Herbert W Armstrong

   Several weeks had gone by, and one of the deacons got somewhat concerned about it, so he went out to see the fellow and just check out why he wasn't coming to church. So the fellow said, Well, I'm just not going to come anymore. He says, Every time I come, that preacher, he just stands up before the whole church and preaches about me.

   And the deacon says, Well, no, he's not preaching about you. He's actually preaching to all of us, you see, and then what applies to us, we take it personally and then we change. Oh, no, he preaches about me right before the whole church.

   He says, No, I'm sure you're mistaken, sir. He says, I'll tell you what, you just come one more time, and I'll tell you what to do. You come late, and you pull up, and after all the cars are parked and you see the people filing into the church doors, then you pull up and when you see and hear the congregation singing the final song before the sermon, you come up to the main door and you just kind of stand behind it so you can just listen to what the preacher is saying, and he won't even see you, and you'll see that he's not preaching about you.

   So sure enough, he came late, he followed the instructions, he watched the people file through, heard the final hymn sung, came up to the church set and stood behind the door. Just then the minister mounted the podium and he said, Brethren, I have got something burning on my heart today, because I'm going to be preaching a sermon about the devil behind the door. Oh, somebody just left.

   Well, I hope that doesn't apply to anybody here today. I'm sure it doesn't. But you know, Brethren, this has been a moving feast, and it's interesting how things in our lives sometimes burn very deep into our consciousness.

   I remember as a boy hearing a story told, I don't know where, but it was a moving story that apparently took part on a very cold winter day, when an aged or aging professor at a particular university or college sat very despondent at his home. Life no longer was challenging to him. He seemed to be going nowhere, and he was so depressed that he opened the door or drawer of his desk.

   He reached in and pulled out a revolver. He put it up to his head, and as he cocked the trigger, he heard a rap on the door. He put the gun down and opened the door, and here was a little child standing at the door.

   It was a little neighborhood boy. He said, Sir, our fire has gone out at home, and we don't have any matches. Could we borrow some of your coals and embers you have here in your fireplace? We would certainly appreciate that.

   And the professor looked, and here's a little boy. He didn't have a can, nothing to carry it in. He says, Well, how are you going to get them home from? They're hot.

   He says, You can just put them in my hand. He says, Put them in your hand? He says, Oh, yes, just put them in my hand. See, what you do, sir, is you take some of the cooler ashes and just put them down, and they'll make kind of a cushion there, and then you can put the hot coals on my hand.

   And the professor looked down at that little child, and he says, Well, I never thought of that before. And here was a man who moments later was going to take his life because life no longer was a challenge. He felt he had gone as far as he could go in learning.

   And the entrance of that one little child in his life saved that man from the tragic end. And as I understand the story, the professor went on with a new lease on life, new hope, adding new dimensions, all because of one little child. Children are important items.

   What if that little child had never been? There would have been one human life that would have been tragically lost. One little child entered into the life of a man, an elderly man, and changed his life for the better. You know, we have an auditorium full of children.

   I just wonder how many children we have. Hey, you children that can hear and understand what I'm saying, I'd just like to know how many children we have here. Could you, all you children of 11 years old and below, can you just stand up for the people here? Just stand up and wave to them.

   Wave real big. Very good. Keep standing.

   Now all you 12- to 19-year-olds stand up. Now you wave to everybody. You see there? This is the future generation of the Worldwide Church of God, and I bet it's a third of the audience, and they are here with us because of what God commands in Deuteronomy 14:26, when he says, You shall rejoice, you and your household.

   God intended the Feast of Tabernacles to be a family festival. Do you know why? Because a very special event that looks way down the road in the future. Mr. Kelly talks about how we are observing a feast for the future, didn't he? Well, this is going to be the final event, at least as recorded in the scripture, of something that's so far future, but which this Festival of Tabernacles represents, because this Feast of Tabernacles, this specific period of time in God's annual plan, looks forward to the time when God the Father is going to come to this earth and dwell with men.

   Let's read that in Revelation 21, (Revelation 21:1-4) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

   And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will in the great tabernacle dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and shall be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former thing are passed away. This is the ultimate.

   We are going to be working with Jesus Christ in the world tomorrow, preparing a people that will be ready to meet the Father as that New Jerusalem descends. I wonder how often we think of that awesome day when we will meet our Father in heaven, face to face. Almighty God is a Father, and he is concerned for the fathers of the worldwide Church of God.

   Jesus Christ is coming in the millennium to represent the Father. He is called in Isaiah 9:6, the Everlasting Father, because he and the Church are going to father the nations into a converted spirit and mind. And you know, that's going to be a wonderful day, an awesome day in Jeremiah 31, when Jesus Christ represents the Father to Israel and to the world.

   It says in verse 7 of Jeremiah 31 (Jeremiah 31:7-9), For thus saith the Eternal, Sing with gladness for Jacob. That's how beautiful it is to hear all of you brethren singing, for what a joy this is going to be for Jacob. And shout among the chief of the nations, Publish you, praise you, and sing, O Eternal, save your people, the remnant of Israel, the few that are, relatively speaking, going to survive through the tribulations and the horrors of a yet-to-come Dachau, Treblinka, Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Belsen, the slave labor camps and the death camps that once dotted Germany and Poland and other areas of Europe.

   And God says, Behold, in verse 8, I will bring them from the north country. I'm going to bring them back from Germany, and I'll bring them back from Europe, and gather them from the coast of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child, the little infant clinging to their mother's hand, and her that prevailed with child, even women about ready to give birth to new life. And their God is going to be bringing them back, a great company, and shall return sinners.

   And they shall come with weeping and with supplication. Now God has saved them, just like this work has been proclaiming for nearly 40 years, 45 years. And I will lead them, and I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, to bring them refreshment, to bring them new hope.

   And notice what God says, And I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters in a straight way, not a crooked way, but a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble, for I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. God Almighty is looking forward to the time when he and Jesus Christ will be able to father mankind to a knowledge and understanding of his truth. God is concerned, brethren, with the families of the world.

   In Ephesians 3:14, a scripture I reflect on very often and am overwhelmed by, when it talks about our Father in Heaven, it says, For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. Right now there are two members of that family in heaven. There is the Father and Jesus Christ, our elder brother.

   But God is not only concerned about his family in heaven, but his little family right now on earth. Do you know who that family is? You and me. We who are members of the Church of God are God's little family on earth, not yet born of him, but he is very concerned for us and our families.

   And brethren, as a minister of Jesus Christ, I am concerned for our families in this Church. I am deeply concerned, and that's what I want to talk to you about today. I want to talk to you about fatherhood and fathering.

   But really, I hope that whoever you are, whether you're a father or a mother, a single member of this Church, that you will apply the principles that I feel are so desperately important today. America today is in a time of family crisis, because the father has vanished from the scene, and dad and mom have no time for the kids. I recently heard of a letter written by a little girl.

   It's called What is a Grandmother?, and I think it says a lot. I want to read it to you today. A grandmother is a lady that has no children of her own.

   She likes other people's girls and boys. A grandfather is a man's grandmother. He goes for walks with the boys and they talk about fishing and stuff like that.

   Grandmothers don't have to do anything except to be there. They're old, so they shouldn't play hard or run. It is enough if they drive us to the market where they pretend horses and have a lot of dimes ready.

   Or if they take us for walks, they should slow down past things like pretty leaves and caterpillars, and they should never say, hurry up. Usually grandmothers are fat, but not too fat to tie your shoes. They wear glasses and funny underwear, and they can take their teeth and gums off.

   Grandmothers don't have to be smart, only answer questions like, why isn't God married, and how come dogs chase cats? Everybody should try to have a grandmother, especially if you don't have television. And now the last phrase of this last sentence. I want you to listen closely, because they are the only grown-ups who have time.

   You know, this little girl has said an awful lot. Because normally, Dad's busy. He's busy with the business.

   And of course, if there are other children in the family, Mother's hustling and bustling around, trying to get all of them dressed and ready to go here or there, and there's the clothes to wash, there's a million things to do that mothers have to do. And so many times the children are there with us, but very little goes on between us. I once heard, and I don't have the exact figure, but it shocked me, it literally shocked me, of how much time the average American father spends with quality time, not just, how are you doing, son? Boy, it's been a nice day, but quality time with his son or daughter to sit down and say, well, what did you learn at school? How did things go today? To really sit down and hear that child and to get to know that personality.

   That the average American father spends a grand total, now I may be a little off, but I believe the survey showed 15 seconds a day. Not one minute, it was under a minute. I thought maybe five minutes.

   But it was way under five minutes. Fifteen seconds. Well, fathers of the Worldwide Church of God, fathers of America, we fathers and husbands we must learn to be fathers from our Heavenly Father.

   And I want to contrast something which I found very interesting recently in a Bible study just before the Day of Atonement, because I have learned one thing very emphatically from the Word of God, that we human beings will always follow our Father, spiritually speaking. We human beings always follow the Father. It just depends which Father we're talking about.

   Jesus revealed that there are two Fathers that human beings follow. Look over here in Matthew 13:38. Jesus is talking about the parable of tares and the field, where there's wheat and then there's the weeds.

   And the enemy sows the weeds among the wheat. Some feel that that's in the church. But Jesus said, The field is the world.

   The field is the world, verse 38. But notice what he's talking about. He said, The field is the world, the good seed are the children of the kingdom.

   The children of the kingdom of God, the sons of the living God, the children of God the Father. But the tares are the children of the wicked one, for they are following their Father, the devil. We are either following our Father God, or we are following our father Satan.

   It is a truth that is awesome in its implications, because even though we not only are called sons of God, brethren, we are sons of God. The divine sperm that impregnated you and me at the moment of our conversion came directly from the very bowels of God the Father. It emanated from his throne in heaven.

   And yet it's tough to be like our Father God, isn't it? Because it's so natural to be like our father the devil. And he's a false father, because the devil cannot beget. We can only imitate him, but it's so easy to imitate our father Satan.

   And do you know how Satan fathers? Do you know how Satan has held mankind under his thumb since the very beginning of man's creation? He does it in three ways, and I'm going to contrast them today, I hope, for you this morning. Satan fathers in three different ways. Number one, through fear or doubt.

   Let's note this in Hebrews 2:14. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same Jesus Christ took part in the very same flesh. He was as human as we are human, but he never sinned against his Father in heaven.

   He obeyed his heavenly Father, but he did that that through death he might destroy or annul or put down him that had the power of death that is the devil. Notice verse 15. And delivered them, mankind, human beings, flesh and blood, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

   When I think of all of the religions of this world, how many are built on a fear premise? I have never been to Mexico, but I have heard that there at times you can see what they call peons, the peasants of Mexico crawling on bleeding knees to make some kind of atonement or appeasement to their heavenly Father. They think that God the Father does not want humanity to suffer. But the father Satan does, and to keep them terrified and in fear.

   And this is one way Satan, the father of mankind in the spirit, will stamp hold man under him through fear, terror. Not the kind of fear that we heard about a little earlier in the feast, the fear of God with his reverence and awe and a deep abiding respect for an awesome, great and powerful good God who loves us. But fear and doubt.

   And then in John chapter 8, Jesus revealed this to the religious leaders of his day, who thought they were of God. The two other ways in which Satan holds man in obeisance to him. In John 8:31, then Jesus said to those Jews who believed on him, they believed a lot of what he said, they believed in some cases who he was, but he says conditionally, if you continue in my words.

   Just like we've already heard, we've got to obey God, we've got to obey the word of Jesus Christ. Then are you my disciples indeed, you're my true disciples. You're not hypocrites, you're truly my disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

   And then they answered him, Will we be Abraham's seed? They were descendants of Abraham. They were Jews. Their descendants came through that man of faith.

   And yet we were never in bondage to any man. How sayest you, you shall be made free? They began to challenge him. They began to contend with Jesus Christ.

   And Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever commits sin is a servant of sin. Either we're committing sin or we're not. If we commit sin, we serve sin.

   If we obey the laws of God, we serve God, our Father. And the servant abides not in the house forever, but the son abides forever. And I never quite looked on it that way before, but God does not want us to be just servants in his house.

   He wants to make us his sons, so we with Christ will abide forever. But the only way we will abide forever is if we become like the Son, who is in the mere image of the Father, because he came to reveal the Father. And if the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

   And he says, I know that you are Abraham's seed. Jesus recognized that, but you seek to kill me. Imagine that! Here is says in one instance they believed on him, and yet what Christ said made them so mad now they wanted to kill him, because my word has no place in you.

   And that is the second way that Satan holds people in bondage, through hate, the spirit of murder, through hate or indifference, he keeps people in tune with him. And he says, I speak that which I have seen with my Father. See what he's saying? I speak that which I have seen with my Father, and you do that which you have seen with your father.

   Notice the contrast? The children of the kingdom, the children of the wicked one. We were all children of the wicked one before Almighty God the Father called us. And do you realize you are here and I am here because God the Father wanted you and me in his family.

   Jesus said, No man can come to me except my Father who has sent me to draw him. You are here because God the Father looked over at his son and said, I want you here. I want that person.

   I want them to be my son or my daughter. How can we get discouraged with that kind of a hope before us? And they answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. And Jesus said unto them, If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.

   Now, he said they were the seed of Abraham, didn't he? So he's speaking spiritually, isn't he? They were the physical descendants of Abraham in body, but their spirit was different than the Father's of Abraham spiritually. But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the proof which I have heard of God. This did not Abraham.

   You do the deeds of your fathers. And then they came across with a real pungent remark. They said to him, We're not illegitimate like you.

   Our mothers were married when they had us, a dirty slap in the face by scheming, devious minds filled with the wrong spirit. We be not born of fornication. We have one Father, even God.

   And Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, you would love me. Notice that? I'm going to dwell on this, brethren. If God were your Father, you would love me.

   I want you to underscore that word love because we're going to be getting back to it a little bit later. For I proceed forth and came from God. Neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

   And he says, Why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear my word, you've plugged up your ears. You're following your father, not my Father. And notice verse 44 now (John 8:44), You are of your father, the devil, their father.

   And notice, And the lust of your father you will do. This is the third way Satan holds men in obeisance to him. It is through lust and covetousness, through fear, through hate and indifference, and through lust and covetousness.

   For he says, The lust of your father you will do. He was a murderer, filled with hate and contempt for his maker, the living God. And as Mr. Armstrong is reminded so many times of the rebellion of Satan against the living God, the motivating force behind Lucifer was hate and contempt.

   And he lusted for power. He coveted it. And he wanted to control the world in fear and terror.

   And notice what Jesus said, You do the lust of your father. He was a murderer, so he has inspired human beings to hate and to murder, to wage war. The Bible also reveals in the book of James that the demons tremble at the very name of God.

   They fear and tremble. That is not a right fear. They tremble.

   They are tormented. How many times do you recall Jesus, when he approached the demonics, how they sometimes cried out, What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to torment us before the time? They are in torment, brethren. Satan rules mankind through fear, through lust and covetousness, and through hate and indifference, because that's the way he is.

   And misery loves company. That's the way Satan is, so that's the way he rules. And mankind blindly follows their father, the devil, into destruction.

   Let's notice that over here in Ephesians 2. Ephesians 2:1-3, And you, as he quickened, who were dead in trespassers and sins, in our following, our father the devil, we were as good as dead, every last one of us. The Bible says there is none righteous, no, not one, wherein time passed you walked according to the course of this world, this present system, this age, under the sway of Satan, according to the prince of the power of the air, broadcasting in those attitudes, and notice, and the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience, either the children of the wicked one or the children of the kingdom, either serving sin or serving the living God. Satan's way brings disobedience.

   Don't let any false prophet come up and sing you this one song that you can enter the kingdom of God by disobeying the laws of God. It's a lie, right from the beginning it's a lie. And notice, among whom you are also we all.

   We all had our conduct, this is the way we conducted ourselves, in time passed. Notice, in the lust of our flesh there is lust. All Satan has to do is entice us, because he lusts, so we lust, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, that is, applying it both mentally and physically to the bodily appetites and processes.

   Satan holds us in sway through lust. We already read in Hebrews 2:14, that he holds all mankind in fear of death and terror. And notice, and were by nature the children of what, wrath, anger, hate, not righteous indignation but wrath, fighting, hating one another even as others.

   And yet our Father in heaven, what about our Father in heaven? It says, But God, who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sin, God in his love and desire to family and father us, reached out and took us. While we were still filthy and unclean, God could see the potential in us, and God says, I want you, I want you to be my son, and I want to be your Father. And yet Satan, from the very beginning, it's very interesting when we go back to the beginning of man's creation, from the beginning Satan caused Adam and Eve to follow under his thumb, and the result were the very same things of fear, lust, and hatred.

   He caused our first parents to fall. What did he do? Remember when he approached Eve? He first told her the big lie, that he's a murderer. He knew he was signing the death warrant of mankind when he told Eve, well, did God say you will die? Oh, you must have not heard that right.

   You won't surely die. And so he lied. That was the deception.

   That was the murderous intent of his heart. But then what did he do? Eve looked on the fruit and said, oh boy, now this doesn't look too bad. It began to appeal to her lust.

   It looked so good. And then it will make me wise, and I'll be like God, knowing good and evil, being able to choose. That was covetousness.

   They reached out and took something that was not theirs. And what was the result? When they sinned, they hid in the garden, and when their Creator came through, walking in the garden, it says, we heard you, but what? We were afraid of you. Satan had won his victory with our first human parents, and they had a son, the first child born of mankind.

   His name was Cain. His name means death. And he went in the way of his father, Satan.

   He coveted that which was not his. He was jealous of his brother, and in hate and murder, rose up and flew his brother Abel. And what was the result? He was terrified.

   He said, my punishment, God, is too much for me. I can't bear it. And there's going to be somebody out there that's going to find me, and he's going to slay me.

   So God had to set a special mark upon Cain, because that man was in terror. And that is why in the New Testament, Cain so often represents the course of this world as the first child of mankind, because he followed his father the devil, not as righteous Abel. But what about you and I? Do we fathers father our families as our father Satan, or do we father our families as our Father God? You know, it's an amazing thing when you turn over here to I John 3 (I John 3:1-2), where it says, Behold, what manner of love, what incredible love! The Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God.

   Therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. Of course it can't know God the Father. Just like those Jews could not understand the father Abraham and the Father that Jesus represented, because they were tuned in to their father, the devil, and they were following the same mistakes that Satan followed, and they were blind.

   But are we coming to know our Father God? And John says, Beloved, now are we not just called the sons of God? Brethren, we are the begotten sons of the living God. And it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Like Jesus Christ, yes, at his return, but also like our Father God.

   God is looking forward to that day. And what does it say? And every man that has this hope, the hope of the kingdom, the hope of attaining eternal life, in him purifies himself, even if he is pure. Just like we heard, I think, right from Mr. Kelly's opening remarks.

   That hope should keep us going. It's real, brethren. It's not a fairy tale.

   If the kingdom of God is not coming, let's just leave today. It's a beautiful day. We can all go up to Victoria and go to the Bouchard Garden.

   The kingdom of God is reality, and God wants us in his family. But we have got to learn to emulate our Father, the great God in heaven, because God's way is through L-O-V-E. What incredible love, pierced eternity, and God reached out and took the hand of man through the Lord Jesus Christ.

   How do you think about that, fathers? Do you think, well, I'm a father. How well do I know you, Father in heaven, so that I can learn to be a better father, a better husband? And again, like I say, it applies to mothers too, but I say I speak to fathers because God has made us the heads of the family, and this church is commissioned to change the family structure and make it stronger than what we see out here in society, because this society is not following the family structure of Almighty God. It's confused, and it's turned upside down, and sometimes that makes intrusions into the church, and it hurts the church, and it hurts the families in the church.

   But it's through love that the Father can break the bondage of Satan the devil, because the triad system of Satan, through fear, through lust and covetousness, and through hate and indifference, is all smashed by one thing that God is, and that is love. Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 5, 43 really, through 48 (Matthew 5:43-48). I sometimes think you look at 5, Matthew 5, 48, and I remember learning that verse right from the first time I came in the church.

   Become you perfect, even as your Father in heaven, which is, you know, in heaven is perfect. If you become perfect, you know, and here we are scrambling around, and we make mistakes. We feel so guilty because we're always making these mistakes.

   But, when will I ever be perfect? I can't even fry a decent pancake. You're God's creator of the world, the universe. Well, that's not what it's talking about.

   It's not talking about being mistake-free. Unfortunately, we are going to be full of mistakes while we're selfless. Our main problem is that we breathe air.

   When we get to the point where we don't have to breathe air, we won't have any more problems. You know that? It's true. When I die, I won't breathe air anymore, and I'll never sin.

   That's what Paul said. Dead men don't sin. But God wants more than that for us, doesn't he? He's going to change us to spirit.

   We can breathe air if we want to. Christ breathed air. You know, a little kid once asked his dad, Do spirit beings breathe air? I thought, that's a good question.

   He said, Yes, I think they do. Remember after the resurrection, Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, receive the spirit. So, Jesus breathed.

   He didn't have to breathe. He wanted to breathe, so he breathed, but he didn't have to. But as long as we have to breathe air, we've got problems.

   Well, God wants to solve that, because he wants to make us not perfect in the sense of mistake-free in this age and time, although we're working on it and we continue to work on it. But what God's talking about here is maturity, growing up, becoming just like God. And when we back up in verse 43, we catch the context of what Jesus said, You have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate your enemy.

   But I say to you, love your enemy. Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. Just like the Attorney General of California.

   Pray for Duke. Pray that God will wake him up. I don't hate Duke Macy.

   I've never met the man. A few of our church members met him a few months past, around January. They personally happened to be there when he walked in his office and they presented him about a 300 signature petition of the Worldwide Church of God in Sacramento, showing support for Mr. Armstrong.

   He says, Hey, here's something from our group here. The next day I guess he called down to his sidekick down there in Los Angeles, that Tapper, I guess it was, that was causing all this trouble. But at any rate, we're being persecuted.

   I don't have any ill will to the state. I know Mr. Armstrong doesn't. But God says we need to love even our enemies, that you may be the children of your Father.

   Now that's so simple. But really that is what God is. God is love.

   And unless you and I are becoming that each day that we do breathe air, and as we deal as fathers to our families and members of this church, one to another, we're going to miss the boat. Love your enemies. Bless them that curse you, that you may be the children of your Father, which is in heaven, for he makes his sons, God makes his sons, to rise on the evil.

   Did you notice he put the evil before the righteous? Then on the good. Jesus here stresses the evil first and then the good. I'm glad that God first caused his son to shine on the evil, all right? Because that's what I was.

   And if there's none righteous, no, not one, it would be a dark earth today, I'll tell you. But God, in his love and mercy, causes his good son to shine on the children of men. We heard one of the men bring out about how good it is to praise the Eternal, the sons of man, for all of the good things that he does, because God is a loving God and he wants to save mankind according to his purpose and his plan.

   And he sends rain on the just and on the unjust. And if we love them which love you, what reward have you? Do not even the publicans the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you do more than the others? You've got your little clique, your friends, you salute them, the rest of the people, who cares? That's indifference. But Jesus said, Become you therefore perfect, even as your Father.

   And that loving quality flowing out from you. It's very interesting that Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, in his address to us on the first Holy Day, said, quote, We need more of God's love in the church, unquote. Do you believe that? I know it.

   And we fathers need more of the love of the Father, so we can demonstrate that love to the mother and to the children, as well as one another in the body of Jesus Christ. Because love conquers the pillar of fear that Satan sets up, doesn't it? Doesn't love conquer fear? John said in I John 4:18, that fear has torment. But what casts out fear? Perfect love.

   And I know we have some fearful people in the church, but brethren, by stepping out and saying, I am going to take the hand of the Father and I'm not going to be afraid, and I'm going to open myself up to love another person, especially my own flesh, my child, my wife, my brother or sister, in the church of God. That fear is going to vanish, and Satan is going to be one down. Well, obviously, love conquers lust, doesn't it? That's the message that Mr. Armstrong is carrying to the nation.

   The way of get, the way of change, the way of lust and of wreath and of greed, and the way of what? Give. This is the way of love. Acts 20:35, that was a scripture that was quoted already in this piece.

   It is more blessed to give than to receive. And yet, if we're always trying to get our way and get what's right with us, we stay under the sway of Satan. But if we can break through that, if we're willing to lay down our life for a brother or a sister, but especially our wife or our child, how much more value that's going to be.

   And finally, hate and murder, I John 3, verse 16. Let's read that. I John 3:16.

   And of course, he is, just in the previous verses, talking about Cain being of the wicked one who slew his brother. And he says, verse 16, Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso has this world's good and sees his brother have need, that is indifference.

   The previous verses talk about the hate principle. They both come from the same source, hate and indifference. Whether I hate you and I hope you cry, that's one form of it.

   But sometimes the cruelest is, I don't care about you. And there's someone ragged and destitute, and you turn your back. There your wife is in a state of depression.

   She needs somebody to talk to. Ah, you're crying again. Beat it.

   Time for Monday night football. That's indifference. The Bible says, If we see our brother have need, then shut up our bowels of compassion from him.

   How dwells the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, in action, and in truth. Jesus says, If you abide in my word, you shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free, free from the bondage of our father the devil. But sometimes that word, love, is just not sophisticated enough for twentieth century Americans.

   But our families are dying because of the lack of it. And as Mr. Armstrong said, we need that love and that concern in the church. We fathers must follow the Father in fathering.

   Who's got to follow his lead and his example? Notice over here in Ephesians 5:1. Beautiful scripture. Be you therefore followers of God as dear children. Just like a little child learning from our Father God and walk in love as Christ has loved us and has given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling favor.

   We've got to follow God's lead in our fatherhood. As we follow God's lead in our fatherhood, do you know who's going to learn about God the Father from us? Very interesting scripture over here in I John 2:13, I John 2:13. I'm going to read the last part of the verse. John says in verse 13 later part of the verse, I write unto you little children, because you have known the Father.

   Isn't that interesting? God says that it's through the little child that they know and understand and comprehend the Father. Well, how could that come about? Well, notice the first part of verse 13. I write unto you fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning.

   As we know the Father and come to understand the Father and his love and mercy in our lives, we in turn extend that outward from us. And let me not leave the singles out of this, those that aren't married. He says, I write unto you young men, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.

   And I hope our singles in this church do overcome the wicked one and not follow their father Satan, because there are much that our singles can do for the orphans and the fatherless in this church, that they will take the time to extend that love to maybe a little kid that doesn't have a daddy, that doesn't have a father figure to look up to and a widowed mother. Maybe take that little one on an outing, make a special interest in our children. You single people, you can do an awful lot for the youth of our church, but we represent as fathers God to our children.

   I once heard a little story of a little child that was asked for the very first time to pray at mealtime, and I believe he was about three or four years old, and he bowed his head and he said, Daddy, I love you. Amen. The father says it is an awful responsibility I have.

   I represent God to this little one. How many times do we counsel you brethren who have said, I just find it so hard to pray to the Father in heaven because I had such a hurtful relationship with my father or my parents, and I can't comprehend how God could love anybody, especially a rat like me. The mark sometimes go across the waters of baptism.

   We fathers need to realize that when we bend our knees to God and say, Father, forgive me, I have sinned, he forgives us. And then we in turn can forgive and to love our mates and our children. But we do represent God, and our children look at us, Dad, because they want to be just like us.

   Mr. Pat Peterson, I heard the other day, sang a particular song that's always interested me for the senior group. It's called Cats in the Cradle. I want to read this to you this afternoon, now I guess.

   I want you to listen to the words of this song. My son was born just the other day, came into the world in the usual way, but I had planes to catch and bills to pay. He learned to walk while I was a way, and he was talking for I knew, and in a while he grew.

   And he said, I want to be like you, Dad. You know I want to be like you. And the chorus goes something like this.

   The cats in the cradle and the silver spoon, little boy blue, the man in the moon. When you come home, Dad, I don't know when, but we'll have a good time then, yeah. You know we'll have a good time then.

   My boy turned ten just the other day. He said, thanks for the ball, Dad. Come on, let's play.

   Can you teach me to throw? I said, no, not today. I've got a lot to do. He said, that's okay.

   And as he walked away, I heard as he lilted, I want to be like him, yeah. You know I want to be like him. He came home from college just the other day.

   He looked so much like a man, I just had to say, can you sit with me, son, and talk for a while? He just shook his head and said with a smile, what I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys. See you later. Can I have ten, please? I've long since retired.

   My son's moved away. I called him up just the other day. I'd like to see you, son, if you don't mind.

   I'd love to, Dad, if I could find the time. But this new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu, but it sure has been nice talking to you, Dad. It sure has been nice talking to you.

   And as I hung up, the phone had occurred to me. My boy was just like me. He'd grown up just like me.

   The cats in the cradle and the silver spoon. Little boy blue, the man in the moon. When you come home, son, I don't know when, but we'll have a good time then, yeah. You know we'll have a good time then.

   I am a relatively young father. My oldest is ten. My youngest is almost two. But as I looked and saw these four little ones growing up on me, I realized that now is the time I have got to change my life. I want my children to get to know their father.

   And I want them to let me hear about their needs as well. We learn an awful lot from our children. I remember I anointed somebody, I believe it was, when I pastored in one of the South Carolina churches.

   And for the longest time, when I would come and, you know, I would walk in the home and Daddy says, there's Mr. Lillendreen. And he says, oh no, that's God. I had the hardest time.

   No, I said, I'm not God. I'm just a representative of God. But in his mind he looked on me as the minister.

   So we might have a few gods out there sitting here on this section of the hall today. But what a marvelous thing. If we can grasp it, brethren, Jesus said, if you have seen me, you have seen the Father.

   But how much is God the Father do these little ones see in us? Well, it all depends on how we are ruling our children, our family. Do we rule in the love of God, or do we father after our father, the devil? A lot of times we rule by hate. Many times the wrath that we feel towards our children is nothing but self-concern.

   The kid's embarrassing me! So wang, wang, wang! Missing the whole point of being able to sit down with that child and say, son or daughter, I love you, but your behavior is unacceptable. And I'm going to have to discipline you and hers why. And then you discipline them.

   That's love. That's how God chastens every son whom he loves, not out of vengeance and hate. So as we deal with our family, we really need to look at those three principles.

   Are we holding our family in terror and fear just for convenience? It says that God is a Father of the fatherless. Well, yes, he is a Father of the fatherless, one who pities his children. Now, that is not out of fear.

   That's pity. That's concern. He is called the father of mercies, the God of all comforts.

   When your child is having a problem, are they terrified to come to Daddy? Or can they come to Dad and say, Dad, I know you're merciful and I made a terrible mistake, but I really need your help. Are you that approachable to your children, or are they terrified of you? God is called the giver of every good and perfect gift, not the getter. Do we reward our children by giving them the praise when it's due, by giving them the quality time that they need? I say we've got to make the time.

   It is not going to come naturally. But fathers and mothers, look around you right now at those little ones right beside you, or maybe they're getting big now. But it's never too late to start, but we've got to be aware of it as a church.

   We are not going to learn through society which has deluded itself into thinking that even marriage may be a mistake, or if we treat our children with callous indifference, not caring. I noticed that I was doing this. I'd get busy.

   I'd be reading something, and here my little boy would be. He's a builder. He builds all kinds of contraptions.

   And he's explaining this ghouly thing. And I'm saying, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, I got to realize, hey, he was talking and my ears were hearing, but they weren't listening.

   And I had to work on myself and make it a point that when my child speaks, I listen. Now, sometimes we're training them, when we're talking to someone else, don't you interrupt until we're through. But here is a little human being who's got thoughts and feelings.

   They need to be heard. Who's going to hear your children? Dad and Mom, who are going to hear your children? If you don't hear the children, I'll tell you who will hear the children. The drug-pushers will hear the children.

   Those that flake out and freak out, they'll hear the children, and that's where your children will go. But our children are too precious for that, and we have an awesome responsibility, fathers, an awesome responsibility in this church. Our children are going to learn by not just what we say, but the way we are.

   I really appreciated Mr. Schreiber's scripture, Proverbs 23:23. Let's just turn there. I'll tell you, this has been a fantastic feast for me. Mr. Armstrong said, prey, that this will be the feast of peace, and I can say that I feel it is.

   I've really appreciated that. But he says, well, I hope I got it, 33:34. Yes. Well, I don't have it here.

   What is that scripture? 23:23. Oh, well, I still can't find it here. Sometimes I can read writing, but I can't write reading or write it down. But it says, Give me your heart.

   The proverb that he quoted, Give me your heart. And he's talking to the child. But how can the child give us his heart unless we give him our heart? And the Proverb says then, You observe my way.

   You follow my example. That's how a child learns. You know, I have here something that's called Children Learn by What They Live.

   It's called The Parent's Creed. I think it's very beautiful. It says, If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.

   If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight. If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy. If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.

   If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient. If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence. If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.

   If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice. If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith. If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.

   And if a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.

   Where's he going to learn that, Dad, Mom, Pop? He's got to learn it from you, as you learn from your Father, who is a merciful, loving, great, and awesome God, who loves you, who has forgiven you of your sins, who wants you in turn to extend that same richness to your own child, to reach out your heart and say, hey, son, I love you. Daughter, I love you.

   And to open yourself up. I say now is the time we must do it as a church. And it really impressed me when I heard those little children sing of all songs during this feast was God's love.

   I thought, that's amazing. There it is. That's what they're singing to the church.

   Well, brethren, I feel it is something that you and I need to be urgent in doing, to reach out our hearts to the children so that they in turn will give us their hearts. You know, nine months ago today, I lost the dearest man in my life. My father, who was an elder in this church in Seattle, died of cancer.

   And I went up to that Mountain View Cemetery yesterday, and I stood on that grave, and I just reminded myself of that day nine months ago when my mother called me on the phone about 5:30 in the morning. And she said, son, your daddy's gone. And I tried to be strong and brave.

   She said, I'm going to put up the telephone to his ear so you can say what you want to him. And it was just a shock. I knew it would probably come.

   But I said, Dad, I love you, and I thank God that I had a father like you. When I visited father in the first part of last year when he was first starting this ordeal, he was going through a lot of pain and suffering, but he looked at me and he said, son, families are beautiful. It's a wonderful way to live.

   Cherish it. And I was able to be with him. He's gone now.

   But I was so thankful that I could be with my dad when he needed me last year, and that I was a part of this church which was so understanding. My supervisor said, take the time you need to be with your father. But do you know why I love my father? Because he first loved me, and he always had time for me.

   And I want to be that kind of dad to my kids with the help of Almighty God. I can't help my dad now, but I know this, that there's going to be a fireball come out of that mountain at the return of Jesus Christ, and a son of God is going to be born, and I want to be there with him. And I want my children to be with me in the kingdom of God.

   And brethren, we've got to get busy with that, because we are part of the work of Elijah the prophet. And I am so deeply impressed by what YES is doing, I hope you are. And I am so glad to see a program that's going to involve the parents with the children.

   We have these father school programs, but in so many cases, the parents aren't involved with the kids. Dad and Mom, you've got to be involved. And this YES program is going to do it if we understand it, because God says in Malachi 4:5, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children.

   I believe this is taking place, but Mr. Armstrong can't do it alone. Church personnel can't do it alone. Brethren, we need Dad and Mom.

   Fathers, we need you. Are you with us? Good for you. And it is an urgent business, because God says He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with utter destruction.

   That's how important this job is for this church. But what I would like each of you to do, and I'm doing the same likewise, is to make yourself a feast 1980 goal sheet. And what I would like for you fathers to do is to sit down, maybe after services today or later on tonight, and you ask your wife to write down three things that she really appreciates when you do them for your wife.

   And maybe the wife could say, well, if you're doing it for me, I'll do it for you. You write down three things that you'd like me to do, and we'll exchange notes. And then set aside one day, maybe before the feast is over, and do all three.

   Don't tell your mate when you're going to do it. But three things that they really enjoy that maybe you haven't done for a while. And then I want you to sit down with your kids, Dad, and ask them, what three things would you like Dad to do for you? Who do you especially like that I haven't done lately to be a better father? And then on turn, I'm asking you kids, I'm going to write down about three things that you could do for me, too, that really make me happy.

   Then exchange notes. Exchange the list. And kids, you pick the day to pull it on Dad and Mom.

   And Dad and Mom, you pick the day with their list what they've written to do something nice for them. Maybe before this feast is over with. But brethren, we need to be urgent about our Father's business of being fathers, because time is running out.

   God has raised up his apostle, Mr. Armstrong, who has had renewed zeal and enthusiasm toward the youth of this church. And I am so grateful for it, and I hope you are, too. And let's give it our best.

   Let's be filled with God's Spirit, and let's become the fathers like our Heavenly Father. And let's fulfill this work, because the work of Elijah is yet to be done. And this world is waiting on us, the members and the families of the Worldwide Church of God.

   And I tell you, if we get the message, God is going to bless you, Pop, and Mom, you family, and the youth of this church. Just you wait and see.