Are you prayerfully and thoughtfully preparing for the Spring Holy Days? Have you proven from God's word which day Passover is on? Will you becoming humbly before God at Passover? Challenging questions!

Today syncretism is dominating the teaching in the Churches of God. Professing scholars, teachers and ministers quote from Philo, Josephus, and Mai monides and others, trying to prove their subject on just when is the appointed time of the Lord's Passover. People do not want to hear the facts or truth from God's holy sanctified Word. They just want to hear smooth things. Paul told Timothy to "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears" (2 Tim. 4:2-3). These are they who refuse to accept the Bible, God's Word as their sole authority and standard for religious teaching and personal conduct. Paul went on and said, "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Tim. 4:4).

Fables are false facts! Strong's Concordance #3454, identifies fables as: 1. fiction; 2. myth; 3. a tale. Webster's Dictionary describes "fables" as: 1.) falsehood; 2.) lie; 3.) to talk or write about as if it is truth. This is exactly the teaching Satan has infiltrated into the Churches of God. The calendar is an extremely outstanding example of this!

Syncretism teaches, it is all right to postpone God's appointed Passover and all Holy Days. This teaching is taught and practiced by most of the professing Churches of God today! This teaching of Judaism was being practiced when the book of Isaiah [Isaiah meaning, "salvation of the Lord."] written around 800 BC.

In chapters one through three, Isaiah prophesied to Judah long after Moses had died. "Bring no more vain oblations, incense is an abomination unto me" the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot bear, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth'. they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them" (Isa. 1: 13-14).

It was brought to my attention by a fellow minister what Dr. Herman Hoeh wrote in an article titled "Does It Matter Which Days We Observe?" Copyright 1960 by Ambassador College, page 7. "Did Judah remain faithful? " Consider now what God says about "Jewish Festivals!" Now notice the first chapter of Isaiah. It is addressed in particular to Judah. Like the ancient people of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Jews instituted their own appointed. feast, and tampered with the period of the new moon. "Your new moon and your appointed. feasts My soul hateth," said the Word of the Lord" (Isa. 1:14). This was the beginning of what are customarily called "Jewish feasts. " Being instituted by the Jews they were naturally "Jewish."

"But nothing is said about the Jews instituting their own Sabbath! It is not surprising then that the Jews have preserved the right Sabbath of God to our generation." The Worldwide Church of God has taught and practiced following the Pharisees Hebrew Calendar from its infancy!

The question arises, is the Sabbath the mark of a true Christian? Or is there more to it than that? Can a person keep the Sabbath and Holy Days, all the Commandments, tithe, have faith, have understanding of God's plan, even pray daily and fast often and still not be a Christian?

God calls the process of taking on the mind of Jesus Christ "conversion." The Apostle Paul described it as the death of the old man, and the beginning of the new man. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:1-2). He and the other Apostles describe that life as a life that is fully committed and devoted to practice what God's Word teaches.

We read where Jesus Christ condemned the self-centered attitude of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:13-33. Yet the Pharisees kept the Sabbath and their holy days. They tithed, they fasted and they prayed. But, their mind and hearts, their attitudes, their motivation and their value's Jesus condemns.

As God's first fruits we need to let God's Word, the Bible, be our guide to keeping His [not the Pharisees] Holy convocations in their appointed time. We must stop following the Pharisees traditions, which God condemned in Isaiah 1: 13- 14.

By example, if the Israelites had not followed the instruction to put the sacrificial lamb's blood on the door post at the appointed time they would have died. "For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever" (Ex. 12:23-24). At the Lord's appointed time, at Passover, we are protected under the umbrella of Christ's shed blood; keeping Passover on the correct day is a matter of life, not death.

This is the season when we should be reflecting on our spiritual attitude toward God's Eternal Words. We are reminded by the Apostle James, "If any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was, But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed" (James 1:.23-24).

As Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread draw near, it is time to reflect on the importance of our relationship with God and one another. When partaking of the symbols of Jesus Christ's suffering and death, at Passover services, it should go without saying we should be taking it in the attitude and frame of mind that God intends.

God teaches from His Word that there are two ways of life. One way is apart or separate from God's teachings. This way is steeped in pride. Those who choose to live this way are concerned primarily with prestige, importance, personal gratification and physical wealth which they can acquire for themselves. They are self-seeking and fundamentally selfish. Their basic motivation is for their own physical self-fulfillment, with little regard for the welfare of others; that is, others who may be in their way. This way has often been characterized by Mr. Herbert Armstrong as the way of get.

The second way is God's way, steeped in humility. Those who live this way are motivated to have outgoing concern for the good and welfare of others. They are committed to making life better for people, and are devoted to helping them to maintain a positive right relationship. Their motivation is to live according to the royal law of loving ones neighbors as oneself, submitting to God in all things and letting God's Holy Spirit lead them. This is the give way, the way the Eternal God lives.

With this in mind as we approach Passover, it should behoove each one of us as God's chosen, to carefully evaluate our relationship with others in the light of God's law of love, [outgoing concern for others] and repent of any arrogant, selfish, superior, inconsiderate, spiteful or envious attitude we may hold toward another flesh and blood human being.

We know Jesus Christ was perfect and sinless in all His ways, yet He was willing to give Himself for us. He was willing to be lied about, hated, despised, spat upon, and tortured because He and God the Father love us. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16-17). With humility He did this for us because He loves us, and was willing to suffer for us even while we were still sinners, behaving selfishly, arrogantly, foolishly and at times hatefully. He was willing to suffer for us so we ultimately might be able to repent and change! Throughout His Word, He is showing us how we are to think of others and how to live and get along with others.

God the Father has drawn us into a new way of thinking and living with the help of His Holy Spirit. The truth of His Word, which He has given us through His Holy Spirit is truth that must be put into practice. It is not knowledge alone, but applied knowledge. It is one thing for us to know and understand the truth of God's Word. But, God requires that we use that knowledge by practicing to live by it. Humility forms the foundation for making that knowledge come to life.

A prideful attitude prevents one from receiving the grace of God. We are told, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" (James 4:6). A prideful attitude is not a repentant attitude. A prideful attitude sees itself as already right, having no need for the mercy of God. It sees itself as superior to others. This kind of attitude will not condescend to the humility necessary to admit error, it sees no need to change and ask for forgiveness. It sees others as inferior and less important. This kind of attitude sees no need to sacrifice its own desires or wants for the good of others.

On the other hand, a humble attitude is able to receive the grace of God. A person with a humble spirit does not view him or herself as superior to others, but is concerned with how they can help make the way easier for others. People with this attitude, like Christ, are not afraid to sacrifice their own desires for others.

We should look honestly at our own personal motivations in our relationship with others as Passover approaches. The Apostle James was inspired to write. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up" (James 4:7-10). We need to repent if we hope to have the mercy of God extended to us. We need to remove all arrogance, prideful selfish-indulgent barricades which we have set up between us and God's throne of grace. God does not force us to repent yet. At this time repentance must be completely voluntary. True repentance reflects a total submission to God and His will. Unconditional surrender!

We need to ask ourselves before we partake of the Lord's Passover, are we holding any grudges? Are any of us talking against someone else? Again, the Apostle James has something to say about this. "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" (James 4:11-12).

The Apostle James makes clear, speaking evil of others is sin. Judging others is usurping God's prerogatives. God takes the matter of judging and speaking against others seriously! Take time and reflect on the following scriptures: Psalm 50:20, Psalm 101:5, 11 Corinthians 12:20, 1 Peter 2: 1 and Romans 14. "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (Matt. 7:1-3).

Let's be willing to look at ourselves honestly and take whatever steps are necessary with God's help to begin the process of binding up old wounds. Let's stand ready to forgive one another. Let's be willing to forbear one another. Let's take the initiative, in true Godly humility to strengthen all our relationships. Let God's Holy Spirit in us lead us to be peacemakers. "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matt. 5:9).