Your Reason D'Etre

Music Greetings, everybody. Good to be with you. Special thanks for the special music. We had four Trey Biggs and one Trey Bigg son-in-law, along with some other volunteers. Very beautiful. Thank you for that very much. I bring you greetings from South Texas, where most people have somewhat recovered from Hurricane Ike. The power is on in most places. Now we just got power restored to the place where Houston South meets Friday of this past week. Well, maybe it was a little earlier than that.

Anyhow, bringing greetings from there, we had 530 people for trumpets, Houston South and North combined. So it is indeed good to be here. We've been to Keystone, also to Estes Park for the feast in Colorado. Each time we think it can't get any more beautiful, but this is indeed a beautiful sight and a wonderful facility.

I think some of you have wanted to understand about globalization. I now have a message here sent to me that will explain globalization to you. It might directly, I should say indirectly, tie in with the sermon some way. What is the truest definition of globalization? Just take Princess Diana's death, an English princess with an Egyptian boyfriend crashes in a French tunnel riding in a German car with a Dutch engine driven by a Belgian who was drunk on Scotch whiskey, followed closely by Italian paparazzi and Japanese motorcycles.

Then she was treated by an American doctor using Brazilian medicines. This was sent to me by an American using Bill Gates Microsoft technology, which is developed and produced all over the world. You're probably processing it on your computer run by Taiwanese microchips, viewing it on a Korean monitor assembled by Bangladeshi workers in a Singapore plant and transported by Indian truck drivers, hijacked by Indonesians, unloaded by Sicilian longshoremen, and trucked to you by illegal aliens.

That, my friends, as McCain would say, is globalization at work. What is your raison d'etre? I thought I would use this French title here, your raison d'etre, spelled R-A-I-S-O-N, raison, which in French means reason, and d'etre, D, apostrophe, E-T-R-E, which means being. What is your reason? What is your reason for being? Do you have a reason or purpose for being?

Can you justify your existence? Why are you here? And, if you understand your reason for being, what is your mission and commission? No, we've seen the hymn, at times, Onward Christian Soldiers with great gusto. In fact, I wanted to close with it today, but in this computerized technological world of Bill Gates, we cannot sing Onward Christian Soldiers. Because something else is already fed into the computer, so we can only refer to it.

Onward Christian Soldiers. But we're seeing that Onward Christian Soldiers marching as to war with the cross of Jesus going on before. And we're seeing it mightily. We're seeing it with zeal. And I wonder, at times, do we really mean it? Onward Christian Soldiers is a 19th century English hymn. The words were written by Sabine Barring Gould in 1865.

He wanted to write a song that English schoolchildren could march to as they marched from village to village. They had a special day called Whitten Monday, where they would march arm in arm. I guess it was some kind of unity gesture. So one night, he stayed up all night and he wrote Onward Christian Soldiers. In 1871, a man by the name of Arthur Sullivan composed the music to Onward Christian Soldiers.

Sullivan named the tune St. Gertrude. After the wife of his friend, Ernest Clay Care Seymour, at whose country home he composed the tune. The hymn Onward Christian Soldiers is known around the world. It was played at Dwight Eisenhower's funeral. It has become the favorite hymn, or favored processional, of the Salvation Army. The theme of it is taken from references in the New Testament. The Christian being a soldier for Christ. Paul uses the analogy of being in the military, being a soldier, being an athlete, and the effort that's required and the commitment also that is required to be a really good soldier or a champion athlete.

In 2 Timothy 2, verse 3, You shall endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. So are we indeed Christian soldiers, fully committed to and obsessed with our mission and commission? I fear that some, and I put myself in this category from time to time, I've been trying to rekindle the fire in recent months and even years.

But I fear that we have become, in some cases, far too passive in our individual mission and commission to be Christian soldiers and ambassadors for Christ. What do I mean by passive? We can take on an attitude that nothing can change or be done until Christ comes and the kingdom is established on the earth. I see, sadly, many of our brethren come to church, sit with a pleasant look on their face, and if they bring their Bibles, some don't even open the Bibles, much less take notes.

It's as if we know it all, and we're just waiting for Christ to come. And even the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 that we just see through a glass dimly darkly at the present time. Do you know that the Laodiceans don't know that they are Laodiceans? Let's look at that in Revelation 3, verse 14. So our purpose here this afternoon is to see if we can stir up zeal that we can really get on fire for our mission and our commission and our raison d'etre, our reason for being.

In Revelation 3, verse 14, With one foot in the boat and one foot on the dock, eventually, of course, as the boat moves away from the dock, you'll fall into the water and drown. You have to be totally committed. I would that you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold or hot, I'm just biding my time. You know, I know it all. I've been here before.

This is my 45th feast, some might say. And some might say, this is my 50-something feast. What can we learn? Well, we can learn a great deal, brethren. We can dig into the Word of God, that precious goldmine of truth that you heard about in the sermonette. Because you say I'm rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and no, not! See, the Laodiceans really don't know. They don't say I'm cold or I'm hot. They don't say I'm lukewarm.

They're just going through the motions, apparently not realizing where they are. You see, it is through our actions that we declare unto God whether we are cold or hot. Not necessarily what we say through our actions. I have need of nothing, no, not that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire that you may be rich.

And of course, all of these things that he names here are symbolic of elements of character. I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire. And send the fire trials of life that you really learn what life is all about, where character can really be developed, where God can come to know you, where he can create within you his holy righteous character. That you may be rich and white raiment, that you may be clothed.

We know the white raiment is the righteousness of the saints. And that the shame of your nakedness, and nakedness can symbolize, of course, sin, the shame of your nakedness do not appear anoint your eyes with eyes, saith, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke, and chasten, be zealous therefore. And of course, that's one of my purposes, as I said here this afternoon. To stir us up so that we become zealous, so that we put on the whole armor of God, that we are prepared to fight the fight and win the battle.

As we shall see, of course, and as you know, it is a spiritual battle. As many as I love, I chasten, be zealous therefore, and repent.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him, will sut with him, and he with me. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The nations of this world are arming themselves with all the weapons they can possibly buy, borrow, beg, or steal. So if the nations of the world are preparing their soldiers for combat, and they're arming themselves to the hilt to win the battle, which is a physical battle, what about us?

Are we arming ourselves to win the spiritual battles that lie ahead that will result in us being in the kingdom of God? Notice Joel 3, verse 9. You know that Joel is a book that is about the day of the Lord and the event surrounding the day of the Lord. How dry I am in this humidity-forsaken land. I am used to humidity being 100 percent. And water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink, and all the boards did shrink, and all of that from the rhyme of the ancient mariner. But anyhow, in Joel 3, verse 9, Proclaim you this among the nations, prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up, beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears, let the weak say, I am strong.

And that's exactly what is happening with the nations of the world today. They're all scrambling to try to get as many weapons as they possibly can. They're trying to get even the nuclear weapons, as you read about, and the big controversy between the Western nations and Iran. And Israel saying we must not let, and also the Bush administration and the European Union, and others saying we cannot let Iran get nuclear weapons.

But the weak are saying they are strong. With us, if we put on the whole armor of God and we arm ourselves spiritually, we will be strong no matter how weak we are physically. In addition to arming themselves with strategic and tactical weapons, several nations, especially in the Islamic world, have a religious raison d'etre, a reason for being. And unlike so many in the Western world, Christian professing world, who say they really believe in God, they are willing to give their lives for what they believe.

Now, I don't advocate suicide bombing, but at the same time for a person to be so committed, dedicated to his reason for being, that is willing to go blow himself up. I mean, that is a lot of zeal. Now, that's the wrong kind of zeal. And obviously, we're not advocating that at all. But it's just to give a contrast, a comparison between people who have a raison d'etre, a reason for being and what they're willing to do in order to fulfill their mission and commission.

We sometimes forget, but we should never forget, that Satan is a prince of the power of the air. He is on an insatiable quest to be worshipped, and he is behind this, stirring this up. And the politicians of the world, the leaders, no matter how much diplomacy or whatever else they may use, they will never be able to bring to peace that only the Spirit of God can bring in Jesus Christ. Thank you very much.

The major religions of the world are expecting a great messiah, a great messiah-like figure to come on the scene and lead the world into a new age. An era of peace and prosperity for all the peoples of the world. Let's briefly look at these major religions and what they're expecting. The Buddhists are looking for the fifth Buddha to come and bring peace. The Hindus are looking for Krishna to come, Krishna on the scene and bring peace. The Islamic world is looking for the Mahdi, the Grand Mahdi. In Iran, there is what is called the Twelvers, a group of people who are dedicated to bringing about the appearance of this 12th Mahdi. Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, is dedicated to that end. And their scenario is somewhat like the Christian scenario, that in the state of great chaos and confusion in the world, the 12th Mahdi appears and brings peace to the world. Perhaps you saw Ahmadinejad's speech to the UN back a few weeks ago in which he just laid out before the whole world what they are about with great zeal and with great conviction. The Jews are looking for the Messiah to come. They think the one prophesied in the Old Testament to come has not yet come, so they are still looking for a Messiah. But they are looking for a human being. They are not looking for a great spirit being riding on a white horse from the heavens. They are looking for a human being, a great political leader who will lead Zionism. Zionism has at its base also the desire to rule over the world.

In addition to that, of course, the Christian world, they are looking for the return of Jesus Christ. The New Agers are looking for Maitreya to appear. Some say that Maitreya is already here, holed up in a hotel room in London. He is waiting for the right time to come on the scene. In addition to these groups, there are various nations and political blocs that are struggling to gain world dominance and hegemony, that is, rulership over the world, China, North Korea, Iran, Russia, European Union, the United States, the UN, NATO. So we see lots of religious groups. We see national groups that are filled with zeal. And at a time like this, the most critical crucial time in human history, what about us? Are we filled with this same kind of zeal that they are and the same kind of dedication?

We take one case in point, and I don't want to take this too far. I'm basically reading here China's economic miracle based on slave labor that undercuts production costs around the world. I was talking with a man, a friend in East Texas this past Sabbath, where he talked about this. He had a great business going. I would call it a multi-million dollar business. And he tried to hang on for years, thinking that maybe he would be able to compete. But you cannot compete when your machinists are paid at least $12 an hour. Of course, machinists in most places are making the $20 an hour or more. Whereas in China, at most, they would be making 50 cents an hour, probably less. So they're using prison labor, slave labor, with one of her main distributors being Wal-Mart, has produced a mountain of money, which has been used to buy foreign debt. It holds in excess of $1 trillion worth of U.S. Treasury bonds. That's debt. And debt of the U.S. government, mortgage lenders, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac. And, of course, we've just seen the recent intervention by the United States government trying to bail out some of these institutions. This writer goes on to say, but even this trillion dollars doesn't nearly tell the full story because it doesn't include Chinese investment in private U.S. corporations and the use by the Chinese government of third parties to hide the extent of its holdings. Put it all together, and China is gaining even more control of the U.S. economy, and it can use this power to destroy what is left of the American financial system. The United States is now $10 trillion in debt, with more being added by the minute. The superpowers is essentially bankrupt and at the mercy of its overseas creditors.

But what keeps it afloat? The United States is still the goose that lays the golden egg, the greatest consumer nation on the face of the earth. And if the United States and its consumerism goes under, of course, the rest of the world would suffer greatly as well.

Sadly, the peoples of the world are being conquered without a shot being fired. Recently, I gave a sermon titled, Independence, Dependency, and Interdependence. As we have seen in recent weeks and days, the nations of the world have entered into a state of interdependency, and the people have been made dependent on the central government and the central banks, and he who owns the gold makes the rules.

I talked to another man in our area recently who is not in the church, and several times he talked about Christ coming and straightening out the world. He said, and this was before the Feast of Trumpets back in August, he said, maybe it will be on Rosh Hashina this year on trumpets.

And I replied, he won't be coming this year. And he said, why? I said, because there are many prophecies that have to be fulfilled. The silence was deafening, and we went on to something else. We all want Christ to return, and we should be praying continually, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. But what are we doing in the meantime, and what are we to do in the meantime? We can briefly talk about the various conditions that exist in the world, and how we're being enslaved more and more each day. And really how no one cries out much even about that. Oh, there are a lot of bloggers who talk about it. But the average man on the street just wants to survive. He wants to be able to feed his children, clothe his children. He wants to be able to send them to school and eventually maybe get a college education.

And we're just basically left to whatever the government wants to do, and very few voices really cry out. But what about us, those of us who know the truth? We know that the kingdom is coming. So what do we do in the meantime? What are we supposed to do now? And are we dedicated to our reason for being, to the extent, and with the same zeal, as the other religions and nations of the world?

Do you know and do you live like you've already been translated into the kingdom of God? Look at Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians chapter 1 verse 12, the Apostle Paul writes, giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us fitting to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints and light, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. You see, this is the only opportunity we're going to have to live under the government of God in the flesh. And we, knowing the truth, will either live under the government of God now in the flesh or we won't. And if we don't submit ourselves and surrender ourselves to God in Christ now, we won't have an opportunity to live under the government of God as spirit beings. This word translated here in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse 13, Methistemi, that's the Greek word, Methistemi, to transpose, transfer, remove from one place to another, to change a situation or place, to remove from the office of a steward to depart from life to die. So it has many meanings, but figuratively speaking, we have been translated into the kingdom of God. We've been moved to the place to where we can claim the promises. In view of the fact, in view of the fact that we have been spiritually translated into the kingdom of His dear Son, what should we do? Let's notice this, the answer to that in Colossians 3, beginning in verse 1. If we then be risen with Christ, we've been translated into this kingdom of God, made to sit in heavenly places, one of the ways Paul frames it in Ephesians chapter 1. If we then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God, set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth. This word, affection, from Neo, feeling or emotion, it has to do with what you value and where you direct your thoughts and actions. It's similar to Matthew 6.33, seek you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Set your affection on things above, your thoughts, your intent, not on things on the earth, for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ and God. You went into the watery grave of baptism, and the old man was to be buried there. You were raised to newness of life, and this new mind, this new man, is to keep that old man buried. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory. And we are here observing the days in which we will appear with Him in glory. But in the meantime, we have been translated into the kingdom of His dear Son. And are we living as if we have been translated, as if that is a reality? Or are we, on the other hand, awash in the political correctness, multiculturalism of the day, where everything is gray, evil is called good, good is called evil, and the watchword is toleration. Let's notice now in Ezekiel 22, I don't have this in my notes, but it fits right here, and I always use it basically. There are four or five scriptures I probably use in every sermon I ever give, so some people learn some of that. In Ezekiel 22, verse 24, They have put no difference between the holy and the profane. They put no difference between the things of God and the things of this world. Holy things have God's active presence within them. Sacred things point to a higher reality. They put no difference between the holy and the profane, the things of this world. Neither have they showed a difference between unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

So in today's world, if you stand up for that which is really right, believe you may, you will be attacked. And I don't care what your political affiliation or religious affiliation, if you begin to stand up for that which is right, you're going to receive scrutiny, you're going to receive criticism. Let's notice James 4 now. God wants all of our affection.

He wants all of our affection, and He wants all of our being, and He wants it now. He doesn't want it at a more convenient time, as one man told the Apostle Paul, you know, trembling. He said, well, Paul, you know, a more convenient time. God wants that affection now. In James, let's notice this. In James 4 and verse 4, this has to do with living as if you've been translated into the kingdom of His dear Son, that you understand your reason for being, that you are on a mission. That mission is from God, and nothing is going to deter you from fulfilling your mission and commission.

In James 4, verse 4, you adulterers and adulteresis, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. There is no in-between. We see a lot more and more people try to be a part of the world and also be a part of some kind of religious affiliation.

Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do you think that the Scripture says in vain, the Spirit that dwells in us lusts envy, but He gives more grace, carous, divine favor. Wherefore He says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and He will flee from you. So once again I ask each one of us, I include myself, and I ask us individually and specifically, are you a Christian soldier? And are you an ambassador for Christ? And are you an ambassador for the kingdom of God? Is Christ truly your life?

Note the question that Paul asked the Ephesians in Ephesians 4, Ephesians 4, verse 1. This word here that is translated in some translations, vocation, is the same word that is translated calling in other places. In Ephesians 4, verse 1, Therefore the prisoner of the Lord, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, that you walk worthy of the vocation, or the calling, wherewith you are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, enduring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Far too many treat their spiritual life as it were a sideline activity, something you do on the Sabbath or on the Holy Days. And on the Sabbath we tend to be exhausted because we put all our time and energy during the weekend to surviving. It's a way this Babylonian economic system is geared. In so many families now you have both husband and wife working, trying to survive. And I believe the two greatest things, I think, that beset our people, one is closing the gap between what we know and what we do.

You know, Paul says in 1 Corinthians that knowledge puffs up, charity edifies.

And the other thing, in addition to closing the gap between what we know and what we do, is that the cares of this world have become our number one priority in a lot of cases. And I find myself falling into that trap. And like justifying, because God knows I've got to do this, because if I don't do this, then what are the consequences? And oftentimes communication with God and what I should be doing in that way takes a back seat.

And somehow you tend to justify it in your mind. But Christ says, seek you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. In other words, get your priorities straight. And we all need to get our priorities straight. Live now as if you were in the kingdom of God, instead of living as if the kingdom is just a faint hope in the future. And then all of your troubles will be over. We've been called to the highest calling there is. There is no greater calling than to be invited to become a son or daughter in the great, great government and the great family of the king of the universe, called to rule and reign with God and Christ over all the world. So do we value that calling to become members of the royal priesthood of God, to be kings and priests in the kingdom of God? You know, when we went under the watery grave of baptism, we became Christian soldiers and ambassadors for Christ. Our ultimate goal, our reason for being, is to become love as our Father in Heaven is love and be born in the family of God at the resurrection. The Feast of Tabernacles pictures that wonderful time in which the kingdom of God rule and reign over the earth. We look forward to that time when when the stone not made with hands is going to crush the kingdoms of this world and the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of God and His Christ and we shall rule with them forever and ever in the kingdom of God. The New Testament is replete with admonitions to fight, to struggle, to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered. As we've already noted, Satan the devil also has a raison d'etre. He has a reason for being and that reason for being at the present time is to break prophecy, to make God a liar, to wreck God's plan of salvation, to destroy you and all of humankind.

Satan has tremendous power. He is continually waging warfare. Let's note what the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 6. Ephesians 6, verse 10.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

While the nations of this world are preparing for war, as we read in Joel 3, 9, and 10, we need to be preparing for the day of the Lord and for the great battles that lie ahead. Not only that, but to be living now with our armor fully intact so that we'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Paul goes on in this chapter, I'm not going to read it all, to use the metaphors of military armor, describing the armor, using the analogy of military armor, and applying it in the spiritual sense, describing our spiritual armor. Satan now has at his disposal the communication and behavioral technology to deceive the whole world. And as it says in Revelation 12.9, he is deceiving the whole world. And the time is going to come. Revelation 13.8 says that, "...everyone whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life will worship the beast's power." The beast and the false prophet, energized by Satan. Satan now has at his disposal the kind of communication and behavioral technology, not to just deceive a certain segment of the world, a certain region, but the whole world. But we have more power at our disposal than all of Satan's minions, and all devices of technology, and whatever else you want to name. Notice now 2 Corinthians 10. 2 Corinthians 10.

2 Corinthians 10, verse 2, I beseech you that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walk according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, where human beings were flesh and blood, that's the way we are, but we don't war after the flesh. That is not our warfare. That's the warfare of the false religious groups, who are willing to give themselves to be burned, or whatever, blow themselves into smithereens, as we say, and kill other innocent women, children, men, human beings, made in the image of God to fulfill their reason for being, as they are so deceived by Satan the devil. So we're human beings, but we're not going to war after the flesh. If we war after the flesh, we're going to lose the battle. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strongholds. Now these strongholds that Paul is referring to here are strongholds that come on the mind, to grip the mind, the negative thoughts, feelings, emotions that we may have about ourselves or others, where God says in Romans 8.31, of God before you who can be against you. No one can defeat you. Pull down the strongholds, casting down imaginations, and the things in the mind that are against the promises of God, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Brethren, we have at our disposal weapons of warfare that the world has never dreamed of. What Satan fears most What Satan fears most is a man on his knees, not vast marching armies with great weaponry. He knows he can stand against the power of men to engage us in battle, is mere sport to him. But a man on his knees with his head bowed in prayer is something quite different to the prince of the air. For when he sees us in prayer to our God Most High, he knows we have seen through his devilish lies. That's what Satan fears most, a man on his knees, and we'll keep him trembling if our prayers never cease. The governments of this world and academia are spending billions of dollars exploring space, building super nuclear reactors in an attempt to explain to discover how the universe began and how human life began apart from the great Creator God. Perhaps some of you have seen Ben Stein's movie, Expelled, a noble attempt to try to expose the deceit and intimidation that is extended in academia and politics today. If you even mention about there being intelligent design, that there being a creator, and some of these professors that are shown in this movie, Expelled, had tenure at major universities, and because they opened the door just to the possibility that there was intelligent design in the universe, they were fired. And furthermore, it's almost impossible for them to get another job. I'm telling you, the job that is being done by the intelligence, the academic academia, the think tanks of this world, are to the point where our children, unless they are taught at home, the reality of the creation and God the great Creator and everything that we can do, they are going to be brainwashed, because that is the way the world is geared.

Western civilization, the bastion of Christianity, is presently so disoriented and demoralized that people have become putrid putty in the name of toleration, political correctness, and multiculturalism. And our youth have been especially targeted. Do they really know and understand their reason for being? That's another thing that needs to be taught. Why are you here? As early as a child can possibly grasp that concept, why are you here on the earth? We know the glamour and glitz of this present evil age appeals to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of life. But we have weapons at our disposal, and we have the tools that are necessary to really teach our youth and the brethren what is important and what is a real reason for our being. The culture of God will be the only culture allowed to exist in the wonderful world tomorrow. Now it will take some time, I'm quite sure, for that culture to be extant throughout the whole world. The culture will be built on the foundation of moral and spiritual knowledge, the Word of God. The world will indeed recapture true values. In my view, the principal things that Mr. Herbert Armstrong restored in the Church of God were the law of God, the holy days, the true nature of God, and the purpose of human existence. Inherent in the last two, that is, the nature of God and the purpose of human existence, in my view are the six greatest questions of the ages. What would you say are the greatest questions of the ages? I'd say number one is, who is God? Who is God?

God is our Creator, He is our Father. I'm just going to give you the brief answer. Who is God? He is our Creator, our Father. What is God? God is Spirit. John 4, 24, 30, 26, talks about God is Spirit. And those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. What is God's purpose? God's purpose is to bring sons and daughters to glory in His family. And then, corollary to that, what is man?

Man, let's answer who is man first. Who is man? Man was made in the image of God, with certain mental abilities and faculties of mind akin to God. Made in the image of God.

What is man? Man is made of the dust to the ground, subject to sin and death, and will die unless the great gulf is bridged between life and death, between this chemio-physical existence and spiritual life.

And what is man's purpose? Man's purpose. His reason for being is to become a glorious spirit, being in the kingdom of God. You know, many people came into the church because of prophecy, and that is still more important to some than our raison d'etre, our reason for being.

The church has a limited knowledge of the framework of prophecy, but that's not where our ultimate focus should be. I think we thought at one time we had a corner on the market there, but where we really have a corner on the market when it comes to the religious world, just use that as a generic term, is understanding the process of salvation and answering the great questions of life. See, we should know who is God. God is our great creator. He's our Father. What is God? He's spirit. What is His purpose? To bring sons and daughters to glory. What about man? What we've just said. Man made in the image of God, but he's of the dust to the ground, subject to sin and death. What is His purpose? Become members of the family of God. Now, I hasten to add that the prophecy is very important, because a faulty understanding of prophecy will be one of the main ways that Satan will deceive the world into accepting the Antichrist. Note Christ's words in Matthew 22, verses 36 through 40. We usually do not quote or read this verse 40. In Matthew 22, verse 36, the question came to Christ, which is the great commandment.

Jesus answered, Matthew 22, 37, Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment, 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. You could do everything else and understand everything else, but unless this is becoming a reality in your life, it's all in vain. Does the Bible confirm that? Turn quickly to 1 Corinthians 13, verse 1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels. This is 1 Corinthians 13, verse 1. 1 Corinthians 13 is somewhat of an inset chapter. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul is explaining spiritual gifts. And he closes that. Of course, men made the chapter breaks. And saying that, yet I show you a more excellent way. And then we have 1 Corinthians 13, which is the more excellent way, the way of love. Then he goes back to spiritual gifts in chapter 14. But here we are in 13, the more excellent way. Far surpassing any other way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels have not charity. Greek agape, spiritual love, I am become a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. God is love. And this says that if we don't have charity, if we're not becoming as God is, I am becoming a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity, if I'm not becoming as God is, 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, it profits me nothing. See, on these two commandments, loving God with all your heart, mind, soul, loving your neighbor as yourself, hangs all the law and the prophets. If this is not becoming a reality in your life, Paul says you could understand all the mysteries of prophecies and have all faith, and give everything you have. But if this is not becoming a reality in your life, it profits nothing.

Brethren, have we lost the fire in our bellies for marching toward the kingdom as Christian soldiers? We're at this critical, crucial time in human history. We must not draw back. We must continue to march forward, armed with the sword and spirit of God. Armed with the sword and spirit of God, we cannot fail. Notice Romans 8, beginning in verse 31. Romans 8, verse 31, What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? He who gave us all things, who shall not give us all things? How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that has risen again. Who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? As it is written, For your sake we are killed all the day long, we are accounted a sheep for the slaughter. What does adverse really mean? It means that anything that we get above death is a gift. When we come to internalize that attitude and that kind of humility as a sheep led to the slaughter, then nothing can get through to harm us or hurt us. Because we know and we know that we know that God is our great deliverer and He will see us through. And we take that shield of faith, as it says in Ephesians 6, 16, taking the shield of faith whereby you'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan. When you come to that state of understanding, then there's no way that Satan can get you. Because, as it is written, for your sake we're killed all the day long, we're accounted a sheep for the slaughter. Knowing all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. The religious world that is seeking to blow others up in the name of their raison d'etre, the nations of the world who seek to gain dominance and hedge in me over the nations of the world, using military force, are not going to be able to stand against the great forces of God and Christ and the saints that you read about in Revelation 19 when they come again to this earth, and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of God and His Christ. In all of these things, all of the things that Paul lists that might possibly trip us up, we're more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So let us now renew the zeal during this feast. Dedicate ourselves to making a difference in our own lives and the lives of others, living as if we've been translated into the kingdom of His dear Son. And let's march forward as God's great, great, great spiritual armor, carrying forth a banner of truth and of righteousness.