Pentecost

Day 46 of the 50 Days to Pentecost

Posted on by Broose the Moose

Just four more days! God says to count Pentecost, and the big 5-0 will be this Sunday, June 16, 2024. Imagine if we will be experiencing anything like a noisy whirlwind and tongues of fire over our head! Actually such physicall manifestations can’t compare with the spiritual ones of fellowshipping with God the Father, Jesus Christ our Older Brother, and all our brothers and sisters in Christ!

My calendar says Pentecost was back on May 19, because that day was calculated by deceived religious people who use fixed dates, so they don’t count it. Could there be something to it that Acts 2:1 says “when the day of Pentecost had fully come”?

Satan has pulled off a good one by having this coming Sunday also be Father’s Day. For those of us who treasure keeping our Father’s Holy Days, that’s perfect to also being pointed to honoring our Heavenly Father.

The ideal would be if all fathers are obeying God our Father. But many of God’s people are pressured to go spend the day with their physical father instead of going to God’s commanded service to worship Him. It’s just one of many times we must love God more than family.

And Pentecost is special because it is a back-to-back double Sabbath holy time. That should bring double joy because of spiritual blessings, but it can also get in the way of doing normal Father’s Day activities.

On Pentecost June 18, A.D. 31 Jesus Christ started His Church and gave it His Great Commission. God also gave the Holy Spirit which is needed to abide in us and power us with no fear, love and a sound mind. Those keeping it are ones the Father has called to be firstfruits who have the priceless opportunity to be part of His early crew, and part of the Bride of Christ.

Please help yourself to the free eBook below on “The Feast of Pentecost” which is packed with 22 pages of priceless information about this Holy Day.

You could attend one of God’s Pentecost services—if you hurry—by going to ucg.org; choose heading Congregations; find the Church of God nearest you.

Why should you bother? Pentecost is one of God’s Feasts. A commanded holy convocation. An appointment with God! He expects us to show up!

In Acts 2, all 120 disciples were assembled together. They received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. There is no mention of any loners who weren’t there receiving anything. Yes, sickness or car problems and the like can keep one of God’s true children home, but we’d better not neglect so great a salvation!

Time for my favorite scripture: May God give you the power to accomplish all the good things the faith of Jesus Christ prompts you to do (2 Thessalonians 1:11, New Living Translation).

20 FREE eBooks (pdfs) to read, download or print

I highly recommend you first read “Building the Family of God,” the first one on the list for a good reason. This one gives you the plan of God, your purpose for living, and understanding of the complete Bible. Yes, it’s 179 pages and we have such short attention spans now, and don’t read like we should, but could anything be more important than knowing—and living—this knowledge! Readers are leaders and you could be one of God’s!

I hope you can’t resist the temptation to read all of these!

Stand in the Gaping Gap

Posted on by Broose the Moose

In the book of Ezekiel God says, “I sought for a [person] among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it” (Ezekiel 22:30). God seeks a watchman (chapters 2 and 3) who is watching and praying (Luke 21:36) about threats from without and from within. To “be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man,” we must stand in the gap and complete the Great Commission God has given His Church (Matthew 24:14, 28:18-20).

The gap couldn’t be any wider and deeper since God and His Kingdom and satan and this world he rules—for now with God’s permission (John 12:31)—are polar opposites. The gaps today are gaping!

The stakes could not be higher

The destruction God’s watchmen must warn about looms just ahead for the House of Israel. So many today are saying, “Great, give it to the evil Jews!” They don’t know that Ezekiel distinguishes between the House of Israel and the House of Judah (37:16). Judah (Jews) are only one tribe of the 12 tribes of Israel. The House of Israel is the “lost 10 tribes” which are the modern nations of the United States, Britain (not Great anymore), Canada and Australia. The English-speaking nations have been on top and can’t begin to imagine that God promises them, for having had His Word available and yet sinning all the more—CAPTIVITY, with only a remnant of 10%! Read it for yourself (Ezekiel 5-7). Israel had already gone into captivity to Assyria about 130 years earlier than Ezekiel; his message is for us today in the end-time!

The Bible teaches tithing, and God plans to save only 10% of the captives (Amos 5:3). Like today when God’s Pentecost, coming June 16, pictures that God is calling firstfruits now to be His watchmen in His early crew. I hope he’s calling you and you are passionately desiring to be an instrument in His hands to fulfill His daunting assignment. Please help yourself to the free 22-page eBook on Pentecost offered below.

Study the intercessory heroes of faith in the Bible

Abraham dickered with the preincarnate Jesus Christ over what would be the lowest amount of righteous people that God would be willing to spare Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:23-32). Abraham got down to 10, though with His best poker face, God knew there was only one righteous (Lot, 2 Peter 2:7-8). Of note is that God allowed any of Lot’s relatives to escape if they were willing (Genesis 19:12), but only his wife and two daughters were. Just as God allowed Noah’s family to go with him on the ark, we can hope that our willing relatives might choose to go when it’s time for the Place of Safety.

God was ready to wipe out the idolatrous Israelites after the golden calf orgy and create a new nation from Moses, but Moses interceded (Exodus 32:10-14). For standing in the gap for them, he got to wander around with them for 40 years and miss out on entering the Promised Land when they riled him to speak unwisely.

There wasn’t much of a gap between the Midianite woman Cozbi and Zimri, but Phineas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, stepped up and jammed a javelin through them to stop the plague (Numbers 25:6-15). God rewarded him for his zeal more than any Olympian!

Good on you if God has called you to be one of His watchmen and you are zealously striving to fulfill this challenging mission.

Each of us must note carefully how God warned Ezekiel: “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house” (2:8).

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

20 FREE eBooks (pdfs) to read, download or print

I highly recommend you first read “Building the Family of God,” the first one on the list for a good reason. This one gives you the plan of God, your purpose for living, and understanding of the complete Bible. Yes, it’s 179 pages and we have such short attention spans now, and don’t read like we should, but could anything be more important than knowing—and living—this knowledge! Readers are leaders and you could be one of God’s!

I hope you can’t resist the temptation to read all of these!

Why You Need the Holy Spirit

Posted on by Broose the Moose

“If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9, emphasis mine throughout). God’s sons and daughters are “led by the Spirit of God” (verse 14). The Holy Spirit bears witness “that we are children of God . . . heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ . . . that we may also be glorified together” (verses 16-17). To be resurrected, you will need the Holy Spirit dwelling in you (verse 11). Verse 23 notes that we have the blessing of being called to God’s early crew as the “firstfruits of the Spirit” destined for the first resurrection at Christ’s return!

Romans 8 shows that the Holy Spirit is powerfully needed now so we can “put to death the deeds of the body” and really live (verse 13) “The Spirit is life because of righteousness” (verse 10); the Bible defines righteousness as “all your commandments” (Psalm 119:172, and we need the Holy Spirit to keep the 10 Commandments in their full spiritual intent.) Galatians 5:22-23 lists the nine fruit of the Spirit, which we need to have the mind, heart, nature and character of God.

Wow, all that mostly from one chapter!

How do we receive the Holy Spirit?

When the people on Pentecost A.D. 31 “were cut to the heart” by Peter’s sermon and moved to cry out: “what shall we do?”, Peter’s answer was, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38). Acts 8:15-17 gives a crucial detail: After baptism, a true minister of God lays hands on a person and asks God to give them this powerful gift. Those in verse 16 had received a valid baptism, probably by John, but did not receive the Holy Spirit until Peter and John laid hands on them. Those of us who were baptized once or more into various church denominations, more as a social rite, perhaps sprinkled as a baby—when we now realize we didn’t really understand what the Bible teaches about baptism or its many other subjects, and we didn’t have hands laid on us—well, serious counsel is in order!

Peter said above that we need to be baptized for the “remission of sins.” In other words, confirmed elsewhere in the Bible, our sins are not forgiven until a valid baptism! We should not put off becoming properly baptized and having a true minister’s hands laid on us, requesting we receive the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s how the angels in heaven get their kicks! (Luke 15:10). That’s when your name is written into the Book of Life! [help yourself to the free eBook below]. Religious folk urge “Join the church of your choice,” but—sorry—you can’t join the true spiritual Church of God. Receiving baptism and the Holy Spirit is when God puts you into it!

Wow, this is worth acting upon!

If you’re reading this blog and understanding it, God is calling you (John 6:44). His goodness (one of the nine fruit) wants to lead you to repentance (Romans 2:4). For now the Holy Spirit “dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). There’s nothing more important for you to be working toward.

So far we have barely dented Bible reasons for why we need the Holy Spirit. This is a special time of year when God’s people examine themselves for Passover service (April 21). In His last talk with His disciples before His crucifixion in John 14-17, Jesus gave lots of reasons why we need the Holy Spirit. Next post!

20 FREE eBooks (pdfs) to read, download or print

I highly recommend you first read “Building the Family of God,” the first one on the list for a good reason. This one gives you the plan of God, your purpose for living, and understanding of the complete Bible. Yes, it’s 179 pages and we have such short attention spans now, and don’t read like we should, but could anything be more important than knowing—and living—this knowledge! Readers are leaders and you could be one of God’s!

I hope you can’t resist the temptation to read all of these!

Beatitudes: Attitudes to Be in—the Kingdom of God

Posted on by Broose the Moose

The Beatitudes in Matthew 5-7 are the crucial “Christianity 101” teachings of Christ—you know, the “blessed are” scriptures. 

To examine ourselves leading up to Passover (1 Corinthians 11:27-28), whether we are in the faith (Hebrews 13:5), we should thoroughly study the Beatitudes and evaluate whether we are putting on the character and heart of God so we can be in His family & Kingdom.

Blessed means happy. Favored by God. Grace.  So it’s great to be blessed! Hear the Word of God, obey it, and practice it till it becomes written in the heart, mind, nature and character (Luke 11:28).

Having announced the Kingdom as “at hand” (Matthew 4:17), the King declares to His disciples

the principles of that Kingdom

At last, here’s what Jesus was teaching for the first 1-1/2 years of His ministry.  First He established His credentials and authority as the Messiah and Son of God.

Matthew 5-7 is the first of five discourses in Matthew [also 10—the Mission Charge; 13—parables of Kingdom; 18—the Church; 23-25—judgment, end of age]. This is thought to be a compilation of His consistent core teachings.

Christ lays out the perfect standard of righteousness. Beatitudes are the attitudes we must be in . . . to be in His family and Kingdom. They are the thoughts and motives beyond actions—what comes out of the heart (Matthew 15:18-20) that defiles or makes a man.

Verse by verse
                                                                                                                                                           
1 –– Jesus on the mountain is a remez (hint back) to Moses going up for the 10 Commandments.  Luke 6:17 says “level place” with disciples and a great multitude.   The Bible is addition, never contradiction (John 10:35). So, level place on a mountain with disciples and crowd. Twice I have been to the tourist spot in Israel, which is the best guess for where it took place. Rabbis would be seated to give formal teaching.

2 — “Opened His mouth” is a Bible phrase signaling an important proclamation (Ezekiel 3:27). Talking in group settings has never been easy for me, so I have to ask God to “open my mouth.” I’d like to be a Proverbs 31 husband who is “known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land” (verse 23, New Living Translation) rather than my natural proclivity to “have nothing to say” (Proverbs 24:7).

3 — “Blessed” is a remez to David & Solomon, where the words blessed or happy appear 23 times in Psalms and 7 times in Proverbs.

“Poor in spirit” doesn’t mean “don’t have much of Holy Spirit.” It means contrite and trembling at God’s Word (Isaiah 66:2). It means humble self. Be clothed with humility, and most of us would like to dress ourselves (1 Peter 5:5-6). Not full of self.  Agape in 1 Corinthians 13:4 does not “parade itself” and is not “puffed up.” It means “spiritually helpless” (Good New Bible). Realize your absolute need for God. The big difference between true Church of God members degenerating from Philadelphian to Laodicean is they go from relying totally on God to relying on themselves.

The first eight blesseds match up amazingly with God’s Holy Days in order:  Poor in spirit matches up with Passover.

4 — How can it be happy to mourn! Ecclesiastes 7:3 says “Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us. Ezekiel 9:4 says God directs an angel to mark those who “sigh and cry” for all the abominations taking place. James 4:9 says “Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy” (NLT).  Never lose sensitivity.  God sent the Comforter (Holy Spirit). God will comfort us so we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4). A witty truism is that God will comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable! Match: Days of Unleavened Bread where sin causes mourning.

5 — Anyone who thinks they will go to heaven when they die must argue: No way we want to be meek then! Psalms 115:16 states it so clearly: ”The earth He has given to the children of men.”  Jesus said in John 13:3 that nobody but Him has ever gone to heaven. Jesus and the saints will rule the earth during the Millennium and Great White Throne Judgment. The New Jerusalem is coming down to the New Earth where God the Father will then come make His eternal home. Moses is honored as the meekest man who ever lived [obviously Christ excluded] (Numbers 12:3)—look at some of his exploits! Meekness is no way weakness! It’s being teachable and totally surrendered. Match: Pentecost.

6 — Hunger and thirst after righteousness means have a deep desire to grow spiritually (Psalm 42:2). Jesus said His disciples will fast regularly. If you’re not hungry for God, you’re probably full of yourself!  How blessed if we have tasted of the good things of God (Hebrews 6:5). Yes, we must be content but becoming complacent is dangerous. Hebrews 12:17 laments how Esau for one morsel of food sold his birthright. Match: Feast of Trumpets.

7 — Micah 6:8 answers what God requires from us: justice, mercy and walk humbly (see also Deuteronomy 10:12; Isaiah 66:2),  This agrees with justice, mercy and faith being the weightier matters of the law (Matthew 23:23). Mercy triumphs over justice (James 2:13). See Matthew 9:13, Psalm 51.1 and 103:8-11. Matches: Day of Atonement.

8 — Pure in heart means genuine, and the word of the year—authentic. In the Bible, sincere means without wax (deceitfully hide pottery cracks). The key supporting scripture is 1 John 3:3 that promises the resurrected will see God face to face, and those who desire that blessing purify themselves to be there in God’s family and Kingdom!  Revelation 14:5 promises the resurrected firstfruits will be “before the throne of God” and this passage notes a difference between God and the Lamb, so at some point we’ll be before the throne of the Father. Ruling with Christ on earth, Isaiah 30:20 notes that people will see us—appearing suddenly to guide them in the way. To the pure, all things are pure—a mind that thinks on right things (Philippians 4:8). “Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth.  Grant me purity of heart so that I might honor you” (Psalm 86:11, NLT). ”Pure religion” is to visit the widows and fatherless and needy (James 1:27). Matches: Feast of Tabernacles. 

9 — There’s plenty of opportunity to make peace because there’s not much around! Jesus said in Matthew 10:34 not to think that He came to bring peace on the earth today, so naturally that’s what people think. He said He came to bring a sword, and gunfighters brandished about a Colt revolver dubbed “the peacemaker.” Yet we must be peacemakers, not just desirers. The NLT puts it “work for peace.” We must “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). Live peaceably with all men as much as possible (Romans 12:18). But it takes wisdom to discern when meddling would be like picking up a dog by the ear (Proverbs 26:17).  Match: Eighth Day (Last Great Day) when all who have never had their chance at God’s truth will come up in a physical resurrection, including the Hatfields and McCoys and Hitler and the Holocaust victims!

10 — The Beatitudes are the foundational character and attitudes required to be in the Kingdom of God.

11— It’s crucial that they charge you “falsely.”  If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

12 — They persecuted the prophets. Jesus said if they persecuted Him, know that they will persecute you! (John 15:20, 16:33).

13 — Salt:  prevents spoilage; gives flavor (Colossian 4:5-6; is scarce and valuable. The word “salary” means worth your salt.

14 — Jesus is the light of the world (John 1:9, 8:12). What joy it must give our Father to see His children glowing amid a world of darkness (Philippians 2:15). The Word of God must be our lamp to light our way (Psalm 119:105).

15 — Like a lighthouse.

16 — We are an exxample one way or the other, so let’s have good works!  Glorify God not you! Generally be seen not preaching at others, but we definitely need God to guide us to be heard with the right words at the right time (Colossians 4:5-6, 1 Peter 3:15).

17 — Do not think, so we think!  Too many think Romans 6:14 “not under the law” pulls any threat away from the Beatitudes, but we should still give the Beatitudes eye service since it’s in the Bible and inspired according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17.  The truth is—and a wonderful “Blessed”—we are not under the penalty of the law if forgiven so God imputes no sin (Psalm 32:1-2). The Law and the Prophets are a huge chunk of the Old Testament along with the Writings, and God has not destroyed them. ”Fulfill” means to fill to the full intent.  Isaiah 42:21 says magnify the law.  Spirit not just letter is even more binding because the minimum you must do is the letter, as we’ll see next post regarding the examples of murder and adultery.

“Does and teaches”

19 — Wishful thinkers say Jesus kept the law for us so we don’t have to.  God the Father and Jesus Christ want children in their Family and Kingdom who have become like they are in heart, nature and character. A disciple aims to become just like his rabbi. We want the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5) and to bring every thought into submission to the obedience of Him (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Blessed are? You? God is calling you to be blessed! Hear and keep and practice!

20 FREE eBooks (pdfs) to read, download or print

I highly recommend you first read “Building the Family of God,” the first one on the list for a good reason. This one gives you the plan of God, your purpose for living, and understanding of the complete Bible. Yes, it’s 179 pages and we have such short attention spans now, and don’t read like we should, but could anything be more important than knowing—and living—this knowledge! Readers are leaders and you could be one of God’s!

I hope you can’t resist the temptation to read all of these!

Recipe for a Healthy Church

Posted on by Broose the Moose

Acts 2:42 gives a recipe for a healthy, loving Church: Four ingredients that must be part of our daily life

1. “The Apostles’ Doctrine”

The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:9: “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing” (New Living Translation).

The apostle Paul also wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:10: “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

The Church of God would not be “one body . . . one Spirit . . . one hope . . . one Lord, one faith, one baptism . . . one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:4-5) if it didn’t have core doctrine.

When I came into the Church 54 years ago, I was taught, “You came here to learn God’s Way, not to try to teach us your way.” We have been constantly exhorted to stick to the trunk of the tree. United Church of God publishes its “Fundamental Beliefs.” I believe these.

2. “Fellowship”

Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us to “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some . . . and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” More like encroaching! Before and after the singing and speaking is when we really have opportunity to “consider one another to stir up love and good works” and exhort one another. How much of the time during a service are we acting selfishly? Learning to love our brothers and sisters in Christ will happen quicker if we come early and be one of the last to leave.

Malachi 4:16 supports this: “Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them.” He writes it in His book, presumably His Book of Life. God calls them “My jewels” in verse 17.

3. “Breaking of Bread”—Hospitality

Hospitality takes fellowship to a deeper level of becoming family. We really get to know somebody when we share a meal in a restaurant, but especially when we share a meal in a home or spend the night.

At our monthly Bible Study, the half-hour of snacks and fellowship before and after the study is so important because it’s what people really want to talk about.

In Acts 2:46, the new Church was “breaking bread from house to house.” “There’s a loaf—smash it!” No, they were sharing meals. This does not refer to the annual Passover. “They ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart.” They were showing agape love in their daily lives by doing whatever was necessary to take care “as anyone had need.”

Paul wrote that God’s people should be “distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality” (Romans 12:13). The NLT puts it: “Always be eager to practice hospitality.” If we haven’t been developing this crucial Christian trait, we should work for it!

“Galatians 6:10 directs, “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who of the household of faith.”

God rewards a host for giving generously of their best. This doesn’t require fancy china or a guest bedroom with master bath; can anything top hotdogs on the grill! The recipient should humbly and gratefully accept. Verse 16 says “Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people” (NLT).

Tony Dominguez, whose family is renowned for their hospitality, always told me: “Don’t think you have to call or get permission: just show up if you need to!” This solved the common problem of the willing host neglecting to specifically invite, and the needy and appreciative recipient feeling like it’s not appropriate to ask.

4. “Prayers”

The Church of God runs on its knees! “Pray for one another . . . The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). Prayer for others is powerful for healing and for all other matters. It fosters agape love when we look out for the interests of others (Philippians 2:4), which promotes the mind of Christ (verse 5). In His model prayer, Jesus instructed His people to pray “give us our daily bread,” and we should fast for the needs of others and not just our “gimmes.”

Prayer lists can help us pray powerfully according to Christ’s model prayer. An effective prayer list can keep us from that horrible feeling when we meant to pray for someone and forgot! If we tell someone we will pray for them, make sure we do it! Compiling the lists keeps us thinking about God’s people and what God is doing.

Of course, we must use them wisely to avoid “vain repetition” and becoming discouraged from so many people having needs. We should always pray passionately with our whole heart and perhaps about only a few on the list each time.

“And the Lord added to the church daily”

When the New Testament Church followed the recipe for a healthy, loving Church—Apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, hospitality and prayers—they were “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord assed to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

God is building His Church today and will bless us if we repent and grow in these four healthy ingredients!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Click on this link directly below to read, download or print this brand new 25-page FREE pdf eBook called:

“Feast of Trumpets: A Turning Point for Human History & For Us Individually”

“I send [my word] out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Isaiah 55:11

19 FREE eBooks (pdfs) to read, download or print

I hope you can’t resist the temptation to read all of these! But I highly recommend you first read “Building the Family of God,” the first one on the list for a good reason. This one gives you the plan of God, your purpose for living, and understanding of the complete Bible.

There’s Gotta Be a Pony in Here Somewhere!

Posted on by Broose the Moose

A Dad worried that his 10-year-old son was overly optimistic. Bad things happen to good people and he felt his boy needed to be more realistic. So Dad figured out a solution he was sure would work and took him out to the barn stall piled high with manure. But before Dad could yank the shovel from the smelly goo, instead of wrinkling his nose in disgust, the boy yelped with delight, clambered to the top of the pile, dropped to his knees, and began gleefully digging out scoop after scoop with his bare hands. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ the baffled father asked. “With all this manure,” the little boy replied, beaming, “there’s gotta be a pony in here somewhere!”

This is the story I needed to hear, as lately I’ve been feeling some elusive anxiety and discontent, though I would freely admit that I am so blessed and have no reason to complain.

Hey, we’re in the dog days of summer which this year have been record hotdog days!

We’re in the long stretch between Pentecost and the fall Holy Days when we wouldn’t tend to think as much about the amazing plan of God. Good news on that front: The Feast of Trumpets is only six weeks away!

And there’s nobody satan, the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), would like to broadcast his sour attitudes to than people trying to live God’s Be-attitudes. Of all people, we need to put on the helmet of salvation and shield of faith to foil satan’s feelings and attitudes from “downing” us.

So it would be good to remind ourselves of what God inspired the apostle Paul to write in Philippians 4. Philippians, one of Paul’s four prison epistles [also Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon], was written from Rome during Paul’s first imprisonment in A.D. 59-62.

“Paul was Nero’s prisoner, yet the Epistle fairly shouts with triumph, the words ‘joy’ and ‘rejoice’ appearing frequently (1:4, 18, 25; 2:2, 29; 3:1; 4:1, 4, 10). Right Christian experience is the outworking, whatever our circumstances may be, of the life, nature, and mind of Christ living in us (1:6, 11; 2:5, 13)” (The Scofield Study Bible III, p. 1627).

Paul exhorts “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ” (verse 4, emphasis mine throughout).

If we’re anxious, it truly is for nothing! Every anxious thought is one we could have been focusing on the sure promises of God and His destiny tailored just for us. It’s wasted thought that could have been better spent casting all our cares on God.

Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles; it takes away today’s peace.

Paul wrote, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (4:11). Surely those of us in Colorado have no excuse!

“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (verses 12-13).

Consider this advice from an email subscription called Admired Leadership Field Notes on “Unwavering Optimism During Extremely Challenging Times”: “Accepting the reality of a difficult situation while also maintaining an unwavering belief in a positive outcome is an unusual quality … Having the mental muscle to accept reality but remain steadfast in resolve for a better tomorrow makes such leaders superheroes in the eyes of others … Leaders know that embracing realism and optimism at the same time is more about commitment and less about belief. Like so many other qualities of leadership, great leaders often commit to an idea before they believe it fully. They let the power of demonstrating the behavior sculpt their conviction.”

This agrees with Psalm 111:10 that if we obey God first, understanding will follow.

Here I am, feeling unexplainably down and discontented though I know that I am so blessed. Does this ever happen to you?

Let’s reorient our thoughts to be thankful. To be content with whatever situation God has put us in. It’s better than a pony!

“I send [my word] out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Isaiah 55:11

Firstfruits: Thankful—and Responsible—for the Greater Crops to Come

Posted on by Broose the Moose

There’s something special and motivational—involving us—about the two firstfruit offerings that begin and end the 50-day countdown to Pentecost that we kept May 28, 2023.

The Wave Sheaf Offering begins the 50-day countdown on the Sunday during the Days of Unleavened Bread with firstfruits of the barley crop.

For the barley offering, the Hebrew word for “firstfruit” is reyshith, meaning “the first/chief/best of the firstfruits.” This reyshith Wave Sheaf Offering points to Jesus Christ, the first of the firstfruits.

There will be more firstfruits: 144,000 (Revelation 14:1-5). That’s good news for us!

At the end of the 50 days on Pentecost, the Wave Loaves Offering gives firstfruits of the wheat crop.

I could never remember which was barley and which wheat.  Memory hack:  B before W.

For the wheat offering, the Hebrew word is bikkur. The two loaves are baked with leaven because we’re prone to sins like bickering. Please don’t disfellowship me for that joke!

The bikkur Wave Loaves Offering points to us!  It’s rather plain definition of “firstfruits” compared to reyshith may be meant to humble us a bit, since we have such an honor and privilege to be God’s harvest of firstfruits from all humanity. A very rough estimate is that only about one out of a million who ever live will get the opportunity to be a firstfruit!

This isn’t like winning a lottery because God the Father personally selects each firstfruit! I pray you’re one! If you read this blog and understand it, there’s no doubt you are!

Both of these firstfruit offerings were offerings of thanksgiving to God. But not like when we ask a blessing on a meal we are about to eat.

Both offerings were much more than giving thanks for barley and wheat. It’s more than just being grateful to be a firstfruit.

Here’s what’s really special and motivational—involving us:

  • Both offerings ask God to extend His blessings to the whole crops to come.
  • The setting apart of a small portion has a sanctifying effect on the whole crops.
  • Our life is a living, daily petition to God to complete His harvest plan.
  • God always keeps His promises and you are His promise that all will have their opportunity.

Church of God leaders have long realized that we’re not in this just for our own salvation but for the crop that is going to be harvested.   It’s not about us. It’s not “just You and me, Lord.” If we want to grow, we must put our heart into the Work of fulfilling the Great Commission individually and collectively (Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20).

“Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles [that] they may by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12).

Revelation 7 prophesies that a lot of Israelites and gentiles are going to come out of Great Tribulation because they heard the gospel preached as a warning about God’s coming intervention and they saw “the Way” modeled—the narrow, straight, difficult way that few find now (Matthew 7:14).

Here we are entering the long wearying dog days of summer gap between Pentecost and the Feast of Trumpets. As individuals and as the Church of God, “righteousness goes as a herald” (Psalm 85:13, New Living Translation). We must lift up our voices like a trumpet (Isaiah 58:1-2) with a clear, unmistakable call (1 Corinthians 14:8). Do we sometimes feel like a kazoo?

When Rick Shabi, United Church of God’s president, was asked what was his takeaway after serving for just over a year, he gave this inspiring assessment: He was amazed at how much God accomplished around the world with so few people and income. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and He directs and provides exactly what is needed!

What can we do to stir up excitement and zeal for doing the job God has given us?

I highly recommend:

Thank God we have the opportunity to be a firstfruit!

But as Danielle pointed out to Prince Henry in Ever After, easily one of my top three movies ever: With great privilege comes great responsibility—for the greater crops to come.

Let’s grip the plow with both hands and not take them off!

“With God’s help we will do mighty things” (Psalm 60:12, NLT).

“I pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:19, emphasis mine). The Wave Sheaf Offering pictures the resurrected Christ being accepted by the Father!

My favorite scripture: “May he [God] give you the power to accomplish all the good things [the faith of Christ] prompts you to do” (2 Thessalonians 1:11, NLT).

18 FREE eBooks (pdfs) to read, download or print

I hope you can’t resist the temptation to read all of these! But I highly recommend you first read “Building the Family of God,” the first one on the list for a good reason. This one gives you the plan of God, your purpose for living, and understanding of the complete Bible.

“I send [my word] out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Isaiah 55:11

Tomorrow Is Pentecost!

Posted on by Broose the Moose

This day is special for God’s people. All of its specialness comes immediately after God’s Sabbath day today which is super special in its own right. It makes for a double Sabbath with so many lessons and so much importance for the future. We get blessed for keeping the Sabbath plus the Holy Day because we must be keeping them in order to understand God’s plan of salvation.

Pentecost teaches that God is not frantically trying to save the world now before time is up—like me creating this just 15 minutes before I must drive away to keep this double Sabbath! Actually the Master Timer has it all under His perfect control. God the Father chooses the best time to call each person who will ever live so that they will be primed for the best opportunity to respond. Every person will eventually have their opportunity to understand His plan when it’s the best time for him. Until now God has been calling a representative few to be “firstfruits” who will be used to bring about a big bumper crop for the Family of God that will come during the Millennium on earth and then the Great White Throne Judgment, also on the earth. Revelation 14:1-5 states there will be only 144,000 firstfruits. That seems to be about only one-milllionth of all people who will live.

Is God calling you to be one of these privileged few? I think so if you are reading and understanding this blog regularly.

To prepare the firstfruits for this challenging responsibility, God provided the two convicting agents needed—His Commandments (His law) at Mt. Sinai on a Pentecost apparently in 1447 B.C. and the Holy Spirit on the Pentecost in A.D. 31.

This will be my 53rd Pentecost with the Church of God. So far nothing that dramatic has occurred. Actually, a greater miracle is God transforming us into the image of His Son through the power of the Holy Spirit so that we gladly obey Him because His law is written in our hearts. Building a relationship with our Father and Brother is way more powerful than writing tablets with His finger or dancing tongues of fire on the heads of participants!

So far it seems like God is granting new and greater understanding of this Pentecost Holy Day and all its special meaning.

I suggest you go to ucg.org and take advantage of written materials and sermons there on the subject of Pentecost.

And help yourself to the newest eBook offered below on Pentecost (the fourth one on the list):

18 FREE eBooks (pdfs) to read, download or print

I hope you can’t resist the temptation to read all of these! But I highly recommend you first read “Building the Family of God,” the first one on the list for a good reason. This one gives you the plan of God, your purpose for living, and understanding of the complete Bible.

“I send [my word] out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Isaiah 55:11

Announcing a New eBook on Pentecost!

Posted on by Broose the Moose

Just in time for the fast-approaching Feast of Pentecost May 28, 2023! This FREE 22-page eBook thoroughly covers all the exciting details about this amazing Holy Day. I hope God is calling you and working with you to be one of His special firstfruits. You will want to make your calling and election sure (1 Peter 1:10).

Help yourself—download this FREE 22-page eBook to your computer, read it online, or print out a copy to study along with your Bible.

Here’s the link: https://theunexpectedbtm.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/pentecost-ebook-1.pdf

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18 FREE eBooks (pdfs) to read, download or print

I hope you can’t resist the temptation to read all of these! But I highly recommend you first read “Building the Family of God,” the first one on the list for a good reason. This one gives you the plan of God, your purpose for living, and understanding of the complete Bible.

“I send [my word] out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Isaiah 55:11

Announcing a New eBook on “The Days of Unleavened Bread”!

Posted on by Broose the Moose

The seven Days of Unleavened Bread is one of God’s holy festivals that reveal His plan of salvation … for you!

This festival was recently observed for 2023 on April 6-12. Most likely you have never even heard of it, much less experienced the joy of keeping it. Here’s your chance to be ready for next year’s celebration.

Please help yourself to this new FREE 32-page eBook on the Days of Unleavened Bread. You can read it online, download, or print your own copy.

“The Days of Unleavened Bread” (32 pages)

17 FREE eBooks (pdfs) to read, download or print

I hope you can’t resist the temptation to read all of these! But I highly recommend you first read “Building the Family of God,” the first one on the list for a good reason. This one gives you the plan of God, your purpose for living, and understanding of the complete Bible.