Greetings brethren! I hope each of you had a wonderful Feast of Tabernacles. I am always amazed at how quickly the feast passes. Perhaps this is an indication of how quickly the millennium will pass as we have the opportunity of serving and leading mankind. My family and I enjoyed a wonderful feast in Sri Lanka. On the way to the feast, we were able to spend Atonement with the brethren in Singapore. It is always a joy becoming better acquainted with brethren living in other parts of the world. The brethren in Sri Lanka were thrilled to have a few visitors from the US and India. We had a total attendance of 30 so we were able to get to know each other very well during the feast. My only regret is that we were unable to see you during the feast.

Now that the feast has passed we should apply the many things that we learned during those eight days to continue our spiritual growth. One lesson that we learn during the feast is the temporal nature of the world in which we live. We often desire physical things such as the latest cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players, stylish clothing, cars, and etc. But after a few short years they are worn out or outdated and discarded. Yet people will labor long hours in order to obtain them. Sadly some will even break the laws of God and man in order to obtain these very temporary items.

God has called us out of this temporal world and has instructed us to focus on that which is eternal. We are physical and have a temporary existence. We need physical things such as food, clothing, shelter, and etc. in order to survive. But Christ instructed His disciples to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (physical needs) shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). God instructs us to seek to obtain that which is eternal and He will take care of our physical needs.

As we return to our daily routines after the feast, let’s remember this important lesson of the feast. Let’s endeavor to focus on the spiritual and eternal values that God would have us develop in this physical world. Often as I see an old and junked automobile that is left to rust away, I think that once that was someone’s prized possession. They sacrificed and labored for a long time in order to obtain or pay for it. Now it is discarded and worthless. I want to labor for something that does not rust and fade away. I want to labor for “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away” (I Peter 1:4) and a “crown of glory that does not fade away” (I Peter 5:4) and I know you do as well. Let’s spend our time seeking that which is eternal as we leave the Fall holy days and anticipate the Spring holy days. We can use each Sabbath as a compass check as we stay the course to eternity.

I look forward to seeing many of you during my upcoming visit!