Remember, when all else fails, God loves you!

Never forget that. You have the Spirit of God wherever you are, whatever your circumstances are, whatever you are going through, God the Father and Jesus Christ are with you!

"… I will bring thy…" and it talks about bringing back the return of the children of Israel.

Now, let’s come over to Isaiah 44, let’s pick it up here in verse 21—Isaiah 44:21. Now, a lot of these things because I recently am going through our third edit of the Old Testament project—I finished up the book of Isaiah. Now, we still have two more, two more edits to go through with it, but these things came to mind as I was going through that.

Now, Isaiah 44:21, KJV: "Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee…" And this goes clear back, beginning with when you were begotten by your father in your mother’s womb, the Spirit of God formed you and you were born.

Now then, God wants to form the spiritual character in us, you see. A two-step process.

"… O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me" (v 21). Understand that! God loves you! He’s not going to forget you.

"I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee" (v 22). And this is exactly the whole purpose of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, is it not?

And that’s what we’re doing here. Let God, let God to do the changing, and the redeeming, and the forming, and the things that are there.

Now, verse 23: "Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it… [Now, there’s going to be an awful lot of singing and rejoicing at the resurrection, isn’t there? Yes, indeed!] … shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel." And we are spiritual Israel, and He is being glorified in us. By His power!

Verse 24: "Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself… [Now, notice what He does. He’s going to fight our battles for us and that’s the theme of the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread] … That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited… [And that’s going to be one of the names that’s going to be put on us, isn’t it? By Christ. Yes!] … and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers…" (vs 24–27). And then he talks about the type of it being Cyrus.

Now, since we’re here in Isaiah, come over here to chapter 46, chapter 46, and verse three. Now this is God’s part in what He is doing for us—so that we respond to Him. And we’re going to see it as a joint effort. We have our part, God has His part. We have our part, God has His part. And it works together. That’ why we’ve been begotten in the spirit of our minds so that we are begotten by the Father. We have the Holy Spirit, which has the two functions of the begettal by the Father and the Spirit of Christ for the mind of Christ.

Now, Isaiah 46:3, KJV: "Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb…" See, so it starts right back from when we were conceived. Isn’t that amazing? Think on that. And God has intervened to call us.

Now, let’s understand this: God is going to be always there. "I am with you always," Jesus said.

Now, verse 4, Isaiah 46: "And even to your old age I am he…" Because God will not leave us alone when we’re old, when we’re weak, when we’re at the very most vulnerable part of the time of our living, when we come to the time when we’re ready to expire in the flesh. He won’t leave us, regardless of what you may have to go through to die.

"… even to your old age I am he, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you" (v 4). Now, that’s something! And that gives us hope—great, great, fantastic hope!

Now, notice verse 5: "To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?" Isn’t that something! That we "may be like," obviously, Jesus Christ and God the Father.

Now, let’s come to Jeremiah, the eighteenth chapter. As we’re turning to Jeremiah 18, let’s understand something. How did God make Adam? Well, He formed him from the dust of the earth, correct? Probably like a red clay. So this is why God uses the instruction here for us so that we can understand what God is doing. So that we can let God mold us—

Now, Jeremiah 18—and here it’s quite instructive: "The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words" (Jer. 18:1-2, KJV).

Now, sometimes we need a concrete example to look at. So here’s one that God gave to Jeremiah.

"Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels" (v 3).

So you know the potter’s wheel where he spins it with his feet, and he has the clay and he can make whatever he wants to. Now, if it’s too dry then he puts some more water in it. And if it’s too wet then he, he puts a little more clay in it and he mixes it up.

All right: "And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter…" (v 4). So something happened to it while it was, maybe was spinning and he had his thumb just in there, in the wrong way and BAM! it broke the clay.

"… so he made it again another vessel…" (v 4).

Now, isn’t that something. Think of it this way: the first vessel is our physical birth—and we are what? We are marred with what? The "law of sin and death" inherited from Adam, who was made from clay. So then what he does, he forms it again into another vessel and we are to be to God, through Jesus Christ, vessels of honor, vessels of glory, vessels of love. So this is something here that we have both of those right in this verse.

"… and he made it again [into] another vessel as seemed good to the potter to make it" (v 4).

Whatever God wants. Let me tell you this: even the least of all the saints, what they receive is going to be so great and fantastic, beyond what we think of or can comprehend. Because we still "look through a glass darkly" don’t we? Yes!

All right, let’s go on: " Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel…" (v 5-6).

Ok, let’s talk about the Church being the spiritual Israel. And those who are in the Church of God really need to wake up and pay attention to what God has done with His calling and what He’s going to do, and how He’s going to do it—so that they can repent and receive eternal life.

Now notice: "…O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD" (v 6). [‘Are you not going to be malleable in My hands. Are you not going to be cooperative with Me, in my working and molding you and forming you and creating Christ in you?’] That’s what He wants.

"… Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel" (v 6).

So that’s quite a lesson for us. That’s quite something. And then He goes on talking about nations, but we just applied it here, spiritually.

Now, let’s come to Ephesians 4, and let’s see this whole process:

Because God’s name is also called "Zealous." So we need to understand that.

Let’s come to Ephesians, the fourth chapter, and let’s see how God does this—Ephesians 4. Now, let’s pick it up in verse eleven. Now in understanding verse eleven, in the past this has always emphasized the "office" of those who were in "high positions." Well, Jesus said if you’re going to be great, you’re going to be in the low position. Because you’re going to serve—that’s what He told the apostles. And "everyone who exalts himself is going to be abased." So let’s just understand, as Paul said, that he was a servant, and Timothy was a servant to serve the brethren, to teach them the Word of God.

Now, verse 11: "And He gave some as apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" (Eph. 4:11, FV).

Now, here’s the whole purpose. The whole purpose is not to give offices, but these are all functions of elders doing the things that God wants them to do. The Apostles Peter said he was an elder, but he was also an apostle. So when he was apostling—if I could put it that way—he was doing the work of an apostle. When he was prophesying, he was doing the work of a prophet. When he was evangelizing, he was doing the work of an evangelist. When he was pastoring, he was doing the work of a pastor. And when he was teaching, he was doing the work of a teacher.

So these are functions. For what purpose? Not to exalt a man. Not to make him great in his own eyes. Not to have people look up to him. You know, like they do to the pope: they bow down to his feet; they kiss his ring; showing submission to it. You know, that’s all Satan’s way. That’s where Jesus said, "You’re not going to do as the great leaders of the Gentiles."

Now notice—notice the reason for it: "For the perfecting of the saints…" (v 12). That’s what it’s for. And the work that God is doing as the Potter is to perfect us.

Now, how great is that perfection going to be? Well, you go back to Matthew 5:48, just put it in your notes: "Become perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect." Now, that’s the goal. See, because we’re going to be the sons and daughters of God, correct? And if so, then that makes us in existence equal with God. Obviously, less in authority. But, if we’re going to live forever, God has got to really give us the character that’s commensurate with living forever. You don’t want to live forever in the flesh and constantly fight the "law of sin and death," do you? No!

All right, let’s continue on: "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (v 12).

That is to up-build—not rule in fear and tear down. Not make edicts contrary to the commands of God. Not rule by hatred and fear. But teach in love and understanding, you see, for the edifying, the up-building of the saints. That’s what it’s for, because we also have the Scripture that says: "How shall they learn unless a teacher is sent."

All right, let’s continue on: "Until [Now, that means it’s a continuous process] we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man…" (v 13).

See, "perfecting of the saints to a perfect man." And when you come to the end of your life and you die in the faith, you have been perfected as much as God is going to perfect you in this life. So therefore, while we have time let’s yield to God and let’s let Him make us in the perfection that He wants, so that He can glorify Himself.

How much more can God do with usif we’re willing?

How much more can God do with us if we love Him?

Rather than be "rich and increased with goods" like the Laodiceans or like the Sardisites, that they’re dead—and you know, as I’ve said many times, they’re just a "corpse with a pulse." Or the church at Thyatira that gets involved in bringing in the "doctrines of Jezebel or the Pergamites who are the ones who have the things "sacrificed to idols," and the hierarchy. Or, even the Ephesians who "lost their first love." They had their first love because Christ was with them. The apostles were with them, and then they became complacent. And complacency is also a choice. That’s why God tells us to repent!

Now let’s carry on: "…unto a perfect man… [now notice the goal—and this is why we have the Feast of Unleavened Bread every year.] … unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Now, that’s tall order, isn’t it?

Is God capable of doing that? Yes, He is!

Are we capable of yielding to God and being malleable like the clay in the potter’s hands, to let Him form in us what He desires?

And the heart and the mind and the attitude commensurate of eternal life? Yes!

That’s why I said, you’re in the University of Eternal Life. Every Sabbath is continuing education. Every Feast and Holy Day is continuing education. Growing in grace and knowledge and understanding. And every year, God gives us an increase in it.

Now then, He gives a warning. And unfortunately today, too many of the brethren have not heeded this warning: "So that we no longer be children, tossed and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men in cunning craftiness" (v 14).

With a view to the systematizing of the error or that is, the deception of the false "Christianity" of Satan the devil.

"But holding the truth in love…" (v 15).

That’s what we are to do and that’s what the Feast of Unleavened Bread is all about—get rid of all the works of the flesh. Put those out. Put out sin. Bring in, with the Spirit of God, the Truth of God, the Way of God, the love God, the Word of God, the perfecting of God’s Spirit, you see. And let the "washing of the water of the Word" form us. Erase those things from our minds. Cleanse our hearts. Cleanse our minds. Eliminate the trauma. Eliminate the things that we have gone through in the past. Let God wipe it from your mind—and be created in perfection.

"But holding the truth in love, may in all things grow up into Him Who is the Head, even Christ" (v 15).

Now notice: God said He’s creating Israel, correct? Now notice spiritual Israel: "From Whom [that is from Christ] all the body, fitly framed and compacted together by that which every joint supplies, [so everyone counts before God] according to its inner working [so it’s inside—in your mind and in your heart] in the measure of each individual part, is making the increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (v 16). That’s what Christ wants us to do.

Now, let’s continue on—verse 17. We’re going to go through almost every verse here in this section of Ephesians 4, because it is the Feast of Unleavened Bread instruction, in season.

Verse 17: So then, I declare and testify this in the Lord that you are no longer to walk even as the rest of the Gentiles are walking, in the vanity of their minds…"

That’s why we started out: if you are walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. That’s it right here. So, if you walk in vanity and self-importance what happens?

"Have their understanding darkened…" (v 18). And I’ve seen this happen over and over again. Every minister, every member, every person that gets lifted up in vanity, gets carried away with their own vanity and "a little leaven leavens the whole lump" and what happens? "Their understanding is darkened." And all you have to do is look out and see all the weird and stupid and terrible doctrines that have taken place as the result of scattering the Church to try and test us to see: do we love God, are we going to stay with Him, or are we going to get carried away with our own vanity and be led away like a ring in the nose of the swine, by Satan the devil to do his work. And I don’t have time to give a litany of all the false doctrines that come along.

"…being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their hearts" (v 18).

Now, this then is going clear back into the world, you see. We’re not to do that.

"They have cast off all feelings… [Now think of the society we’re living in today.] … and have given themselves up to licentiousness, to work every uncleanness with insatiable desire [or lust]. But you have not so learned Christ; If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, according to the truth in Jesus: That concerning your former conduct, you put off the old man…" (vs 19-22).

That’s our responsibility. Confess our sins, "put off the old man." Get rid of the sins, have them cast into the depths of the sea.

"… which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts; That you be renewed in the spirit of your mind" (vs 22-23). That’s what God wants: "renewed in the spirit of your mind."

Now, just put in your margin there: Romans 12:1-2. "That you be renewed in the spirit of your mind"—and proving all things.

Now, continue here: "And that you put on the new man…" (v 24).

See, you’re to put out the old, you’re to put in the new. You’re to put out the leaven, you’re to put in the unleavenness of Christ.

"… put off the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts, that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that you put on the new man, which according to God is created…" (vs 22-24).

God is creating us in Christ Jesus. He’s forming us. So let’s be that spiritual clay

"And that you put on the new man, which according to God is created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore… [So, when you’re putting in this, you put out, you put away. Verse 25:] … let each one put away lies and speak the truth with his neighbor… [see, you put out the sin, you put in true righteousness.] … because we are members of one another. When you become angry, do not sin…. [There’s a righteous indignation] … Do not let the sun go down on your anger…" (24-26).

Because you see, God does not want you carrying the sin or the anger of today into tomorrow. And I’ve even seen some of the most wonderful people get hung up on bitterness and anger and hatred toward the actions of a man! Because they were looking to a man rather than Christ. And understand this: when you look to a man, God is going to guarantee that that man will fail. So they get all angry. They get all bitter.

Because, verse 27: "Neither give place to the devil." Because you give entrance then to the thoughts of Satan. And he wants to come along with a "little leaven that leavens the whole lump."

Verse 28: "Let the one who stole, steal no more; rather, let him labor with his hands, working at what is good, so that he may impart something to the one who has need."

"Do not let any corrupt communication come out of your mouth… [Now, that’s hard to do, isn’t it? Yes! We all say and do stupid and foolish things. And that’s why God has given us repentance, you see.] … but that which is good and needful for edification that it may give grace to those who hear. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God…" (vs 29-30).

Now let’s understand something. You want to know what "grieves" the Holy Spirit of God? Read about the seven churches. All those things grieve God and His Holy Spirit and He says: "Repent!" That’s what we need to do. And the time during the Feast of Unleavened Bread is a time

So therefore, here’s all the leaven to put out:

"Let all bitterness…" (v 31). Not just some when you are ready, but ALL bitterness. When you repent you have to ask God: "Give me the washing of the water of the Word." All the bitterness from whatever experience, from whatever thing that you’ve gone through in your life—going clear back to your childhood, as far back as you can remember, coming clear forward to today—get rid of ALL bitterness, because that sours the mind!

And you have vindictiveness, and you forget that God says, "Vengeance is Mine." And you have anger and hostility. You need to get rid of all bitterness because as the Proverb says: "It is the rottenness of the bones" because it gets right into your inner most being. And it affects your very physical life.

"…and indignation, and wrath, and clamor, and evil speaking be removed from you, together with all malice. And be kind and tenderhearted toward one another, forgiving one another, even as God has also in Christ forgiven you" (vs 31-32).

Now chapter five and verse one tells us how we are to do it: "Therefore, be imitators of God … [with His Spirit. That’s how we practice. Just like little children are imitators of the adults—their parents and those around them—so we, as the children of God are to be imitators of God the Father and Jesus Christ] … as beloved children; And walk in love… [That’s how we are to do it, you see] …even as Christ also loved us, and gave Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor" (Eph. 5:1-2).

Then it says, don’t’ let any of these things "be named among you" (v 3).

Now let’s come to Colossians, the third chapter, and let’s see the process very specifically: what we are to do. Or it tells us how we are to live our lives and with this then, how God is going to mold in us. Remember:

Now, he starts out here in chapter three and verse 1: "Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above… [always keep your mind on the goal!] … where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your affection on the things that are above, and not on the things that are on the earth…. [Because those are all going to pass away.] … for you have died… [in baptism—that is a covenant death. That’s why at the Passover we renew the New Covenant, because we have pledged our lives unto death to keep the New Covenant. And your old man is dead in that watery grave and your] … and your life has been hid together with Christ and God. When Christ, Who is our life, is manifested, then you also shall be manifested with Him in glory" (Col. 3:1-4, FV).

Because, as John says, "We will see Him exactly as He is."

Now, that is the whole key: keeping our minds focused on the goal! On Christ. On the Kingdom of God. And you look at all the problems and difficulties that you may be going through—and when you have the perspective—then ask God to help you to deal with them and ask Him to fight your battles for you so you can overcome them. And you will see the smallness of the perspective that they really are in relationship to the overall goal.

Now, verse 5—this is what we are to do. This is the kind of action that we are to have: "Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth… [Get rid of them. In other words, let it be expunged out of your mind, out of your thoughts, out of your consciousness—so you are not lusting after these things, desiring these things] …sexual immorality, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, Among whom you also once walked, when you were living in these things" (vs 5-7).

Don’t go back like you were, in the world. And yet, think, brethren, think how many brethren have fallen by the wayside, that when it came down to it—and they were told, "Listen, you don’t have to keep the Sabbath—Sunday is just as good. You don’t have to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, you don’t have to keep the Passover, you can have communion." How many just went for it, hook, line and sinker?

And I never will forget the description of what happened to the Church—one of the big churches down in Pasadena, California, where when it was announced from the pulpit that, "brethren, it’s okay to eat unclean meats" that they went like a charging herd out to the Red Lobster—and celebrated by eating shrimp and lobster and all the unclean things.

Now, you can expand that and say, they did it also spiritually, you see. Not just the physical act. They gave up here first. They excepted the lie here first. Because they weren’t doing this.

Now, verse 8—we have to go on because this is a perfecting thing. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, Sabbath after Sabbath, Passover after Passover, Holy Days after Holy Days, we keep growing in grace and knowledge.

"But now, you should also put off all these things… [Just like you search out to get rid of leaven in your house. That’s why He has us get rid of the leaven—so we can see how easily sin can be set upon us—and it comes from the most unexpected places.] … put off all these things: wrath, indignation, malice, blasphemy, and foul language from you mouth… [Put it out! Ask God to cleanse your heart and mind from it.] … Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man together with his deeds, And have put on the new man… [this is what we’re to be looking to: putting on the new man] who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him Who created him…" (vs 8-10).

Now, we are being created by God the Father in the image of Christ.

"Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian nor Scythian, slave nor free; but Christ is all things, and in all. Put on then…" (vs 11-12).

Here is what we’re to put on, constantly. That’s why, when we go through and pray, and we say, "Forgive us our sins as we forgive others"—we are asking God to cleanse us. So we need to have Him cleanse us with the "washing of the water of the Word." And just like clothes that have been cleansed and come out smelling fresh and nice and good and right and are pleasant and delightful.

"Put on then, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, deep inner affections, kindness, humility, meekness and long-suffering; [the very character of Christ] Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another…" (vs 12-13).

And "forbearing" is important because, you see, when you start praying for someone who has a difficulty, you don’t have to run up and say, "Oh, I see you’ve got this problem." No, you "forbear" and you pray for that person, and you ask God to work and deal with that person. And whatever he has done, forgive him, encourage him—forbear—that’s what’s so important, you see, that’s why you have forbearing first and then forgiving one another.

"…if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so also you should forgive" (v 13). That’s how God works with us and molds our hearts and our minds and gives us the character of Christ, and the mind of Christ.

Notice verse 14: "And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection." Because we are to be perfected, aren’t we? We are "to be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect." The bond of perfection—and that bond of perfection comes from God the Father to us. And it’s like bonding. It is like connecting, developing, forming, molding, you see. That’s the "bond of perfection."

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts… [not worry, not fear, not hatred, not bitterness, not any of the works of the flesh but] … the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called into one body, and be thankful" (v 15).

This is the perfection. This is the molding. This is Christ and God the Father working with us through the power of the Holy Spirit to develop in us the very character that comes from Him—so that we can be unleavened in Christ. We can be cleansed in Christ. We can be purged and washed with the "water of the word."

Now, right here, verse 16: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom… [That’s what leads us. That’s what guides us. The word of Christ in us, becomes a very part of our being.] … teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. [Now, verse 17:] And in everything [everything]—whatever you do in word or in deed—do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."

And this is what we are to do. This is how God forms in us His character, so that we can be tenderhearted, be loving. Yes, we stand for the Truth against the world, but with each other and toward God we’re tenderhearted, we yield to God, we do the things that please God. We’re obedience, we’re forgiving, and we end up with the mind of Christ and have the hope of glory—and that is the workmanship of God the Father—that we are created in Christ Jesus.

(End Sermon)

Spring Holy Days—2007

Tape #3

Scriptural References

1. Romans 8:1-3

2. Micah 7:18-19

3. 1 John 3:13-24

4. Proverbs 16:1-3, 6-10

5. Proverbs 3:1-10

6. Psalm 92:5

7. Psalm 10:17

8. Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-10

9. Ephesians 5:25-26

10. Ephesians 1:4-5

11. Isaiah 43:1-5

12. Isaiah 44:21-27

13. Isaiah 46:3-5

14. Jeremiah 18:1-6

15. Ephesians 4:11-32

16. Ephesians 5:1-3

17. Colossians 3:1-17

All Scriptures from the New Testament from The New Testament in its Original Order, A Faithful Version by Fred R. Coulter

All Scriptures from the Old Testament from the King James Version

Scriptural References not quoted:

Also referenced: Love Series on tape by Fred R. Coulter