Herbert W Armstrong

   Today is the Last Great Day, and it is picturing the completion of the festivals given by God to the church, revealing — not hiding, but revealing — to the church the mysteries hidden from all mankind. These days have been revealing the dynamic destiny of fleshly human beings. When we come to understand that the best state, as David wrote in the Psalms, the best state of man is altogether vanity, and to get from vanity to something that is dynamic and lasting and powerful for all eternity is what life is all about.

   It's the answer to the question that Plato was unable to answer. It's the answer to the question that all mankind in its best state, in all its intellectual vanity and every other form of vanity, has been unable to answer. Isaiah said all flesh is as grass, and James wrote that life is as a vapor. It's temporary. It's so brief. But God has begotten us with eternal life, with that spirit essence, with His Holy Spirit.

   And today is not just, as you've heard the expression, the first day of the rest of your life, but today is the first day of the rest of eternity for each of us. When the Last Great Day is fulfilled in the future, the kingdom of God will have been on earth ruling for 1,000 years. Royal spirit beings, kings, priests, sons of God, the bride of Christ. Mr. Swisher was indicating we'll be preparing the earth for 1,000 years for the white throne judgment.

   One of the great purposes of the millennium is to prepare the earth for the resurrection of billions of fleshly human beings. We'll be hearing Mr. Armstrong, I'm sure this afternoon, talk about Ezekiel, the thirty-seventh chapter, of the resurrection of physical human beings. I imagine that Ezekiel will be given the privilege, as he was so told by the one who became Christ, and as he wrote in the book of Ezekiel, "Son of Man, speak to those valleys of that valley of dry bone."

   And I feel and believe that that's a possibility that Ezekiel will do — actually speak to this big valley of dry bones. And he will not sing the song, "The hip bone connected to the knee bone," or whatever. No, the hip bone isn't connected to the knee bone, but I'm sure he'll — they'll come together in their proper arrangement. Well, that's going to be an exciting time for Ezekiel to pronounce those words just as he's been commanded by Christ and to see this vast — the vast sea of humanity come up out of its grave.

   Those who have committed suicide will be facing the same psychological problems they tried to escape from. Their problems will not have ended, but the solution will be available to them for the first time. Billions who will be resurrected to fleshly life, billions who never had the opportunity to be converted, will have that opportunity for the first time. The massive group of the Norwegian deluge, for example, who filled the earth with violence, will need to be changed.

   And Noah, who by his testimony and by his example for those 120 years apparently while the ark was preparing, will speak to them and he'll say, "Do you believe me now?" And perhaps spurting out the water that was in their lungs, they'll say, "Yes, Noah, we believe you now. We're ready to listen. We're ready to be taught."

   Human nature, the nature of Satan, has been the problem of mankind. There was a book that was written one time by Philip Wiley entitled "The Answered," and the answer trying to explain this problem of human nature. Just to condense a long story, there was the story of man's experiment with atomic bombs in the South Pacific. And the secret news reached the intelligence sources at the White House saying a terrible accident had occurred, and they were going to send a top secret mission to the Atoll in the South Pacific.

   And they flew this casualty back to — they were going to fly the casualty, quote unquote, that took place in the South Pacific back to Washington D.C., but the plane was lost. Another message was attempted, and they finally sent out another crew to research what was the problem that had occurred in this terrible accident in the experiment with atomic bombs.

   Well, what happened supposedly was when they came upon this particular deserted place on this South Pacific island, here was a dead angel. Now of course that can't be true, but this was the story. And what had happened was along with this messenger, with this angel, was this book. And to make a long story short, they went through the book and here written in the short form was the answer to mankind's problem. God was trying to send this messenger to the earth, and earth killed this messenger.

   But in all the languages was a short phrase. In French, in Dutch, in Spanish, in all the languages of planet Earth. And then finally when they got to the last page, here it was in English: "Love one another." Was the simple answer. But mankind, even knowing that as a precept of Jesus Christ, has been totally unable to implement that. How is that going to be implemented?

   Revelation the 20th chapter gives us the meaning of the Last Great Day, and I'm not going to totally cover it in detail because I'm sure Mr. Armstrong will want to cover that this afternoon, but to focus in upon some of the major significant and fundamental aspects of the Last Great Day. Those who have never learned to love one another will have your example, as Mr. Casse was bringing out today. They will have that example permeating planet Earth, because we will have been ruling on planet Earth for over 1,000 years as it brings out here in the earlier verses of Revelation 20.

   Here after 1,000 years we're finished, Satan is loose for a season to go upon the four quarters of the earth in verse 8 (Revelation 20:8). Many asked, "Well, why is that going to happen?" Well, the reason, brethren, is because during the 1,000 years, people are going to begin to take for granted, as in any period or cycle of history. There is a zenith or a time of prosperity, a time of success, and then there is a falling down where individuals start taking the prosperity and the happiness for granted.

   And that's always a danger even for us individually to take things for granted. And even though Satan is not around during that particular period of time, individuals have free moral agency, and they still have that opportunity to choose. And by that time, they will have made the wrong choice, quite a few of them. But of course, throughout the millennium, billions when the population explosion takes place in an orderly fashion. When the deserts are blossoming as the rose, when the mountains are made low, and the valleys made high, there are going to be much more arable land, much more territory that will be livable for billions of people on planet Earth, and billions will be saved. That's the time when Christ will save planet Earth.

   But there will be those who, by the end of 1,000 years, will have become indifferent, will become — if we put it in our terms of Revelation 3 — will become Laodicean, will become phlegmatic, will become lazy, slothful. This day also is a warning to us because it not only pictures the White Throne Judgment, but it ultimately ends in the last day of judgment when everyone will have ultimately had his or her chance of salvation. And therefore it's warning for us to be sober.

   As Mr. Armstrong has written in the booklet "The Unpardonable Sin," but there are two ways by which man can commit the unpardonable sins. And that sin being a frame of mind which will not repent, a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which says, "I am resisting the call of God to change. I am resisting the lead of God's Holy Spirit." As Paul wrote in Romans the 8th chapter, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

   So all of us who are the sons of God are led by God's Holy Spirit, and that is a choice we make. That's how character is developed. God has his part in our character development, and he is a faithful creator. But we must be faithful too, as we've been listening to all these sermons. And so we must avoid those two causes that lead to the unpardonable sin.

   That first cause, or one of those major causes, being simply neglect. As Paul warned us in Hebrews, the 2nd chapter, that we should not neglect so great salvation, that that neglect comes about by laziness, by being distracted from our main goal. And those at the Summer Educational Program this summer. I wonder how many here are from — attended the Summer Educational Program this summer. Can you wave your hands, see how many were here? OK, I can't see too many hands, but I know that many of them learned those Seven Laws of Success.

   Knowing the sixth law of success, which is perseverance, stick-to-itiveness, of enduring right to the end, and not giving up, as we heard in the sermon yesterday, that we're going to inherit those promises by faith and patience. Neglect leads to an attitude when trials come, temptations come in which you are no longer able to fight those temptations. The ministry well knows of those problems of adultery, those problems of stealing, those problems of going back into the world because of the lack of really renewing God's spirit day by day, to have the power from heaven to overcome those battles.

   One of the most inspiring articles that has appeared in 1980 Good News Issues was one that is a classic article written by Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. I believe it was the January issue of the Good News magazine, "How to Be an Overcomer." The day of judgment is pictured by the Last Great Day, and Peter said in I Peter the 4th chapter in verse 17 (I Peter 4:17), that judgment must begin with the house of God. We are now under judgment.

   But it is a kind of judgment that does not have to be intimidating. It is a kind of judgment that we can live with sobriety and with happiness. As Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief comes not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy, but I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." The kind of happiness we heard Mr. Casse mentioned in the announcement period.

   Yes, Christ has given us a happiness and a joy that comes by obedience, by not being slothful, by not letting down, but by renewing that power, which is a gift from God's Holy Spirit, which is the gift of God's Holy Spirit. It comes down from heaven and is poured out upon God's people, if we will let it be poured out. And certainly it has been both at the feast that I've experienced in Wisconsin Dells and here in Lake of the Ozarks. Just beautiful and just inspiring.

   We must be sobered also by the meaning of this day. Let's not neglect that great salvation, but be renewed with the power and the boldness that comes by faith along with that patience, the faith that we saw through the life of Abraham yesterday.

   I was debating whether to share this personal experience with you, but I think it's illustrative. A couple of days ago, actually in our condominium, we're staying over there at Water's Edge where Mr. Swisher sees the sun rise in the east and the sink in the west. But there was a fly, and there were some flies in our condominium, and then they're rather perturbing, and my wife found a fly swatter and she says, "Get that fly, get that fly," and I thought, "Well, now wait a minute, honey, you're the best flyswatter in town."

   And, uh, but I took a swat at it and I missed. And my wife was rather disturbed that I missed that, and I thought, "You know, how could I miss a fly when David had the faith to kill a lion and a bear and Goliath, and here I miss a fly." Well, I thought, "You know, maybe I'm lacking faith. I can't even hit that fly." Well, I thought from now on I'm going to exercise more faith and my, uh, record since that time has been 100%. Those flies have not gotten away. So we must exercise that faith.

   By the way, just as an aside — as my students at Ambassador College know, I digress quite frequently, and this is another digression in case you're wondering. Mr. Fisher was talking about being around for a long period of time. And this ties in with the sermon, by the way. And one of the basic messages that I want to get across today. In addition to showing that the problem of mankind has been human nature, the solution is conversion.

   I'm going to be talking about the different qualities of conversion over a period of time during this sermon. But growth is a part of conversion. Maturity is a part of that conversion. And when you select a mate, and some of you who are nearly married. I presume that there are some even here at the feast who are spending their honeymoon, and we wish you very much happiness.

   But in the process of selecting a mate, you consider all the physical factors, the background, the health, the problem of divorce in the family, other psychological barriers that have been a trend within the background of your prospective mate. You want to know about the health, you wanna know about their interests. You want to know how they react under stress, what their emotional status is, even under pressure.

   But the most important quality of all in determining of a mate is the question, "Is he converted or is she converted?" And I'm very thankful that I married a woman who is converted, and she has helped me many times. When I have vacillated in those weak moments, it has been a real strong encouragement and help to me in those times.

   Well, the digression I was getting to was that some who are in the ministry here, Mr. Swisher saw some growing up from youth, my wife actually taught many of the ministers, uh, in first grade at Imperial school. And yet, no, I'm not saying that because I want you to know that she's getting old, because she still looks very young. In fact, she has been mistaken for my daughter on two occasions.

   Conversion in choosing a mate is very important and conversion is the solution to man's problem. We need to stay converted. Mr. Armstrong has explained that there is an instant in time in which God grants you repentance. And you realize you are deeply broken up, you realize your sins, and you turn around from going one way and going the other. But once that turnaround takes place, you keep walking towards the kingdom of God.

   And there are those temptations along the pathway, that broad way that leads to destruction, where there are brambles on the side and there are rocks on the side, and yet there are little whispers and sometimes great glaring neon signs on the side that are tempting you to go off the straight and narrow path. And into the digressions, into the alternate routes. And you've got to resist those temptations.

   But if you neglect to renew that power of God's Holy Spirit, then of course what happens when that temptation comes along, you succumb to the temptation. I'm sure that many of the ministers here can tell you the stories of individuals who have gone off the track. Once they've been in God's church, I can give you several examples.

   One of a woman who neglected prayer and study. Her husband wasn't showing her enough attention. He was going to school nights. He was working hard all day long and he neglected his wife. She was working. And so the boss started showing her attention. And she gave in to that attention. Committed adultery. And of course she had to be disfellowshiped. But she was so broken up that it took a lot of encouragement to get her back. She had neglected the power of God.

   Another similar incident in which a woman had done the same thing. And when I told her she was disfellowshiped. I told her she needed to obey God, she needed to seek God with all her heart. And what happened, she said, when I received a letter from her later, she said, "Well, the first day or so I did what you told me. I followed Hebrews 13:17, which says, you know, submit to — submit to those who have the rule over you or who are the guides because they watch for your souls as they that must give account."

   And God's ministry tell you what you need to do. "Yes, you need to pray, you need to study. You need to get back to that closeness that you once had and now have neglected." She said, "I started doing it, but it only took 1 or 2 times not to pray, and pretty soon I started doing things I knew were wrong, like breaking the Sabbath. Like eating pork. And becoming generally carnal."

   She said one day as I saw an argument between the family that I was staying with, I finally came to myself. And she said, "I knew I was headed for a lake of fire. And I knew I needed to fast. I fasted, but all that did, I lost 2 1/2 pounds. And I couldn't make my knees to bend. I knew I needed to get down on my knees, but I couldn't make my knees bend."

   You see, brethren, what happens from neglect is you start passing the point of no return. She had started passing that point. She recognized that. God's spirit was working with her, leading her to repentance again. And yet she had gone so far, it was so difficult. She had to muster all the remnants of character that God had built in her that were remaining.

   And finally she said, "I made my knees bend. I finally got down on my knees and I begged God for a spirit of repentance. The tears wouldn't come." She said, "I knew I couldn't make those tears come, but it had to be from God's Holy Spirit that gave me that repentance and finally those tears did come, and she said, now I'm going to start all over again," and she wanted the name of the minister in the local city from which she was writing.

   Well that illustration, brethren, is a very serious example, a serious problem. And I see we have someone here in the audience who needs help, and I hope that all of you will send up a silent prayer for God's healing those who may be afflicted at this time. I'm sure he'll be helped and be all right, because God's spirit is here, and God's spirit is the spirit of love, of power and of a sound mind.

   Neglect will lead to that unpardonable sin. Don't let it happen to you. Because as it brings out in the white throne judgment for those who never had their opportunity of salvation in verse 11 of Revelation 20 (Revelation 20:11), "I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was no place for them." God's power and personality is all the power that there is. And even the galaxies in a sense flee from the face of God because of that great power.

   And then he said, "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God," and if they stand before God, they are resurrected. "And the books were open." Now what books are these? That's the "biblo" simply meaning books, but the Bible, the truth, the word of God, understanding of the word of God, which never was available to them before or if available, it was more as a witness than as being obligated for their final calling.

   "And another book was opened which is the Book of Life." Some of you may have read the article in the Good News magazine this past year, I forget which issue it was by Sherwin McMichael, entitled "The Book of Life." Very inspiring article. Here is the first opportunity of life, for spiritual life and understanding.

   "And the dead were judged out of those things that were written in the books according to their works." Notice it didn't say the dead were sentenced out of those things which were written in the books according to their works, but they were judged. And we are now under judgment, as Peter says. So judgment, in one sense is a process. We are under judgment, and it takes a lifetime for that judgment to take place. So will it take a lifetime for those who are resurrected in the White Throne Judgment.

   And they will have their opportunities to correct their character weaknesses and to learn for the first time how to have the abundant life. "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death in the grave," or Hades in the Greek. Now the grave isn't delivered up unless there were dead in it. The grave isn't a grave necessarily unless there's a body in it. It can be a pit.

   "And death in the grave delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works, and death in the grave were cast into the lake of fire. This is the 2nd death." And we heard in the sermonette the day before yesterday from chapter 21 verse 8 who are going to be in that 2nd death. (Revelation 21:8).

   "And death in the grave were cast in the lake of fire. This is the 2nd death, and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." And some say, "Well, now why is there a resurrection of the incorrigibly wicked or going to be thrown into the lake of fire?" Well, the reason is, brethren, that the warning going forth even now that there is a second death will help you not to be in that second death.

   Because those who thought they had gotten away with it, those who lived by the philosophy, "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we will die. We know we're sinning, we know we're blaspheming God's spirit. We know we're doing wrong. But that's no problem. We'll just die and that will be the end of it." No, it won't be the end of it. They will be resurrected to face their own penalties, and it will go through their mind and judgment will go through their minds very descriptively brought out, and I won't go through that in Luke the 16th chapter.

   Remember here was this man standing at the flame and he was in torment, he was in grief. Oh, that will happen. That will happen. And those are for our edification, not for our terror, but for our growth. To understand God's love and his whole plan, but he is not going to allow those who are wicked, those who are bitter, those who are snarling and hateful and murderous. He's not going to allow them to live in misery for all eternity.

   And that's why he is a God of love, to destroy them and put them out of their misery for all eternity. But their punishment is one of dire consequences. And you don't want that. So God gives us in His love that warning, and this day, the Last Great Day, shows that there is coming a time when every human being will have had his chance, his opportunity for salvation.

   He or she will either be a spirit being living deliriously happily. And deliriously not in the wrong sense of the word, but in a happy sense of the word. For all eternity. God's way of life sometimes is pictured as very, very narrow. It's not narrow in the sense that God says, "I make all things new" in chapter 21 and verse 5 (Revelation 21:5). He is a creator.

   If you've read Mr. Kenneth Herman's article in the Plain Truth magazine, I believe it was the October issue or September issue, on Human Creativity. That God gives us the broad parameters of this law, and within that law is the opportunity for almost infinite creativity, of excitement, of enjoyment, of artistry, of the kind of music that we've heard today. No, God has given us the opportunity to be creative.

   But judgment is coming. And we need to be warned on this day, as Mr. Armstrong has written in that booklet on The Unpardonable Sin. There is a way that leads to a frame of mind in which you do not have the spiritual power to resist. And you say, "Oh, I'm just too tired, I just can't resist any longer." Oh, you've got to stir up the gift that is in you by the laying on of hands. As Paul wrote Timothy, "But stir up that gift."

   And if I were to call upon all the S.E.P. students here, let me just do that and I know that your few voices out of this crowd of 6,000 or more will probably be not be heard, but try it anyway. Alright, all S.E.P. students ready. What is the 4th law of success? DRIVE! Well, you did make your voices heard. Great. That fourth Law of Success is drive. And you've got to drive, drive, drive.

   You can't give up, even if you're in a wheelchair, even if you have some physical affliction and you're in bed, tied to that bed. You must drive. You must force yourself to do those things that you know are right, and then God gives you the desire to do it as well. Philippians 2:12, "Work out your own salvation and fear and trembling." How do you do that? Verse 13 gives the answer in Philippians 2, "For it is God that works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

   God will even give you the desire to do what is right. And some of you need to admit to yourselves right now, "I don't like to study the Bible." Some of you, if you were honest, would say to yourself, "I don't like to pray. I don't like to really fight the good fight of faith." But what does it say in Psalm 111:10? "A good understanding have all they that do His commandments."

   Just as we saw in Abraham's life, he didn't understand, but he went out and he performed what God told him to do. Obedience came first and then understanding came next. And when you begin to do the will of God, you will have that understanding. And you will have the desire even to do what is right.

   I know as a student one time, one individual who was, uh, I think he was a student body vice president, was telling me, he said, "You know, someone told me that." He didn't like to study the Bible, but what he did was he asked God for some help. But he had to do his part. So he asked God, making his own commitments, he said, "Well, Father in heaven, what I'm going to do for the next 7 days, I am going to study the Bible 1 hour a day. I don't like to study the Bible." And he was honest with himself.

   He said, "But I am going to do my part and make myself study the Bible, and I am asking you to give me the desire to study the Bible." Well, he did that. I followed his example as well. I said, "I don't like to study the Bible." And then after one day of making myself do it, after I got into it, I really began to like it about, you know, 45 minutes into the Bible study.

   And then the next day, I began enjoying it more like about, uh, you know, 15 minutes into studying the Bible. And then the third day I really began to have the desire to really read God's word, look up cross references. Let it apply to me and in the process talk to God as he was talking to me and reading His word.

   Yes, it does say in Philippians 2:13 that it is God that works in you both to will. You will even be given more of a strength of will, but you've got to exercise what willpower you have in the first place, and God will add to that. That he will give you the will and to do of his good pleasure.

   Neglect can lead to that final lack of instead of overcoming, being overcome. Paul wrote in Romans, "Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good." I'm sure the vast majority of us are really striving to do that.

   The second basic cause for the unpardonable sin in addition to neglect and weakness and laziness is bitterness. That brethren is something you must recognize and you must fight with your whole being. Now, how does that come about? I'll just turn to Hebrews the 12th chapter, uh, as an example. Hebrews the 12th chapter.

   We are all human and we're all going to be offended. But if we really apply the solution of Psalm 119:165, "Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them." Well, we know we're human. We have hurt feelings. Someone says, "Look, your hat is kind of uh ostentatious or, uh, you know, you just uh don't have the most beautiful body odor," and whatever people may say to you, you get offended. But if you love God's law, you won't. You have meditated on God's law, you're willing to change. You're willing to grow, you're willing to be corrected.

   Here in Hebrews the 12th chapter it says verse 14. And this is the correction with love chapter, by the way. Hebrews 12:14, "Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness bringing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled."

   Just a little root. I forget what kind it is, but there is one kind of root. I remember one of our neighbors down in Big Sandy one time. What is that? It's a, it's a kind of a root that you try to kill and destroy and it just keeps growing back and back and back again. Anyway, somebody can tell me what that is, uh, I don't think it's horseradish, uh, something like that though, it is? No, OK. Uh, I miss someone was falling asleep and I thought he was saying yes, uh. I'm just kidding. You're all very wide awake.

   But any little root will grow, and you've got to be warned of that root. Because hurt feelings will turn to resentment. And that's why some of these marriages that have gone on for 30 and 40 years break up because that resentment was under the surface and finally it just broke out on the surface and the person said "that's enough." You know, he'd been collecting his anger stamps. Some of you know that story.

   I did, I, I saw myself do that one time. There was one individual who. He had accused me of, of uh stealing his racquetball. And uh every time he'd come in the locker, he said, "You took my racquetball," and I didn't say anything, but I collected an anger stamp, you know, I put it in there. I didn't say anything. Next day it came in, I collected another anger stamp. The next day, another anger stamp. And finally I cashed in all my anger stamps and I blew up at him.

   No, that is not the way to do it. I learned a lesson. The first time he falsely accused me, I should have confronted him and said, "No, I did not take your racquetball." And uh really laid it on the line to him.

   But many of us are like that. We, we're not upfront. We're not open and honest. We hide our resentments and we, we, we accumulate them like money in a bank, and then we all gonna cash it in later on. But cashing in anger and resentment can lead to bitterness. And when that bitterness comes, it will destroy you.

   How do you counter that? How do you avoid it? Well, Jesus made it very simple. Pray for your enemy. Love your enemy. Pray for those that despitefully use you and persecute you. You know, I've come across that from time to time, those who have personality clashes, quote unquote. Yes, there are differences of personalities. But personality clashes can be overcome by a measure of simple Christianity. Of simply praying for those who despitefully use you and hate you and persecute you.

   And pretty soon you find when you obey Jesus Christ in doing that, that you don't hate them anymore. You feel sorry for them. You understand their lack of spiritual maturity. And you then are the children of your Father which is in heaven, and remember, he goes on to say in that section of Matthew 5. "Become you therefore perfect even as your Father, which is in heaven is perfect" in verse 48 (Matthew 5:48).

   You can counteract resentment by praying for those who despitefully use you and hate you and abuse you and persecute you. But never brethren ever let it come to a point of resentment or bitterness or hate. Because as John wrote "He that hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."

   This Last Great Day pictures judgment. And let us all brethren be warned and be on guard that part of our commitment at baptism was that we would avoid the attitude, and I understand you had a sermon already on pills. That we're going to avoid the attitude of resentment and bitterness, and we're going to avoid the cause that leads to that frame of mind where you will no longer repent because you're too lazy. You have neglected the great salvation that God has given us. You go after it, you seek it with all your heart. And then that won't happen to you.

   Well, I haven't even got to the introduction of my sermon here. Because this is what conversion is. You've got to stay converted once you've been converted. Let's turn to Acts the 3rd chapter. Acts 3. The solution to all of mankind's problems. It is in everyone who is begotten of God's Holy Spirit and is renewing God's Holy Spirit in his mind day after day.

   Acts 3:19, on that day of Pentecost. And then following, when Peter and John went to the temple and they had an opportunity to witness after that man, lame man was healed, and Peter said in verse 19. And we've heard these scriptures read about the restitution of all things.

   Verse 19 of Acts 3, "Repent you therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." That is the solution to all of mankind's problems, to repent and be changed, to be converted. And while we with faith and patience wait to inherit the promises, those are characteristics of conversion.

   We must still continue to grow in maturity. We must continue to bear more of the fruits of a beautiful bride who is maturing. She's no longer 10 or 11 or 12 or 13, but she's a mature woman who is ready to be married to the groom. The Song of Solomon carries such a beautiful picture of those fruits of growth. And I won't go through the description of it now.

   But you know how the Shulamite woman in the Song of Solomon is described as having all these beautiful attributes about her hips, about her breasts, about her legs, about her neck, about her teeth, about her eyes, about her hair. Brethren, those are descriptive, yes, in a physical way of a beautiful bride, but they are descriptive of the church waiting for Christ as well.

   And in a spiritual sense they are showing the charm, the beauty of the bride of Christ. They are showing the fruits of God's Holy Spirit. And that's what we as a church have been doing through Mr. Armstrong's help, through Jesus Christ getting us on the track and preparing his bride as we mature, as we make ourselves more clean, as we become more spiritually mature and bear more of the fruits of love, of joy, of peace, of long suffering, of gentleness, of goodness, of faith, of meekness, of temperance or self-control. Those are beautiful attributes of the very bride of Christ.

   That Shulamite widow said in the Song of Songs of Solomon. She said at the beginning, "My beloved is mine. And I am his." You know that's exemplary of the way some single women pray, they pray for a husband. And say "God grant me a husband." I remember I was telling Mr. Swisher, I remember a sermon that he gave in Jekyll Island back in 1965. And in his inimitable way, he really got the point across. He was, I think, helping the singles activities in that year, and he kept talking about that one scripture said "it's not good for man to be alone. It's not good. Is it good? No, it's not good for man to be alone."

   So the bride is preparing herself and getting ready. And when the Shulamite woman said, "My beloved is mine," no, that's not the way necessarily to pray because in the later part, the latter part of the Song of Solomon, she matures, her attitude matures and saying, instead of saying Christ is mine, in a sense, she reverses the order and says, "I am my beloved. And he is mine." She says, "I belong to him."

   And that's what we are, brethren, we are the slaves of Christ. We are the bride of Christ, and all these analogies fit. And a young woman who wants to get married ought not to necessarily be praying, "God, get me a husband." But be praying, "Father in heaven, please prepare me to fulfill the very purpose for which you created me in being a help." And if specifically you want to be married, to be a help to a man with whom we can be a team in serving in your church and in your work. And it's so inspiring to see so many of you who are doing that here in the Lake of the Ozarks.

   Yes, "I am my beloved. And he is mine." And you've made that commitment. Some of you have been preoccupied in a way of escape. It's a wonderful promise that God has given us as Mr. McNair brought out in the...

   [Tape Flipped]

   ...And those women that were with her at the time said, "You know what she did when she was about to die. She called over her husband to her side. And where in times past she said you belong to me." She didn't necessarily say that, but that was her attitude.

   She said, "Come here," and her husband leaned over her and she put her arms around her husband's neck. And he lifted her up so she could sit up. And even though she didn't shed tears, the women said there was a real softness in her eyes that she never had before. And instead of saying, "You belong to me, buddy." She really heartfeltly said, "I belong to you." The husband that she had put down and disrespected, she now had submitted to and understood that she belonged to him.

   And we also brethren, must have that kind of dedication as the bride of Christ, that we belong to Him. That's the converted attitude. Not the kind of human nature that the world exemplifies, which says in its best date, man is altogether vanity. But Christ is coming back to marry a converted woman.

   You know the disciples in Matthew the 19th chapter, if you'll turn back there. Matthew the 19th chapter thought, "Well, you know, if we've got to stick with the same woman throughout all our lives, you know, we better not get married." They were questioning Jesus about divorce in the Old Testament. And of course, Moses said God permitted it for the hardness of your hearts. That was not God's will, they were going to do it anyway. It was not God's will that they go out to war and to fight. But they were going to do it anyway, and he said, "Well, as long as you're going to go out and fight in war, then you abide by these rules and these regulations."

   And so with divorce, which was not right. God hates divorce. And so when Jesus was explaining this, his disciples said unto him in verse 10 of Matthew 19 (Matthew 19:10), "If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. I'm gonna be stuck with her." Well. Jesus said, "All men cannot receive the saying save they to whom it is given."

   Conversion brethren can help any marriage. I don't care how much of a personality clash you may have, how divergent your your interests are as a man and woman in a marriage that is presently unhappy. You can change that. You can become more deeply converted as a husband. You can become more deeply converted as a wife. Yes, you can change, and you've got to change. You can be more loving as a father or as a mother.

   One young lady who attended the Summer Educational Program. She was in one of the classes that I was teaching on the Seven Laws of Success, and she was contributing very, very profusely and skillfully. I was surprised later that afternoon to find out that her, she had talked with her mother and she was in tears and her mother said, "You're good for nothing." Her mother is supposed to be in the church. "You can't do anything." And I expressed my amazement to this young teenage girl.

   And I said, "Well, you really contributed to the class this morning. You were one of the best contributors in that class." And I said, "You really have something to offer. You really do have something on the ball. You really do have talents and you really do have ability."

   Well, that young lady, uh, had some trials and had some troubles. But you as a parent can make some changes. You can, and I don't have time for a child rearing sermon, but as I brought out in the Wisconsin Dells and also in the Auditorium in a Bible study as a result of being at the Summer Educational Program, as a result of observing some of the, um new fine positive growth in the Imperial Schools now instituted in Pasadena, and I might mention in passing that the high school is being opened up with about 65 applicants, and those particular applicants, what they will be doing is taking an accredited correspondence course for high school, but they will be meeting in the Imperial school facilities there in Pasadena.

   And they will be taking a a Bible course and they will be having physical education, but they will be taking their own correspondence course for high school and also being tutored by someone provided for the high school. So that's very, very encouraging and and very uh promising.

   I might mention, as I started to say, but there is a trend, however, and how serious it is, I am not in a position to comment. But you know we have, I feel from what I've observed, a generation of spoiled parents, not that you are spoiled parents, but it has happened. Young people who have grown up, never having been disciplined, not really knowing that when their young child says "no daddy" or "no mommy," that that's absolute rebellion and needs to be dealt with.

   And this young 1, 1 young lady, uh, one teen girl phoned back to her mother being at Summer Educational Program. She says, "You know, mommy. I had to make my bed. I had to make my own bed. Wow!" So what are our parents doing? Do they not give responsibility to our young teenagers? They not teach them that there is a responsibility in helping out in the family?

   I, oh, I'll just refer you to it in the book "Hide or Seek" by Dr. James Dobson. He brings out the classic study of Dr. Coopersmith, who studied over 1,700 individuals from pre-adolescence on up through young adulthood. He found that those who had the highest self-esteem, those who had confidence, those who felt they were worth something and of value, were those who had three areas of a loving approach.

   One, was that they felt loved. This young lady whose mother told her, "You're good for nothing," certainly was not shown that she could be something. My mother. When I was age 25 or 26. I'm giving a Tomorrow's World lecture in Jacksonville, Florida. She told me when I told her, and she's not in the church, she said, "Well, Richard, I know you do well." It kind of shocked me. I said, "Well, this is what mom's been doing all my life."

   She told me in elementary school and high school that when I had a, a speech to give or responsibility to perform in school, she said, "Well, you'll do all right." She didn't say "you're good for nothing. You can't do anything." And I finally found out at age 25 that's what she's been doing all my life. She'd been giving me encouragement. She'd given me positive reinforcement. Are you giving your children that kind of affection, that kind of backup, that kind of reinforcement, even, you know, there's a law of reinforcement. I, I could go on for another hour. I better. Hurry up here, but I feel this is very important for the church.

   There is a law that says that human organisms will tend to repeat behaviors for which they are rewarded. God the Father rewards us. He says you're going to be blessed for obedience and you're going to be cursed for disobedience. And even if your child, even if teens do this to your father and mother too, even if your father and mother teens do something right by accident, reward them. Give them some praise. Give them some encouragement. In the same, same for you parents towards your children. Even if it's by accident, and they will tend to repeat that good behavior.

   Affection has got to be there. Encouragement has got to be there. Hug one another. When my wife and I went back to Lakeland after not being there and after pastoring the church, went back there and uh for the Day of Atonement, we walked in the door and I'll tell you it was so encouraging people just 5 minutes before services started coming up and hugging us. I thought, "Wow, I mean. Just think what it's going to be like when Jesus Christ returns."

   If my wife and I can be encouraged by the love and warmth of the congregation when we return after being away for a year and a half, how much more can we give that kind of love and worship and adoration and appreciation and praise to our husband? Our Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ, when he returns. But parents hug your children, love them.

   A second area they found in these 1,700 who had confidence who were successful, that they were disciplined, they learned discipline. They knew they couldn't get away with rebellion. They knew the barriers of their responsibility and that's what those of us in the administration were tested with at S.E.P. this summer. Mr. Thornhill, Mr. Jim Thornhill. Mr. Mike Blackwell, myself and others in the administration of the program this summer.

   Teens wanted to know how far can I go in the wrong direction. We said "no, you can't go farther than this." They learn pretty fast. We sent home quite a few staff and quite a few campers the first session, and the message must have gotten around because the second session went a lot better. But discipline has got to be there. And that discipline because you have the maturity to explain why they need to be disciplined.

   And finally, the third area in that child development is, as Doctor Coopersmith would say, democracy, but that's can be phrased more in God's government as participation within the family. That those with the lowest esteem have been those who were allowed as children to dominate the conversation at the dinner table and those who were the second category, those who are allowed not to say a word at the dinner table. But those who are allowed to participate within the family at the dinner table were told, "Yes, you can speak, but you wait your turn."

   So those three areas have got to be a mature parental approach of love and affection, of an area of discipline and an area of participation where your children are accountable for their actions as well, and we brethren are also. We all need to mature and we are maturing. We're becoming more deeply converted. We're learning that the reality of the times in which we're living. It is very sobering but we brethren need more of the very conversion, more of the very faith, and more of the very mind of Jesus Christ. We learn to be under the very government of God.

   Let me just share with you. As we've heard, that the gospel is the kingdom of God, the government of God. Let's, let me just share with you these political definitions and then I'll close with one scripture. We are looking forward to a government that works. And the only place where a part of that government exists on Earth today is in the Church of God.

   And those who have not learned that lesson, that key of conversion. Jesus submitted his will to the Father. Those who may have the outward characteristics, who may have the name Church of God, who may ostensibly be keeping the Sabbath day, who may even supposedly purport to keep the annual holy days, are not, if they are not God's true church, are not submitting to the very government of God under Jesus Christ and under His chosen physical servants.

   As you heard Mr. Duke when he announced the song, God speaks to us, Mr. Duke said God does speak to us through Mr. Herbert Armstrong and through his ministry. Yes, and through his word. And let me warn any of the few in here who have not yet learned that key point of conversion, of that submission to the very government of God. Jesus never called his Father unfair. Jesus Christ submitted to the will. He never had to repent, but as Dr. Hoeh brought out one time, that the very attitude of repentance was expressed by Jesus Christ, although he never had to repent, when he said, "Your will be done. And not mine."

   Unless you have submitted yourself to that government and you understand and you believe. As Malachi says that there is coming Elijah the prophet before that great and terrible day of the Lord come. Do you believe that scripture? Do you believe, as Mr. Michnik was bringing out, that there is an Elijah work here on this earth? And do you believe the prophet Malachi, who said that there is going to be an Elijah here on this earth?

   If you believe that, you believe that there is a man used by God Almighty to prepare this earth for the coming kingdom of God. You believe that, and if you have eyes to see and ears to hear, you don't have to go very far to understand who that man is. In what church and what work is backing up that preparation.

   Well, brethren, this is the Last Great Day, and I'm sure that we're all looking forward to hearing Mr. Herbert Armstrong this afternoon. It's a day that gives us good news, good news that there aren't billions of people frying in hell. That there aren't billions of people who are lost. But there are billions of people who have hope. Who will have hope, they think their hope is cut off, but you, through Christ, are an example of conversion. They will have that opportunity for conversion.

   I wish I had another hour uh to go on, but it's just been great being here at Lake of the Ozarks. It's great being here and as I said in the announcements yesterday. Just as Peter said, "Lord, it's good for us to be here." And I hope we'll all be here this afternoon to hear Mr. Armstrong.