Feast of Tabernacles 2014—Day 1

Learn How to Rule

Fred R. Coulter—October 9, 2014

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Greetings, everyone, welcome to the Feast of Tabernacles, 2014. The first day is a Holy Day, the 15th of the 7th month. This shows the great purpose, the great fulfillment for us, for the world, for the earth, for everything when the Millennial reign of God begins with Jesus Christ and the saints ruling.

We find the seeds of this in Lev. 23; we find that it is what God commanded Moses. For the children of Israel back then, it was to be a reminder when they lived in booths when they were coming out of the land of Egypt. But for us it has an entirely different meaning, a greater meaning. Today we are going to learn how to rule!

Leviticus 23:33: "And the LORD spoke to Moses saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, saying, "The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD. On the first day shall be a Holy convocation. You shall do no servile work therein"'" (vs 33-35). So, it's a Holy convocation today. That is a special High Day for God. During the High Days for God, He wants to be at one with His people:

• at one spiritually
• at one mentally
• at one in coming to Him

to:

• serve Him
• love Him
• keep His commandments
• praise Him for His goodness

Verse 36: "Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD….."

In Num. 29 you see that most of the offerings are given on the first day; however, through every day of the seven there are 14 lambs. The great significance of that I can't tell you. Those were the official offerings. We're to bring offerings; we're to bring things to God during the Feast of Tabernacles as God has blessed us.

Verse 37: "These are the Feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be Holy convocations to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, everything on its day; besides the Sabbaths of the LORD… [every Holy Day is a Sabbath] …and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD" (vs 37-38). That's in addition to the tithes and offerings that we give to God regularly, because those belong to God. Whenever we have an increase, we are to tithe on that increase.

We have a command in Deut. 16 that we are to come three times in a year, present ourselves before God, we're to give an offering according to the blessing of the Lord that God has given us. So, every year when we come to the Feast of Tabernacles—and lo, many of us have been coming many years—that is good; that is fantastic because all of these things give us an opportunity to learn how to rule and reign properly.

When we give the offerings, we give it from our heart, we give it through the grace of God. We know that God will provide for us. We are to rejoice before the Lord in everything.

Deuteronomy 16:16: "Three times in a year shall all your males appear before the LORD your God in the place which He shall choose: in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles. And they shall not appear before the LORD empty."

It doesn't mention Trumpets or Atonement[transcriber's correction]; does that mean that when we come before God on those Holy Days we're not to bring an offering? It does not say that this is the only time that you bring offerings. You need to think upon that.

Verse 17: "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God, which He has given you."

We thank you for your kindness and your generousness in your offerings, and we use it in everything to serve the brethren, feed the flock, preach the Gospel and to warn the world! That's what God would have us do.

(pause for the offering)

How do we learn to rule? First of all, it's got to start with conversion and right in our mind! Just like rulers of this nation need to follow the Constitution—which they don't—and since they don't they don't know how to rule the way that they should.

Likewise with us. The whole Word of God is the Constitution and we need to learn it. We have a special advantage, which is the Holy Spirit of God. Here is the way that God teaches us: with His Word and His Spirit combined together:

Hebrews 10:15: "And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after He had previously said, 'This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days,' says the Lord…." (vs 15-16). This is the New Covenant for us now. This is the coming covenant for Israel and the world in the Millennium, which we will help administer under Christ, and teach to the people then.

"…'I will give My laws into their hearts, and I will inscribe them in their minds.'…. [That replaces all the sin that had been there before.] (That's why He can say): …And their sins and lawlessness I will not remember ever again."

We're going to see something else. In putting them in our mind, we have to actively do that. Remember that the words that we read have a spiritual effect in our mind: they are Life and they are Spirit!Eph. 2 shows that we are the workmanship of God—God's workmanship! Think of the Scriptures in the Old Testament that talks about the potter and the clay. God is the Potter, we are the clay; He is the Workman, we are His workmanship. Between the Holy Spirit of God in us—which has two parts:

1. from Christ
2. from the Father

We are being given the mind of Christ and the Word of God to prepare to learn to rule; preparing for eternal life. A 'religion' would be you do this, you do that, you do the other thing; you come here, you go there—that's it!

• God has a purpose
• God is working with us

It is the greatest work that is done on the face of the earth. The work that God is forming in each and every one of us. That is the work of God! What we do in reaching out to the world is the work of the ministry. The work of God is what He's doing in each of us. That's why we have the Holy Spirit of God.

Ephesians 2:8: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this especially is not of your own selves; it is the gift of God, not of works… [of men] …so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created…" (vs 8-9).

We're to be a new creation; that new creation is being built within us with the Spirit of God. It's not just believe in Jesus and VOILA! you're a new creature. No you're not! You're the same you were the minute before you accepted Christ. But now you have to go on and let God the Father and Jesus Christ develop in you through the workmanship of God that He creates.

"…created in Christ Jesus unto the good works…" (vs 9-10). We're going to examine a lot of the 'good works,' a lot of the things we need to do.

How do we learn the best? By doing! By applying! So, as God is working with us, we are learning, being taught of God. He is working and developing our mind, and our mind is like clay so to speak.

• the mind is made to receive the Spirit of God
• the mind is made to overcome and grow
• the mind is made to develop the righteousness of Christ in us

—by the work of the power of the Spirit of God!

"…that God ordained beforehand in order that we might walk in them" (v 10). As we walk in them we learn! Everything that we do teaches us something.

We are going to spend just about all the rest of the time with this message in Psa. 119. This is one of the greatest Psalms in all of the Bible, without a doubt. The Levites, when this was sung in the temple, were required to memorize it, every single thing. I don't know if we can memorize it, but we can study it and learn it, and have it written in our heart and mind in preparation so that we will be able to know how to rule. You have to rule:

• with love and with law
• with mercy and with grace
• with strength and with discipline
• by being an example

That's why it's going to work during the Millennium, because all the rules will be spirit beings—resurrected sons and daughters of God—

• who have learned
• who know the Word of God
• who are working for God
• who are carrying out the will of God

in teaching people the way of God! That's going to be fantastic; that's the whole world! The whole world is going to have the knowledge of God 'as the oceans cover the earth.' Think of that! And we're going to be the ones who bring it!

Let's see how great this Psalm is, Psalm 119:1: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way…" Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life! There is the way of God. There are the pathways of the Lord. "…undefiled in the way…" means that you stay on the straight and narrow. Of course, it is straight and narrow! That's what Jesus said.

"…who walk in the Law of the LORD" (v 1). That means within! If it's in our heart and mind, and we obey in the spirit, think how great that is? Think of what God is molding because of that.

Verse 2: "Blessed are they who keep His testimonies and who seek Him with the whole heart." That's what we are to do every single day.

Verse 3: "They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways." It's going to minimize your sins. When you sin you can repent! God will convict your heart and you can repent. Go to Him and confess your sins and He will 'cleanse you from all unrighteousness.' What a promise that is.

Verse 4: "You have commanded us to keep Your precepts diligently"—the precepts of God. All the precepts of God are degrees and aspects of His laws and commandments and statutes. The precepts of God are the pillars and foundations of what He builds everything on.

Verse 124: "Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy, and teach me Your statutes…. [we have to learn of God; we're being taught] …I am Your servant; give me understanding that I may know Your testimonies…. [it all comes from God] …It is time for the LORD to work…" (vs 124-126). He's always working. Jesus said, 'I work and My Father works.' But this can have reference to the return of Christ.

"…for they have made void Your Law" (v 126). When you look out and see the lawlessness in the world, when you look out and see what they're doing in the world, that should help you love the ways of God and the Truth of God even more! We are to hate and despise every false way; yes, absolutely! God does and we should! Because of that:

Verse 127: "Therefore, I love Your commandments above gold—yea, above fine gold. Therefore, I esteem all Your precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way" (vs 127-128). So, the precepts of God:

• How does God think?
• How does He put things together?

That's what we need to learn!

Verse 9: "With what shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word." That's what we need. All you young people out there—in some places there are more young people than others—understand this, this is how you keep yourself out of trouble. You need God more than anything else.

Don't think that we're all religious and everything and you can hardly wait until you're 18 and get out the door of the house. If you do that, it's going to come upon you big time!Seek God while you're young! Seek His way while you have a mind to do so! Don't let Satan get hold of you.

Here's how you do it, v 10: "With all my heart I have sought You; O let me not wander from Your commandments. Your Word I have laid up in my heart, so that I might not sin against You" (vs 10-11).

Every one of these things are a teaching moment. You've heard politicians say, 'This is a teaching moment.' I remember that with the 'beer summit' with Obama, and he got it all wrong!

Verse 12: "Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes…. [precepts, statutes, commandments] …With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth." We are to make righteous judgments. We're not to judge after our eyes, of seeing; we are to judge what the facts really, really are. 'Judge righteous judgment,' Jesus said.

Verse 14: 'I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies as much as in all riches." That's how important the things of God are, because of the true riches of God. What did God tell the Laodiceans?

• Buy from Me gold tried in the fire that you may be rich!
• Put eye-salve on your eyes that you may see!
• As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten!

Verse 15: "I will meditate upon Your precepts and have respect to Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word" (vs 15-16).

Each one of those could be a sermon in itself; every one of those verses. But notice all the qualities that are necessary for learning how to rule.

Verse 17: "Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your Word." See how it all adds up together? Brethren, what a fantastic blessing that we have the whole Bible, all of it! All the instruction of God! The way that it can be made available to people today:

• printed
• distributed
• put online
• video
• audio

All of that together so people can learn. Here's what will happen in your understanding and in your knowledge if you apply all the things that we have brought up here:

Verse 18: "Open my eyes so that I may behold wondrous things out of Your Law." Out of the Word of God:

• read it
• study it
• hear it
• repeat it
• go over it

All of these things are preparing your mind spiritually to rule! It's all right here! You don't have to ask when you're resurrected when the Lord says you rule this city over here: 'What do I do, Lord, I don't know how to rule?' Yes, you can learn right now!

Verse 26: "I have declared my ways, and You answer me; teach me Your statutes…. [again, teach God's way] …Make me to understand the way of Your precepts, and so shall I speak of Your wonderful works" (vs 26-27). That's what God has done with the whole Bible, and we have it all there.

On the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles it's a good idea to learn how we're going to rule.

Verse 30: "I have chosen the way of Truth…" [notice that over and over again] …I have laid Your judgments before me." All the ways of God are:

• Truth
• mercy
• sure
• good

and we are blessed to be able to have the opportunity to:

• learn them
• study them
• understand them
• understand the plan of God

Think about it! Think about all the people in the world, all out there doing all the things that they are doing. Just like it says in Daniel, 'going to and fro'; coming here, going there. Add on top of it, the umbrella of understanding that none of the wicked shall understand.

Brethren, God has given us the understanding of His plan, of His purpose, of His purposes of love and Truth for every one of us. That's why we're here; that's why we keep the Feast of Tabernacles. "…I have laid Your judgments before me." That is to know, learn and understand them. We're going to find all the way through here: teach me! We're all taught of God: teach me!

Verse 33: "Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end." Remember what Jesus said: The one who endures to the end shall be saved! We have to endure to the end, do these things to the end.

Verse 34: "Give me understanding, that I may keep Your Law and observe it with all my heart." Isn't that something? Why does God want us to do this?

• He'll answer that prayer
• He will show you

It will probably all fall on the two commandments:

1. loving God
2. loving your neighbor

Verse 35: "Make me to walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in them." Not thinking of them as things of constraint, but think of them as channels of goodness, to show us what we need to do, where we need to go.

Now, if you're walking alongside the edge of a cliff, wouldn't you like someone to tell you, 'Don't go to the right hand, you're going to fall off'? Yes, indeed! Likewise with this. "…I delight in them."

Verse 36: "Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness." Listen! Let the rich and all the people out there have all of their things, for it's going to dissolve into nothing! When it's gone, what do they have? Nothing! But if we desire God's way, if we yearn after His way, after His laws, commandments and testimonies, and not after covetousness, we will be filled!

Here's a little of bringing every thought into captivity and casting down high imagination within us that exalts itself against the Word of God:

Verse 37: "Turn away my eyes from seeing vanity; give me life in Your way…. [quite a difference] …Fulfill Your word to Your servant, so that You may be feared…. [this tells a wonderful, tremendous story]: …Turn away my reproach, which I fear… [keep yourself from troubles and difficulties] …for Your judgments are good. Behold, I have longed after Your precepts; give me life in Your righteousness" (vs 37-40).

Just like David said, 'I sought you as in a dry and thirsty land where no water is.' If we come to God that way, look at the Word of God that way, let these things come to us in the way that God wants, just think how good that that is going to be for us, and how we can grow in grace and knowledge and understanding.

Verse 47—this needs to be our attitude. If we have this kind of attitude think how that is pleasing to God. Think about how many people are out there in the world and say, 'We don't believe in God; we're atheists.' And those 'religionists' that come along and say that the Law is done away—false religions!Think how many people—and it's very few, indeed—do this:

Verse 47: "And I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I have loved." Think on that! Let that sink deep into your heart and mind.

Verse 48: "And I will lift up my hands unto Your commandments, which I have loved, and I will meditate on Your statutes." This is how, brethren, we grow in the knowledge of how to rule. We will know what is to be done and how it should be administered. Isn't that something?

• We learn by doing!
• We learn by repetition!
• that's why we have Sabbath every seven days
• that's why we have the Holy Days—all of them—once a year

Verse 64: "O LORD, the earth is full of Your mercy; teach me Your statutes. You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your Word" (vs 64-65). That's what we want!

Just think, brethren, what a wonderful thing it is when we have the heart, mind, attitude, willingness and desire

• to love God
• to learn of His ways
• to prepare to rule with Christ

This is how we do it.

Verse 66: Teach me good judgment and knowledge…"—because just like the Bible is understood: precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, there a little; likewise when we grow in grace and knowledge. It is precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, there a little; and it is built into our minds. It becomes part of our way of thinking. It resides in there and stays there because we do the things that are pleasing to God and love Him, and do it continually. Look at it again this way, as we have pointed out: Jesus said that the one who is coming to the Light—Christ is the Light—we are to constantly be coming to Him. The people in the world don't like that because the Light exposes their deeds as evil. They don't want to be exposed. But the one who comes to the Light has his works done in the light. That's how we need to view everything that we are covering here.

Verse 73: "Your hands have made me and formed me; give me understanding so that I may learn Your commandments."

Let's stop and think about this for a minute. When we were conceived, every single one of us was just a little pinprick of life. God set in motion everything to create us in our mother's womb. Then we were born. Everything about us has come from God. Everything in creating it has been the handiwork of God.

His hands literally formed Adam and Eve, but He put in them, with His hands, to produce their own sons and daughters after their kind. Is that not true? Yes, indeed! So, in a direct way God has formed us. Now then, spiritually God is forming us through His works; we are His workmanship. Paul said that he had doubts about the Galatians 'until Christ be formed in them.' That's what God is doing! Think of it, God right now is forming and creating the very character of what we need as we love Him and yield to Him, and grow in grace and knowledge, so that we can learn to rule. That's an amazing thing!

"…give me understanding so that I may learn Your commandments" (v 73). That is how we learn; that is how we prepare, and let God form it and mold it, and let it be continuous all the time, everyday.

Verse 74: "Those who fear You will be glad when they see me because I have hoped in Your Word." Don't you think the world will be glad to see us when we come back to save the world with Christ? Yes, indeed!

Verse 75: "I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right, and that You have afflicted me in faithfulness." Remember that verse when you have a trial. Remember that when you have something difficult to overcome. God has done it in faithfulness and righteousness, and He is testing us to give us an opportunity to overcome so He can bless us. The more we overcome, the more we grow in grace and knowledge. The more that we are being prepared for eternal life.

Verse 76: "I beseech You, let Your steadfast love comfort me, according to Your promise to Your servant." You can look at it this way, too: Not only is every Word of God here, an instruction—which it is; but every Word of God is a promise for good or for evil; for blessing or for cursing. Is it not? Yes, indeed!

Verse 77: "Let Your tender mercies come to me so that I may live, for Your law is my delight."

Verse 89: "Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in the heavens." Stop and think on this. Someone comes along and says, 'The Law of God is done away.' You look at them and say, 'Really? What are you going to do with this verse? Jesus said that He didn't come to abolish the Law. Think on that! That will trip them up a little bit—won't it?

Verse 90: "Your faithfulness is to all generations; You have established the earth, and it stands…. [that is fantastic] …They continue to this day according to Your ordinances, for all are Your servants" (vs 90-91).

Notice next how important the laws of God are, v 92: "Unless Your Law had been my delight, then I should have perished in my affliction." What did this give him impetus to do?

Verse 93: "I will never forget Your precepts, for with them You have given me life. I am Yours…" (vs 93-94). Is that how you figure your life and yourself before God? Do you belong to God? That's what it needs to be!

The Church is to facilitate; the elders and ministers are to teach, but we all belong to God! We are His children! We are the ones who are going to be raised in the first resurrection and rule with Christ.

• we have a great purpose
• we have a great calling
• we have a great destiny lying ahead of us

Verse 94: "I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts."

Verse 97: O how love I Your law! It is my meditation all the day." Remember Psa. 1: meditate on His Law day and night. Some people might think: that's going to make you a 'religious' kook! No it's not! It's going to give you the mind of Christ! Think on that!

Verse 98: "Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me." What does it do for us? Remember where we started, that God has prepared things that the 'eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, nor has it come into the heart of man to understand the things of God, for those who love Him.' "Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me." Not the enemies, but the commandments.

Verse 99: "I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation." Fantastic! Listen! God has given us knowledge and understanding that you cannot find in any textbook of this world, but only in the Word of God. What did Jesus say of the disciple—and we're all disciples—in relationship to Him Who is the Teacher? It is sufficient that the disciple become as the teacher!

• this is how we are taught
• this is how we come to these things
• this is how we understand

Notice what it does, v 100: "I understand more than the ancients because I keep Your precepts." Amazing! Wonderful!

Verse 103: "How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore, I hate every false way" (vs 103-104). That's what we are to do, hate every false way!

Verse 140: "Your Word is very pure; therefore, Your servant loves it. I am small and despised…" (vs 140-141). That's what we are in the world; we're nothing compared to the world; we're just so much riff-raff!

"…yet, I do not forget Your precepts. Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness…" (vs 141-142). Think about that! Think of what God is giving to us. He is giving to us the righteousness of Jesus Christ, the righteousness, indeed, of God the Father, through the Word of God and the Spirit of God, through growing, changing and overcoming. It endures and is everlasting! "…and Your Law is the Truth!" (v 142)

Verse 154: "Plead my cause and deliver me; according to Your Word give me life…. [when you have troubles and difficulties] …Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes…. [on one hand they're running after evil] (but on the other hand): …Great are Your tender mercies, O LORD; according to Your judgments give me life" (vs 154-156). That goes all the way through.

Verse 159: "Consider how I love Your precepts; O LORD, according to Your loving kindness give me life…. [He will grant us eternal life]…Your Word is true from the beginning, and every one of Your righteous ordinances endures forever" (vs 159-160).

Verse 166: "LORD, I have hoped for Your salvation, and have done Your commandments." If we can say that by time we come to when 'the last roundup occurs' for each one of us—and I'm sure it's going to occur to a whole lot more of us than we had figured in the past.

Verse 167: "My soul has kept Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. I have kept Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You" (vs 167-168).

This is how, taking all these things and combining them together with the Spirit of God:

• to motivate us
• to teach us
• to lead us
• to guide us
• to grant us the Truth

and the Spirit of God to give us

• the desire
• the incentive
• the energy

to do the things of God and to prepare to rule so that when Christ returns He will say, 'you're over ten cities, you're over five cities, you're over this section, you're over that section, and your job is to teach the people.' We will know how to do it, because we will have learned from God!

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• How do we prepare to rule with Christ?
• What is that going to be like?
• What is that going to entail?

Let's understand the blessings and tremendous things that God is going to give us are almost beyond our ability to fully comprehend.

Here's what Paul wrote concerning God's plan, which is an outline; then all the details of it are filled in as we go along. Just like when Christ returns and all the saints are resurrected and we are prepared to take over the world with Christ and come down like we saw on Trumpets and put away all the evil.

What is it that God is going to do to the world? Well, we'll see that as we go along, but let's understand something very important. We need to be preparing to rule! How do we do that? God is going to do things to us at the resurrection that are going to be fantastic and marvelous beyond what we can describe here!

1-Corinthians 2:9: "But according as it is written, 'The eye has not seen… [this is done by faith] …nor the ear heard… [we've heard some of it] …neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'" That's the first key: loving God is the first and foremost key on how you prepare to rule!

Verse 10: "But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit…" We have spiritual understanding of the Word of God. Remember what Jesus said, 'The flesh profits nothing! It is the Spirit that gives life!' The words that He said to His apostles, He said, 'I speak to you, they are Spirit and they are Life!'

God is giving us understanding that's going to prepare us for eternal life and prepare us to rule; all of that is found in the Bible, because the Bible is what teaches us. It is God Who is teaching us through the Bible. We're being taught by the Father (John 6:45).

"…for the Spirit searches all things—eventhe deep things of God" (v 10). Many of those deep things are only going to be revealed when we are in the Kingdom of God.

Verse 11: "For who among men understands the things of man except by the spirit of man which is in him? In the same way also, the things of God no one understands except by the Spirit of God." Especially today when we have the all of the Word of God.

Verse 12: "Now, we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is of God, so that we might know the things graciously given to us by God." That is a fantastic thing. Stop and think about that for a minute, how great that is. Think how great God is:

• His love
• His mercy
• His grace
• His understanding
• His Spirit
• His wisdom
• His Truth
• His Holy Word

All of that altogether! Yet, what is the thing He wants from each one of us? Let's see what it is that God really desires for those who love Him.

• How are we to love God?
• Is it not that we are love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and being?
• Yes, indeed!
• What is God going to do with that?
• What is God going to do to us?
• What is God going to do for us?
• So that we can know and understand His way?
• He's going to reveal things to us.
• He's going to give us understanding.

That's why we go through the Bible, go through the Bible, and go through the Bible!Study everyday! Pray everyday! Because the preparation for eternal life is fantastic, and it's hard for our minds to comprehend what it's going to be like to live forever. What it's going to be like to be a spirit being, we just look through a glass darkly with those things. But we can learn some things on how we are to rule! But it starts, as we saw, with the love of God.

Matthew 22:35: "And one of them, a doctor of the law, questioned Him, tempting Him, and saying, 'Master, which commandment is the great commandment in the Law?'" (vs 35-36). Everyone likes to divide it down to a little this, a little that and a little of the other thing. The great commandment is loving God! That means first and foremost! That means we grow in that and we understand that. God gives that, and it's a tremendous and wonderful thing.

Just think of this: Because of loving God, like we saw in the Welcoming message, God delights in us. God delights in coming to our convocations on His Holy Days, and His Spirit is here with us to teach us; His Word is here with us. We have all the Word of God, and that's a marvelous miracle in itself.

Verse 37: "And Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…'" Everything to do with your heart. We reason with our mind, but we make final decisions with our heart. God wants us to have that love for Him in our heart.

"'…and with all your soul… [everything of your physical being] …and with all your mind" (v 37). That shows that our calling to be kings and priests with Jesus Christ, and to rule with Him, is a special thing. It requires a full force effort on our part continually.

• God gives us the strength
• God gives us the will
• God gives us the desire
• God gives us His Word
• God gives us His love
• God gives us His Truth

All of these things are to prepare us.

Verse 38: "This is the first and greatest commandment; and the second one is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" (vs 38-39). That's exactly what we're going to do with all the people on the earth that survive through the terrible disasters and troubles coming.

Let's see some things that are important for us to realize in growing, changing and overcoming. Stop that think: How have the rulers of this world—at every level—been today?

• Corrupt!
• Selfish!
• Egotistical!
• Vain!
• Oppressors!
• Murderers!
• Dictators!

Here in America where we're not supposed to have dictators, we do; right in the White House! Some of things that are bringing this nation down are:

1. they've forgotten God
2. they've forgotten His Word
3. they've forgotten the covenant that this nation made when they formed this nation

• How many know the Constitution and stick with it?
• How many politicians really know it?
• How many understand what it is?

That makes them very deficient rulers! From deficient to grossly evil! Think of this way, a parallel: The Bible is our Constitution. If we're going to rule and reign, we've got to know it!

Think abut this: We read that God has a plan; we read that God reveals these things. While this Scripture—Jer. 29:11—applies to physical Israel going off into captivity and coming back, and so forth; these are verses that are all inclusive and include God's individual purpose for each one of us.

Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the purposes, which I am purposing for you,' says the LORD; 'purposes of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." That's what we have, brethren. We have a future, which is all of eternity; and a hope, which is being raised from the dead!

Verse 12: "Then you shall call on Me, and you shall go and pray to Me, and I will hearken to you." That's what's going to happen to Israel when they come out of the captivity at the end of the age, when the Millennium is setup.

Verse 13: "And you shall seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." There it is again, the heart. This also tells us how we prepare to rule! Remember what we've covered concerning some of the parables of the talents and the pounds. We've got to be busy working.

Remember this: Read Rev. 2 & 3; God judges everyone according to their works. That's what He says. And if we do this and are preparing this way:

Verse 14: "'And I will be found by you,' says the LORD; 'and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you,' says the LORD. 'And I will bring you again into the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive.'"

It's very interesting how some of these things are so fantastic, that you go back to the very beginning and, lo and behold, the spiritual meaning is there. Now, we can apply this to every age of God. But for those of us in the Church and those of us with the Spirit of God, this also tells us how we prepare. We need to be preparing.

• that's why we have the Sabbath every week
• that's why we have the Holy Days
• that's why we have what God has given us in His whole Word

Listen, brethren! We need to do this while we have time; we need to do this while we have peace.

Psalm 1:1: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful." That's the way of the world.

Verse 2: "But his delight is in the Law of the LORD…" What is the first and greatest commandment of the Law? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, being and strength! Is that not true? Yes! Delight in it! Be thankful for it!

"…and in His Law does he meditate day and night" (v 2). Let's add another Scripture here: As a man thinks in his heart, so He is!

• if we are meditating on this day and night
• if we're understanding the purpose of where we are going
• if we are praying
• if we are studying
• if we are doing the things that are pleasing God
• He takes notice of that
• He delights in that
• He will bless us
• He will be with us
• He will protect us

Verse 3: "And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, and its leaf shall not wither, and all that he does shall prosper." We need spiritual prosperity first! That's what the problem with the Laodiceans has been; they wanted physical prosperity first! God says that makes you lukewarm, so let's aim for the spiritual prosperity!He says He's going to cut off all the wicked. We need to talk a little bit about the world, because it says:

Verse 4: "The wicked are not so…"
Verse 5: they aren't going to stand "…in the congregation of the righteous."
Verse 6: "For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.

Why is the world becoming more wicked? Here's the answer:

Psalm 7:9: "O let the evil of the wicked come to an end… [that's why we are going to do, bring it to an end] …but establish the righteous… [that is what God is going to do] …for the righteous God tries the hearts and reins." That's for us!

This is the world we're living in, and we have to grow and overcome this wicked world: Psalm 12:1: "Help, O LORD… [that's what we have to do sometimes, cry out to God: Help us!] …for the Godly man ceases; for the faithful disappear from among the children of men."

Here's why the world is the way it is right now. v 2: "They speak falsehood each one with his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things, who have said, 'With our tongue we shall prevail; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?'" (vs 2-4). Yes!

• We're haughty!
• We're arrogant!
• We're narcissistic!
• We are vain!

That describes most of the rulers in the world today!

Verse 5: "'For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, I will now arise'… [that's when Christ returns] …says the LORD. 'I will set him in safety from him who puffs at him.'"

Notice the contrast, v 6: "The words of the LORD are pure words… [these are the words that prepare us to rule] …like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. You shall keep them, O LORD; You shall preserve them from this generation forever. The wicked walk on every side when vileness is exalted among the sons of men" (vs 6-8)—everywhere in the world!

You talk about a world that is going to be difficult to straighten out. That's going to be the one we're going to inherit at the beginning of the Millennial reign of Christ. We're going to have to straighten it out.

Now let's see part of our conduct. How do we prepare to rule? We're going to see the keys in the Psalms to growing and overcoming.

Psalm 15 talks about who is going to enter into the Kingdom of God, and it shows some of the character traits that we need to have. Listen, brethren, we have to learn to really:

• love the Truth
• love the right
• love the good
• live it
• let God work with us
• develop it in us

Notice the qualification: Psalm 15:1: "LORD, who shall dwell in Your tabernacle?…. [Isn't that what has been promised to us?] …Who shall dwell upon Your Holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart" (vs 1-2). That's a tall order, but that will happen and that will come as we yield to God and grow in grace and knowledge.

Verse 3: "He does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the LORD; he who swears to his own hurt and does not change it" (vs 3-4). Very interesting!

What did Jesus say concerning this? Let your 'yes' be yes, and your 'no' be no! Think about that! I want you take that as a challenge. Let it be in your heart and mind. When you say 'yes' it's from the heart, inside. When you say 'no' it's from the heart, inside. Sometimes that won't please people, as you know. But nevertheless, that's what God wants.

Verse 5: "He who has not put out his money at usury, nor has he taken a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved." Isn't that something? That's really quite a thing!

Let's see how we learn to rule! It has to come from God, and the way that we receive it from God, the way that God wants it to be for us.

Psalm 25:1: "To You, O LORD, do I lift up my soul." You are looking to God for everything in your life. Isn't it true that God gives us

• every breath
• every drop of water
• every morsel of food
• constantly our bodies working

It all comes from God!

Verse 2: "O my God, I trust in You; do not let me be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none who wait on You be ashamed… [we're waiting for God, waiting for His kingdom] …let them be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause. Show me Your ways, O LORD…" (vs 2-4). We have them right here, all in the Bible: He's shown it; He's given it! We need to study and learn it!

We will see as we do, God is forming us to develop character in us. Character and love of God are the number one qualities necessary to learn how to rule!

"…teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your Truth and teach me…" (vs 4-5)—a hungering and thirsting after Truth. We are to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—right? Yes, indeed!

"…on You do I wait all the day long" (v 5). Yes, we go out and do the things we need to do, and we ask God:

• to lead the way
• to prosper the way
• to open the way
• to give us grace and favor

In doing that we're waiting on Him "…all the day long."

Verse 6: "Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindness, for they have been of old." There needs to be repentance involved, too. We can't learn how to reign if we can't rule over ourselves. We can't learn how to reign if we don't have self-control with God's Spirit in us. Therefore, there needs to be repentance.

Verse 7: "Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Your loving kindness remember me for Your goodness sake, O LORD." Notice how full and how much is in the Word of God. These things teach us how we are going to rule. We always praise God in everything we do.

Verse 8: "Good and upright is the LORD; therefore, He will teach sinners in the way…. [Yes, indeed! And we need to be taught.] …The meek He will guide in judgment; and the meek He will teach His way" (vs 8-9). Three times we're to be taught! Remember John 6:45—and they shall all be taught by God. That's why we have the Word of God.

Verse 10: "All the paths of the LORD are mercy and Truth…" Not some of them. Every way, every path of God is mercy and Truth.
"…to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies" (v 10). Are we not in the covenant of eternal life through Jesus Christ and God the Father? Yes, indeed! We need to keep the covenant—don't we?

Psa. 27—notice the attitude. That's what this teaches us. What is it that is in your heart that you really, really, really want?

Psalm 27:4: "One thing I have desired from the LORD, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life… [forever] …to behold the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in His temple." That's what we want, we want to be there in the temple with Christ.

Verse 7: "Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice; and be gracious unto me and answer me. When You said… [God saying to us] …'Seek My face'…" (vs 7-8). That's what He wants; seeking God.

• we're to be taught
• we're to walk in the paths of God
• we're to seek God
• we're to love God

All of those together. This does a wonderful and a marvelous thing in what God does in us.

"…my heart said to You, 'Your face, O LORD, will I seek'" (v 8).

Verse 11: "Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me in a level path because of my enemies." That's something! That's how we learn! That's how we grow!

Proverbs 18:15: "The heart of the prudent gets knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge." That's how we're going to learn:

• we're going to seek what is right
• we're going to seek what is true
• we're going to seek the commandments of God

and every application of it in life. That's how we prepare. Psa. 63 is one of my most favorite Psalms. This is really a wonderful and tremendous thing that you have:

• this desire
• this hungering and thirsting
• this seeking after
• this yielding to God

It all starts with loving Him with all your heart!

Psalm 63:1 "O God, You are my God, earnestly I will seek You!… [with your whole heart, all of your desire, with everything that is in you] …My soul thirsts for You. My flesh longs for You, as in a dry and thirsty land where no water is." Just think if you were out in the middle of a desert with no water, and you've been out there for how long. You can't sweat anymore because you've sweat out everything you can. Your tongue is like gravel in your mouth, and there's sand in your teeth.

You want something to drink, a real cool, cool, cool glass of water! Then you come over the sand dune and you look down and there is the oasis where the water is. That's how we need to seek God!

Verse 2: "To see Your power and Your glory…" Wasn't that the prayer of Jesus? That we can see His glory? and That He gives to us glory? Yes, indeed!

"…—as I have seen You in the sanctuary. Because Your loving kindness is better than life…" (vs 2-3). Having right standing with God. Having love, truth and goodness is better than life, because that makes sure the resurrection.

"…my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips when I remember You upon my bed and meditate on You in the night watches" (vs 3-6).

• keeping your mind on Christ
• keeping your mind on God

All of those good things. That comes with the Spirit of God and the Word of God, and a desire for it; a hungering and thirsting for it. You can't get any more hungry and thirsty than this!

Jesus said, 'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled!' That's what we want, brethren, We want—with the Spirit of God and the way of God—to make our election and calling sure through Jesus Christ. That's what we want.

Verse 7: "Because You have been my help, therefore, in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice." The secret protection of God! The world can't see it, but God knows it and sees it. And we understand the benefits of it.

Notice how David sought after God, v 8: "My soul follows hard after You…" With his whole being. You look out there and you see all these athletes—there are a lot of sports today—and they're all training and developing muscles and skills so they can be the best athletes that they can. They sacrifice this and that; their minds are fixed on it, and their goal is to be the best. That's the way it needs to be with us in learning how to rule with Christ! Just like this:

"…Your right hand upholds me" (v 8). Don't worry about those in the world; don't worry about those who are threats to you. God will take care of them! He promised He would, He said He would, and He will do it!

Verse 9: "But those who seek my life to destroy it shall go into the depths of the earth"—never to rise again, but as dust from the Lake of Fire.

Verse 10: "They shall fall by the sword; they shall be a serving for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him shall glory, but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped" (vs 10-11). That's going to happen with Satan the devil! Yes, indeed, it is going to stop.

Psalm 69:29: "But I am poor and sorrowful; let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high." That's when we will be exalted. We don't need fame and glory in the world today. We don't need to be exalted now.

What did God say? What did Jesus say? The one who exalts himself shall be abased, but the one who humbles himself shall be exalted. That's when we will be exalted, at the resurrection!

Verse 30: "I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify Him with thanksgiving." Notice how everything that he does is what God wants done.

Verse 31: "This also shall please the LORD better than a bullock that has horns and hoofs." We do the things that please God—don't we? What did John write of this? Because we love Him and keep His commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in His sight!

This is what is so important about the times that we have, like with the Feast of Tabernacles. To do the things that are pleasing in the sight of God, and to learn what God has for us, and what He wants to do with us and to us so that we can be prepared!

Scriptural References:

1. Leviticus 23:33-38
2. Deuteronomy 16:16-17
3. Hebrews 10:15-17
4. Ephesians 2:8-10
5. Psalm 119:1-4, 124-128, 9-18, 26-27, 30, 33-40, 47-48, 64-66, 73-77, 89-94, 97-100,           103-104, 140-142, 154-156, 159-160, 166-168
6. 1 Corinthians 2:9-12
7. Matthew 22:35-39
8. Jeremiah 29:11-14
9. Psalm 1:1-6
10. Psalm 7:9
11. Psalm 12:1-8
12. Psalm 15:1-5
13. Psalm 25:1-10
14. Psalm 27:4, 7-8, 11
15. Proverbs 18:15
16. Psalm 63:1-11
17. Psalm 69:29-31

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Numbers 29
• John 6:45
• Revelation 2; 3

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 7-28-14

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