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START toward a MORE SPIRITUAL, DEVOTED, DEEPLY DEDICATED CHURCH. We
are shaking off the Laodicean lukewarmness that was beginning to
drug us to sleep.
The sermons were more deeply spiritual--bringing "meat in due
season"--bringing inspired messages of the now imminent KINGDOM OF GOD,
and its rule over ALL NATIONS for the next thousand years. The
ministers preached inspiringly, showing that their hearts were stirred,
aroused, to the tremendous MEANING of this Festival. The audience
atmosphere was equally re-awakened, inspiring, JOYOUS!
Truly, the living Jesus Christ is setting HIS CHURCH back on the
track, in every phase of its great worldwide mission and work.
But, Brethren, this is ONLY A START! If we should rest on our
oars now, or let down in our zeal and spiritual dedication, even
this wonderful Festival would have been in vain!
We're OFF TO AN INSPIRED, AROUSED NEW START! Let's now INCREASE
our dedication and deep devotion. GOD'S WORK is FAR FROM FINISHED!
The race is not over! But we are now coming in on the HOME STRETCH!
Do not forget that Satan knows this better than we do. It means,
to him, that his time is now short. He will AROUSE HIMSELF TO
INTENSIFIED GREAT WRATH--AGAINST GOD'S CHURCH--knowing his time is now
short. One speaker mentioned today, that while God's Wrath is against
SIN, God has only LOVE for the sinner--but, don't forget that Satan
LOVES SIN, and HATES WITH WHITE-HOT HEAT GOD'S PEOPLE REDEEMED FROM
SIN!
The road ahead WILL NOT BE EASY!
When I was a youth in high school I ran the mile, in track. I
learned what a RACE really is. Starting out there is a struggle for
good position among the other runners. Then it becomes very difficult--
one feels almost exhausted, until he gets his "second wind." It
continues to be a struggle, but through the middle of the race he can
keep going very well--though it is not easy. But the REAL CHALLENGE
is coming in on the HOME STRETCH. That's when the race becomes most
difficult--your strength almost gone--now running on sheer DESPERATE
DETERMINATION--the competitor trying to surge ahead of you--you simply
have to put into it your last ounce of strength and DETERMINATION to
not falter but instead to pick up speed, until you cross the tape.
The Apostle Paul used such a race as a comparison to OUR RACE AGAINST
SATAN coming in on the home stretch.
"Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that
is set before us, looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross..."
(Heb. 12:1-2).
WHAT A LESSON FOR US, RIGHT NOW, in those two verses! Coming
in on the home stretch, let us jettison--cast off--all excess weights
that might slow us down--or sins which would rob us of the patience
to continue--and, with our minds fastened on Jesus, remember that as