Focused on Planning Ahead, Pt. 1

Ronald Weinland

October 9, 2021

Now that everyone has returned home after the Feast this is the time that we need to apply one of the principles (it’s a spiritual principle in this case) for the Church that was touched upon during the Feast. This concerns the matter of how the Israelites were to sit in booths during the Feast of Tabernacles and meditate, think on, think upon, consider how God had brought them out of Egypt and into the promised land, led them there. They were then to recount as well, blessings that they had received while being in the promised land, as they thought about those things, how God brought them there and the blessings that they had during the Feast of Tabernacles. That’s why they were to sit there and to contemplate and to think about those things.

This sitting in booths and what they were to do was partially focused upon once again at the past Feast and it had been in the Feast before. This principle that is spiritual for the Church is much more meaningful for us, obviously, because it was only a physical matter for the Israelites. They were to look behind. We’re to consider and look behind as well, remembering our calling, the blessings of being called out of Egypt, that process that God has given to us, forward looking as well then.

Because theirs stopped at just looking at the past and considering their present state. Ours is to look at the past but in a different manner, on a spiritual plane coming out of Egypt, being called out of Egypt by God, by His great power. Because that’s an awesome miracle, it really is, for the mind to begin to be worked with on a spiritual plane. Then we’re to be forward-looking for the purpose that God has called us, which the Feast of Tabernacles, obviously, and Last Great Day are very much about.

Since we’ve just been blessed and mightily nurtured by God throughout this Feast, we would be wise to focus on now part of that planning for which we need to be engaged in the respect of looking forward and planning ahead for next year’s Feast.

This sermon is entitled, it’s Part 1, Focused on Planning Ahead.

Much of this has to do with looking back just of the recent past here even of the Feast and things that we can do better next year – all of us – and to begin making plans already for next year’s Feast. We’re now headed into a new year as far as the Church is concerned. As we look at God’s calendar we’re thinking about, looking forward to now the Passover and Unleavened Bread as the next big events as far as God’s Church is concerned, of being able to come together for those. Again, for the Feast of Tabernacles because that is the highlight of a new year.

We’ve completed one year of Holy Days and planning ahead for the next, and that planning has everything to do on a spiritual plane with planning for God’s Family, being in God’s Family. We’ve already, as soon as we got back, received a notice from someone (baptized) that they have quit. So, these things just continue on and on and on. I think more about that at this time of year because it’s the time that God has us focus upon these very things and our part in it and our commitment and our dedication to the calling that God has given to us. Because we look back and remember how God has brought us out and of the awesome blessings of being able to look forward and what’s ahead for us.

But so many people have given up their crown throughout time since the Church began in 31 A.D., and in so many ways that’s just mindboggling. It’s a kind of insanity of the human mind, showing how powerful “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,” really are and how as human beings we want our way. What a horrible thing we want our way more than God’s. We will give up something that God has given to us, sacrificed for in such an incredible way to give us everything into everlasting life. Again, the insanity of the mind sometimes.

We’ve been through an incredible year, especially because we’ve not been able to experience a full year of fellowship with one another. And hopefully, we’ve learned mightily from that. Of being able to keep in touch by telephone and skype was about all that people could do as a whole in many areas. And then, finally, the door began opening up enough that Laura and I realized that we could now go out into some of the other areas and help to try to start this up again as far as fellowship and congregations coming together. So often it was so exhilarating in one respect because there was such an excitement and appreciation in a deeper way of fellowship, of being able to come together as God’s people because we need that and it’s a vital part of spiritual growth.

Now, if we’re by ourselves in an area where we can’t be with others, God works with that. He blesses us in the process of our calling and what we’re doing, and though we can’t have that measure in our life people are still helped and blessed along the way. But there is so much more if you have such a blessing that you’re able to partake of, and it’s so meaningful, it truly is.

So again, this ability to keep in touch by telephone, by Skype, Facetime, whatever different kinds of programs that are out there, with one another has such meaning to it and it’s been good, but it does not replace or fulfill us in spiritual fellowship. It just doesn’t.

Now, that’s something unique we have if we have that ability. If we don’t, God measures that accordingly and blesses us accordingly. But if we have the ability and don’t use it wisely and don’t apply ourselves to it as we are expected to then we’ve got problems spiritually.

So, let’s first take a look at this matter of fellowship and how we’re able to have it. 1 Corinthians 1. A matter of fellowship and how we’re able to have it.

1 Corinthians 1:1—Paul, says, “called to be an apostle” but the better translation of it literally is, Paul, a called apostle of Joshua the Christ, and not just “Joshua the Christ,” like a first and last name or some kind of a middle name. So, I’m making this distinction because I’ve heard different ones speaking, and that’s fine, but we need to be careful of that, too, because we’re kind of taking a spin-off of what the world has done when they say “Jesus Christ.”

We can say “Joshua Christ,” and I’m not real nuts about that, because the focus of that expression in scripture is “Joshua,” that’s his name, “The Christ,” “The Messiah.” It’s not a name like a first and last name of someone. He’s in Elohim. He’s a part of Elohim now, in the God Family, and obviously that name would be in there as well if you want to talk about a family name. But we know that name and we don’t have to express that all the time.

It’s a matter that his name is “Joshua, The Christ.” Sometimes it refers to “Christ Joshua,” which is fine. Sometimes it’s expressed that way, “Christ Joshua.” It’s reflecting the fact that this is his authority, his power, God’s purpose for him in life. Not just the Passover but the Messiah, the Christ of God’s Kingdom. So, it has, carries incredible meaning that way, and to shorten that a little bit, I’m not personally very keen on that and don’t know that it’s really proper. Anyway, just wanted to mention that as we go along here.

“Paul, a called apostle of Joshua the Christ.” Now, I’m going through this in part because some things that have come out through Covid has tried and test people as to who God’s apostle is. That’s what the bottom line is – if God is working through an apostle. Because if He is we need to understand things that are given to us and receive them accordingly, because if we don’t then we’re going to have battles.

I have no qualms of saying these things anymore. I used to. It was very awkward for me because, especially the first time we dealt with a matter of a prophet and when God was showing some of those things. It was very difficult because we had nothing like that in the Church, and to do that was a hard, a hard thing for me to do. But I knew I was supposed to do it. I was even questioned by some in the ministry (who are no longer with us) as to why I’m doing that.

Well, it’s because whenever a letter was written, whenever things like this went out, a message went out, the apostles made certain that they spoke and told people, “This is a matter of being called an apostle of Joshua the Christ. That’s who’s speaking to you.” So, we can either receive that on a spiritual plane, understanding how God works, how we’re taught, how we’re worked with, how we’re led, and there is so much to learn from that, or not.

I learned an incredible amount through Herbert Armstrong being God’s apostle, and I learned about government because of that in a meaningful and unique way. Because if we can learn that then we can build upon that. But if people don’t set that strong in their minds from the beginning or at some point through repentance and understanding what they’re doing then it’s hard to go forward. It’s hard to really build like we need to build. Because everything about God’s Family is about government.

The point being is by the time we go through this human experience within the Church, experiencing God’s government, it’s just a part of us. It’s who we are. We don’t question. We don’t even think about it. You won’t think about it in God’s Family, “Where is Christ in all this?” “Oh, he’s…” “And what about different ones?” “Oh, they’re there…” and this thing about power and how we think as human beings and where people are in their position and all the jealousies that go along with that. We won’t have any.

Because that has hurt the Church of God over the years. It’s always been there! As soon as someone is ordained attitudes come up. Always! Every time a minister is ordained someone has an attitude; they have a battle. God allows those things so we can be tried and tested in those areas, to learn from that. Individuals, they don’t even know what they’re doing, have a jealousy, an envy.

Then when women began to be ordained, whew! That was even greater a battle! Sadly, after the Feast I’ve already heard how some who are in the ministry who are women are disrespected. Your attitudes suck! They stink! Some who have been in the ministry, served in that capacity ought to know better than how they speak to someone and what they say in a cutting, disrespectful manner. You have the audacity to say something like that to someone, I have the strength to say it before the congregation. It needs to be heard by all. Because candidly, something like that that’s said needs to be heard by all if you’re going to say it there. Because God heard it. God knows it. Christ knows it. And you know what, there are times He wants everybody to know it, “This isn’t right. This isn’t good.” Those attitudes still exist.

So, jealousies won’t be in God’s Family. What an awesome thing to know there will be no jealousies in God’s Kingdom, no envying, none of this, “You’re there and I’m here and…” all this stuff, you know. Oh, just makes me sick. You think by this time especially, we ought to be much better than that! But we still have battles.

We have battles in this, and so some of those things have come out in this past year, become very evident. That’s why we’re going through this now, because it needs to be addressed. So hopefully, where those things exist we might be able to see them or at least to begin a process of repentance asking God to help us to see where we might be doing something in that area, and if we are to deeply repent and to honor God. This is what God does. This is what Christ does. Christ is the one that places people in the Body where it pleases him. That’s what God does, that’s what Christ does according to God’s will. At different times! Sometimes to just give different ones opportunity, sometimes for others to learn from the other part of it. Because there are always things to learn in God’s Church and how that we don’t all have to be in the same spot. We don’t all have to be an apostle or a prophet or an evangelist, or whatever it is. That’s not what this is about. That’s not God’s calling. That’s not His purpose.

We’ve been called to become Elohim! How awesome is that?! Far, far greater than anything as far as a structure with physical life, and if we could just grasp those things, of what God has planned for us, and to hold on to them.

Paul, a called apostle of Joshua the Christ through the will of God… Why? Because he does everything according to God’s will. He is the Word of God made flesh, and then died and now in the God Family, Elohim. Of course he does it according to God’s will! Powerful. God made it clear He’s given everything to His Son, everything that is given to the Son is given then, whatever He gives to the Church, that’s what we have, according to God’s will. Because He’s given everything to Christ to administer, to bring everything into subjection unto him, unto Christ first of all, and then when it’s all over everything is back to God because it’s been accomplished finally. Only Elohim, no more human beings. No more spirit world where there is division and divisiveness and evil. No more human beings that resist and don’t want God’s way of life.

If people don’t want it, they can quit. They can go their own way. That’s why these things will continue on. They’ll happen throughout the Millennium, and they’ll happen throughout the Great White Throne. It’s horrible; we hate to see people make that choice. We draw close to people, we love them, we care for them, we want to see them, hopefully, even repent. But you can’t give it to people. They have to make their own choices, what they want. What do they want? Well, God brings that out in time.

…through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, unto the Church of God, which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified, set apart for holy use and purpose. That’s what our calling is about. God calls us to set us apart for holy use and purpose. Within the Church first, to receive the impregnation of His spirit, and then in His Kingdom. That’s the purpose, to become a part of His Family.

…those who are sanctified in Christ Joshua… See, this time now it’s “Christ Joshua.” That’s fine. …called saints. Now, an awkward word. I don’t even like the word, candidly, because of how it’s been misused by the world, by protestantism, by that big church that started in 325 A.D. But those called, as it is, to be sanctified, to be set apart for holy use. That’s what it’s saying. That’s what the word means.

There are those who are sanctified for the purpose of being set apart for (that’s all it’s saying), called for this purpose – to be set apart with all who in every place call upon the name of Joshua the Christ our Lord. So again here, everyone who is able to participate in this, what an awesome thing. We are a family. We have a special calling. We are set apart for holy use and purpose. We are blessed to have access to God Almighty through our Passover and our High Priest (our High Priest, both), that access all the time.

…both theirs and ours. In other words, our Lord and everyone else who is a part of this calling. Grace unto you… I can’t help what was given in the Feast about trust, favor and trust and how those things work together. Grace unto you and peace. God has given us so much. The ability to have a kind of peace that, like Christ said, “Peace I give, but not as the world.” Because the world’s concept of peace is power, is conquering, is ability to control. That’s what their peace is like.

“If you’re able to be controlled by me, by us,” by whatever it is that’s out there that’s trying to control, “then we have more peace.” Isn’t that sick? I mean, that’s perverted. But that’s the way of the world and it’s been the way of the world. That’s why every government is wrong. It’s not of God.

Grace unto you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Joshua the Christ. Incredible grace. Incredible peace. Incredible favor. Then what do we do with it? Do we show ourselves as trustworthy? Truly? Are we responding in the fashion that we really should be?

Verse 4—I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by/through (as it is) Joshua the Christ. What an awesome thing. I mean, so often we read through the beginning of a chapter like this where an introduction is taking place and there is so much there. But we tend to just read over things, and we don’t stop and perhaps think about it in line with everything our life is about and how we’re able to be here, how we’re able to have congregations in different areas, and though we be so small, of how important this is to God Almighty. Awesome!

So, it’s a relationship with God and Christ made it possible IN the Body of Christ, IN the Church of God. …that in everything you are enriched by/through him. We should be able to see that. As they sat in booths of old and looked at what they had, we should be able to see what we have and begin to measure things, not just on a physical plane but on a spiritual one, to realize the changes that are taking place in our thinking, in our mind, and how close we’re getting to a new age, a new world, to God’s government ruling on the earth.

And to share in that? To be a part of that? How much is that worth? So, if we recognize the riches of that, how much has been given to us, if we really are convicted of that we’re not going to do what I would call stupid things, to throw it all away. I mean, how should that be taken by God? How is it taken by God, by Christ, that sacrifice whereby someone was able to be baptized, whereby they were able to be impregnated with God’s holy spirit and then want something else in the world?

“That in everything.” How is that everything? Because everything you do, everything you’re involved in in life God can use, does use depending on a response to everything that’s out there, to mold and fashion us. Our experiences, wherever we are, God can use those experiences, does use them to mold and fashion us, because we’re all unique and have unique things being developed within each and every one of us.

…that in everything you are enriched by/through him in all speaking, in all, what it’s saying is, in all communication. It addresses that first. So basically, it’s saying we are enriched, we are able to speak about, to share in things on a plane that is spiritual, that is from God because of this common knowledge we have of understanding, of being able to see things. You can’t do this in the world, but we can share things with one another and have a richness in what we share because of what God’s put in our minds.

This reminded me of a conversation I had this morning, and had it on speaker phone, my wife was listening. This individual is probably embarrassed all get out right now. But very encouraging listening to someone who I’ve known for many, many, many, many, many, years now and talking as the individual did with such excitement about the Feast and about where the world is right now and how awesome it is that we can see the things we are because of how fast things are moving forward. Things with China and so forth in the world, and yet the world, it’s reported but not very much, and they don’t grasp what’s taking place. But to see these things right on the edge?

So again, this conversation that we’re able to have in God’s Church that’s so unique, something we share in that’s awesome, it really is.

“And in all speaking, in all communication.” Now, where we’re tried and tested is, is this communication always in unity? Because if it’s not we’re fighting against God, we’re fighting against Christ, we’re fighting against God’s holy spirit, we’re fighting against things we’re being taught, led, guided, and directed in. It’s difficult sometimes for people to grasp that, for what they’re doing. So, we go through these things in order to learn, in order for some to repent, in order for all of us to grow so we become stronger and more convicted of what we already have and build upon it.

…and in all knowledge. What God gives to us, what God guides and directs us in. All knowledge. So, we go back to this thing of because of what we’ve gone through sometimes there is knowledge coming from “over there” or “over there.” It depends on where “over there” is on the internet, where people are located and we fill our minds then with things, “Oh, that’s amazing.” We do this research and study into various things, and we begin to take sides.

People have taken sides over the stupidest of things, whether to wear a mask or not to wear a mask. It’s not a matter of taking sides, it’s a matter of respect and love. Sometimes we just don’t get that. Then that guidance is given as a guideline of how to do that and when to do it through what God gives to us from here. I have no problems being really clear about that. Either we hear it or we don’t.

You say, “Well, that’s not spiritual. That’s not doctrinal.” I beg to differ. Because how we take things, how we receive things, and if we fight against things that we’re being shown or being encouraged to do as a matter just of unity alone, so that we speak the same thing, so that we’re of the same mind, so that we’re functioning together as a team, God judges that powerfully— we should know that; we should understand that—and deals with us accordingly.

Because if we reject that you’ve broken for sure #4 about government, the first that was attributed to Herbert Armstrong, #4, government, which in turn is a matter of idolatry. But sometimes we don’t look at it that way. We have our opinion, “Well, that’s not idolatry.” Yeah, it is. It really is. What are you putting before God? You’re hearing something in the world, but you would rather stake what you’re hearing out there against what you’re being told to do as a Body.

I’ve had incredible resistance in this as God’s apostle. I’ll say that. It blows me over in a bit, but not really. I understand it’s between an individual and their attitude toward God, but they don’t grasp that because it’s something that’s spiritual, and they can’t see it, they can’t see it. When you become blind by something, weak spiritually, you can’t see. So, some have wanted to hold on to their own way of seeing things even though they might do it.

Just like the jab. “I’m going to do it, but I know it’s a bunch of hooey. I’m going to let you know that!” Basically, paraphrasing. “I know it, but I’m going to do it because this is a matter of government.” And you think, “Hmm. I wonder how God sees that?” See, I don’t wonder but I’m just saying I wonder how God looks upon that when someone says, “I’m going to do it, but I disagree.” Hmmm. “Going to do it but I disagree?” Well, that’s real unity of spirit. Does God really want that? Does He care for that kind of offering? Does He care for that kind of sacrifice, to do something begrudgingly? “I’m going to do it because, well, you said so and I respect the government.” You think, no, you don’t. You’re full of audacity to speak out in that manner or to tell someone else such a thing. Yet it’s happened too many times in God’s Church.

Some need to hear this, in the mind, through God’s spirit, because you’re walking on a dangerous tightrope, and you don’t even know it, and if you don’t repent of it, and I mean really repent – because in many cases people know who they are and what they said – if you don’t, I fear for exactly where I know you’re headed. You’re cutting yourself off from God’s spirit and you’re becoming weaker. Soundness of mind begins to leave. You can’t help it; you just can’t help it. It’s automatic. It’s a part of God’s law.

So again, in all speaking (communication), in all knowledge, even as the testimony (witness) of Christ was confirmed in you. So, he’s talking about those things that began in the beginning of our calling. I love the way this is here, “to confirm; to be made firm; to secure; to establish within us; to be grounded.” The Greek word. Beautiful! God is the one who has done this in us and if we will work with that, if we will receive that, that’s what happens to us, we become established and grounded. But we have to respond to it. God has done that for us. He’s given us that through the power of His holy spirit, through His Son, through the forgiveness of sin, and now him as our High Priest, and it’s awesome! But sometimes we don’t handle it well.

Verse 7—so that you come behind, or the word means that you are not lacking, in other words, in any gift. So, what does that mean? So you don’t come behind, you’re not lacking any gift. Well, again here, this has to do with “if not lacking.” How would we be lacking? Well, if we’re not doing it, if we’re not responding to it. God give us the grounding, the ability to be established, but if we don’t seek ourselves to stay grounded, to be established through His way of learning and growing and growing in knowledge and speaking the same things, and this matter of unity and oneness and doing the same thing for the right reasons, we ought to grasp and understand anything else is divisive. If we don’t speak the same things as a Body, if we aren’t in unity then there’s a spiritual matter of great concern that has to be addressed there.

“So that you.” God has given us everything so that this doesn’t happen, but then it always goes back to us as in our choices along the way. What are we doing? What are we praying about? Sometimes we just get wrapped up in the world. Sometimes we get wrapped up in our job. Sometimes we get wrapped up in different things to where we let things slide and let things slip and other things begin to take priority in our life. That’s generally what happens oftentimes in people’s lives. You can’t let that happen.

God is our priority. God is to be first. We have to see that and make sure that happens. We’re the only ones who can do that. You can’t give this to anyone. You can’t force it upon anyone. It’s a choice. It’s the way God works. It’s the only way God can work with us, candidly, by our acceptance, by our choice, by our desire, by what we want, and then He’ll grant us what we lack. More gifts. More strength. More power. More insight. More understanding.

…so that you come behind or not lacking in any gift waiting for the coming... Now, this word here is “revelation” of our Lord Joshua the Christ. So, it’s not just about his coming in the future. It’s not just about the revelation of when he comes. He reveals things constantly to God’s Church! He has constantly for the last 2,000 years worked with His Body, the Church, the Body of Christ. He gives things to the Church. How does he do that? In the beginning especially, it was through apostles. We have no evidence that there really were any at any other time. There may have been. We really don’t know. There were definitely prophets that God worked with at different times, gave His holy spirit to give things to people, evangelists, though they may not have even known it. But people learned and continued to go through the different things of the different eras of the Church. Finally, it was almost dead at the end of Sardis and then God raised up an apostle for the end-time.

That’s why that doubt of apostles existing for a long time is because there is no evidence of anything new that was given to the Church from the time of John on until Herbert Armstrong. That’s how God works. It’s to give things to the Church that in that respect, in many times, are truth to build upon, new truth if you will, present truth. Otherwise, we have existed for a long, long time as our history with what was given in the beginning. So much there, so much more than any had in the first 4,000 years it’s not even funny. And so, so much to grow in that God could mold and fashion people in a very powerful way as things were passed along from one generation to another, which God ensured would take place as He gave His holy spirit to different ones, called them to learn, to be taught.

But it’s a unique thing when you come to a time when things were lost. God had to call an apostle to restore them and to build upon those things that were being restored. Why? Because it’s the end-time. We’re getting close to the return now of Christ. The coming of Christ, the end-time. Herbert Armstrong was called in the end-time, the end of an age, into the era that would lead into the final one that would be the Apostasy. It wouldn’t take too long to get to that Apostasy. Incredible! He revealed new things that hadn’t even been given – hadn’t been given to John. John didn’t understand the things of Revelation that he wrote, and he was the last apostle that we know of until Herbert Armstrong. Incredible.

…who shall also confirm/secure/establish or ground (again, that word) you unto the end, as blameless in the day of our Lord Joshua the Christ. Again, he’s there to do that, to work with us, to lead, guide, direct us, to mold and fashion us, to guide us as a Church, to give to the Church what it needs, especially when he’s working through an apostle, apostles, or prophets or whatever it is to feed his Church, to take care of his Church, to lead, guide, and direct his Church. It comes from Christ. It’s a revelation of Christ. That means what he reveals. He’s the one that gives it. In the end-time he’s the one that’s given it to me according to the will of God. God’s timing, God’s place, His purpose. Christ knows it all. He has it all. He’s doing it.

It’s how God works, and if we don’t understand that by now, especially those who have been around for a long time, and especially if they were at a time, lived during a time of Herbert Armstrong, we should know that! We have absolutely no excuse whatsoever not to grasp and comprehend how God works through an apostle! How God works in government in the Church!

And yet we have some who have lived during that time I worry about. Because nothing is owed to any of us. Nothing is owed to you! Just because you’ve been around that long doesn’t mean that it’s owed to you now. You can still make wrong choices and begin to let down. How long are we going to endure? To the end? Because that’s what our life is. Is it permanent in your thinking since the day you were baptized, “This is my commitment to the point of death, whenever I die. 50 years-old? 60 years-old? 70 years-old? 80? 90? Whatever it is, I am Yours.” That’s what we tell God. That’s what we told Him at baptism: “I’m Yours to whatever Your purpose is, and thankful for that.”

“…who shall also secure you unto the end as blameless in the day of our Lord Joshua.” So, everything is there to bring us through all this. Everything is there to help us to succeed, to come through all this, to be in the God Family.

God is faithful. God is faithful! I love the way these things are put together, the communication in the mind and what God has given to us and what He wants us to grasp. God is faithful! The reason that’s stated is because so often as human beings we’re not. We’re not! But we’re supposed to be because we grasp what He’s given to us, we desire to be faithful, faithful to the calling we’ve been given, faithful to the truth we’ve been given, faithful to the instruction we’re given and guided and directed in, loyal, faithful – all those things that go with that.

God is faithful, by whom you were called. So, He’s the one who called us. By God Almighty! Even that we can’t even begin to grasp. “God called ‘me’?” Who are we? Are we better than anyone else? We learn. Sometimes we think that maybe there was something special in our background. No, never, never, never. It’s just that God chooses for whatever purpose and reason. Sometimes it’s because of people in the past, ancestry. Sometimes it’s because of that, God honors that, works with that at different times, calls different ones. Other times, has a different purpose of things He’s fulfilled. It can go way, way back to the time of Paul and going out to all the world and the gentile nations and all the people who came into God’s Church of all backgrounds, everything. Incredible!

So, whatever reason, purpose it is, we don’t really know, but God has a purpose in it and just thankful to be a part.

…by whom you were called unto/into the fellowship of His Son Joshua the Christ our Lord. So, what an incredible thing, which in large part is a matter of fellowship in the Body of Christ. That’s what this is about. We’re able to have a unique fellowship – yes, with God, with Christ because of all this, but into this life, which means a fellowship with one another that is unique. We’re all a part of God working with, molding and fashioning us as a family to become a part of His Family. Nothing could be greater. That’s how we need to see one another.

Because when we truly begin to see each other in that light then it should take out the things of being judgmental and harsh. Yet when we need to address something, we do it. We don’t stand back from that. But not harsh judgment. It usually comes down to how we judge one another and how we look upon one another, and so many times thinking we’re better than someone else.

And this still exists. I hate it when I hear communication that’s taken place, especially during the Feast, of some who made comments that just show a lack of respect, a lack of understanding of the Body of Christ, the Church of God, of how we function as a Body. We still let jealousy and envy get in the way. I mean, we should want to puke at those kinds of things if they come out of us. They should be so detestable in our thinking to think that we would be that way that we abhor them. You have to abhor something like that to conquer it.

If you don’t abhor it, it means you love it. You still like doing it. You still like thinking you’re better than someone else and you want to make the point of it sometimes, because this has happened.

Now, I really don’t enjoy this. I didn’t intend at the Feast to speak on some of the things in the capacity, in the manner that I did at times. But I know that there are times I have to, and God brings things to the surface or brings things that, yeah, it has to be addressed. It’s better for us because we want to learn from this, we want to see the mistakes some have made because we can learn from that and realize, “Man, I do not want to go in that direction. And if there is anything, I want to conquer it, I want to see it, I want to be able to, so this doesn’t happen!” That’s how we grow and how we learn. Scriptures will come out later that even reveal some of that and the process.

1 John 1:1—That which was from the beginning. So, what is that? Well, it goes back. When did it all start? God Almighty began a creation; had a purpose, began to create. We know the process. It’s beautiful what God has revealed to us, things that we have seen during this period of the remnant Church that is so meaningful, so powerful in understanding how God works in our lives.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard. So, at different times people have heard. In John’s time, as he wrote these things, it was an incredible time. They had been so blessed to see the things they had.

Now, he lived in a period of time where all the other apostles had been killed, that we know of, put to death. He was remaining, and he continued to teach. He’s looking at all this and striving to serve the Church at this time and warning them about things that are coming, and candidly, being worked with prophetically too, of things that were really coming far into the future, 2000, almost 1900 years later.

So, he’s talking about these things in a unique perspective. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard.” He heard something of a process, of things that were given as a part of God’s plan. The whole purpose of God, Elohim. The whole purpose of God was built upon our Passover, Joshua. He had that experience of being around him and he’s referring to those things because he’s showing here this is more than something physical; it’s something spiritual that we’ve received.

“Which we have heard.” The uniqueness of hearing. He’s not just talking about something physical. He’s talking about we’ve received this into our minds. God has given it to us.

…which we have seen with our eyes. So, seeing even on a physical plane that which God had brought to the earth to be our Passover, and yet that which was far beyond that in understanding. Our Christ, our Messiah.

…which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled. Now, it’s not a matter of handling him. It’s about everything that was in him that was from the beginning. The mind of God, the being of God, the purpose of God that became flesh, that began to teach us (teach them) about God, about God’s purpose, and all the things he gave at that time after 4,000 years that no one had had before that. Now they had it! Richly blessed!

…which we have looked upon, which our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life. That’s what it’s about, the mind of God, the being of God. How blessed are we when we begin to have that in us? It’s awesome!

The life was manifested. It means “made visible, made clear.” Well, it doesn’t mean physically. That life! There’s something unique that happens when our minds are opened. I mean, what an awesome thing! I can never forget; I will never forget when God began to call me and give me things in my mind to see. The very first one was not because of any truth. The very first one was because of what I first saw, which I think I explained during the Feast, was when I went to a dance, and I saw myself for the first time. I saw everyone’s human nature, how everyone was in love with themselves, that we all think we’re the best. I was sickened by that. I couldn’t be in that environment. I had to get out of there.

So, that was the first big thing that had an incredible impact, which led to the next, sitting down and hearing about the Sabbath, the Holy Days, the migrations of the children of Israel and who this nation was to this day. And how do you explain something that’s just in your mind and you know it? You can’t tell people that. You can’t go out here and say, “It was just in my mind.” They don’t understand things of a spiritual nature. They’ve never experienced it.

And so, until you’ve experienced it you can’t explain it. But we can converse with one another. When you see something, when you know something, that’s between you and God and you know. “I understand something…” This in itself should cry aloud, scream out to us how blessed we are. Because we should be convicted deeply upon being first called that you can’t give this to anyone in the world. You can’t go out here and convince someone else, though we try. Because we want to share; we’re excited. Then we learn you can’t share this with anyone else. God has to do it. God has to do the calling. We learn that over time.

That’s awesome in itself, to learn that process. And so, though we try, we realize, we grow in in understanding that “I see what I see. I know what I know because of God’s spirit. If I see the truths (because others out here can’t), if I understand them, if I see Herbert Armstrong as God’s apostle, if I see the things that God is revealing through him, the Sabbath, the Holy Days and all the other things that have been given that are so awesome, and I know them, and I don’t have to go to the Bible,” as some began to think in the beginning and through Philadelphia and even in Laodicea, that you have to go into the Bible and prove these things to yourself.

It’s good to read, it’s good to look upon these things, but we’re fed on the Sabbath, we’re fed on the Holy Days, and God puts it here through the hearing of the word. Then what an awesome thing! I mean, it’s miraculous. It’s by the power of God’s spirit. That’s miraculous because there’s no physical way this can happen. Because someone else out in the world can hear this and it’s like “Huh?” And not only that, “Man, they are far out!” Then that Twilight Zone song comes into their mind. That’s going way back. I’m sorry for some of you who are younger. But it’s like, “They are out there!” Because they can’t understand. We understand, we learn, we understand that. We see why they can’t grasp it though we wish they could, especially those who are close to us as family and friends or whatever in the beginning. Because sometimes that changes, or it does change as time goes along.

So again, made clear to us. We see it. So again, that should cry volumes to us, “God has called me. I’m in God’s Church. I’m in the Body of Christ through the grace, the mercy of God. I have incredible opportunities. I don’t want to choose something out here in this world that would lead me away from that because I see what God has given to me and there are so few who have received this. I know! I know because of what I’ve experienced, this is from God.” I hope that makes sense. It should make sense to us to grasp what we have experienced individually.

The life was manifested, and we have seen it, in other words, perceived spiritually, and bear witness. We bear witness. How? Because we change, we begin to respond. Our life begins to reflect we’ve made choices and decisions about the Sabbath, when we work, when we don’t work, tithing, Holy Day offerings, all those kinds of things that are at the forefront, and then everything else that follows.

…and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us. It was revealed, made clear to us. Beautiful!

…that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. So, by those who are teaching, in this case John, and others who may be in the ministry at that time and how people are taught and trained and so forth because of what they hear, and things expounded to them, then their response. He’s saying, “so that you may have,” as he spoke to others, “that you may have fellowship with us.” So again, as you would speak to someone new, someone first time hearing and beginning to be drawn to the truth, these things that are given, “This is given to you, your mind being opened. Now you are blessed to have fellowship with us in the Body of Christ.”

And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and His Son Joshua the Christ. So, there is no cutting anything out in the middle of that. On the contrary, it builds upon it. It’s not just between God and me, God, Christ, and me; it’s a Body, it’s a Church, and there’s a structure and a way that it functions. God wants us to grasp that, to understand that, and to realize how we’re molded and fashioned, taught and trained and given knowledge, given understanding, given insight, how the revelation of Christ is passed on to us, whatever he chooses to reveal at any moment in time to give us more that becomes the present truth. Awesome!

Verse 7—But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. It makes it very clear here there is a way that we need to move forward. Just like we’re talking about in this sermon about planning ahead, moving forward, that’s what we always do as God’s people. But around the Feast time we are always reminded of all those who have gone before, who aren’t with us anymore. It just goes on and on and on. We’re reminded that even within the next year.

As soon as we get back we get notification. And you think, “How many more?” Well, I hope it’s not a lot, but there are going to be more between here and the Feast of Tabernacles. I know it. Do you know it? Hopefully, all of you listening are not a part of that, but sadly, some who are listening are going to be a part of that. You’re going to make the wrong decisions because somewhere along the line you’re going to become offended at God’s word, you’re going to become offended like some have at the Feast of Tabernacles and what I had to say.

Some cringed up inside, you know, on a physical plane, spiritual plane—it all goes together—of things they didn’t like to hear. I already know that. You can’t help it. If you think a certain way and you’re not in agreement you’re not going to like when you hear certain things. Well, it’s given so that we have opportunity to repent, and if we don’t, it’s goodbye. You’re doing it to yourself. I wish you wouldn’t. Even if you’ve been with us a long, long time.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. So, we have to walk in a right way. One of those right ways is in unity, oneness within the Body, and if we don’t grasp how we’re able to have that oneness and unity it comes through what is spoken and given to us as a Church, as a Body, as we’re led, guided, and directed by Joshua the Christ. That’s where it comes from, and if we don’t grasp that we’re in deep spiritual trouble.

“We have fellowship, one with another.” So, I made a comment at the Feast about Covid. I think probably by the response of some, it probably shocked some. But I feel the greatest thing that happened because of Covid was what we experienced in the Church, a refining process, because it helps to speed things up, it helps to move things along, it helps to teach us. If we’re teachable, of a teachable spirit, meek and humble spirit, and we’re able to be taught, and teachable because of what God has given through His apostle, we’ll receive it and we’ll latch on to it and we’ll strive to be in unity and harmony and oneness with it. That’s just the way we’ll be, and we’ll fight against our own carnal normal human reactions that we might sometimes have to something and maybe make that line in the sand that some have made. They better go scratch it out quickly or they’re gone.

Because I know where we are and what God is doing in His Church, and if we don’t know that by this time so be it. I hate to see it happen but when it happens it’s better for the Body. It’s better for the Body to be cleansed and have unity and oneness of spirit everywhere. Where it doesn’t exist then it needs to be repented of.

If there is not cooperation and unity and backing of me as God’s apostle, especially from God’s ministry, then we’ve got some problems. If I’m not able to be kept informed about what’s happening out here as far as a Body? Because I rely upon that. That’s what reports are about! They’re to report on, keep me abreast of what’s happening in the Church. Do I have a need to know that? Yes! And if you think you don’t owe that to me you’re badly, sadly mistaken! You owe it to me! That’s what those reports are about.

If something is going on I need to know it because I need to have an overview! That’s what God has given as a matter of His spirit, though He could give it to me (which He does at some point in time anyway because they all come to the surface anyway), but what a blessing when we have unity and oneness within the Church and within the ministry that I hear if there is a difficulty, a problem, someone has said something, done something. And if they have, that you have addressed it.

Some maybe don’t like my choices and my decisions sometimes. All I can say to that is tough cookie. Tough cookie! You don’t know who I am. You don’t know how God is working with me. That’s the problem then.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Joshua the Christ His Son cleanses us or is cleansing us from all sin. That’s the desire, to get rid of sin, to be in unity and oneness as a Body, to be in unity and oneness with God Almighty, to love His government, to love His way of life, to love how He works in our life, to be thankful for fellowship, to be thankful for the Church, to be thankful for everything we’re taught. That’s what our hunger should be. For the vast majority, that’s what our hunger and desire is – for what God feeds us.

But every once in a while there are some who fight that and when they fight that it hurts others because too often individuals, “Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,” and pass it along to somebody else, their discontent. Maybe not directly, but just enough to test the waters, just enough to show, “This is what I see. This is what I have researched,” and feel good about self. You think, give me a break! That’s just moronic, foolish, divisive, and sick spiritually. God is not going to tolerate it. I know I’m not and I know why I’m not. Because God doesn’t and He’s given me a job to do, and I have no qualms about doing it.

Sometimes it seems that some do not grasp the fullness of what we need to see concerning the matter of fellowship, which we cover every Passover. That, in the context of the Passover, should speak volumes to us and should sober us to the core of our being. Because that is the most meaningful, in that respect, the most important phase of our growth and our life of anything we have as human beings. Because we need our Passover day-by-day, the ability to be forgiven of our sins, to be able to go before God and ask for forgiveness, to ask God to forgive us of our attitude, of our thinking, of what comes out of our mind, and sadly, sometimes out of our mouth.

I pray that God help me to fight against those things, to fight against what comes out of the mouth that isn’t said properly, in a proper way even. Because we have to do it in a right way; not just what is said but to do it right.

1 Corinthians 10:16—The cup of blessing which we bless, Passover night, the wine, is it not the fellowship of the blood of Christ? Do we understand what was given for us? Do we understand, not just understand but appreciate the sacrifice?

Sometimes we’re not appreciative as human beings. Sometimes we haven’t learned to be thankful or to express thankfulness to God or to the Church or to whomever. That’s why I was encouraged this year that we received a couple of really fine responses for gratitude for the help individuals received for going to the Feast. Now, I’m saying that because my experience, our experience over the years has been the majority never thank the Church. Do you have to? No, but it’s really good if you do because it reinforces. It’s kind of this thing about giving offerings, that we specify in our letter or on the check, so much for this day, so much for that day. Because we’re doing it, writing it out to follow through a physical process to show the appreciation of a spiritual process of a relationship with God in what we’re doing toward God.

So, physical things; we live in physical life, and we have to do physical things. This is very similar to that, in that respect. Sometimes we don’t grasp the importance of the physical things we do and how we do them. And so, every time I think of something like this, I’ll just say going back over the years, and I’m just going to go back over many years (sadly sometimes it comes up too close to the present), there have been too many times when if we’re not careful we get to a point, we can get to a point where we become expectant, expecting of certain things. You can’t do that.

And so, when you recognize what God’s Church is doing, I hope we recognize it’s from God.

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the fellowship of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break… What is bread? What are we supposed to see? What are we supposed to grasp? What are we supposed to comprehend that we’re eating together that night? The bread of life. What comes as a result of the blood of Christ, of his sacrifice, the blessing of being able to come into a fellowship and be a Body, to be unified as one, being worked with by God’s holy spirit and having such a thing in our life so that we can all eat the same bread. And what is that bread? It’s what’s given to us Sabbath after Sabbath, Holy Day to Holy Day to Holy Day, Sabbath to Sabbath to Sabbath. That is the bread of life that God feeds to us throughout the year in the fellowship of the Church of God, the Body of Christ.

And yet if we’re not careful we can take the Passover and not grasp such things, what we’re doing when we’re partaking of the Body of Christ, if you will. It’s not just a physical thing. To understand the physical part of what he did, yes, but what it means spiritually is what God wants us to grasp concerning a fellowship that we’re able to have in the Body of Christ, and to all partake of that same bread. What an awesome thing! Where there is no division, no divisiveness, just unity, cooperation. Probably shouldn’t say this part, but even if it’s just to help me have some peace or to have more peace in my life.

I love peace. Over the last few years I have learned to loathe drama to the nth degree. On a spiritual plane that becomes another matter. Drama is so ugly, it’s so evil. And yet drama comes out of divisiveness, a lack of unity, a lack of oneness, a desire to do something our own way, especially when it comes to the Body of Christ, the Church of God.

Because I can say as some of the other apostles have, I have a zeal toward God’s Church and I am not afraid, I am not embarrassed by, I don’t worry about what others think when it comes to dealing with certain things that are not in unity and oneness, especially now more than ever before. They don’t belong in the Body of Christ. That’s why God’s cleaning up the Church before Christ returns.

The bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the Body of Christ? Beautiful. Awesome. We have to know how we’re fed though. We have to understand how Christ takes care of this in the Church. The bread that he gives to us, how do we receive it? We don’t get it on our own. We don’t figure it out on our own. We don’t open up our own Bibles and we don’t get it off the internet or hear it from some government agency or take sides with some government agency because, “Well, they have done the research and they have said this, and certain doctors… There is so much proof out there… This is my line in the sand and I’m not going to cross it.” Fine! You won’t listen to God’s apostle, but you will do that? So be it. I don’t want you to do it just because I said it, in the sense of “Well, I’m going to do it, but I don’t agree with it because I’ve still got my own ideas and I’m going to hold on to them.” Fine. Then don’t bother doing it either because it’s not received spiritually.

So, as was stated toward the beginning, you think this battle is over with? It’s not. This battle continues until we are through WWIII, until we’re on the other side of this and going into a new age. And you know what? For some, the battle will continue except you’ll be so much more sobered, so much more in unity and oneness with God, so much more sobered to the core of your being because of what you’re going to experience and what you’re going to see if you’re able to live to that point in time because you have listened to and applied different things. But you’re going to be of a right spirit. But still, we have carnal nature, and we’ll still have things to grow in, those who aren’t a part of that first resurrection.

It’s my desire that everyone would be there. You think that everyone that’s ever been called that hasn’t been God’s desire that every person’s been called, that they are there? What an amazing thing that so many have to be given the opportunity to begin making choices so that out of that a very small amount can come through because they choose to fight, to continue pressing forward, they continue looking ahead, they continue planning looking ahead to God’s Kingdom, fighting for it, persevering. Because that’s what it takes. Sacrificing, whatever it takes. Whatever we have to go through, it doesn’t matter, we’re in God’s hands. And if we grasp that then we have peace even in times of trouble.

I have to chuckle a little bit because I have some troubles that just keep following me by letters and so forth, harassment, basically, “Wanting to take everything from you and the Church.” That causes some consternation at times, starts my heart racing a little bit faster, and then I have to remind myself it’s God’s Church. Everything is God’s. Then I start receiving peace.

But in the beginning because of the experiences I’ve had it still stirs me up at times when those things happen, because they just keep throwing barrages and keep doing things. I know where it’s coming from, and I also know it’s going to get worse. This next book when it’s fully out there, and the title is out there, it’s not going to be well received. And basically, that’s why all this began in the first place. So, people will become offended, people will hate what is there, and because of that they will hate God’s Church more.

We’re getting ready to go into a time when at some point, and I hope it doesn’t last long for your sakes, because for my sake, I’m not worried about it; but for what people might have to go through, I hope it’s not a long period of time because it’s going to take place, okay? Just expect it at whatever time those things begin to come.

So, we just live in that age, at that time at the end of an age and there are things we have to go through. It’s a part of God’s purpose and a part of God’s plan and others in the future will read about it and be inspired by it. Look what they did; they persevered just like everybody else through time. They persevered, they kept going, they didn’t give up. They didn’t let a mask or a Covid shot interfere with them (nor make-up).

It’s amazing what we do as human beings sometimes, as an excuse, because we begin to become weak because there is something inside of us that just isn’t convicted. We’re the only ones who can make those choices.

So, as was stated toward the beginning, we have gone through an incredible year, especially because we have not been able to experience a full year of fellowship with one another. We’ve had Covid that’s been with us. It’s restricted fellowship and it’s tested fellowship and put to test a true unity of spirit. Now, I didn’t like the results of some of this because whenever dross comes to the surface you look at it, “Oh, man, that has to be gotten rid of,” either by choice or God will do it through me most of the time. Whatever. But it’s got to go. Either it’s repented of individually and gone or it’s made to leave.

So, these things have all come up. I value it as it’s happened, or when it happens, afterwards, even though there’s pain and hurt with it. Because who wants to see anyone that we’ve known for any period of time, whatever it might be in God’s Church, make such decisions. I can’t help but think about the song, “We walked to God’s house side-by-side, and counsel blended sweet.” That really sums up what it’s been like when we have fellowship with one another.

Yet people come to a point where they make a choice not to be a part anymore. Some do it well, like this letter we received. It was good, in that respect, a sense of respect and so forth and a matter of informing, which I appreciate. But I hated to see the choice and decision because I’ve talked to the individual in times past and enjoyed that conversation and that fellowship, as with all people who have been in God’s Church. There is still that sting that’s involved in it that hurts. It’s painful. But it’s a part of the process.

I think about God. He’s seen this from the beginning, that most turn against Him. To know that in the future after the Millennium and through the Millennium people will still reject Him, that’s a part of the knowing of the process. Though you don’t want it to happen, it’s the only way that God can be created, the God Family. So, we understand that and so the past and that which has gone by the wayside is behind and it can’t be a part with us. It won’t be a part of the first resurrection. In some cases, possibilities of not even being in the Great White Throne in the sense of given another hundred years, if they’ve been prejudged or judged already because of what they’ve done to this point in time as far as the mind is concerned.

So again, the experience of Covid has revealed much about the depth to which we see God and Christ working with us and doing so through His apostle. Again, I have no qualms talking about this. There has been a time a few years ago where I did have more difficulty talking in that vein, but I really have no difficulty anymore. I realize some of these things happen so that I don’t have any problems being able to do that because it’s just a matter of a reality and we have to deal with what is the reality. It’s just what it is. It’s not for elevation. It’s not to be treated that way by anyone. It’s a matter of just the way we function and the way we work as a body.

So, in planning ahead and determining to run a race because that’s what we’re in. It’s to the end. Of all times! You know, as I was working with this sermon I couldn’t help but think about that 3½ miler at Bricket Wood. It’s so etched in my mind because I saw things that I learned from on a spiritual plane that were really revealing. Some individuals who had everything going for them, evangelists’ sons, others that were out there that made such bad choices just in a race. Because they couldn’t be out front they just quit, sometimes feigned certain ailment, injury. It was quite clear because later on it just wasn’t there. But some made it very clear they just weren’t going to do it because they couldn’t keep up with the front.

You think, that’s not what this is about. It’s about a whole group, a college, God’s college, and the ones who entered it running this race together. It’s a matter of being together and doing this together and enjoying the experience, but racing. And so, we went around this 3½ miler. I remember the last phase of it. There is a chicken farm. They produced eggs and chickens and stuff for the campus, for the cafeteria, and it was quite a project. I think they had some cattle out there too, and different things.

But the chickens I remember because they used the fertilizer every spring from one of these machines that spread it out all over and they put it all over the grass, and for two weeks you sure didn’t walk across the grass. But it was chicken stuff all over the place, but it made it really, really, really, really, really green. It was awesome how that stuff works.

Anyway, getting back to the story. So, here it is you go past this chicken area and then this hill, it goes down, and then you have to come back up. Now, I knew where we were. We all knew where we were because you can’t see it yet, but you know it’s up there, the finish line, because you’re getting close. By the time you go down that hill, which was the easy part, but the coming back up at the end of a race, that’s pretty tough. You’re going up a hill. But you keep fighting because so much of that is just not quitting. You’re fighting the mind. You’re not fighting your body as much as you are fighting the mind. By that time you know this with all of your being, “You can do it! Do it!” Trying to bring this into subjection to something very physical.

Well, we learn from that on a spiritual plane. I couldn’t help but think here we are, we know it’s just over the horizon; we’re not there yet but it’s so close and it’s so near right now, “I just have a little bit farther to go.” We all do. “Just a little bit farther now.” If we don’t grasp that and see that because of things in the world?

I think of the news. I think of how incredible it is. Two years ago I remember writing a past book and some of the things contained in it and some of the news at that time, and a little bit more here and there. But now it’s constant. It’s just constant of things that the world should have been aware of or speaking of but wouldn’t. It’s almost as though—and I understand, we should understand—the world doesn’t want to address it. It’s like every war that comes upon them, especially world war.

Like before WWII and you read the history of things and how nations responded and how people received the news and what wouldn’t be reported in the news. And yet some things that were reported everybody ignored and yet it was there well ahead of time. But it’s like the mind is just closed to it. It’s like “This can’t happen.” I think of today. What a horrible thing. This nation here there are certain things and it’s like, “It can’t happen here. We may fight something over there with someone, but it’s not going to touch us.” Think, your eyes are so blind. Wished you could see.

I want to read this Daily Mail article over in England – October 6th.[1] China has warned that WWIII could be triggered at any time.

Now, just to talk like this, it should cry out. Don’t we see what’s on the doorstep here? Don’t we grasp that you keep poking and yet as physical nations you understand why they feel they have to do it?

China warns World War Three could be triggered 'at any time' after it sent dozens of warplanes into Taiwan's airspace…

You think that’s not a strong message? And now, how do you know when that many planes come in that they’re not going to make a strike right then and there? What do you do, just let them do it? Do you shoot them down? Well, if you do, you’ve definitely started WWIII, so what kind of a game do you play? That’s what they’re doing right now. They’re playing a game and testing each other, how far are they going before this finally erupts. Some day… Pshew.

An article in the state-backed Global Times newspaper on Tuesday said that 'collusion' between the US and Taiwan was so 'audacious'…

China is saying this, in essence, because you don’t say anything over there like that unless it’s backed by the government.

…that the situation 'has almost lost any room for manoeuvre, teetering on the edge of a face-off.' [Pretty strong language.] It claimed that the people of China were ready to back all-out war with the US, warning the island nation against 'playing with fire'.

At some point, by design, they’re going to do something. Probably, most likely as God has led us to see, through a different nation though they may be the ones doing it. You don’t know. It takes a long time to find out sometimes where something came from and who did it and how to respond. Yes, it came from that spot but was it them? Nuclear submarines can be anywhere at any time, right next to the coast of another nation, make it appear under clouds to be something else. Ah, something is coming.

“It claimed that the people of China were ready to back all-out war with the US.” And if people think that’s going to be an isolated matter of a little spot over Taiwan that’s going to be fought over and you’re going to confine it to that area, you’re stark, raving mad. It’s not going to be that way. It’s going to involve nuclear weapons whenever these things take. If time were to go on and God didn’t intervene in order to make certain things happen by certain nations at certain times (because that’s what He’s going to do), this would happen this way.

Almost 150 Chinese warplanes have breached Taiwan's airspace since Friday.

150! So what day, on what day do we maybe suspect that incredible bombs are going to start destroying military power that exists there? And we have, evidently, a lot of troops there already not much reported about.

Almost 150 Chinese warplanes have breached Taiwan's airspace since Friday, including 56 jets on Monday in a dramatic escalation of Chinese aggression against the self-governing democracy.

Joe Biden said he had spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about Taiwan and they agreed to abide by the Taiwan agreement as tensions continue to ratchet up between Taipei and Beijing.

I don’t know if you’ve seen some of that on the news, but it’s like, “We’re going to agree by the Taiwan agreement.” Well, what is that? Which agreement are you speaking of? Are we in agreement or what?

'I've spoken with Xi about Taiwan. We agree...we'll abide by the Taiwan agreement,' Biden said to reporters at the White House on Tuesday. However, that call took place on September 9 and it's not clear what agreement he was referring to.

It may have been a nod to Washington's long-standing policy under which the US officially recognizes Beijing rather than Taipei, and the Taiwan Relations Act…

Well, we’ve pretty much already thrown that out of the water. Who’s kidding who? We’re abiding by that? This is a joke!

…which makes clear that the US decision to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing instead of Taiwan rests upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means.

People have these things they say, and you think, “You’re living in la-la land!”

Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday vowed to 'do whatever it takes' to guard Taiwan against invasion as she indicated that without help from the country's allies 'authoritarianism has the upper hand over democracy.'

It comes as British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth ('Big Lizzie') was shown sailing in the Philippine Sea in a joint exercise with two US carriers - the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Carl Vinson - and Japan's helicopter destroyer JS Ise.

I think, okay, so they fly over Taiwan, and if they really wanted to do something they have hypersonic missiles that can destroy any, all these ships at one time. I mean, what kind of game do people think they’re playing? “We’re giving a show of force. You’re not going to have the South China Sea, and we’re going to support and help Taiwan.” Yeah, until it gets hot and then we’ll back away.

So you think, this stuff is so irritating, so sick what nations do and how people treat each other and where things are headed.

The armada, which also includes a number of warships from six different countries in total, trained together over the weekend in the region amid the rising tensions.

So, what a lovely message to send out. “We’re abiding by this treaty or agreement, but we’re sending warships up here around there, and don’t misunderstand that. We have troops there already. Don’t misinterpret that; we’re abiding by that. We’re not pushing you. We’re not trying to irritate you.” …and keeping a straight face. Sick world.

The recent voyages through the Strait of Taiwan by the British and American navies…

That in itself says, “Look what we’re doing. We’re pushing your buttons to see what you’re going to do.” Some are even talking about, “Are we doing it for the purpose of starting a conflict?” I wonder if any nation would ever do something like that? To start a conflict, try to blame it on someone else (because we’re doing what we need to do to protect their interests), but all the while have a motive of starting a war because we’ve got to equalize this thing of dollars and problems we’re having and that’s the best way to solve it, to level the field. It’s happened over and over again in history.

President Xi Jinping has described the seizure of the self-governed democracy as 'inevitable’ and Beijing has ratcheted up pressure on Tsai since she was elected in 2016 on a mandate of an 'independent' Taiwan.

In another chilling piece of propaganda on Monday, The Global Times ran a piece which asked 'whether Australia is willing to accompany Taiwan… to become cannon fodder' after its foreign minister reached out for help preparing his defences.

They’re in a real state of a pickle in that area of the world right now, and it’s not pleasant to see what’s coming, to know what they’re going to go through as a nation and what some are going to experience possibly early on compared to here. But we don’t really know the timing of all that, but we know that Great Britain, Canada, United States, and Australia are all going to suffer mightily when this stuff starts happening.

When we were in Europe, to hear some of the rhetoric, things being reported over there when this little agreement was made concerning these nuclear subs now going to be made for Australia, and the French, they were steaming mad, the French were. And you think, just a little closer to those ten nations agreeing, to justify what they’re going to do to this nation. It’s amazing what we’re seeing take place, what’s happening right now in the news constantly, of things we’ve known for some time.

Australia has been on the receiving end of Chinese wrath over the last few weeks after it signed a new alliance with the UK and the US. As part of the deal, Washington and London agreed to share nuclear submarine technology with Canberra [capital of Australia].

Beijing is incensed by the move because it will dramatically shift the power balance in the South China Sea, where it fights for influence with the West over smaller countries like Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines.

In an article published on Tuesday, Tawain's (sic) President Tsai said: 'They should remember that if Taiwan were to fall, the consequences would be catastrophic for regional peace and the democratic alliance system.’

Well, that’s one thing God has given us to grasp and comprehend, that as soon as it starts there are alliances throughout the world and people are going to start war with one another. Everybody is going to be involved. Every nation is going to get sucked in. They can’t help it. You’re on one side or the other when it’s all said and done. One of three sides. You say, “three sides?” Yeah, because it’s going to take a while to diminish Ephraim and Manasseh. It doesn’t happen instantaneously. There’s enough out there still that it’s going to be a repercussion from some of that and then until that’s finally dealt with. Then the Fifth Trumpet.

Chinese state media on Monday accompanied the military incursion with threats to Taiwan. Global Times editor Hu Xijin tweeted that it is 'only a matter of time before Taiwan's separatist authorities fall' - describing the weekend's show-of-force as a 'military parade' to mark China's National Day on October 1.

An editorial in the same newspaper then added that - unlike the 'guard of honour' in traditional parades - the planes flown towards Taiwan at the weekend 'are fighting forces aimed at actual combat'. 'The increase in the number of aircraft showed the PLA [People’s Liberation Army] Air Force's operational capabilities,' the newspaper said, adding: 'It is a clear and unmistakable declaration of China's sovereignty over the island.'

So, they play these games back and forth and it’s coming to a head. It’s not going to get turned around. Nobody can turn this around.

The operations are designed to familiarise pilots with 'battlefield conditions'…

After you fly over something a number of times you know where to go, you’re more at peace with it, you’re able to function better as a team to do what you’re geared to do, what you’re already planning to do.

…so that 'once the order to attack is given' they will be able to fight like 'experienced veterans,' the editorial concluded. [That’s incredibly strong language.] 'There is no doubt about the future of the situation across the Taiwan Straits. The initiative of when and how to solve the Taiwan question is firmly in the hands of the Chinese mainland.'

We see things like this in the news and you think, what an incredible time we live in, to see these things closing in. You hardly see it reported and it’s not taken with fear, with thought that this could happen and what it would thrust us into as a nation, and on we go. So, incredible times.

That in itself should stir us and want us to look forward ahead more and want to be, want to fight this fight, to persevere because we’re almost there. Like the bottom of that hill and starting up, yes, this is tough, and as soon as you hit that spot you know what, when you’re down at the bottom, you know, your body is already crying out to you, “You idiot! Why did you get into this race!?”

That’s the battle, and that’s kind of how I felt, “Why did you do this? Look where you are. Stay in the game!” Because I’m not a great long-distance runner. Never had been. I was short, 400 meters. A 400 meter race, that was my race. After that I didn’t have the lung capacity for long races. The legs, whatever. We’re all different I guess in that area, but I just had a very hard time with those things. So, to enter that one there I’ve wondered about my sanity.

I really wonder about some who go on these longer ones that we have around here, that sometimes they get involved in these marathons. Ugh, I can’t comprehend that.

I have to do this, I’m sorry. My friend in Big Sandy one time talked me into going 10 miles, 10 miles with him circling around Big Sandy and coming back around on certain roads that I’d never been on. I’m glad I was with him because I would have been lost. But he kept encouraging me, “You can do this!” My body was just crying out like, “Argh!” It was my first and last. I have no problems with that, saying, “I will never do this again. I’ve achieved this thing and that’s all I need. I don’t think I really even needed that.”

We’re in a race. To think we’re at the bottom of the hill and I just got to push now. Because it’s going to get harder. That’s what you have to know. This race is going to get harder because you’re going up the hill. We’re in a race right now where we’re going to start climbing. It’s not going to get easier for God’s Church, it really isn’t. We don’t know what’s coming our way. We don’t know what’s going to be next as a part of our molding and fashioning or whatever it might be that comes upon us. So, we’ve got to be prepared, we’ve got to be ready, and we have got to be at one. We’ve got to be at one. God’s crying out to us that we need to be unified, at one, and where there isn’t unity it can’t be allowed to continue. We are a unique fellowship.

So, hopefully we’ve all learned lessons. This is a part of planning ahead. Because the Feast has a lot to do with this, in the sense of looking ahead to next year’s Feast. I have never jumped into preparing for the following Feast as I have this year. I haven’t even been able to work on the book right now because these things are urgent, to get these prepared. Whether we have that or not, I feel that we likely will, because there’s a date in my mind that I don’t know, but I do know, I think God’s shown us enough now through all the stages we’ve gone through, that He does things in a very orderly and systematic manner, and that He does things to where things do work.

There is a Pentecost that things have to work out in a certain way. That’s just a reality because it fulfills that portion of God’s plan. As we look at some of those kinds of things there are periods of time that have more meaning than others. So, I’m still looking at that one there as being the next major one. But again, I believe that we’re going to have next year’s Feast. But we have to prepare for it. Something else could come along. We may have some other battles.

We had to battle to get to the Feast this year. We had to take a different route. At the last minute had to change all reservations to get over to Europe because we didn’t want to be deterred and I felt like there was still this one door that was open. Still could have probably done it, but I wasn’t excited about being quarantined for ten days. You could go for five days once you got there. Everyone coming over had to quarantine in the Netherlands. You’d have to quarantine for five days, take another PCR test (I think that’s what you call it), and if that came out negative then you could be released from your quarantine then. If not…? Well, so, we would have been out in five days because we had no problems.

But the point being is I didn’t relish staying in a room so I thought, hey, I feel pretty strong that Ireland will let us in. The Republic of Ireland, which is part of the EU. Not the northern part, the southern part, Dublin. I knew that up to that point in time they were allowing U.S. citizens to still come into Ireland. I looked it up on their website and they were very clear about it that they valued tourism, that they receive a lot from the United States and they’re not about to restrict. And so basically, they were saying, “You’re all welcome. As long as you have a shot, peachy keen with us.”

Now, you would have to show your card or whatever, you have to show you’ve had a Covid shot when you go into a restaurant, if it’s inside. If it’s outside, which most people were eating because it was easier for the restaurants, you didn’t have to be checked. So, everyone could eat outside if they wanted to, and thankfully, the weather was beautiful, so we did a lot of eating outside. But when we went inside we had to show a card. Well, the point being was it made it easy to get into Europe. Once you’re in Europe you know what? You could pretty much go to any other place in Europe and not worry because you’re already in Europe.

So, that’s the way it worked out. So, we got on a plane from Dublin after three days and flew to the Netherlands and everything worked out great. Now, others had different battles. Australia had the worst. Kept trying to have things together, kept trying to work things out. Some were going to come together if they could. I’m talking about three or four people at certain spots just to meet, to go out into a park where they could just have a little fellowship. They could listen to it on their own and then come together and just have a little bit of fellowship for a little while because you could meet outside I guess like that for a little bit and then go your way again. But not like at a service. That was going to be for about four days I think.

Some others, one or two here and there got to see each other, but you know, it was harder for them. They had to persevere. They had to fight to get what they were able to receive. I guess I made the announcement during the Feast about Wayne, and he had this horrible stomach problem, really bothering him badly. He went into the hospital there and so Friday, which was the day they were going to have to go back home anyway, had already planned this with the others, with the maximum time they could be together.

Anyway, to make a long story short, he was able to make it back home all the way on Friday. They’d given him something and since that time he’s been okay. So, he still has to have some tests done, but otherwise, I just wanted to follow up in the sermon to let everyone know that he’s doing well right now, and prayerfully, it’ll stay that way without any more complications.

Anyway, so different ones went through different things. Well, I think things like that, for me it helped me appreciate more what we were able to do. So blessed to be able to come together. And to see that they weren’t able to, we want to see all the Body be able to have the same thing. But to know what we were given, had the opportunity for, be so thankful for it because not everybody had that opportunity. They’re living under some very strong restrictions down there that I don’t know how people are even taking it, candidly, if they’re not revolting, and some of them are.

We have to see things like that and balance them out in our mind and hopefully, with us having a greater spirit and attitude of mind toward God for what we are able to have, and they were grateful for what they were able to have. Awesome to see that kind of thing. There were people who couldn’t come to the Feast even here in the States. Age and various things of health or whatever.

But anyway, I just wanted to say that I have never started focusing on trying to get something established as quickly. So, there is an urgency about some of this. Wayne already has a place set for Australia for next year. Prayerfully, that’s exactly what works out. We are already working on two places. Guess where they are? Spokane and Cincinnati. You know why? Because it makes it much easier on me. Because I’m writing a book and I don’t have the time to go out and try to find something different, negotiate different things, and so forth. So, this is working out great. Already contacted them up there, even a couple of others up there, and they understand some of the things. Because we took a bit of a beating financially on part of this toward the end that I was not fully aware of. But we did it because it was too late to change anything.

But it worked out great for the Church. It was a great location and they’re already talking they want us back. They love the group. So, that’s good. You were good. You did well. They loved you. That’s always the way it is at Feasts. People love how God’s people are. That sets such an awesome example.

So anyway, there then, this is, have ideas here for what we’re going to be doing here but we’re in the beginning stages.

Then in Europe I’m trying to work it out so that those who might want to come over there can come this year. Not in Spain. That was a difficult one. But in the Netherlands. We’re trying to get a different hotel. We came across a hotel that it’s awesome and it offers more room. I can’t open it up to others who might want to come if we are in the same location because I had to restrict it this year to just a very few, which I did. That’s because of relationships that some already had. And so, able to restrict in the sense of the numbers coming over so we didn’t have very many.

Next year I’d like to be able to open it up more, but I can’t because we can’t have as many as we had whatever that time was, three years ago, whatever it was, when it was just too full. It’s just it doesn’t work that well, too crowded. Then the fellowship just isn’t the same in that kind of environment. So, we have another place that is absolutely beautiful, awesome to have if we get it. And so, we’re going for it if we can work this out.

But anyway, things to pray about. But as soon as we can we’ll get that latched down. We can’t get it tied down because they don’t have their new prices out for rooming until mid-October. However, we’re going to still have it where people can stay in the same locations if they want in the bungalows. They call them bungalows but they’re small houses. I mean, they’re for Europe, actually like a normal house anyway. I mean, they’re big houses. I don’t know why they call them bungalows. I guess it’s because you travel there and you can vacation there, type of thing, rent them out. So, those are being opened up. Some found some others right next to it where you don’t even have to have the deposits or the time period. You can go in and check out any time you want. The other one is restricted. Some of you’ve been there, you know that.

Anyway, we’re trying to do these things for opening this up and whatever you desire to do, as far as where you go. Maybe some want to go to Australia. Maybe it’ll be opened up. I don’t know.

So, anyway, what an awesome thing, awesome Feast we had. It was truly incredible. Things worked out really great for most everybody in different areas who were able to come together, weather and so forth. But the fellowship, it’s just awesome to be able to fellowship together with God’s people. So much of what we’re going through right now is about fellowship and what Covid brought to light and the importance of being able to be together as God’s people and share in a right way, in a sound way in God’s way of life. The Feast of Tabernacles is an awesome time to share that.

So, next Sabbath we’ll continue with Part 2.

[1] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10063171/China-warns-World-War-Three-triggered-time.html