Why Are We Here?

Well, greetings, everyone! Wonderful to be here with you. My wife and I, Wanda. We were in Branson in 2011 in the knob knockers or whatever that is, ball knockers. Some something, ball knockers. I don't know what it is. Thank you very much, Mrs. Bonner. We were able to have the feast with them in Galveston back a couple of years ago, so wonderful to have her here in the wonderful special music.

I'm absolutely shocked. I have to congratulate Mr. Dobson on many fronts, starting at 1030 instead of 10, giving the sermon man enough time to speak. I don't ever finish a sermon. I just quit at times. But it's wonderful to be here and to see all of you. I can't see anything, but I'm sure you're out there. I hear you at times. We do have some... One of the things that we really need to be praying about is that there is a tropical depression, probably now a tropical storm. They think it's going to be a hurricane that would hit Alabama or Florida, and then probably going up Jekyll Island and maybe even Junelluska, North Carolina during the feast. So God's prayers, the prayers of God, and many times when God's people have turned the weather around. So please keep that in mind. So once again, thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Dobson and all the staff for and the volunteers who've done so much work here for the feast getting ready.

I would also like to bring you greetings from three congregations that we pastor. He mentioned there in the introduction East Texas, Texarkana, and Ruston. Also, I met several people from Houston where we pastored before we moved back to East Texas. Good to see all of them.

They were able to survive the floods and 50 inches of rain in some places in the Houston area. And God did protect, I think, only a couple of homes were flooded, a brethren during the time of Hurricane Harvey there in Houston. So brethren, welcome again to God's Feast of Tabernacles in 2017, a foretaste of the wonderful world tomorrow. As Mr. Dobson has already mentioned, you look here at the beautiful setting here on the stage, the beautiful flowers, the great hospitality.

Isn't it wonderful just to once again sit back, take a deep breath at God's Feast one more time? You made it through another year. We're one year closer to the fulfillment of what this day pictures. And some of you have paid a dear price to be here.

Many families and individuals are undergoing severe trials. Trials separate the wheat from the chaff, the sheep from the goats, and they make manifest what the foundation of our faith really is built on. On behalf of the Council of the Council of the Elders, the Ministry, and the Home Office Administration, I want to express our sincere thanks to all of you, to each one of you for your faithfulness, for the sacrifices that you have made. As I used to say when I was teaching school, which I've basically done all my life along with the Ministry, and that is it's hard to have a school without students.

It's hard to have a church without members. So you are the church. You make it up, and we're very thankful to you. We made it through another year, and each one of us has been presented with a number of opportunities to grow and overcome during this past year. If you were not as successful as you had hoped to be during the past year in your spiritual life, you have an opportunity right now, right here and now, in reaffirming your commitment and determination to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We are one year closer to the fulfillment of the time that we are observing. Many events of the Olivet Prophecy, as recorded by Matthew and Luke and some by Mark, are coming to pass. In view of these events, Luke writes in Luke 21 and verse 28, and when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, 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, as Judge Bork wrote several years ago in his book. We are now wallowing in the cesspools of Sodom and Gomorrah. Every institution on the face of the earth, social, economic, political, and religious, that is supposed to promote the common good, welfare, and security of the people, each one of those has been disgraced.

And there's very little confidence in any of our institutions today. And, brethren, we must not let that happen to us. The Church of God is the greatest institution on the face of the earth, and the family is akin to it as the very backbone and fabric of society. As we look at society today, people do not know who to trust or where to look for hope and security. We do not know where the next shots will be fired as we witness the terrible and senseless terrorist attacks on innocent men, women, and children. It is almost too horrible. It is unthinkable to even think about, contemplate, how this could possibly happen.

Couple this with the mind-boggling geopolitical events and natural disasters. We just experienced two great hurricanes that have ravaged the land, Harvey and Maria. The natural disasters, along with earthquakes, the great earthquake in Mexico City recently, that have taken place. You can readily discern that these are the most critical crucial times in human history. These are tough transitional times.

We're led to believe that this is the age of enlightenment, that science will soon discover the cure that plagues us, and when you're 100 years old, you'll still be considered young. But the human misery index increases every day. Here's a sampling of what the world's seven plus billion peoples are facing. One billion people have no access to clean and safe water. 2.6 billion lack toilet facilities. 4,000 children die every day from diarrhea, a water-borne born disease. 1,400 women a day die mercilessly and needlessly in pregnancy or childbirth. 4.25 million more health workers are needed globally. There's also a great shortage in education. Teachers are needed. People committed. This crisis in health and education is just one of the crises that we're facing. We're facing a moral crisis, an ethics crisis, respect for life.

And it seems that if there were no more wars and no more things like that to really be concerned about or worry about, that the peoples of the world would destroy themselves. 5.5 million people die from diarrhea. The political leaders of every nation, in view of the great needs and the misery index of the peoples, continue to arm themselves with the latest weapons of mass destruction. We indeed 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. Lack of health care, education, and right moral and spiritual training results in people falling prey to disease and famine. It is beyond words to describe the pain and despair in the faces of the peoples of this world at the present time. You couple this with the upset weather conditions and natural disasters that the world faces, we do see this increase in the human misery index.

But at the same time, more and more money is being poured into what is called the defense budget. All nations are scrambling to beat their plowshares into swords. Let's look at Joel chapter 3. This is a very poignant prophecy at this juncture in human history. It is so applicable in view of what you're hearing continually about the Korean crisis and what is going to happen there as apparently Kim Jong-un and North Korea have achieved the construction and explosion of a hydrogen bomb and then the threats and the missiles that have been fired over Japan landing in the Pacific Ocean, even threatening to explode a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean.

Notice this. Joel 3.9, prepare you this among the nations, the Gentiles, 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 a small nation of 25 million people in a small part of mountainous, cruel land in a sense can hold the world hostage in one way. Yes, indeed, we're living in critical, crucial times.

When God destroyed the world and all but eight people on the face of the earth during the days of Noah, only God had the power to destroy human life and life forms from the planet. Now humankind has the power to destroy himself many times over. Did you ever think about that? At one point, only God could destroy all of humankind. Now humankind could destroy all life from off the face of the earth. In my view, it is only the restraining power of God that is holding back events before the great and terrible day of the Lord.

Christ states in Matthew 24-22, Matthew 24-22, "...and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved, but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." He goes on to say in verse 23, "...then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not, for there shall arise false Christ, false prophets, shall show great signs wonders in so much that if it were possible the very elect would be deceived." We can ask ourselves this morning, am I one of the very elect?

Look at Revelation 13 in verse 8. Revelation 13 in verse 8 is very sobering in the sense that it tells you that every person whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life will be deceived by this false religious political system that is going to come upon the face of the earth. This is Revelation 13.8. "...and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life and the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world." Satan has surely increased his activity on all fronts. And so we must ask ourselves, do we love the truth? Are we putting on the whole armor of God on a daily basis?

As the prophet Isaiah writes in Isaiah, Isaiah chapter 5, evil is called good and good called evil. And as Ezekiel writes, Ezekiel 22 or 23, no one is standing in the gap. I look for a man to stand in the gap, and there was none, and that must not be said of us. Not at this critical crucial time in history.

The irony of so much of this is the fact that much of this is done in the name of freedom. Let's note Isaiah 58, another very applicable prophecy for the time in which we live, Isaiah chapter 58. This is what God wants us to cry loud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, show my people their transgressions in the house of Jacob their sins. Now look at chapter 59, so descriptive of what is going on in our society today. Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities, your lawlessness, have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Oh yes, he hears in the audible sense, but he does not hear in the sense that he will take action because sin separates us from God. Verse 3, for your hands are filled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity, and your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue hath uttered, and your tongue has uttered deceitfulness or perverseness, none calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth. They trust in vanity and speak lies. They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity. And it goes on describing what is taking place. And you go down to verse 12, Isaiah 59 and verse 12, for our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us, for our transgressions are with us, and our iniquities we know them.

Yet people, it seems, have their conscience seared, and as if they don't care. And one of the worst conditions that any people can ever get into is what I call, I don't care-ism. And of course, that is what, to a large degree, that Satan has targeted the youth of our land, and to make life cheap in the various video games and movies where people are continually blown to smithereens, and the next frame comes up. But I would like to say about our youth today, and I've said this to our local congregations there, I believe we have some of the most outstanding young people that we have ever had. And as Mr. Dobson said, I was very encouraged to see those playing in the brass ensemble. I don't know if it's all together brass or not, but anyhow, the ensemble here, and our youth participating, I think they have tremendous potential. And we are concerned about the future. Who is going to carry the torch, and who will carry the mantle, and who will cry aloud and spare not? Who will that be? Well, we have some great candidates here. He goes on to say in verse 13, "...and transgressing and lying against the eternal and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood, lies." And how many lies are told each day by the leaders of the land? I don't see any water here, how dry I am. If somebody could bring me a glass of water, that would be appreciated. In verse 14, judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off, for truth is falling in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yet they speak about equity all the time, but the more they speak about it, it seems the farther it gets away from them. Yes, truth fails, and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey. So yes, if you take a stand against the evil of the land, then you are the one that's in the wrong. You are made the prey. You're the one that they want to silence.

Of course, God will not be silenced, and his word will not be silenced, and his truth will prevail through all ages.

Thank you very much.

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

But we must not be intimidated, as Ezekiel writes about in the first few chapters of Ezekiel, we must not be intimidated. We must do what we need to do, and we have heard many a time what we need to do.

One of the hallmarks of this present age is what they call the age of toleration.

No moral judgments are to be made. All lifestyles and moral codes are to be tolerated. And then, ironically, they turn around and state that we need a great leader who will unite us.

You cannot unite people who hold deep-seated moral, social, political, and religious ideologies that oppose each other at the very seat of their conscience.

A lot of people are convicted about what the Bible says with regard to the right to life and the right kind of sexual orientation and the right kind of marriages that God ordained from the creation of Adam and Eve.

How do you reconcile that with those who would favor late-term abortion?

Well, Congress has just passed a law, well, one branch of Congress, that post- that means beyond 20-week abortions would be illegal. Who knows if it will pass all of Congress? I would imagine the President would sign it.

We have all read Romans 1, that when a people reject God, because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind so that they would do those things that are not convenient.

The Bible states, you shall do no murder.

Yet, one of the books, one of the main religions says that the infidel must be converted or eliminated, so it is surely a time as never before to sigh and cry for all the abominations that are extant on the face of the earth. Look at Ezekiel chapter 9, please, forward a few pages there. Ezekiel chapter 9 and verse 5. Prayer does change things. There are many examples in the Bible, and we know in our own lives that prayer does change things, sighing and crying.

In Ezekiel chapter 9, verse 4, And the Lord said unto 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 is done in the midst thereof. And it goes on to say, Start at my house, slay both old young women, children, everybody that does not have the mark. And brethren, that mark of God, loving his truth, sighing and crying for what is going on. It does make a difference. No matter what your station in life is, whether you're old, whether you're young, whether you are and what your social status is, economic status, or anything else, everybody can sigh and cry. You can be in the deepest, darkest dungeon on the face of the earth or under the earth, and yet you can sigh and cry. No one can stop you. It is indeed a time to pray every day, Thy kingdom come, Thou will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So here we are today, safe and sound, and with hope pounding in our heads and hearts, we are God's congregation, keeping the Feast of Tabernacles in Branson, Missouri, 2017. We're part of God's household, God's family, God's congregation. We're here from various areas and backgrounds. We have the Spirit of God and the truth of God as a common thread to bind us together. Let's look at 1 Corinthians 12. 1 Corinthians 12 focuses on spiritual gifts. We want to look at it here from this perspective of that which binds us together. We sing the song, Bless be the Tie that Binds. What is the tie that binds? The tie that binds is we have all of us have that common essence of God in Christ, the Spirit of God in Christ dwelling within us. As it says in John 14, 23, that we will both will come and make our abode in them.

In 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 12, For as the body is one and have many members, and all the members of that one body being many, our one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jew or Gentile, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into that one Spirit. Now you look at verse 18.

But now God has set the members, every one of them, in the body as it has pleased him.

Verse 25, that there should be no schism, no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care, one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it. Or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. So just as the human body is made of many parts, so is the church of God. If you would be turning to Romans 12 while I'm speaking. The body has many parts, that is the physical body. At times, and I know this sounds dumb, but I have a pain under my thumbnail on my right hand. It hurts, and it's just under my thumbnail on my right hand. At times, my big toe hurts, and it bothers the whole body.

Every part of the body is part of the body, and every member is part of the body. And we're going to read here from Romans 12 verse 5 that we are all joined together, that we are members one of another. How are we members one of another? We are members one of another in that by one spirit, we've all been baptized into one body. We have that common essence of God and Christ abiding in us. In Romans 12 and verse 5, for as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office, so we being many are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. We are all joined together. So actually, when a member of the body attacks another member of the body, you're in essence attacking yourself.

There's such thing as they call the autoimmune disease in which members, the parts of the body actually attack themselves. And of course, that can destroy the body. That is so simple, but yet so profound. I think we understand that, and I hope we are going toward embracing that. Let's notice what James writes in James 3 and verse 8. In James chapter 3 and verse 8.

James is one of the greatest epistles in the Bible. It is an epistle. It is the meat of the Word. Some have talked about James being the milk of the Word, but James says the meat of the Word begins with, brethren, count it all joy when you fall into different trials.

I don't know how many of us have gotten there. I know I haven't fully gotten to that point. In James chapter 3 and verse 8. We are made in the image of God with faculties of mind akin to God. We can think, we can reason, we can think about life after death. What is going to happen? Is there life after death? But at the same time, we are made of the dust of the ground and only the Spirit of God can transcend that great gulf between life and death. Verse 10, Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. See, we are members one of another. I've just read it. Romans 12.6.

Doth the fountains send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear ollieberries, either a vine figs, so can no fountain both yield saltwater and fresh? Who is a wise man and a dude with knowledge among you? Are you really wise? Do you really have a lot of knowledge? Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 8 verse 1, I think it is, knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies. So who is it that is endued with knowledge? Let him show out of a good conduct his works with meekness and wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and sin not against the truth, or in lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work, every evil work. See, from Cain and Abel to the present time, this has been one of the greatest things that has plagued humankind. It plagued ancient Israel, and it plagues us and has plagued us through the ages in the history of the Church. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and of good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. So brethren, why are we here? One of the principle reasons we are here is to learn the more excellent way. Let's go back now to 1 Corinthians 12. I said 1 Corinthians 12 focuses on spiritual gifts, and Paul prepares us for this, what is some call the inset chapter of chapter 13. And he closes out chapter 12 by saying, I'll get there in a moment, we'll read the verse, in 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 31, but covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet I show you a more excellent way. What is the more excellent way? Well, the more excellent way is that which is described in chapter 13. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, this word charity in the Greek is agape, and it is spiritual love. If I have not spiritual love, then let's add this. In 1 John 4 verse 8 and 1 John 4 verse 16, it says that God is love. So if God is love, then you could just as easily write here, if I have not charity, you could say, if I'm not becoming as God is, because God is love, that is his state of being. That's just the way he is, his state of being. I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries and all knowledge. People are so interested in prophecy. And when we do public proclamation and we do programs on prophecy, we'll get more responses. People want to know what's going to happen in the future.

Paul makes it very clear. It doesn't matter if you knew everything that is going to happen in the future. If you're not becoming as God is, as we shall read, it profits nothing.

So if I understand all mysteries, have all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I can remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, if I'm not becoming as God is, it profits me nothing. God is more interested in what we are becoming than he is what we are reading, what we're studying, what we're learning, what we're doing. Of course, he wants us to be reading. He wants us to be studying. He wants us to be in the process of becoming as he is. Matthew 5, 48 says, become you therefore perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect. So we have this question. I used to talk about this very often at the college with the students of form versus substance. Yes, you can have great form and not have substance. You know, the son that stayed at home, the story of the parable of the prodigal son, he stayed at home and did everything right. When his brother, the prodigal son, came back home and the father was so joyous to see him, the brother that stayed at home, he was upset. You never did this for me, Father. You never did so and so for me. You never killed the fatted calf for me, and I've been faithful through all the years. What about your heart? See, so many life circumstances reveal what is really on the inside. Please look at 2 Timothy chapter 3. I'm not going to read all those verses. We're familiar with it, but I do want to read verse 5.

For sure. In 2 Timothy 3.1, Paul writes, This know that in the last days perilous time shall come. Well, we've described some of those at the beginning. We're all familiar with them. We watch the news. We know what's going on in this world. And how many times have all of us said, each one of us, you know, the world has gone mad. The world is crazy. Where is this going to stop? Well, it's not going to stop until God and Christ come and set up the kingdom on earth.

So those various behaviors that are extant are then described. Look at verse 5, Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such, turn away.

Ever learning, verse 7, ever learning never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Daniel 12, Daniel writes about a time coming in which men and women running to and fro and knowledge will be greatly increased. Ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. So you may view your life as boring and uninteresting, but regardless of your station in life, you can become, as much as anybody else, you have the opportunity to become as God is. There are many prayer warriors in the Church of God. I talk about our prayer warriors and our local congregation from time to time. There are a lot of prayer warriors. I think of Anna the prophetess, for eighty-something years there in the temple, Simeon and others through the ages, prayer warriors. Everybody can do that. Now you go back to 1 Corinthians 13, verse 13, and Paul lists three things that survives. 1 Corinthians 13, 13. He lists things that are going to pass away, but then he lists three things that will survive. And now by its faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity, to become what God is, to become love as God is love. And notice this progression here.

The springboard to all things spiritual is faith.

I'll say that again. The springboard to all things spiritual is faith. I'll quote Hebrews 12, 6.

He who would come to God must, first of all, believe that God is, so that's the first article of faith, to believe that God is, and then it says, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. So you're not going to do anything spiritual until you know and you know that you know that God exists. And if I had no other proof that God exists other than just my own mind, what would I say? Nothing else makes sense. It does not make sense that this universe came into being through some process of the Great Bang or any other scientific theory with regard to its origin. And the same thing with humankind.

Does not make sense that it could possibly have evolved from some one-cell microscopic organism. 7. Yes, God exists. He who would come to God must, first of all, believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. So faith is a springboard to all things spiritual. Why do I have hope? I have hope because God who cannot lie, and that's from Titus 1.3, I believe it is. God who cannot lie has promised. And there are many precious promises in the Bible.

So through faith, we can defeat the enemies of faith, which are, there are four great enemies of faith listed in the book of Matthew in chapter 6, it's ancient care.

Seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all of these things will be added to you. See, be anxious for nothing.

In chapter 10, it talks about, maybe it's about fear. In chapter 14, it talks about doubt. Oh, you have little faith. Why did you doubt when Peter started walking on the water? He began to doubt. He got his mind, eyes off of Christ, and he began to sink. And then human reasoning, human reasoning, reasoning apart from the Word of God. Let's look at that one in Matthew 16. Matthew 6, it's ancient care. In Matthew 8, it's fear. Matthew 14, it's doubt. In Matthew 16, Matthew 16 verse 5, And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And you know what leaven is symbolic of. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, it is because we've taken no bread.

Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith.

Why reason you among yourselves because you have brought no bread?

See, human reasoning apart from God. Do you not understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, how many baskets we took up? Neither the several loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets we took up? How is it then that you do not understand that I spoke not of you concerning bread, that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he made them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, their false hypocritical teaching.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 16, above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan. How is that so? You see, if you know and know that you know, regardless of whatever the circumstances is that you face, that God is going to deliver you, and he's promised that he would, God who cannot lie. Whether it is in this life or the life to come, there is no way that Satan can penetrate that shield.

Whatever it is, whatever the dart is that he fires against you, will fall helplessly to the side.

See, hope is an extension of faith. I have hope because God, who has promised, cannot lie. Look at Romans chapter 5, please, in Romans chapter 5.

Here we see in Romans 5 like a progression of how it works in our lives as we face the trials of life as God and Christ have given instruction. In Romans chapter 5, verse 1, Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. We have hope because we know God, who has promised, who cannot lie.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also. As James Wright counted, all joy when you fall into different trials or tribulations. Knowing a tribulation works patience and patience experience. That word experience is doki. It means proof, testing trial.

God tested us. He tested Abraham to the very core when he said, Go sacrifice your only begotten Son. See, Abraham set out to do what God had said because, as it says in Hebrews chapter 11, he was as good as alive. Abraham had to slay him. He was as good. That is, Isaac was as good as alive in resurrection. See, faith in its simplest terms is to believe God and to do what he says. And so the trial works proof testing, and hope makes us not ashamed. See, we have the big picture burning brightly in our minds that we know and know that we know that we are going to be delivered because hope makes us not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which is given unto us. See, the outcome of the commandment of doing things the way that God says to do them is that he will create his holy righteous character within us. See, back to that theme of becoming as God is. Now look at 1 Timothy 1 and verse 5, and this says what I just said with regard to the outcome, the result. In 1 Timothy 1 and verse 5, now the end of the commandment. Now, if you just take it as it is, it's as if the commandment has done away with it. But that word end in Greek is telos, T-E-L-O-S, and it means the result or outcome. The result or outcome of the commandment is love, for this is the love of God that we should keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. For the result or outcome of the commandment is love out of a pure heart and of good conscience and of faith unfeigned. Now, I'll barge these three, faith, hope, and charity. So we're here to be taught the Word of God, as you heard in the opening video. In Isaiah chapter 2 verses 1 through 4 was read that the Word of God will go out from Zion and from Jerusalem. I'm going to be talking about Zion tomorrow night in the Bible setting. I think you will find it to be one of the most enlightening studies that you've engaged in.

God speaks to us through his Word, and he uses human instruments. All of the human instruments are flawed. I'm deeply flawed, and everybody else is to some degree. In one way or another, we are flawed. So don't let the messenger stand in the way of the message, the truth.

See, no human is perfect, yet we're commanded to strive for perfection. No human is perfect, but the Word of God is perfect. Let's look at that. Psalm 19 verse 7.

So what we need to be concerned about as we hear the messages during the feast, search the Scriptures daily whether these things be true, because no person can stand before the judgment seat of Christ. We must each one individually and personally stand before God.

In Psalm 19 verse 7, the law of the Eternal is perfect. That which is perfect is not done away with. Of course, Romans 7.14 says the law is spiritual. It's right. It's just. It's good.

You think God would ever even remotely contemplate doing away with His law? The love of God is to keep His commandments. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statues of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired of they than go, yea, much fine go, and as you heard in the introductory song and the introductory video, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Yes, the word of God is perfect. To be taught, we must be weaned from the milk and drawn from the breast. We're not still hung up on the do's and the don't. What does that mean? Look at Isaiah 28 verse 9. What I just said there is quoted from Isaiah 28 verse 9.

Isaiah 28 verse 9. Whom shall he teach knowledge? Whom shall he make to understand doctrine, the teaching? Them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breast. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, here little and there little. See, the Bible is written in one sense like a jigsaw puzzle. You have to put it together, but it is woven together in a beautiful tapestry of great unity, great truth. So in order to be taught, you have to have a perfectly teachable heart. Now look at Hebrews chapter 5. Here we are, as Mr. Dobson mentioned in his introductory remarks that he's now observing 50 feasts, many of you 50 and more.

In Hebrews chapter 5 and verse 9, And being made perfect, speaking of Christ, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all of them that obey him. This expression being made perfect bothers some people. I'll briefly explain that. What that means is that at any time during great trials that Jesus Christ endured, as he said in one place, think not that I could call for legions of angels, but he was perfect unto death, tried and tested in every point as we are. And that's why it says he learned perfection through the things which he suffered. So he went through all of that perfectly. He was the perfect Lamb of God. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him, called of God and high priest after the order of Melchizedek, of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered, seeing that you are dull of hearing. Brethren, are we dull of hearing? Do we think that we know it all? Do we think that we're just treading water waiting for the coming of Christ? For when the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again what be the first principles or the oracles of God, and have become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat.

On my eighth day's sermon, I'll be talking about going on to perfection and how it is one of the great doctrines of the Bible.

For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness. For he is a babe, but strong meat belongs to those that are of full age, that is going on to maturity.

Even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil, they're not still hung up on the good on the do's and don'ts. They are doing what they need to do. They are doing already what they know to do. Of course, one of the great goals at the feast is to close the gap between what we know and what we do. So we must be drawn from the milk and weaned from the breast. We're drawn from the breast and weaned from the milk is really the way it is presented in the Bible. Now look at James 1. James, once again, this verse 21 in James is so important. When I began a class at Ambassador College or at ABC now, one of the first things I do is what I'm talking about right now. Whom is he going to teach knowledge? What are the requirements? We're here to be taught. We're here to sit at the feet of God. You're going to hear many wonderful sermons during the course of the feast. This could be a life-changing event for you, turning your life completely around. In James 1.21, wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness. That Greek word translated meekness is praoutes, p-r-a-u-t-e-s. P-r-a-u-t-e-s, it means perfectly teachable. Something along those lines, a perfectly teachable heart. There's no resistance. But at the same time, you're commanded, exhorted, to search the Scriptures daily whether these things be true. You don't believe it just because I say it, or anybody else. You believe it because God says it. You believe and you have this relationship with God, and you're committed to Him and to Jesus Christ.

Receive it with a perfectly teachable heart, the engrafted word, which is able to save your lives. Through the years, I've talked about the three C's—conviction, commitment, and courage. Conviction, commitment, and courage. To the degree that you are convicted and committed, you will act courageously. You will stand in the gap during these transitional times that we're living in. Look at the Gospel of John, chapter 8, verse 31. I got onto this when I was a student at Delta State University in Mississippi back my junior year.

Walking up the sidewalk, and I looked engraved over the doorway of the Hall of Administration where the words, uh, the state hath decreed that only free men shall be educated.

Harkening back to the time of ancient Greece where only the free men, the noble men, were to receive an education. The part about mass education is only about 100 years old. Jefferson introduced the concept. He said that all citizens should have at least a third-grade education, be able to read and write and to make intelligent sources, choices when it came to voting.

So the state hath decreed that only free men shall be educated. But God hath decreed that only educated men are free. And what is the greatest education that you can ever hope to have? That is the education that God presents to us through His Church.

We know that God exists. We know what God's purpose is. We know what God is. God is spirit. And we know this great transcendental purpose. He is our loving Father.

And He has called us to become as He is. The corollary to that is what His man, man, is made in the image of God with faculties akin to God.

He can think. He can reason, as I've already said. He can think about the future. But He has this great missing dimension. He is bound to this earth with a physio-chemical existence. He can only live eternally through the Spirit of God.

The great purpose of humankind is to become a member of the family of God. So Christ writes here, or states here, in John 8 and verse 31, Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed.

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. That's the only thing. All the peoples of the world talk about truth and freedom today, and yet at the same time they talk about toleration of every sort, whether or not you believe in God or not. Just take me as I am.

They answered and said, We be Abraham's seed, and were never bondage to any man. How say thee, then? You shall be made free. And Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I ascend, You whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin, And the servant abides not in the house forever, But the son abides ever. If the son therefore shall make you free, You shall be free indeed. For God hath declared that only educated men are free, To know who God is, what God is, what is his purpose, who is man, what is man, and what is his purpose.

True conviction comes from the Word of God. The Word of God must be preached and heard.

Paul exhorts the young evangelist Timothy in 2 Timothy 4, verses 1-4, So during this feast you'll be hearing many wonderful sermons.

As I said, conviction, commitment equals courage. To the degree that you are convicted and committed, you will act courageously. God is looking for courageous men and women.

In today's world, it will become more and more difficult to keep the big picture of the kingdom of God burning brightly in your minds and hearts.

But if you are convicted and committed, you will stand, and you will be more than overcomers. We are here at the feast. As I said, we'll hear many wonderful sermons.

We're here to picture the fruits of God's way. We're here to show forth the virtues of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

We're here to offer up spiritual sacrifices, and one of the greatest spiritual sacrifices we can offer is prayer. We're here to learn God's great faithfulness, which I've talked about.

We're here to offer thanksgiving for His great mercy.

So are we going to go forward? Will we stir up the spirit that is within us? Will we fill our lamps with oil? Will we become living sacrifices? Will we really take heed according to the Word of God? Or will we continue to do as Israel has done to this very day?

There's an interesting prophecy in Habakkuk chapter 3. Let's see if we can find Habakkuk without help.

Okay, let's go to Habakkuk chapter 3. I bet it's after something like Nahum.

So we got Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk. Don't turn to Habakkuk every day.

Habakkuk 3, verse 1, 1 and 2, 2 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigenoth. 3 O Lord, I have heard your speech and was afraid. O Lord, revive your work in the midst of the years. And the midst of the years make known in wrath, remember mercy. So we have an opportunity to reaffirm, recommit, to revive ourselves. And if we revive ourselves, we revive the work, the work that God is doing within each one of us.

God used John the Baptist. John did no miracle. But yet, of those born of women, there's none risen greater. God used Apollos, who didn't even have the Holy Spirit, until he met up with true believers. Of course, he was a true believer, baptized the baptism of John.

God used a deacon Philip to mightily preach the gospel after the church was scattered because of persecution. God used Esther, a young woman of maybe 20 years of age, to save the people of Judah. 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 the hearts of the children will be turned to God. We can be turned on, zealous for the Word of God and His way of life. We can begin in our own houses to teach God's truth to our children. We can begin to exercise judgment, mercy, and faith in our interaction with each other. We can put away envy, jealousy, and strife. 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, in our workplaces. We can be ambassadors for Christ. We can be filled with hope with a big picture of the kingdom of God burning brightly in our minds and hearts. We can put on the whole armor of God and especially the shield of faith, whereby we'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan. We can become new creations in Christ. We can exemplify the righteousness of God. All of this can be done and more regardless of the governmental system that we live under or the definitions of the work of the gospel. In short, we can do what God has called us to do. So let's be about our Father's business. I want to leave you with my poem that I leave every year in my first message.

I sort of adjust it as the years go by, but here it is, and we'll close with this. We have come to God's great feast in 2017. In the beautiful Ozark Hills, with our hearts filled thoroughly unleavened, we come filled with zeal.

We'll come to worship the great King who feeds the sheep of his flock. Our sacrifices of thanks and offerings we bring as we drink of the living rock.

We'll come to feast on the Word of God so we can relieve the world of sorrow. With the gospel of peace, we are thoroughly shod as we experience a foretaste of the wonderful world tomorrow. So let us be glad and rejoice and let our spirits soar as we enjoy the good things of our choice. Let us ever be mindful that we are Christ Ambassadors.

Hope we have a great feast here. I know that we will. We put these things to practice, and we do as we heard Mr. Dobson admonish us that we be attentive. And we really come before God and do the things that he expects us to do. So happy feast!