Having now returned from a wonderful Feast of Tabernacles, where we
enjoyed a full plate of spiritual food during this year’s festival, we
each have received tremendous help to assist us as we return to our
respective places in this present world. We must not allow ourselves to
let down from the spiritual high we have received!

As we move
into the winter months of the year, we must use the knowledge and the
increase of God’s faith received during this eight day festival through
God’s inspiration, not letting the spirit of the upcoming seasons pull
us down from the spiritual high with which God has blessed us.

And
as we enter these months, when daylight is shortened and the darkness
of night grows long, the world enters its major festival season, which
has been inspired by the god of this world to lead God’s people and all
of mankind into darkness; we must continue to increase in the light of
God’s Word!

Many of God’s people, called and chosen, have been
caught up in the spirit of these days, having lost sight of many of
God’s truths warning His people to always be alert to Satan’s devices.
Our God hates these days because they have been inspired by the god of
this world to deceive His people and to lead them into false worship,
as much of the world is doing today! Our God says He is a jealous God
and He demands our loyalty to Him!

God tells us in Deuteronomy,
chapter 12, verses 30-31: “…do not inquire after their gods, saying,
‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise. You
shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination
to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods…”

God continues in verse 32: “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.”

Let
us use the increased faith God has given us during these fall festivals
and let us be faithful to Him as the uninspired festivals of the god of
this world pass. We must look forward to the spring of the year and
God’s spring festivals, whereby we will picture again integral parts of
God’s master plan which are revealed in His Holy Days.

We must
keep our eyes set on God’s Truth, His Plan, and His goal for all of
mankind as we go through these months of winter, knowing that the
spring is just ahead, bringing again His wonderful festivals of the
spring. In the meantime, we must continue to grow in the grace and
truth of our God in hope of His wonderful Kingdom, soon to come to this
earth, when all confusion and error will be destroyed and the Way of
our God will be established throughout the earth and the universe!

As we rapidly approach the time of year God has set apart for His
Fall festivals, how excited are we that we have been blessed with such
awesome knowledge; knowledge which reveals many details of God’s great
plan for all of humanity; knowledge of plans He will see completed
according to His faithful Word; events which will change forever the
course of the world and universe?

No doubt, when we first learned
of God’s intent of fulfilling His awesome plans–events which will
astound this world–it was difficult for us to contain this knowledge
within ourselves! We had an urgent need to tell all we had learned to
family, friends, and yes, even everyday acquaintances.

As time
passed and we all grew in the knowledge of God’s Holy Days, we came to
realize even more the significance of these precious days! Leviticus 26
reveals tremendous blessings for all who will walk in God’s Law, His
Statutes (which include God’s Holy Days), and His Judgments; while
revealing in the same set of Scriptures retributions which will surely
come on Israel and on all the nations of the world who fail to follow
these instructions! 

Deuteronomy 16 gives an outline of
all of God’s annual festivals wherein God instructs us to observe these
days and to rejoice therein! We observe these days for the purpose of
honoring our God, showing respect for Him and His instructions, and to
learn even more of Him and His Way–something impossible for anyone who
observes the holidays of this world ever to achieve.

Yet, with
many who once knew and observed these days, this enthusiasm has waned
over time, with the result that many of these no longer observe God’s
wonderful commands relative to His Holy Days! Many of these today are
no longer faithful in following God’s tithing laws (which include funds
to attend the festivals, funds to assist the less fortunate in
attending the festivals and funds to help in providing facilities
needed to observe the festivals, as God instructs in His Word). We
know, of course, that some do not have the financial resources to
attend God’s festivals.

Such lack of obedience to God’s
instructions demonstrates a total lack of enthusiasm in following God’s
Way, and in participating in His very important and significant Holy
Days.

How seriously do we take God’s commands relative to His festival season?