Herbert W. Armstrong, Pt. 4

Ron Weinland

June 25, 2016

Good afternoon to everyone here. It's great to be back from the trip, great trip down there to the Phoenix area, being able to visit all the brethren there two days in a row, the weekly Sabbath and on Pentecost, and good that so many were able to come in from different areas like that. Always makes it special.

Anyway, I thought I'd make a couple comments here today. I'm not wearing a jacket because I want people to feel comfortable in the summertime to not wear one if it's bothering you, if it's that hot outside. It's supposed to get up, I think, to 88 today, and just going in now the building is very uncomfortable. And even while we're in services like this right now, it's a little cooler than what it was when I first came in. Just like when I was in the Phoenix area there it was 103, 104, I think both days in a row there and very dry climate and warm in the meeting room there. So I went prepared. I wore what I would wear if I was in Hawaii, and that was a shirt sticking out that was kind of a, well, I don't know what you'd call it, Hawaiian, Philippine type of a garment.

Anyway, so in those environments like that we don't have to wear a suit and tie, if you're going to be in an area like that, Phoenix, at that time of year. The only thing I caution people on in different areas like that is don't let down too much. Don't become too casual. There is still a respect toward God. We still seek to honor God. We still seek to wear our best. And whatever that best might be in that environment is what we should strive to do.

Here, because it is cool inside, I probably could have worn my jacket here today and been fine. But I did this for a purpose, to let you know that you can be relaxed both ways and honor God and be well dressed. That's a matter of something that society places on people, and our past has placed upon us, of a certain way we think. Anyway, just like now some are uncomfortable with a tie. If it were warmer in here... Like I said, it's cooled off since I came in here. But anyway, again, you could take off your tie if you're uncomfortable. It's far better to receive what you can out of the sermon than to be hot and sleepy and get to that point where you're not able to drink in what God has prepared for us. So there's a balance in all these things, and that's what we're seeking in the Church, is to have balance. And yet always, always, always God is first and a desire to seek, in that respect, in our part to honor God in what we do. Even in what we might consider to be the small things, because it reflects a lot about what's in the mind – even in the small things – that we seek to honor God, that we place God first. And that has to come first in our thinking.

And so again, example toward others, others that are coming along. I can't help but think about that as I realize by the time I get into the sermon again today, in Part 4 here, that this Church is being cleaned up. And it's high time, that there are things that have gone on in the past few years where too many people have let down too much. And that's... it's just not going to work. God is cleaning up the Church. He's preparing us for another wave of people to come in. And when it starts, in time, it's not going to level out; it's going to continue on. And the example we set and how we receive them and how we treat them and how we talk to them and what they see in us is going to help them to get off to a far better start wherever we're able to have that impact in people's lives. And again, it has a matter... it has to do, as well, with what God's going to accept and what God isn't going to accept in the Body, in the Church. And of all people, of all time to know that he's about to return to a spiritual Temple, that puts more of a prod upon us. That's not a physical temple! We're not out here with physical lives without God's spirit. We have access to God's spirit. I'm getting into the sermon.

Anyway, so we need to be careful how we live life – seeking to put God first. And there's a balance in how we do some of those things and it's expedient for each one of us to strive to do the best we can.

Anyway, when we left the Phoenix area the temperature shot up pretty high. It was 103, 104, when we were out there, and today, or tomorrow for sure, I think it was, it's supposed to be up to 118, and tomorrow, or Monday it's supposed to be up to 120. So I think, just one weeks difference! I'm so glad we're not out there this weekend! And so all of you in the Phoenix area, my heart goes out to you. Stay inside. Drink plenty of water. Anyway, I can't imagine some of those kinds of temperatures. I think the hottest it was whenever we were out there was 114, and that's... you don't want to stay outside very long, especially not in the sun.

One other thing I want to address before I begin in the sermon today, came up in a conversation ahead of services here, before they began. And this has come up in different times here in the last couple of months. But something I'd mentioned about, "This is not a time of healing." Don't misunderstand that. In the Church, for those who seek anointing, it's an individual matter between you and your God and the anointing you receive. Healing is taking place, has been going on, has always gone on within God's Church depending upon our lives and how we think toward God and so forth. My comment is that it's not as it was in the days of Christ and the days of the apostles when the Church first began and some of the miracles that were happening in the world around them, of healings and so forth, that a minister should go out and be able to, in that respect, say something or have someone out here that's going to be healed of something in the world. That's what I'm referring to. And this is a different time because of what's going to happen to the world and what is being said. It's not as... Well, it's going to be a difficult time – let's put it that way – because of things that are said. So again, there was a different purpose back then to draw people to God, to the Church, to Jesus Christ, to the name of Jesus Christ, so that they would listen and begin to learn and understand something about the Messiah that they didn't grasp and comprehend before.

Anyway, we are continuing today with the current sermon series entitled, Herbert W. Armstrong, with this being Part 4.

And in reviewing some of what was covered last Sabbath there is one section I do want to return to in order to drive home just a little bit more fully what was stated. And it concerns Haggai 1:4. So we're going to be spending a lot of time, obviously, in that book because Mr. Armstrong covers that in that particular Bible study back in 1978 when he went through this subject of the Temple, talking about the Temple. And we were in Haggai 1, and this is in verse 4 when it states: Is it time for you, oh you, in other words, "yes, you." That's basically how the emphasis here of what is being said, to dwell in your ceiled houses, in other words, where referred to this is where the word "ceiling" comes from. It's like having the roof over your house, protection and so forth within a home. That without that it's not too good just having walls. It's good to have the ceiling, the roof. And so this is talking about protection and your protection, your wellbeing and how you're taken care of in your life. And so this is what it's focusing upon. This is the purpose of what's being said.

But it says, Is it time for you, yes you, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and that this house lie in waste? God's house. In other words, where is the thinking? Where is the focus? Is it about just taking care of our own lives and protecting our own lives and the concern for our own lives and our own welfare? Or is it indeed for the House of God? For us it means, do we grasp our calling? Do we grasp the awesomeness of our calling and how much we have been blessed and what we have been blessed to be a part of? Because sometimes we don't grasp it as deeply as we need to or appreciate it, maybe, as deeply as we should. And yet that should be something that is always dumbfounding in our mind, how awesomely blessed, above all people on the earth, that we are, and then how we should respond to our Great God that He should pick us, choose us, give us an opportunity to be a part. Though we be exceedingly small, that's not the point. The point is is that we're God's and God chose us individually, each one of us, to be a part of something incredibly great, awesomely great, something that will be spoken of as so many things are when we go through the Bible, of things we read about in the Bible and we speak about them from time to time in different parts of the year, whatever it might be, depending on what the sermon is about. But especially during the Millennium and the Great White Throne when this period of time, just before the coming of Jesus Christ, is spoken of. It's going to be awesome, truly is. And we have a chance to be a part of that.

I think of something an individual just wrote the other day, and only he knows who he is, in the sense of what I'm going to say today in reading what he mentioned, talking about certain things he's going through, hard times or difficult times. And yes, we all go through difficult times. We all go through hard times when God calls us and chooses us to be a part of something. But then it's up to us how we respond and whether we obey Him. And so often out here people aren't obeying God in the way that they should in life, instead begin to find fault with others, begin to find fault with the Church. Just like this past week, dealing with someone else who's judging and finding fault with the Church and saying, "Yeah, we don't have," basically what they're saying is, "Yeah, we don't have enough love in God's Church! Glad you're addressing that because I have something else for you that the Church really needs so that they can get that message across," and it's found in the world in psychology, basically, is what they're saying.

I let them know, "No, it isn't. That's against the way of God." And God, as this individual brought out – and I'm sorry, they know who they are as well – but I'm not going to play games with things like this any longer. We have to clean up our lives if we're not living this way of life in unity and oneness with God. And I'll tell you, God is not well pleased with some of those things. And if we don't change and take a hold of the opportunity He gives us and grasp it for all that it is, and recognize it for what it is, where does that put us? To think and to say to God's minister on this earth at this time that God works with people in the world to give them knowledge so that we in the Church can grow spiritually? I told him that's against everything we teach in the Church. That's so off base it isn't even funny. God teaches and works through the Church to give to the Church through the ministry from His Word in the Bible what we need in order to grow spiritually – not from this sick, perverted, distorted world. Truly!

It's things like that – I'm sorry – that they tend to rile me up!

Anyway, this other individual talking about how difficult some things are for them and made the comment, "I need love and mercy, and God has not given this to me yet." I don't have a lot of hair, but it makes it stand up more than what you might be able to see. Because I don't have much there, but it's standing up. Okay? Stirs me up inside. If you have been called into God's Church and you understand the truths of God, if you understand the Holy Days, if you understand the Sabbath, if your mind has been opened up to understand things that other people around you do not get, do not "see," cannot understand, how merciful has God been to you and what kind of love has He shown to you? Statement like that infuriates me inside spiritually because it's so far off base.

So, you think the Body needs to go through some cleansing? In some people's lives it does, because you see, we had a very.... I was excited about the Pentecost sermon that Johnny gave. Awesome! Brought a lot of things back in my mind, going back in the history, because we lived it. That same time period of things that we went through and what... I couldn't help but think about what Dr. Hoeh did in the DELS Program. We talked about that a little bit last night, "Deacon and Elders Lecture Series," all these that were going out month after month into the Church to the ministry, to the elders and deacons, and they'd get together and go through these lecture series of things that came out from headquarters from different evangelists and so forth.

And he referred to that particular one, and how in one of those he began to talk about a 14/15th Passover. And we were talking about that last night because I couldn't help but think at that particular point in time, because it came out fairly early on, really, in the scheme of things, but when it came out it was presented in such a way that it was sounding like, to me in what I read, that he was going to talk about why the Jews believe what they do in a 14/15th Passover. And basically my attitude and my response was, "Who cares! I don't care what the Jews believe!" We've had too many in God's Church who've been in awe of what the Jews believe or how they think or what they practice in their religion. And I think, "Okay, let's go back 2,000 years. What did Jesus Christ say about the Jewish religions at that time?" He condemned them! Every one of them! That they were.... And how much worse has it gotten in 2,000 years? Much, much worse! Okay?

So those in the ministry who would go into some of the things about the Jews and what they did and why they do what they do and we can learn from them, or that we can go into Bible Commentaries about what certain ministers in the Protestant world have written about what the Bible says, and I think, "Are..." I'm sorry, but in my mind, "Have you lost your mind?! You're out here teaching God's people and you're using commentaries and you're going to the Jews to see how they worship God?!" That should be a no-brainer! I'm sorry. A no-brainer! GOD ALMIGHTY teaches the Church! We don't learn from the Protestant world, from commentaries. They aren't worth the paper they're written on! If you get information out of them, perhaps out of a dictionary of some sort or something about history, or something about a word and its meaning, that's one thing, but the belief and what we believe as a people and what is true? You don't get it from the Protestant world. You don't get it from Judaism. It comes from God Almighty. He'll show you!

And He raised up Mr. Armstrong for the very purpose of charging the Church again, charging it up, stirring it up, moving it once again, pouring truth out upon the Church. And it took time to establish that truth. It took a lot of time to establish the Holy Days. Mr. Armstrong and Loma keeping them seven years by themselves until they began to give it to the Church and talk to the Church. And Sardis wouldn't accept it. They laughed, thought it was a joke. So there was a big separation took place there, obviously, at that point in time. Mr. Armstrong had no choice but to go on, continue on without them. And God began at that point then to raise up the Church. Incredible, the history of what we've gone through. But it took time to teach those things and it took time for him to come to understand even more deeply, because God's shows a little bit at a time. He showed the importance of obedience to those Holy Days, but to fully understand them? It was lost. And it took time to build upon what the Days of Unleavened Bread meant. It took time to build upon what Pentecost means. It took time to build upon even what Passover means, let alone then going on into, you know, Atonement, Feast of Trumpets, Feast of Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day. And over the years God just kept building upon those, making those Holy Days stronger and stronger until finally by the time I was called in 1969 it was powerful what was there. About the only thing that was lacking concerning Pentecost was the day it was to be kept on, and that wasn't a big deal. It wasn't on Monday; it was on Sunday. Minor change, in that respect. It was a big change in the Church, but you know, once you see the truth you see the truth and you do what is right. So how blessed are we for what we have?

Anyway, that sermon that he gave then, Johnny gave, in talking about some of those things, about Dr. Hoeh and him wanting to teach a 14/15th Passover. So I, candidly, didn't care what the Jews taught, so it was the only DELS (Deacon/Elders meeting) that I decided I wasn't going to listen to. I wasn't going to sit in on that because I didn't care what the Jews had to say. If it'd been about a commentary or something else, of why the Protestant's believe what they do, to me that's an absolute waste of time and is dangerous. Because I don't care what they teach and what they think.

So, others did listen to it. And my wife was talking to me later on about certain things, about what was being said. And to me it was still in my mind.... It was like there was a blind, blindfold. I honestly couldn't see what the hoopla was about. But she was telling me, basically, that it was about a 14/15th Passover, but in my mind, my reaction was still it was about what the Jews taught. It did not enter my mind that he was actually trying to teach a 14th/15th Passover at that point. And then years later in looking back, I know exactly what would have happened if I had known it at that time. As I told some last night, I would have been kicked out of the ministry at that time because of what I would have said and how I would have responded to that. So it wasn't time yet. You know, there are times when God gives you to see what you can see, when the truth comes along, and there are other times that you can't see certain things because you're not supposed to. God is almighty and all-powerful. And how blessed are we to see what we see?

So, I'm sorry, but comments like this, about, "I need some love and mercy from God," that's not a part of God's Church. It's not a part of the thinking that belongs in God's Church. And I have no qualms about saying that whatsoever. Repent and change your attitude or fly out the door as quickly as you can and don't let it hit you in the rear end on the way out. Okay? It's just the way it is. We are either in this and we're fighting for this way of life, we love it, we love God's truth, we love the mercy and the love that God has bestowed upon us and we grasp that and we cherish it and we love God for it. That's our reaction. I love God Almighty. I love Jesus Christ. And I love His people because of Him. See? So is that where our thinking is? Is that how we think? Is that how we feel? And if we begin to find fault with others and begin to judge others and think, well, others don't have love and they don't accept me and blah, blah, blah, and I'm not treated right – and come to find out, well, if you wouldn't try to promote your ideas and your thoughts, maybe that has something to do with it. Maybe that has something to do with the reaction sometimes. People don't know how to react to that sometimes. And rather than saying, "That's a bunch of garbage!" Just say what it is, "That's a bunch of garbage. That's not a part of what we believe." Sometimes people back away and don't want to offend or hurt somebody and you think.... Anyway, we need to stand up for God's way of life and protect others in the Body. And it needs to be done in balance. If we don't know how to do that then we can go to a senior minister of some sort and strive to find out.

So again, where is our mind? What are we thinking? Do we grasp the calling we've been given, and understand that so much of the House of God right now lies waste. Because, you see, there are thousands of people out here who are just asleep. It's like a.... There's an analogy here, a comparison here, if you will, between something physical that happened back then and something spiritual that's happening now, and God is using a small amount of people, a remnant to begin work at a building process here. And God's giving us more because of that, but we're still small. But there's a point in time, because of the work that God is doing in the Body right now, in the Church right now, that when the day comes and He opens up their minds, of thousands of individuals, and all of a sudden they're awakened to "see" something that right now they can't see. But when they see it they're going to catch up fast. They're going to be able to catch up quickly. You know what? I've seen it happen in God's Church. I've seen it happen quickly in God's Church!

There's an evangelist in Australia that experienced that. He talks about how he wasn't asleep; he says he was in a coma. I love the way he expressed that. That's a good way of putting it spiritually, you know. If we can't see, we can't see. But all of a sudden it was right around a Feast time there, I think when we'd gotten... I wish I could remember the exact things he'd been receiving, but there was certain things, truths coming out at that particular point in time and he'd gone through and read all, him and his wife both, they'd gone through and read these things and proven them to themselves, and went through the Feast of Tabernacles period and then we got another letter around that period of time. And I was excited. It's always exciting when you see people responding, you see what they're seeing, their minds being opened up all of a sudden, because when you can't see it, you can't see it, but all of a sudden you go back through and you read Time is Running Out, Time Has Run Out, you begin reading the first book and all of a sudden you can "see" things and grasp things, and you catch up fast. Because it all fits into place. Apostasy! Oh yeah! Stones of the Temple! Yeah! All these things that took place.... Yeah! Being spewed out of Gods mouth! Laodicea! Yeah! This all fits! And it's exciting. It's inspiring. And people out here are going to see it just like that when the time comes – wham, wham, wham, wham – because the work has been done. All they have to do is read it and begin to put it together, with God's spirit, with God's power.

Anyway, I, we kind of joked back and forth, my wife and I a little bit, and thought, "This is great, but the real test now is going to be when he comes to this one part here about the two witnesses, because this, to some people, is going to seem way, way out there." And it was just, no, that fit into place too. That was the next... that was the answer that was still remaining. Anyway, it's exciting!

So we have witnesses in God's Church, where some have been drawn along at different points in time since the Apostasy when their mind has been awakened from sleep. And the process then by which they go through, and all of a sudden being able to "see." It's just like when you're first called. You see truth that you have...there is no other explanation for. Whether you hear it or whether you read it, you just know it's true. And it's so much more that way when you're awakened out of a sleep because it happened faster. But it's the same sort of thing, except on a higher plane, on a spiritual plane. So they're just asleep. Still God's people. God's merciful. He looks forward to the time that they can be awakened out of a spiritual sleep, because of what they went through, because we all went through it. We all were spewed out of God's mouth. We all became weak spiritually and were spewed out of God's mouth. It's just a different timing of when God shook us and we repented and began to "see."

So, anyway, powerful history. Powerful things that we've gone through in God's Church. But how blessed are we for everything we've been given? And so where should our focus be? That's a powerful verse, this verse 4. Do we get too wrapped up in our lives? As I said last week, joking with some here last night about thinking about calling this sermon, Drama! Drama! Drama! But... Because of the sermon I gave last week. Because of all the drama sometimes that goes on in people's lives and getting side tracked and pulled away from our focus, of what God wants our focus to be: upon Him, upon the Church, upon the purpose of why we have been called, why you have been called. You're getting closer to the purpose of why you've been called every day of your life. And the greatest one of them is the third book, because of what it's fulfilling and what the fruit will be in time, of what comes out of that when God does what He does on this earth. Because it all goes together. What He says, His message, His words, of what He's telling this world, and then what will take place in this world, that's what we're supporting. That's what we've been called to. And to those who are going to be awakened out of a spiritual sleep, thousands, let alone those who God's going to begin drawing.

And so going back, 2007 and 2008 within the Church, we had a remnant at that point in time, some more that have become a part of the remnant since that time, that had a past in the Church, but more of new individuals who've been able to come along to join in, to participate in what God's doing. More. But now there's a cleansing process to clean that portion up, to clean up the whole portion. And it started in earnest during the time of the Measuring of the Temple. Some of the major areas that needed to be cleansed more quickly, especially within the ministry, had to be addressed at that particular point in time, of individuals who chose, and in time whether they were asked to leave or whether they left on their own, and obviously were disfellowshipped by their own actions and choices, God brought to the surface. Because there's a lot of power there to hurt others. And so that major cleaning and cleansing took place then, and others as well through time. But let me tell you, the process didn't end. The process is still ongoing. God took care of the greater things during that period of time and has been preparing us for this period of time and has been warning us and encouraging us and telling us what we need to do, and now we're there, whether we're doing it or not.

And so before the fruit of the book can come out – and we're getting closer and closer to it coming out – and so before the fruit of that can come along, this Body is going to be cleansed. And we're all, as a whole, going to be very much a part of it, loving it, desiring it, loving one another, caring for one another, not judging harshly one another, not condemning one another, but learning more how to love one another and care for one another and be dedicated to this way of life and supporting God's work or we won't be here. That's where we are.

So you've been called to work on God's House. Now, that first starts in your own life, in self. But it's a work that goes on and continues on and it has a lot to do with things that God reveals as far as truth and as far as whatever the Church is doing and wherever we're headed and guided at any particular point in time. So to work as part of a remnant, or to work with part of the remnant is what we've been called to, in that respect, to rebuild on the spiritual Temple. We need to understand that.

And the bottom line is we are to work! We are to work! We should be productive in our lives! Not just in the spiritual things in our life and a desire to draw closer to God, but as a whole, if we're able, we are to work. We are to be productive. We are to work to that end, and to fight against any obstacles that might be in the way of accomplishing that. So again, we are to work hard at that building process, of supporting God's Church.

Well, let's return to the ending of last Sabbath's sermon and pick up with what was being said in Haggai 1:11. And we'll just pick up toward the end here, and then we'll come back to this thing that I've just spoken on a little bit here, because Mr. Armstrong addresses it a little bit more a little bit later. I don't know if we'll get to it or not, but anyway, today anyway.

"Verse 11—And I called for a drought upon the land," in other words, he's gone through this story here: What is your focus? Where is your focus? What are you doing? The need to rebuild and these things that were going on here. And now he said that this is what I did, "I called for a drought upon the land and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground brings forth," being able to be productive, being able to produce, "and upon the men, and upon the cattle, and upon the labour of the hands." That's pretty powerful, what God said He did.

I think of what the Church went through. I think of what we went through before we ever came to the Apostasy. And then I think of what happened again and was repeated in the Seals, in the Fourth Seal there (I believe I have that correct), anyway, of some of the things that happened in the first three. And it was a continuation of drought, and a pestilence on a spiritual plane. And that's what is being talked about here spiritually for the Church. "And I called for drought upon the land." And I think of what happened within the scattered Church. You move away from God and you have drought spiritually. You can't... You know, even if you hear the truth, if you grow weaker spiritually in your own lives you can't drink in what God has there for you. But I think of all the scattered groups and all the things that happened because of what was being taught. The farther people got away from the Church, the farther people got away from... I should say, from the truth, the more famine there was, the greater the famine and the result of the famine in their lives.

Anyway, it goes on to say, "Then Zerubbabel…and Joshua…the high priest, with all the remnant of the people." And he went on to say, "This was just a remnant of Judah that remained now that had gone back over there to build this second temple. So then Zerubbabel…and Joshua…the high priest, with all the remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Eternal their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Eternal their God had SENT HIM, and the people did FEAR..." So again, we talked about that a little bit last Sabbath, and to understand a need to fear, a fear straying away from the truth, a fear of not being appreciative enough, of thanking God enough, of grasping what we've been given and that response we need to have toward God, of all the blessings in life we have. And they begin with the spiritual and what God's given to us. Because everything else is physical, for us is a means to an end and how and whatever it is, so be it. We fight within that because that's our arena where we can learn more. That's how God will use it. He doesn't make those things in life happen to us and our choices in life, but He uses those circumstances to teach us. If we'll respond to Him, He teaches us lessons and things on a spiritual plane – spiritual principles within all the physical things of life we go through. God is all-powerful. It doesn't matter what it is, He's preparing us for things in the future. Through whatever it is you go through He will teach you. And a lot of those things you're not even going to know until later on and you're going to look back and think, "Now I know where I learned that." Or, "I see that principle here because of what I experienced..." Here or there, or whatever it might be. My life has been filled with examples like that, things that happened to me long before I was in the ministry – over and over and over again. I had no idea what it was preparing me for and how it could be used later on.

So again, talking here about a remnant and what they were doing. Went back to build on the second temple. We are such a small remnant. We're not building a new temple, but we're building on a Temple, and we lived in an era of time when that phase of a temple was, in essence, destroyed. No stone was left on top of each other. So slowly but surely, and then the building that's been added to that on a spiritual plane – and it's a spiritual thing – within this era of time specifically. Not over all because the vast majority of the first part of the Temple, when it comes, it's already together. 144,000. So I hope you understand what I'm saying.

"...and the people did fear." We're the only ones that have lived in this period though, because of what's happened to the spiritual Temple that was prophesied at the end-time. And so Mr. Armstrong going on saying, after talking about that "and the people did fear," he said, "And I hope that is true for us today, that we really will. They did fear before the Eternal." And it doesn't mean to be afraid of God. It's a healthy thing. It's an understanding of what will happen if we're not close to God. It's an understanding of what we can potentially do if we don't put first things first, if we don't put God first in our life, if we don't fight for this way of life, if we don't stand up for this way of life and stand up for the truth, regardless of what anyone else around us thinks. No matter how they treat us, no matter what they think toward us, no matter what they say to us, no matter who they are – and they learn, which will help them later – we stand our ground for what is true regardless of what happens in our life. We stand for the truth. We stand with God and Christ.

"Then spoke Haggai the ETERNAL's MESSENGER in the Lord's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, says the Eternal." God has told us that over and over and over again, how much He's with us – powerfully so. All we have to do is yield to the process, embrace what He gives to us, be thankful for it, seek to make changes, repent when we're wrong and move forward, and He blesses us more and we draw closer to Him, we become stronger spiritually. What an awesome life on a spiritual plane!

And so he says, "Look, brethren, IF we are only with him, let me tell you, the living Christ is with us." Strong statement. Important statement he made.

Then jumping ahead a little he had to say, "While I'm thinking about it, let me tell you something else that has come to my mind. I'm going to have to write something and get it into The Good News on this line, and try to get it to the whole Church as soon as I can. There are too many people that are wondering, ‘Well now, who's going to take over if Mr. Armstrong dies?’ I'm supposed to die right away because, of course, a lot of people do die before they are as old as I am now." And you had to live during that period of time, in some ways, but we can go back and read some of these things and it's incredible what took place in the Church. Incredible!

I just can't help it, I marvel. I marvel at the very minsters who weren't there listening to him that night and what they all – every one of the evangelists – did in time. They turned their back on the one that God gave to teach them. Every one of them, without exception, turned their back on Mr. Armstrong in one way or another. Some hideously so, others to varying degrees. And if only they had remembered their calling and that the only way they came to understand and know what they knew was because of what God gave through that man to them. It's not about the man; don't misunderstand me. But there's a measure of understanding that comes with certain things and a respect to that understanding. And with that respect of that understanding comes a sound mind toward the individual then that God used to teach them. Instead of looking upon him and saying, "Well, I learned a lot of good things from him." That shows something right then and there, doesn't it? It's not about him. It's about the fact they didn't esteem as highly as they should have everything that God gave to them because God gave it to them through him. It's so simple on a spiritual plane. But every one of them lost that understanding. And so they began to side up with different ones who they thought might be the one who is going to take over when Mr. Armstrong died, and Mr. Armstrong knew that.

I can't imagine living like that, of understanding the people that you taught at Ambassador College, that you have entrusted so much, and loved so much over a long period of time, ordained them, layed hands upon them, have watched them, have cried with them, have worked with them and raised them to a point of service within the Church that is high and a great honor, and then to do what they did. Blows my mind!

So he went on to say, "But whether or not I die is going to depend upon whether the living Christ lets me, or whether he keeps me alive." That's a simple thing. That's the way it is with all of us in our lives. Church doesn't stop because any of us die, no matter who it is. It doesn't matter! God is all-powerful and all mighty and He will do what He will do. And no one is going to alter that any iota. Now, you can ask for help, that maybe He would consider various things, and you can petition Him and so forth. And so often He listens, powerfully so. He went on to say, "And maybe we'll see something about that before we get through right here. But someone says, ‘Well, have I appointed someone to follow and take my place?’ THE ANSWER IS, NO! That is NOT MY PLACE to do! I HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO DO ANY SUCH THING!" ...to put somebody over the entirety of the Church under Jesus Christ. That's what he was saying, paraphrasing it. There's a reason why I'm going through a part of this again.

"You know, it's a great deal like the woman who was the mother of two of Christ's apostles. And she came to Jesus and she said, ‘Lord, when you come into your kingdom, I want to make a request. Please let one of my sons be at your right hand and the other on your left hand.’” We read that and maybe have a little bit of a chuckle and think human nature and what it's like, and yet those same things happen in God's Church. Those same kind of things happen in God's Church where people are concerned about where they are, what position they hold, who they are, what they might attain to, whatever. Think, "That's not what this Church is about. That's not what it's about." But sometimes there are things we want or desire, and most generally for ourselves. But anyway.

"And he said, ‘Madam, you don't know what you're talking about. That is not mine to decide. I have nothing to say about it. My Father only—God the Father—will decide who will be on my right hand and my left. I can't do it! That's out of my hands.’" So he's paraphrasing, basically, again, saying what Christ stated in his own words. That was the gist of the message.

Now, I want to add here that no one could determine who is to lead God's Church on earth directly under Jesus Christ. That was made abundantly clear by what Mr. Armstrong had to say. That's why Mr. Tkach was never an apostle. God didn't place him there. He was never an apostle. Never recognized. Anyway, again, we understand that can only come from God and Jesus Christ, as to who will serve in such a place.

But, I want to add here at this point, that I didn't mention last Sabbath, I can determine who is added to the ministry and who is removed from the ministry or retired from the ministry. That's something that God has given to me in the Church. And God has done so in a way in this age, in this last several years, to teach many, many lessons within the Church, things we have to wonder about. And when it first started people had to ask different kinds of questions. And it forces us to think about things that we otherwise would not think about.

That's why I mentioned not too long ago that the most important thing of all before God Almighty is that you have the impregnation of God's spirit, and that we're all called to a royal priesthood. That pales into insignificance, ordination, if we understand our calling and the importance of that. But we as human beings tend to elevate things in a way that is not good for us all the time. Everything is a matter of a service or a responsibility at a specific moment in time. There might be some areas of service that are meant to last for just a few months and then they're gone – for your whole life in God's Church! I have seen it over and over and over again, because God has a purpose in what He is doing at that moment in time. That service might last for a year, two years, ten years, whatever it is, but it's for God's purpose in whatever God is doing. Because God has design by these things and God inspires so many things to be done in a certain way. And there is no one that I can go to that can tell me, "You have to do 'this' and you have to do 'that.’" But I know where it comes from, okay? God has taught that, taught that well through time. There is a time I know I have to go with what I know, what God has given to me in my mind.

Sometimes others begin to think, "Well, God has called me and He's put this in my mind and I have to give this to you and..." Give me a break! Give me a big break! Because God doesn't work that way. If He wants me to know something, to hear something, to get something, to understand something, He will teach me, and He will correct me. If need be He will correct me. Whatever He needs to do with me, He will do it. And He will do that with you too in your life because He loves you, because He wants you to grow.

I thought it was interesting something that someone wrote here this past week about how that they had a wrong viewpoint of certain things, they wanted to know me better, and my wife, but someone had told them, "They don't want you to hold them up on a pedestal." We don't. That's wrong. That's wrong for anybody to do. But sometimes people do. We're all in this together. We are a family, and a family should be approachable. I have weaknesses as anybody else does. I have strengths as everybody else has. We all have weaknesses; we all have strengths. And I believe fully about myself, with all my being, I'm not the most pleasant person to know. That's what I think about myself. I don't have the most charismatic personality, and so be it. I try to do better. I try to get around to visit people. I have to push myself. You know, sometimes we look around, may be talking... that's why I talk about some of these things. I have to drive myself to do what is not natural for me to do. And it's not natural, as a whole, for a lot of people. Now, some people it is. My wife... far more charismatic personality than I have, able to speak with people, talk to people about anything under the sun. I'm not that way. I learn a lot. We learn from each other. You don't? You don't learn from me? Okay. She's shaking... I may be in big trouble. I don't know, but it doesn't look real good. We all have different personalities, don't we?

So anyway, we are who we are and we love each other primarily because of God, because of Jesus Christ. We have mercy upon each other. We see each other because we realize God has called each person to this body, and we learn to love each person within the Body. Okay? And that's an awesome thing. Now, maybe we aren't able to respond to everybody in a way that can magnify that in a greater way, but it's a truth that we all have and share. And so, again, we're all different, we're all unique, but what a blessing to be a part of the Body of Jesus Christ, a part of the Church of God and to have one another within the body.

I marvel at what we've learned through what God has revealed to the Church because of a unique way. I think what the Church would have been like, could have potentially been like back in the seventies and going through various things if we maybe had had a process whereby people could be brought in the ministry and maybe then released from the ministry at certain times to work at various things. And you learn from that process. I learned from that process when I was told as a graduate of Ambassador College that I was going to go out into the ministry. I was going to be one of... I can't remember how many people they chose that particular year. And then it was that year they decided to cut half out and to kind of start a new program they'd been looking to do for a long time, and that was to send individuals back out into the Church areas to work in Church areas and then to begin a process whereby more of the graduates would go out and prove themselves in the Church area before they'd be just sent out in the ministry. Great program if it'd continued on. But that's when things began to fall apart. At Ambassador College, liberalism started coming in, ministry and Ambassador College and Big Sandy had to be shut down once (was it twice?), couple different times. Bricket Wood had already been closed. The control of things was slipping. Things were changing quickly leading toward... leading toward an Apostasy, leading toward Laodicea, a greater Laodicea within the Church. And so at that time ministers would go out at 21, 22, 23, to be put over, in some cases very early on where there was need, in a Church area to be over a Church. No experience, nothing – that was a tough thing – and many of the things that people needed to learn. Again, don't need to go into all that, but what an incredible experience because of that and things that could be learned.

I am so thankful that I had that seven years of working the kind of job I did before I went into the ministry. And it proved powerful, in that respect, as to the response of the Church when they knew that, because they had never experienced such a thing that had happened within the Church. Because, as a whole, people would come out directly to an area. Later on, it came to a point where maybe they were an associate, or so forth, but a lot of them were just, they'd go right out and they'd be expected to minister an area. Really, kind of an impossible task.

But in this age God has used a different means to teach the Church, and it has speeded up this process whereby we've been able to learn. No matter who we are, you have been able to learn through this process. Okay? And if you don't grasp that, you will in time, because it's one of the most powerful tools I have ever seen God use in the Church to teach some of the most important lessons that need to be learned, when people begin to examine their lives and how we think and how we treat one another and how we work with one another. See? A lot to be learned. Because throughout my life in God's Church I have seen all kinds of things. And the most of what has stuck in my mind and what God has given to me are the things that were done wrong. And it was like God magnified those things when they were seen out there, of things that were done wrong, that this is not the way things are to be in God's Church. Powerful if we can learn things like that, from the world and everything else out here, but especially because of what the Church went through, of things that are wrong that should never be done this way.

And a misuse and abuse of power is one of the most heinous things a human being can do! And husbands – that's why this thing of husbands and wives is so important in God's Church, to understand what God is doing in His Church concerning husbands and wives in this thing that has gone on for 6,000 years, of men, of husbands, of thinking they are superior and being hard upon women. You think it hasn't happened? Some of you experienced it. I know you have in life. Because the male tends to think that way in the first place; it's just a natural thing. More strength, physically, as a whole, and because of that too often it's gone to that pea brain in the head. Sad to say! And it takes a lot sometimes for us to get it, you know.

And so are you sickened when you see certain cultures and how the women are treated and talked about? I think of that camp I was in. I heard so much sick, perverted, disgusting talk about how people disrespected women and spoke about women, made me sick to my stomach. Probably more than anything else. And then I think, "And you go out, if you ever have that opportunity... Maybe you should be staying in here because this, you don't need to be out in the world and being around any woman. Because if you have a family, I know what your family is going to be like. I know what your marriage is going to be like and I feel sorry for the woman." But, you know, women give into that kind of thing too and they kind of expect it sometimes because that's the way of the world. And do you understand what I'm kind of talking about here a little bit?

And I despise the abuse of men toward women. When they think they're superior or when they think they're over them in such a way that it's like the woman can't speak or give what she thinks or her opinion about a matter. In a marriage it's both husband and wife, you know, together. And they better listen to one another, to love one another. There is a working together that takes place, and to build upon those things. But how much worse in the ministry if some have desire to power and then misuse power or think that by recognition that somehow they feel better about themselves and enjoy power.

I think of this area here especially and I think of individuals who had power that God gave to them. And I think of how they abused it within the ministry. Sick, sick, sick, sick, sick, sick, perverted examples of a misuse of power and abuse of power. God does not work that way, brethren.

So if any of these things in our minds... because, you see, they're still going on in the Church! They're still going on in God's Church to this day. Okay? Some who have jealousies towards others because they're not as good as they are. They look down upon them. Sometimes I wonder how far to go in some of these things and what to bring out because my intent is not to hurt anyone, but my intent is to correct at times. And a lot more of that is going to happen if we don't respond to certain things that are taking place within the Church.

And for people to be jealous of others or people to be guarded of their "power," their "position," I'll just tell you right now that is such a putrid stench in my nostrils it makes me sick to the core of my being. That cannot be in God's Church! I hope we all see that and understand such things. What would you do in various situations? Would you fight against certain things coming into your mind and being a part of your mind? Would you allow yourself to be lifted up by, as we saw an individual who replaced Mr. Armstrong, that when people didn't clap enough he would go like this, swing his arms and say, "You can do better than that!"? He would stop everybody, say, "You can do better...!" I saw him! "You can do better than that!" ...and try to get a greater applause, so that people would clap longer. And that's sick! Sick! It does something to the mind. It destroys the mind on a spiritual plane to want such – is the word "accolade"? Is that the right...? Am I saying it right? Yeah, I just want to make sure I'm saying it right. Applause from others, recognition from others, being lifted up by others. We should never, never, never want such a thing. We should never ever, ever desire that from anybody else. And yet so often it can be our human tendency. And so if we ever find ourselves maybe being protective of something and thinking we're protecting 'this' or protecting... and we're protecting self, why bother? Why bother? We are what we are.

So, anyway, continuing on. I think of what Mr. Armstrong went through. I think of what we've gone through as a Church and I think of things that God has taught us. And sometimes they're not easy lessons in life we all have to go through. We learn from each other. Okay? So we are not better because of ordination, and we're not less if retired from it. Do we get the picture? We are part of the Body of Christ. We are a part of a royal priesthood that is very precious in God's eyes. We're all in the same family, okay?

Continuing on, if I can find my spot here again. Now we're going to go back to where we left off last Sabbath. Wow! This sermon is probably going to be about twelve in the series at this rate. Just kidding. Now we're back to where we left off last Sabbath as Mr. Armstrong went on to say, "And let me tell you, THE HEAD OF THIS CHURCH IS ALIVE! Do you believe it? Jesus Christ! DO WE BELIEVE HE LIVES? Do we believe he's on the job? Do we believe if I am in need of correction that he is able to see to it and give it?" Because there were a lot of people back then, different people judging various things that he did. "Oh, you shouldn't build the house of God." Oh, I heard that one. "You shouldn't build a house to God." So we were going through some financial things at that time and I heard... I heard different ones ordained say this when I was just brand new in the Church. And I heard individuals talking, "Oh, God's trying to tell him he shouldn't build it. God's trying to tell him he shouldn't build it!" Hmmm. I think if God is trying to tell him anything He'll get the message through to him directly. That's what I think. But I kept it to myself. I was new, what did I know? Incredible!

So he went on to say, "Oh, and by the way, and you shouldn't fly in that jet." I guess people wanted him to fly commercially, or whatever, I don't know. Shouldn't do this, shouldn't do that.

"Let me tell you," he said, "I BELIEVE IT! I believe it through and through. And I FEAR IT! And I TREMBLE AT IT!" Shows where his mind was, how he thought toward God and his relationship with God. He knew. He understood. He went on to say, "If anything should happen to me… And it will only happen if God allows it. God can keep me alive as long as that is necessary; and He will, as long as He feels it is necessary." There is a great peace of mind in that. "And I don't think He is going to take me from THIS WORK until the job is finished." And I can say, "Ditto," to that one. "But if He should (if I should be wrong about that), can you trust the living Christ to provide the man that will take over? If you'd ask me to choose, I couldn't do it. I wouldn't know who to choose right now. And I have no authority to do it. THIS IS GOING TO BE A TEST OF YOUR FAITH! Or, do you want to take it into your own hands and know who it's going to be—someone YOU can know in advance?" Because that's what was going on, all the political things, infightings. Anyway, going on he said, "Someone YOU can approve? Someone YOU CAN VOTE FOR? Oh, sometimes I say, ‘Shame on us. Let's wake up!’" Incredible, what was going on back then.

Now he went on to say, "Now, let's see if I can find my place here." So, please understand, I'm not the only one. There's a good record in front of me. I couldn't help but say that. It happens to all of us. Well.... Course there's a big difference in my age and his (But, hey!) at that time. "Haggai 1:13—Then spoke Haggai the Eternal's messenger in the Eternal's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, says the Eternal." And he went on to say, "I think that's where I was." (He was.) "And we need to realize that He is with us. And He's going to take care of His part of it."

He went on to say, "I am not here because a lot of people decided to vote for me or put me here. You had nothing to do with me becoming GOD'S APOSTLE. Someone says to me, ‘Well Mr. Armstrong, how did you know [how do you know] you're God's apostle? Did Christ appear to you? Did he speak to you? Did he say, Now, Herbert W. Armstrong, I make you my apostle?' I answer, ‘No.’ ‘Did you know back in 1933, when the era of the Church was started, that you were God's apostle, that you would be?’ No, I didn't. ‘Did you know how big or how great this work was going to be?’ No, I didn't. I just knew that God had called me, He was using me, and I would go as far as He wanted me to go – no further, no less – whatever that is. If it meant the whole world, I knew I would be able to do it, because I would do it in THE POWER and the STRENGTH of THE LIVING CHRIST!" Good answers right down the line, wham, wham, wham. It is what it is.

"So then, how do I know today? Well, I will answer just as Jesus Christ answered when the messengers of John the Baptist came to him and said, ‘Well, John wants to know, are you really the Messiah that was to come?’ And Jesus didn't say yes or no. He said, ‘You go and tell John what you hear and what you see being done. Go and show him THE FRUIT of what you see coming from me.’ And by the fruits you shall know them."

So he said, "No, back in 1933, I didn't know. Well, how do I know now? Because I looked back on all these years, and I see the fruits. And YOU'RE HERE AS PART OF IT! You're part of THE EVIDENCE because you're here. And I had something to do with that, and so did Jesus Christ. And he was using me. I didn't do it myself. And woe be to me if I ever take credit for doing it!" Made comments like that many a time. Anybody that thinks that they have done certain things, like some ministers did, "I raised up this Church over here. I raised up these churches." And think, "You're nuttier than a fruitcake. You didn't raise up anything. You might have been part of the work to be out there to do certain things, but you take the credit to yourself? You raised it up?" Pshew! I'd be so afraid to say something like that! Man! But yet there's an individual out here, head of one of the groups that split off from one of the other groups that split off from another group... anyway. It's what he says.

"Verse 14—The Eternal stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel…and the spirit of Joshua…the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did the work on the house of the Eternal of hosts, their God." Look at what God did. He stirred up the spirit. He moved them, motivated them. Why are you here? How are you here? What's God done with you that's different from all the others out here? He stirred up His spirit in you. He gave you of His holy spirit. He stirred something up in you that's different from others. That's how you're able to think differently. That's how you're able to see and believe differently than others who can't see and believe the same thing you do. It's incredible what God's given to us. It's awesome! Truly is! And so God does these things in a very powerful way with whomever He chooses and for whatever purpose. Verse 15, so again, says, He raised up this and he came and did the work of the House of the Eternal of Hosts, their God. (Verse 15)— "in the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king."

Then he said, "Now, come to chapter two. Haggai 2:1—In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, came the word of the Eternal to the prophet Haggai, saying, Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua…the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? Meaning Solomon's Temple." He went on to say, "It had such great glory, more than any building that had ever been built up until this time on the face of the earth."

Well, anyway, I think about what is said there, though, "Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory?" Now, again, this is unique to us on a spiritual plane because we understand the structure of God's Temple in a unique way, the beginning of it at least, the 144,000 from over the period of 6,000 years. But in each specific period of time, and especially at the end-time, something unique that happened as far as the Church is concerned on such a large scale, because there was never a time.... There was never a time that God's Church was so great in number with such power and might, to do what it did, what God gave it to do in the message that was going out to the world through magazines, through The Plain Truth magazine and The Good News magazine, and through the telecast and through the radio broadcast. And there was nothing on the earth that came close to it even in the religious physical world. Nothing that was coming close to it, in that respect. And incredible power and recognition.

And so again, I think of what some of us have experienced, of what it was like to be at a Feast site with 12-13-14-15 plus thousand people at a Feast of Tabernacles. That was awesome! It was a beautiful thing. I think of Mr. Armstrong quoting the verse there and speaking of the time of Aaron's anointing and talked about the oil and how sweet it is to see God's people that dwell together in unity and peace. And I can't imagine being on a stage like that and looking out over that and realizing, as he was doing toward the end of a satellite transmission that was going out to many other Feast sites at the same time, and of recognizing what God had done and seeing that out there, how awesome that was, the glory.

Because, you know, there's a glory... It's more than just something... I hope we see this. It's something far beyond that which is physical; it's spiritual! And God speaks of it in those terms as well. There is a glory in our lives because of Him. It's because of His spirit that dwells in us. There is a spiritual glory that God gives within His Church that makes us different from every...  And at Feast sites even with people in the community knew that there was something different. They didn't like that wacky religion, or whatever, however they referred to it at different times, but it came to appoint in time where they loved seeing God's people come into the area. They didn't see conventions like that, or other people act like that and work together like that. And it was something that impressed communities wherever the Feast was held. And it's because of God's spirit and a glory that was in the Church in a very powerful way. Awesome! Awesome experience. Can't be taken away from any one of you that experienced that – a beautiful, beautiful, awesome thing. And then the size of the churches in local areas and so forth, though we didn't recognize some of the struggles and the things that were being done wrong at the time. God manifested them later on so we could learn from them. But at the time we were going through it, what an awesome life to have lived in the Church at that time, in Philadelphia before Laodicea came along. By the time Laodicea came along, still times of that it was still incredible, awesome, depending on various areas and so forth and how people were living.

But anyway, so I read through something like this and very moved by it because this is something that moved them, of some that saw something in a time before and of a longing that some of them had. And some of them, when they saw it, how it broke them up, when they saw what it was like. Can't imagine seeing the ruin to the degree it was. And so God moved with His spirit to bring certain ones together to begin rebuilding. I wonder which is more important, what they did on a physical plane or what He's doing now and what you're a part of on a spiritual plane. I wonder which one's more meaningful and more important? I wonder which one's going to have a greater impact in the future? Because the vast majority of those people who were a part of that won't be in the first resurrection. They weren't called to that. It wasn't a spiritual thing that was taking place in their life; it was a physical thing. And a lot of what was taking place was for later on, for people within the Church at different times and eras to learn from, and for us especially, even right now, to learn from, even uniquely so because of what we have experienced of what happened to a spiritual Temple.

And so again, "Who is left among you [verse 3] that saw this house in her first glory?... And how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?" Well, he said here, "Well," he went on to say, "Well, it had been completely torn down, demolished; it was gone. [Verse 4] Yet now be strong, oh Zerubbabel," How many times have we been told? How many times have we gone through scriptures that tell us what we need to do? Because, you see, so much of what they went through, different ones, some of the leaders on a physical and spiritual plane, but for the people to be strong and so forth, it had a matter of a recognition here of something that God was doing and they're learning the best that they could of their ability on a physical plane. But for us, it's on a spiritual plane. And that strength and that life and that purpose comes from God and from Jesus Christ, that we're able to tap into, to be a part of. He wants us to. He wants us to receive those things that He has to offer us. "Yet now be strong, oh Zerubbabel, says the Eternal; and be strong, oh Joshua...and be strong, all you people of the land, says the Eternal, and WORK," and WORK, "for I am with you." I hope those words ring in our being. That's what He's called us to do, "and work, for I am with you." Why? Because there's a work God was doing in a rebuilding of the temple and the things that were to take place, and of a preparation of things that were to take place in the future from that point forward that would lead on up to the time of His Son's first coming and the things that would take place in the temple, that had to be done because there was still an existing temple, see, until a spiritual Temple came on the scene after Christ's death and the Church of God. And that's a lot of what Mr. Armstrong's talking about anyway here, about what the Temple is in the first place. It's about the Church. It wasn't about the physical temple, but it had to fulfill certain things yet because of Christ's first coming and what he had to fulfill by his service and what he had to do himself to fulfill God's way in the temple. Because those things still had to be done on a physical plane. And God provided it. Incredible!

And he went on to say, "And He says to us today, BE STRONG AND WORK!" You think that's changed? You think that might be even as important or more important now than what it was back then? We're smaller now. There were 90-some thousand baptized members in the Church at that time, getting close to it anyway, by the time Mr. Armstrong... Well, there wouldn't have been that many at this point here in 1978. Over 100,000 some people total attending the Church and so forth, but tens of thousands of co-workers as well, of people not called all the way to see everything that others saw, but enough that they were stirred inside to support, to be a part of it, to support what God was doing through Mr. Armstrong. It took a lot of money. It took a lot of work for the gospel to go out into all the world. It took a lot of work to build up Ambassador College to the quality it was and for him to have the things that he had so that kings and world rulers wouldn't look down their noses at something that they are on a very physical plane, so that they in their limited minds could be impressed by. Because they were not spiritual, nor called to something spiritual, and so God gave something on a physical plane that they could see. So Mr. Armstrong was always very moved mightily by things of quality, and teaching that within the Church that I hold dear to this day, okay, that has great importance as far as our lives are concerned as well.

But needless to say he built up, primarily, Pasadena, and the other two campuses as well, but that was the gem, in the respect, as far as what God gave to the Church to use. Do you know how things in Europe got started in such a powerful way? Do you know some of the stories of things that took place, of how individuals when they were flipping through and seeing various pages in a – what was that called, the book we had, college... yearbook? And they were flipping through it – envoy. An Envoy, it was called. And so they would flip through there and they would see these things and some of the leaders that went through those things that were impressed by it. So often they were given that book. But that's how some of these things started out too. They were moved by some of the things they saw, about what he had done, what he'd accomplished. Because, you see, they're very physical, very physically oriented. They'd come and visit Ambassador College and they'd see the grounds, they'd see the students, the behaviour of something they never... You see, they couldn't experience that anywhere in the world anywhere they went. They never experienced anything like that. To see young people behave the way that they behaved at the college? These people had never experienced anything like that in their lives. They'd never been around such people. It wasn't put on. Now, maybe, we understand to a certain degree sometimes people's lives, young people's lives are things that are put on, but they couldn't see that because as a whole it was genuine, and people that were baptized, had God's spirit living in them. To see the immaculate grounds, the perfection that was there on a physical plane? They were impressed by it. And that was important.

So many people don't get it. They don't understand why God did what He did in the way that He did it through Mr. Armstrong, even in that area alone. It was important because of a work that was being done and because of what he would be doing then because of that response they would have then to him, to someone different, in how he spoke to others around him that they saw, to the college, to the students, to whatever it might be, to things that they would thumb through and read and look at and be impressed by. Even the quality of the thing itself, the Envoy itself at that time period. Very impressive to a carnal, physical mind of somebody who is a leader in the world. And those things were tools. They were strong tools that God used to stir up individuals to have a desire to see Mr. Armstrong, to do things, to accomplish things that are mind boggling, of favor that was shown. To be the only one of his kind, that's ever happened in that respect, to speak in the – Was it the Great Hall? China? I think that's what they call it, isn't it? Before world leaders that were gathered there from all over the world. Awesome! Never been done by anybody else like that. I don't even think it's even happened to any president, but it happened to him.

It's because of what God was doing for a purpose, by design. So again, sometimes it's hard to grasp what we've been called to be a part of. But as I said, we're much smaller, and so what was needed back then to support that, to do that, to be behind that – when Mr. Armstrong asked for help in building the house of God? Wasn't a big deal to go out and get a loan, not worry about the loan, how you are going to pay it off if you wanted to, if you chose to do that, or to give above and beyond what you might normally be giving above and beyond in offerings and so forth because you wanted to be a part of that and you knew that God would bless you in your doing. And He did. Incredible!

Please understand, we're not asking for anything. I'm not asking for anything. We're not trying to build an auditorium. But there was a purpose in it being built at that time and it was a matter of a response of people and how God would judge their lives in response to what He was doing. And God judges us now by our response to what we're doing and what we're a part of and how we see it and what we see in it and what we know that we're a part of and how we think about that.

So again, he said, "And He says to us today, BE STRONG AND WORK!" Now, I know we live in a time... And I'm talking about something physical here. I know we live in a time that can be a struggle in people's lives economically because of what happened in 2008, and even though governments like to say everything is back to normal and everything is better than it ever was, we know better than that. But, you know, nevertheless, we have to work hard, to strive to work, to do what we can do, okay? To apply ourselves to those things in the best way we can. And yet there are cases and situations where people refuse. They don't want to. They're worth more. They don't want to take something that's "below" them. I've heard such comments. I think back in times when people would rather ask the Church for financial assistance than to go out and get food stamps. And I think, "Why?" Why? Is there too much? Is that asking to wear a little too much sackcloth? Are we better than that that we can't go into a store with.... Now, maybe it's more acceptable today and more understood and widespread, but even then there are situations like that in life, that there's help out there. Go for it! That's what it's for! It's like 3rd Tithe. That's why God set up the system of 3rd Tithe. And if it's out there to be received we should strive to receive it. But it hasn't always been that way in God's Church. I think back many years. I'm thinking back to examples of things that happened in God's Church. I could tell you so many stories. Whatever you have to do, you do it, okay?

So again, "Be strong and work." I've been very pleased when I've seen some situations where I know some are struggling and individuals are willing to go out and get two or three jobs, to do what you have to do to provide. God says if we don't work to provide for our families we're worse than an infidel. That means a non-believer. Okay? We've been called into God's Church, given great knowledge, great understanding of things, and yet God says if we're not willing to work to provide for our family the things that we should, that we're worse than a non-believer. What a horrible thing to look at! And why? Because the work isn't just about putting a roof over our own house! Do we get it? Do we understand it? That this isn't just about us taking care of ourselves and that we have our little "ceiled houses," you know, the ceiling over our roof, over our head, or is it God's House that we see and we understand, that that's why God has called us? Yes, to have our own lives and to seek to prosper and do well and the best we can physically in our families, for our families, but do we grasp and comprehend that a large part of that, because of tithes and offerings, is because of why God's called us to participate in that as well? That's what we're called to be a part of. Because that's a part of a direct support. That's calling it what it is. It's a reality. It's just the way it is.

So at whatever point in time that we promote the book, as an example, that we can do more. Now, we've been very blessed, please understand me, because of people who have done just that over the years. We're sitting very good right now if we can continue to sit there, if something else doesn't happen. Because things can happen in life. It can be there one moment and gone the next. But God will take care of it all. Because I said a long time ago that there will come a point in time and we don't have to advertise a thing. We won't have to do it; it's going to be done for us. Doesn't mean it won't be a struggle getting to that point. And we have to do all we can do, as Mr. Armstrong used to talk about, as though we're doing it ourselves knowing full well that we're not. But we have to do things like we're doing it with all of our might and doing it ourselves knowing full well that it's God Almighty working with us and in us and through us to accomplish the things that we accomplish. But we have to be a part of it and we have to share in it.

So anyway, he says, "Be strong and work." And, “GET BACK OF THIS THING! Now I tell you, if you look into the New Testament, you will see that Christ did NOT train all of the people. And there were, oh, within a few days after the day of Pentecost (it might have been the very next day), the Church had grown up to a total of 5,000 people. But Jesus Christ had NOT taught them to go out and carry the gospel message. It was only those that became his apostles. Later he taught (and apparently appeared after he had gone to heaven, and yet came down), and appeared to Paul, the apostle, in Arabia, and taught him just as he had taught the other apostles. GOD SENT THEM! ‘Apostle’ is a word that means, ‘one sent forth.’ ‘ONE SENT FORTH.’” He said, "I AM SENT FORTH! And if I go forth and leave here some people say, ‘Well, why isn't Mr. Armstrong staying here in Pasadena and taking care of the Church?’” I marvel at the things that have happened in times past. We laugh sometimes at the Israelites when they crossed over the Red Sea and all of a sudden they were murmuring and complaining, and they complained about everything under the sun, you know? "And we're tired of this manna! We're tired of being fed!" So God even sent them the quail, and everything else that took place there at certain points in time. But we can look at them. But, you know, our human nature is our human nature and we are what we are. And there's not too much difference sometimes just because we have God's spirit. We still have the same human nature.

So again, he said, “‘Well, why isn't Mr. Armstrong staying here in Pasadena and taking care of the Church?’ I'll tell you why! The Church is supposed to HELP ME—not me take care of you!" It was pretty strong what he had to say, because they had the ministry and the structure set up and everything that was taking place at that time and so forth. "I am one sent forth with the gospel message! That's what God has laid on ME! Christ didn't work from nine to five in an office! He went from one city to another." That's pretty good. He said, "Christ, there is a great deal of evidence that he had even gone over to Britain and to Western Europe." Isn't that amazing? A lot of you may not know that unless you read this before. A great deal of evidence that Christ went into Western Europe and to Britain itself, because the Roman Empire was already there and the travel was already there taking place. Right above Bricket Wood was the wall, the Roman wall that was built, and the ruins still to that day just about probably six miles away from Bricket Wood, right along the northern tier there, Roman's had built. Used to be a river that came up right by Bricket Wood, and for whatever reasons it was dry by the time the college was there. But about 400 years earlier there was a river in that region. And so often what happens when people go in and change things.... I think of, where was it, in Turkey? Ephesus! When you visit Ephesus it used to be a port city, and it's about 8 miles in from the ocean, or from the sea, I should say, but it's all farmland today all the way up to the ruins of Ephesus where there is a port there. And it's very obvious by the city itself and the layout of it that that port was there. There used to be a port; ships would dock there. But the Romans came in and stripped the land totally and it silted in finally. It just run off from rains and so forth and it finally silted in and it's just nothing but farmland in through that region all the way out to the sea. And if you just came upon it you'd never think in the wildest imagination that that was ever a port city there, but that's what it was, Ephesus. Incredible!

Anyway, he talks about Bricket Wood and some of the stories, some of the history that's there. Anyway, went on to say, "That was before he started preaching, however, at the age of thirty. There's nothing in the Bible about it, but there is other evidence that he probably was there." There is a lot of evidence that the apostle Peter was there, was there in the very region of Bricket Wood. Anyway, incredible, things God has done through time.

He went on to say, "I have often thought that he probably was at the very place that is the site," speaking of Jesus Christ, "that was Ambassador College at Bricket Wood, in England. There we have five of the most beautiful Cedars of Lebanon. And there are not over 20 or 30 cedars of Lebanon left in Lebanon. They're up high on a mountain." He says, "I've seen them, and photographed them. They've all been cut down. But the more beautiful of all are on our campus over there. And I think, though, we are about to consummate a sale of it because we have no further use for it now." How many have ever seen Cedars of Lebanon? Anybody? Yeah, I know you have. Awesome! Beautiful, majestic trees. A type of a cedar that has needles on top, huge branches that go out from it, a huge trunk that goes out, that goes up and then these huge branches that go out and they cover a massive area. And underneath it's like giant shade. I can't even describe them. You ought to look it up. Just look it up sometime. Beautiful, majestic trees. Very unique, but quite a sight when you see them. Very unique indeed.

He went on to say, "(Let's see. I'm losing my place here.)" See, second time. "Haggai 2:4—For I am with you, says the Eternal of hosts. According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so, My spirit remained among you: do not fear," or "fear you not." He went on to say, "Brethren, is God's spirit still with us in this Church? We're getting a little spiritless, and we need to REVIVE with the energy and vitality of the spirit of the Living God!" And we need to as well. We need to as well in God's Church. Three years – gone. And it wasn't good spiritually for us overall. I hope you can understand that. I hope you see that in your lives in the life of the Church and what took place and why it's that way. Because it's important to understand that and why. It's good for you to think about and pray about and to see what can happen, what takes place, just as when Mr. Armstrong became ill for a prolonged period of time and what began to take place within the Church then.

But it's just a natural, carnal, physical thing that sometimes takes place and it's easy to begin letting down in certain things in our life and begin equating certain things, "Well, how long is it going to be now?" And I hope none of us are making financial decisions or other decisions in our life based on 2019, as though that's going to stop and that your problems end there. Don't do it. Not a right principle. We have to have learned from what we've gone through. And I believe, overall, we definitely have in a very powerful way, because there are certain laws and certain principles there to learn from that's healthy for us. Okay?

And I think I'm going to add a little bit on the book as well. I'm going to explain that we in God's Church have had different periods of time – 1975, 2012, '13, and 2019. We know we're at the end-time. We understand things that are happening in the world. I believe again with all my being and have everything geared toward that that it is 2019. But I'm geared to go on farther if I have to, if God wants me to. Are you? How far will you go? What will you do? Does it cause consternation, stress, embarrassment if something doesn't happen in a certain way at a certain time? Because I'll tell you what, with the way things are happening in the world, if God has a purpose for doing something and if something goes on and He said, "No, you've got another little distance to go yet because certain nations aren't quite ready, certain things aren't quite ready..." and then you say, "Oh, well, you told us 2019! You told us 20...! You told us 2013!" Yes, I did. And I'd be amiss not to do what I believe that God gave me to do, for a purpose, even if it's for spiritual growth alone and what we could learn from it. But there's far, far, far more than that, brethren.

So I'm glad we went through what we did, because I understand very powerfully so that nothing, as a whole in this world, is going to happen until the book is out. Nothing of great major consequence, see. And once it's out it's going to take a little time for things to be moved forward, motivated forward. And I think back of why we thought the way we did back then, that we always had this concept in mind that the last 3½ years – Great Tribulation – it has to be great for the full 3½ years. Not at all.

I think about what it says about the two witnesses and the things they're going to do and so forth. And so we read that and we think, "Oh, they have power. There is a job they have for this period, a specific period of time, a specific kind of job, a unique job for a specific period of time that they're going to fulfill that God says will be fulfilled." And so in our minds, very easily so, we can begin to think, "Well, it's got to be done during that whole period of time." No, it doesn't. No more than the ministry of Jesus Christ and the things he did in the last two weeks. Okay? And so it is. God will fulfill what He said, but He's going to fulfill it His way. And there are some things that aren't going to be done – and I understand that in a greater way than ever before – till the end of the period of time, whenever that is.

So, if you're not in this for the long haul, in spirit and mind, you're going to be highly discouraged at times in your life between now and then, whatever that period of time is, whether it happens in two years and things happen in a massive way, or whether 2½ years and they start happening in a massive way, or whenever.

So I'm going to spell it out on the book a little more clearly, a little more to the point, and just say a little bit more. Just so we understand very well, it can go longer. It can go longer, brethren. I don't know if I can. I don't know how long this is going to last, but I know it'll last as long as God wants it to, okay? What kind of faith do we live by? We've gone through a period of time where we've had the opportunity to live by a great deal of faith, but that's why it's so important now at this stage in your life to be able to deal with doubts, to be able to deal with things that come into the human mind, which is a natural thing, to stir up your spiritual life as you never have, to draw closer to God more than you ever have, to be determined to obey Him more than you ever have in spirit and in truth.

Whatever it is that you're battling with, whatever it is you stumble at from time to time, seek to conquer it, seek to conquer it more powerfully than ever before. Do you have things like that in your life? Because I know you do. We are human beings and God brings us to certain points of our life where we see things, and whatever that is in life we'll always see something else deeper inside that is a battle that we must work at. I have mine. I know what they are. You have yours. You need to know what they are so you know where the battle is. And the deeper you go into this mind and fight, well, that's an awesome thing in itself. That's an awesome thing in itself. Because the more you can see in the mind and bring everything into subjection to Christ in control through the power of God's spirit the richer your life becomes spiritually. And that's what's most important of everything we do; it's our spiritual life and how we think toward one another, how we think toward God, and how we think toward Jesus Christ.

We're going to stop there today. There is a lot to cover. But I tell you, brethren, we are at a point in time where I know that God is continuing to cleanse. And that in itself is a very strong marker of where we are in time, because of what He's doing in a speeded up process, of where we're headed, of what's going to be accomplished in a short length of time. You realize from Pentecost and what we are saying, what we see? Three years. It's only three years. And the last 50 days of that we already know things are going to take place on the earth. We have less than three years, far less, to where we're going to see incredible things take place on this earth, potentially so.

What kind of a mess is this world in? Things in politics, things between countries. How long are some of these leaders...? How long is Putin going to wait? You think he's not going to eventually act? He has a purpose in his mind for Russia. He's getting older. Do you think that these world leaders are just idly sitting by and not planning? Same thing in China. So we're seeing... it's awesome what we can watch come together, things we see happening in the Sea of China. We don't recognize their importance sometimes, of things that are going on between nations. And all it takes is just one little spark and your world, the whole world, changes overnight, incredibly so.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1