Good morning, brethren, it is a beautiful Sabbath! This morning, brethren, I want to go back in time. I want us to look at something that happened in history, only about 67 years ago. This is something that is important, and can teach us a lesson. The date, December 1941, the place, Hawaii. Near Oahu, the Japanese attack force, under the command of Chuichi Nagumo, consisting of 6 carriers and 423 airplanes, is about to attack. At 6:00 a.m., the first attack wave of 183 Japanese airplanes, took off from the aircraft carriers located 230 miles north of Oahu, and headed for Pearl Harbor. At 7:15 a.m. near Oahu, a second wave, of 167 attack airplanes, takes off from Japanese aircraft carriers, and head for Pearl Harbor. At 7:53 a.m., the first Japanese assault wave with 51 dive-bombers, 40 torpedo-bombers, 50 high-level bombers, and 43 Zero fighters commenced the attack, with flight commander Mitsuo Fuchida sounding the battle cry, “Tora!, Tora!, Tora!,” or “Tiger!, Tiger!, Tiger!,” the code words for attack.
Now, why am I going back 67 years, brethren? Why am I doing this? Brethren, while only a few years back, about 21 years ago, Satan, just as he caused the Japanese to attack Pearl Harbor and the United States of America, also attacked God’s Church. As soon as Mr. Armstrong died, the power that was restraining was taken out of the way. Satan attacked in such a way that just after four years great destruction had occurred. Today, 21 years later, we see more than 300 of the so-called ‘churches of god’. These consist of tens of thousands of God’s people. Now in 1997, the Philadelphia Church of God, God’s Laodicean Church, likewise was attacked. It had also moved away from what God had given it as its commission. Why is this, brethren? Well, in the next few moments, we will see why, and how not to ever let it happen again.
Just to continue from the story of Pearl Harbor, at 7:02 a.m., two Army operators, at Oahu’s northern shore radar station, detected the Japanese air attack approaching. They contacted a junior officer, who disregarded their report, thinking that they were American B-17 planes, which were expected from the United States’ West Coast. Pearl Harbor was not on a state of alert. The commander had concluded, based on available intelligence, there was no reason to believe an attack was imminent. Airplanes were parked wingtip to wingtip, anti-aircraft guns were unmanned, with heavy ammunition kept locked in lockers, in accordance with peacetime regulations. Also, there were no torpedo nets protecting the fleet anchorage; and this Sunday morning, many officers and crewmembers were leisurely ashore. The Americans were completely taken by surprise. The first attack wave targeted airfields and battleships. The second attack wave targeted other ships, and shipyard facilities. The air raid lasted until 9:45 a.m. Eight battleships were damaged, with five ships sunk. Three light cruisers, three destroyers, and other smaller vessels were lost, along with 188 aircraft. The Japanese lost 27 airplanes and five submarines, which attempted to penetrate the inner harbor, and launch torpedoes.
So, brethren, what happened? Well, many were negligent in their duty, and that is what was happening within the Church of God. First, we had a duty to remain awake, to remain vigilant; but many of us were asleep. Secondly, the Americans were not on a constant state of alert. We were always reminded Biblically, to be enduring and awake at all times. Thirdly, they were not focused. Everything seemed to be just right. In Hawaii, it was the best place to be. In the Worldwide Church of God, we thought it was the best place to be, because it was God’s Church at about 100,000 people. We thought everyone was speaking the same thing. These men, of course, looked to their leaders. Some of their leaders were asleep. In the Worldwide Church of God, we looked to men. In the Philadelphia Church of God, we also looked to men. They were the problem. For the first Scripture, brethren, turn to Zephaniah 3:1 – 4. I want to read from the Living Bible:
1 “What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem, the city of violence and crime!
2 No one can tell it anything; it refuses all correction. It does not trust in the Lord or draw near to its God.
3 Its leaders are like roaring lions hunting for their victims. Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time, which by dawn have left no trace of their prey.
4 Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain. Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God’s instructions.”
Now, we have seen that, brethren, both in the Worldwide Church of God, and recently in the Philadelphia Church of God. So, what about us today in the Church of God’s Faithful, in God’s Church, in this faithful Church of God, being led by Jesus Christ, are we alert? What about us, how long can we remain duty bound, alert, focused, and submissive to God at all times? We must remember ‘The Midnight Cry’, and when God’s appointed time comes, the message will go out. We must be ready, because we have a big part to play. Let us go to the next Scripture, Ephesians
6:10 – 18. We break into a conversation the Apostle Paul was having with the Ephesians, and he states:
10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
Brethren, God has given us armor, armor we must utilize. Now, if we remember, in the days of David, he was also given armor. He was given armor, which he could not use. The armor was too huge for him. It was the armor of the king, King Saul; and David could not use it. But, God has given us armor, which we are able to use, because it is adapted to every single one of us.
Now, remember one thing. In Pearl Harbor, the Americans had armor. They had the greatest fleet in the Pacific Ocean. Yet, it was just there lying and the final destruction was great. Let us go back to the story of Pearl Harbor. The casualty list included 2,335 service members and 68 civilians killed; with 1,178 wounded, included are 1,104 men aboard the battleship USS Arizona killed after a 1,760-pound air-bomb penetrated into the foreword magazine, causing catastrophic explosions. They had armor. But as we just read before, brethren, many ships were sunk. Men died: airplanes destroyed.
The Japanese were planning weeks before; and no doubt, Satan had planned the destruction of God’s Church. No doubt, he knew it was coming! He knew the Scriptures. He knew of the Power that was holding him back. He knew who it was. He knew the Worldwide Church of God was about to die. But what about us, did we know? Do we know today, what Satan is planning for us? Yesterday, as we were talking over dinner, Mrs. Frendo mentioned the spirit world. What kind of warfare is happening around us, and what is happening right now, which we cannot see? Satan is planning our downfall, brethren. God has given us armor, but how do we utilize the armor? We all have it, but how do we utilize it? That is what we need to know. We can utilize this armor by four very important and basic things:
- Prayer
- Bible study
- Meditation
- Fasting
In prayer and Bible study, brethren, we talk with God. God wants to hear our voice. He wants us to go to Him. He knows exactly what we will ask, but He wants us to ask it. He wants us to talk with Him; and prayer is not just asking; prayer is talking. You talk, as we talk with each other over a light meal, or as we talk to each other, as we walk. That is what God wants; and so He wants to talk to us. The Bible is His Word. Turn with me in your Bibles to Philippians 4:6:
6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
So, we can thank God as we pray. Let us go back to Psalms 119:105
105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
So, through His Word, God is showing us the way to go, the way to achieve what He wants us to become as a part of His Family. That is what God wants from us. When we talk to God, when we study His Word, we meditate on what we have just read. We think about what He has said to us. No doubt, God thinks about what we have said to Him. So, we have to think about what He is saying to us. While we are in Psalms, let us look at 119:97, 99:
97 “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.”
99 “I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.”
Now, those are the first three basic ways of communication with God, brethren. Last but not least, fasting. This is something that we all love, don’t we? Every one of us loves fasting – the more the better, I suppose. But I am only joking; but God wants us to fast. Not every day, but He wants the occasional fast. Why is this? He wants us to realize that without Him, we have nothing. We have nothing! We have no food: we have no water. We remember our brethren in Zimbabwe. They are facing those things right now. Brethren, we have an abundance of things. God has blessed us immensely. So, He wants us to have an occasional fast, and I am the first one, who does not do this, and I should; we all should. The Day of Atonement is not the only time for fasting. We get close to God by fasting, because we realize how much we need Him in our lives. Please turn to 2Timothy 3:16 – 17 and these are well-known Scriptures:
16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
What the Scriptures are saying, by studying the Word of God, and taking God’s correction from It, we become a perfect man. We become people, who have the armor, and we must use the armor day by day, because Satan does not sleep. He attacks every day. For our last Scripture, please turn to 1Peter 5:8:
8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
Brethren, the title of this sermonettes is, “Be Vigilant.” ‘Vigilant’ is Strong’s Concordance, #1127. It means keep awake, watch. Now, we know certain ones are asleep, out of roughly 100,000 former Worldwide Church of God members. There are also 5,000 or 6,000 people in the Philadelphia Church of God, who are also asleep. We must remain awake, if we are to finish the Work of God. Remember, at Pearl Harbor, the American fleet was devastated. It was nearly destroyed. Satan has devastated God’s Church on two occasions. Let us never let it happen to us, neither individually, nor collectively. So, brethren, let us be vigilant, by using daily, the armor; God has given us. Through prayer, Bible study, meditation, and fasting, let us seek His help in using it, and continue to endure, until the end.
Sermon by Mr. Alfred Cachia (8/04/07) Transcribed by Mr. Harlan Webb
