UCG Raleigh

Can one person make a difference in our congregation?  Can one family make a difference in our congregation… setting an example that inspires others? The answer is yes. When a person begins really trying, and making an effort there may be some snags long the way:they may feel self conscious [this isn’t really me, I’m a fake]others may put them down or make fun of them [they are just trying to impress people, they just want to impress the ministry, they are trying to exalt themselves]Also, a person’s enthusiasm might outweigh their wisdom [their efforts may be clumsy]… but if they are trying to please God He looks at their attitude more than on their accomplishments. We are pleasing to god when we are committed to Him, to His Church, and to one another. And to be committed means to be involved.Romans 13:8 we owe it to one another.We all need to change an to grow in the ability to love one another, serve one another, to help and to give. You may not have thought about it this way but all these Godly goals revolve around FELLOWSHIP.We are going to talk about what god expects of us. We will see that one person can make a difference. You can make a difference. And a biblical understanding of fellowship will guide us.1. To have fellowship with one another we must begin with our fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.Definition: fellowship means a community, an association, a group in which we participate. Our place within that group is based on what we share, what we have in common.1 Corinthians 1:9 you have been brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ. We share things in common with Jesus the messiah. We have a close relationship with Him based on our mutual interest. We also have a family relationship with Him… He is our elder brother.2 Corinthians 13:14 we hold to the same convictions through the power of the Holy Spirit in us. There is a particular quality of fellowship we share because of the holy Spirit There is a power of love and concern for others that flows into us through the Holy Spirit. Be we have to act upon it. Because of our common conviction and spirit we can understand the trials others go through a bit better. So we share those trials and tests with one another.1 John 1:1-3 John wrote to the church about his personal experience with Jesus so that they might all have joint participation in the knowledge of all that Christ did, who He really was, and what He taught.Fellowship with God means we have such understanding in common… we have are to share the outlook and attitudes of God through Christ. 2. We have fellowship with one anotherActs 2:42 fellowshipping has always been important to the church from the very beginning. Such things as the humble potluck… or perhaps praying with someone about a situation.1 Corinthians 10:16 we share the participation in the symbols and signs of God’s process for bringing us into his family. Beginning with Passover all the way through to the last Great Day. 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 “fellowship” or sharing in taking care of the needs of God’s people. Note that the people asked “can we be part of this project”? They accomplished this through giving. The Good Works projects we have around the world are just this kind of projects. Where a collection is made to help out God’s sanctified people… back then it was Jerusalem, today it might be Guatemala.3. God wants us to serve to benefit othersAll too often we only serve for selfish reason, or to impress, or only when it is convenient for us. But serving for the benefit of others will work for our own good… in that we will grow into a person patterned after Jesus Christ. A person who has the capacity to enjoy eternal life.Take every opportunity for personal growth through service. You might say, “I don’t have the energy for that”… but this type of personal growth takes effort. Our default setting seems to be to think of ourselves rather than others. God wants to turn that way of thinking around. When we make that change of o

You will spend most of your waking hours working in one form or another. Does the God of Israel have anything to say about work? Does how you approach work affect your spiritual life? Does you spiritual life affect your approach to work? Or are they separate matters?Career Advice From ProverbsProverbs 6:6-11 the ant is gives us a good example to follow: The Ant Is Self-Motivated [verse 7]No one has to tell the any what to do. There is no boss prodding the ant onward. The ant sees what needs to be done and takes care of it. The ants motivation comes from within.A person with internal motivation makes a valuable employee. A person who constantly needs to be told what to do is: Less valuable: If a manager constantly needs to watch over an employee to make sure they are doing what needs to get done it’s a drain on their time. An employee can be counted on to take care of what needs doing frees up that manager so they can be somewhere else getting other work done.Less successful: lack of internal motivation and drive shows there is little potential for advancement. Employers will give more money to employees with drive in order to keep them. Employers will give promotions to employees with drive so they can take on greater responsibilities.The Ant Prepares For The Future [verse 8]When the ant sees the opportunity to gather food the ant jumps on it [even if its not hungry at the moment]. The ant stores up for the times when nothing will be there to gather. Hard Work, Works! [verses 9-10]To be successful requires hard work. No employer is going to make efforts to reward a worker who is always looking for excuses and ways to get out of the task in from of them. Such people end up poor and not having much.IMPORTANT: this doesn’t mean that poor people are all lazy people… ie. you’re poor, therefore, you’re lazy. That is a fallacy as much as the idea Job’s afflictions were caused by sin.Some people are born poor and its not any fault of their own… it could be because of family legacy, or social injustice. However, the way OUT of poverty usually involves hard work and drive. Social programs can help give people opportunity but the way to make those opportunities successful is through hard work and drive. [verse 11] The consequences of their behavior come upon the lazy person as a surprise… like a bandit, or an armed robber. They were not expecting it. The proverbs have been placed within God’s word so that you may avoid such nasty surprises. God’s word says “you don’t have to learn the hard way, I [God] can tell you the wise way to proceed in life”.Proverbs 26:16 Some people don’t see the consequences of the approach they are taking. Their way seems perfectly sensible and logical… until the moment it isn’t. Consider Proverbs as God’s advice… from one who knows. Learn From The Example of OthersProverbs 24:30-34 try to recognize the cause and effect at play around you. Learn what leads to success and what leads to poverty. The person with the overgrown vineyard and the broken down property probably thinks he’s the smart one for not working… at first these things don’t seem like such a big deal… then you reach a tipping point when the unattended matters add up so that fixing them isn’t even possible any more. You might have a house that needs new shingles to keep out the rain. Its going to cost $5,000. You’ can handle the cost but it will mean you have to put off some fun stuff you had planned. The leak is not in the living area so why bother fixing it. A few years go by and the beams get rot in them and now the roof needs to be completely replaced and is in danger of caving in… repairs are going to cost $50,000 which you cannot afford!The Lazy MindsetThe lazy person [sluggard] dreams and talks but never makes it happenProverbs 14:23 diligent work is what makes dreams come true… not good intentionsProverbs 13:4 you have to act on the desire, or the idea, to get the good resultsProverbs 22:13 those who don’t want to work an be very creative i

Concerns about money and wealth dominate relationships among nations, national politics, our businesses and jobs, our families, and our own internal dialog. We highly esteem the acquisition of wealth yet it ends up weighing us down like an unbearable burden… either obsession with how much we have or worries about what we lack. Without the wisdom and perspective we get from God and His word the place and position of wealth in life gets out of balance.Your Creator knows that money, wealth, and stuff are important to you. Actually, He is very interested and has plenty to say about how we handle our money, wealth, and stuff. God wants His children to prosper, work hard, and be content. He offers lots of guidance to help make that possible. As with other matters like, sex, law, worship humanity makes a huge error… we think we can handle it alone. What does God know about slugging it out day to day… trying to make a living… trying to make ends meet? He knows a lot because: a) He created all things b) through Jesus, God has lived it. But humanity does not give God credit for having the answers. We want to figure out our own answers… cutting ourselves off from His favor, and His advice. Today we are going to review what God’s word has to say about financial security, and peace of mind. I have 6 action points:Guard Your Mind Against MaterialismOur brains are wired to understand reality through what we can feel, see, hear etc. We know there is a spiritual component to our minds but our first instinct is to go with what it material, or physical. That is why God’s advice [which is oriented toward the development of the spirit] is hard to swallow. Much of what God reveals to us is contrary to human nature. He tells us not to make accumulation of wealth and goods our top priority. While our human nature screams “no, gather as big a stash as you can… its your ticket to survival, dominance, and happiness”.Matthew 6:33 God tells us to make spiritual development, building the mind of Christ needed for success in the coming rule of God on earth through Christ. He adds to that, saying that if you make this your focus He will take care of the necessities of life [but that’s not a promise of a life of ease and comfort… many aspects of your spiritual development come only through perseverance in trial].God’s warning about the wrong mental outlook regarding wealth, money, and stuff is actually one of God’s TOP TEN guidelines for living: Exodus 20:17 [also applies to sex, status etc.]Covetousness: intense/obsessive desire for more… “I’m not content with what is legitimately mine… I want to possess yours as well”.Hebrews 13:5Remember That The Source of All Wealth is GodThis is a subset of remembering God as Creator. As creator of all things… they are His to freely give to whomever He chooses… for whatever reasons He chooses.1 Chronicles 29:11-12 / Psalm 24:1Here’s your first TO DO item: acknowledge God for His gifts to you:Say thanksPut your money where your mouth is. Give back 10% of all your increase.This 10% give back to God accomplishes takes your thoughts and puts it into concrete action. It also puts you in the position of participation in, and support of, the proclamation of His truth to others so they might also learn and benefit.Abraham did it, Jacob did it, all Israel was instructed to tithe, Jesus endorsed it!This willingness to acknowledge and obey God is the first step toward learning important spiritual lessons, through the management of your personal finances. Note: God also promises material blessings to those who obey and acknowledge Him through tithing. Putting God first in your financial plans is a demonstration of intent and a re-alignment of priorities Leviticus 27:30 the 1st10th set aside for His purpose not your own.Make a Conscious Decision What Will Be Your Highest PriorityEcclesiastes 2:1-11 pleasure, wealth, stuff is futileEcclesiastes 5:10 it fails to satisfy [at some point you realize, you will have to leave it all behind,

When we think of priests in the bible we think of the levitical priesthood God instituted in Israel as part of the old covenant. That priesthood has been replaced by the priesthood of the resurrected Jesus Christ in the order of Melkizadek. Hebrews 6:20 Jesus has become a high priest in the order of Melchizedek. The scripture also says that He is our forerunner. Meaning He goes first implying we are to follow Him. We too are to become priests of the order of Mechizadek. That means: You are training now to act as a king and priest alongside Christ when He establishes the rule of God on earth at the time of His return.What Do We Know About The Order of Melkizadek?Hebrews 7:1-3 the order of Melkizadek:· Combines the office of King and Priest in a single entity. Everyone who is a priest after this order is also a king [the office of king implies judgment and leadership in non-religious areas]· Such priest kings posses character that is righteous and peaceful· Such priest kings possesses eternal life· Hebrews 7:15-17 the priest of this new order is appointed as such because He is a Son of God (see also Hebrews 5:5-10)· Hebrews 8:1 such a priest sits down at the right hand of the throneWhen you are resurrected you too will have these attributes of priest after the order of Melchizedek. A spirit born child of God,  with eternal life, a mind of Godly character both righteous and peaceful. Revelation 3:21 Just as Christ has taken his seat beside the throne of God, you will sit down at the right hand of Christ on His throne [as priests/kings reigning together with Christ our rank will be subordinate to Christ].What do we know about the activities of a priest?· Priests manage the offering of gifts & sacrifice· Priests maintain personal holiness and cleanness· Priests protect and maintain the household of God· Priests make judgments on religious matters... clean vs. unclean, acceptable vs, unacceptable, · Priests proclaim the sacred assemblies [plan of God]· Priests teach, interpreting God’s expressed will & wordTeachingIn Israel the priest taught the people from God’s word, ensuring people knew what was required of them… what it means... how to apply it Deuteronomy 33:8-11, Malachi 2:7.Christ, our high priest, acted as a teacher during His days in the flesh and continues His priestly function as our teacher: through the ongoing work of the Church [of which He is head], and through the power of the Holy Spirit... His very living presence in you. Future priest/kings will also teach people the ways of God during the 1,000 year rule of Christ…. that’s what priests do!Question: if you were going to teach a class in pottery design or auto-mechanics, what do you need to do first? Answer: to be an effective teacher you have to learn the material first yourself.Future Priest Kings are training today. Training their mind with the knowledge of God and His ways. through study… but especially through application. Head knowledge about pottery or auto-mechanics doesn’t lead to effectively teaching. You have to throw clay on a wheel or pop open the hood of a vehicle!Knowing and DOING what God’s word says is training for your future role as king and priest after the order of Melkizadek.Judgments on Religious MattersLevitical priests applied judgment on the clean vs. unclean, the acceptable vs. unacceptable regarding food, sex, methods of worship to name a few. Some things are acceptable to God... some things are not. In this Church age, the resurrected Christ, our high priest, helps us distinguish what is clean and acceptable and what is not. We have a written record of His teachings but also His convicting presence within us through the power of the Holy Spirit. He taught that the actual eating of something unclean was not what truly defiled a person. If something unclean goes in your mouth, it’ll come out the other end and into the toilet. What really defiles a person is

Another cycle of God's festivals have come and gone. After the Feast of Tabernacles a new spiritual year begins.I always come away from the Feast of Tabernacles with a plans to make a few positive changes in my life. The 8 days I spend away from my routine and my stuff allow me to step outside of myself... make a few critical observations... rather like new years resolutions.Most new years resolutions die after a short burst of application. Then folks slide back into the pattern of life they are most accustomed to. We love changing our hairstyles, fashion, TV shows, maybe we'll strike out in a new direction by growing a mustache. But, changing our ideas, our habits, is a different matter. We resist change on these... To admit we're wrong and to make necessary corrections... makes us feels foolish, insignificant, and threatens our notions of self worth.A great deal of human reasoning is put to work to resist real change... by justifying, rationalizing, and plain old "making excuses".In the year that has passed we each received a lot of good information about eternal life, reward, and salvation. Resolve this year to be a Year of Change! Believe and act upon what you have heard!A New Beginning2 Corinthians 13:5 Has the past year brought you to see yourself more clearly? As you really are rather than how you wish to be or be seen? As God sees you?Have you sized yourself up by means of His word? Have you seen how you have fallen short or the glory of God?Are you ready to surrender those strongholds in your mind rather than protecting them like a mama bear with her cubs?Common Strongholds: thoughts, music, substance abuse, perverted sex, occult, money matters, authority issues, psychological dysfunction (such as stress, anxiety, depression).Prevention is the best remedy... however, if a stronghold has already been established: 1. Admit where you are: stop denial and self delusion ("its just entertainment", "I can stop anytime once I set my mind to it", "its not me its the system")2. Possibly share  your situation with a trusted individual3. Seek help4. Change your environment (bad company ruins good morals)5. Set your will to do the right thing (you gotta exert some effort)6. Go to the source of the problem (what trigger gets you started)7. Bathe your mind in the word of God - (it provides the only objective standard against which you can measure your current situation, then measure your improvement, and keep you oriented toward the right goals)God gives favor to the humble... humble people are willing to change. God wants change, change that's permanent with no turning back!Give Yourself To God CompletelyLive by every word of God. Make this your goal above all else: above family, friends, even your own life. Matthew 10:37-39 think of losing your life as letting go of those mental strongholds in your mind that are guarded, armed and ready to repel any intrusion by God. What good does it do you to hang on to what is temporary  at the risk of that which is everlasting? Instead: "seek first the kingdom of God".Everything Begins With ChangeJesus gave His life to pay the penalty for your sins. But you access the power of this salvation through a change of mind and thinking... "repent and be baptized so your sins may be forgiven and you may receive the Holy Spirit".The changing of mind and attitude does not end at the beginning. The active renewing of your mind after the pattern of Jesus Christ continues throughout your whole life.Winning requires ongoing effort 1 Timothy 6:12; 1:18-19, 2 Timothy 2:3-4A life successfully lived... is a battle won 2 Timothy 4:6-8Godly Change Means Doing Battle With 3 Deadly Enemies1. Yourself - your human nature2. The world - 3. Satan - the accuser, tempter, and liar1. YourselfYour flesh and blood mind has an instinct for reproduction and self preservation... neither of these is intrinsically bad. No one faults a moose for wanting to pass

The end times… the end of the age… the days when Christ returns… we think of mighty armies at war, horrible religious repression, greed, violence, arrogance and so forth. Have you ever thought of faithas an issue related to the end times?Luke 18:8 Jesus positions faith as a question for the end times… when He returns. His question Jesus asks you to think about the possible answers. What is the answer? Yes or No? Are we close to that end time? If so, what do we see? What would faith look like?If you consider faith as simply belief in any entity; a body of teachings, an institution, or perhaps even a person, then on you could argue people show plenty of faith.in all the various religious dogmas out there [belief and confidence they have truth]in science & technology [belief and confidence in observable data]in political ideologies [belief and confidence their way will work]in persons of fame and talent [belief and confidence the right person can get it done]Yet, all these objects of faith are fickle and with enough passage of time prove unreliable.Our age also shows a great loss of faith… in marriage, in government, in the military, in journalism, in education… a loss of faith that truth even exists and is knowable… a loss of faith that there is meaning and purpose to life… a loss of faith in any kind of positive future.Many people are turned off and tuned out… immersing themselves in alternate worlds of drugs, social media, entertainment, and sex. Our young are taught life is merely a series of highly personal choices and experiences, each person alone and adrift. Captain of your own ship… but going nowhere.The Faith We Need [You Need] is Active Living FaithLiving faith is an active living trust in, and relationship with, your Father Creator. that is the faith we are here to learn more about. Living faith is not all in your head, or in your heart… its also in your hands and your feet. Living faith takes what you think and feel and puts it into action. Lets start with a simple example:Will you worship God YES/NO? If yes, then how does that become active and living...Will you worship God as He has instructed or as you please? Will you get up out of your sofa and come before Him at the time He has appointed?… to do as He has instructed, rather than how you please, is active living faith in God.Luke 18:1-8 another example of active living faith. Why is this active living faith? [answer: perseverance]Was her confidence that the judge’s better self would eventually shine forth? No, the circumstances and situation indicated she would fail. The judge was unjust, he didn’t care about people. She won out through sheer endurance. How much more should we expect an answer to a request made to God the righteous judge in accordance with His will!God promises “I will answer”… at the right time and in the right way to get you to the point where you can achieve the fullness of your potential as a child of God. Have confidence that this is so! Have active living faith!Question: When the Son of Man comes… will He find people with active living faith?I started off listing things humanity commonly puts their faith in, science, politics, religious dogma, human goodness etc. The very idea of faith presupposes some ideal outcome, some goal, or end game.Humans want to “feel good” or “be happy”. That future happiness usually takes place in a setting of prosperity, health, and peace [a setting without fear or worry]. We hear a lot about this goal of peace.People light candles for peace, they hold seminars for peace, they propose treaties for peace, they protest for peace… even beauty contestants tell us that what they want is world peace and an end to hunger. It seems like a universally desired outcome.Imagine Miss Universe [as the representative of humanity, Serena Strawman] standing before God… “we want peace, and an end to world hunger”.God says: ok, I’ll show you how to have world peace, but all of you have to do the stuff I tell you to do.Serena:

Jesus promised He would establish an assembly of followers on a rock solid foundation and that assembly (church) would not die out. So, its reasonable to expect there to always be an assembly of His… active somewhere in this mixed up world. Can it be identified?Jesus also told us many imposters would come in His name, and they would lead many people astray. When they come before Him saying look what we did! His reply to them will be “I never knew you. Get away from me you lawless people”.Matthew 7:20-27 in that same section of His teaching Jesus tells us we can know the true from the false. His church will be an assembly of people who “do the will of the Father”. That is the rock solid foundation.Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector Luke 18:9-14The Pharisee is a man of obvious religious practice with an impressive list of good works. He tithes, he spurns injustice and immorality, he prays regularly, he fasts frequently, he is thankful to God for making him a righteous person.The tax collector would have been a person despised by most people. Because of his profession people would naturally assume he was a greedy, corrupt, extortioner. Now consider how this man he sees himself. He sees his faults, how he appears in God’s sight, how much he has fallen short of God’s standards. With this realistic view of himself he seeks God’s forgiveness. If you didn’t know what these men were thinking and praying, if all you could see was the clothes they wore and the badges of social standing they wore… you would probably make some superficial assumptions about which was most pleasing to God.But, Jesus uses the imaginative power of a parable to give you a God’s eye view of what the two men are thinking and praying:One is confident and self assured… convinced that his approach is correct… not examining his life for ways he needs to change but exalting himself before God.The other comes before God, not expecting acceptance and praise, but asking forgiveness.With this insight into their thoughts… which of these two would you imagine would be more willing to adjust his outlook, and his actions, to make the changes needed to please God… to really do His will?Beyond the world of parables we don’t get to know what people really think, and pray, and feel. God does… God can enter into thought, mind, and feeling [1 Samuel 16:7 God looks into the heart]Paul Was a Real Live PhariseeThe Pharisee of the parable was a fiction. But Saul of Tarsus was a real Pharisee before his transformation into Paul an Appostleof Jesus Christ. What does Paul say?Philippians 3:4-6Romans 10:1-3 Paul says the religious Jews are fired up about God, butnot according to proper understanding [epignosis]. Paul tells us part of their problem was they substituted their own ideas and religious practices in place of what God desires, or God’s will.1 Timothy 1:12-13 super religious Paul, spoke evil of the church, did bodily harm to members of the church. Paul the Pharisee, and others like him, considered themselves righteous, zealously doing what they assumed was the work of God… Paul the Pharisee was sincere, but sincerely wrong. He says he did what he did because he did to not knowing any better, and did not believe the teaching of the Messiah. People can be Very Religious But Lack Proper UnderstandingToday, we live in a world where many know the general outline and purpose of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Enough to be dangerous… We live in a world where many read scripture regularly and sincerely… but not according to proper understanding [epignosis]. Most have been tricked into ignoring obedience to God’s commands… yet sincerely convinced they are somehow doing God’s will.God Gives Credit Where Credit Is DuePeople, nations, cultures that have contact with God’s word, whether in small measure or large measure, have an advantage by that contact and interaction. Those who practice even a part of what God’s word says have an even greater advantage. However, if we mix

Over a billion people consider themselves christian. Most often they are born into it. The family may be church goers… they may live in a society where bible and church are cultural norms... perhaps christianity is the state religion. Current data tells us christianity is still the largest religious group on earth. Somewhere between 1-2 billion are loosely categorized, christian.This vast group of people have a wide variety of divergent teachings, but have some core teachings in common. But what this vast majority believe and teach is very different from what the Church of God, and groups like the United Church of God teach.The Differences Go Way Beyond The SabbathKeeping the 4th commandment instruction to observe a Sabbath rest each 7th day certainly makes us stick out in a very visible way. But the differences between the Church of God and the vast majority are more than what you see on the surface. Consider these 3 weighty questions:What is humanity? [immortal soul going to heaven or hell vs. finite being who must be raised to eternal life or remain permanently dead]Who and what is God? [an expanding family vs. an unfathomable 3 sided box]What does God expect of humanity? [must we do as God commands or may we make our own decisions about what commands are valid]On each of these points you will get a very different answer here than you will from the vast majority of christian churches that dominate the world scene.People and churches that believe and teach like the United Church of God are so small, so few. To the human mind’s way of reasoning you would expect that teachings with greater numbers of believers are more likely to be true. Might makes right.Matthew 7:13, 21-23 [explain anomia] not everyone who accepts, proclaims, or teaches about Jesus is a true follower. Jesus Christ does not recognize those who practice, or teach, a “no-law” message… no matter what else they say or do in His name [either good or bad].The teachings and the prophecies of Jesus indicate that something would appear that looks deceptively like a church representing Him. This church would dominate human affairs up to the very end, yet this it would be a misrepresentation of what He actually taught. They would come with a message of lawlessness. Jesus has warned you about it in advance.Matthew 24:4-5 people will come forth in the name of Jesus and proclaim Him to be the Christ or Messiah… yet lead large numbers of people astray [verses 11-12 tell you how]Where Do Most Christian Churches Get Their Teachings & Practises?You would assume they get their teachings from God’s own word. What they say sounds very biblesque. But if you go back to the 3 core teachings mentioned earlier, immortality of the soul, a triad of co-equal God beings, the place of God’s law in your life… what you are really hearing is human imagination and reasoning, human desires and goals, and doctrines of demons. Scripture is then distorted and read out of context to comply with these human ideas and philosophies. It sounds very biblesque… yet teaches an approach to life, an understanding of God, and false hope that are simply not found in scripture. I believe this is a very serous way in which humanity violates the commandment that warns “do not use my name in ways that are false, empty, and worthless”? Don’t attach my name to your worthless ideas!What Are Churches Supposed To Teach?Matthew 28:20 we are to teach what Jesus taughtMatthew 19:16-17 obedience to God’s commandments leads to eternal lifeThis is the same message taught by the apostles and the Church of God!Romans 1:15 teach the obedience that comes from faith [Romans 3:31]Colossians 2:6-8 stick with this and don’t be fooled by deceptive philosophy [human reason, human imagination and ideas]. Error, Confusion, and Deception Are Always At The Church’s DoorPeter, Paul, John and others went forth filled with zeal, faith, and truth. The church of God grew rapidly and spread out all over the Roman empire. Those were the da

Will science ever find a way to allow us to live forever? With all that humanity is able to accomplish the hope that we may one day eliminate death seems almost possible. Each year new breakthroughs and technologies are introduced in our search for ways to prolong life and perhaps even to live forever. The dream of living forever is part of how we humans think. Our creator has put this notion of eternity into our minds. But He has not built into us the knowledge or power to make eternal life happen (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The eternity we long for can only come from God our Father who does have the knowledge and power to make eternal life happen.The good news is God your Father very much wants you to have life everlasting. He wants you to go from here to eternity.Romans 6:23Yes, eternal life is a gift God wants to give to you. All He asks is that you trust Him and work with Him through the process He has planned for you. It’s a process designed to get you from here… to eternity. Getting from here to thereWhen moving from one place to another place you often must go through a passage way to come out on the other side... like a door, or a hallway. And for a short period of time you are no longer in the place you started nor are you in the place you are headed.In the same way you can imagine God’s process for getting you from here to eternity. The here is your temporary life that lasts only a short while then ends… the destination is eternal life that never ends. To get to your destination you leave where you are and begin moving towards your destination.What is that passage way?To get from your dead-end life to an eternal life you must enter into something else. You must pass through a life under the judgment and careful assessment of God. Judgment is a bit of a dirty word these days so it warrants a bit of explanation:Discuss Krisis (evaluation)… and Krinos (v)/Krima (n) (decision or verdict)  use analogy of test driving a sports carPossible verdicts would be to condemn or find guilty (katakrino) or to acquit… to find not guilty (dikaioo) or justified.There are two ways you can enter into this process… one is by invitation and it is happening now… the second is offered to everyone and occurs much later – in fact not until after Christ returns and reigns on earth for 1000 years. The first and best way to get started is to receive and accept God’s invitation now. God calls and draws you to Him by the power of His Holy Spirit. You can accept His invitation through repentance and baptism. After baptism and the laying on of hands you will receive the power that makes eternal life possible… God’s Holy Spirit.1 Peter 4:12-17 the members of God’s household have entered into their time of judgment with the most holy God…. See also 1 Corinthians 11:32-33Living a life under judgmentWith God’s empowering Holy Spirit and the knowledge from His word you will live out your days. God will watch you, evaluate you, test you, guide you and determine if you are willing to live by the principles of eternal life found in His word. If you demonstrate through your way of living that you can be trusted with eternal life and remain faithful to its principles… then you have an everlasting future. God will confirm the gift of eternal life He has begun in you through the life giving Holy Spirit.Colossians 3:1-10… verse 1 risen (baptism/physical resurrection)… appear in glory (resurrection to a glorious spiritual body)… read more about it in 1 Corinthians 15This first option will place you among the blessed and holy who share in the first resurrection to eternal life Revelation 20:6. It’s the better option and offers many positive rewards. So, if God is calling you now you should respond!God’s Holy Festivals teach us about the steps in His plan of salvation for humanity and this day when Christ returns to resurrect the firstfruits and bring them into the fullness of their inheritance in the family of God is pictured by the Feast of Trumpets.What happens to eve

If I ask you, “does God have enemies” you might think first of Satan, who popular imagination presents as God’s arch enemy, but what about people? Are there human beings who are God’s ENEMIES!That might conjure up an image of some fiendish villain like Adolph Hitler, or perhaps an angry atheist media celebrity sputtering forth with accusations, demeaning jokes, or sarcasm. The painful reality is that there are far more enemies of God than you could have ever imagined.Romans 8:7 the mind of flesh is hostile toward God. It does not allow itself to be ruled by the law of God… nor is it even able to. Let that sink in…it means that every human being … by their very nature, by the very way their mind operates is an enemy of God!Cuz, Baby you were born that way… [Note: you were not born a wrong doer or under a penalty for crimes you had not yet committed, but you were born with a mind made of flesh that cannot and will not submit itself to the laws of God… so you quickly wandered off into disobedience to God’s laws… and the penalty for that is that you are cut off from eternal life]. Your whole way of thinking and acting is a state of conflict with your creator God. Its a core conflict… it doesn’t just stay in your head… it’s a way of thinking and acting that creates the war, violence, oppression we see in the world. Divorce, anger, bitter disagreement, and resentment are everywhere… even reaching into the church of God.How Do I Fix This Way Of Thinking?First, your relationship with God your creator must be fixed. You and God are enemies until that hostility begins to be addressed. But, before God can get to work on you... we have to deal with the penalty stuff [cut off from God, cut off from eternal life]. That’s what the Passover… and baptism are all about.Colossians 1:21-22 our hostile relationship with God can be set on a path toward, friendship, love, grace, peace… good stuff like that. After that we move to fix our relationships with our fellow humans. But, it begins with Christ. He takes that penalty away… and you are no longer cut off from God. That free access opens up all kinds of wonderful opportunities.Romans 5: 8-10 - God is the peacemaker. God makes the first move. He sets an example for us of proactive reconciliation which we can [and must] then use to repair and maintain our human relationships.Matthew 5:9 God’s goal for us is that we become like Him. We become peacemakers at work, in our neighborhoods, in our marriages, in our church, among our friends.How Can I Identify This Way Of Thinking?The way of thinking that leads to hostility with God and conflict with others builds on top of our natural needs and desires… but does so in a way that leads to bad results. Pride – an exaggerated view of self… to see the rightness or wrongness of a situation by how it affects me, how others are treating me… rather than how am I contribution to this problem or how do I treat others. The only acceptable outcome of a proud mindset is that I get what I want… I win. But, where does that leave the other party? Whether God or man. Emotional need to have others heal me and my feelings rather than take the process of reconciliation into our own hands. Who will say I’m sorry first. Combine this with point #1 and you have a you could have a standoff… someone has to make the first move. Quest for happiness – looking for others to provide us with feelings of happiness, or emotional satisfaction, a sense of stability and justice… Problem because other people fall short of our expectations… and we end up in conflict Think of the love languages… you express love through gifts, so you are expecting and wanting gifts. She expresses love through acts of service. She shows you love in a way that is important to her… you are disappointed because you are expecting gifts. The emotional needs are legit… but how we seek to fulfill them can drive conflict. Because we start to see that other person as an obstacle in the path towards our personal fulfillm