Imagine a professor going into a 3rd grade class and attempting to teach them algebra. Or a pilot professional teaching a layman how to fly a plane in one day. Such occurrences would be extremely difficult if not impossible. Yet we as present truth believers and proclaimers try to do the same thing sometimes in getting the message of Elijah to our listeners.
Our Lord showed us that we are given the ability to understand, depending on how well we want to.
“And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?” (Luke 10:25-26)
How do we read it? Well, that depends on where we’re at spiritually. Let me relay my own personal experience briefly.
Back in the beginning of 2009 I came into the truth of the Lord’s Commandment, specifically the Sabbath. Once I learned this , my life changed. A true metamorphosis occurred and I began to experience the following —
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor.5:17)
But the first couple years my knowledge of the Scriptures consisted of the basics, the Commandments and my daily walk. Prophesy did not mean much nor did I seek it much. Sure I read some things on it but it was not my focus.
Now, imagine if after just 6 months or a year, some SDA brethren would have come up to me and said, “Hey brother do you know that Christ’s next coming is not in the clouds but into our church to begin the judgment for the living?” I would have be dumbfounded and probably worried for that brother or sister who said those things. Because I had been taught and believed that we all know the next coming is Jesus in the clouds.
But not to worry because we are promised a special gift IF we do the will of God, let us read–
“If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17)
“However when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.(John 16:13)
So we see that each of us are on God’s path for us. Just where we are at and just when we are ready, will He guide us into the next phase of Truth. In other words , we should call Him the Perfect Timer.
But He does “Knock” on our door–
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20)
What is He knocking with? His Truth! We are led into it when we are ready and if we open the door He comes in and “sups” with us, meaning He tells us more Truth and we acknowledge and love it.
“The sanctified soul will not be content to remain in ignorance, but will desire to walk in the light and seek for 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 knowledge of the truth -2 Peter 3:18 ” (RH, June 17, 1890)
But let us now look at “meeting them where they are at”. We shall go over some examples.
1- Sister P seems a sincere seeker of the Truth. We have given her several CD’s, DVD’s and literature on the Elijah message. She has gladly received them and looked into them. But we have not been able to gauge her progression as she has not asked many questions (a great way to know if they are learning). Yet we ran into her recently and she told us that we missed their great Thanksgiving service (especially the lunch). I asked what was so good about the lunch.
She explained that there was very good “Turkey”. “What???” I responded? “Turkey? Don’t you know that we are counselled by SOP to give up meat and especially by the Elijah message?” She did not know anything about this counsel.
Wowsa I thought. Here I was giving her strong meat (present truth) and yet she was not even advanced on the basics of our SDA principles!
Scripture has the plain truth–
“I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready.. ” (1 Cor. 3:2)
So this shows that this sister is not ready for strong meat but of milk. She asked about the references showing we should not eat meat so the next week I sent her several quotes showing what SOP said about meat eating.
2- Brother T is a very serious student of the Lord’s Elijah message. But over the years the Lord has warned me about him. Something did not click. He gave me reports to read on certain prophecies , yet when I looked at them they were at odds with what our last prophet interpreted. But I continued to study with him and some interesting discussions were had.
Later, and more recently, I was instructed by the Lord to inquire about His beliefs in Tithe paying. Sure enough and as I had suspected, he believed that there are no worthy storehouses today because of problems with each and every one. In other words his own home was to be the storehouse.
I did not mince words and showed him what the Elijah message said concerning this on Answerer, vol. 4, Q-97, p.44-45. This shows that this is a serious no-no and those who do such things are fooling themselves. But I was met with fierce opposition. Many excuses were brought forth attempting to destroy the clear word of the Lord.
So after this, I received confirmation that unless repentance is made I am not to have further studies with him, lest I seem to encourage him in his deadly course. This is tough and when we see that they are at a place of pride and no need to correction, well, SOP minces no words–
“I have been shown that the greatest reason why the people of God are now found in this state of spiritual blindness is that they will not receive correction. Many have despised the reproofs and warnings given them.” (Testimonies, vol.3, p.255)
3- Brother G has been a good church friend for several years. Something about him and I has caused us not to lose track of each other. Despite his witnessing my change of direction, following the narrow path of the Lord’s Elijah message, he has remained a faithful friend (unlike many other former SDA friends/acquaintances).
Over the last year or so brother G has inquired more and more about the Elijah message. He has shown a real desire to know more. Recently we had a good study on the pre-millennial Kingdom. So he is no doubt being nudged by the Spirit of Truth to get into the “Noah Ark” for us today– our present truth. So I am not wasting any time and corresponding with him regularly.
So this brother is at a place where he is desirous of Truth and once we see this from a friend or relative we must not neglect our duty to help out.
So we see some specific requirements needed to reach the three people. Sister P needs milk of the word, not deep prophecies. Once she shows advancements then the Spirit will guide into the strong meat. Brother T needs firm medicine. He is not in a good place. His Pharisaic attitude makes it all the more harder to reach him. Prayers are what is needed most. Brother G is ready for more meat and we are to not let go and stay with him as he seeks greater light.
In closing we are to know where they are at, prayerfully asking for discernment and watching their fruit to know how to respond. This last message is too important to carelessly banter around. The Lord sent His last prophet “Elijah” and we are to be Elijah messengers after learning of the message. We can’t give this message properly unless we know whom we are dealing with.
“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matt. 7:20)
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