Archive for June, 2015

Following the Devil’s Tracks

June 27, 2015

Sherlock Holmes

Many are aware of the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. His ability to solve crimes and point to the guilty was thorough and successful. Today, we must take the role of old Sherlock as well, as we are facing a huge Spiritual battle. Satan is on the loose and in a terrible and concise manner. He has pulled his troops together and is making his final push to drag as many as possible down with him.

As we have posted many times, Satan has his hands full with his final game plan. This game plan is to befuddle, lam-blast, disguise, disrupt and just downright destroy God’s final message to His church, the Lord’s Elijah message. The SDA as a whole are fast asleep and unaware of this game plan, but the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists are not.

Who does Satan and his minions fear the most? The Davidian Seventh-day Adventists. For he knows they have the truth of the prophecies concerning the “great and dreadful day of the Lord.” The Lord’s final message that, once it is believed by that fateful 144,000th believer, ushers in Satan and his doomed legions final short few years.

Satan, as the Elijah prophet has uncovered through prophetic interpretation,  will soon be “wrath” with God’s people (Rev. 12:15-17), because of the “earth’s” mouth opening (Ezek. 9 church judgment). This can only happen because of the Davidian message being accepted by all those who will. Sadly, we know Inspiration says only 144,000 will  choose to do so. Hence the all out effort to stop this message from reaching the SDA people.

Let us now do as Sherlock would do, look at the evidence piling up pointing out his guilty schemes right now.

The message warns us–

“Moreover, the old Devil has already put all his forces to work, piping pleasing tunes to lure Truth seekers to climb aboard his golden bandwagon.   Its glittering tinsel of truth is already beguiling many with his wares while his captains and generals are to the top of their voices shouting their “Hallelujahs,” “Holy Ghost,” “gift of healing,” “gift of tongues,” “gift of miracles,” and all the rest, although the entire fanfare is devoid even of a spark of life. 

Every wind of doctrine will be blowing, false revivals and reformations will be at their peak.  Everything that can be done will be done to distort the Truth and thus distract and dishearten believers and draw their attention to something other than the message of Elijah.

   Thus will be the Devil’s deal while the day of God is approaching, and while Elijah is making the announcement of it as the scroll unrolls and while the prophecies concerning the day of God are being unsealed.  

His work and his interpretation of the prophecies for the great day will identify him as the promised Elijah the prophet (“Testimonies to Ministers,” p. 475), and this will enrage the Devil as never before.  Nevertheless, one’s only safety will be in the teaching of Elijah, for there will be no other voice of timely Truth and authority to whom one may turn.  Any others will lead their victims blind-folded into perdition.” (General Conference Special, p.7-8)

“And since the Enemy cannot get around the Truth, he does all he can to blacken character and to pick flaws in personalities.” (Ibid, p.8)

So we see that Satan will be enraged as never before and that he cannot do anything successfully to stop the Truth, but he can and will “blacken character” of the messengers.

Recently the world heard about the terrible shooting of the  Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina. The young kid took the lives of many innocent people that evening. But was this haphazard or was it planned by the sinister one?

On July 2nd of this year, we as SDA will have our general conference session. The church leaders will be gathering, along with a multitude of members. As is the custom, church issues will be discussed and voted upon.  A great throng of SDA will gather in one place. The church direction hangs in the balance.

The adversary well knows this and he also knows that God’s faithful servants, the DSDA, are planning on being there to distribute the Elijah message in literature, Cd’s and Dvd’s. So, what better time than right before the world session,  to possess a young kid and get a large shoot up in a church?

How does this tie together? Let us look back at Satan’s prior history. We are very familiar with the disastrous and horrifying events in Waco Texas on February 28, 1993. The religious group known as Branch Davidians were soon known all around the world, but for the wrong reasons. Koresh and his unGodly men, with their perverted lifestyles, were seen as cult figures and anything but true Godly people.

So the net result is that Satan had accomplished his goal– taint the word– Davidian. Why? Because the Lord had inspired His last prophet to His remnant church, the SDA church, a man named Victor T. Houteff, to name the believers in the Elijah message–Davidian Seventh-day Adventists.

But in 1955 when brother Houteff died, the adversary started his plan to counter the message. A man named Ben Roden , who studied under Houteff, decided that he was to be the new inspired leader and his new break away group would be called Branch Davidians.  He added and subtracted many things to the original message. Koresh came along many years later and tried to interject his own teachings into the already usurping Branch movement.

The net result in this mess is that the largely uninformed SDA today, have no clue what the difference is between the Davidian SDA and the Branch Davidians. To them they are one and the same! Meaning all Satan’s dirty work with the fringe group (Branch) are now lumped with the Lord’s true group– the Davidian  SDA.

This being true, and with the recent shooting clearly in mind, there is word among some DSDA that the SDA leaders have warned the local police in San Antonio, about the “Davidians” . They have spread slander that they could do some similar acts and that they should be watched. In other words, they are trying to hamper God’s servants from getting the message out to the people based on slander and falsehood!

The prophet had some stern words for the “Sanhedrin” in our leadership–

“True, the church is God’s church, but those who are in charge of it are no better than the Sanhedrin in Christ’s days.  It is because God has supreme regard for His church that He has thus with His Truth invaded it now as He did invade the Jewish church in Christ’s time, and is thus to reclaim His people by cutting down those who are unlawfully enslaving them, teaching them doctrines of devils as already shown in the paragraphs above, and keeping them from coming in contact with Heaven’s Truth for this time of crises.  Do you see why the General Conference is now no more the voice of God to the people (General Conference Bulletin, 34th session, Vol. 4, Extra No. 1, April 3, 1901, p. 25, Cols. 1, 2) than was the Sanhedrins’ to the Jews in Christ’s time?” (Jezreel Letter, no. 7, p.7-8)

God’s prophetess warned us about the slander that would take place.

“The more you are jostled, misapprehended, misstated, misrepresented, the more evidence you have that you are doing a work for the Master, and the more closely you must cling to your Saviour.” (Testimonies, vol. 8, p.130)

Satan has for centuries used falsehood and slander spreading. Justin Martyr,  the early Christian historian, pointed out how word had spread among the people that “Christians” practiced cannibalism (eating babies) and sexual immorality in their worship services (Dialogue with Trypho,  ch.10, First Apology, p.133).

Not only we can see these devil tracks forming, but I have seen lately the adversaries familiar attacks on a more personal level, upon a sister in our church. Sister M, has been studying the Lord’s Rod message for the last few weeks and we have had some real good studies. Her facial expressions, her expressing of joy in learning prophecies such as Daniel 2 and the subject of the 144,000, have been a joy to me.

But we know Satan and his workers are fighting anyone who boldly starts to embrace the Elijah message and sure enough they were watching our studies. Sister M, in an effort to share her exciting studies and new truth she had learned, called a sister in Los Angeles to share the news. The sister listened to sister M, and then interjected, “Oh no, be careful, that is Shepherd’s Rod teachings. They teach that someday the Davidians will rise up in the church and commit Ezekiel 9 on the people.”

Talk about cold water being splashed in one’s face! Sister M was dumbfounded. She was quite naturally confused. She called me the next day explaining her conversation with the sister. I listened patiently then calmly told her that this was an old false rumor that has absolutely no foundation anywhere in the Shepherd’s Rod teachings. She said she would like to give me the sister’s email and that I should discuss this with her. I gladly accepted.

Long story short , after trying twice to reach out to this sister and have her read back to me the references in the Rod, where the teaching of the Ezekiel 9 church judgment will be performed by Davidians, she never responded. Aloof and blissfully ignorant of her slander!

I am praying, and please do so as well, that our sister M, will see that one of us is not “loving the Truth” but rather their agenda of falsehood and slander.

Satan  started this slander at the very beginning of the message. We read that very early in brother Houteff’s ministry, in the Symbolic News code, he addressed the following.

“It will be seen by the following paragraphs that the enemy of truth is determined that light shall not reach the people (“Testimonies to Ministers,” p. 411), also that he is doing everything to tear down Mt. Carmel Center and the work she is carrying on.

1. “I have been told,” says one, “that Mt. Carmel Center is being builded as a sort of fort where weapons are being stored for the purpose of slaying all the S.D.A.’s who do not accept the message of the Rod.  Is this true?”

Nothing could be quite so absurd as the story which the questioner has been told, and we admonish our brethren not to believe what they are told by Mt. Carmel’s enemies, any more than while they were investigating the Sabbath truth they believed the wild stories told about Adventists.” (Sym. Code. vol, 3. no.11-12, p.2)

The Lord warned us that only those who “love” the Truth, will be saved–

“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2 Thes. 2:10)

This slander spreading sister, and all others like her, will have on their life’s book, the solemn charge of breaking the 9th Commandment unless they repent. If I or anyone else spread a rumor that so and so, or a group of people will soon be murders, and don’t get to the bottom of this accusation to see if these things are based on written proof, we would stand defenseless before God as careless and guilty. Especially as we are accusing God’s servants of such blackness!

And why is Satan so worried about stopping God’s final message to His people? Because he knows prophesy shows us what will befall him and his minions once the church is purified, once God’s mighty warriors go to work. All his henchmen shall no longer “rule over” His people. A new day has begun!

“Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young;

and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid; I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers. And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.(Jer. 51:20-24)

As a matter of duty, I should point out certain current SDA leaders and/or high profile spokemen for the SDA who are active in spreading errors and falsehoods concerning the Lord’s Davidian message.

David Mould  (YouTube)

Ishmael Rodriguez  (YouTube, Personal ministry to counter the Shepherd’s Rod)

Harold Cunningham (Conference leader in Georgia)

Vance Ferrell (Long time SDA writer and reporter)

Of course there are many more, but these are some of the more active ones.

In closing, we can see the old serpent’s tracks as clear as day! The fact that slander has been practiced against a particular group of people within our church should tip-off the honest of heart, that the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist message is truth and it is the one that our adversary fears most. One of the worst impulses of the human heart is to engage in bearing false witness. It is so bad that our Lord has it as His number 9 Holy Commandment. “Thou shall not bear false witness.”

Let us no longer be beguiled by Satan today, but awake and uncover his cunning and sinister tracks!

“The enemy is preparing for his last campaign against the church. He has so concealed himself from view that many can hardly believe that he exists, much less can they be convinced of his amazing activity and power. They have to a great extent forgotten his past record; and when he makes another advance move, they will not recognize him as their enemy, that old serpent, but they will consider him a friend, one who is doing a good work. Boasting of their independence they will, under his specious, bewitching influence, obey the worst impulses of the human heart and yet believe that God is leading them. Could their eyes be opened to distinguish their captain, they would see that they are not serving God, but the enemy of all righteousness. They would see that their boasted independence is one of the heaviest fetters Satan can rivet on unbalanced minds.” (Testimonies, vol. 5, p.294)

(Reminder note: We always color code our messages as follows (except the earlier years messages)– Orange — The Father or Son speaking  Blue–  Scripture/Spirit of prophecy references   Brown- The Lord’s Elijah message writings brought by Victor T. Houteff )

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Posted in Delusion, Satan | 5 Comments »

His Signs and Wonders

June 20, 2015

 

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(Click to enlarge)

This week I have witnessed some of  the Lord’s divine work. He has once again shown that He is with us, He is there for us.  His wonderful signs are to be shown and spread as His word says.

“If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.”(John 10:37-38)

Here we see that our Lord shows that the Father’s works are real , they do exist. They show real signs and miracles for our benefit. To strengthen us , to uplift us. Signs help us to believe. Of course the Lord does not give them in place of faith, but rather to strengthen our faith.

As some of you who have read the blog for a few years know, I have written about how God has used the Hummingbirds in my life. One of the most dramatic and powerful signs given was written about here –https://godsloveandlaw.com/2011/04/02/god-sends-a-hummingbird/

This wonderful sign woke me up to the fact that a serious idol in my life was to be done away with, lest I remain forever in its snare and not grow in the Truth as the Lord would have.

The Lord said–

“No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.” (Luke 11:33)

 I believe this sign is given to show the Lord’s light (wonder signs) to us all. I am putting this lamp on the stand for all of you to see it. So let us give thanks and praise to Him that speaks to us in diver and amazing ways.

About one week ago I had opened my front room curtains. As I usually do I looked out to see if I could see any of my favorite little friends, the hummingbirds, feeding at their feeder. I did not, but I could see that the feeder was empty, so I made a mental note that later that day I would refill it. Later after work, I forgot to refill the container. Being wrapped up with the work of the day, it had escaped my mind.

The next morning, again I did my same routine and opened the curtains. I looked at the feeder. What?? What is this I thought? Am I seeing right? Then it hit me! The Lord has refilled the feeder with just enough to show the drink had been added! There is no other explanation for this. As we all know, liquid cannot appear from nothing unless the Lord commands it.

Stunned, I got down on my knees and thanked Him for such a wonderful sign. Joy and amazement are the best I can describe my feelings at that moment. But this was something that the Lord had done before, and I know this is to be shown to others as encouragement. He really does want us to know that He works even now, even today.  Not only in silent and unseen ways, but visual insightful ways!

The two pictures above show the views I saw from the living room. The top picture shows the empty feeder as I saw it. The bottom picture shows the red liquid in the feeder as I saw it. To fully explain, this refilling and emptying  has taken place for the last several days and I was able to then take pictures of it.

Signs have played a big part in the Scriptures. We recall the inspiring sign given Abraham’s servant in choosing Rebekah. Let us read this great story.

“Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.  See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.  May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”

 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.  The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

 The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

 “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

 After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.  Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.

When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.” And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.”

Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord,  saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”(Gen. 24:12-27)

What I like about this story is the immediate bowing down and praising the Lord after the servant witnessed the faithful sign from the Lord. We all like to be appreciated and who is more worthy of our appreciation than the Lord? His great signs truly lift us up and encourage us.

Some have asked–Why don’t I ever get any signs? My answer would be –have you watched? Are you keeping your eyes open for His speaking to you through them? I truly believe signs are given many times yet we fail to stop and notice them, we run right through them!

Let us not be afraid to go before the Lord in prayer and ask. He knows the depths of our souls and what will uplift us. Pray then watch. Signs may be given in response to a prayer. there may be a person the Lord sends to you that has the answer. There may be a sign from a Billboard, or an article that just happens to address your concern. The important thing to remember is He knows what will reach YOU and how to show it beyond doubt.

Our Lord said ” Only believe.” (Mark 5:36).

Posted in God's signs | 4 Comments »

Getting down to Business

June 13, 2015

Business Man Outdoors Running to the Top of the Bar Graph

Many of us remember the old Kirby vacuum salesmen. They’d come to our door complete with all the material they’d need to make the sale. it’s the old Boy Scouts adage –“Be prepared.” In the business of eternal of life , shouldn’t we also be prepared? If we are a professed worker in His vineyard , we should be prepared for any and all contacts we may make , especially on the Sabbath, before, during and after the services. Here we have the best chance of coming in direct contact with our brethren.

“And Jesus said unto them, ‘Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.”(1 Mark 1:17).

In these very last hours of our probation, we should be looking at ourselves as fishers of men and women. Prepared for the potential clients ,whom the Lord may put in our path. With this thought in mind, let us see how we can become more prepared. A ready and able servant of the Lord, willing to “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear..”(1 Peter 3:15).

In explaining how we must be orderly and an example of proficiency , SOP says-

“God is a God of order. Everything connected with heaven is in perfect order; subjection and thorough discipline mark the movements of the angelic host. Success can only attend order and harmonious action. God requires order and system in His work now no less than in the days of Israel. All who are working for Him are to labor intelligently, not in a careless, haphazard manner. He would have his work done with faith and exactness, that He may place the seal of His approval upon it.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p.376)

Exactness, a very good word for us.  As we go out into His vineyard there are some things we can do to help our exact work, for starters how about this–

breifcase

I have found this a truly great tool to have when we go to church on Sabbath. Inside the case I have Tracts, Present truth literature, Cd’s and Dvd’s , Bible, Testimonies vol. 1 to 9, highlighter, calling card with my contact info, and the standard pens and note pads.

This is a portable traveling witness tool, plain and simple. We are really salesmen-women doing God’s bidding so why not get serious about it? This reminds me of the old saying, “Those who enjoy what they are doing will be good at what they are doing.”

Some may ask– What about churches we attend where the elders and/or pastor is against the Lord’s message of Elijah (and there are many)? In this case we can load our case with present truth reports comprised of solely SOP and Scripture. For a link to 18 such reports  click here- http://shepherds-rod.org/basic/

You can print these out as individual reports and share them. They cannot be denied by our church because it is from God’s word. Also for those interested, we have about 20 small booklets that the discretionary present truth Elijah messenger can use in these situations. Contact us through the contact info on this page.

Time is so short my brothers and sisters, we must use every avenue at our disposal to reach any that would be in our path, placed there by God. The salvation of our brethren is of our utmost importance.

“The salvation of souls and the interests of the kingdom of God are matters of the highest importance. What object is there that calls for greater earnestness than the salvation of souls and the glory of God? There are considerations here which cannot be lightly regarded. They are as weighty as eternity. Eternal destinies are at stake.” (Testimonies, vol. 2, p.232-233)

As we often say to the world, the SDA church is God’s remnant church. Yet look at part of Babylon, our Jehovah Witness brethren. They are a classic example of preparedness. Almost each Saturday or Sunday we can find them walking around our neighborhoods, complete with briefcases or hand bags which contains their material. Should not we as His end time church do the same in regards to preparedness?

“The school of God does not teach only from its textbook, not merely in the school-room, it teaches the practical as well as the theoretical.  The practical, of course, most men dislike, and some would not take practical training even for a gift.” (Timely Greetings, vol. 2, no.25, p.9)

“Now is our time to labor for the salvation of others. There are some who think that if they give money to the cause of Christ, this is all they are required to do; the precious time in which they might do personal service for Him passes unimproved. But it is the privilege and duty of all who have health and strength to render to God active service. All are to labor in winning souls to Christ.”(To be like Jesus, page 78)

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that wins souls is wise.”(Proverbs 11:30)

Let us keep the following counsel , as we the SDA church , not the world,  is about to be sprued out. The souls in our church are worth our every effort.

“Have you so deep an appreciation of the sacrifice made on Calvary that you are willing to make every other interest subordinate to the work of saving souls? The same intensity of desire to save sinners that marked the life of the Saviour marks the life of His true follower. The Christian has no desire to live for self. He delights to consecrate all that he has and is to the Master’s service. He is moved by an inexpressible desire to win souls to Christ. Those who have nothing of this desire might better be concerned for their own salvation. Let them pray for the spirit of service.” (Testimonies, vol. 7, p.10)

“Christ’s followers have been redeemed for service. Our Lord teaches that the true object of life is ministry. Christ Himself was a worker, and to all His followers He gives the law of service–service to God and to their fellow men. Here Christ has presented to the world a higher conception of life than they had ever known. By living to minister for others, man is brought into connection with Christ. The law of service becomes the connecting link which binds us to God and to our fellow men.

To His servants Christ commits “His goods”–something to be put to use for Him. He gives “to every man his work.” Each has his place in the eternal plan of heaven. Each is to work in co-operation with Christ for the salvation of souls. Not more surely is the place prepared for us in the heavenly mansions than is the special place designated on earth where we are to work for God.” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p.326-327)

Our prophetess spoke Inspired words in counseling us that each one of us has a duty to perform , a plan made by God to work in His vineyard. Time is closing rapidly, accounts will soon be settled. Have we made sincere efforts to reach our brethren in the church who stand , for the most part, lost,  and no not that they are “miserable, pitiful, poor, blind and naked”?

“The words of Christ apply to the church: “Why stand ye here all the day idle?” Why are you not at work in some capacity in His vineyard? Again and again He has bidden you: “Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” But this gracious call from heaven has been disregarded by the large majority. Is it not high time that you obey the commands of God? There is work for every individual who names the name of Christ.

A voice from heaven is solemnly calling you to duty. Heed this voice, and go to work at once in any place, in any capacity. Why stand ye here all the day idle? There is work for you to do, a work that demands your best energies. Every precious moment of life is related to some duty which you owe to God or to your fellow men, and yet you are idle!” (Testimonies, vol. 5, p.203)

In closing, if we are in this game of life to win souls why not –get down to business? Make this God sent job of ours a serious one. As SDA members we all should have this goal right now–

“Let us strive with all power God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand. And let us do all we can to help others to gain heaven.” (Review and Herald, March 9 , 1905)

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The Faith of the Ethiopian Eunuch

June 6, 2015

philip-and-the-ethiopian-eunuch

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.  And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship  and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.  And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”  And he said,“How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.  Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
    and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
    so he opens not his mouth.
 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
    Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”

And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.  And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.” (Acts 8:26-39)

When we read this we see such great faith and child like trust! What a humble and willing heart had this Ethiopian. When asked if he understood what he was reading, he did not lie and cover up his lack of knowledge. He was like Nathaniel of whom the Lord said–

 “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, ‘Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!'(John 1:47)

Then the Eunuch continues his strong faith and commits that he is ready to go all out for the Lord, and requests baptism. Oh, how powerful and truly marvelous this simple story of faith. Our Lord said–

“…. Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:3)

Did not this Eunuch show child like faith? A desire to know the Lord and His ways? Certainly. What really grabs me is his reading of the Scriptures without truly knowing what it says. He sensed from the Holy Spirit that the Good Book was his key to heaven and even if he did not understand it well, he clung to it like a lifesaver!

Are we today showing a child like humble faith? Willing to admit when we don’t know something or willing to be corrected when we are shown from Scripture to be wrong?

As we posted several weeks back, we are active in sending out present truth packages around the world, and just as I am really filled with joy to read about our Ethiopian Eunuch’s faith, I am  regularly filled with joy to hear from some of the believers around the world. Their simple faith and true excitement to receive “meat in due season” truly brings great delight.

Any of us who have taken up the Lord’s Elijah message knows what I am talking about. True joy and contentment , knowing that these people who begin their studies and learn/obey His final message, are in the process of getting their forehead sealed with His Truth. They are the ones who shall be left standing when the Lord “suddenly comes to His temple.”(Mal. 3:1)

 As we are painfully aware, the Lord’s Elijah would be, and still is,  greatly rejected (TM, p.475), but when we see people willing to read and see what has been written, and then to say “Yes, I get it!”– we find great joy. We can only imagine the joy brother Phillip had in seeing his new friend willing to listen to a “Thus us sayeth the Lord” then act on it.

Just like the Ethiopian, we should be ready and willing to “jump in” and receive the Truth. No hesitation, no doubtful back and forth, we know that there is more light that we need. Our Lord said we are miserable , poor, blind and naked.  He knew most of His beloved Laodicean church would not want  His new light in the form of His last message of Elijah.

Isn’t it ironic, that the Ethiopian could not read and comprehend yet could see,  and we as SDA can read and comprehend  yet we are blind! Let us turn from our smug self-complacency to a child like yearning to understand the Lord’s “gold refined in the fire”,  His “new light”–the Elijah message.

In closing , a recent brother’s email shows the Ethiopian faith we should have in investigating new light.

 “Very great bro.I can not belief it! A very very great surprise gift! of great happiness are the two green books which seems to contain almost all the truths and they seem to be the original copies of the materials you have sent me so far! This is a big challenge that i burn extra oil to study very hard and then the message will burn within me giving me a great desire to spread it! it is an indication that God has seen it worthy that i take charge of the Lord’s message here.

This challenge i am ready to take the message forward for it is Christ who will lead me!Bro. i have no words to express my feelings,let alone expressing my thanks giving to you and Christ ,but in the only human language,i say thanks and may God bless you!. occasionally i will be seeking brethren help whenever there will be need to visit anywhere to present the truth.But first i want to really study every night,the only time there no noisy interruptions . blessings brother”

The sanctified soul will not be content to remain in ignorance, but will desire to walk in the light and to seeks greater light.As a miner digs for gold and silver, so the follower of Christ will press from light to greater light, ever increasing in knowledge. He will continually grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Peter 3:18, Review and Herald, June 17, 1890)

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