Month: October 2020

Montana Feast Messages—Day 6

Posted on by Broose the Moose

These message write-ups for the 2020 United Church of God Feast of Tabernacles and Eighth Day in Glacier Park, Montana Oct. 3-10 are highlights from my notes and memories. To really benefit from them, look up the scriptures in your own Bible and meditate on these major subjects.

Ken Graham, “Solomon’s Kingdom—A Type of the Coming Kingdom of God”—“Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1). Jesus Christ is our High Priest. “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (verse 6). “Established” is from the Greek nomotheteo, based on nomos = law, and means “receive the law.” Law is part of the New Covenant. Ken believes Paul wrote Hebrews, and Ezra “probably wrote” 2 Chronicles from a priestly point of view.

As long as Solomon was faithfully submitting to God, his kingdom had seven parallels with the Kingdom of God (2 Chronicles 1:1-4). Solomon’s kingdom was the closest type there’s ever been to Jesus’ coming kingdom. Solomon appears to have failed to actually himself become a type of Jesus.

  • David was king of all Israel. Jesus will put down all rebellion (Revelation 19:11-14). David—and hopefully we—will be riding a white horse in that army!
  • Establish a peaceful kingdom.
  • Create a permanent place for God to dwell (Solomon with the ark of the covenant) (1 Kings 6:12-13).
  • Cleanse the temple so all people can come to it (Isaiah 2:1-4). Establish the true worship of the true God. The sacrificial system will be established in the Millennium (Zechariah 14:21). Why? God says! Humans need visualization of the seriousness of sin and its cost. Humans forget.
  • God dwells with Israel. What will be more exciting in the Millennium than to go to the Feast in Jerusalem and meet Jesus in person!
  • Dedicate the temple and asking God to pour out Holy Spirit on His people (2 Chronicles 6:14.
  • Heal the land which will probably be an agrarian society (2 Chronicles 7:12-14).

“I hope we get to see Jesus fulfill these types as spiritual Beings in the future!” We the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:18).

Aaron Dean, “Removing the Thorns”—“God will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord” (Isaiah 51:3). “Some of Asian food looks like weapons!” God created a perfect place for his first children (Adam and Eve). For disobedience they were sentenced to thorns and thistles (Genesis 3:18). They chose a new god.

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“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a hart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes,a nd you will keep My judgments and do them” (Ezekiel 36:26-27). “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited” (verse 35). The crown of thorns rammed onto Jesus’ head symbolizes the thorns of life (John 19:5). All religions have counterfeits of the Tree of Life. “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life” (Revelation 22:14).

Aaron quoted the Evil Meme: “First we overlook evil. Then we permit evil. Then we legalize evil. Then we promote evil. Then we celebrate evil. Then we persecute those who still call it evil.”

Watch for coming posts on the last day of the Feast and then the Eighth Day!

Just made available: the sermons!

Now you can hear them with your own ears!

Solomon’s Kingdom: A Type of the Millennial Kingdom of God—Ken Graham, Day 6

Removing the Thorns—Aaron Dean, Day 6

Montana Feast Messages—Day 5

Posted on by Broose the Moose

These message write-ups for the 2020 United Church of God Feast of Tabernacles and Eighth Day in Glacier Park, Montana Oct. 3-10 are highlights from my notes and memories. To really benefit from them, look up the scriptures in your own Bible and meditate on these major subjects.

Doug Wendt, “A Time of Transformation”—Doug shared fond memories of the Feast of Tabernacles in Big Sandy, Texas, in 1959. Daniel 2:44 promises that God will set up His Kingdom on earth. A great restoration is coming (Acts 3:19)! The Holy Spirit will be available to all (Joel 2:38). Today there are 285 million visually impaired and 39 million blind, but in the Millennium vision will be restored (Isaiah 35:5-6). Today 70 million deaf, but then ears will be unstopped! Today deserts cover 17% of the land mass of the earth [Antarctica 5.4 million square miles, Sahara 3.3 MSM, Arabian 900 thousand SM, Gobi 500 TSM] but in the Millennium they will gush with water and blossom like the rose! God will provide showers of blessing (Ezekiel 34:26). We will raise up the old ruins (Isaiah 61:4). A lion will lie down with a lamb and a kid. Agricultural abundance awaits (Ezekiel 34:25-31). All people will be able to communicate with one pure language (Zephaniah 1:9).

Scott Ashley, Bible Study, “Wilderness in the Bible”—Scott has visited Israel three times. The Bible mentions “wilderness” almost 300 times. Israel is about 70% desert. Wilderness can be defined as “land where nobody dwells.”

Israel is about 150 miles long from north to south, as skinny as 60 miles from east to west, about the size of New Jersey. It receives about 20-25 inches of rain per year. People “go up” to Jerusalem because it rises to about 3,000 feet above the surrounding area. Bethlehem about five miles south of Jerusalem. The Philistines and Israel fought over agricultural land. The Jordan River Valley is dry desert about 1,000 feet below sea level. [When I heard Scott say this, I remembered that Genesis 13:10 (New Living Translation) says “the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar” were what caused Lot to choose this area when Abraham gave him first choice. “The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)]

From Jerusalem it is less than a mile to desert! How easy it would have been for Jesus to have walked away and hidden away from Gethsemane!

Jericho is an oasis in the Bible, about 10 miles from Jerusalem, going about 4,000 feet up to Jerusalem. Moses, David, Elijah, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ spent key time in the wilderness and the Church will flee there (Revelation 12). The Wilderness of Sin was like Mars, and Israel would’ve starved without manna and water from the rock. You have to wonder what Moses would have thought about getting to go for 40 years in the wilderness that he had lived in for 40 years previously! It took faith for Moses!

David escaped from Saul in the wilderness of Engedi (1 Samuel 23:14-15, 24:1-4). Five feet off the trail and nobody would know you were there! David never forgot his time there (Psalm 18, 63).

Elijah fled to the wilderness from Jezebel [Scott’s wife Connie: “she was a mean woman!”], hoofing it about 100 miles to Beersheba and 200-250 more miles (1 Kings 19).

John the Baptist used a spot in the Jordan River where it was “a big creek about 15 feet wide [deep enough for baptism by immersion].” This was about 20 miles from Jerusalem. Jericho was a winter home for the wealthy.

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Jesus Christ faced the Tempter (Matthew 4:1-11). To say He was hungry was an understatement considering the very hot, humid climate that had stones the size of bread that looked like it!

Revelation 12:14 says the Church will go into the wilderness for 3-1/2 years to refine and purify us before the Second Coming!

In the Millennium deserts and wilderness will blossom as the rose (Isaiah 35:1-2, 41:17-20, 43:18-20), with the wilderness becoming like Eden (Isaiah 51:3).

“Living water”—Jesus offered to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:3-4). “And in that day it shall be that living waters shall flow from Jerusalem” (Zechariah 14:8). The wet season in Israel was when winter rains come right after the Feast for six months. The dry season in the previous months fills up cisterns. Living Water = moving water, well, cool, refreshing, health, life-giving. A cistern becomes polluted with dead animals, algae, rats, scum! Jesus offers water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14). But Israel rejects living water and chooses the scummy. Broken cisterns won’t even hold scummy water! (Jeremiah 2:11-13).

The Water Ceremony in John 7:37-43—The Feast of Tabernacles marks the end of the fruit season and the dry season. Rain meant life! The Gihon Spring is about one-third mile south of the Temple Mount. The Water Ceremony was conducted every day of the Feast, seven times on the last day of the Feast. The Water Ceremony was not done on the Eighth Day, but because the Eighth Day starts at sunset, it’s not clear which day is “the last day, that great day of the feast” in John 7:37-38. But what matters is that Jesus Christ stood and cried out, “‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit.” One million people would be stuffed into the 35 acres of the Temple Mount for the Holy Days. There would be prayer for rain and the Holy Spirit and the Messiah to come with palm-waving and trumpet-blowing, according to the Hillel Psalms 113-118. Jesus Christ was the Prophet to come (Deuteronomy 18).

Today we should no longer be living in spiritual wasteland, choosing scummy water!

Watch for coming posts on Days 6-7 and the Eighth Day!

Just made available: the sermons!

Now you can hear them with your own ears!

A Time of Transformation—Doug Wendt, Day 5

Montana Feast Messages—Day 4

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“Why should I care what these ministers say?”

Maybe you don’t know who some of them are. That was true for me, after being in the Church of God for 51 years now. I never heard of Roberto Parada [below], but that didn’t stop him from giving God’s message I and 400 others needed to hear—not counting all who would later hear in some manner, such as you! Maybe you don’t know who any of them are! In most cases I didn’t take up space or time telling where they serve or giving credentials.

That’s because they were speaking at God’s Feast, and that means they know that will be the most important sermon they deliver all year. They will be fasting and praying long and hard about it! Before the Feast there is a special speakers’ meeting where all of the speakers present their planned message to the others for critique, suggestions and improvements so that the messages at the Feast will be the most inspired and effective possible.

Hopefully you have responded to my regular urgings to prove for yourself where the spiritual Church of God is, but also which physical organizations are fulfilling the Great Commission of the Church.

My testimony to you is that United Church of God which met in Glacier Park, Montana for the 2020 Feast of Tabernacles and Eighth Day Oct. 3-10, is doing just that and trying to spur you on to God’s Kingdom and Family!

God must bless the speaking and the hearing. These message write-ups are from my notes and memories. To really benefit from them, look up the scriptures in your own Bible and meditate on these major subjects. This is Visit-Glacier-Park Day!

Roberto Parada—When the 7th Trumpet sounds, we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2). Daniel 7:27 says the Kingdom will be given to the saints. Revelation 3:21 says we will sit on Jesus Christ’s throne if we overcome. Do we think: Who am I to rule 10 cities? (Luke 19:17). In the parable, Jesus gave His servants 10 minas, equivalent to about four months of wages, and told them to “do business till I come” (verse 13). Roberto said brethren interviewed before the Feast generally felt not ready to rule and some not interested.

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“Are you afraid you can’t be a king? A priest?” 1 Corinthians 6:3 says we will judge angels. Psalm 72:1-2 says to judge with justice based on God’s law. Deuteronomy 18:18 directs a king to write out his own copy of the Torah [first five books of the Bible] so he will be prepared to judge accordingly. In the Millennium and Great White Throne Judgment we will be teaching God’s law. We are God’s royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). Do you choose to be a priest? We will not fail!

Roc Corbett, “Moving Mountains”—Creation calls! We have no excuse to deny God’s existence when we look at creation, proclaims God in Roman 1:20. Here in Glacier National Park, we can go enjoy today “the sermon God wrote on the stones of Glacier.” Jesus often slipped away from the disciples and crowds to go to the mountains to pray.

God has been moving the mountains through sedimentation, uplift of teutonic plates and through glaciation. “God has been working on this for a long time.” “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed” (Isaiah 54:10). “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split intwo, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south” (Zechariah 14:4).

Four more days of messages to go! Watch for coming posts on days 5-7 and the Eighth Day! Now God must fulfill His promise of Isaiah 55:11 and bless your response.

Why not do extra credit homework! It’s so easy to link to http://www.ucg.org/sermons where you will find Feast sermons from other sites and sermons from these same speakers. The best way to get to know these speakers is to listen to what God gives them to say!

I hope this doesn’t scare you away: Someday, in the Millennium and Great White Throne Judgment, when God has made you a King, Priest, Teacher, Judge or Ruler over five to 10 cities, you may be speaking at a Feast!

Just made available: the sermons!

Now you can hear them with your own ears!

You and Me in His Kingdom—Roberto Parada, Day 4

Moving Mountains—Roc Corbett, Day 4

Montana Feast Messages—Day 3

Posted on by Broose the Moose

These message write-ups for the 2020 United Church of God Feast of Tabernacles and Eighth Day in Glacier Park, Montana from Oct. 3-10 are highlights from my notes and memories. To really benefit from them, look up the scriptures in your own Bible and meditate on these major subjects.

Ted Budge, “Redeeming the Time”—We often think we don’t have enough time, even though God will give us eternity. A good book to read Are You Too Busy to Be Yourself? shows that multitasking is not efficient. We can’t call time-out in life! We all have the same amount of time to use it or lose it. With materialism, enough is never enough. Psalm 128 speaks of the right view of values. Ecclesiastes 3 discusses a time for every purpose. Jesus was approachable by all people.

Ephesians 5:15-17 and Colossians 4:5 tell us to redeem the time by walking circumspectly and carefully. “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). Redeeming the time is your gift to God.

Ed Dowd, “Why Are You Here?”—This is God’s Feast, not an organization’s. The way people contact us ministers and the Church has changed. People want agreement with their own ideas. People are looking for a Church that is more about what they want and feel.

We must want to be purified, made white, refined (Daniel 12:10). God is calling us to become nothing less than Gods in His Kingdom of God and family! Priests! We must expose to God whom we really want to become! The Bible is not to stroke our egos or make us successful in business. It’s not a feel-good book. Tulsa, where Mr. Dowd ministers, is the belt buckle of the Bible belt. We must constantly think of the great opportunity God has laid at our feet! We can’t think we can tell God “This is who I am and Jesus loves me for who I am.”

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“God is taking a huge risk with you and me” to give us the opportunity to become God! What kind of God are you showing God you will be? Those thinking, practicing and living the sins of 1 Corinthians 6:9 won’t make it. God can’t have a rogue God-Being! For us baptized, we have no second chance.

We must keep the Commandments and obey God (Matthew 22:37-39, John 14:15, Matthew 19:17, 1 Timothy 6:14, 1 John 2:3). All the obedience and law-keeping won’t save you, but God won’t save anyone who doesn’t obey Him and keep His commandments. We must “hold fast our confession” (Hebrews 4:14). This means wrap your way of life around God “with all body parts in, tongue included!” Meditate day and night (Psalm 119:97). We have to become like Philippians 1:9-11 directs. “You have to want it!”

A personal note from me: Ed Dowd’s split sermon was the most motivating one for me of the whole Feast. It brought back wonderful memories of the inspirational talks he gave to us at UCG camps when my wife and I served on the staff for four years. When his sermon becomes available on UCG’s Sermons website, I will let you know and provide the link.

But hey, why wait! Choose from all the amazing Feast sermons that are already posted at http://www.ucg.org/sermons! Yes, we can’t be two places at once, but we can go enjoy messages from so many other Feast sites that maybe we might consider attending next year.

Just made available: the sermons!

Now you can hear them with your own ears!

Redeeming the Time—Ted Budge, Day 3

Montana Feast Messages—Day 2

Posted on by Broose the Moose

These message write-ups for the 2020 United Church of God Feast of Tabernacles and Eighth Day in Glacier Park, Montana (Oct. 3-10), are highlights from my notes and memories. To really benefit from them, look up the scriptures in your own Bible and meditate on these major concepts.

Hansel New, “Reclaiming the Nations”—In the Millennium “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations” (Psalm 22:27-28).

Reclaim = rescue and restore. Hebrew goim = nonIsraelite. Greek ethnos = ethnic peoples.

Nations are first mentioned in the Bible in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10). “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; [He] has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the people on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6).

Seventy nations in the Table of Nations is significant. Joseph brought up Jacob’s family of 70 to Goshen (Exodus 1:5). A total of 70 bulls were sacrificed during the Feast of Tabernacles [13 on the first Holy Day, then 12, 11, down to 7 on the last day]. Jesus sent 70 ahead of Him (Luke 10:1-24).

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Pentecost was a blessing and reversal of the Tower of Babel.

“The Most High God” means sovereign over nations. Melchizedek was priest of the Most High God long before the Levitical priesthood (Genesis 14:18). We have to watch that we’re not “sacrificing to demons” when we think we’re worshiping God (Deuteronomy 32:17, Amos 5:25-26, 1 Corinthians 10:20). We need to wear the whole armor of God as we wrestle not against flesh and blood so we can break every hold this world has on us (Ephesians 6:12).

Abraham’s seed and promise will result in all people having opportunity to become a spiritual Jew with circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:28-29).

In the Millennium, the nations of Israel, Egypt and Assyria will be reclaimed and become the top three leading nations (Isaiah 19:24-25). “In that day … Blessed is Egypt My people [interesting that the Bible says Egypt—not Israel—here], and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.” “I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory…. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles” (Isaiah 66:18-29. Psalms 87 and 96 praise the Lord who will reign!

What does this reclaiming of the nations mean to us? We have a Great Commission to fulfill (Matthew 24:14, 28:18-20).

Paul Moody, “The Kingdom We Represent”—We’re here for VISION REIGNITED! Hope! Today’s world is totally different from the one we’re representing today. The Feast is an oasis in the desert.

When the nature of animals is changed, signifying that God will accomplish the more important task of changing the nature of humans, Paul thinks skunks will spray potpourri!

Man’s solutions always need a disclaimer of side effects. “Cancer? Headaches? But you will have clear skin!” “The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways” (Isaiah 59:8).

The Kingdom of God must be reigning in our lives. We must become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). You can be a part of it—a forerunner! We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). God’s way works but we must work it! We’re not called to dodge, to not make waves. We’re not called just to tweak things a little bit. We must never deny Jesus Christ before men (Matthew 10:33). We are His chosen generation (1 Peter 2:9). We must be a people unafraid. Ready when God softens people to say “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (Zechariah 8:23). We must be ready when God sends the nations to Christ and to us (Micah 4:1-5). Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

Six more days of messages to go! Watch for coming posts on days 3-7 and the Eighth Day!

Just made available: the sermons!

Now you can hear them with your own ears!

Reclaiming the Nations—Hansel New, Day 2

The Kingdom We Represent—Paul Moody, Day 2

Feast Messages Given in Glacier Park, Montana–the First Holy Day

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Opening Night of the First Holy Day—The 15 Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120-134) accompany the pilgrims going up to Jerusalem [3,000 feet higher than the surrounding area] for the Feast of Tabernacles. Psalm 133 notes: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 134 takes us right up to the opening night of the Feast—for 460 registered for the 2020 United Church of God Feast site in Glacier Park, Montana. “Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord!

The following message reviews are from my notes and memory.

Video—The first scripture set the stage: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man [“No mind has imagined,” New Living Translation] the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). “At last we’re here!” exulted Victor Kubik, UCG President. Looking forward!

Several of the 15 Songs of Ascent discuss peace.

David Jones, Feast Coordinator, “Shalom”—He said God inspired him to make peace the keynote theme. Regardless of chaos and a year devoid of peace, God says rejoice! (Deuteronomy 16:13). Welcome to God’s glimpse of the World Tomorrow! The Prince of Peace will bring it (Isaiah 9:6). “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Shalom means “to be made whole, complete.” “We can’t learn to be peacemakers without conflict.” Here we have opportunity to experience the Kingdom of God!

How can we learn peace?

  • Romans 12:17-21—“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (verse 18).
  • Pray for peace for yourself. “Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today…. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace…. Tell the children of Israel to go forward” (Exodus 14:13-15). “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you” (Isaiah 26:3).
  • Walk away from the world. Turn off the world. “Peace, I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
  • Speak healing words (Proverbs 15:1). What words may God give you to share peace with others? Not “I love you, and I think you’re stupid. Just say ‘I love you.'”
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The Montana Feast site was blessed with 26 Elders so speakers only spoke once and gave split sermons, beginning the first day.

Barry Korthuis, “Rebuilding Hearts”—A kid thought it was “the Feast of Taber-knuckles”! We are here to rejoice together in God’s presence (Deuteronomy 16:13). The word “gates” means towns. God is orchestrating “the great rebuild” of the hearts of His Family. “Has God ever stopped loving His people or given up on them?” (Hosea 11, especially verse 8). An estimated 40 million people live in slavery today. The second Exodus will make the first one forgotten (Isaiah 11:11, Jeremiah 31:8-11). Jeremiah 32:37-41, especially v. 39: “then I will give them one heart and one way …” We prepare for the Millennium now with all our hearts for the joy of helping people heal from broken hearts to rebuilt hearts (Psalm 68:5-6).

Fred Kellers, “God’s Feast of Tabernacles Is a Feast of Love & Joy”—Anyone who has God’s Spirit is part of His spiritual Church. Now 80, he kept his first Feast at age 19. At that time, there were only three churches east of the Mississippi—Chicago, Pittsburgh and New York City. The Feast is God’s love through Jesus Christ. He reviewed our favorite Feast scriptures including Zechariah 14 and Isaiah 11.

We’ve only just begun! Watch for coming posts on days 2-7 and the Eighth Day!

Just made available: the sermons!

Now you can hear them with your own ears!

Shalom, Shalom, Shalom: A Prayer, a Greeting, an Exhortation, and a Blessing—David Jones, Feast Coordinator, Opening Night

Rebuilding Hearts—Barry Korthuis, 1st Holy Day, first two minutes unclear but rest is good

Rejoicing in God’s Wonderful Kingdom to Come—Fred Kellers, 1st Holy Day

The Feast’s Over … When Will God Call You?

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God’s Fall Holy Days just wrapped up, and truly they were the most meaningful ever. God’s Holy Days reveal His plan of salvation to “harvest” His children into His Family at the time best for them to make it. The Father decides what time is best (John 6:44)—not even Jesus Christ and not each of us. It takes the goodness of God to lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4).

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The Feast of Trumpets on Sept. 19 pictured the return of Jesus Christ at the Seventh Trumpet to resurrect and marry His firstfruits who are called now and who are responding by seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

Next, the Father knows whom it will be best for them to be called during the 1,000-year-reign of Jesus Christ and the resurrected saints on the earth. We just celebrated this glorious time by keeping God’s Feast of Tabernacles Oct. 3-9. The Feast this year more than made up spiritually for the Covid challenges! Next post I plan to share a synopsis of the exciting messages we had at the Feast in Glacier Park Montana.

Rather than it being luck who survives the chaotic end-times to live on into the Millennium, Isaiah 27:12-13 says “Yet the time will come when the Lord will gather them together like handpicked grain. One by one he will gather them … In that day the great trumpet will sound” (New Living Translation throughout). Of course, humans born during the 1,000 years—probably many because of the idyllic conditions for family to “be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth”—will be called then for their opportunity at salvation. “So the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord” (Isaiah 11:9).

People in the Millennium won’t have satan around to trouble them. We celebrated the Day of Atonement Sept. 28, picturing this enemy of mankind being put away. The Holy Spirit will cover the earth like Sherwin Williams paint!

Then we kept God’s amazing Holy Day called the Eighth Day on Oct. 10. It seems that only the Churches of God have this pivotal truth. This is the time called the Second Resurection that occurs right after the Millennium ends. At this time, all who have ever lived and died who had not had their opportunity for salvation, will be raised back to physical life and called to their glorious destiny. Yes, many are going to be shocked to learn that you don’t only go round once!

This is the great fall harvest and estimates go as high as 50-140 billion people might have their dry bones rattled back to physical life (Ezekiel 37). They, too, will not have satan around to trouble them.

So, what’s this mean to you?

It’s obvious to God’s people that the scene has changed. Prophecies are kicking into gear! We’re not going back to the old normal. The return of Jesus Christ feels close at hand. Six thousand years is about up no matter how you count it. Nov. 3 promises accelerated chaos and we’d better buckle up!

Apparently a prominent Jewish teacher had predicted we might be going to the Place of Safety during the just-concluded Holy Days. We didn’t. God says He will show His servants (Amos 3:7) and His spiritual Church of God (Revelation 1:1). I’m showing you how to prove where God’s true Church is and urging you to become part of it. It’s time to be urgent!

Why should you not just hunker down and wait for the Millennium, or be resurrected in the Great White Throne Judgment period—both periods not having to battle satan and his demons?

Because the First Resurrection of Firstfruits is the better resurrection (Hebrews 11:35) with a double portion (Deuteronomy 21:17). Those who respond to their calling now will get to be in on the ground floor of the Kingdom of God, when the best opportunities are filled. It seems that only those in the First Resurrection will be considered the Bride of Christ.

We will be the kings, priests, teachers and rulers over five or 10 cities, serving those who will be called during the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment. Who feels qualified to do those roles? God will show us what to do. I for one don’t want to miss out on all that action and relationships!

Perhaps the chief task of the Millennium will be preparing the earth to receive all those to come in the Second Resurrection!

With the conclusion of God’s fall Holy Days, we are now picturing the time of the New Heavens and New Earth beginning whatever God has in mind for His Family to do for Eternity. Surely the Father and Jesus Christ who planned out the original creation in all its infinite and precise details before the Word spoke it into being, have spine-tingling plans for what to do for eternity! At that time, there will be nothing physical—only spirit Beings (Gods!) in the Family and Kingdom of God. Perhaps we will “plant the heavens” (Isaiah 51:16) which would be spirit!

Treat yourself to an awesome sermon given by pastor Robin Webber on the Eighth Day at the Feast of Tabernacles in Oceanside, California, called “Setting Our Hearts on the New Jerusalem.”

Again, you can’t decide when is the best time for you to be called. But it looks like the Father is CALLING YOU NOW to be one of the so-blessed firstfruits.

Make your calling and election sure! (2 Peter 1:10). Repent (Mark 1:14-16). Seek baptism so you can receive the Holy Spirit which puts you into the Book of Life and into the spiritual Church of God. What could remotely be more important?

Back From the Feast!

Posted on by Broose the Moose

The 8th Day ended at sundown Saturday night Oct. 10, and we arrived home this afternoon after three days of driving.

For 16 days I lived without computer, Facebook and emails. That was by choice. And in retrospect, I can say that was a wonderful choice. God’s Kingdom is not of this earth (John 18:36) and we must come out of it (Revelation 18:4).

On the arrival day at the Feast, excitement was not by choice, at least not by wise choice. We unthinkingly set the smartphone down on the top of the car—and then proceeded to drive over it and shatter it like the wicked witch’s mirror! The phone was the only smart one in the episode!

We’re hoping against hope that we can find some way to retrieve all the data from it, including video and pictures we shot on the drive up—including Old Faithful spouting off! However, God says all things work for good (Romans 8:28), and we had been wanting to buy a new smartphone because our old one had been displaying some quirky tendencies.

The trouble was, locating a MetroPCS store in strange territory. Twice we were sent to the wrong place where they had recently moved. But then, a kind woman offered to lead us in her car to the correct location. I kept teasing her that she must be an angel in disguise. She said she had nothing better to do and just wanted to help. There is hope for our world!

What a Feast it was in Glacier Park Montana with 400 people assembled to fear God and rejoice before Him for eight days. The opening message focused on the peace of God, and the Eighth Day on God’s blessings. How obvious that we were blessed with a peaceful glimpse of the coming Kingdom of God on this earth!

The weather was incredibly idyllic for the entire eight days, and it was very pleasant for our five-day drive up and the three-day drive home. I thought this Colorado native would never say this, but northwest Montana is more stunning than Colorado. Montana is aptly named Big Sky Country!

I hope that you took advantage of your opportunity to watch webcasts. I was amazed that more people than normal viewed this blog while I was gone. Maybe I should stay gone!

And now you could follow up with choosing from dozens of Feast sermons that are available for viewing at http://www.ucg.org/sermons.

In the next post I plan to give summary highlights of all the messages that were given at Glacier Park Montana.