Those who have been long-time members of the Church of God can speak from experience of pre-Feast trials. Those who are new(er) in the faith might be surprised and perhaps somewhat unprepared when problems strike around these times of year.  Of course, we understand that trials are not restricted to certain specific days or seasons. We are told that everyone who wants to live godly will suffer persecution, and that we must enter the Kingdom of God through much tribulation. But still, it appears that problems and difficulties intensify just prior to and even during the annual Spring and Fall Holy Days. Why is this so?

In short, Satan plays a major role in this. He walks around like a roaring lion to see whom he can devour. He is called the deceiver, the destroyer and the murderer of mankind. He knows that his time is short. He has great wrath. He understands what the annual Feast Days picture. He sees that when these days approach, God’s people (re-)focus and meditate on the meaning of these days. And he does not like it one bit.

The Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread and Pentecost symbolize the end of Satan’s individual rule over true Christians who have rejected the government of Satan in their lives and begun to embrace and submit to the government of God. With the gift of the Holy Spirit within them, they are being enabled to obey God and overcome Satan’s evil devices. Clearly, Satan does not like that some of those under his rule have become deserters and “traitors” to his cause and willingly changed alliances. Especially just before and during the Spring Holy Days, he focuses on those whom he had originally kidnapped to do his will, and who subsequently were freed from their spiritual captivity by God, their true Father. With great anger and hate, the devil will bombard them with unforeseen and unexpected trials, problems and persecutions, in an attempt to make it difficult for them to concentrate on the Spring Holy Day season, and what it pictures.

The Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles and the Last Great Day symbolize the end of Satan’s universal rule over all of mankind. They also symbolize the establishment of the Kingdom and Government of God on the earth, and the replacement, imprisonment and ultimate banishment of Satan. Clearly, Satan does not like the thought that his influence over man will cease. Especially just before and during the Fall Holy Days, he focuses on those who are qualifying now to replace him and rule with and under Christ on this earth. With great anger and hate, the devil will bombard them with unforeseen and unexpected trials, problems and persecutions, in an attempt to make it difficult for them to concentrate on the Fall Holy Day season, and what it pictures.

Satan wants us to forsake God’s government and submit again to his rule. He will try to do whatever it takes to accomplish his goal. But Satan can only do what God allows. And God only allows trials which we are able, with His help, to bear and deal with successfully. Satan knows this. At times, he even asks God for specific permission to see how far he can go, in tempting God’s people. At the same time, God tests us to see where our priorities are, and to give us opportunity to become victorious in our fight with the devil.

Will Satan succeed in discouraging us? Will we succumb to his evil devices? Will we allow his weapons to mortally wound us? Or will we stand strong and fight the good fight of faith to the end, especially in times of difficulties and trials—knowing God’s promise to you and me that “the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly”?

As we enter this year’s autumnal Holy Day season, let us remember to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, being fully convinced that His good and comforting Spirit in us is greater and so much more powerful than the evil and discouraging spirit of this world.

When we see faults in others, what do we think?  Do we look down on them for having a frailty that we could easily overcome?  Do we condemn them and perhaps turn our head in derision or do we….

What we may have failed to realize is that God, as well as Satan, knows exactly what we need to work on personally.  So whether it is God who is testing us or the devil tempting us, in a sense we have custom-designed issues that we individually have to deal with.

So what we have come to see in others may be their Mount Everest — but it is not ours.  By the same token, ours will not be theirs.  We will all have trials, just not necessarily the same ones.

In our mutual walk that we have, as we head in the same direction side by side, occasionally bumping into one another, let’s try to remember that we may vary in the talent and abilities to handle our specific weaknesses in general.  We should also be aware that it is difficult to have the proper perspective while looking at others when we have a plank in our own eye (Matthew 7:3-5).

You may have heard the expression that a person has a kind heart, which indeed some people do, and that others are somewhat calloused and hard-hearted. We know that the carnal unconverted mind is enmity against God, as stated in Romans 8:7- 8:  “…the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Not only is the carnal mind at odds with and hostile towards God, it is not pleasing to Him either and does not want to be in subjection to God.

On the other hand, we are admonished to have the mind of Christ in us; that is, His Spirit, dwelling in our minds. This, in turn, makes us pleasing to God as long as we are in an obedient state and submit to His Will. Philippians 2:5 says: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”

So we have to ask ourselves the question, what should our priorities and heart be, if the mind of Christ is in us?

For the answer we have to look at some of the statements of Christ.

In John 4:34, Jesus said to His disciples: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

Notice, Christ’s heart and desire were to do God’s Will and to finish the Work which God had given Him to do.

Did He accomplish that task?

John 17:4 quotes Christ’s own words, as follows: “ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.”

We see that Christ fulfilled the task given to Him by God, and He finished the Work that He had been given.

Christ’s Work, amongst other things, was to preach the gospel or good news to His disciples and those in Judea and other regions. But His disciples and His Church  were to go further and carry that message to the entire world (Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8).

Although Christ finished His Work, the Work of preaching the gospel to all nations is the ongoing responsibility of the Church and the members which compose the Church. This ongoing responsibility will continue until the return of Christ, and even in the Millennium and beyond.

In Matthew 6:21, Christ tells us: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The hearts and treasures of those who have the mind of Christ in them and seeking to do God’s Will should be to zealously doing or supporting the Work of God in this current phase of God’s plan.

Our determination to actively be involved in the Work set before us is an indicator to God as to where our hearts and treasures are. So the big question now is: Where is your heart?

Is it indispensable for a true Christian to have zeal? Will we suffer loss and be punished by God, if we lack zeal? The answer to these questions is, “yes”, because zeal is defined in Scripture as to be “hot, in earnest, to be fervent”  (compare Strong’s Concordance No.2204 (Greek)). The spiritual virtue of zeal is rendered as “strong love” in Isaiah 37:32 (compare “Easy To Read Version”).

Jesus Christ has this zeal, for we read in Isaiah 59:17 that He “was clad with zeal as a cloak”, wearing it over His armor. This means, we are to be fervent in all aspects of the armor of God, which is described in Ephesians, chapter 6. This includes the belt or girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet to proclaim the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and finally praying always. These are all parts of the armor. Isaiah 59:21 emphasizes the sword of the Spirit: “My Spirit [which] is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth…”

God expects us to have zeal and a strong love for His Word and not to sanitize, whitewash or soften it, so that it has no effect on the hearers. “For the word of God is living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12).

In Ezekiel 3:4, it is stated: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them!” And what is the purpose? “… hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me” (Ezekiel 3:17). What warning is this? For example, “One-third of you shall die of the pestilence, and be consumed with famine in your midst; and one-third shall fall by the sword all around you; and I will scatter another third to all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them… and they shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it in My zeal, when I have spent My fury upon them” (Ezekiel 5:12-13).

Why must we speak these words to them? The answer is here: “If you do not speak to warn the wicked  from his way… his blood I will require at your hand” (Ezekiel 33:8). We must show Israel and all peoples the soon-coming worldwide destruction. In Matthew 24:14, we read that the gospel of the Kingdom is to be announced to them  “as a witness…”  Strong’s Concordance No.3142 (Greek) defines giving witness as including giving “evidence of the Decalogue (the ten commandments) in the sacred Tabernacle, to give a testimony”, so that our nations can avoid this destruction and show repentance by keeping the Ten Commandments.

Why does God want us to speak such terrible words of a warning witness to the houses of Israel, Judah and all nations? Focusing on Judah as an example, God explains His purpose for His warnings, through His Church, in Jeremiah 36:3 and 7, when He says: “It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, that everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin… For great is the anger and the fury that the LORD has pronounced against this people.”

Do we have the zeal to do this?

Occasionally, we hit rough patches, don’t we? Sometimes our difficulties swarm around us, triggering a wide array of reactions, many of them not-so-good. I relate, and much more than I would like to admit. The feelings of being overwhelmed, frustrated, upset, angry, helpless, among many other negative emotions trap me most when I let my guard down, lose sight of my values, and become weak. I don’t think I’m alone in having a positive attitude that sometimes fails.

The hardest part is having the conscious awareness that I should know better. It is helpful to know that the situations causing me to stumble are insignificant when placed in the right perspective, but it is not always helpful. Even with the truth of the matter staring me in the face, emotions persist and the hardness of reality refuses to bend. The question then emerges, “what is one to do when struggling against one’s self?” The answer? Quite simply, give up.

Give up fighting alone. Our weakness becomes strengthened immeasurably when we use the resources made available to us by God. Ephesians 6:11 reminds us to “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Without Godly truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, prayer, and the Holy Spirit, we are defenseless against the force of frustration that we may face. When we make use of what God has freely provided to us, we have an immense and powerful hope that can lead us to bravely overcome our struggles.

Give up relying on our own strength. Submitting ourselves to God and admitting to that we are not strong enough to solve our problems alone is extremely humbling. But, we are reminded that even Jesus Christ proclaimed without shame that He could do nothing without God. We are in the same position. Jesus Himself tells us about how He is behind everything that we do. When His word was recorded in John 15:5, He said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit. For without me you can do nothing.” There is strength in knowing that when we allow Jesus Christ to live in us, He supports us in doing everything. How encouraging it is to know that we have such an Advocate!

Give up on relying on our own view of an immovable reality, and instead prove our faith. Having the faith of Christ, that God will fulfill His plan – no matter what – is the hope that we must have. This same hope gives us the power to see through sticky and nasty situations presented to us. Our faith must not be empty, but proven by action. James 2:22 tells us that faith is made perfect by action. We do this by acting consistently with our beliefs. By contrast, a discouraged spirit causes us to act contrary to our faith. There is no way to perfect our faith with a hopeless attitude. Reminding ourselves of the substance of our faith is vital to overcoming difficult situations.

However, there is one thing we must not give up on – trying. When we give up trying, we give in to the snares of Satan, allowing him to govern the course of our behavior. By continuing to try to overcome the difficulties of life, we make our faith manifest and prove our trust in God. Psalm 55:22 gives us some good advice, “Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” We cannot forget that we have the hope and strength of God to support us as long as we don’t give up on Him.

Is life better for you now than it was last year? Have you personally made improvements in any areas that have held you back?

Jesus Christ said, “‘…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly’” (John 10:10). Is that even possible today? When we consider the frightening state of humanity, isn’t it simply a matter of just hanging on to what we have—much less to be really challenging ourselves to take on problems that will, after all, best be resolved when we are changed into Spirit?

This is, unfortunately, the kind of spiritual malaise that has settled into the lives of many members of the household of God—people who were once zealous, fired up for the Work of God and striving to overcome sin through greater and greater commitment by obedience to God!

Growth is spoken of in reference to the Church of God, and that has to do with a responsibility placed on each one of us. Consider what Paul wrote in the Book of Ephesians (NASB version):

“‘but speaking [better: holding] the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love’” (Ephesians 4:15-16).

There are a couple of ways we can measure “growth in the body,” and one is found in another of Paul’s letters:

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified [margin: do not stand the test]” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Another determination for us to consider is our committed personal involvement in the Work of the Church of God—the Work Jesus Christ is overseeing as Head of the Church (compare Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; 5:23; Colossians 1:18).

Lest we forget, our goal remains before us, and that is to become “‘…perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect’” (Matthew 5:48). Also, this is exactly the ultimate purpose Paul understood that his preaching was to focus on, and he expressed this when he said of Jesus Christ:

“Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28).

Take this to heart—we should all be growing, and even though there will be times when the passion of our calling grows a little cool, we must rebound and continue to “stir up the gift of God” advancing toward the perfection that can be ours!

Otherwise, we may just find ourselves stagnating, even declining and slipping back into the destructive society of our day—and the fate which awaits this age is, as the Bible quite pointedly warns, a dead end!

The mass murder in Colorado has shown again the incredible acts of senseless and demonic violence of which man is capable. Questions are asked as to whether gun control would have prevented a “mentally disturbed” man from carrying out his horrendous crimes; and whether the increase in violence, especially in movies and video games, has been responsible for raising indifferent and uncaring children and young adults who have become willing to strike out against their fellow man and a “socially unjust” society. These are clearly important questions to consider, and “political correctness” of leading politicians, “motivating” them not to be motivated to address these “hot potatoes,” sheds further gloomy clouds on the very dark age in which we are living.

Some asked the question as to why God lets these kinds of diabolical actions happen, and whether sin may have anything to do with them. This strikes closer to home. We must understand, once and for all, that this is NOT God’s world. Rather, it is Satan, the god of this present evil age, who is deceiving mankind to sin. He is THE destroyer, intent to do whatever he can to bring havoc and destruction on indifferent and “willfully ignorant” people who become easy targets for the evil prince of darkness and his wicked cohorts.

Our fascination with guns and violence will not contribute to the end of the misuse of guns and violent conduct—it will not create a better world. What is needed is a change of heart—how we think, and for what we stand. In the famous millennial passage of Isaiah 2:2-4, we read about a new world which will be so much different from what we are confronted with today. Satan will have no more influence over unsuspecting and gullible people. Instead, God’s law will be taught (verse 3). The consequence will be unparalleled in human history and truly earth-shaking: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.”

Their mind will be receptive to God’s way of life. God’s law will be in their heart (Isaiah 51:7). They will walk in God’s statutes and do them (Ezekiel 11:19-20). They will learn to live peaceably with their neighbor and with other nations. They will finally realize that committing violence against our fellow man will only bring destruction. Peter thought that he had to use his sword and strike the high priest’s servant Malchus to prevent the illegal arrest of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. But Christ told him: “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).

Psalm 140:11 takes on quite a stern meaning when viewed in this context: “Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”

When God’s law of love rules in our heart—and love does no harm to our neighbor (Romans 13:10)—then we would not even think of using a gun or a knife against someone. We would not even think of resorting to violence against another human being.

God hates those who love violence (Psalm 12:5). And He tells us: “Violence shall no longer be heard in your land” (Isaiah 60:18).

We cannot change this violent world today, and as long as Satan rules and until Christ returns, violence, mass murders, senseless killings and universal wars will continue. But we are to come out of this world and make ourselves ready for the peaceful world tomorrow. Are we doing this?

In my diary there is a list of religious festivals and today (20th July) is shown as the first day of Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the month in which the Quran was “revealed” in the 7th century.   This is the month that Muslims spend fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to dusk.

My diary also shows festivals and dates for a number of different religions: Christian-Western, Christian-Eastern Orthodox, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jewish and Chinese.   Quite an eclectic mix!   And most churchmen today would probably welcome such religious diversity.  

In her essay “Religious Diversity: Some Implications for Monotheism”, Rita M Gross, an international writer, states that “many people value the feeling that their religion is indeed superior to others and regard such religious chauvinism as a necessary component of religious commitment, or even a virtue to be cultivated among the faithful.   In their official theologies, most religions have dealt with religious diversity only in a cursory or inadequate fashion. Frequently, religions have encouraged mutual hostility by teaching that foreign religions are not only different, but also demonic, or at least inferior.”

However, if we believe the Bible, we will read that God says: “… the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other” (Deuteronomy 4:39), and: “Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me” (Deuteronomy 32:39), and: “I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me” (Isaiah 45:5).   There are many other references, but suffice to say that the God of the Bible is very specific on this matter.

In 1 Corinthians 14:33, God states that He “is not the author of confusion”, and my diary contains a page that is a litany of confusion when it prints out all of these various religious festivals.    As if that isn’t enough, professing Christianity is, likewise, a place where there is much confusion and even contention.

The true Church of God that Jesus founded on the day of Pentecost nearly two thousand years ago, is where the true festivals can be found.   There will come a time, after Christ’s return, when any diary will only contain the true Holy Days, and confusion will be gone.   I am sure that all of God’s people pray for that time to come.

And then religious chaos will be no more!

Sometimes we wonder what we can do to help the church… to do our part as we are often admonished.  But too many times we might come to the conclusion that we are too [fill in the blank] to help out. However, there is a way that does not require the resources that we feel that we might not have.

It is the very powerful act of intercessory prayer — praying for others on their behalf. We have the ability by the Holy Spirit; through Christ; to ask God the Father for anything for someone else (Romans 8:26-27, 34).  We can actually tap into the power that created the universe to ask Him to do something for SOMEONE ELSE.

Christ has set this example of intercession for us in John 17, even as the time of His death neared. As His physical life hung in the balance, His thoughts were on us. We are to follow His precedent and do the same — pray for the brethren.

Through this act of selflessness the heavens are the limits to what can be accomplished.  So when we stop and take a step back and look at our life and see it going well, it might not be because of what we have done, but because of what God did… because someone asked Him to do it FOR us.

At times, people may refer to the patience of Job–how he endured hardship and punishment from God and never complained. Of course, that is not true, because Job complained quite a bit. A deeper and more accurate analysis reveals that there are lessons for us to learn from the story of Job, even though Job had a hard time in learning these lessons himself.

Job is dead and the record of events is in the Bible for us to glean from it. Job suffered from two problems which are not as overtly evident as other sins one may have.  He was self-righteous, and he was also proud of his righteousness.  This is most likely why Satan did not see Job’s problems, because he allowed the same kinds of sins to overcome him.

Ezekiel 28:15-17 shows us why Lucifer fell and became Satan the devil. God said to him: “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you.”

It’s interesting that Satan corrupted his wisdom and became proud and self-righteous. Once the mind of a spirit being or a human being is corrupted with sin, it cannot think right.  It is like a virus in a computer. If you do not deal with it early, it will corrupt the whole computer.

Paul understood this when he stated that a little leaven leavens the whole lump.  A little sin, not dealt with, corrupts the whole mind, and that was where Job was heading. God had to intervene to break this vicious cycle. Just think of how entrenched Job’s problem was. He lost all his possessions; his children were taken from him; he had sores all over his body; and even his wife turned against him with discouraging words, saying: “Curse God and die.”

Job suffered great loss, but in the end, when he finally saw his problems and repented deeply of them, God blessed him with more than what he had at the beginning, as Job 42:12-17 explains to us:

“Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch. In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. So Job died, old and full of days.”

Job will be in God’s Kingdom because he repented of the corrupting sins, which he, in his self-righteousness and pride, could not see.  He even accused God of unrighteousness, because he wanted to maintain his self-righteousness. But Job’s sins were very evident to God, and had to be dealt with.

The lesson we must extract from this is that we must be very careful to deal with sin early, and not allow it to corrupt our minds, since we also want to be in God’s Kingdom along with Job. And further, if we don’t deal with our sins, God will, because He has called us for salvation and not for condemnation.