Godsloveandlaw's Blog

Here we see the two brave leaders of God during the Exodus, Joshua and Caleb. Their story is profound and certainly a lesson for us today. Allow us to discuss the implications of standing up and speaking and also, sadly, not responding with silence.

“They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”” (Number 13:27-33)

Caleb began his speech exhorting them to believe in the Lord and not doubt! Yet none of the multitude spoke up in defense of Caleb except Joshua! And Moses and Aaron lamented the doubt as well.

“That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!  Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”  And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there.  Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.  If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.  Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”

But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites.” (Numbers 14:1-10)

The great lesson here is that when it came time to be of courage and PUBLICLY speak up, just a couple did! The great multitude’s rebellion and many with their silence was deafening and proved their demise.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”(Duet. 31:6)

We bring this lesson up to relate it to a recent experience yours truly had with a brother we’ll call BJ (brother James –alias).

The Lord used BJ as the messenger to bring me into this message way back in May of 2011. One day after Sabbath services I was home on the computer searching for something to read. I saw this advertisement saying “Do you want to know more about the 144,000”? This got my attention as I didn’t know much about the teachings surrounding this subject.

I clicked — and my life was changed! I was about to enter a new life, on the road to His kingdom, Lord willing. The link led me to Mt.Dale’s brother Glenroy Matthews’ study of “The 144,000, who are they?” Truth like I had never experienced flooded my soul and I knew that the gracious all seeing Lord had guided me into a new chapter in my life.

This link was provided by BJ. I reached out to him for more information and where the study had come from, who did it? He provided some information on Mt. Dale organization and I made contact with them. As this was Truth like I had never heard before I wanted all they had and soon a large package arrived with more studies and written material.

But as I learned more the thought came to me –why hadn’t BJ put more of the message on his site? Confused I contacted him and was told that those studies are “Shepherd’s Rod” and that the church doesn’t believe in them. I said “huh?” But I didn’t make much of it and went my way and BJ went his.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. On FaceBook brother BJ has been one of my friends for many years (about 10 if I recall) but we have not spoken much at all over the years. He posted something which caught my eye. He was involved in a new documentary of some type (don’t remember off hand what it was). But it reminded me about how the Lord used him to bring me into His marvelous light. So as I was feeling grateful, I thought I would reach out to him to say hello and remind him of being used by the Lord for helping yours truly get going to work in His vineyard.

I asked him if he’d had a chance over the years to look into the message. I know he has read our blog posts as we received his comment several years ago.

After I posted – -Silence. Nothing at all received to this day! FB has this little sign that shows if people have read your chat message, and he did. To this day –nothing. As I pondered this silence I remembered the masses of people in the crowd that heard Caleb and Joshua that fateful day, yet did the same thing! SILENCE.

Out of that great multititude, ONLY TWO, made it to the promised land that were over 20 years old –Joshua and Caleb. The Lord did not reward silence!

Had just ONE person raised their hand and said “I am with these brothers!” That one would have secured his soul, he would not have been a participant of the great destroying silence or outright rebellion against God’s prophets. So it is today my brethren, many will find that their silence or ignorance will come to haunt them. Don’t let it be you!

“These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.” (1 Cor. 10:11)

“For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2)

Note: for those who want to listen to that study of the 144,000 click here
http://www.shepherds-rod-message.org/audio/rev_7.mp3

UPDATE: EFFECTIVE WITH THIS POST (December 14th), WE WILL BEGIN TO ADD AN AUDIO 
LINK FOR UPDATES ON END TIME EVENTS. THE FINAL EVENTS SEEM TO BE 
COMING FAST INTO PLACE AND WE WANT TO KEEP OUR READERS UPDATED ON 
USA AND WORLD EVENTS. LINK WILL BE ADDED TO CERTAIN POSTS AT BOTTOM 
OF POST, WHEN TIMELY UPDATES ARE MADE.

Brother Houteff wrote 9 short messages known as “Jezreel Letters”. They are labeled 1 to 9. Each has a message of importance to us Seventh-day Adventists. We are showing a portion of vol. 2. May you be blessed.

“Dear Fellow Member:

The only way for you to escape being taken by wolves in sheeps’ clothing is if you ever remember the fact that the Judgment message, the last before Christ comes the second time, is what made us a people; that is, because the message had come, and because it has to be proclaimed, we S.D.A.’s came on the scene, and we certainly want to stay there until the work is finished. We must not become a back number as did the Protestant churches since they rejected the messages one after another. God forbid that we should be “spued out” and lose so late in the day. And what is the truth of the Judgment?– {2JL 1.1}

The Judgment as you know is in two separate and distinct sections, one following the other—the Judgment for the dead first, and the Judgment for the living last. This we know is so and we must not let subversive influences, even if they be in Seventh-day Adventist’s garb, cause us to lose sight of this truth. Our part of the Judgment message since 1844 has been, as you know, to proclaim the Judgment for the dead, not for the living as yet. What is the Judgment for the dead?– {2JL 1.2}

We have been taught by Inspiration that it is to separate the good from the bad, not bodily, but in books, because before the resurrection, the dead have no being, or “portion” “in anything that is done under the sun.”—Eccl. 9:5, 6. This judgment work is to enable the angels to know who is to come up in the first resurrection, in the resurrection of the holy ones (Rev. 20:4, 5, 11-14), and who is to come up in the second resurrection, in the resurrection of the unholy ones. To this end declares Daniel “the Judgment was set, and the books were opened.” (Dan. 7:10.) {2JL 1.3}

{2JL 1}

Thus it is that Inspiration calls the judgment work, “the cleansing or the sanctuary” (Dan. 8:14); that is, each professor of religion that ever died since the beginning of sin, is now judged and the case of each decided either to bring him up in the first resurrection or in the second; either to blot out from the records the name of each impenitent sinner, or to blot out for ever from the Book the sins of each penitent sinner. This has been Heaven’s work since the year 1844, and every informed Seventh-day Adventist knows it. {2JL 2.1}

Now, since the message of the Judgment for the Living is of far greater importance than the message of the Judgment for the Dead, it is but expected that the Bible will have more to say about the latter than the former. This is so because the Judgment for the Living has to do with the living themselves, with the message bearers, rather than with the dead. In importance, therefore, there is no comparison between the two. How will we get the message of the Judgment for the Living?– {2JL 2.2}

The answer is clear to all: We will get it in the same way we got the one in 1844. Since it then came through Inspiration and through God’s own chosen instrumentality, it is certain that the additional message (“Early Writings,” p. 277), too, is to come in the same way; that is, by inspiration through God’s own chosen agency. Indeed Truth is never revealed in any other way but by Inspiration. See 2 Peter 1:20. {2JL 2.3}

As we had to hear the old message preached before we accepted it, we will have to hear the new message preached, and how shall we “hear without a preacher” (Rom. 10:14)? And as the old message was unpopular in its beginning, scoffed at, laughed at, ridiculed and scorned by men of station and influence, it is certainly expected that the new message and messengers, too, will be received and treated no better but even worse. Then it was strictly an

{2JL 2}

individual matter, no priest or prelate could meddle with the conscience of the other and so it must be now. Every soul is to make his own decision in his secret chamber with the aid of the Spirit of Truth. {2JL 2.4}

Is it possible for one to lose out when the message of the Judgment for the Living begins to sound, though he did not lose out when the message of the Judgment for the Dead sounded?—The Spirit of Prophecy answers thus: “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.”—”Life Sketches,” p. 196. Yes, this is to be our only fear. Let us, therefore remember, and make positively sure that God is now to lead us in the same way as He did in 1844 and throughout the ages.

Make doubly sure that you follow no other kind of leadership, that you let no man divert your attention from this straight path—that you let no one lead you to believe that God is now leading through every Tom, Dick, and Harry. This we must not forget if we are to emulate and succeed the saints that have gone before us, and if we expect to be saved. If we forget this, then as sure as we stand, men will lead us away from God’s message and turn us against His messengers even as the Jewish priests made their followers turn against Christ.

God forbid that we should sin against the Holy Ghost by rejecting His message when It comes to us. Only by strictly following this Divine command can we be led right and survive the Judgment for the Living when it starts to “sever the wicked from among the just.” Matt. 13:49. {2JL 3.1}

What is the Judgment for the Living? and what happens with the righteous, and what happens with the wicked, after they are judged?—In His parables Christ illustrates that the righteous, as good fish, are put into vessels; as wheat, they are put into the barn; and as sheep, they go into life eternal—they are placed in absolute security

{2JL 3}

sealed for eternity. But the wicked, as bad fish, are cast out, as tares, they are burned up; and as goats, they are sent into everlasting punishment. “So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matt. 13:49, 50. {2JL 3.2}

Here we see that the judgment work for the living is illustrated in several ways, and is variously called: “Judgment” (Dan. 7:10; Rev. 14:7; 1 Pet. 4:17); “Cleansing of the Sanctuary” (Dan. 8:14); “Purify His Temple” (Mal. 3:1-3); “Harvest” (Matt. 13:30); “Mighty sifting,” “purification of the church,” (5 T., p. 80). {2JL 4.1}

Concerning this judgment work, the Spirit of Prophecy has this to say: {2JL 4.2}

“…But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place, we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that his fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor…. They have not had the light which has been shining in a concentrated blaze upon you. But, it may be under a rough and uninviting exterior the pure brightness of a genuine Christian character will be revealed.” – “Testimonies,” Vol. 5, pp. 80, 81. {2JL 4.3}

UPDATE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDiJ2efyF1g&feature=youtu.be

The story of Jesus observing the poor old lady , who despite being very poor gave what little she had. The Lord’s response is very telling! Let us read —

“And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, ² and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;  for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” (Luke21:1-4)

This act and the Lord’s statements show us many many lessons! Let us break them down.

1) The lady was POOR. She had very little in the way of belongings or money.

2) She valued being responbilbe to the Lord even to the point of self sacrifice.

3) The Lord commended her for such faith in returning her tithes to Him.

4) This lesson is a powerful one for us today.

Recently, on our facebook ministry we corresponded with a close sister in the faith. She lives in a very poor part of the world, we’re talking VERY poor. Yet, she has found the Lord’s final message fo Elijah and , frankly, we can’t think of a believer more zealous and faithful then her.

In our talk, we mentioned that the Lord guided us to send a little something her way to help support her in her proclaiming the message. She was thrilled and very thankful. We told her its the Lord’s doing and we are just listening to His instructions. This soon led to the subject of tithes.

I made mentioned (as we have posted before) that because we have took seriously returning His money, the Lord has done His part and gave us great blessings and we want to share them. Let us remember that the Lord asks us to enter into a binding contract and He will do His part if we do ours. Let us read —

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”(Mal. 3:10)

But is the above contract, just for those who are making decent money, or have so much bills that they don’t have anything ever, to return His money? The Lord sent us inspired words in regards to this question , let us read —

“IS SMALL INCOME TITHE EXEMPT?

Question No. 158:

As my income is very small, am I not exempt from paying tithe?

Answer:

God designed the plan of systematic benevolence so as to make it as equitable to the poor as to the rich, no more a tax on the mite than on the million. And we know of no Scriptural authority for exempting from tithe any income, however small. All, poor as well as rich, are given the privilege of returning to the Lord His own. Many with a “mite” income are paying both first and second tithe, and in return are receiving a rich bestowal of blessing.

Thus reason forces the conclusion that if one is not obliged to receive charity help in addition to his income (whatever its source) to cover his living expenses, then for him not to pay tithe is to cheat Himself of the abundant blessing which attends a faithful regard for the royal privilege of being one of God’s stewards.” (Answerer, vol. 5, p.68-87)

There you go! “however small” means we pay , rich or poor. But unfortunately our sister recently spoke to an official member of one of the large present truth organizations and she was told that because she is from a poor country there was no need to pay tithes. What?? I was flabergasted! Coming from a person with little light this is understandable but NOT from a seasoned present truth believer.

Again, Jesus’ commendation of the old lady is all we need to know here.

All are entitled to receive the blessings as spoken of in Mal. 3:10 but if the poor are told “don’t worry you don’t have to enter that agreement with the Lord”–wow! Let us keep this very powerful lesson of the two mites firmly in our mind and proclaim this lesson far and wide! We don’t need to deny it or excuse it away.