Where Is God in All of This?

The title of the sermon today has several possibilities. Do the right thing, or we might call it, where's God in all of this? Another possible, which side is God on? Does God have a side? The great rhetorical question of Malachi is found in Malachi 2.17. If you would turn to Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament. Malachi was the last prophet on the scene somewhere circa 420 BC.

He prophesied that John the Baptist would come, that Christ would come. He also talked about the church in the last days. The book of Malachi is a monologue written in the form of a dialogue. A monologue is where one person does the talking. A dialogue, of course, is between two. In Malachi, Malachi is like the spokesperson for God, who gives both sides of the conversation.

God's side and that of the people. The great rhetorical question in Malachi is found in Malachi 2.17. The first two chapters of Malachi, Malachi has told the people, and of course God is the one doing the talking, what they have done. And so we come down to this great rhetorical question, Malachi 2.17. You have weared the Lord with your word, yet you say, wherein have we wearied Him? When you say, everyone that does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them. Or, where is the God of judgment? Where is God in all of this? When is God going to step in?

When is God going to take care of all the problems of the world? When is God and Christ, the head of the church, going to take care of all the problems that we see in the church and everywhere else? Well, the first few verses there of chapter 3, the prophet tells us of some things that are going to happen.

Behold, I will send my messenger, he shall prepare the way before me. That was John the Baptist. You could read the first two or three verses of Mark chapter 1, where it talks about a prophecy of one coming, preparing the way before Christ. And the Lord, whom you shall suddenly seek, and that is Jesus Christ, shall come to His temple. Even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in, behold, he shall come, says the Lord of hosts.

So you want judgment. Well, those two came, that is John the Baptist, preparing the way for Christ. And then also Jesus Christ, the messenger of the covenant, who is the mediator also of the new covenant. In verses 2 through 5, some of the work of those messengers are presented there. But then the specific answer to the question of where is the God of judgment? Verse 6, For I am the Eternal, I change not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob are not consumed. So where is God in all of this? God's where He's always been. He is in the heavens.

He is the sovereign. He is King of all the universe. All glory to Him belongs. And He is the one that will eventually execute judgment. But if any of us just received judgment and not mercy, none of us would be able to stand before the living God. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All of us need to repent. All of us need to get our focus on God and Christ and the Word of God as never before in all of our lives. We are in critical, crucial times. We're living in tough, transitional times. We're living in trebleous and trying times.

In times like these, God is looking for those who think on His name and seek His will and His face. Seeking the face of God, not Facebook, not My page, Facebook or YouTube or anything like that to post some silly message. To seek the face of God. Notice what He says in verse 13. Your words have been stout against Me, says the Eternal.

Basically what Judah and Israel had said is basically God's not fair. Because we have done this, that and the other and yet look at our state. Because Israel, the northern ten tribes, had long ago gone into captivity and many of them had not returned. Judah had gone into captivity and Babylon for some 70 years had returned. But now they were in a sad state of affairs. And so God says, your words have been stout against Me, says the Lord.

Yet you say, what have we spoken so much against you? You have said, now they didn't say this verbally. They didn't go around and say, well, God is not fair. Or where is the God of Judgment? It is through their actions.

It is through their attitude. It is through their heart. Yet you have said, it is vain to serve God. And what profit is it that we have kept His ordinances and we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? And now we call the proud happy, yes, they that work wickedness are set up. Yes, they that tempt God are even delivered. So at times it seems like God lets things go and He doesn't do anything about it. We become very concerned, in some cases upset to our detriment.

But where is the God of Judgment? Once again, He is where He has always been. He is on His throne. He is the sovereign of the universe. All glory to Him, a scribe. Every word of that song that we just sang. And now we call the proud happy, yes, they that work wickedness are set up. Verse 16, Then they that feared the Eternal, then, when then? When that's going on. Then they that feared the Eternal spoke off to one another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and the book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name.

See, this is what God wants us to do in periods in which it's like all is lost, and where is the God of Judgment, and so on and so forth. And they shall be Mine. Who? These in verse 16. They shall be Mine. Says the Eternal of Hosts, In that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spares his own Son that serves him. Then, when then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not?

See, God is always sifting out the hearts of men before His Judgment Seat, and we are standing daily before the Judgment Seat of Christ. And we're going to have to give an account, each one of us individually and specific, for ourselves. You know, we go around stating that Christ is the head of the church. He will take care of things. Of course, He is the head of the church. And eventually, God does take care of things, as we read here in verse 18.

But of course, God is looking to us to provide leadership, to set an example, to be a pillar, to be a rock, to be an anchor for those who may be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine that is out there, whereby cunning men lie in wait to deceive. Are we anchored? Are we set? Are we thoroughly founded on the rock? There will be some. There will be some. It may be few. You know, it says, When the Son of Man returns, shall He find the faith on the earth?

There will be some who will think on His name, and they'll get it right. And one of the problems with the members of the Church of God today is that they have heard that we're living in the last days. I mean, that call has been going out when Mr. Armstrong started on the radio back in the early 30s. Jesus Christ started that call in His ministry 2,000 years ago.

Repent you, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Well, the kingdom of heaven has not yet come, but that doesn't matter with regard to us and what our lifetime is all about. We only have a short period of time here on this earth. And for many of us, we know that life's evening sun is sinking low a few more days, and we must go. The fields are white to harvest. The laborers are few. Pray that God will send laborers into the field. We have a work to do.

We have a work to do. But you see, when people have heard something for now 80 years, they become annured. It's sort of like the story of the little boy who was out watching the sheep, and he just wanted to see if help would come if he cried, Wolf, Wolf! Well, he cried, Wolf, Wolf! And all the neighbors came running to help him. He said, I just want to see if you would come.

Then he did it a couple of more times. Then, one day the wolf did come, and he cried, Wolf, Wolf! And nobody came. See, you can become, and you were hardened to the point that you don't respond. So we have heard over and over, we're living in the last days, things are going to get worse and worse. But yet, we're still here, and there seems to be a modicum of normalcy, as they might say. However, I heard on the news that the war still rages in Afghanistan.

A suicide bomber killed dozens of people in Iraq this week. I heard that civil unrest continues in Thailand, where several have been killed. I heard that China has got some kind of crazed killing, sort of like a copycat killing going on in kindergartens, where a guy goes into a kindergarten with a machete, and he literally hacks to death, chops to death, the children. Some as young as three years old.

So they have got like an epidemic of mass murder with a machete in kindergarten. I heard that North Korea is on the verge of greater nuclear capability. I heard that Israel is making plans to attack Iran. I heard that the president of Russia visited the president of Syria, thereby giving him moral support. I heard that Turkey and Brazil are going to Tehran to meet with Ahmadinejad, to try to bridge the gaps, as it were, between the two hemispheres, and to stop the monolithic leadership of the United States.

I heard that there were home invasions in North Houston during the past week or so. I heard that a teacher beat up a child in one of the classrooms in Houston. I heard that a UT Austin group of atheists are offering a Playboy magazine, if you will come by and turn in your Bible. I heard that a playboy magazine for a Bible. I heard and I saw that a group of 8-year-old girls performed a dance routine that would make grandma blush.

Well, if parents have no problem with that, you just have to consider it's just part of the contest. You've got to put it in its environment. You know, we could go on and on with what we heard. So what's the big deal? All things continue as from the beginning. Is that what we really believe? Is this just another phase or cycle in the course of human history?

Do we know for certain that we're living in the last days? And I asked myself that question. Could it be that this world would go on for decades? I think it could be if God allows it.

When all is said and done, God is in control of the events of this universe, of all of creation, of all that is. He can move the leaders of the earth to do his bidding. And he has moved them in the past. I want us to look now at Daniel 4, verse 17, where Nebuchadnezzar had this dream about this tree, how this tree was cut down and all about this tree. And he was very perplexed by this dream. He wanted to know what this dream meant. And so eventually Daniel is called, and we'll start there with Daniel's interpretation of the dream to illustrate the point that God can, and does from time to time, intervene in the course of human events.

In Daniel 4, beginning in verse 17, This matters by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones, to the intent that the living may know that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whosoever he will, and sets up over it the basis of men. That doesn't mean that God sets up and determines the outcome of every election in this nation or any other nation, but from time to time, he does. And from time to time, he does move men and rulers to do certain things. The world is set up like a stack of dominoes on the end at the present time, that if X nation makes the wrong move, this stack of dominoes are going to begin to fall.

And all the nations of the world will be caught up in warfare, in chaos, and confusion, like we have never seen before. But on the other hand, that row of dominoes may be there the rest of our lifetime. We don't know for sure. It seems like that those things could be set in motion at most any time. Verse 18, this dream High King Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now then, old Daniel, Belteshazzar was his Babylonian name, declared the interpretation thereof, for as much as all the wise men of the kingdom were not able to make known unto me the interpretation, but then you are able, for the Spirit of the holy gods is in you.

So Nebuchadnezzar, even Nebuchadnezzar recognized that. Then Daniel was astounded for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spoke and said, Daniel, let not the dream or the interpretation thereof trouble you. And then Daniel answered and said, My Lord, the dream be to you, and them that hate you, and the interpretation thereof to your enemies. The tree which you saw which grew and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, the sight thereof to all the earth, whose leaves were fair, the fruit thereof much. And in it was meat for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches and fowls of the heavens had their habitation.

It is you, O king, that are grown and become strong, for your greatness is grown, and low reaches unto heaven, and your dominion to the end of the earth. And whereas the king saw a watcher, and an holy one coming down from heaven and saying, hewed down the tree and destroyed it, yet have a stump of roots thereof the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, and the tender grass of the field.

Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beast of the field, till seven times pass over it. This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my Lord the King, that they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beast of the field. They shall make you to eat grass as auction. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.

When God begins to intervene in the end times, and his hand is upon it, and the day of the Lord is at hand, the purpose ultimately is so that men will know who the Eternal is, and that men will turn to him.

The beast and the false prophet will be directly influenced by Satan the devil.

The question of how are we going to respond to God and his word, however, here's a big haver, should not be just based on our knowledge of end time events, and that we may be living in the last days. Is that what we're involved in? Are we involved in some kind of fear religion?

Oh, I've got to really get my house in order now because time is short.

Well, I guess that would be a good reason to do it.

But shouldn't we respond to God because it's the right thing to do?

It's the right thing to do. It's the thing that we want to do.

And we want to do it to please Him, not because we're afraid that we're living in the last days.

We should be concerned. We should be watchful. The Bible tells us to watch and pray always.

But according to the parable of the ten virgins, Christ will find half of the church without oil in their limbs.

And I ask myself, will I be one of those? Will I be one of those?

Am I asleep? Are the people that I'm trying to minister to, to teach, and to try to preach and bring the Word of God, are they asleep? Are they slumbering?

If so, is it because of me? If it is, get me out of the way.

Because it's better that a millstone be placed around the neck of one who would cause these little ones to stumble. So all of our actions need to be weighed with that also in mind. What about the little ones? What about those who know virtually nothing about so-called all the events that we hear about that says, going on in the church?

They're interested in, how can I survive the next week? How can I overcome? How can I please God?

So the question of how we're going to respond to God in His Word should not be just based on time and short, and I better get with it. We should respond to God in His Spirit and His Word because it's a right thing to do at all times. So what am I saying? I'm saying that we should be striving to please God at all times because it is the right thing to do.

And one of the ironies of our time is that the more people talk about the end times and how bad things are on the world scene, the less discipline they have in their lives, the less discipline we have in the nation. The less discipline we have in the church. We have very little discipline in the church.

There's virtually no correction in discipline.

You know, discipline begins in the home.

Now, the basic meaning of discipline, we generally think of it in punishment for doing something wrong, but discipline also has to do with teaching the right way and also executing that in such a way that if the discipline is broken, there is a penalty to be paid for breaking the discipline.

But the lack of correction in discipline begins in the home. It extends to the local church.

You know, with parents, you need to be teaching your children. You need to teach your children how to behave in services.

You need to teach them that services are for them.

Now, I know there are children who are too young and you do the best you can during that period of time, but there comes an age in which all of us can do better.

You know, I wasn't the only one, but I remember very clearly when I was about six years old, standing up before the congregation at our local Baptist church and doing the memory verse that we had in Sunday school that day. And from time to time, they would do that, where the members, it was called the primary class, would quote the memory verse of the day.

And of course, we have Sabbath school and we have teachers who are very committed to teaching youth, but we have to have a joint effort. It has to be everybody on board, not just parents and grandparents. It needs to be all of us, not just Sabbath school teachers or others, but everybody needs to be trying to do the right thing. Church is for everybody. Church is not for a picnic.

It is we're here, appearing before the living God.

You know, the home office may provide instruction, guidelines on child rearing, or modesty and dress to the ministry, to the membership, but it's going to be really carried out in the local churches and by the members. And if we don't follow up, what good is it?

Ministers basically don't say anything about some of the behaviors that we see today because, quote, they don't want to offend anyone.

In today's world, parents are almost always ready to condemn the one who offers the correction and justify the child's behavior.

And there's always some unbalanced Ivy League so-called psychologist who's ready to explain away discipline. Oh, carpool punishment. You couldn't do anything worse.

However, the Bible says something different. I mean, do we believe the Ivy League?

Little. Well, I won't say it, especially. We believe them or do we believe the Bible?

They say, well, it will harm the child's psyche.

It may cause him to be violent later on in life.

The arguments and justifications of child behavior today are easily destroyed by just simply surveying the statistics of various social barometers. Compare 1950 with 2010.

Compare the divorce rate. Compare the drug abuse, the crime, the violence, the murder, the rape, the pornography, the pedophilia, the homosexuality, the lesbianism. You go on and on.

When was it greater? Was it greater before the Ivy Leaguers took charge? I just use them as a generic term today because it extends from coast to coast. It's not just the Northeast. Of course, University of California Berkeley is one of the great strongholds of liberalism, coupled with Stanford and coming across the University of Chicago and so on.

We're in a time, if you would turn to Proverbs 30, verse 11, Proverbs 30 verse 11. We're in a time in which all of these generations that are described here are on the scene all at once. In Proverbs 30 and verse 11, there is a generation that curses their father and does not bless their mother.

So many killings of mothers killing children, children killing parents.

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

They had an interesting statistic yesterday about those who support the liberal agenda. Fifty-something percent of graduate students support the liberal agenda.

And over 60 percent of those who hold doctor's degrees or more support the liberal agenda. Whereas far less than 50 percent of what you call mainstream America supports the liberal agenda.

More learning has made them so-called wise in their own eyes, but they have forgotten God.

They are pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthiness. Verse 13, there is a generation of how lofty are their eyes and their eyelids are lifted up, proud and haughty. There is a generation whose teeth are as swords and their jaw teeth as knives to devour the poor from off the earth and the needy from among men.

All of these things come together at once.

And it seems that in the course of human behavior and the discourse that people come to the point that they do what you might describe as crossing the line.

Let's talk about crossing the line. What is the line? The line is the determination on the one hand to please God and base your life on the two great commandments regardless of the personal circumstances or the consequences for doing the right thing.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul.

And the second is like unto it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

On these two commandments, hang all the law and the prophets. Everything hangs on that.

Then on the other hand, you know that people have crossed the line when no appeal based on the word of God, no appeal based on common sense and logic, no appeal to even emotion will turn them from their course. They're bound and determined to do their thing. We see these kinds of mindsets from the leaders of the land to people who claim to be in the Church of God.

There's a cloud of suspicion and doubt cast on any and every thing you want to name.

There's no clear clarion call in the land to do the right thing.

Why is this the case? The leaders are intimidated.

They're intimidated. They strive to preserve themselves instead of doing the right thing.

They have become the servants of political correctness. They yield to the court of public opinion.

The media jumps all over anything that might be remotely considered controversial, like wild dogs jumping on raw meat, ravening the prey. Regardless as to what you do or say, some group or someone will be offended.

They may accuse you of all kinds of things. They may sue you.

They may post grievous things about you on the internet.

They may talk behind your back. They might even try to kill you.

A lot of people who try to stand up for right things in this world receive a lot of death threats. Those who do the right thing are made to pray.

Those who stand for right and say, My brothers, you should not do such and such becomes the enemy.

And it has been true to a large degree throughout human history. In the case of Moses, Moses saw the Egyptians smiting one of his fellow Israelites.

Moses went and killed the Egyptian, buried him in the sand.

The next day, Moses sees two Israelites fighting.

And he goes and he says, My brethren, this should not be so.

This should not be so among us.

And they said, Who made you a ruler over us? You're going to kill us like you did that Egyptian yesterday?

So then, that's how Moses winds up fleeing for his life to the desert for 40 years.

Because he was afraid, then Pharaoh would hear about it.

And he might lose his life, so he fled.

Let's note the words of the prophet Isaiah.

Do the prophets have any meaning for us?

You know, God says to this man, will I look to him that fears and trembles at my word.

I mean, as far as me standing here today, just far from perfect human flesh, who am I? I am nothing.

But I do read the words of God. And it is before God that we stand and have to do with.

In Isaiah 59.1, Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened.

Isaiah 59 verse 1, The Lord's hand is not shortened.

That it cannot save, neither his ear heavy, that it cannot ear.

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity, your lips have spoken lies, your tongue have muttered perverseness.

Non-calls with justice, nor any pleads for truth.

They trust in vanity, speak lies.

They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.

They hatch cockatrice eggs and weave the spider's web.

He that eats their eggs dies, and that which is crushed breaks out into a snake.

Verse 14, Judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off, for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

Yes, truth fails, and he that apart from evil makes himself a prey.

And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him, that there was no judgment.

And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor.

Therefore his arm brought salvation unto him, and his righteousness it sustained him.

So it goes on to talk about here how God then eventually steps in, and he intervenes.

In 2 Timothy chapter 3, Paul speaks of the days in which we live, and whether or not we have five years, ten years, twenty, or a hundred on this planet.

These words are surely relevant today because the behaviors and the attitudes that are described here are extant and a graphic description of what is going on in this nation right now.

2 Timothy 3, 1, This know that in the last days perilous time shall come.

Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers. Disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.

Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. He who would stand up for the right makes himself a prey, as Isaiah said.

Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such, turn away. What is a power thereof? A power thereof is the Spirit of God working in you, can transform us into the image of His dear Son, that we put on Christ, that we could become as Christ. Now note the words of the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel 22 verse 23.

All kinds of plans are being laid by the sons of men.

Those plans having to do with basically doing the devil's bidding and bringing humanity under the control and sway of Satan the devil.

And it seems the more that humankind and the leaders of this world try to save humankind, the deeper that humankind is plunged into servitude and fear and decadence.

In Ezekiel 22-23, the word of the Lord came to me saying, Son of man, say unto her, You are the land that is not cleansed nor rained upon in the day of indignation. There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion, ravening the prey. They have devoured souls, they've taken the treasure and precious things, and made many widows in the midst thereof. A book that is making the rounds now that some were talking about at the GCE in Cincinnati is this book titled, A Continual War, I believe the name of it is, or never ending war. Maybe it's never ending war.

The U.S. has been embroiled in a war of one sort or the other for decades.

Her priests have violated my law, have profaned mine holy things.

They put no difference between the holy and profane. They never showed difference between the unclean and clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbath, and I am profaned among them.

Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves, ravening the prey to shed blood and to destroy souls to get dishonest gain. I mean, you don't have to really read the newspapers today to know what it's like out there, because the Bible is very graphic.

The media led by Fox News and Peace Brothers with Fox News, it is probably better than the rest.

I'm not trying to censor Fox News. I'm just trying to tell you the way it is, the way things happen.

Media led by Fox News has turned over the great issues of life to the court of public opinion.

Fox parades under the banner of conservatism on certain moral issues, but in the mix also gives the other side of the story, as they say, and when they close, they close by saying, fair and unbalanced. Now, when they say fair and balanced, we report, you decide. So you're left. And so many people sort of come in between, and the Hegelian dialectic is ever alive, and this new synthesis is born, and we drift farther and farther away. This past week, Laura Bush, I'm not for sure she was on this past week, but recently she was on Larry King Live, and the view this week, the view is where Whoopi and friends sit around and talk about the great issues of the world. This came up on the view this week that on Larry King Live, Laura Bush stated that even during the time of her husband's presidency, she believed that homosexuals should have the same right to be married just as heterosexuals do if they love one another.

It's like, what's the difference as long as they love one another? If there was no social and moral structure revealed in the Bible, even human nature or even nature itself would teach you otherwise. Of course, now they're asking the question, some of the quote scientists, as to whether or not there are homosexual relationships in the animal kingdom.

And even that, let's say there are, I don't know, there are homosexual dogs or not. Even that does not change gender and reproduction.

Even with test tube babies, you have to have a sperm and an egg for male and female. Of course, now they're furiously trying to create life in the laboratory, as they call it, create life.

And even though I knew of Laura Bush's position concerning homosexuals long ago, if I had told you that, that Laura Bush endorses homosexual marriage, you'd have probably been mad at me. How could you say that about Laura? I wouldn't be the villain. No, I, Laura wouldn't be the villain. I'd be the villain.

You know, my brother would get upset when I would point out certain inconsistencies about George Bush's policies. You know, if I were to tell you the truth about terrible things that I know to be true, would you accept the truth or would you be mad at me?

You know, truth is where you find it. Truth is truth is truth, and it cannot be destroyed. We talked about that recently here in the sermon.

For some, I, you know, I could tell you the truth about the place of safety. Some might be upset by that, but do they talk to me? No, they talk to somebody else.

What about searching the Scriptures? Whether these things are true?

Now, we have fallen prey to many of these same attitudes and behaviors in the Church of God that we condemn the world for holding. Will you and the majority of the Church of God fulfill what Paul and Isaiah prophesied is going to happen toward the end of the age?

Or will we seek the unvarnished truth of God and stand on the truth of God and not on what men might say? As I have told you before, all men from time to time will let you down, but God never fails.

Notice 2 Timothy 4 and verse 1. Here's the charge from the Word of God to the ministry.

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the therefore goes back to verses 14 through 17. All scriptures given of inspiration is profitable for reproof, correction, instruction, and righteousness. I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead, the living and the dead, at his appearing in his kingdom, preach the Word, be incident, season out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned undefabled.

Now, this was written to Timothy, who was a young evangelist, to share with the church of God. It's not written. This is not even written to the world. But watch you in all things endure afflictions.

Do the work of an evangelist. Make full proof of your ministry.

Now, brethren, we are living in, once again, some very trebleous and trying times. We need to find refuge in the very Word of God and the very instructions found in that Word.

We received a letter the ministry did from the interim president of the United Church of God this week. And I'll read a couple of excerpts from that letter.

And for some, by the fact, I don't know that you mentioned this. Some of you may think, oh, I know that he's on the side of this or that of the other. Well, you got it all wrong.

Because I'm not on either side or any side. I hope to be on the side of God and Christ throughout all of my life. And I hope we all do. I hope we all strive to do God's bidding.

I hope we all strive to live by every word. And I hope that I strive to do exactly what Paul, through inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says here, preach the Word, be instant in season. Because the words that Christ speaks, they are spirit and they are life. You know, there are obviously many unanswered questions regarding the events in the church over the past three years. I don't think some of these questions will ever be answered in our lifetime. I believe, I know I have, sinned. We've all sinned. We've all done things wrong. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. We all need to repent in sackcloth and ashes. We need to do as Daniel did when he, through prayer and fasting, sought to understand why his people have been cast into captivity. Let's look at that quickly here in Daniel. Back to Daniel once again in chapter 9. While you're turning there, and I am, the stage here is, of course, Daniel is in captivity. He was one of four young, very bright, evidently leadership potential, sort of like the Rhodes Scholars of the day, where they take the Rhodes Scholar and send them off England and train them to be liberal politicians and enter the think tanks, the think tanks, the think tanks of this world. In Daniel 9, verse 1, In the first year of Darius, the son of Ashereus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet.

And this is, I'm not going to turn back there, but this is mentioned in Jeremiah 25, 12, and Jeremiah 29, 10, about how 70 weeks would pass, that he would accomplish 70 years in the desolation of Jerusalem. Well, the 70 years become the 70 weeks prophecy. And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. Daniel, he was one of the most righteous men that ever lived. I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

And I prayed unto the eternal my God and made my confession and said, oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant of mercy to them that love him and to them that keep his commandments. We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from your precepts and from your judgments. And that's what we all need to do, from the highest, as they say, to the lowest, from the highest in the land, civil authority, whatever authority, to the church, to wherever. Neither we harken unto your servants the prophets which spoke in your name to our kings and princes and our fathers and to all the people of the land.

O Lord, righteousness belongs unto you, but unto us confusion of faces as at this day to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to all Israel that are near and that are far off through all the countries where you have driven them because of their trespass that they have trespassed against you. And so, you can read the rest of the chapter of Daniel's prayer of what he did, confessing his sins and the sins of the people. And I believe that we all need that.

Some people speak of a split in the church because some have sinned and have not in their minds absolutely confess their sins. You know, I would hate to seek advantage based on the sins of others.

He sinned, therefore, promote me. I'm not sinned as he is sinned. You know, the wages of sin is death. Little sin, big sin, wages of sin is death.

You know, sometimes I wonder and believe me, I ask myself, are you converted? Am I converted?

Or am I here just trying to work this out by myself? Am I here for the right reasons?

Do I really have the mind of Christ?

And it might be good from time to time to ask ourselves that question. Because Christ says in Matthew 18, 1, 2, 3, long and there, unless we humble ourselves as little children and become converted, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of God. I mean, no matter what else, if you don't do that, that's what Christ says. A few excerpts here.

I'm writing to you today to outline some deep concerns that remain after the GCE.

Based on the numerous letters, emails I have directly received from many of you and many members in the past week or so, several of you share these concerns. Let me speak plainly. Many members and not a few ministers have expressed their extreme concern about a possible impending split in the United Church of God.

To put it any other way, I would not be honest. Putting this in context, then he talks about, which I would not have done. It is important to remember that this would not be the first time ministers have expressed concern over a possible split in the church and talks about the many splits that have occurred through the years in the Church of God organizations.

Here's a hard question. What do they see? And what do others with no Sabbath background see?

Fellow ministers, it's not very hard to find open letters online purported to be signed by UCG ministers and comments from active members that hurl accusations, accuse long-time ministers of lying, serve up a laundry list of other major alleged ills. It is not hard to find posted semi-anonymous letters from ministers who, in one paragraph, decry block voting.

And then, in the next line, openly call for the removal of certain members of the Council of Elders and their replacement by other ministers. As evidenced by the letters and emails I receive from members, this double-minded is evident to many. It is hurting us. It hurts our members. It hurts our mission. In too many cases, people do not see a people who have love for one another.

What they do see, in too many cases, is a lava field of resentment.

What does this say about us as ministers who profess to live by every word of God?

And I ask us, do we think that the continual stirring of the pot and flaming the fires of discontent is pleasing to God? Will that solve anything?

According to what the Scriptures I'm about to read, I don't believe that it will.

So what recourse is left to us? The recourse is what I read from Daniel, chapter 9.

Let's notice here in Proverbs, chapter 11. Proverbs, chapter 11, verse 12.

Proverbs 11, verse 12.

He that is void of wisdom despises his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his peace. Proverbs 11, 13. If you don't look at any other scriptures today, I encourage you to look at these.

Proverbs 11, 13. A tailbearer reveals secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit conceals the matter.

All of us have done things, if you would turn to Proverbs 18, verse 6.

All of us have done things in our lives that we would not want anybody else to know.

We hope that it is covered, and if we confess and repent it of our sins, it is covered by the blood of Christ.

And it has been removed as far as the east front is from the west.

That is sin.

But of course, if a person continues in that sin and does not change, then have they really repented?

And by their fruits you shall know them.

In Proverbs 18, verse 6.

A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calls for strokes.

A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of the soul.

The words of a tailbearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Now in Proverbs 16, Proverbs 16, verse 27, back of page or so, Proverbs 16, verse 27.

An ungodly man digs up evil, and in his lips there is a burning fire.

No, if I can just dig up one more thing, if I can just get it out there and tell everybody about it, I may be acclaimed as the greatest tailbearer in the world, because after all, I can put it on the internet, and all the world can see it.

And this little one, what about them?

A froward man sows strife, and a whisper separates chief friends.

A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him into the way that is not good.

He that shuts his eyes to devise froward things, moving his lips, he brings evil to pass.

The hoary head is a crown of glory if he be found in the way of righteousness.

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty.

He that rules his spirit than he that takes the city.

The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.

God is the one who will ultimately judge all things.

Proverbs 20 and verse 19.

Proverbs 20 verse 19.

He that goes about as a tailbearer reveals secrets.

Therefore, metal knot with him that flatters with his lips.

Because you don't know which direction he's coming from.

In Proverbs 26 verse 20.

Proverbs 26 and verse 20.

Proverbs 26 verse 20.

Where there is no wood, there the fire goes out. So where there is no tailbearer, the strife ceases.

As coals are to burning coals and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

The words of a tailbearer are as wounds.

They go down to the innermost parts of the belly.

Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a pot-shirt covered with silver dross.

He that hates dissembles with his lips and lays up deceit within him.

When he speaks fair, believe him not.

For there are seven abominations in his heart, whose hatred is covered by deceit. His wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation.

Whoso digs a pit shall fall therein, and he that rolls the stone, it will return upon him.

A lying tongue hates those that are afflicted by it, and a flattering mouth works ruined.

Rather than these scriptures, we all need to consider.

So some light up the pages of Facebook, and the pages are on fire with the alleged wrongdoings of various people in the church.

Let's see if we can point out at least one more inconsistency, some might say.

Let's see if we can cast any more doubt on whether or not there is.

A church of God, because all those people out there that are decrying certain things, of course some have good and honest and pure motives, but those who are doing what, now get this clear, those that are doing what God inspired to be written in the book of Proverbs, that's a different manner.

Now there are righteous causes, and there are unrighteous causes.

What's more, let me tell you, one of the things that one person told me this week that had gone to a certain Facebook webpage, whatever it is, was, well, you know, these ministers are paid too much in the first place, and what's more, do we really need them? Seems to me we'd be better off without them, blah, blah, blah.

But now I'm addicted to this. I can't get enough of it. Surely just one more comment will be the greatest revelation of all, and my discernment and wisdom will be proclaimed throughout the land, now who is being served? God or the devil? Is the body of Christ being edified, or is it being torn down? Don't you understand, don't I understand that the devil wants us to be filled with anxious care, feared out, human reasoning? Don't you know that the devil hates me, hates you? Don't you know that the devil wants to destroy you? Don't you know that he wants to destroy the capability of anyone who would dare to say, this is the way, walk you in it?

Don't we know these things? Remember the admonition, don't let any man take your crown, and remember once again the two great commandments. Now let's see what the Apostle Paul has to say about this. Ephesians 4, 17. Will we be instructed by the Apostle Paul?

In Ephesians chapter 4 verse 17, Paul of course writing to once again to the church at Ephesus a people who had been steeped in paganism and worship of the temple goddess.

Ephesians 4, 17. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord that you henceforth walk, not his other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind. Having the understanding darken, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart, who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness. The temple worship at the great temple of Diana was unbelievable of sexual orgies and all kinds of things.

We have not yet seen what is, of course, what is going to eventually come into this nation and among the peoples of this world. And a lot of it will have to do with aberrant sexual behavior because Satan hates the family structure. He hates marriage. He hates God's way. He knows what the family really parallels it is doing at God's way. God is bringing sons and daughters to glory. Paul continues, you have not learned, so learned Christ. If so be that you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning the former conduct, the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore, put away lying, speak every one truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Paul writes in chapter 5 that no man yet ever hated his own body and I talked about that last week. How that God and Christ are in us through His Spirit and we are members of His body and we are members one of another by that Spirit. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. And in effect, you could say if I'm hating you, I'm hating me. No man yet ever hated his own flesh is what Paul writes in chapter 5. And of course, he says at the end, this is a great mystery. But I speak of Christ in the church. We are members one of another.

Verse 26, Be you angry and sin not, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil. The devil has been given a lot of space at recent times and we are here to cast him out. Cast him out. Be of good cheer, Christ says. I have overcome the world. Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed under the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking, but be put away from you with all malice. Get mad at it. Get rid of it. It's not the mind of Christ.

And be you kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. You know the story of, I came to Jesus, how often shall I forgive my brother?

Christ said something like 70 times 7. Glad I've never been tested on that one.

70 times 7 says if he repent, Be you therefore followers of God as dear children, and walk in love as Christ also loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling Savior.

But fornication and all cleanness of covetousness, let it not once be named among you as become saints.

And you can read the rest of the chapter because we all need it, because Paul continues to describe the behaviors that we need to get rid of and some we need to put on.

You know, I told you here during the first sermon we had at Holiday Inn, September the 20th, 2008, there at the intersection of the Beltway in 59, September the 20th, 2008, that I am not an apologist for anyone.

My commitment is to preaching, teaching, and trying to live the Word of God.

And obviously there are times in which you have to make judgments on various issues.

I, like you, I see many possible pitfalls ahead. But we probably create more pitfalls for ourselves than do others create for us.

But we are called to walk by faith, as you heard in the sermonette.

If we are faithful, God will choose us and He will deliver us.

As it says in Revelation 17, 14, those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.

Some people talk about this and some people talk about that.

But that talk in and of itself does not bring it to pass.

We cannot base our lives on what we think might happen.

This might happen. That might happen. Of course it might.

The world might go up in flames tomorrow.

I don't know. One of these dominoes might be pushed.

But I do know this.

We must put our hands to the plow, which we've already done.

Any man puts his hand in the plow and looks back, not fit for the Kingdom of God, according to Christ.

We must put our shoulder to the wheel.

We must press forward to the high mark of the calling in Christ Jesus. If any man draw back under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul writes, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.

You know, from time to time, I have paranoid thoughts. Do you ever have paranoid thoughts?

And I think this or that. This can happen and it can lead to that.

And I might become fearful. What if they say this about me? Or what if they say this about my wife? Or what if they do this? Or what if they do that?

And what if? And you could go down that road of paranoia and become fearful and afraid to really do anything.

As I said, we have, I believe, become intimidated to some degree in the ministry itself.

Preaches the Word.

I mean, God is the one that says, if God be for you, who can be against you?

I want you to look at something in Revelation 21 about fear.

You know that the wrong kind of fear is sin, and it will keep you out of the kingdom of God.

And I'll show what the Scripture says.

Revelation 21, verse 6.

He said unto me, it is done, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

I will give unto him that is the thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

He that overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my Son. But the fearful, the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

So we cannot base our lives on what might happen. We cannot be filled with paranoia.

You know that fear is a product of unbelief.

The psalmist writes in Psalm 23, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and I have been there, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Now no one is my head with the oil of my cup, runneth over. And thou preparest the table before me in the presence of mine enemies, my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

See, these are some of the promises that God has given us. So where should we focus? We should focus on God and Christ.

On what should we focus? We should focus on His precious promises.

We should focus on what we have been called to.

So, Brother and I are asking you this afternoon, and I'm asking all of us and myself, let us rededicate ourselves to doing the right thing in the sight of God, regardless of the court of public opinion.

Let's set our affection on things above, and please God.