How to Survive Difficult Times

Comparison between the evil of this world and
what we need to keep our mind on to keep our sanity!

Fred R. Coulter—July 27, 2024

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News & Prophecy:

Some of the news is very interesting indeed. I saw Donald Trump late yesterday afternoon; he was with Turning Point USA and he was speaking to them. They're a very religious group, a lot of Protestants and some Catholics in it.

Donald Trump didn't have the bandage on his ear, so it looks like he's going to be just fine. But he said the same thing he said when he opened the Republican Convention, 'I stand before you here by the grace of Almighty God!'

That's very interesting, and there are a lot of people who have been praying for him. The nation as a whole is never going to come to understand the Truth as we do in the Church; their minds are blinded:

• because of their own ideas
• because of Satan the devil

How much of a change to good is going to take place in America? We don't know! Let's come and see the only nation that ever repented. We find this back in the book of Jonah.

You would think that the nations of God, Israel and Judah, would repent, but no, they didn't do it. But in the book of Jonah, Jonah was sent to the Assyrians. Jonah didn't want to go; you know the story. A great fish, which was probably a whale. Why do I say a whale? A whale breathes and Jonah being in the belly of the whale, or part of the belly of the whale, for three days and three nights, he had to breathe. It had to be a whale so he could get some air.

He didn't want to do it. So, he thought he would get on a boat and sail away and God wouldn't find him. But then God caused the storm and all of the crew on the boat—they weren't converted—prayed to God and asked God to show them. Why are we in this storm? It came out to be Jonah. So, they threw him over out of the out of the boat.

The storm stopped and the whale got him. It took him three days and three nights to get where he was going to go; then the whale spit him out on the shore of Assyria.

He was to go to Niniveh, which was a great city. It was a three days journey to walk across it. He repented, and he cried to them. God told him to go in there. So, here's what Jonah began to say to them.

Jonah 3:4[transcriber's correction]: "And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried and said, 'Yet, forty days…'"

Interesting; if you want an interesting study? Look up 'forty days.

• Jesus started His ministry with 40 days of fasting and temptation of Satan
• Jesus ended His ministry with 40 days teaching the apostles after His resurrection

Forty becomes important!

"'…and Nineveh shall be overthrown!' And the people of Nineveh believed God…" (vs 4-5).

• Did they start keeping the Sabbath? No!
• Did they start keeping the Holy Days? No!
• Did they start tithing to the priest in Jerusalem? No!

Here's what they did:

"…And they proclaimed a fast…" (v 5).

Here in America, the governor of Tennessee declared July a month for individuals for fasting and praying for the nation.

Also, as I've mentioned before, the state of Louisiana is posting the Ten Commandments in the schools. In Oklahoma they are putting the Bible in the schools to be read in the schools.

• How many others will follow? Don't know!
• How many people who believe in God to the point that they believe Him will change their ways? We don't know!

Here's what happened:

"…And they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them" (v 5).

Who's the greatest in America today that fits that? Donald Trump! He talked a lot about religion and Protestantism, basically, and also acknowledged the Catholics there at Turning Point USA last night.

Verse 6: "For word came to the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne. And he laid aside his robe from him, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes."

Now, he did that in repentance, because Nineveh was probably much like we saw on the opening of the Olympic Games in Paris, which was really a preview of Sodom and Gomorrah in the world.

Verse 7: "And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his great ones, saying, 'Do not let man or beast, herd or flock taste anything; do not let them feed, nor drink water. But let man and animal be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God….'" (vs 7-8).

That's how they did it! The only nation to repent!

"…And let them each one turn from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? God may repent, and He may have pity and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we do not perish.' And God saw their works…" (vs 8-10).

What kind of works are we going to see in America of those who believe in God?

• we're not going to see the homosexual community repent
• we're not going to see the transvestite community repent
• we're not going to see the God haters repent

So it's strictly those who fear God!

We will see, will there be enough of that to give us a little reprieve like I covered last week concerning Josiah, that he turned back the hand of God's punishment. But he also made the whole of the leaders come and make a covenant before God to do what is right. Can't be done quite that way here in America.

Verse 10: "And God saw their works that they turned from their evil way. And God repented of the evil that He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it."

Instead of being thankful, Jonah sat down under a shady, whatever it was, and he said, 'God, I told you they would repent. Why did You sent me to say it?'

God got angry and He caused something to eat the base of his shade and it fell down on Jonah. The message was to Jonah: 'Jonah, you do what I say and I'm going to do what I'm going to do.'

So, we don't know how it's going to be. But note this. Just the last thing that I heard last night. Guess who's going back to Butler, Pennsylvania, for a rally? Donald Trump!

That tells you something. It will be interesting to see what he says. And remember, Christopher Wray, the liar FBI chief, said, 'Well, we don't know if it was a bullet or shrapnel from plastic.' Why did he say that? Because he's a 'woke' insider. That was a message to all of the mainstream media: 'you don't have to say it's a bullet.' So, they had to walk it back a little bit.

It shows you how deeply ingrained that evil becomes when people don't believe in God!

Now, let's see another prophecy here: We know it; Rev. 13. It talks about the rising of the beast and the coming one-world government.

Articles:

I have an article how the communists have infiltrated the Catholics and the Protestants.

Progressive Church looks to make LGBTQ…[I just call it alphabet queers] …affirmation mandatory for clergy

that they have to let in all the perverts in their church. Let's see how they stand up against that. Let's see if they will do it.

How The 'Woke' Left is Infiltrating Catholic Churches

What they do, they get them to accept a little evil and a little more evil. What's the Feast that we keep that answers that question? The Feast of Unleavened Bread!

That's why we keep it, because that reminds us every single year that you can't let a little sin into your life, because it will breed and expand like leaven. A little sin brings in a little more sin, and a little more sin, and a little more sin, and pretty soon you accept total evil! Look at what they have done.

• Do we have Satanist churches in America?
• Do we have two million witches in America?

They will tell you, 'I'm a good witch.' Look at on television:

• they've got betting on sports
• they have séances
• they have tarot card reading right on television

Then you look at all of the movies. It's:

• death
• murder
• satanism

What is the big movie that's being promoted right now? House of the Dragon! {HBO series} Close to open Satan worship! That's what Satan is working for. And that's how he infiltrates.

They [the 'woke'] have been doing it a bit-by-bit for 50 years. All you have to do is go to TBN and Daystar and you will see:

• they have left God
• they have left Christ
• but retain His name

The next thing to watch is because the war that's taking place over there between Hamas and the Jews. That's going to have to lead to the building of the third temple, because there has to be a third temple.

The abomination of desolation—as we have covered before—has to be in a Holy Place in a temple called the Temple of God; but God's presence won't be there.

I'm doing some more research because someone didn't like the fact that I read the Scripture: Rev. 11:19 that the Ark of the Covenant was in heaven.

So far, I've not found any place where when the collapse of the temple took place—

• they took all the treasures
• they took all the brass
• they took all the silver, gold
• they took all the bowls and everything else

—nothing mentioned about the Ark of the Covenant! So, I'll bring a special message on that. There has to be the building of it.

Speculation: This was brought up by Dwight Blevins. So, let's look at it this way: If Trump gets in office, he says he's the greatest friend of the Jews that they've ever had. He keeps repeating all the time that he moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

What if, just keep it in mind, Dwight brought it up; so it's a possibility, we do not know. But he said, 'What if Trump really gives the go-ahead to build the temple?'

I have no idea. Possible! May not be! But it's something to watch for if he gets in. And we will see there may be a question mark whether he gets in or not.

Everything that Satan is doing is moving toward full deception of the whole world and the one world system coming to power. Keep your mind on those things because that's how it will be.

Sign of things to come: Singapore approved 16 insects for human food.

• Do you enjoy your meat?
• your fish?
• your chicken?
• your beef?

They want to have insects to replace meat, because meat comes from animals that breathe carbon dioxide and poop carbon dioxide. That's why the climate is in such bad shape. King Charles of England is one of the leading advocates of that part of it.

So, and this article says here that out of the great number of insects that they have examined have parasites! Now, what will that do? The Bible says you can eat grasshoppers or you can eat a certain cricket. That's it! But that's for times when there's nothing else left to eat, obviously, in bad times. But I haven't had my grasshoppers lately and I'm not ready to take it.

You can go some places and you can find chocolate covered ants. You know, you got to chew them good so they don't crawl in your stomach.

It doesn't matter how many people there will be on the earth. Can God provide food for all of them? Yes, He can! Remember with Isaac. he was told to stay in the land, He was a sojourner. He had peace with all of those surrounding him because he planted his crop and God blessed it 100-fold.

That tells you what God could do! It doesn't matter how many people there will be on the earth. Look at all of the empty land that can be converted into things producing food. Then the blessing of multiple times over of all the food necessary to feed human beings.

But no, they want to have the population reduced either by pandemics that they make and create—which they tried with COVID—or having them to eat insects because they know that will kill them.

Now then, I just want to cover what happened this past week, just a little bit.

It Can't Happen Hereby Jim Rickards Intelligence Report

It just did! He writes:

We are witnessing one of the most tumultuous periods in U.S. political history.

Let's see what this tells us: Tumultuous or perilous! Paul also writes of this in 1-Tim. 4.

2-Timothy 3:1: "Know this also, that in the last days perilous… [tumultuous] …times, shall come.

What starts, what is the seed, of all of these tumultuous times?

Verse 2: "For men will be lovers of self…"

They don't care about anybody else, only 'me, myself, and I,' and all of the rest of you can take a hike.

I'm going to do what I want to do. If I want to commit adultery or fornication or homosexuality or transgenderism, I'm going to do it. Nobody can stop me.

Or whatever it may be!

"…lovers of money…" (v 2).

Stop and think about this: Good financial times does not necessarily mean peace, because remember, Sodom and Gomorrah had good financial times. But what destroyed them? The brimstone from heaven! That's what God thinks of that.

"…braggarts, proud, blasphemers… [that comes right from the pulpit] …disobedience to parents..." (v 2).

Not only that, but the woke people want to take six and seven-year-old children who say. 'Oh, I want to change my gender.' They can be taken to a hospital, given all kinds of drugs to change their gender, and have operations to try and change them. It never works and it ruins and destroys their lives! Perilous times.

"…unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, despisers of those who are good" (vs 2-3).

Isn't that what we have today?

• they hate Catholics, what little good that they
• have they hate Protestants, whatever good that they may have

Now think what they're going to do when they come after us!

Let me tell you this: One of the reasons that we are scattered and we're very blessed to be able to have live services is that that is for protection for us from the evil of the world.

They're going to come to churches and who knows what's going to happen during the election period. I mean, look at what happened this last week. They took down the American flag and raised the flag of the Palestinians. Doesn't that say in Deut. 28—how many times we have been there—that 'the stranger within you will get very high above you, and you will be brought low.'

I wonder what the genetic makeup is of Kamala Harris.

Verse 4: "Betrayers, reckless, egotistical, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God."

• How many sports do we have?
• How many teams that people worship and give themselves to:
• wear their hats
• wear their shirts
• go to their games

Every time I look at one of these events taking place and the stadiums are filled with 50-60,000 people, I think: all there on the Sabbath Day! What would happen if you got out in the middle of the field and said:

All of you up there in the stands, listen! God says we're to keep the Sabbath Day. You are here breaking it. You are idolaters. These team members that you are rooting for become your gods. The God of heaven says, 'Repent and keep the Sabbath.' All of you go home and repent! Leave the stadium!

That will never happen! Well, it just happened here.

Tumultuous times! "…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; having an outward appearance of Godliness… [piety, their own form of Godliness. 'I'm a good person'] …but denying the power of true Godliness. But as for you, turn away from all these. For from men such as these come those who are worming their way into houses, and are gaining control over empty-headed gullible women… [and men] …given over to various sins, being driven by all kinds of lust" (vs 4-6).

That's exactly what you see on television today. Now, I'm currently having a little battle with Spectrum. They keep raising the price of television coming to my house and I only have about a dozen channels that I watch. I don't want to watch the thousands of channels that they have and all of the movies that they have.

• all of them are based on lies
• all of them are based on sin
• all of them are based on make-believe

You can sit there and you can fill your mind with all of that stuff all day long. I wonder what it was like when there was no radio, no television, no phones?

Verse 7: "They are always learning but are never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth.

Isn't that the way it is? I get a kick out of all these astronomers that talk about the things out there in the universe and, 'Oh, we'll go out there, we'll find life.' Listen! You don't have a brain in your head. How long has the space station been up there? About 20 years! Guess what they have to do? They have to send everything they eat and drink up there, because they are earthbound!

How do you think people are going to travel billions of light years to try and find life? They're not! I'm going to tell you how they can find it:

• go home
• go to a private place
• shut the door
• get on your knees and cry out to God and repent

And you will find Life! You won't find it any other way.

What happened when they got rid of Biden? That was a coup! A number one engineered by Barack Obama, because he wants a fourth term. His third term was with Biden.

We are witnessing one of the most tumultuous periods in U.S. political history, and we are only in July.

Don't think it's going to be hugs and kisses during the election. So, they got rid of Biden[transcriber's correction] and they put in Kamala Harris.

Last weekend the big news was Joe Biden standing down as the Democrat nominee for President. Was this Biden's own decision? or are we witnessing a coup d'etat in America?

He didn't say why he stepped down because he couldn't admit for the last three years he didn't have it all there.

So then here's written by one of his colleagues, Brian King: We all just witnessed a new dark chapter of American history unfold.

I didn't know this. I don't think any of you here. But he brings out that FDR in running for reelection in 1936 had someone coming against him, much like Donald Trump. His name was Huey Long from Louisiana. Guess what happened to him? He was assassinated! So, the deep state was already birthed in FDR's administration!

Shamelessly, the empire of lies!

I like how he expresses it there.

And the empire of lies includes all of the mainstream media.

Every one of them. I can't stand watching them. It's just absolute impossibility. I talked to a man the other day and he said, 'I'm home watching CNN.'

I said, 'Why don't you turn on Fox News or Newsmax and you get a different side of the story.' Oh, no. I'm hooked on it I'm brainwashed already! I couldn't believe that.

The empire of lies showed us the raw rancid stuff of which it is made and the ugliness of the spectacle is beyond appalling.

Then he quotes a book by Sinclair Lewis and he shows a copy of it here: It Can't Happen Here!

It did happen!

Prov. 29—I covered this on Church at Home yesterday, but there are some verses here in Prov. 29 that are very important for us to understand. It shows the battle that we are in today. This is why. The Bible is the most important book in the world today above any other book. It reaches back in time to the beginning and it has the Truth of God in here. The only way people are going to understand the Truth of God is that they say 'Yes' to God! He set before all of us choices. We have to choose either love Him or go our own way. When we go our own way Satan is there with wonderful, welcoming, open arms; 'I will bring you every benefit in the world.'

Proverbs 29:2: "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn."

That's what we have today. Why do the people mourn? Because of the wicked rulers and because of their own wickedness! The wicked rulers are there because the people are wicked. The people get the ruler that they deserve because of their behavior. That doesn't matter where you are or what kind of government you have. You find it everywhere.

Now here's something that is true: Nothing will work in anything concerning human conduct if it's not based on Truth. Whether you know God or whether you don't know God, because that is a living Law.

What happens to people who have the Truth but reject it, yet, claim that they love God? It doesn't work! That's why we have what we have here in America today.

Verse 4: "The king establishes the land by justice, but he who takes bribes tears it down."

• Don't we have the most corrupted bribery-filled President in the history of America today?
• What has happened to this country with all the bribes that he and his son have taken?

You have 50 liars of those in the establishment that signed a letter that Hunter's laptop was Russian disinformation.

• Why? 'Oh, that's bad; that's evil!'

Yes, it is! But:

• How many people out there believe lies?
• How many people live their lives by lies?

Now they may think they're good!

I've mentioned to you about the teller at the bank. Sweet, nice, lovely girl. What does she know about God? Nothing! I asked her, 'Do you go to church?' Oh no, I don't go to church!

Verse 12: "If a ruler hearkens to lies, all his servants are wicked."

Think about that! Doesn't that describe the administration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris?

This press secretary, she's got some sort of French name, but she couldn't tell the truth if she had a razor knife right up on her throat. 'Oh, he's sharp; he's there, I'm with him every day.' She forgot, 'I had to tell him his name is Joe.'

• look at all the cabinet people
• look at the FBI
• look at the Secret Service

When the head of the Secret Service went in to testify looked like a teenage girl that didn't know up from down. And you say, 'How did that happen?' Because the average person sins so much that we get people like that! That's awfully hard to comprehend. But that's the way that it is.

Verse 14: "A king who faithfully judges the poor, his throne shall be established forever."

Why? People think that God is interested only in the leaders! No, He's not. He's interested in the leaders who care for the poor. So, you can reverse this:

A king who judges the poor unfaithfully or wickedly will lose his throne! That's what's happening right now.

• Has Biden cared any about the homeless? No!
• Has Kamala Harris cared any about them here in California? No!

The plan has come, as I mentioned last week, beware! There's another drug coming on the scene that's 50 times stronger than fentanyl. This is what they want to spread across the land. Bang! Bang! Bang! Instead of only 100,000 dying from overdose, it'll be like 500,000. That's because:

• there's no love
• there's no truth
• there's no righteousness
• people don't know God
• they don't take care of the poor

Verse 16: "When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases…"

That's precisely what we have! Look, these were written how many thousands of years ago? But are like headlines on today's newspaper!

I ask all the Protestants and all the Catholics out there: Why do you reject the Word of God for your traditions? All of those pastors out there, you are the root cause of all the lawlessness in the land of America and everywhere you are, because you say that Jesus came to do away with the law, and that's the greatest satanic lie that has ever been.

He's never come to do away with the Law! He is the Lawgiver!

All of you and your sanctimonious Sunday-keeping and holiday-keeping, you are serving Satan the devil!

That's why we have all the trouble that we have, because it filters down to everything else:

• you don't teach the people
• you don't teach the children
• you reject God out of the schools
• you reject God out of the government
• you exalt every sexual perversion that there ever is and glorify that and think, 'oh, aren't we good people?'

So, be careful! This is what is happening. We don't know how the election will turn out.

(break@43:34)

Let's come to Isa. 3 so that we know and understand the comparison between the evil of this world and what we need to keep our mind on to keep our sanity, to stay close to God, to grow and overcome because that's the thing that we need to be doing.

But God says that we are to cry aloud and spare not and show My people their sins! So, a lot of what I have to say now is somehow going to get out to people down the road. So we'll see.

I even had one man write me and say, well, I heard the sermon you gave in 1992 Invisible Idol, Visible Man {truthofGod.org}.

He says, why don't you bring that one again? So, I contacted Ron Carey and asked him if it's online. And he said, yeah. I said, well, check and see if it has a transcript or not, because that's exactly what we have today!

Many people look at men and they become their idol in their minds.

Isaiah 3:8: "For Jerusalem is staggering and Judah has fallen because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of His glory."

• Jerusalem means all 12 tribes.
• Judah means particularly the tribe of Judah right there in Jerusalem where the temple was.

Verse 9: "The look of their faces witnesses against them; and they declare their sin like Sodom…. [it's exactly what we have today] …They do not hide it! Woe…

All the way through the book of Isaiah, in the first part especially, there are many times he says, "Woe…"

"…Woe to their soul! For they have rewarded evil to themselves" (v 9).

Think about that for a minute! Whatever their sin, they we're sinning against God, but also against ourselves.

Verse 10: "Say to the righteous…" That's all of those in the Church!

• God knows what you're going through
• God knows what you have to face.
• God knows that we need to grow and overcome

Remember this, He says, the last shall be first!

Why is that? Because at the resurrection, all of those in the past generation will not have a clue as to how the world got to the way that it is when we take over the world when Christ and the saints come back to the earth. We're the ones who will be able to tell them what happened.

Verse 10: "Say to the righteous that it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings." Think about that!

• IF we do what is right
• IF we love God
• IF we keep His commandments
• IF we love each other
• IF we're praying
• IF we're studying
• IF we're living by every Word of God

It will be well with us!

Even though when we see all the problems and difficulties coming about, we may be depressed from time to time or we may feel overwhelmed from time to time, but that is to help us come to God so we can overcome that; we'll see that in a little bit.

Verse 11: "Woe to the wicked! For the evil doing of his hand will be given to him…. [comes right back] …As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them…." (vs 11-12)—hello, Kamala!

So, don't be too sure that she won't be the next President.

"…Oh, My people, those who lead you cause you to err and destroy the way of your paths" (v 12). That's why nothing works out!

Remember all of the electric hooks-up for the electric cars that we're going to have it like gas station you can pull up and plug in your electric car and we're going to give so many billions of dollars for doing—in fact $9-billion—but they didn't read the fine print. Had to be a contractor and a contractor had to be of a minority race. They couldn't find any. So, they have a total of eight stations out of $9-billion! When the stupid get in control, stupid happens!

Verse 13: "The LORD stands up to plead His case, and stands up to judge the people."

That's what all of us as elders and ministers are to do. Not only for the people in the Church, but for those out in the world; that they may repent, that they may come to the point of baptism and God rescue their lives out of this world.

Verse 14: "The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders of His people…"

Anybody who is in elected office and in high office, starting with the President down to the doorkeeper, God is going to enter into judgment for you for perpetrating these sins on all the people.

"…and their kings: 'For you have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses. What do you mean? You crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?' says the Lord, GOD of hosts" (vs 14-15).

• What is happening?
• What do we see?

Verse 16: "And the LORD says, 'Because the daughters of Zion are proud, and have walked with stretched out necks and ogling with their eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet; therefore, the LORD will strike with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will uncover their secret parts'" (vs 16-17)

Verse 18: "In that day the LORD will take away the beauty of ankle bracelets, and the headbands, and the crescents, the pendants, and the bracelets, and the veils; the headdresses, and the leg ornaments, and the sashes, and the boxes of perfume, and the earrings; the rings and nose jewels; the festal apparel and the outer garments; and the mantles, and the purses; the mirrors and the fine linen; and the turbans and the veils. And there shall be, instead of fragrance, rottenness; and instead of a sash, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a wrapping of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty. Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty in the war. And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall sit deserted upon the ground" (vs 18-26).

Think about that every time you watch the television, all these cosmetics, now they got cosmetics for men. Yes, we must have cosmetics for men because we want to make the money. That's what they have.

This tells you what it is. You can read Isa. 5, that'll take care of it. Now let's look at what we need to do in light of what we're looking at.

Psa. 111 first, we'll start there. We'll find a lot of this in the Psalms and this is why we have the Psalms so we can come close to God and stay close to Him. When we find ourselves just thinking about, 'Oh, what am I going to do and how bad it is? We all face that, don't we? So, here's what you do:

This will help give us some stability in what we are thinking and what we are doing and how we can survive in all of this evil that is like a flood all around us.

Psalm 111:1: "Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart…."

That's what it has to be. We yield ourselves to God in our mind, in our heart, in our attitude and everything that we do. "…whole heart…" Part of the problem of Laodiceans is they're half-hearted. That's why they're lukewarm.

"…whole heart in the council of the upright and in the congregation. The works of the LORD are great…" (vs 1-2).

So, focus on what God has made, what God has created. Think about how awesome that it is, because we'll project ahead just a little bit. Each one of us have direct connection to God the Father in heaven above every single time we pray. Think about that!

You can't have any greater thing, any greater comfort than knowing that. So, then you combine that with:

• the Word of God
• loving God
• keeping His commandments

All of those things go together!

Verse 2: "The works of the LORD are great, sought out by all those who have pleasure in them. His work is glory and majesty, and His righteousness endures forever" (vs 2-3).

Think about that! Written how many thousands of years ago for us today that we can come to God because He's eternal.

• His Word is spiritual
• His Word is Truth
• His Word is there to give us instruction and encouragement
• His Word to help us to be strong
• mentally
• spiritually

and as much

• physically in this evil world that we're living in

Verse 4: "He has made a memorial for His wonderful works…"

• What is that memorial? Sabbath!
• What does He say?
• What's a memorial?
• What does the fourth commandment start with? Remember!

"…the LORD is gracious and full of compassion" (v 4). That is:

• to those who come to Him
• to those who seek Him
• to those who love Him

Verse 5: "He has given food to those who fear Him…"

That's not only just physical food, but that's spiritual food, and spiritual food is for:

• our hearts
• our minds
• our emotions

"…He will always be mindful of His covenant. He has declared to His people the power of His works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations" (vs 5-6).

Think about that! That's telling us our purpose! We are going to rule the world! We under Christ are going to end all of this satanic nonsense that we're seeing now, which is only going to get worse. Think about that!

We will be doing it with all of the saints. That's why when we're resurrected… Now, there are some people who don't believe in the Sea of Glass. The Sea of Glass is going to be one of the biggest things to happen in the whole history of the world, because all of those in the first resurrection are going to be taken by the angels up to the Sea of Glass. We're going to have four and a half months to learn everything we need to learn, and taking over the world is the greatest thing that will happen.

• God is an organizer
• God puts things in order

Yes, we're going to have to know what to do. So, we will be up there learning how we're going to rule the world! Then we'll come down with Christ.

All the world will be there, 'Oh, look at the ancient aliens that are coming to invade the world.' In a sense, they'll be right. So, they'll get all their armies as we see in Rev. 16.

Verse 7: "The works of His hands are Truth and Justice…"

Always remember that; Truth and Justice or Judgment, right Judgment! In our September mailing, we're going to mail out to everyone the booklet, Judge Righteous Judgment.

Verse 7: "The works of His hands are Truth and justice, all His precepts are sure."

• Has any commandment of God ever failed? No!
• Have people failed? Yes!

But not God!  Keep that in mind—"…forever."

Verse 8: "They stand fast forever and ever; they are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption unto His people…" (vs 8-9). That's us!

• We're redeemed from the world
• we're redeemed from our sin
• we're redeemed from Satan the devil

That's quite a thing!

"…He has commanded His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name" (v 9).

Then He goes right back to the beginning of how we're to conduct our lives.

Verse 10: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…"

You can add in there the love of God, but fear is that God is so right, God is so true, that you don't want to dare go against Him.

"…a good understanding…" (v 10). That's what we need to have!

• What on earth is going on in the world?
• How is this happening?
• What's going on in our lives?
• What are we going to do?

All of these things are there! God gives understanding if we apply ourselves to prayer and study and stay close to Him.

"…a good understanding have all those who do… [practice and keep His commandments] …His praise endures forever" (v 10).

There are a lot of Psalms in here, because it covers everything in life having to do with:

• loving God
• serving God
• our emotions
• God's feelings
• God's love
• God's truth
• God's punishment
• God's understanding
• God's hatred of evil

Now, here's what we're looking for here:

Psalm 84:1: "How lovely are Your tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!"

What's going to be the greatest tabernacle of all? New Jerusalem! (Rev.21-22).

Verse 2: "My soul longs, yea, even faints for the courts of the LORD…"

• that's how we apply ourselves
• that's how we are able to come to God
• that's how we are able to let Him give us

• His Spirit
• His Understanding
• His Truth

Because the world out there is wicked!

"…my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God" (v 2).

• the longer you're in the Church
• the longer you have the Spirit of God
• the more that you study the Bible
• the more that you live by it
• the more that it will be that you cry out for the living God

Verse 3: "Yea, even the sparrow has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may lay her young, even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed…" (vs 3-4).

Here's a blessing from God; tie that in with Matt. 5:

• blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy
• blessed are the peacemakers for they will inherit the Kingdom of God
• blessed are those who dwell in your house

That's where we're going to be! Think about that!

So, don't get all bogged down in all the troubles in the world and difficulties you may be going through. We're all going to experience various difficulties, some of them very hard to handle and some of them not so hard to handle.

Verse 4: "Blessed are those who dwell in Your house they will still be praising You. Selah. Blessed is the man whose strength is in You…" (vs 4-5).

That's what it is. We can never do anything that God wants us to do in the way that it needs to be done without His Spirit and without His strength.

• He will strengthen us
• He will help us

"…Your ways are in their hearts" (v 5).

That's why when these things come upon us, we feel it; we see it. But IF God's ways are in our hearts, we can withstand all of that and God will help us! There it is right there!

Verse 6: "Who passing through the valley of weeping make it a place of springs; yea, the early rain also clothes it with blessings…. [you can liken that spiritually] …They go from strength to strength, every one of them appearing in Zion before God" (vs 6-7).

That's quite a thing! From strength to strength, that's what we need today and that comes from God.

Verse 8: "O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah." That's how we pray. We cry out to God:

O hear my prayer. Help me with this, O Lord. Guide me in this. Teach me this. Help me to understand. Help me to overcome this depression. Help me to overcome this anxiety. Help me to understand what you are doing. You say that 'all things work together for good,' help me to see the good at the end of the difficulties that I'm in at the present time.

Verse 8: "O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. Behold, O God, our shield, and look upon the face of Your anointed."

That applies directly to Christ, but it also applies to us because we have, as John writes in 1-John 2, an anointing from God, which is His Spirit within us.

Verse 10: "For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness… [you see the difference] …for the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly" (vs 10-11).

Think about that! What are the greatest words that we will hear in our entire lives? Well done good and faithful servant! That's what it is in all times, in all situations. No good thing will he withhold.

Verse 12: "O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You."

These are some very tremendous Psalms. Now when we pray and our prayer goes up and as we've seen lately as it says in Eph. 2 that we have direct access to God the Father.

Psalm 91:1: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.…[that's a way of saying God's protection is over us] ….I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Whom I will trust'" (vs 1-2).

• What does this say in Prov. 3? Trust in the Lord!
• How? With all your heart!
• What does he say after that? And lean not to your own understanding!
• What happens when we lean to our own understanding? It can get us into trouble! 'I think this or I think that.'
• What does God say about it? That's the question!

Verse 3: "Surely He will deliver you from the fowler's trap and from the destroying pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge. His Truth shall be your shield and buckler" (vs 3-4).

That's why we need to know the Word of God. So, this is kind of like an invisible protection that God gives us. I can remember in my lifetime that being in a Church and even once when I was about ten-years-old that God saved me from death. I know that.

So that's a blessing that comes from God. I remember when I rolled my old Isuzu it went clear over. I didn't even have my seatbelt on. I was going 75 miles an hour on Hwy. 5 and there's the big section in between and the car went up and did a complete somersault and I just sat there in the car and said, 'Oooooh!' Then bang it landed upright on all four wheels. I sat there and the first thing I said was: 'Thank You, God. Thank You.'

Every time I would go down Hwy. 5 to go to Los Angeles I would remind myself when I get to that area on the highway, 'Fred, don't do anything stupid; leaning to my own understanding.'

That happened because I was trying to block out the sun by stuffing a tee-shirt in the window. That was stupid! But God saved me. There's a couple other times I won't get into those. Then he says, 'Yes.'

Verse 6: "Nor for the plague that walks in darkness, nor for the destruction laying waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand; it shall not come to you" (vs 6-7).

Get the book by Susi Hasel Mundy the Seventh-Day Adventist: A Thousand Shall Fall—quite a book! {https://adventistbookcenter.com/a-thousand-shall-fall.html}

A German drafted into the German army. And he was so clever about what he did and he worked in the in the transportation department. He drove a truck repaired truck but they all had to carry weapons and he had to have a pistol.

What he did, he carved a pistol exactly like the one that they issued him and made it black put it in his holster—I don't know what he did with his other gun—and he didn't have to bring it out once in WWII. And his family at home lived in the areas where they were bombing all the time, and their little place survived. They had some broken windows. They always had enough food, right in the middle of the war!

Think about that: God's promise there! I think we've underestimated the Seventh-Day Adventist. They do have the Sabbath and they do baptize, and that those are about the only two things they have left that are right. They treat each other nice and they take care of the children and do things like that.

So we will have to leave all of that in God's hands and I kind of speculate:

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, they may very well be the Laodicean Church 'rich and increased with goods,' because none of the churches of God that I know of are rich and increased with goods. Any of you here rich and increased with goods. If you are bring me $10,000, that'll be fine. No we're not!

But they have 21-million people: churches, hospitals, schools. Guess what they classify themselves as Laodiceans! So keep your eye on them, because the one who was that German soldier was a Seventh-Day Adventist.

Verse 9: "Because you have made the LORD, Who is my refuge, even the Most High, your habitation, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling" (vs 9-10).

That is unless you must be a martyr, because that will come. We don't wish that for anybody, but we don't want to say we may not experience it.

Verse 11: "For He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone" (vs 11-12).

Satan quoted this verse to Jesus and said, 'Jump off the edge of the temple and God will save You.' We're not to tempt God! If things come along, here it is protection, right there:

Verse 13: "You shall tread upon the lion and asp; the young lion and the jackal you shall trample underfoot. 'Because… [here's the reason] …he has set his love upon Me…'" (vs 13-14)—because you love God!

All the Protestants want to have the love of God coming to them unconditionally with no obedience required. But it will never come, because we have to set our love upon God.

"…therefore, I will deliver him…" (v 14).

What will be the greatest deliverance of all? The resurrection from the dead! Yes indeed!

"….I will set him on high because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.… [and God promises he will do it] …With long life…" (vs 14-16).

What's the longest life you can have. Eternal life! I mean if we have a long life in the flesh that's fine. I'm 90, Betty's 92, and she keeps telling me 'Fred, you got to catch up with me.' That all comes from God!

I have to be careful and take care of myself, but only God can give me life.

Verse 16: "With long life I will satisfy him…"

So, you see how these Psalms help us. When we come along and we get discouraged and we get to thinking it's so bad:

• Why is it so bad?
• Why am I going through this or whatever?
• Come to God and be following along that way!

Let's come to the New Testament. The Apostle Paul wrote some of the most inspiring epistles.

Philip. 1—Paul was in prison when he wrote these. We need to know because every once in a while you may ask yourself the question: Will I make it? Yes, you will make it! God will bring you to that point if you stay close to Him.

The first verses of almost every epistle start out like this. Why is that? Because this sets the stage for the whole epistle!

Philippians 1:1: "Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (vs 1-2)—That's the whole sum of the epistle!

This is what the epistles are for, so that we can have that connection with God!

Verse 3: "I thank my God on every remembrance of you, Always making supplication with joy in my every prayer for you all" (vs 3-4). That's what it has to be:

• all of us praying for each other
• all the elders praying for all the brethren
• all the brethren praying for all the elders

Verse 5: "For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing…" (vs 5-6).

This is the confidence that we have with God's Spirit even in the most desperate and trying times. Here Paul was in jail writing the most encouraging epistles—Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians—from jail!

Verse 6: "Being confident of this very thing that He… [God the Father] …Who began a good work in you…" What is that good work?

• developing the mind of Christ
• having the commandments and laws of God written in our heart and mind
• converting us
• preparing us for the resurrection

"…will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." (v 6).

That also means: will complete it in our lives until we come to an end and then we'll finish it at the resurrection!

Verse 7: "It is indeed right for me to think this of you all because you have me in your hearts, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel, and you are all fellow partakers of my grace. For God is my witness, how I long after you all with the deep affections of Jesus Christ. And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more in all knowledge and understanding" (vs 7-9).

• that's why we have every Sabbath Day
• that's why we study every day
• that's why we pray every day

So, we grow in knowledge and understanding. The truth is this: the Bible is so full of knowledge and understanding and all the power behind every word is the Spirit of God, and we cannot know everything there is to know. I'm sure you learn new things as you read and study. I learn new things as I read and study.

What is the completion of knowledge? Well, in this physical life as much as we can! But it won't be complete until we're resurrected! Then we'll be on a whole different spiritual level of learning and understanding. That's going to be quite a thing to realize.

What is it going to be like to look in the face of Jesus Christ and talk to Him personally? And later God the Father and talk to Him? Then all the understanding that will be given to us! That's going to be an amazing thing!

Let's see what Paul says we need to do and to keep our mind on. Remember 1-Timothy 3:16: "…God was manifested in the flesh…"—that's Christ!

Note our books:

• Holy Spirit of God, Power of God
• The Apostle Paul's Teachings on God's Laws of God
• True Riches of God

What is God going to give us? The spiritual riches! That's going to be an amazing and amazing thing!

Philippians 2:1: "Now then, if there be any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any deep inner affections and compassions,

Now look at all of the emotions that are involved in this one verse. This is quite a thing. That's why it says we're to love God now with all our heart, with all our mind, with, all our soul, with all our being! This verse encapsulates another aspect of that.

Verse 2: "Fulfill my joy that you be of the same mind… [the same mind toward God and toward each other] …having the same love, being joined together in soul, minding the one thing."

What is that one thing? Attaining to the resurrection and the Kingdom of God! That is the goal!

When we have difficult times like we have now, that's what we need to keep our minds on.

• that will encourage us!
• that will help us
• God's Spirit will be with us
• God's Spirit will lift us up out of the depths of despair and difficulties

that we're going through, and He will do it!

Verse 3: "Let nothing be done through contention or vainglory…"

• we don't need any of that
• we don't accomplish spiritual things by physical means and the vanity of the mind

"…but in humility, each esteeming the others above himself" (v 3).

Knowing that God loves every one of the brethren! All the ministers need to learn this: Don't set yourself over the brethren like Christ has said, 'Serve them!'

Verse 4: "Let each one look not only after his own things, but let each one also consider the things of others."

Here's the key: This is for us right now in the flesh, spiritually speaking. This is the goal day-by-day, Sabbath-by-Sabbath, year-by-year, continuously.

Verse 5: "Let this mind be in you…" You have to let it come from God!

That means you don't put up any mental roadblocks of vanity and stupidity which will cut it off.

Verse 5: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

Now think about how humble He had to be to do this! Think about what He gave up! There is no comparison to what we have to give up. What do we give up compared to Him?

Verse 5: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; Who, although He existed in the form of God…" (vs 5-6).

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God" and God manifested in the flesh!

"….did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but emptied Himself…" (vs 6-7).

I don't know how He did that, but from being God, putting Himself completely in faith to the Father to be made a speck of life, to be impregnated in the womb of the virgin Mary, to be born as a baby. None of us can even think of anything that would compare with that.

But that's what He did so then He could live like ordinary human being, have his ministry, and then be the Perfect Sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, past, present, and future.

• that's what we are dealing with
• that's what to keep our minds on

Verse 7: "But emptied Himself and was made in the likeness of men, and took the form of a servant… [Greek: 'doulos' that also means servant or slave] …and being found in the manner of man…" (vs 7-8).

• everything about what you do
• process of your body
• living
• sleeping
• hungering
• thirsting

all of this sort of thing, He went through!

"...He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death…" (v 8).

He knew what it was; He says in John 10, 'I lay my life down, no one takes it from Me, and I have commandment of the Father to receive it back! Now, think about that.

"…even the death of the cross. Therefore, God has also highly exalted Him and bestowed upon Him a name, which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow took the form of a servant, of beings in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father" (vs 8-11).

Then he says, "…as you have obeyed…" (v 12)—keep on doing it!'

Colossians 2:24: "Now, I am rejoicing in my sufferings… [think of how converted you have to be to do that] …for you, and I am filling up in my flesh that which is behind… [the same pattern] …of which I became a servant, according to the administration of God that was given to me for you in order to complete the Word of God" (vs 24-25).

That's an amazing thing!

• Paul understood
• Peter understood
• John understood

that they had to complete the Word of God, and we have it right here. It's not an amazing thing, 2,000 years later?

Verse 26: "Even the mystery that has been hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been revealed to His saints; to whom God did will to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (vs 26-27).

So, remember that! That's how we keep our minds and our hearts straight and close to God!

Not be overwhelmed with the evil because there's going to be a whole lot more coming down the pike:

• we need to be prepared
• we need to be strengthened
• we need to be comforted
• we need to be guarded with God's protection

This is what we are to do and how we are to do it!

Scriptural References:

• Jonah 3:4-10
• 2 Timothy 3:1-7
• Proverbs 29:2, 4, 12, 14, 16
• Isaiah 3:8-26
• Psalm 111:1-10
• Psalm 84:1-12
• Psalm 91:1-4, 6-7, 9-16
• Philippians 1:1-11
• 1 Timothy 3:16
• Philippians 2:1-12
• Colossians 2:24-27

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Revelation 13; 11:19
• 1 Timothy 4
• Deuteronomy 28
• Isaiah 5
• Revelation 16; 21-22
• Matthew 5
• 1 John 2
• Ephesians 2
• Proverbs 3
• John 10

Also referenced:

Message: Invisible Idol, Visible Man {truthofGod.org}

Booklets {truthofGod.org}:

• Judge Righteous Judgment
• True Riches of God

Books:

• The Apostle Paul's Teaching on God's Law {truthofGod.org}
• A Thousand Shall Fall by Susi Hasel Mundy (Seventh-Day Adventist)

{https://adventistbookcenter.com/a-thousand-shall-fall.html}

FRC:bo/po
Transcribed: 8/2/24

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