The Apostle Paul tells us that the Old Testament biblical festivals are “shadows of things to come.” The Feast of First Fruits, gives away the shadow meaning of  this Festival in God’s plan. While it was a harvest festival in ancient times, today it is a festival picturing God’s harvest of children for his Kingdom.  Jesus founded the Church of God in the New Testament on that same festival (called Pentecost in the New Testament). What do each of the other festivals foreshadow? Not surprisingly, all of them have Jesus Christ stamped all over them.

Self-control in modern culture has gone out of style. It’s not often seen as a solution to our problems. Moderns would rather blame them on heredity, or parents, or the political party we are not a part of, or the culture itself. The Bible, however, offers a different view. There we are told that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit of God in us. In practical terms, what does that mean in a Christian’s daily life?