Herbert W Armstrong

   But you see, the god of this world is very diligently going about his business, hoping that we develop just that kind of attitude. He is quite aware of the fact that he has caused much confusion in many of God's church, and that he knows that confusion is a by-product of doubt and a lack of faith. Now, although his aim is to derail us, see, Satan wants God's Kingdom not to be established. But we know that he can't stop that plan, so he wants to derail us. But, he will not attempt to knock us off with one big blow; that's not his style. He doesn't try to just knock us off, you might say, with one punch. He doesn't do that. He's very crafty.

   Satan starts by attempting to influence our thought process ever so gradually, a little here and a little there. And his ultimate goal is to deliver the knockout punch, and those affected are unaware of what is actually taking place, just as so many who have fallen away. As you remember, many friends, relatives, loved ones have fallen away, and many, I don't believe, actually knew what hit them. And Satan will succeed with you and me. His game plan, as I said, is simply to upset our thought pattern, our thought process ever so slightly at first, to get us leaning, to get us doubting, to get us searching, to get us in a state of mind where we are unsure of ourselves, unsure of where we are and where we are headed, to get us to test the waters of the unclean, you might say, of the unholy. And we begin to question long-proven doctrines, and we begin to lose our focus, and we begin to lose our perspective, lose sight of the ultimate goal. That's why we are constantly reminded and encouraged by Mr. Meredith and those at headquarters and other ministers to keep the right focus. Keep the right focus. See the big picture.

   We begin to see all types of good in this society, nothing really wrong with so many areas in this society. And we begin to become thin-skinned, complaining, fault-finding, finger-pointing. We begin to skip Sabbath services—a whole host of things—somehow feeling that God will understand. Now, when we allow that to happen, we are on the road to assisting Satan in toppling us completely. So he doesn't do it at once, but we are assisting him, probably unknowingly, in reaching that point where he will topple us over.

   Notice in the book of Psalms, if you turn with me, please. Psalm chapter 60. Psalm 60. In Psalm 60 and in verse 1, we read: "Psalm 60:1. Oh God, you have cast us off, you have broken us down; you have been displeased; oh, restore us again. You have made the earth tremble; you have broken it; heal its branches, for it is shaking."

   God is very displeased with what has and what is happening in his church. He sees it, and just because He may not be doing what we think He should be doing, that doesn't mean He's pleased with it. It doesn't mean that at all. And here the psalmist is relating that because God is displeased, He has left many to themselves rather than to lead them in this particular battle—not deserting us, He hasn't deserted us—but waiting for us to show, waiting for us to reveal our true colors, you might say, just as He had to have Abraham prove his true colors. And it was only when Abraham raised the weapon, whatever it was, when God said, "Now I know." Now I know. And it won't be any different between you and I. It won't be any different between you and I. He has to know where we stand before He will grant us immortality, and He will give us more power than our minds can comprehend. He has to know that we will use all of that the way that He and His son uses it.

   See, our state is described here in verse 3. In verse 3, we read: "Psalm 60:3. You have shown your people hard things; you have made us drink the wine of confusion." That word can better be translated—the word confusion—as staggering. Adam Clarke comments this way: "We reel as drunken men, like those who have drunk too much wine." Derek Kidner comments this way: "The plight is desperate. The outward crisis is matched by inward confusion and shock." So what is being said is that the state of the body is truly desperate and has caused alarming shock and confusion. And that is what is going on, whether we realize it or not, to some degree or another—some more so than others. But also the bottom line is that we can prevent it from happening to us. We can prevent it from happening to us. We must be alert to the fact that this is a time when Satan has his sleeves rolled up and he is very hard at work.

   I've entitled this sermon "A Period of Lull."LULL. A Period of Lull. Now, we are in that period wherein Satan really showcases his holidays, doesn't he? From Passover to the Feast of Tabernacles, the number of major holidays are few compared to the period that begins immediately after the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day, and it continues up to Passover. So we are in that period of lull. We're in that period of lull. Satan's biggest occur, as we all know, during this time, we know there's Halloween, and there's Christmas, and there's New Year's, and a host of saint days as well as many others. And that doesn't even include holidays that are observed by foreign countries. So there's a whole host of them. God's plan, revealed through God's Holy Days, as we all know, points us from Holy Day to Holy Day, from Holy Day to Holy Day—a definite progression involved as well as an associated meaning or relationship between each one. So there is a definite pattern, definite meaning, our ultimate goal. They take us from a meaningful beginning to a definite completion. God's Holy Days involve Him, and they involve His son Jesus Christ, and they are designed to, and they can bring all mankind eternal peace and happiness. As we heard in the sermonette, that's what God's plan is designed to do for all of mankind. You and I, as we know, are firstfruits. We are called to be firstfruits, forerunners, you might say.

   However, in Satan's world, everything involves deceit, and it involves confusion—a false sense of security, a false sense of hope, a false sense of happiness, temporary pleasure. Satan falsely implies that God is involved in his holidays. However, the focus is away from the true, ever-living God, even though there are all types of signs, indicators that He is involved. But you know, as well as I, that He's not. And yet, through the maze and the facade, there is always deceit and most always sorrow and letdowns, feelings of hopelessness when it's all over. And we know that's true. The build-up for Christmas is being pushed back further and further, isn't it? Being pushed back further and further. Merchants now have Christmas decorations and related materials in the stores on display long before Halloween. I saw a merchant setting up shop in San Diego selling Christmas trees, and it was set up in mid-September—mid-September at this big lot that they had rented not far from where I was living, and it was just filled with Christmas trees. Mid-September. So you see, it is being pushed back further and further and further. Why? Because of money? That's the big, that's the big thing. You make more money. The sooner they get into it, the more money they make. And we realize that the underlying reasoning is profit, isn't it? Profit. But God wants you and me to be aware of what is actually happening, what is actually taking place. And as the build-up takes place earlier and earlier each year, the focus is being very meticulously directed, and the distraction grows much greater. And there is a sense, you might say, a false sense of joy, false sense of happiness, a false sense of giving and well-being in the air. Now, we know that's true. It's easy to get caught up in it, all the while giving the appearance that Jesus Christ is at the center of it all. However, Satan is actually directing the focus away from God, the Father, and away from Jesus Christ. Then, on December the 26th, it's all over, isn't it? December the 26th? And it's all over. Lines begin to form at customer service counters, refund counters that last for days. Now, where has the focus been directed? Towards feelings of dissatisfaction, feelings of disappointments and letdowns. Individuals complaining and screaming about these products that they have. You see, it's letdowns and aggravation, and those involved feel justified, and they actually see nothing wrong with the attitudes that they now possess. Decorations come down, trees are thrown out, bills turn the joy into gloom, and the air goes out, right, of the tires, so to speak. Air goes out of the tires.

   Now, Eve sought a forbidden fruit to be pleasing to the eye, and after eating it, she found it pleasing to the taste. Christmas lights, music, and the glitter are pleasing to the eye, soothing to the ear. I find it very difficult at times, as you know, you go through the stations that you may be driving, and you go through trying to find some music, and you start hearing a little catchy tune. And I don't know about you, but sometimes I have difficulty not humming that song for long periods of time. It just becomes a part of you. It's beautiful music. It's beautiful sights. They are. And so it becomes a part of you. It's easy to get hung up in it. But as we have been taught, the love for beauty—and this is where Satan loses it all—the love for beauty must have a corresponding love for righteousness. The love for beauty must have a corresponding love for righteousness. God says to worship Him in spirit and in truth and that all of His laws are righteous. All of His laws are righteous. Men of God were inspired to see the fruitfulness—or you might say the fruitlessness—of worldly pleasures and accounts, and it was left for us in God's word for encouragement. I won't look at these scriptures, but you can write them down. We have an example of David in Psalm 16:11. Psalm 16:11. There is an example of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 2:8-11. Ecclesiastes 2:8-11. The Apostle James in James 4:1-3. Apostle James, James 4:1-3, and Jesus Christ in the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:14. And as you read those, keep in mind that a love for beauty, a love for pleasures must have a corresponding love for righteousness. A corresponding love for righteousness.

   Now, it is a definite time. It is a time period where we are in, when we must be on guard. We must be on guard. Notice, if you would, in I Peter. I Peter. In I Peter chapter 5. I Peter 5. I Peter chapter 5. In I Peter 5, and we read in verse 8. I Peter 5:8: "Be sober, Be sober, that word is better translated from the Greek word meaning, be self-controlled be sober, be vigilant, in other words be watchful because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." Satan's business, as Matthew Henry's commentary puts it, quote, "is that he walks about seeking whom he may devour." His whole design is to devour and to destroy souls. We know that God, the Father, and Jesus Christ are in the process of saving souls—you and me. Matthew Henry goes on: "Hence Peter infers that it is our duty to be sober, to be vigilant, to be watchful and diligent, to prevent his designs, and to resist him steadfast in the faith." End of quote. So our responsibilities are to remain sober, and they are to remain vigilant. Let's look at those two words. First, "sober." Sober, from a Greek word which means a sound mind, to be self-controlled, to be sober-minded, to exercise self-restraint, to think soberly, free from the influence of intoxicants. In other words, do not allow ourselves to get into a situation or a state wherein good judgment, our rational thinking will be impaired. In other words, we stay away from those situations where there may be even the slightest opportunity of us becoming influenced in the wrong direction. We don't even go there. Don't even go there. Don't even get involved in those situations. Beware of Satan influencing us to become all bent out of shape, even when others do us wrong. When others do us wrong, we shouldn't let that influence the way that we think, what we say, and what we do, whether it's justified or not, whether the person is right or wrong, doesn't matter.

   Adam Clarke comments on "sober", the word sober, this way: "Avoid drunkenness of your senses." God's word tells us over and over to be self-controlled. So I think Adam Clarke has it right. Avoid drunkenness of your senses and drunkenness in your souls. Be not overcharged with the concerns of the world. End of quote. Be not overcharged with the concerns of the world. Here, Adam Clarke emphasizes a desired and alert state that one should strive to remain in, fully recognizing proper balance. It's a thing of balance that we're talking about. He did not say that one should be unconcerned about the world. It's not what he's saying at all, but that one should not become over-concerned or over-involved with the affairs or the concerns of the world. And I think that's exactly what God wants our focus to be. I think that's what Mr. Meredith is constantly encouraging us to see the big picture, to look beyond this life. Look at what God is offering us in this life and in the world to come. And we know that God's word tells us, "Be not, what? A part of the world," paraphrasing, but He says to come out of the world, to be separate.

   Wayne Grudem, excuse me, commenting on "sober," had this to say: "Be sober forbids not only physical drunkenness, but also letting the mind wander into any other kind of mental intoxication or addiction, which inhibits spiritual alertness, or any laziness of mind which lulls Christians into sin through carelessness. Peter knows how easily Christians can lose their spiritual concentration through mental intoxication with the things of this world." End of quote. And I think that it is all, again, we must guard against allowing ourselves to get into a situation or in a state of mind wherein good judgment, our rational thinking will be impaired. Remember the scripture that we heard. It says, "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion." He's looking to get us leaning. He doesn't want to knock us over, not all at once, but he just wants to get us leaning in the direction that he wants us to lean in. Pretty soon we are knocked over, and we don't even know it. God wants us to control our thoughts and actions and not let Satan control them.

   Now, let's look at the word "vigilant." It's translated from a Greek word which means to watch, to refrain from sleep. And it denotes attention to God's revelation or to the knowledge of salvation, a mindfulness of threatening dangers which, with conscious earnestness and an alert mind, keeps it from all drowsiness and all slackening in the energy of faith and conduct. We are self-controlled. We are in charge of what we're thinking, of what we say, and what we do. Adam Clarke has this to say concerning the word "vigilant": "Keep awake, be always watchful, never be off your guard. Your enemies are alert; they are never off theirs. Your adversary is the devil. And this is the reason why you should be sober and vigilant. You have an ever-active, implacable, subtle enemy to contend with." End of quote. Then he goes on to say, "He worketh about. He worketh about. He has access to you everywhere. He knows your feelings and your propensities or leanings and informs himself of all of your circumstances. He knows us much better than we know ourselves. Only God can know more and do more than he, meaning Satan. Therefore, your care must be cast upon God." End of quote. So we are warned, we are encouraged to be sober, to be vigilant, and to be watchful. But what does "watch" mean here in this verse that we just read? What does it mean here? To watch prophesied world events is a given, as we all realize. We know that that's a given. God's church has always preached that. But I have a question. Should that be the main and the only focus—world events? Should the focus on world events be 50%, 75%, 95%, 25%? What percentage? How can we individually discern when we are focusing too much or when we are focusing too little? I think it's a relevant question. Many variables come into play, as we all realize. Many variables come into play.

   Now, let's suppose that we were able to pinpoint, as a result of our time and our energies spent in this area of watching, that we were able to pinpoint exactly when the New World Order would surface, as it is referred to by many, or when Jesus Christ would return, who the players are, each one's role, and the effects on all concerned—religiously, economically, socially, the whole works. We're also able to know exactly which Pope would be at the helm when Christ returns. We know exactly which Pope it would be. We also were able to know everything there is to know about the beast and the false prophets, their every move, their every action. And we are able to determine who is the man of sin. We know all of these things, and we were able to know where God's church would fit in, fit in, and who the players would be right up to the end. We also knew who the two witnesses will be, and we also knew that exactly, in what you might say in detail, who the 144,000 would be. You know, all these questions, you know, pop around. But we know all that. But once we've got a hold of all of that information, at that very moment, the very moment that we had it all figured out, we had all that knowledge, and we knew exactly that it was going to occur, God the Father would say to Jesus Christ, "Ok, my beloved son, the time is now—return to earth." Do we really and truly think for once that because of that knowledge, that would qualify us to rule with Christ? I think it's something to think about. I think it's something to think about because we know that God is reproducing Himself. On the other hand, let's suppose that we only had a superficial understanding of world events as they are developing, yet our focus has been, for the most part, on spiritual preparedness—the love of God, love of neighbor. That's what Jesus Christ said the two great commandments were, didn't he? Development of Godly character, development of Godly conduct. Do we feel that we would be in a better position to qualify to rule with Christ if we were in the latter frame of mind, more so than the former?

   I'd like to read a little bit from the latest Living Church News, November/December 08, number, from Mr. Meredith's article entitled "Do Not Kid Yourself." This is what he has to say: "Be honest, Brethren, If we are to survive the coming trials, tests, and persecutions, we simply must be filled with and led by God's Holy Spirit. For our daily actions, the fruits of our lives reveal whether or not we are spiritually strong and whether we are up to facing the enormous challenges and trials just ahead. Godly character cannot be instantly created or granted by fiat. It must be carefully developed by each of us over a period of time. So we cannot afford to be anywhere but in the very center of God's will. We must be truly close to God, to have His divine protection and to have the spiritual strength of character to go through whatever trials and persecutions God may allow to come even on us. Are you genuinely ready?" is the question that he asked. "Are you, am I, genuinely ready?"

   Now, we all realize that it is a question that we have to answer individually, don't we? It's between us and our creator. But notice the scripture, if you would, in the book of I Corinthians. I Corinthians chapter 13. I Corinthians 13. I Corinthians 13. And in verse 2. I Corinthians 13:2: "And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." Verse 8: "Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail. Whether there are tongues, they will cease. Whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away."

   Now please, brethren, don't think for once that I am suggesting that to watch world events is wrong. That's not what I'm saying. That's not what I'm saying. Not saying that at all. I am simply suggesting that I feel that there should be a proper balance. A proper balance. And our individual talents and abilities come into play. They come into play because we are all different. We're all different. We all come from different backgrounds, different education levels, we have different associations, ok? We came from different environments, we have different training. There are so many variables that come into play. Now, some may be able to focus 50/50 and do it in a manner wherein God is well pleased. Others may have to focus 99% on spiritual development and 1% on world events. I don't know. Only God knows because many factors come into play. And again, that decision, I feel, must be made on our needs individually. I don't think it's an actual across-the-board type thing.

   Case in point: There was a former pastor in God's church I knew very well. Served under him for a lot of years, and his focus was so involved with world events until many in the congregations that he was over had subscribed to countless magazines, journals, and newspapers, newsletters, Foreign Affairs, The Economist, Wall Street Journal, Business Week, British journals, many, many more. All of these publications were brought into him. Bible studies, sermons, conversations were based primarily on articles about world events. And then, shortly after Mr. Armstrong's death, when small and seemingly insignificant changes were being made—I don't know if some of you may remember that very first one I remember is that there was a piece of paper, you know, 8 by 10 piece of paper, I believe it was—may have been 11 by 14, I don't remember exactly. I had it until recently. But it had changes in the Bible hymnal that we sang out of. It had changes, and certain songs were not to be sung, certain words were to be changed. Most people didn't pay that much attention to it. We did it. And then, through the Pastor General's report that we received every two weeks, there were recommendations, ok? In there to change booklets, certain words, they say that grammatical errors were being updated, ok? And pretty soon, they tell us to put this big "Z," ok? Put this "Z" through whole paragraphs, and you take them out of the books. So these things begin happening. They began happening. But you see, only a handful were able to recognize that something very wrong was taking place. Only a few understood. And I think that it didn't hit most people until the "God Is" booklet came out. Well, I had been disfellowshipped long before then because I didn't have—I didn't know how to keep my mouth closed. So—and so, at the time, I didn't realize it, but it was a blessing. It was a blessing.

   But you see, the focus was out of balance, is the point I'm trying to make. The focus was out of balance, causing most to be swept along with the tidal wave, you might say. And I don't believe that the vast majority knew, and they still don't know what hit them. Because all of those individuals that attended in those congregations are no longer attending any of God's—well, I don't say that. There's probably 25 that's still attending in some of the groups, but the rest—gone. They believe Peter, I guess, when he said, "I go fishing." So they left. They left. And when I try to speak to them—and I don't know about you—but when I try to speak to some of those individuals, they don't want to talk about church. They don't want to talk about the Bible. So I believe that they were just caught up in something that they were not really aware. They didn't have proper balance.

   So we must be constantly aware in order to prevent each of us from being drawn into this society, Satan's society, Satan's world—a world of glamour and glitter—during the lull between now and the Passover. We have to be very, very careful, or at any period of time for that matter, but especially during this lull, as I'd like to refer to it. And the answer is quite simple: the same schemes, the same schemes, the same approaches, the same techniques that Satan always uses. He uses the same tactics. And he used them on Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He used them on Jesus Christ, and he will use those same tactics on you and me if we allow him to. He uses the same tactics.

   Let's look at three areas where Satan tries to alter our thinking process, attempts to alter our focus, and hopefully will help us to remain on sound footing, you might say, on solid footing. Godly-induced thoughts and a definite Godly-inspired focus during the time of what I like to refer to as a seemingly lull before Passover in the days ahead where Satan will become increasingly more active in his society—this is his society—and as it draws to a close.

   The first area I'd like for us to take a look at is casting doubt or questioning God's faithfulness. Casting doubt or questioning God's faithfulness. See, if we fully believe and we fully support the truism—and it is a truism—that God the Father is in charge and Jesus Christ is the head of the church, what can man do to us? Any man? What can he do to us? Nothing.

   So, the first area: casting doubt or questioning God's faithfulness. As God allows or He causes circumstances, situations to occur for the purpose of our refinement, and we know that we are being refined for a purpose. God prunes those He loves. You know, He tightens up the screws. Doesn't feel good at times. Sometimes it's very stressful. He tightens up the screws for our own good. Sometimes He does it to us for the good of others. And then when we respond the way He wants us to, He sort of loosens the screws, doesn't He? But then He'll start tightening up somewhere else, doesn't He? You see, that's the pattern that He follows for our own good, to perfect us. He makes adjustments, and He twists, turns situations, ok? Takes us through those twists and turns that will benefit us. It often causes problems in our marriages, jobs, our families and friends—a whole list of things that come into play. And Satan wants us to point an accusing finger at God. "Where is God?" you see. "Gone off and left me. Why aren't you blessing me? Right? Why are all these problems I'm having? I'm trying to do what you tell me to do, doing the best I can, but you're not doing your part." That's what Satan wants—to get us into that attitude. "Do something," is what we ask God. "Do something. Do something now." Just like when we get anointed, right? We leave it in God's hands, so we say, but man, it's got to happen now, you know? It's got to happen now. See, we lived a life over whatever period of time it was until God called us. And so we've gone through all of these circumstances and situations. We've made all these decisions on our own. And God's word is very clear in stating that there are what? Consequences. When we make the wrong decisions, there are consequences when we make the wrong decisions. And it may not happen right away, the consequences—somewhere farther down in life. After we've become baptized, we've repented—it may happen long after that. But it comes. They're guaranteed. But we want God to do something right now. And before long, if we allow it to fester, we will not only feel that God is unfair—you see, if Satan wants to get us into that mindset—we begin to feel that God is not only unfair, that He is unfaithful, but more importantly, we could begin to doubt even if there is a God. That's the mindset that Satan wants to get us in.

   Notice, if you would, please, in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel chapter 18. Ezekiel 18. In Ezekiel 18 and in verse 24. Interesting scripture that we probably all have memorized. Ezekiel 18:24: "But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed. Because of them, he shall die." Interesting scripture. A very good example that makes it clear that we are to continue to the best of our ability. We don't do it perfectly, but we are to continue in righteousness. What has been accounted as righteousness prior to committing sin is wiped out, is what is being said. It's wiped out if we fail to repent and continue in righteousness.

   Verse 25: "Yet you say, 'The way of the Eternal is not fair.' Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair and your ways which are not fair? When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he has committed and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Eternal is not fair.' O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair and your ways which are not fair? Therefore, I will judge you, O house of Israel. Everyone according to his ways," says the Eternal God. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Eternal God. "Therefore, turn and live!" You see, Satan wants us to take that very lightly. God doesn't really mean what He says. That's Satan's approach. He wants us to take it lightly. But you see, God is here reaffirming the importance of putting sin completely out of our lives to the best of our ability with God's help. We don't do it perfectly, but we strive. That is our mindset. That is what's in our heart—to continually do it to the best of our ability.

   Now, when we find ourselves doubting or questioning God's faithfulness, questioning or doubting that He will do what He says in His word, we simply need to ask God to increase our faith—to increase our faith. Luke 17. Luke 17. Luke 17. Luke 17. And in verse 5, (Luke 17:5). An example that was left for you and me. And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." Increase our faith. You see, the apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith, and they were shown that faith and duty go hand in hand. Faith and duty go hand in hand.

   I sometimes, as maybe some of you have, because I've got friends, very close friends, very dear friends in some of those groups. But sometimes I look at different splinter groups. I got a call from an individual yesterday that is nowhere near this particular area, an individual I haven't seen in several years. He's in another group, but I still love him just like he's my brother. And I look at these groups, and I wonder why God is allowing the confusion in my mind. And I know by reading I Corinthians 14:33 that God is not the author of disorder or confusion. And we know that Satan is primarily to blame. We know that. However, I know that God is all-powerful, and He is all-wise, and He is a loving God who has a very deep love and concern for all of His creation. All of His creation. So why doesn't He at least clear the fog just a little bit, so I can see just a little better as to what's going on, you see? And as always is the case, He doesn't leave us completely in the dark. He doesn't leave us completely in the dark. We, those of you that have been in the church for many years, you know that the church has always taught that we let the Bible interpret itself.

   Notice in the book of Exodus. Exodus chapter 13. Exodus 13. Exodus 13. And we read in verse 17. Exodus 13:7. Then it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, "Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt." We know the story that God chose to lead the Israelites away from war for very good reasons. One commentary states, "There were many reasons why God led them through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. The Israelites were to be humbled and proved in the wilderness. Matters had to be settled between them and their God. Laws were to be given, ordinances instituted, covenant sealed, and the contract ratified. We may be sure that He leads His people the best way. God did not lead them the nearest way because they were not yet fit for war, much less with the Philistines. The Israelite spirits were broken by slavery. It was not easy for them to turn their hands suddenly from the trowel to the sword. The Philistines were formidable, formidable enemies—too fierce to be encountered by raw recruits. God is said to bring Israel out of Egypt as the eagle brings up her young ones, teaching them to fly by degrees." End of quote.

   God knew that had the Israelites seen the horrors of war, they could have very well become discouraged and turned back. So He closed their eyes to it for their own good by taking them a different route. He loves you and me, brethren, just as much as the Israelites, in that He has perhaps, in my opinion, closed our eyes so that we don't see clearly everything that is taking place right now, perhaps for our own good. He has done that. If we knew, I think it's something to think about, because I've thought about it. If we knew that some of our friends and our dear loved ones would not be in God's soon-coming kingdom, or if we definitely knew that some of them would have to go through the tribulation, perhaps God in His infinite wisdom knows the effect that it would have on us achieving our position in His kingdom. Perhaps we would turn back. Maybe the all wase-God knows that, and He doesn't want to expose us to that. He doesn't want to take that chance because God doesn't take chances of losing us. He wants each of us to be in His kingdom. And so maybe He's doing it for all our own good. So perhaps He's blinded us to prevent us from fully grasping why He is allowing the present separation and the seemingly confusion. No, we see confusion, but there's no confusion with Him. His plan is right on schedule—right on schedule. And so He's blinded us from knowing the outcome until such time as we are able to handle that knowledge. There may come a time when He will reveal it all to us sooner than we think. We don't know. But maybe there's a good reason why He hasn't.

   Now, most, if not all, of us have had our spirits broken by events that occurred with past associations. I hear it quite often. Some wounds are still very deep. Some wounds are so deep, I should say, that they probably cannot be healed, or we're not allowing them to be healed, I should say. We have not been sufficiently prepared for the events that lie ahead, and we are most certainly no match for Satan yet. So there's still a work to be done with each of us. God knows that. And as He gradually and effectively prepared the Israelites, He is gradually and effectively preparing you and me for what lies ahead.

   I don't believe that God allowed Jesus Christ to just go along and live His 33 ½ years and then be crucified. I don't think it occurred that way because if we read the accounts, it seems to me that His pains and sufferings were increased up to the point of His crucifixion. Now, what about you and me? If He were to confront us with something so overwhelming, such as I always think about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—please don't, don't try me with that because I would probably fail. But if that was what was in store for us, and He just led us right up, and all of a sudden, you know, we're faced with the furnace, that would be so overwhelming, I think that we'd probably turn away. So I think He's preparing us increasingly in steps so that we may be able to endure it or at least stand the chance of enduring it or going through it. That's the loving God, I think, that we serve. Loving God that we serve.

   You see, brethren, the Israelites didn't know their spiritual condition. They didn't know it. They had forgotten God's laws and His ways, and God had to teach them anew. You and I, when He called us out of spiritual, what? slavery, and opened our eyes to His wonderful truth, we had to be trained anew. But we still have all that baggage that we brought along with us. It just doesn't go away. And a lot of times we justify it with Satan's influence. We justify it because, you know, you start talking to a person, "Well, maybe you ought to take a look at this," and they'll say, "Yes, but," or "Maybe, therefore." They're using all these different words to justify. A lot of times, I think maybe they don't realize what they're saying because we are a part of it. I think I've mentioned before, and I'm sure that many of you are aware of it, Dr. Hoeh wrote a very interesting paper, and I think I may have it somewhere. Some of you may have it in your files where he wrote that many, many times along this journey, God's church often reflects society in many, many ways. And he went into details about that. And I think that's true in many areas because we bring that baggage along with us. It's still a part of us. And so God knows that, and He's using the time in the process as He puts more of His spiritual knowledge into us, more spiritual understanding, then more of what we brought from the world should become less and less. And so it's a process. We don't get rid of it all at once. And so He is preparing a people. He is preparing you and me.

   Do we truly know our spiritual condition after all the years of drifting, you might say, in Laodiceanism? A lot of times we say, "I have never been in Laodiceanism." Well, that's what the world is, always has been. Do we really know our spiritual condition, as Mr. Meredith is saying in this article, "Do Not Kid Yourself?" That's what he's talking about. If you haven't read it, I suggest that you do read it, along with a sermon that Mr. Rod McNair gave not long ago. I don't know if you've heard it or not. He says, "Are We On Fire?" I would suggest you listen to that because he draws some tremendous analogies about what it is God expects as compared to how we look at the world and how we look at other things. Tremendous sermon.

   Do we fully understand our individual and collective responsibilities in regards to our calling? That's the bottom line. Do we understand? God wants us to. Even with seemingly disorder all around us, brethren, we don't have to feel or be disorganized or overly affected. We don't have to be. God tells us in Hebrews 13:5, a scripture that we've got memorized, I'm sure, that "I will never leave you or never forsake you." Do we believe that? Do we believe that? He wants us to. He wants us to believe it. He wants us to have the faith of Jesus Christ, and He wants us to put it into action. Satan wants us to focus on the confusion. And as we focus on the confusion, he's able to distract us, hoping that we will turn on God, feeling that He has forsaken us. But you see, God desires that our focus not be on this life, but on what He is offering us after this life, after this life.

   Luke chapter 14. Luke 14. Luke 14. An interesting scripture again that we have probably in our memory banks. Luke 14. Luke 14. And we pick up the story here in verse 15. Luke 14:15. We know it's the Parable of the Great Supper: "Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, 'Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God!' Then He said to him, 'A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, "Come, for all things are now ready." But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, "I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused." In verse 19: "And another said, "I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused." Still another said, "I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, "Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind." And the servant said, "Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room." Then the master said to the servant, "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper."

   And the great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not love less," as the word is better translated, "his father and his mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, in his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. He cannot be My disciple." The point is that those who were invited were not prepared. They were not prepared, not properly focused, and therefore they were unable to respond at the right time. In verse 17, we read that all things were ready, all things were ready. It was time to move. However, the invited had not been sober, they had not been vigilant, had not properly prepared, and they could not respond. The urgency can be seen in verse 21, for the servants are told in verse 21 to go out quickly. Go out quickly and bring in replacements, for the door had been shut behind those that were invited and didn't come. And God wants us to be sober. He wants us to be vigilant, making intensive repairs and ready to move at a moment's notice. He wants us to be prepared and ready to move.

   Secondly, brethren, the second area is in grudges and forgiving. Talking about how Satan wants to start us leaning—grudges and forgiving. Satan wants us to compromise God's truth. He wants us to compromise God's way. He wants us holding grudges, ok? And we know that holding grudges can cause us to compromise. Example: When we are wronged by others, we want revenge, don't we? We want revenge. We want to strike back, and we want to bring hurt on the other person. We want them to get what we feel they have coming. And when we do, we compromise, we surrender, and we could very easily sin if we're not careful.

   As I stated earlier, many of us may still hold ill feelings as a result of our past association or with others. But you see, God expects you and me to sort that mess out. He does. He expects us to sort it out by applying His principles in dealing with those situations that we are faced with—principles that God guarantees will work. They will work. We only have to have faith, the faith of Jesus Christ, to put them to work, put them in action, and the results are guaranteed. You see, Satan thrives upon such attitudes and such behaviors, and he doesn't want us to get rid of them. It's a natural breeding ground for him to start us leaning in the wrong direction.

   But you see, forgiveness is a godly character. Forgiveness is a godly character. Forgiveness is not a trait that we are born with. It is not natural to forgive. It goes against human nature, and human nature attempts to justify it. Notice Psalm 86. Psalm 86 verse 5. Psalm 86 verse 5. And I'll read it from the Amplified Bible because I think it brings it out a little clearer. Psalm 86 verse 5 from the Amplified Bible: "For You, O Eternal, Psalm 86:5, You, O Eternal, are good and ready to forgive our trespasses, sending them away, letting them go completely and forever." Think of that. We sin against our Creator, and we ask for forgiveness, and He lets them go completely, lets them go. Doesn't remember them unless we bring it up again. But He doesn't remember it. A forgiving nature is part of God's character, and it is a character that you and I must be developing, brethren. And we must be willing to forgive unconditionally. Unconditionally. You know, we get into all types of mindsets: "Well, I'll forgive you if you forgive me." "You remember 20 years ago you did this; you've never asked for forgiveness." You know, that's Satan. See he wants us to remember all that stuff. You know, we keep a mental log of it. But you see, our Creator is not that way, and He wants us to be taking on His character traits. And we are to forgive quickly and unconditionally. And if we are not prepared, not in a constant state of mind to forgive those individuals that may or may not have wronged us, it doesn't matter, or even feel that we have been wronged or we have been hurt, it may not have occurred, but we may feel that way—if we will not forgive, God will not forgive us of the wrongs that we have done, that we are doing, and that we will do to Him. It will happen because we're human, and we make mistakes, and we slip, and we fall.

   Notice Matthew chapter 6. Matthew 6. Matthew chapter 6. In Matthew chapter 6, Matthew 6, and in verse 14. Matthew 6:14: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Each of us constantly fall and we stumble. We may not do it intentionally, but we do, and we do cause ill will to others. Again, whether it's intentional or not, we do it. Sometimes it may not even be our fault. However, God expects you and me to always respond in a godly manner because that's the way Christ responded. We should always respond in a godly manner.

   God shows us a spiritual principle through the Apostle Paul over here in II Corinthians 2. II Corinthians 2. And again, I'd just like to read this from the Amplified Bible. II Corinthians 2 verse 5. Verses 5 through 8 (II Corinthians 25-8): "But if someone, the one among you who committed incest, has caused all this grief and pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—he has distressed all of you." You see, it spreads out. It's not just something that happens between two people. It eventually spreads out, is what is being said. Verse 6: "For such a one, this censure by the majority which he has received is sufficient punishment. Instead of further rebuke, now you should rather turn and graciously forgive and comfort and encourage him to keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive sorrow and despair. Therefore, I beg you to reinstate him in your affections and assure him of your love for him." Interesting that Paul addresses three things here. First, we forgive. You know, I know an individual that is in another group, and this person keeps telling me that she just cannot forgive certain individuals of some wrongs that have occurred. But you see, God says through the Apostle Paul that we forgive. And then after we forgive, we just say, "Oh yeah, I forgive you, but I'm not going to forget it," you know? But he says we not only forgive, but secondly, then we comfort the person, we comfort them. And then we reaffirm our love to that person. You see, it's a process. That's what God does. And He wants us to be taking on that same attitude, that same mindset, reinstating in our affections, spending time with the individual that has been forgiven. Simply stating the words that, "You know, I love you," or "Good to see you," is not good enough with God. He wants us to comfort and then to reaffirm our love.

   Now, the third area I'd like for us to look at is: What is the standard to look to? What is the standard to look to? You know, when Satan starts moving us in different directions, attempting to get us to fall, we start reaching for all different types of things, and we use all different types of sources and information that mostly that we've gained from experience or education or what have you. And we start applying those concepts, those principles. But what is the standard we should look to in every given situation? We cannot determine how to forgive others on our own. We cannot determine how to forgive others on our own. We need guidance, and we need strength. We need guidance, and we need strength. Many times when we are wronged or even think that we've been wronged, we carry it around forever. We do. I say we, I didn't say you, I said we. We carry it around forever. Many times the supposed wrong is based on misinformation and the result of our looking at the wrong indicators. That happens many times. A good starting point is to first come to the realization that we do not naturally know how to forgive, and then look toward the standard constantly. The only standard in every given situation. And we know that that standard is Jesus Christ. That standard is Jesus Christ. The only one who committed no sin, no offense, no wrong, was beaten to a pulp. Beaten to a pulp, unrecognizable as a human being as He hung there on the cross. The accounts in Isaiah tell us that He was spit on, He was scorned, He was mocked.

   But let's take a look at a scripture that we all know in Luke. In Luke. But let's take a look. Luke 23. We've got it memorized, but let's look at it. Luke 23. Luke 23. And in verse 33. Luke 23:33. "And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left." Then Jesus said as He hung there, as He hung there, beaten to a pulp, bleeding, dying, right? Committing no sin, committing no wrong, what did He say? "Father, forgive them. Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." You see, we must be of that same attitude because if the person that has wronged us, or we feel that has wronged us, if they knew what they were doing, chances are they wouldn't have done it. Chances are they wouldn't have done it. So He wants us to be in that same attitude. If we are to be a part of the family of God.

   God's word tells us that some of us will be delivered up and put to death. Who? I don't know. Only God knows. But the days ahead will not be pleasant if we are truly Christians, if we are truly striving to live like Jesus Christ, regardless as to what is said or done, it doesn't matter. It's gonna be difficult. What will our response be? As I stated in a sermon that I gave previously, when someone kicks you in the rear end and says, "Have a good day," what will you do? What will you do? Someone starts sitting on your head, what will you do? Hopefully, our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ wants us to be of the same attitude—to say, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

   Brethren, there is a lull, there is a lull between now and Passover. However, it's not necessarily a lull for true Christians. It's a time for increased activity, a time for increased awareness, increased preparedness. God doesn't want us overly concerned with the concerns, the glamour, and the glitter of this world, the society in which we find ourselves. He does want us to have the proper and the right focus, which means that our focus must be on Him and on His Son Jesus Christ. And He wants us to have our priorities straight. He wants us to have them straight.

   Now, we should counter the negative influences of Satan with positive and definite actions toward obeying God, the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ. And so, brethren, as Satan and his demons are out, and they will be out in full force as he flaunts his major holidays, yet you and I don't have to be overly affected. We don't have to be overly affected. We simply need to be striving to keep our sights trained on the ultimate goal.

   We did observe the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day recently, and where we were fed tremendously encouraging, inspiring, and educational, spiritual food. What God expects of us now, during this critical time between now and Passover, is to take our notes and to read and reread them while studying the associated scriptures, and then apply them to our daily lives. There is much benefit to be gained, and it will be energy for us. It will be energy that will energize and strengthen to ward off the attacks of Satan, and they will come. They will surely come, and they will intensify. They will intensify. God desires, brethren, that we use our time and energies to diligently be striving to be like His Son Jesus Christ—to be like His Son in character, to be like His Son in conduct, in order for you and me to assist Him in God's soon-coming Kingdom. Brethren, let's be about our Father's business. I certainly hope this has been helpful.