It is hard to believe that in a few short months from now, we will be leaving for the Feast of Tabernacles. As usual, the Feast fever is starting to grow. And it should be this way. We should be genuinely excited about God’s commanded Holy Days.

The effort and zeal that we put into getting ready for the Feast is present every day. Whether it be preparing for special music or messages for those who speak, as well as other tasks to be carried out.  It always seems that the last two months before the Feast are the busiest. Proper preparations take forethought and time to come into place.

Each year we somehow manage to have “the BEST Feast ever!” This is truly a side effect for people of like mind and unity, enjoying what God has foreordained. And how quickly these days go by!

And then, when the Feast has ended, we walk away on a spiritual high. That energy and zeal lasts for a little while. That is until we get sucked back into the world and back to the daily grind.

But there is a task which all of us should be carrying out before and at the Feast, and thereafter.  We all have the ability to reach out and help each other through our rough patches. We are told many times to lift each other up, to encourage each other to carry on (Hebrews 3:13; 10:25; 1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Each day we wake up is another day closer to the ultimate return of Jesus Christ. This is a fact that we should bear in mind as we go about our lives. If we make it a part of our thinking we will begin to look beyond the past, present and near future difficulties.  We will no longer be slowed by doubts and inhibitions. Paul was encouraged to write this little tid bit to the Philippians, to show them by his actions how to stay focused. He said: “ … I press on toward the goal…” (Philippians 3:14).

So as we continue to prepare for this important time of year, let us also prepare for after the Feast. We have to develop this sense of urgency and focus so that we can help in “hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:12).  Let’s do this together–holding each other up in love and encouragement.

Our society fulfills its desire for entertainment in an ever increasing level of shock and complete imbalance.  With the ability to record pictures and video on almost every cell phone in use today, it’s rare to not see the aftermath of accidents, disasters and wars captured with immediacy and made available for the world to see.  There is no lack of desire to see images more and more horrific in nature.  Mainstream media has standards of what they cannot show and often warn or black out images deemed too graphic.  But standards relax and what was unacceptable to show 20 or 30 years ago is now common place on nightly news.

We can attribute these growingly macabre desires to the god of this corrupt age and the influence he has unleashed on this world.  But Satan has been at work since his deception in the garden and mankind’s lust for gore is not a new one.  King David was given a heart wrenching decree by God because he gloried in bloodshed: “But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood’” (1 Chronicles 28:3).  Christ said that David was “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22) but more importantly we know that David had God’s Spirit.  Like each one of us with that same Spirit, David saw the world with his eyes opened by God. But, he stumbled because of his love of war and bloodshed and was not allowed to build a physical house for God.

Living as a Christian in this world is difficult.  The subtleties in how we interact on a daily basis can form lasting habits and those habits can either direct us toward godliness or away from it.  It’s too easy to mirror the standards of this society and grow accepting and accustomed to the comfort it appears to give.  But true Christianity should find no comfort in the beliefs of this age: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). 

Each of us must strive to build a spiritual house—one that God would desire His Spirit to dwell within.  It is imperative then, for our eternal existence, that we let our “conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).  Living a Christian life is not about “what I can’t do” but instead “what I should be doing.”  With that mindset we can conduct ourselves in a manner suitable for Christ.

In the 1980s, I was involved in a management  training session which developed our abilities to properly prioritize things from the essential to the non-essential; the  most important to the less important; and the crucial to the insignificant. The purpose was to help us become effective managers in any company.

We had to imagine that we were isolated in the wilderness, with no help from anybody, and we had thirty items to choose from. Some of these items were of vital importance for our survival; others were trivial. To be able to survive, we had to list the items in the order of most important to least important; so it was essential to make wise choices. 

I don’t recall who provided the most correct answers according to the experts who had designed the list, but I do remember choosing correctly seven items out of the ten first ones, and I had also placed the first three in the correct order.

This reminds me that in this life we have to make choices and prioritize things so that we don’t waste time on frivolous and trivial pursuits while the crucial matters are being neglected.

Set forth below are examples of goals and objectives which Church members and non-Church members pursue in their lives. They include:

–Craving for material goods and buying all kinds of  toys  in an effort to keep up with friends and neighbours.

–Getting involved in local politics,  perhaps even running for the office of mayor, to make the community a better place.

–Getting involved in national political campaigns and propaganda, and voting for governmental candidates for the office of governor, senator, president, chancellor or prime minister.

–Being involved and  actively engaged in the process of preaching and publishing the gospel of the Kingdom of God to the world as a witness in whatever capacity God sees fit for us. This would include the fact that we have the potential to become members of the very God Family in the future, and also, to give a warning message now to the modern houses of Judah and Israel, namely the white Anglo Saxon nations, as well as to all the nations on this globe, to announce to them impending doom as a result of their sins, coupled  with the hope of a coming better world when Christ returns and establishes the government of God on the earth.

–Seeking to do everything  physically possible to make sure we will be protected from the Great Tribulation at the place of safety; thereby focusing foremost on preserving our own life.

–Being involved in local outreach programs for the community and in missionary work in third-world countries in an effort to bring individuals to Christ and to be seen as shining lights, craving for recognition and glory from man; usually, but not always,  with the proclamation of a wrong gospel message and a false Jesus Christ.

–Joining the military and the armed forces since we feel it is our duty to defend our country from enemies, domestic and foreign.

–Growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ so we can answer any questions in regard to the hope that lies within us.

–Seeking the pursuit of wealth and riches, realizing that a twisted concept of the golden rule applies so often in this world; namely, that those with gold rule; and we want to be part of that group.

These are just some of the pursuits that people get involved with. In regard to your spiritual salvation, how would you prioritize these pursuits? And which pursuits would you identify as the only two, which true Christians should and must engage in today?

The choice is ours. Let us ensure we make the right choices in the correct order.

The apostle Paul spoke of problems he faced because of false brethren (2 Corinthians 11:26). These were those who tried to withstand the Truth of God by teaching doctrines from their own imagination. The conflict over circumcision as recorded in Acts 15 is an example, and the letter Paul wrote to the Galatians shows how pervasive this false teaching was.
 
Jesus, in the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30), reveals that not everyone within the Church of God fellowship would be of the same mind. Still, even with these warnings considered, we are also to understand that the Church is comprised of true brethren!
 
The calling from God that leads us to become His begotten children also establishes us as brethren. In fact, we are now brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ (compare Hebrews 2:12-13).
 
We can test ourselves by taking our lead from the Word of God. An especially challenging presentation for us is in Romans 12. If we are actively following these instructions, then we are fulfilling the requirements to be counted among those who are true brethren.
 
Of special note is verse 10: “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another…”
 
You know, every once in a while we need to be reminded to do this in more deliberate ways. We have the opportunity to assemble together on the weekly Sabbath and the annual Feast Days to help us develop within the Family of God—that is, to grow in godliness toward one another.
 
In spite of those who contended with him, Paul kept his focus on the true brethren, and what he wrote finds its full application even today:
 
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer…” (2 Thessalonians 1:3-5).

It is so easy to forget. Especially when one gets older. I may phone someone with a particular purpose in mind, but after being side-tracked during the conversation, I can forget  what I had called about.  It can just “slip” my mind. I try to write down the previous night, or at the beginning of a new working day, what important issues have to be dealt with… lest I forget. But sometimes I forget to prepare or to look at my notes which would have helped me not to forget…

Apart from physical shortcomings like these, we are very clearly told not to be forgetful in spiritual matters.

For instance, we are admonished: “But do not forget to do good and to share” (Hebrews 13:16).  We are also encouraged not to forget to be hospitable (Hebrews 13:2). Proverbs 4:5 tells us: “Do not forget, nor turn away from the words” of wisdom. Many in biblical times had forgotten a very important cause for trials (Hebrews 12:4-6); and, even worse, they had “forgotten” that they were “cleansed” from their “old sins” (2 Peter 1:9).

God warned ancient Israel—and He warns us today—not to forget Him: “Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, And have forgotten the God who fathered you” (Deuteronomy 32:18).

How can we forget God?

Moses warned the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 8:11: “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today.” But they did forget God and did not remember His Law, and notice the consequence: “So the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs” (Judges 3:7).

When we forget God, we will get involved with paganism and false worship. Godly obedience will cease, and evil and wicked conduct will be the result. Jeremiah 3:21 says: “… they have perverted their ways; they have forgotten the LORD their God.” And Jeremiah 13:25 adds: “… you have forgotten Me And trusted in falsehood.”

Forgetting God and living unrighteously is a matter of cause and effect. Ezekiel 22:7-12 states: “… they have made light of father and mother… they have oppressed the stranger… they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow. You have despised my holy things and profaned My Sabbaths…. Men… slander to cause bloodshed… they commit lewdness… they violate women… One commits abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; and another… violates his sister, his father’s daughter… they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbor by extortion, and have forgotten Me…”

What a terrible list. What an indictment against those who forget God. What a horrible guilty verdict for man who does not remember his Maker.

As Romans 1:28 tells us: “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.” The list of wicked conduct which follows in verses 29-32 is equally disgusting.

When God opened our minds and called us out of this terrible world to free us from our evil human nature, we were supposed to become a “new creation.” In accepting—and not rejecting or forgetting—the knowledge of God, “we have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge” (Colossians 3:10). That godly knowledge tells us not to sin, but to live righteously, as 1 Corinthians 15:34 says: “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God.”

People in this world, being cut off from God and forgetting and rejecting God’s truth, really do not have the knowledge to do good (Jeremiah 4:22). They are “destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). They have “rejected knowledge” and “forgotten” the law of God (same verse). As God’s called-out disciples, we must be different.

At the same time, the Bible tells us that there are things we must forget. But for us, it is so easy to forget what we ought to remember, and to remember what we ought to forget.

We must “forget” those things “which are behind” (Philippians 3:13), while “increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). We are admonished to “grow” in the “knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). God’s knowledge helps us to forgive others and forget their sins against us. But without it, we will hold grudges and remember—sometimes for many years—what we should have forgotten a long, long time ago.

How can we grow in God’s knowledge? Where can we get help to leave our old man behind and become a new man with godly knowledge to save us from sin? Jesus Christ has shown us very clearly that His true ministry can be of assistance. We are told in Ephesians 4:11-12 that Christ built His Church and gave it ordained ministers for the “edifying” of the membership, “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (verse 13). This will help us to be firm in the truth and not to become confused by strange doctrines and prophetic speculations.

Not all heed this admonition. Some reject God’s ministry and, having itching ears, they look for wrong teachers, thereby forsaking the knowledge of God and sliding back into the wrong ideas of this world. Peter does not warn us without reason:

“For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning” (2 Peter 2:20). He even goes on to say: “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them” (verse 21).

God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4), but there are those who are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). Why is that so? Because they are not humble enough to be taught, and while they think that they know everything, they know nothing at all. Lack of humility and obedience will prevent us from receiving godly knowledge, and whatever knowledge we might have received will ultimately be completely lost.

Hebrews 10:26-27 warns us:

“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.”

Forgetting God and rejecting His knowledge puts us on a dangerous and slippery road. We must be doers of His Law and can’t be forgetful hearers (James 1:23-25). When Christ returns and asks us what we did with the knowledge that He gave us, we had better not answer Him: “Sorry, I forgot!” Christ will not accept that kind of an answer. But He will praise us as His friends for remembering and doing what He commanded us (John 15:14). Christ tells us in John 13:17: “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

Let us not forget, but let us always remember what we must do!

In John 6 verses 1-13 we read about the feeding of 5,000 men (verse 10) plus all the women and children. Quite a crowd! We can marvel at such a miracle and the fact that everyone ate their fill and there were twelve baskets that were filled with fragments after the meal, and all from five loaves and two fish.

But after we have finished marvelling at the mighty miracle that Christ performed, we can overlook something else in this story. Christ then told the disciples to gather up the food that was left. Typically today, many just throw rubbish anywhere and everywhere. Just look at the aftermath of rock concerts, picnics in the park, football matches and visits to the cinema. I recall having lunch some years ago with the senior executive of the company I worked for at that time and he paid by credit card. As we left the table, he looked at his receipt and just let it fall to the ground. In another case, a man came out of the post office, looked at his receipt and just threw it on the ground. I  suggested, politely, that he should pick it up and he smiled. I again suggested the same thing and he smiled, waved his hand at me and just walked away. I don’t think that he may have understood much English!

That was not neat!

I recall visiting Singapore on a company convention in the 1980’s and litter was not allowed. I looked up the current situation and read that in Singapore “A litter law dating from 1968 means litter bugs can be fined $1,000 for the first conviction and $5,000 for repeat convictions. On top of that, you’ll be forced to do community labour.  And if you offend three times, you’ll have to wear a sign, which states, “I am a litter lout”. They take it seriously!

Of course, in the United States today, littering is also strictly forbidden and punishable with a fine of at least $1,000 for each violation. In many other countries, similar laws exist.

Why am I raising this issue? Jesus Christ set the example by instructing His disciples to clear up after “the party”. When I first started attending church, I was pleasantly surprised by the attention to detail that church members made. Meeting halls were left as clean and tidy as they were found and, sometimes even tidier and cleaner! Even toilets were left in a clean condition.

Being tidy may seem a small matter but we have to be faithful in the little things (compare Luke 16:10). Do we tidy up at home, at church or wherever we are? Are we following Christ’s example of tidiness and order?

If so, that’s neat!

We are constantly “challenged” by Satan and by God to see how strong we really are. While Satan is tempting us to sin, God is testing our strength, so that we do not sin. Will we obey God in regards to His Law or will we break His Law and give in to Satan’s intent to see us stumble and fall?

We are set apart; we are chosen by God to understand His truth and potential plan for us, which is considered strange to those who are not familiar with God’s Law.

The knowledge of the truth has to be within us and we have to be vigilant and stand up for the truth at all times. 

The Bible is very consistent and doesn’t contradict itself.  God’s Law is peaceful and perfect, but it is also a mystery in this world.  We are called out of this world to be clean, and that is the way we ought to live.  But we live in an unclean world ruled by Satan and we know how easily his clever tactics can ensnare us, tempting us just like he tempted Christ when Christ was on this earth as a human being.  We have to act as Christ did and conquer Satan by living righteously.

We were all unclean, and at our baptism we “put to death” our members, which were “on the earth” (Colossians 3:5).  We replaced one for the other as verses 9 and 10 explain: “…since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”

We were cleaned when we were baptized. However, even after baptism, we will still sin, so that we need to be cleansed constantly (1 John 1:8-9). Our members have to be put to death constantly. The annual Passover reminds us that our uncleanliness, which is our carnal mindset fueled by Satan, has to be removed, and it is a renewal of our commitment to God to live righteously and to remain clean. 

Colossians 3:12-17 and Galatians 5:22-26 provide us with great examples of how we can live a “clean” and righteous life, by applying the “new man character” and walking in the fruit of the Spirit.  This truly is the way of peace – the guide to happiness.  If we live this way, we will draw even closer to God and truly understand what our calling is all about – to be clean in an unclean world. 

As God’s people, who have been called out of this world, we are to live differently than the rest of mankind. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

It is our potential to become rulers in the world tomorrow. We see in Revelation 1:6 and 5:10 that it is our calling to become kings and priests “to God.”

As a leader, ruler and priest, one has great responsibilities. As one grows spiritually and receives greater responsibilities, the ongoing and increasing need to serve is required (compare Matthew 20:25-28). Great leadership demands being an even better servant.

The term servant leadership applies here. As a called-out people, it is our duty now and in the future to help serve those who will one day become God beings along with us. At some point, all people will have the opportunity to become God beings. How incredible! Which is why we are told NOW that we are to be treating all people well.

James 2:8-12 explains: “If you really fulfill [that is, keep] the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep [or, fulfill] the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”

When the young man came to Christ and asked Him what he would have to do to inherit eternal life, he walked away because he did not like Christ’s answer, since he was not willing to completely let go of his money and serve others (Matthew 19:21-22).

A life of service is what we have committed to. Let us take this calling seriously and embrace all opportunities to help others and to treat them just as we would wish to be treated, even if others may treat us unkindly. There is always the need to check our personal desires and really look to the betterment and well being of others.  Our very existence now and in the soon-coming future depends on this.

Recently, I was listening to an announcement about upcoming World Cup matches and a radio host mentioned an ocelot in Dorchester would be predicting the outcomes of games.  This feline would be using its “special predictive powers” and “channeling his inner soccer spirit” to guess winners.  One of the curators at this feline’s zoo stated, “we find a lot of the time when zoos do this, the animals are pretty right on.” While this seems innocent on the surface, the underlying principles and motivations are anything but naïve.  Zechariah spoke about the same timeless reasoning—an attitude constantly affecting mankind.  “For the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, and tell false dreams; They comfort in vain.  Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd” (Zechariah 10:2).

The use of supernatural animal powers doesn’t stop at sports predictions.  Popular in America and Canada is a weather-predicting groundhog that even has a day set apart for observance.  Every February 2nd (Groundhog Day) “the town of Punxsutawney celebrates the legendary groundhog with a festive atmosphere of music and food.  During the ceremony…Phil emerges from his temporary home…if Phil sees his shadow he has predicted six more weeks of winter-like weather.  If Phil does not see his shadow, he has predicted an early spring.”  This ceremony has been celebrated for over 125 years and consistently receives mention on national news.

We can dismiss these practices as simple folly and harmless fun, as do most who take part in them.  But the same could be said of Christmas or Easter.  Today many of the mainstream holidays originating in paganism are the foundation of those who call themselves Christian.  Hosea warned of our tendencies, “My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him” (Hosea 11:7).

As God’s people we know better!  We should never assume to be completely immune from the pull of Satan’s deceit. In Revelation 18 an angel cries out about the debase nature of Babylon—a description of the world we live in today. “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury” (Revelation 18:2-3).  And to those of us with God’s Spirit an angel warns us, “come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.  For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities” (Revelation 18:4-5). No amount of sugar-coating can change what God plainly labels as sin.  It’s imperative that we focus on His clear voice in an end-time age so filled with confusion and deceit.

Following the Feast of Pentecost, we are reminded of the power and Holy Spirit of God made available to mankind. The tremendous ability of the Spirit allows us to do things that are physically impossible. That is not to say that we can leap over buildings or lift cars above our heads if we have the Holy Spirit. Rather, with the Holy Spirit we have the ability to perform spiritual feats of strength. The Holy Spirit gives man the mind of God, and with that the ability to understand His truth in a spiritual way. The gift is marvelous!

However, we all are still obliged to live a life with a physical existence. A natural tension exists between the physical and spiritual life, which is expressed throughout the Bible. This tension forces a necessary choice on our part—to live in such a way that we may receive the gift of life, or in a way deserving the penalty of death (Romans 6:23). Paul wrote to the Romans about this spiritual distinction between the physical and spiritual life, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6). Paul emphasizes that we can affect our way of life by controlling the things that we set our mind on. What do you set your mind on? Are you concerned with spiritual matters, or things that have a mere physical consequence?

This is a powerful concept if we are willing and able to harness it. By controlling the things that concern us, we improve our ability to overcome this world. If we discontinue our concern with purely physical, the physical world ceases to sway us. Temptation becomes less and less powerful through the Spirit. Satan has a serious influence over the world, and causes many to neglect the spiritually important matters, such as the fruit which we are directed to bear (Galatians 5:22), but through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His Life in us, we too can overcome that influence, after having obtained forgiveness for our past sins.

Setting our mind on spiritual matters instead of physical things might also help us through a trial. Are the trials that we experience physical or spiritual? Do we find relief if we drop the concern for our desired physical outcome, and focus instead on finding a way to have a correct spiritual response that pleases God?

Living as a Christian with a mission to overcome the world and the way of sin is a huge challenge. By allowing the Holy Spirit of God to live within us, Christians have the ability to do just that. In fact, that is the only way that one can do it. By setting our minds on the spiritual things of God, we set aside the sins of the world, which so easily ensnare us (Hebrews 12:1).