Following God

Johnny Harrell

May 18, 2013

I would like to say welcome to everyone on this Sabbath day.

Ever since I have been in God's Church we have been looking for the return of Jesus Christ to this earth to set up the Kingdom of God upon this earth, and to gather up a being and put him in chains so he cannot hurt mankind anymore for a thousand years. This has been the focus of God's Church down through time, the return of God's Son to this earth.

I'm sure that most have read the latest post, and I'm going to read some excerpts from this post; not all of it but some of the last post that Ron had posted, because we are in a most important time in God's Church and it's the time that you and I have been focused upon as the time that Jesus Christ would return to this earth.

We live in the present truth, whatever that might be. We live in the moment as God reveals truth to us and we move forward in that truth as it is revealed, and it is called 'the present truth'. It was our hope that Jesus Christ would return on this Pentecost because we understand what would take place, the pain and the suffering that would be done away with, and we continue to hope that this can be done in the shortest time possible to alleviate the suffering of mankind, but we move forward in God's plan as we understand He is the one guiding His Church. We know this book is true and the prophecies will come to pass in God's time.

The Day of Pentecost has brought God's Church deeper understanding as God has enlightened His Church in past corrections. God had Mr. Armstrong realize after keeping Pentecost on a Monday for many years that a correction was necessary for the Church at that time, and the correct day was Sunday. Another correction for God's Church came when God revealed that Jesus Christ was not returning on Trumpets, which had been taught for many years, but would now be returning on Pentecost, which we believed would be this Pentecost.

So now God is continuing to reveal correction to His Church and it will be just as it is in the past; God will give deeper understanding as we move forward through God's plan, it's just the way that it works. We have lived it before and it always comes with deeper understanding of God's plan.

In the last post Ron says....

TIMING AND OUR COMMISSION:

May 13, 2013

Over the past few posts, God has been preparing us for this one. There are things we have been given that have helped us to focus upon where God is leading us and to give us better understanding of what and why we have experienced such a strong spiritual assault (far, far greater than the norm) over a five month period of time. This knowledge has also opened a door so that we can more clearly see that God is giving us more understanding in regards to the Thunders and Trumpets of Revelation.

It is not an easy process for us to learn in such a manner (through suffering), but there is great purpose in how and why God reveals these things to us in the manner He does. We have touched upon some of these reasons in the last few posts. What is most important to understand more deeply is how God is trying and refining us individually and as a body. For those who will yield themselves to this process, God is molding a maturing faith, godly character, conviction, and spiritual strength within us. It is like the example of refining gold mentioned in the last post. We are tried and tested in fire and the impurities will then rise to the surface in those conditions. When this happens in our life individually, we can then see the dross and we are to work at getting rid of it, for it is impure and not to remain in us. This process heavily involves repentance and the exercising of humility, whereby we can grow even more. God also uses this process to purify the Body of Christ in order to remove what He has tried and tested in fire that will not humble itself before Him, but has instead become lifted up with pride and self-justification for not following His way.

Another purpose for God revealing things to us as He does is because of what He is working out in order to bring Satan and the demons to a time of great judgment upon them, and because of the spiritual wars that are part of this process that include strategies and timing that are critical in great wars.

There is yet another great purpose God is working out in how He is revealing truth to us. The example of our experiences through such suffering will benefit those who live in the Millennium and in the Great White Throne time period because they will be taught this lesson and be able to learn through it. As a result of our experiences, people living during those periods of time will be given clearer insight into God’s transforming power that works in human life. They will be given a better understanding of the process that works to produce a strong and mature faith in one’s life and they will be given greater help in their conversion process apart from the kind of trying through fire that those in Satan’s age of influence over mankind have had to endure.

Matured Faith:

As with the example of Job that was covered in the last post, Satan and the demonic world have had an open door to torment and harass God’s Church in their pursuit to separate all whom they could from God. Yet God’s Church has grown strong in His love toward one another (love waxing hot) and individual faith has been rapidly matured by God’s own power to create His “new creation”   Elohim   in a continuing progressive manner and purpose He has been working out. We are very blessed to be experiencing (living) this heightened progressive phase of His creative power at work that has been constructed (built) to be what it is today and where it is at this point that is concluding 6,000 years of God’s building process (progressive process).

We are awesomely blessed to be experiencing this time when this process for accelerated growth and rapidly maturing faith has been put to work in God’s end-time Church. We have been blessed to live a greatly enhanced stage of development (creation) toward the end of 6,000 years of construction just before entering the Millennium when God’s continuing creation of Elohim will be brought to its fullest and most mature stage yet, far greater than even now.

Turn over to Isaiah 29:16, an it says, Surely you have things turned around; shall the potter be esteemed as the clay, or shall the thing made say of Him who made it, He did not make me? ...or shall the thing formed say of Him who formed it, He has no understanding?

This brings us to the matter of God’s timing within His creating process, where the focus is Elohim and how it is most perfectly created. Yet, an adverse part of this process is reminiscent of clay arguing with the potter. In one example in Isaiah, [which we just read] God speaks of those who go through the motions of religion and approach Him (His House   His people) and speak as though they are at one with God, yet their heart becomes removed from following His way and is instead turned to human reasoning and intellect. It no longer remembers how God molded and lead them through faith and that it was not by what a person “thinks” (reasons) they can see and/or prove by their own ability.

How do such people remove themselves from God and turn their heart from following God by faith? “Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel from the Eternal, and their works are in the dark, and they say ‘Who sees us?’ (by their true activities) and ‘Who knows us?’” (Is. 29:15). In other words, they change. They begin to be more secretive in slyly seeking out others who will listen to their reasoning and their interpretations of God’s ways. If they do not find audience with some whom they approach, they will leave them alone (ignore or evade encounters with them) and continue to seek out others while they hide themselves (their true motives and true actions) from discovery.

Why some eventually remove themselves from following God and turn their heart in another direction is because of the age-old reasons and motivations that have remained the same; if such things take root in the heart, the mind will turn inward and away from God. Satan began his course of moving away from God by letting jealousy and pride grow in his reasoning. The same is true throughout the history of the Church as well. Jealousy of others, especially in areas of ordinations, has led to the fall of many such people who turn away. If people begin to judge unrighteous judgment and fail to see God leading His Church, then jealousy can become too over-powering for them, especially when Satan and demons are constantly searching out such attitudes to infect.

....

This process spoken of in Isaiah 29 of people who “remove” themselves from God and of their heart turning farther from Him has been the age old way of self deception, pride, and of turning away from what God had before so freely given them. They turn from the truth God called them to and/or had given them along the way after being called. “Surely your turning things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay (such will believe they have come to “see” something God has given to them instead of how they had received everything in the past), but can the work say to him who made it, ‘He did not make me,’ or can the thing that has been framed (molded, fashioned, constructed) say to him who framed it, ‘He has no understanding?’” (Is. 29:16).

God is saying in Isaiah that by turning from what He called them to (His true Church) and from where they were being fashioned (in His true Church), that although they seek to find fault with the organization or the leadership where God is working, they are actually arguing with God Himself and the means by which He is leading and fashioning His creation   Elohim. Some believe they have found fault or error with what “they believe” is unfulfilled prophecy in Thunders and Trumpets, but in doing so they no longer choose to be led by faith in all that they should have proven (by what they could have and should have lived through personal experience) to themselves of where and how God was leading them.

The object of pointing all this out is that God does not lead through human intellect and reasoning, but through spiritual revelation of living faith. The revelation of God’s will, purpose, and truth is fully in God’s control and timing   not in any of us   not in God’s prophets or apostle either. This reminds me of Ezekiel who was given much prophesy concerning the future captivity of Israel. The people mocked him and considered him a false prophet because their human reasoning was centered on what they could “see” in that Israel was already in captivity. Everyone is tried and tested often as to their oneness and unity with God. Some will seek to hold to what God has placed before them, for they see the great value and treasure it is, and have chosen to always fight for it until God’s will and purpose in them is completed. However, some will choose otherwise as has recently happened to a few....

My own focus and maturity over this subject, of people choosing to leave, has grown even more as we have come to this moment in time. It has often been stated that there will be those who turn from God all the way up to Christ’s coming, and I have come to greater peace in this process as well, although it does carry certain regret (of the wrong choices of others) and sorrow for those who turn away, but I know that God will still visit them at some future time and give opportunity then of repentance that they have failed to choose now.

As for God’s Church, we must always continue to press forward and to focus on one another in a deeply caring and maturing fellowship (in God's love being lived more richly toward one another), for what we live toward one another and toward God is the most important part of our spiritual life. We are a family – God's Family, and we must reflect that in how we live toward one another.

It is my hope that all will choose to continue moving forward once May 19th has come and gone and Christ has not yet returned. That is the thrust of this post, for I believe God is showing us we have much to do before Christ returns and that this world has much to suffer before that day.

....

And with that I'm going to read some news articles that show us what is quickly coming upon this earth that will bring about some of this suffering, brethren.

Russia Not to Tolerate Further Israeli Attacks on Damascus[1]

News number: 9107168122 2013-05-07

TEHRAN (FNA)- Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, while in Shanghai, was given a sharp dressing-down by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a warning that Russia would not tolerate further Israeli attacks on Damascus and would respond.

Putin did not say how, but he did announce he had ordered the acceleration of highly advanced Russian weapons supplies to Syria.

Israeli Debkafile's military sources disclosed that the Russian leader was referring to S-300 anti-air systems and the nuclear-capable 9K720 Iskander (NATO named SS-26 Stone) surface missiles, which are precise enough to hit a target within a 5-7 meter radius at a distance of 280 kilometers.

In his phone call to Netanyahu, the Russian leader advised the prime minister to make sure to keep this in mind.

Since Syrian air defense teams have already trained in Russia on the handling of the S-300 interceptor batteries, they can go into service as soon as they are landed by one of Russia's daily airlifts to Syria. Russian air defense officials will supervise their deployment and prepare them for operation.

Moscow is retaliating not just for Israel's air operations against Syria but in anticipation of the Obama administration's impending decision to send the first US arms shipments to the Syrian rebels.

Intelligence agencies in Moscow and the Middle-East take it for granted that by the time Washington goes public on this decision, some of the Syrian rebel factions will already be armed with American weapons.

That the measure was in the works was signified by the introduction Monday by chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez of legislation allowing the US to provide arms and military training to the Syrian rebels.

US military instructors have been working with Syrian rebels at training camps in Jordan and Turkey for some months. So putting the arms in their hands only awaited a decision in Washington, the Israeli website alleged.

Putin's message to Netanyahu was intended to reach a wider audience than Jerusalem, such as Barack Obama in Washington and President Xi Jinping in Beijing ahead of Netanyahu's talks there Tuesday.

Here is another one....

Russia staffs Mediterranean fleet. Turkey weighs payback for Syrian bombings[2]

DEBKAfile Special Report May 12, 2013

Russian Navy Admiral Viktor Chirkov said Sunday, May 12, that the process is underway for creating a permanent staff to run Russian fleet operations in the Mediterranean Sea. Speaking at Sevastopol, the Black Sea fleet’s home port, Adm. Chirkov said a staff of 20 officers was already in place. And the Mediterranean deployment would comprise five to six warships and their service vessels as well possibly as nuclear submarines which, say our military sources, are armed with nuclear ballistic missiles.

debkafile’s military sources: The new permanent deployment is the next Russian step for safeguarding Bashar Assad’s regime in Damascus and deterring military attacks on his Hizballah allies and Iranian interests in their three-way bloc.

Moscow is also announcing loud and clear that Russia is finally restoring its military presence to the Middle East in 2013 after the last Soviet squadron exited the Mediterranean in 1992.

The Russian naval step came 24 hours after two car bombs reduced to rubble the center of the Turkish town of Reyhanli near the Syrian border, killing 46 people and injuring scores. Turkish ministers at the scene Sunday openly blamed Syrian military intelligence for the attack’s planning and execution.

This raised concerns in Moscow that Ankara was preparing to deliver a serious reprisal, possibly in the form of an aerial or missile assault, on Syrian military targets.

Russian tacticians reckoned that, after Israel’s two air strikes against Assad regime targets, the Tayyip Erdogan’s government could hardly avoid direct action without appearing to be failing in courage in the eyes of the Turkish public.

Some action is doubly pressing as Prime Minister Erdogan prepares to travel to Washington to meet President Barack Obama on May 16 and present him with evidence that Assad has used chemical weapons in his war on Syrian rebels.

The Reyhanli bombings and Turkey’s potential retaliation sent a fresh wave of alarm across the Syrian neighborhood. Once again, Israeli Air Force warplanes thundered Sunday across South Lebanon and over Hizballah strongholds in the eastern Beqaa Valley near the Syrian border.

Given all these circumstances, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s chances are virtually nil of getting anywhere in his trip to the Black Sea resort of Sochi to persuade President Vladimir Putin to hold back advanced S-300 anti-air missiles from Syria. He can expect to find the Russian president driving full speed for arms deals - not just with Syria, but also with Iraq, Yemen and Sudan.

Putin clearly regards Obama’s decision to keep the US clear of military involvement in the Syrian conflict as an open gateway for a Russian military comeback to the Middle East after a 21-year absence, armed with a cornucopia of weapons for winning clients. For now, there is no stopping him, not even if Turkey or Israel were to embark themselves on military intervention.

And here is another one....

Assad's Latest Recruits Are Literally Trying To Bring On The Apocalypse[3]

Geoffrey Ingersoll | May 8, 2013

REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic: There's a small group of Shia "Twelvers" who think that if they fight on the side of Bashar Al Assad in Syria, their messiah will appear and Armageddon will begin.

Hassan Hassan, a Middle East scholar and columnist blogged about these peculiar fellows recently and, in particular, a video they posted online: {They posted a YouTube video} showing a crowd of Iraqi Shia....[Let's notice the country...] Iraqi Shia beating their chests and chanting.

The chants suggest that there are signs that Shia's hidden imam is due to appear. The signs include the Syrian uprising and the rise of the Syrian rebels. The chants seem to call on Shia worshipers to go to Syria to fight alongside the Assad regime.

This small sect of Shia fighters believe that Mahdi, the lost twelfth imam, will reappear during the fight against Assad. [This is what they believe...] This makes the Free Syrian Army and any Sunni extremists (Jabhat al Nusra) kind of like the army of evil, fighting against the forces of good.

Hassan says he thinks powerful political forces are at play here, in order to delude and recruit fighters to keep Assad in power: ....

But you and I know and understand that there is a being behind this. And I hope everyone in the Church of God understands some of these prophecies. The Church of God posted a video on the website about the Mahdi and the twelfth imam that explains what they believe, and it's very enlightening to what their prophecies are and what they believe in.

Continuing in the article....

...Young men from Lebanon and Iraq are being dragged into this bloody war to defend the pathological criminal that is Bashar Al Assad.

These are still a tiny minority that do not represent Shia but they are dangerous because they are deranged band of savages that are sparking a dangerous civil war across the region. [emphasis from the original article online]

The civil war in Syria began two years ago as a part of the Arab Spring, and has since turned into the bloodiest ongoing conflict in the region. Clashes between Bashar Al Assad's army and the fractious rebels have resulted in the deaths of 70,000 people thus far.

So brethren, there is a spirit world that is active and this is the prelude to the war that is coming, WWIII. And even their prophecies teach that they have to start this war for their Mahdi, the twelfth imam, to return to this earth. It's in their prophecies.

Ron wrote about the 5th Trumpet and it says...

A RAPIDLY APPROACHING PENTECOST:

Written on April 24, 2013

....

The Fifth Trumpet:

Close to a year ago, a sermon was given that addressed some of the issues of the Fifth Trumpet that did not fit into the original puzzle. This part of the picture was clouded and God began to help us see there was more we needed to understand, but that was only the beginning of His revealing more truth to us on this subject. It is truly a beautiful manner in which God progressively reveals truth to us, always moving toward greater unity and oneness with Him. I always marvel when I see the building process in action, as one thing is fit into place so that another can be built (added) upon it.

In the last few posts, God has been leading us to this post. Our Father has shown that we have not fully grasped the use of the term “Assyria” in prophecy. In this end-time, that term is not specifically about Germany any more than the term “Egypt” is about that actual country. Throughout the time during Philadelphia and Laodicea, it was believed that the captivity of Israel would be by Germany (Assyria), instead of understanding that it is about a captivity of government that has engulfed the scattered nations of Israel. It is with the physical interpretation of this that this piece of the puzzle seemed to fit into the Fifth Trumpet. Although it is through the leadership of Germany that the Euro and European Union brings to light the kind of captivity that has taken Israel, the Fifth Trumpet is actually about God’s Church, both the remnant and that which was scattered. Germany’s involvement is about events that occur throughout the fulfillment of the First Trumpet as a result of the resurrection of the old Roman Empire.

The greater meaning of the Fifth Trumpet is about a spirit war in this time we are in now. It is about power that is unleashed by a demonic world and yet there are specific restrictions upon that spirit world that God controls. Recently, the Church was given a four-part sermon from our senior evangelist, Johnny, on the subject of Christ’s final journey to Passover day. In that sermon, he referred to scriptures that revealed there was a great demonic war being waged against Christ at that time. God allowed this for a great purpose, but in the midst of it all, He was always in control of what could and could not happen.

The same is true for Satan and his demons concerning this final struggle before the Millennium in their fight against God. God has allowed them a time to stir the world into a final war....

And just as we can see from these news articles, it is being stirred, brethren. The next headline in the posting continued....

Attacks Upon God’s People:

God’s Church has been experiencing some of the most massive attacks ever from a demonic spirit world over the past few months. God has allowed this as a testimony to His remnant Church that has been growing in spiritual strength and has been fighting off such perverse abuse from that spirit world. As the last post indicated, there is a night and day difference in the condition of God’s Church today compared to the time of the apostasy when these beings easily defeated large numbers at that time. Yet during the past few months, this spirit army has not been able to defeat God’s people, as God is more fully dwelling in His people at this time. This is an awesome witness of the spiritual Body of Christ today just as it was such an awesome witness Jesus Christ gave in his life toward the end of it, as he stood firm against such power with dignity, honor, and grace as the Passover of mankind. These are things an evil spirit world cannot comprehend and neither do people who are guided by selfish human nature. Only God can reveal such importance, purpose, and beautiful meaning.

We have been in such a great spiritual battle that a Church-wide fast was called to address this and to seek greater strength and intervention from God. It was during this fast that God revealed what we have been living through. The demonic spirit world has continually fought against God and His purpose for human life. There have been times when these battles have been more intense, as in what the Church has now been experiencing. Those who are young have been the primary targets, but overall the young have stood firm. Some in the Church that have had greater experience in battle have not been attacked as severely as others. Yet there are some in God’s Church that have had great experience in battle but have been attacked on every side in a concerted effort because they are a part of the primary structure of the Church and have been targeted because of that. Again, the demonic spirit world has been losing their battle against God just as it has throughout time.

This five-month period described in Revelation 9 is poorly translated, as the translators did not know the specific intent (true thought) of what was originally written. Translations from one language to another cannot be done simply word by word, but must be done by the intended thought of the true meaning contained in the words. It is easy to read personal interpretation into such translating.

These beings emerging from the bottomless pit are the army of the demonic world and Satan is their king. God allows them to emerge in power one last time during the close of this final 6,000-year period.

The demonic world does not grasp what God allows them to do nor do they grasp they cannot accomplish more than what He lets them. This is just like the time God let them have power to stir up those who put His Son to death. The faithful angelic world was pulled back from intervening at that time, although Christ himself could have called upon legions of angels to fight; but instead, he submitted to the suffering that was necessary to fulfill the purpose and will of his Father concerning Passover.

Over the past few months the thrust of this evil army has been two-fold. First of all, it has been against God’s remnant Church and against those who were scattered due to the apostasy. Secondly, it is about the world....

Turn to Revelation 9:4.

The Church and Those Who Were Scattered:

Over this period of five months, these evil spirit beings have been given power to attack, hurt, and mentally harass “only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads” (Rev. 9:4). This has nothing in context to do with people in the world, but is about God’s people. A distinction is made concerning those who have the seal of God on their foreheads. These people are those who are to be resurrected as part of the 144,000 and cannot be “hurt” even if they were to literally lose their physical life, as they will be in the first resurrection. Yet this evil spirit world attacked many of these, but could not “hurt” them because of their part in God’s plan, for they are sealed and have already been tested to be those who will always stand firm until their change comes.

Then there are the others of the remnant (Church) who have suffered the most because most are younger (newer) in the Body, yet as a testimony to God most have stood firm. This demonic world has also harassed and attacked many of those of the scattering whom God is preparing to draw as the 63,000 and who will eventually benefit from what they have been experiencing, even though they are unwittingly unaware of it.

As verse five [Revelation 9] states, “They were not given authority to kill them.” God did not allow more affliction to be upon the Church (both the remnant and those of the scattering) than this torment and hurt, as most are to live on into a new age.

The World:

The first part of this two-fold attack from the demonic realm was upon the Church, and the second part was about their attack upon the world as they are seeking to destroy as much of God’s creation as they can by pushing mankind into an all-out nuclear war. That is their motive and that is their purpose.

And we can see it in the news, brethren. God is in control of all timing and this is something that you and I have to understand. When God says we are to turn right or turn left we do it and we move forward. We have to understand that it is God who is in control, just as He was in the day of Jesus Christ, and God brought it down to the very hour that the crucifixion was to take place...and this will be the same, brethren.

... God is in control of all timing and what He commands is what happens, [that is what takes place], “And it was commanded them that they could not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree” (Rev. 9:4). This has literal meaning and it has prophetic meaning as with the First Trumpet.

It has been rather strange that this world’s economic system, and especially that of the United States, has held on as it has without already collapsing.

And I hope most of us understand about the petro-dollar and that that is all it will take, for the dollar to collapse when it is not used as the reserve currency...and it can happen overnight as China and the other nations already have it in place to remove the dollar as the reserve currency. It's all in place, and when it takes place it will be a new world for the United States and some of the other nations as well that are tied to that dollar.

....Now it is easy to understand why that has been so. The reality in all this is that the timing is God’s. Much of His purpose in this involves the very means by which He uses to apply the greatest humbling impact possible upon the scattered nations of Israel. This command of God has also held back the massive destruction that will come in God’s time toward the very end. .... It is for this reason that nations have done much threatening and have rattled sabers, but nothing has happened on any large scale.

In the midst of these verses about this trumpet is an awkwardly translated verse that is about the world and has nothing to do with the Church: “And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall seek to die, and death shall flee from them” (Rev. 9:6).

And we can see this with North Korea, Iran, and others coming on the scene, Russia, China, Pakistan, to go on and name a few more....

...Without spending much time to fully review all the meaning contained in some of these words and the misinterpretation of intent, [Ron says], I will only give an overview of what this is about.

It is not about people who are somehow seeking to take their own life, but it is partially about the insanity of many who desire to enter into war (which would eventually take their own lives), but have not been able to achieve it as of yet. It has been held back by God, and if it had not, this evil spirit army would have moved the world into a nuclear war already. There are men who seek to enter into war, but they truly have no concept of the devastation that will follow their foolish intentions.

As with God’s perfect timing that led perfectly into a very specific and narrow moment in time when Jesus Christ was to be nailed to a pole, so is God’s timing to intervene and prevent man from annihilating himself in order that large masses will live on into the Millennium. As with the perfect timing to bring about the Passover death, so God has perfect timing to bring everything in this world together to that specific and narrow moment when Pentecost begins.

....

The demonic world has already been moving this world into its final war...

...as we just read in these news articles about their prophecies at the end, the twelfth imam, the return of the Mahdi; and this demonic world has already been moving this world into this final war.

...and it has been waging a great spiritual war against God’s people. It is indeed a great “woe” to mankind. God’s people are being made stronger...

Those that understand this is God's Church and that it is God who is leading His Church. ...though we are suffering in battle, though we are hurting...battles hurt and there are casualties, there are people wounded, people bleeding, people hurting, this happens in battle, but this world is about to be thrust into the greatest battle that has ever been waged upon this earth, brethren. We are on God's time, just as much so as those that were alive in Jesus Christ's day when they nailed Him to that pole. God brought it about when it was time, and when it was God's time for it to take place God brought it to that very specific time when it was to take place...and it will be so as God desires at the end of this age.

I'm going to read some parts of another post, 'One War Is Over, The Last One Is About To Begin', and it fits well to where we are in time.

ONE WAR IS OVER THE LAST ONE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN:

Written on May 1, 2013

....

Breaking into a thought here and he (Ron) says:

....I move forward following God wherever and through whatever He leads me.

And that is our title today, Following God.

As our senior evangelist, Johnny, mentioned in his last sermon about following God: “Either we believe this is God’s Church and God is leading this Church or we want to go back to Egypt. But most in God’s church, from what I am hearing, are more resolved than they ever have been. It’s what I hear. They understand that this is God’s Church and they understand that it is the Great God of this universe and His Son Jesus Christ who is leading and building His Church, and that we are on God’s time. God lets us see what He wants us to see at the time and God does reserve the right to tell us to turn right or turn left, and it should be our desire to follow God.”

This paragraph that has been quoted from Johnny’s sermon is a sermon in itself, and in actuality is the sermon he gave, and yet there is so much more. The spirit of this quote will be drawn upon to explain why the thought that “this might be the last post I write in this age” is there. This is said solely for the value of the true thoughts and feeling I have at this moment that is based upon what I believe and am therefore living.

There is no thought of “going back to Egypt,” or going off in some other direction than the one I believe God is leading us in. Over this past week, there are a handful of people who have decided they can no longer follow in the same direction. Although I obviously believe they have made a horrible choice, I have absolutely no ill will toward them nor look down upon them in any way. Each person alone is accountable before God for the choices he or she makes. I can only answer for my own self and my choices. Let me put this into a bit of a current perspective.

Questions and Doubt:

Over the past couple of weeks, there are a couple of statements that have been made by others that have been passed along to me. One statement that has been made by more than one person revolves around their stated concern that things I have written and spoken about have not come to pass, which has led to the conclusion, or doubt, of whether I am a prophet or even the one through whom Jesus Christ is leading His Body-the Church of God.

As it has been stated in varying ways at various times, I cannot give to them what is in my mind-in my spirit. I can, and do, only act upon what I believe God gives to me. So what is it that has not come to pass? Perhaps such people are primarily speaking of the fact that there has not yet been a physical manifestation of the blowing of the Second, Third, and Fourth Trumpet. Perhaps such people feel that the Fifth Thunder should be far more manifest in it fulfillment at this time.

Candidly, each person must ask and answer such things themselves before God. All I can do is go by my own personal experience and belief as I strive to always continue moving forward, following God where I believe He leads me through a process of spiritual discernment....

All of us should understand how God worked with our mind to bring us to the truth, and Ron goes on and explains about his personal experiences, which I'm not going to go into today. You can go back and read that on your own, but it is how God worked through his mind to open...it's how God worked through the mind to open our mind to reveal the Sabbath, the Holy Days, and how it was the present truth that revealed it as we move through God's plan to understand...and it is the way God works through all of us. It is an experience of seeing and knowing absolutely that what we were hearing through the vine was true. Only God can communicate that to your mind, you cannot. You can never come to any truth in the mind except by the power of God's spirit, brethren, and it is only God that can give that to you.

Dropping on down in the post...

Personal Experience:

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It is so simple, but people often have a difficult time remembering and internalizing the most basic truth about how we learn and know truth. God has to give it! He must communicate it from His spirit to ours. There is absolutely no other way to know the truths of God on a spiritual plane. Yes, there are pieces of truth that the carnal mind can come to about very basic physical knowledge. This is true in most religions calling themselves Christian, but it is not of God. One church has built its name upon the simple physical acceptance of the true meaning of the Greek word that is translated as baptize, which they know simply means to “immerse” in water and not to sprinkle with water as most others believe. Another church has built its name upon the acceptance of what they see on a physical level (through physical reasoning and intellect) that the Sabbath of God is on the seventh day of the week.

Such examples are plentiful, but none of this was revealed as spiritual knowledge from God and from His spirit to theirs. It is only physical in nature. Yet the more that a person embraces and seeks to obey God in simple straight forward instruction, even on a physical plane, the more their life will be blessed; but this does not involve a spiritual relationship with God as a result of His calling.

Only God can communicate spiritual knowledge and understanding as He does through His Son Jesus Christ. It cannot-CAN NEVER-be received by human intellect, for such is limited (restricted) strictly to a physical plane with the ability to reason and know (learn). Herbert W. Armstrong was not given the ability to see that Jesus Christ had not eternally existed and that his origin of life began with a human birth from a physical mother, Mary, and who had been begotten at conception by a spiritual Father, God Almighty. It is God alone who chooses how and when He reveals spiritual knowledge. It was not a fault of Herbert W. Armstrong that he did not know this truth, [that Jesus Christ had not eternally existed], nor did it diminish him in any way as God’s apostle, but it was simply God’s knowledge to give when He chose to do so. No one can judge God in such matters, although many have judged His servant Herbert W. Armstrong over such things, as with the subject of Pentecost.

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Spiritual knowledge-spiritual truth-can only be communicated by God’s spirit to our spirit. Anything else is only physically discerned knowledge. A person can read truth on our websites and grasp a limited perception about God’s plan and truth that is before them, but they cannot internalize it and cannot know it spiritually unless God gives it. Such a person can never be in full agreement with God or His Church because they are simply unable to do so solely on a plane of physical reasoning. Not only that, but even a person who has been called of God and given ability to see what is spiritual in God’s word can lose that ability to see spiritually unless God is continually dwelling in them. That is why sin must be repented of quickly because sin cuts one off from that spiritual life and spiritual insight dwelling in them....

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My Transformation:

These are some of the major experiences I have had of God communicating His word from His spirit to mine. All such experiences are the things that have been transforming my mind-changing the very way I think and have chosen to live. I know deeply who I am and what God has called me to as His prophet and His apostle in this end-time. I cannot give this to anyone, because it is only for God and His Son to give. That which has been molded in me is fairly well complete. I know I am His prophet, though I do not know all prophecy. I only have that which God has given me.

For this very reason, because of all these experiences and the truth given to me that I have mentioned, I will continue to move forward following where God and His Son lead me. As was mentioned in another post, “We do not live by ‘what if’s,’ but by ‘what is.’” By the time you read this, there will be less than three weeks to Pentecost. The reality is that whether Jesus Christ comes on that day or not, I will be living by “what is” at that time and I will be following God wherever He leads me. If at that time I am in a spirit body, I will follow Him. If I am still in a physical body, I will follow wherever He leads, and I know that at some point in time, even if it isn’t immediate as it was on May 26th of last year, it will come and we will know what God wants us to know at any moment in time.

It is through all we experience in our ongoing relationship with God that we are ever being transformed from physical to spiritual. That process is not easy, especially for those with whom God is molding, fashioning, and creating for great purpose in some of the primary structure of His Temple-of His Kingdom. Those called now to be in His Kingdom at the start of its reign on earth and those called now to live on into that millennial period have been chosen for a great purpose and an awesome opportunity in life.

Past Two Sabbaths:

Two Sabbaths ago an urgent Church-wide fast was called. We recognized we were in the midst of a great spiritual war that was being waged. Our desire was that God and His Son dwell more fully within us because we are convicted of the verse quoted in that post which called for that fast: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome (Gk.- conquered) them because greater is He (God Almighty and Jesus Christ) who is in you, than he (Satan and his demons) that is in the world” (1 Jn. 4:4).

On the Sabbath of this fast two weeks ago, our senior evangelist, Johnny, gave a powerfully inspired sermon about the purpose of our fast and of the spiritual war that was being waged. On that day God also inspired the post, “A Rapidly Approaching Pentecost.” The revelation within this post reminds me of the time when Daniel was fasting toward the end of the Jewish captivity while they were in Babylon. It was at this time that God gave him understanding of the seventy years prophecy concerning the occupation of Jerusalem and that this time had now been fulfilled and it was time for them to begin to return. In like manner, God revealed to us that we have been living through the First Woe of Revelation which is about Satan and his demonic army who were given five whole months to wage war against God’s people. God revealed that the fierceness of that war was nearing its end and He strengthened us with understanding so that we could grasp why we were experiencing such intensity of battle throughout the Church.

Satan and his demons desired more than anything else to be able to wage such a great spiritual battle against God’s people. They desired it far above waging battle on an already deceived world.

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Before this past Sabbath, God inspired another powerful sermon by another evangelist, Terry. That sermon so perfectly fits with what happened since the fast and the last post, yet it was pre-recorded and given before the Sabbath and before other events came to light toward the end of the week and over this weekend. The devastation of this First Woe was minute (small) in comparison to the time of the apostasy when it was relatively easy and quick for the demonic world to so successfully attack and decimate God’s Church at that time. Although the devastation was minimal in this great spiritual war, never-the-less, it was very painful, as it always is when any fall from following God in His Church.

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This great army of demonic spirit beings are now turning their wrath toward this world. One great war is over and the last one is about to begin. We have lived through a time of great trouble that was cast upon the Church, and now that time of trouble is ready to be cast upon the world.

Indeed, we have lived at the prophetic moment in time when Michael, the great prince who stands for the children of God, has stood fast along with an angelic army to wage war along side of us. We should take great courage to know what has been fulfilled and each persons’ part in it, as God has made us to stand.

I was reading from 'One War is Over  and the Last One is About to Begin'. We just read about Mahdi's army and how they believe they can bring this last war about, to bring about the twelfth imam and the return of the Mahdi. So that is what is in their mind, brethren.

I'm going to read some of another news article that is very relevant in what this sermon is about and what we are to face. 'North Korea: Nuclear Weapons Matter of When, Not If, Experts Say'; this news article goes on to tell how much nuclear weapons they have and that they already have the capability of building much more in a short time. Here is some of the news that states where we are in time;

Sept. 11, 2012, 'The Road to WWIII', and this one sets the frame to understand why.

It's talking about videos that were made about these headlines and it says this one sets the frame to help understand why the rest of these videos are important. And you can go back online and find them and look at them, some of them.

January 16, 2013, 'Plans for a Nuclear Strike on China Hidden in NDAA2013'

March 25, 2013, another headline, 'Euro Crisis is just Beginning, Global Collapse is Coming'

April 1, 2013, 'North Korea Nuclear Crisis'

April 8, 2013, 'U.S. Moves Toward War with North Korea'...and that's not gone away.

April 15, 2013, 'Gold and Bitcoin Crash, What's Really Going On'

May 1, 2013, 'China Moves Against the Dollar'

May 6, 2013, 'The Real Reason Israel Attacked Syria'

I want to read just a small portion of the article on North Korea. "Pyongyang emerged in a new light after it put a satellite into orbit on the tip of a long-range rocket in December..." "Analysts now put the North’s arsenal at four to eight plutonium bombs. They also suspect it is making fuel for uranium bombs, but they don’t know how much." "It's quite understandable why people are spooked. The only mystery is why it has taken so long." You and I know why...because we're on God's time. And just as it was in Jesus' day when they hung Him on that pole God will unleash it when it is time to bring it about to a very specific time in God's plan. The only mystery to why it's taking so long is not to us, it's not a mystery to us, and they don't know what to do, brethren, but they continue to build weapons...and there are no answers. North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, China... it continues to escalate. The China Sea is becoming a hotbed, the Philippines are getting involved, and that's a hotbed that's not much in the news. It continues to escalate – there are no answers -- so it keeps moving forward to the apocalypse. And  this is what we just read about in Revelation about men seeking death. We understand who is holding it back. We are on a countdown to destruction, brethren, that our minds cannot comprehend! We were hoping we would not have to live through this destruction, we hoped that God would be merciful to His Church and that all this would come about in a very small amount of time, but whatever God's plan is we move forward by following God. If we are to live through it, so be it. Once these weapons go off it will be a different world, mankind will be humbled beyond its wildest imaginations.

And with that in mind let's turn over to 1 Thessalonians 4 and let's look at some scriptures about God's plan, because when we look around at this earth and what is taking place it's not a pretty picture. When we listen to the news there is not much good news anymore.

God tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 – I do not want you to be ignorant concerning those who have fallen asleep, let you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the Trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Verse 17 – We know these scriptures, we know that there will be those that are alive at the coming of Jesus Christ. Verse 17 tells us...Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: We just went through a series, 'The Road to Crucifixion' and how Jesus Christ left in that cloud, and here we are being told that He would return in like manner. And here we see God telling us through His word that they would be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:1 - But concerning the times and seasons, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant one; and they will not escape. Brethren, we are feeling those pains, the birth pains. We are in a war, a spiritual war of a magnitude I know we don't fully understand. We have had some casualties that hurt deeply and I'm sure there are some wounded that we don't know about that are hurting.

But let's notice Verse 4 - But you are not in darkness, and that's true. We understand the words of our God and we understand that God had a plan from the beginning and He still has a plan for this day that we will be celebrating tomorrow, the Day of Pentecost, which pictures the firstfruits of God. And God tells us that we are not in darkness about this day, and we're not. God tells us that we are all sons of light and sons of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as  others do; and let's notice the admonition that is given... but let us watch and be sober. God tells us to watch and be sober, an when we look around at this world of Satan's – North Korea, the Muslim world, Iran, Syria, and all of that Middle East, the China Sea, and it's sobering when you understand the prophecies of this book. And even though it's like looking through a dark glass God tells us we understand what's in our future.

Verse 8 God tells us - But let us, who are of the day, be sober, let's notice what He's telling us; putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and as a helmet the hope of salvation. Let's notice how it's written and what it's saying, the breastplate of faith...and the helmet, the hope of salvation.

Verse 9 - God did not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with Him. Just like what Ron said in the post, for those that are sealed, the 144,000, doesn't make any difference, dead or alive. Therefore comfort each other, and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Verse 19 -  God tells us, Don't quench the spirit, the spirit that He has given you and me. And that's an admonition that is very necessary in the times that we live in. This is something that you definitely don't want to do, especially not at this time: you do not want to quench the spirit of your God at this time.

Verse 20 – Do not despise prophecies: you have to be careful with this one. God is in charge of when these take place, and it's usually always when we look back that we can see where we have been, just like Daniel.

God tells us to Test all things and hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. What this is telling you and me, as we heard about the pieces of the puzzle, don't despise prophecies from God that come from God. Either you believe God is leading this Church or either you don't...and if God is leading His Church these prophecies will be brought to fruition as we follow God.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, let's notice, soul and body be preserved blameless in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. It's a promise, brethren. Our God is not playing games at the end of this age. We're entering the most serious times and the most dangerous times in all of man's history. God tells us in this book about a time of Jacob's trouble. God tells us to watch and be sober, and I've said it before, we have a front-row seat to see the most awesome events in all of man's history.

Be turning to Psalms 27 and let's look at what God had David write a long, long time ago in this book. I just want to say something out of the book of Hebrews, we don't have to turn there, be turning to Psalm 27, but it tells us, 'To those that are running a race, that we should run with endurance,' or as the apostle Paul said, maybe he said it better, 'Fight the fight that is set before us.' How we fight that fight is what molds and fashions us, brethren, and I don't think we can comprehend that fight fully that is a battle for your mind, but I think we're starting to see the fierceness of this battle, this battle for your mind that is taking place.

Psalms 27:4 -  Let's look at what David had to say and let's look at what David's desire was. David faced a lot of war in his time, physical war, and I think you and I should focus upon the same things that David focused upon. David said, One thing I have desired of the Eternal, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the House of the Eternal all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Eternal and to inquire in His Temple. I can't imagine being anywhere else but inside the Church of God. It's a frightening thing to think of being on the outside looking in. This is a lot about Pentecost because it is about a people that will dwell in the House of their God, and it's what David's desire was and he wrote about it in God's book, and it's what he sought all his life, and he said, that I may dwell in the House of the Eternal all the days of my life, and that's my desire too, brethren, and I hope that's yours; to behold the beauty of the Eternal, to follow God and see where He leads us, and to inquire in His Temple.

When we look at the horizon of what is coming you definitely want to stay close to your God at this time. It is a fierce battle that we are in and it is a time of trouble; there has never been a time like this upon the earth that we're going to face. I hope it's short lived because our lives can so change in one hour. That's all it will take when you are dealing with nuclear weapons. Do we understand the massive amount that is out there? And once they are unleashed, it's not pretty what will take place. So let's hope that it is just a short period of time and that God will have mercy.

Verse 5 - For in the time of trouble, it's what David is asking, He shall hide Me in His pavilion: in other words it's talking about protection. And you definitely want to be protected when this time of trouble we are facing comes about. And David's asked Him to hide him in the secret place of His tabernacle; He shall hide me... and brethren, in the times we're heading in, in the times of trouble that's ahead for this world you definitely want God to hide you in His pavilion, in the secret place of His Tabernacle, and you definitely want to be close to your God.

Verse 7 - Hear, O Eternal, when I cry with my voice: have mercy upon me and answer me. And you definitely want to be in touch with your God at this time. When you said, Seek My face, my heart said to You, Your face, Eternal, I will seek. Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger: Should be the same for you and me. We need to guard this mind... and you definitely don't want God to hide His face from you. David said, You have been my help; do not leave me or forsake me, O God of my salvation.

Verse 11 – David said... Teach me Your way, O Eternal; and it's the same for us. We should want to follow God so that He can teach us His ways – whether it is to the right or to the left we should follow God and move forward.

Verse 12 – Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries: for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence. And let's notice verse 13... I would have lost heart, let's notice what's being said, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Eternal in the land of the living. Let's notice what David is saying: Wait on the Eternal: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your 'heart', better said, the 'mind': wait, I say, on the Eternal. That's what you and I are doing, we're waiting on our God to make His move to deliver a people.

Let's turn over to Hebrews 12:12 - Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be dislocated but rather be healed. In other words, God calls it lame, that you may not be separated, better said; you may feel like you've been wounded a little but God says to strengthen the hands that hang down and the feeble knees, and He tells us how to do it, to make straight paths for your feet – in other words, follow God! That's what He's saying, and even though you may come up a little lame that you won't be dislocated or separated from the Body, but rather you would be healed. And the way you do that is by following God, brethren.

Verse 22 tells us - But you have come to Mount Zion, into the City of the living God... Do we really comprehend who we come before, brethren? Do we really understand it and believe that it is the Great God of the universe and His Son that we come before on this Sabbath day? Do we really believe it? ...that that's where we're at? Do we believe that God is in charge? Some good questions that need to be asked. Do we believe that God is leading His Church just the way that He wants it to be led? Do we understand we have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels... God says that's where we come to; and this company of angels, that Michael and the angels are protecting, that we've addressed in past sermons...do we  believe it?

Verse 23 - To the general assembly and Church of the firstborn, says a lot about Pentecost, the Church of the firstborn. Do we comprehend what is taking place and what God is doing? ...what God is building? ...and what we have been called to become a part of? Whether it's a part of the 144,000 or to live into the most awesome time upon this earth, the return of Jesus Christ to this earth? ...the Church of the firstborn, let's notice, which are registered in heaven, to God, the judge of all, including you and me, to the spirits of just men made perfect.

Verse 25 – Let's notice what is being said - See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him that spoke on earth, much shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven: should send chills up your spine... Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He has promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven. Now this, yet once more... should bring you to your knees to understand this one, indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, let's notice, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and, let's notice, godly fear: I hope we understand that there is a time when God will gather up some spirit beings and put them in chains, chain Satan up in this bottomless pit so he will not have influence on man for a thousand years. God says He has promised this and it would take place...but we are on God's time. God says the clay cannot tell the one who is doing the molding when to bring it about, and I see some have had no fear of God, they didn't like or understand the way God was doing it. It says that you and I should serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Turn over to Leviticus 23; God painted us a picture through His book about His plan, and we saw in past sermons how Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism contained in this in the Passover observance, and we saw how Jesus fulfilled the symbolism of the wave sheaf offering that was presented during the Days of Unleavened Bread. And we'll break into the story in Leviticus 23:15 and we find; And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: talking about the wave offerings which represented Jesus Christ and was a part of the ceremony that was carried out during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It says count fifty days and after the seventh Sabbath, and you shall offer a new grain offering to the Eternal.

The instructions for Pentecost now begins in verse 17, God tells us: You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; so let's notice this is our picture of what it's talking about...they are the firstfruits of the Eternal. And this is where the picture of Pentecost starts, brethren.

And let's notice, And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs of the first year without blemish, one young bull and two rams: they shall be a burnt offering to the Eternal, with their grain offerings, and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire, for a sweet aroma to the Eternal. Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats as a sin offering, and two male lambs of the first year as a sacrifice of a peace offering.

And in verse 20 we find; And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Eternal with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the Eternal for the priest. And you shall proclaim on the same day, that is a holy convocation to you: you shall do no customary work: it shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. So we can see it is about those that will be the firstfruits in the Kingdom of God – shows us a plan that God has for a people who will become firstfruits, and they will be offered a blessing of becoming a part of the God Family and to live in the God Family as spirit beings for all eternity.

Be turning to Revelation 14. There was a picture painted during this ceremony, the ceremony of the firstfruits, and they were pictured by these two wave loaves that were waved; these wave loaves that were waved were leavened. There is a lot of symbolism in this because we understand that Jesus Christ was pictured in the wave offering as being unleavened. We understand that this is talking about sin and these two wave loaves that were waved were with leaven. These two loaves pictured the ones that God has called out of all mankind during all man's years upon this earth.

We find in Revelation 14:1, we find where God tells us who they are... Then I looked, and, behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him a one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder: and heard the sound of harpist's playing their harps: And they sung, as it were, a new song before the throne, before the living creatures and the elders: and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand, and let's notice who they are and where they came from...God tells us that the 144,000 were redeemed from the earth. And in God's  great plan of Pentecost, it's about those who would be redeemed from the earth. God had a plan and He had a plan from the beginning.

And these are those who were not defiled with women; and we understand the symbolism of this, for they are virgins. So it's talking about... it's spiritual, it's that that is spiritual and this is where it tells us; these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. It's what it's about, it's about the ones who were faithful, the ones that God calls virgins, and the ones that are not defiled with the ways of this world, the religions of this world. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes; they always followed God. And it explains it even further, it tells us, these were redeemed from among men, let's notice, being firstfruits, the two loaves that were waved, the picture of the two loaves that were mixed with leaven. This is the same picture, this is the end result of that ceremony, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. It's a picture, that they were brought out of sin, that they were forgiven of sin, these 144,000, the firstfruits of Revelation. It's the same one that have been redeemed to God through the blood of Jesus Christ – the exodus, unleavened bread, Passover, Pentecost, the giving of the 10 Commandments. The 10 Commandments were given on the Day of Pentecost, and all of it paints us a picture; paints us a picture so that we can understand more fully about this Day of Pentecost that we are approaching, the Pentecost in God's plan.

Be turning to Acts 1. The book of Acts explains more about the plan of God; Jesus Christ died and was resurrected as we saw in the sermon series, 'The Road to Crucifixion', and He appeared to the disciples and He taught them during that time.

Acts 1:1 - The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the holy spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen: To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, and let's notice, being seen by them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God: and we just went through this in those past sermons.

And, being assembled together with them He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, which He said you have heard from Me. For John truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the holy spirit not many days from now. Therefore, when they had come together they asked Him saying, Lord, let's notice what they asked, Will You at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?

And let's notice what He said to them in verse 7 - ...it's not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His own authority. Let's notice how this is said: It's not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority; and there are reasons for this, even to this day, as we have a spirit world. Satan is an adversary that wants to know and that is why God does things the way He does. Satan is like a roaring lion and Satan cannot know every move that God makes...and this is why we have to follow God, this is why we have to turn right or turn left to follow God; so we cannot always know until God reveals it... and it always becomes clear when we look back.

But you shall receive power when the holy spirit has come upon you: and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, into the ends of the earth. Now, when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they watched steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who said; Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven. And we know by the scriptures that there will be some among the Church of God that will be able to see this awesome event, the coming of the Kingdom of God to this earth and Jesus Christ returning to this earth.

Let's turn over to 1 Peter 1:3 - Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you; And we understand that God's Church does not cease to exist; we also understand that God has a plan and in His plan there are those who will be first, and that's what Pentecost is about. It's talking about an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled and won't fade away, who are kept by the power of God, let's notice, through faith to salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials: and we do have this adversary, we have this spiritual war, and he makes sure these trials are fiery and hard and we have been grieved by these trials, these various and different trials that come upon us as the people of God.

Verse 7 - That the genuineness of your faith, being more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, and it is, we're living it. And it says may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ: and we are being tested by fire to see if we will follow God. It is a fiery trial! Never been a time like this on the Church of God. It's a spiritual war that is of a magnitude that I know we cannot comprehend it, and it is testing by fire.

Verse 8 - Whom having not seen, you love; though now you do not see Him, yet believing you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. You and I are blessed to live at the end of an age when the firstfruits will be revealed. There are those down through time that knew about this day that is coming upon us, the Day of Pentecost, and the apostle Peter tells us there are prophets that have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied on the grace that would come to you – talking about us -- searching what, or what manner of time the spirit of Christ, notice what's being said, who was in them was indicating when he testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed, that not to themselves but to us they were minister of the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you through the holy spirit sent from heaven; things which angels desire to look into.

Verse 13 – The same admonition we heard earlier in the sermon; Peter tells us, Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourself to the former lusts as in your ignorance: In other words, not to go back into Satan's world where we were ignorant, but to protect the mind. When doubt comes into the mind nip it in the bud. That's what it's saying, gird up the loins of your mind, and understand where God is working and understand about this spirit world that is battling for your mind, to remember where you learned all the truths that you have...remembering where you got them from. You received it from God's Church and through God's spirit that opened your mind. That's how you understood about the Sabbath, the Holy Days, and it's why you are here.

Verse 15 – But as He called you is holy, let's notice, you also be holy in all your conduct; because it is written, Be holy, for I am holy. This is the time that we gird up the loins of our mind and be sober, to understand that God is in charge. It's a time to be obedient, to keep our focus on what's ahead for the Church of God. I hope you see the seriousness of the times that we live in. I hope you understand how deceptive this being called Satan is and that he is after your mind. That's what he's after!

Verse 17 tells us, And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, let's notice what's being said, conduct yourself throughout the time of your stay here in fear. I have seen so many go against God without any fear, brethren, but you better have some godly fear for where we are in time and you definitely want to be close to your God and you definitely want to follow God wherever He leads His Church.

Verse 18 tells us that we were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold: We're so familiar sometimes we forget these things, we forget how we were redeemed and what Jesus Christ had to go through for you to be sitting here. How are you treating it, that sacrifice that was made for you? Jesus Christ did a lot of suffering and that's how we were redeemed. It was that precious blood of Jesus Christ, that was spilled to that ground. That was the price that was paid for you. Familiarity is a dangerous thing, and sometimes we are so familiar we just don't give it the thought that we should. We read so many scriptures and we become so familiar that we forget about the sacrifices that were made, we forget about the blood that was spilled to this ground and the suffering that was done for you and me and for the rest of the world, when it's all said and done. We forget that Jesus Christ was without blemish and without spot: without sin. We forget that He covered our sins and He made it so all you and I have to do is repent; it's very simple, but you can thumb your nose at that sacrifice and think you know more than God. All – everyone – should know by now where God is and how God works and where His Church is.

Verse 22 – Let's notice what's being said; Since you have purified your souls, let's notice, in obeying the truth through the spirit, in other words, the One that opened your mind, the One that taught you everything you know, in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart; and it shouldn't even be an issue for those in the Church of God.

Verse 24 – God tells us, All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and it's flower falls away, but the word of the Eternal endures forever.

1 Peter 2:1 - Therefore laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisies, envy, and all evil speaking, you go against God, brethren, that's what it is, it's evil speaking when you speak against God. As newborn babes, let's notice what's being said, desire the pure milk of the word; and when we look at a young baby the only thing that's on its mind is the milk, it's not on anything else at that time. It just desires milk. And you and I should be the same as that newborn babe, we should desire the milk of the word, the pure milk of the word, just to be fed as God says it. Sometimes we want more than what God gives. Sometimes we want more understanding than God gives. We should focus on what we do know, not on that that we don't know. God is in charge. God is leading His Church. It's like I said in the last sermon, God has a GPS that is very accurate and that is God's job, to lead us. We should just follow wherever God leads us.

Let's notice the rest...We should desire the pure milk that we may grow; If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious, coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious.

Let's notice verse 5 - You also, as living stones, it's how Peter describes it, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual House, tells us who we are, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame. Therefore, to you who believe He is precious: let's notice, but to those who are disobedient the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and that is what will happen to your mind, you will stumble. Let's notice ...being disobedient to the word to which they were also appointed. And that is very true, and there will be weeping and gnashing at the end for those that do this, those that stumble being disobedient to the word.

Let's notice who it's talking to; it's people that were appointed to God's word. And let's notice verse 9 -But you are a chosen generation, Terry touched on this in the last sermon, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people -- it was a powerful sermon that was given about God's people -- that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, who were once not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. It's talking about us, the Church of God.

Turn over to Hebrews 2 and let's start to finish up. God's word tells us, Hebrews 2:1 - Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away; God tells us how it will happen. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those that heard it; God also bearing witness, both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the holy spirit, according to His own will? For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. Our God had a plan from the beginning and this plan included mankind, and this day that we are going into, the Day of Pentecost, explains what it's about.

This part of God's plan is about the firstfruits, the firstfruits of mankind to be born into God's Family, the firstfruits, the two loaves that we read about that were waved on this day back in ancient Israel.

Verse 6 - ...What is man that You are mindful of him? ...or the son of man, that You take care of him? It's a question – Why is God doing this? It's only through God's infinite wisdom that His plan can be brought about.

Verse 7 - You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of your hands: You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, let's notice, in bringing many sons to glory; it's part of the plan, and if you turn your back on that, brethren, I don't know where it leaves you at this time... to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. That's how it's done, and we have been suffering. For both He that sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one: we follow God, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, (verse 12) I will declare your name to My brethren, in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You. And again, I will put my trust in Him. And again, let's notice... I hope you understand what you have been offered, and I hope Jesus Christ can say this about you when Jesus tells God -- Here am I and the children whom God has given Me. And it is an awesome plan, brethren, that our God has for you and for the rest of mankind.

~~~end

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