Spiritually, apostasy is rebellion against God or the abandonment of faith. It will increase as Christ's return nears, so we must be on guard against it.

Because we act on what we believe, any affront to our belief system will alter our choices and behavior, placing us on a destructive trajectory.

Constant, earnest prayer keeps faith alive and makes certain the receiving of the qualities that make us in the image of God. God's purpose comes first.

Sometimes God's sense of justice seems unusual or strange to us, giving us many questions to ponder about fairness. Justice and fairness are not identical.

How are we different from those who have fallen away from the truth? How do we know that we will not also follow a path of deception and eventual apostasy?

Bob Dylan's lyrics in 'The Times They Are A-changin' seem prescient; within a few years of Herbert Armstrong's death, heresies were imported into the church.

When Christ returns, we cannot be at odds with Him at all, but must have been attending to the salvation process, putting our spiritual houses in order.

Herbert Armstrong, while not infallible or sinless, nevertheless served as the custodian of the truths of God, occupying the role of God's messenger.

We must guard against forces that would systematically undermine the faith once delivered to the saints, and learn not to denigrate the stories passed down.

Gnosticism is very much in vogue today in books and movies, and perhaps surprisingly, in the belief systems of many people who profess to be Christian.

If we are rescued from our tests and trials, we will not be able to perform. We need struggle, tribulation, pressure, and trials to develop patience.

How often have we heard—or cried ourselves—'How long, O Lord?' Our great hope is in Christ's return, but it seems as if that time is delayed.

Jeroboam, pragmatic and fearful, established a more convenient idolatrous festival to prevent his people from keeping the real Feast of Tabernacles in Judah.

American culture is decidedly non-Christian in its current outlook, as Satan has twisted and distorted the information taught by secular universities.

Whether we do or do not make it to the Feast of Tabernacles next year depends on our faithfulness at stirring up the gift of God's spirit within us.

Our challenge in the wake of the terrible things we witness now is to retain confidence that God is in control, even though our faith will be sorely tested.

Outcome-based religion holds large membership as its measure of success, believing that the ends justify the means. It avoids doctrine that might divide.

Living faith has its roots in fervently, diligently seeking God and His righteousness with intense desire (like a passionate lover) through habitual prayer.