us direction. After Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist, he went back to Nazareth to his hometown, and he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he went to the scrolls. Let's turn to Luke 4, verse 16. Here we'll see what I was just talking about of Jesus Christ going back to Nazareth, and going and picking up the scrolls to read. Luke 4, verse 16.

And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it is written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel of the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recurring of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it back to the minister, and sat down. Christ did not mention the geopolitical situation, the environmental situation, or any other physical condition. Christ came to relieve the heart and mind and emotional condition of humankind. The healing of other conditions will stem from the healing of the human condition, not the other way around. The spiritual order comes first.

God has called us to live under the Constitution of the Kingdom of God now. He has called us to righteousness, to peace, and joy now. So it seems that our focus should be on these noble spiritual qualities now. Now, what we're about to say now recaptures to some degree the way people approach things in the past. Hopefully we can learn from the past, and we will go forward. So many people in the past would come to the feast in anticipation of hearing some new thing about prophecy. What do the ministers think, or especially in the days of Mr. Armstrong? What does he think about the times in which we're living? Well, we've mentioned some of this.

I guess you could call it the itching-ear syndrome. I want to know something that the world doesn't know about. Nearly all of us, to one degree or another, have been on a knowledge trip versus a conversion trip.

The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 8.1 that knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies. We'll talk a little bit more about charity in just a moment. For a long time, members thought that some knowledge of future events would somehow ensure their entrance in the kingdom of God.

The church thought they had a corner on the market when it comes to understanding prophecy in some ways it does. Back in the long of 81-82 or something like that, there was a big event at Liberty University in which they were going from a college status to university, and in the Southern Association, they sent out invitations to the various presidents and deans of the colleges in that association in 11 states to come and help join in with the celebration. There was Senator Warner and Falwell and all of them giving speeches. And after it was over, I didn't dress in the academic regalia that day. But anyhow, as it turned out, as Wanda and I walked up the hall after the ceremony, we came. There he was. He was by himself. I don't know why. There stood Jerry Falwell. And we walked up and shook hands and said, well, where are you from? Well, Ambassador Caud. Oh, Herbert Armstrong! I mean, he has a wonderful ministry of prophecy. You know, just a little chit-chat. So we were known even in those kind of circles for our talk about prophecy. I did a Google search using the term Revive Roman Empire. It turned up 99,000 hits. I did a Bing search. It turned up 476,000 hits. I did a Google search on the words Pope, False Prophet. It turned up 139,000 hits. I did a Bing search. It returned 564,000 hits. I did a search on EUS Beasts to receive 2,780,000 hits. Now, all of these hits were not prophetically oriented, but most were. The point is that just about every Christian denomination on the face of the earth is writing about end times, and many of them in greater detail than we are. On the other hand, there is this fear-mongering kind of thing, as in the case of the blood moons and that kind of thing. People don't know which way to turn. They're filled with anxiety and wonderment. The five major religions on the face of the earth are looking for a great messianic deliverer to come on the world scene and usher in an age of peace and prosperity. Buddhists are looking for a new Buddha. Some say fifth Buddha. The Hindus are looking for Krishna. The Islamic world is looking for the 12th Imam. The New Agers are looking for Maitreya. The Jews are looking for the coming of the Messiah the first time, which would be a pseudo-Messiah. The Christian world is looking for the second coming of Christ.

But do you know what the Church of God understands? That the other churches do not understand.

It's really not in this arena of prophecy, though I would say we have more understanding than they do. But it is the answers to the great questions of life. Who is God? What is God? And what is His purpose? And the corollary to that concerning man. Who is man? What is man? And what is His purpose? In short, we know why God created us. We know why we were born. And we know how we can reach our glorious human potential. We were born for a great transcendental purpose that transcends our infinite minds. I mean, our finite minds. We understand the plan through which God fulfills His great purpose for humanity. So, brethren, we are here to understand the answers to the great questions of life. We are here to learn the more excellent way. And if you learn nothing else at this feast other than this, the more excellent way. Turn to 1 Corinthians 13, please. 1 Corinthians 13. I have been saying this at the feast now for probably, I don't know, eight years, ten years, or whatever. Continually in sermons in local areas. 1 Corinthians 13. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about spiritual gifts, desiring the best gifts. And then, look at the close of 1 Corinthians 12.

But covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet I show unto you a more excellent way. What is that more excellent way? Here it is. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity. Agape, spiritual love. God is love. We could easily say, if God is love, though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and am not becoming as God is, God is love, have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. See, God is more interested in what we are becoming than what we know or understand or are doing.

Of course, in becoming as God wants us to be, and becoming as God is, of course, requires a certain threshold of knowledge. But, look at this. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, oh, I know exactly when Christ is going to come. I know the identity of the beast. I know He's while all the nations that have been involved. I know this and I know that. And, I mean, will that save you? As though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains. What if you had faith you could dry up the Gulf of Mexico?

Maybe you could make it clear here in Galveston.

And have not charity. If I'm not becoming as God is, I am nothing.

See, this is the sobering fact of Scripture and where the rubber meets the road, as it were. 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'm not becoming as God is, God is love, and we're to become perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect, become you therefore perfect, and have not charity, it profits me nothing. See, we get into the form versus substance. God is more interested in our spiritual substance, what we're becoming. All other things are secondary to that.

If you do not understand the purpose and plan of God, the rest is of little value. And if you're not making strides toward becoming as God is, that knowledge will not save you. I believe that God has shown us a lot of things in the past 25 years, but have the lessons gone right over our heads. He has shown us that you or I cannot make it into the kingdom by following a man.

He has shown us that salvation is an individual and personal responsibility. Yes, the church is there and the church is necessary, but we're standing each one of us daily before the judgment seat of Christ.

He has tried to show us that we individually and personally stand before the judgment seat of Christ on a daily basis. He has tried to show us that we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling. He's tried to show us that we must search the Scriptures daily whether these things be true. The inward man has to be renewed daily. The psalmist writes, Your word of a hidden in mind heart that I might not sin against you. That's Psalm 119 verses 9 through 11.

He's tried to show us that Christianity is far more important than churchianity.

Instead of heeding the lessons, many look for excuses and quit and say, if that's the way the church is, I don't want anything to do with it. It's sort of the way the people I know have gone.

But no matter what any man does or says, it does not change one word in the Bible. It does not change one word of truth.

And the tragic truth is that for so many, not only do they leave churchianity, they leave God.

But one of the greatest weaknesses that we've had is learning to do what we know to do.

Probably the greatest weakness of all of us is to close that gap between what we know and what we do. Like James Wright and James 1.22, be you doers of the word and not hearers only.

So, brethren, here we are at the feast, Galveston, 2015.

And the question is, are we going to go forward? Will we stir up the spirit that is within us? Will we fill our lands with oil?

Will we become living sacrifices? Will we really take heed according to the Word of God?

Or will we continue, as Israel has done to this very day, to have a form of righteousness by denying the power thereof? The power thereof is to become as God is. God is love.

There's an interesting prophecy in Habakkuk. You probably haven't turned there today. Let's turn there. Habakkuk chapter 3, maybe we can find it some way.

Habakkuk 3, it talks about that God is going to renew a work and do a work in the end days, the end times. And the question is, are we going to be a part of that? In Habakkuk 3.1, a prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet of Sigonoth, O Lord, I have heard your speech and was afraid. O eternal, revive your work in the midst of the years, and the midst of the years, make known in wrath, remember mercy. And so the question is, will we revive? Are we going to go forward? Will we stir up the Spirit that is within us?

God used John the Baptist, and John did no miracle. God used Apollos, who didn't even have the Holy Spirit, until Paul came along, or he came along and met Paul. God used the Deacon Philip Miterly to preach the Gospel after the Church was scattered because of persecution. God used the young woman Esther, who was maybe 20 years of age, to save her people.

I therefore submit he can use you. We have the opportunity to be a light, to be the salt of the earth, to turn our hearts to the children so their hearts can be turned to God. We can be turned on, be zealous for the Word of God and His way of life.

We can begin in our own homes to teach God's truth to our children. We can begin to exercise judgment, mercy, and faith in our interaction with one another.

We can put away envy, strife, and jealousy. We can heed the message without judging the messenger. We can learn to discern between good and evil. We can be a source of encouragement to others. We can make a difference in our homes, neighborhoods, and our workplaces. We can be ambassadors for Christ. We can be filled with hope, with a big picture burning brightly in our minds of the Kingdom of God. We can put on the whole armor of God, and especially the shield of faith. We can overcome Satan the devil.

We can become new creations in Christ. We can exemplify the righteousness of God. All of this and more can be done regardless of the governmental system or the definitions that people might give. In short, we can do what God has called us to do.

As it has been my custom for years, either on opening night or the first holy day sermon, whichever one I have or both, I read my little poem that I wrote. Just fit it to the year that we're in. So we'll close with this. We're at the feast in 2015 to learn to fear God and rejoice, leaving the cares of this world scene to praise Him with one voice. We're going to worship the eternal King who feeds the sheep of His flock, our sacrifices and thanks and offerings we bring as we drink of the living rock. We're going here to hear the Word of God so we can relieve the world of sorrow. With the gospel of peace, we're thoroughly shod as we experience a foretaste of the wonderful world tomorrow. So come, let us be glad and rejoice and let our hearts soar as we enjoy the good things of our choice. Let us remember that we are Christ ambassadors.

Thank you very much, Dr. Ward. Just a few reminder announcements as you're putting your things away, brethren. Services tomorrow, 10.30 a.m. There will be a teen hospitality and singles young adults. Hospitality starting at 9 o'clock downstairs. The same rooms where they were today. Please come on by and remember the teen activity will be tomorrow at 1 o'clock. And that is free. The teen activity tomorrow at 1 o'clock. And see your festival brochure for more details on that. After the last hymn, we'll be led in the closing prayer by an elder from the great state of Mississippi, Mr. Greg Musgrove. Brethren, we have one last opportunity today to sing praises to God. As a congregation, let's all stand. Sing song number 32, Save me, O God, by thy great name. Taken from Psalm 54, song 32. Let's really sing out. Save me, O God, by thy great name. And judge me by thy spray. My prayer here and to thy words, O God, give ear to me. For they that strangers are to me do up against me rise. Oppressers who cannot foregod but seek to take my life.

The mighty God, my Helveris, though therefore I am bold. He taken part with everyone that dug my soul up whole. To all my watchful foes he held their evil deeds repaired. All for thy truths they cut them off and take them all away. A free will all bring I to indeed will bring him sacrifice. Lord of thy name, for it is good thy praises will I sing, because ye have delivered me. And his desire my nigh hath seen upon my enemies. Mr. Musgrove.

Our great eternal God, our Father of mercy and of hope, Father, Father, we just come before you, just thanking you for allowing us to come here to worship you on your piece of tabernacles. Father, we thank you for your messages today, Father, and we know that we do have hope in salvation, Father, and we know that because of your word. And, Father, we know that your word is truth. Father, we come before you now to physically rejoice and celebrate this feast of tabernacles. We ask that you would help direct our minds to the spiritual aspect, Father, the fulfillment of this feast and the millennial reign of peace on this earth. And, Father, help us have a spiritual outlook to your kingdom. Father, we ask that you would just bless us all now as we go about to bless our meal that we will eat this evening. And, Father, help us to rest and to be able to focus on the spiritual part of your kingdom. Father, bring us all back tomorrow to be able to be ready to hear more of your word expounded. We thank you for your many blessings. We ask this of you. We thank you for it in the name of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.