Archive for the ‘Proper teachings’ Category

To the World or to the Church?

January 10, 2015

One of the hardest things I had to come to grips with, yet clearly saw after I studied the Lord’s Elijah message was– not to go to the world right now with His gospel message. I know that those, who like me at one time, who do not know the Lord’s final plans for His remnant church, would feel as if not going to the world right now with His gospel plan would be truly foreign and almost heretical.

Yet, this is what we are told to do in His Elijah message! If we take the time to understand this, we see by God’s grace the wisdom and great love from our King , in these instructions. Let us look deeply into this subject.

First, as an example of where our church is at and what her motivations and goals are, let us look at a recent memo from James W. Gilley, 3ABN President. In their monthly magazine, he wrote the following-

“In all my years of ministry, I haven’t found a more effective, efficient, and powerful ministry than 3 ABN. Think about it–there’s not another ministry in the world with the impact and coverage that 3 ABN has when it comes to spreading the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14. Virtually every television and radio ministry of the Remnant Church uses 3 ABN as its primary carrier of Present Truth!

“Our work is to make sure that we’re listening to the Holy Spirit and are in full cooperation with Him, so we can be His tool for spreading these messages to a world that’s truly messed up with sin. Thank you for standing with us with the courage and determination to finish the task our Lord has given us.

“The Gospel to the World!” if not by television, radio, Internet , and media, then how? If not now when? Keep on keeping On with Jesus,” —James W. Gilley, 3 ABN President (January 2015 magazine)

Unbeknownst to our friend, Mr. Gilley , those points and questions he makes are truly answered by the last message to His church. Unfortunately , 3 ABN, and almost every other mainstream outlet for our church has– ignored and/or rejected the only message that contains our “Present Truth.”

But this is all understandable, however unfortunate, due to the fact that Satan and his minions know all too well Scripture, and they know that the Lord’s Elijah message, if obeyed, hastens their demise! As soon as the 144,000th one is found upon acceptance of His sealing message, their final time clock begins and it’s extremely short. Do we not think that Satan memorizes ALL Scripture and knows about the last prophet to come to the remnant church and his message(Mal. 4:5-6)? He hasn’t sit still whistling Dixie, rather went to work full time to trash and disrupt the Elijah message.

Ok, let us look at a direct question asked of brother Houteff concerning our subject–

WORK WITHIN OR WITHOUT?

Question No. 32:

On the one hand I find your literature teaching its believers not to leave the ranks of the Mother church, while on the other hand I find it causing no end of trouble to the church. How do you reconcile your precept with your example? Why not devote your time to evangelistic efforts, bringing erring souls to the knowledge of the Truth, and let the church alone?

Answer:

Assuredly we do believe that this is no time to be pulling apart, but indeed to be pressing together. And the message which we are bearing to the church, not only does not contain any doctrine or teaching which would warrant our leaving her ranks to become a separate cult, but does on the contrary absolutely forbid our doing so. For these reasons, we have from the beginning steadfastly refused, even in the face of abusive treatment, to leave the Mother church.

So far as we are concerned, therefore, existing controversy and schism is the responsibility of the Denomination’s leading brethren and none of ours, for we are only carrying out the Lord’s express precept and example never to sacrifice Truth. And they themselves admit that we should obey God rather than men. Upon them, therefore, rests the heavy guilt of repeating the tragic folly of the Jews in Christ’s time, by rejecting the message of the hour, “entering not in themselves” into the expansion of Truth, hindering those who would enter in, and casting out those who do enter in.

So, to devote our time to evangelizing the world while neglecting the church, would be a criminal act, one of highest treason both to God and to His people. The church must first be saved from her Laodicean condition of being “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” She, not the world, is just about to be spued out. She “is the only object on earth on which He bestows His supreme regard.”-Testimonies to Ministers, p. 15.

But in her present deplorable state of blindness and destitution as exposed by the True Witness (Rev. 3:14-18), she is utterly unfit for the task assigned her, and must be rescued from her sad deception before she can become a safe refuge and a saving influence to those who would join her ranks. Should God leave her in the Laodicean condition in which she now languishes, not only would she herself be lost but, in consequence, so also would the whole world along with her. He must therefore rouse her up or else raise up another to do the work which remains to be done.

Think, though, what an eternal joy it would be for Him to fit her up and use her to His glory, rather than to have to forsake her! So before raising up another as a last resort, He is trying to save her, and He will save her, as He promises:

“Satan will work his miracles to deceive, he will set up his power as supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out. The chaff is separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouth. The remnant that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the trying process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy ….

“The great issue so near at hand will weed out those whom God has not appointed, and He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter rain.”-B-55-1886.

Were the Lord—Who Himself when upon earth spent all His time in the exclusive endeavor to save His lost church then—to send us to the world rather than to His lost church today, He would not only be bringing in the innocent to perish with the guilty, but would also be completely reversing His own practice and contradicting His own orders to His apostles that they preach present truth to the church first (Matt. 10:5, 6).

In mercy and in consistency with His eternal procedure, therefore, He purposed that “while the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among [His] people upon earth.” This is her special work. “Then the church which…at His coming [He] is to receive to Himself will be ‘a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.”’-The Great Controversy, p. 425.

“The Lord does not now work to bring many souls into the truth,” furthermore says the Spirit of Truth, “because of the church-members who have never been converted, and those who were once converted but who have back slidden. What influence would these unconsecrated members have on new converts? Would they not make of no effect the God-given message which His people are to bear?”-Testimonies, Vol. 6, p. 371.

But when the back slidden and the unconverted, the tares, are taken away, “then she will look forth ‘as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.”’-The Great Controversy, p. 425.

Yes, the honest heathen must and will be evangelized, but “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:6) must be sought first. How thankful, therefore, and how cooperative they ought to be, and will be, when they discover that rather than being rich and increased with goods, and in need of nothing, they are actually “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked”—in need of everything- and that the Lord is waiting for them to wake up to the fact so that He can make them what they ought to be.

For these reasons, God says now to work within the Laodicean congregation rather than without. And what He says, that He means, and we dare not disobey, regardless what men may say or do.

There can be no doubt about these instructions. We are to work within rather than work without. Yes, the time is coming when the great work (Loud Cry) will be exclusively that of reaching the world. For this is the crowning act of God’s final plan of redemption.

However the message tells us that there will be “Syrophoenicians” who by the Lord’s guiding shall come to us due to the fact that they are spiritually ready for the “message of the hour”. Brother Houteff speaks about this subject–

Question: When we are not working for sinners in Zion, then why not for sinners in the world? They are all sinners in the sight of God….He has given us light since 1844 and He does not mean for it to be hidden “under a bushel” but to lighten the world.”

Answer: What is here said is true. If we are not working for sinners in Zion, we should be working for sinners in the world. However, if we truly understand and believe the message, we will be working for the sinners in Zion so much of the time that we will have no time left to work for the sinners in the world, save for the “Syrophoenicians.”

Then we would be doing our full part to hasten the day of the Loud Cry when the light, which He gave us in 1844 for to lighten the world, but which we have all along hid “under a bushel,” will finally reach every sinner.

If the opposers of the SRod had lived in the days of John the Baptist, in the days of Christ, or in the first 3 1/2 years of the apostles, and had been in their present frame of mind, they would have taken their stand on the side of the rulers of Israel against the truth of that time.(Sym. Code, vol.1, no.7, p.7)

Let us look at a different perspective. Why do you suppose God would send someone in the “spirit and power of Elijah” as the last prophet instead of someone in the spirit and power of Noah for example?

Had He chose Noah, then this would have to be the type which the anti-type (our latter day prophet) would have to exemplify. Noah preached his message to the world. He gave it for many years and it was solemn.

Elijah on the other hand did not give it to the world , did he? His was strictly to his people, God’s true church at that time. Therefore Elijah’s solemn message of revival and reformation perfectly fits His end time message today in anti-type. This is what our dear beloved brother Victor T. Houteff started, and was inspired to do. This message , which the Lord began through him, is now our message. It goes strictly to the church.

Let us ever remember that in Rev. chapter 3, we the people of the Laodicean church are about to be “sprued out” unless we humble ourselves and accept an unpopular and often despised message of the Lord’s–Shepherd’s Rod. The world is not about to be sprued out–we are!

So let us now answer Mr. Gilley’s questions and concerns.

1)“In all my years of ministry, I haven’t found a more effective, efficient, and powerful ministry than 3 ABN.

Effective by what measure? By numbers added to the church roll? The number of Baptisms?

“The Lord does not now work to bring many souls into the truth, because of the church members who have never been converted and those who were once converted but who have backslidden. What influence would these unconsecrated members have on new converts? Would they not make of no effect the God-given message which His people are to bear?” (Testimonies, vol. 6, p.371)

Whose work is it then now? If our Lord must have a pure church in which to pour out His Spirit to, to enable them to heal the sick , raise the dead, call the honest in heart out of Babylon, then the current effort to pollute (co-mingle the wheat and the tares) the church cannot be of God rather our adversary!

2) Virtually every television and radio ministry of the Remnant Church uses 3 ABN as its primary carrier of Present Truth!

Present Truth? How about truly looking at what “Present Truth” is? Did not the Lord promise to send His last day prophet Elijah to His church? Is not THIS MESSAGE our Present Truth today? is the prior present truth message of the “judgment of the dead” present truth now?

3)“The Gospel to the World!” if not by television, radio, Internet , and media, then how? If not now when?

When?

“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.”(Testimonies, vol. 5, p.80)

Do we now think that 3ABN and other host SDA channels, such as Amazing facts, Hope channel, etc, are spreading the 3 angels’ messages to the world right now? How can this be when anyone and everyone can stand before a pulpit, a studio , a YouTube video, and attempt to proclaim it to the world, whether a over-comer or not?

God has promised a remnant church purification prior to the Loud Cry not after—

“Only those who have withstood temptation in the strength of the Mighty One, will be permitted to act a part in proclaiming it (The 3rd angel message) when it shall have swelled into the Loud Cry.” (Review and Herald, No. 19, 1908)

“The Lord will work to purify His church. I tell you in truth, the Lord is about to turn and overturn in the institutions called by His name. Just how soon this refining process will begin I cannot say, but it will not be long deferred.” – Testimonies to Ministers, p. 373

“The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out–the chaff separated from the wheat.This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place.” (Selected messages, vol. 2, p.380)

The world’s churches shall be purified as well–

“Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.” (Isaiah 52:1)

“For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many…And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.”(Isaiah 66:15,16,19,20)

In closing, we have seen that right now , in God’s perfect plan, we are to spend our time reaching those within our church with His message of the hour. Later we will , God willing, proclaim the Loud Cry which shall give the final Gospel proclamation to the world.

The big difference being that, instead of any and all non-overcomers trying to promote a false Loud Cry, the real over-comers will do it with the Lord’s power and majestic abilities. The church purification produces His servants who will do this, whom He calls– “a great people and a strong (people) there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.”

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. (Joel 2:1-2)

Posted in End times, Loud Cry, Present Truth, Proper teachings, The Loud Cry, Warning our brethren | 3 Comments »

Will the Jews of Old’s Mistakes be Ours?

October 25, 2014

About a year ago, I discovered an SDA online discussion site known as “Maritime Second Advent Believers Online”. The Spirit had me looking for more avenues to proclaim His current pleading message of Elijah. What I found was both good and bad.

Good, because in rather quick fashion I was called out as a “Shepherd’s Rod” believer and certain ones commented how I was teaching falsehood and such. But unlike other SDA online sites, which usually boot people out who stand up for His Elijah message, the site stuck with me. And we’ve been able to receive some good and encouraging comments. Many reports have enlightened some on this site.

But the bad, is what this post will deal with. The experiences up to this point, on this Maritime site, have led me to notice a glaring HUGE mistake that is certainly widespread throughout the Seventh-day Adventist community. It’s an ancient mistake that we are told not to repeat.

In an article written by Stephen E. Robinson called “The Law after Christ” he wrote, “Among the Jews of Jesus’ day, esteem for the Law was so great that some even refused to accept anything but the five books of Moses as scripture. The Samaritans also rejected the idea of any scripture beyond the Law. Moreover, centuries of reverence for the Law as the revelation of God to Moses had created an almost fanatical devotion to its precepts in the hearts and minds of most Jews.

Thus, the Law of Moses was no longer perceived in Jesus’ day as an expression of God’s will; rather, for Jews the Law of Moses had gradually become identified as the divine will itself—perfect, absolute, forever unchanging and unchangeable. The Law was thought of as the will of God exactly, precisely expressed; therefore, any deviation at all from the letter of the Law of Moses was also deviation from God. There was no room for flexibility or “extenuating circumstances.”

Most of us would agree with that assessment. The underlying fact being that “Moses” was the end all for their guidance and even salvation. In other words, no matter how clear and truthful Christ’s teachings were, they could not be relied on because God had spoken through Moses, and that concluded all that was needed by the Jews!

How then does this serious mistake and spiritual blind spot apply to us today as SDA?

Many of us believe that Ellen White as founding prophetess of our church is a type of “end all”. Just as the Jews thought Moses was! What she says is all-encompassing, there is no more truth needed by our church.

“We know that God spake unto Moses:as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.”(John 9:29)

Are we today saying this exact sentiment to those who bring up the true end time spokesman for the Lord–Victor T.Houteff? “We know Ellen White but we don’t know this Victor Houteff “, many say.

On the SDA maritime website, I have seen several comments to this effect. No matter how much truth is revealed in Victor’s words, they bypass it as if to say “We are rich, and don’t need anything more, we have Ellen White and Scripture.”

How little do they realize that their own prophetess, they dearly hold on to, said the following–

“Those who allow prejudice to bar the mind against the reception of truth cannot receive the divine enlightenment. Yet, when a view of Scripture is presented,many do not ask, Is it true–in harmony with God’s word? but, By whom is it advocated? and unless it comes through the very channel that pleases them, they do not accept it. So thoroughly satisfied are they with their own ideas that they will not examine the Scripture evidence with a desire to learn, but refuse to be interested, merely because of their prejudices.”(Testimonies to Ministers, p.106-107)

“Truth is eternal, and conflict with error will only make manifest its strength. We should never refuse to examine the Scriptures with those who, we have reason to believe, desire to know what is truth. Suppose a brother held a view that differed from yours, and he should come to you, proposing that you sit down with him and make an investigation of that point in the Scriptures; should you rise up, filled with prejudice, and condemn his ideas, while refusing to give him a candid hearing?

The only right way would be to sit down as Christians and investigate the position presented in the light of God’s word, which will reveal truth and unmask error. To ridicule his ideas would not weaken his position in the least if it were false, or strengthen your position if it were true. If the pillars of our faith will not stand the test of investigation,it is time that we knew it. There must be no spirit of Pharisaism cherished among us.”(Ibid, p.108)

“When a message comes in the name of the Lord to His people, no one may excuse himself from an investigation of its claims. No one can afford to stand back in an attitude of indifference and self-confidence, and say: “I know what is truth. I am satisfied with my position. I have set my stakes, and I will not be moved away from my position, whatever may come. I will not listen to the message of this messenger; for I know that it can not be truth.” It was from pursuing this very course that the popular churches were left in partial darkness, and that is why the messages of heaven have not reached them.” (Testimonies on Sabbath School work, p.65)

The course of the Jews, at the leadership of the Pharisees, was to condemn the beautiful and powerful “new truths” that Jesus revealed to them. Only the few had the moral courage and deep love to listen hard and “investigate” the matter.

It is no different today. Christ, who promised us the “Elijah” to come (Mal. 4;5), is going up against His people , through His spokesman the Elijah, all over again. Except the names have changed, it’s Ellen White instead of Moses this time.

Inspiration has a few things to say about following “man” or in this case “woman” to the neglect of advancing Truth.

“Every age has had its multitude who, instead of being baptized to follow Christ and His Truth, were baptized to follow man. They joined the multitude in the church instead of the multitude in heaven. Consequently, Christ is a stranger to them, and when truth unfolds, they call it error, then follow men and reject the truth. This folly has been repeated again and again, with the result that the few faithful ones who have followed Christ and His truth, have been cast out of the churches and compelled to start all over again.

So it is today. But to these outcasts of Zion, comes the solacing voice: “Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at His word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for My name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” Isa. 66:5. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” Isa. 52:7.(Answerer, vol. 3, Q-55)

The following applicable Q and A should forever settle the question why we cannot expect our beloved prophetess to have spoken all the light that was to come to God’s people. While a bit long, it is well worth reading.

WILL THE KINGDOM BE SET UP BEFORE THE MILLENNIUM?

Question No. 42:

“The Great Controversy,” pp. 322, 323, teaches that “not until the personal advent of Christ can His people receive the kingdom….But when Jesus comes, He confers immortality upon His people; and then He calls them to inherit the kingdom of which they have hitherto been only heirs.” Will you please help harmonize the Bible and “The Shepherd’s Rod” with these and other passages in Sister White’s writings in regard to the setting up of the Kingdom?

Answer:

Although the doctrine of the Kingdom may not appear quite so complete under the lens of Sister White’s writings as under the lens of the Rod, one dare not thus superficially reject either, but must the more studiously compare both views of the doctrine under the super-lens of the Bible. He must keep in mind that we are not given license to harmonize the Bible with any other writings, but are charged to measure all others by It.

First of all, in order to do justice to the Scriptures, to Sister White’s writings, and to the Rod the position of each on the subject must be viewed in the light of the Scriptures, which incontrovertibly teach that the Promised Land will be reinhabited by the Lord’s own converted people. (See Isaiah 2; Micah 4, Ezekiel 36, 37 Jeremiah 3 1-33).

As to Sister White’s statement in The Great Controversy, she is there speaking of the Kingdom complete, after the dead are raised, at the time the saints receive it. This was the only phase of the subject–the consummate phase–that Providence had made known when she wrote. Now as the scroll of prophetic Truth has unrolled further since her day, the Kingdom in reality is seen to have an intermediate, Davidian phase, as well as the final one heretofore known.

Besides the prophecies relating to the literal–the Davidian–Kingdom, the Bible contains many other prophetic subjects which the writings of Sister White do not even mention, let alone treat of. And if the Lord does not now reveal them to the church to meet her need today she will not be prepared for their fulfillment but will be left to perish in her undone Laodicean condition. These prophecies must therefore be revealed in order to strengthen the church in her final warfare. Otherwise, for what purpose were they written?

No prophet of God has ever forged a complete prophetic chain of events, with no links missing. It has taken many inspired writers to complete the long chain of prophecy. The mind, therefore which takes the position that Sister White has done what no prophet in or out of the Bible has ever done, does so at the utter disregard of actual Biblical procedure and also of revealed Truth.

She herself says that “no man, however honored of Heaven, has ever attained to a full understanding of the great plan of redemption, or even to a perfect appreciation of the Divine purpose in the work for his own time. Men do not fully understand what God would accomplish by the work which He gives them to do; they do not comprehend, in all its bearings, the message which they utter in His name.”–The Great Controversy, p. 343.

Some persons, being of the parrot kind, utter parrot-like statements, never stopping to think what they say, and seemingly never caring whether their statements stand or fall. Such are they who say that no other event or events can come before, between, or after those set forth in Sister White’s writings.

Should one insist that the continuity of events recorded in Early Writings, pp. 15-17, must be taken as absolute, and that no other event or events can be sandwiched in, then he is getting himself into deep water, for the pages mentioned in no wise even intimate either the seven last plagues or the millennium!

Again: the Jews rejected the Lord because not all of what the prophets taught and wrote was found in the teachings of Moses. “We know,” they said, “that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence He is.” John 9:29.

As no prophet’s writings ever predicted the entire Truth needed by the church to carry her clear through to the Kingdom, and as other prophets followed, either enlarging upon or adding to the prophecies already recorded in the Scriptures, then for anyone to turn down the good tidings of the Kingdom on the grounds that this phase of the Kingdom is not found in Sister White’s writings is for him to take the same inexcusable and fatal stand as did the Jews. It is to say, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” Rev. 3:17. It is this attitude that compels God to spue out of His mouth the lukewarm, satisfied Laodiceans.

The eleventh-hour message has been timed and designed to reveal the Davidian Kingdom rising a new before the appearing of Christ in the clouds. Having no direct light, however, on this phase of the Kingdom, The Great Controversy could no more have expressed itself in the definite terms which the message today uses, than could William Miller have expressed himself on the subject of the cleansing of the sanctuary, in such terms as we read in The Great Controversy.

Of necessity, any statements relative to a subject which is still out of sight in the unfolding of the Scroll, are made only in incidental terms of truth as it is at the time seen or commonly understood. And if the common understanding of these incidental statements be wrong, the writer cannot be held responsible for that which he has borrowed from others or seen but very dimly and therefore expressed very indefinitely.

For example, in Christ’s day “the doctrine of a conscious state of existence between death and the resurrection was held by many of those who were listening to Christ’s words. The Saviour knew of their ideas, and He framed his parable so as to inculcate important truths through these preconceived opinions. He held up before His hearers a mirror wherein they might see themselves in their true relation to God. He used the prevailing opinion to convey the idea He wished to make prominent to all….”–Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 263.

This circumstance is natural and common to every writer treating of Present Truth, beginning with the Old Testament writers, and continuing ever since, and will thus be until every component part of the Truth is made known. This is borne out in the work of John the Baptist. He was to proclaim, not the setting up of the Kingdom, but the coming of the King.

But in announcing the one, he incidentally had to answer questions concerning the other. When speaking of the coming King, he expressed himself in terms of revealed Truth. But when circumstantially alluding to the coming Kingdom, on which there was no special light in his day, he necessarily expressed himself in terms of the doctrines as then commonly understood.

Nevertheless, when the further unrolling of the scroll revealed that the Kingdom was not to be set up at that time, then the honest, truth-seeking ones did not accuse either John or Christ, but joyously watched the scroll unfold, and jubilantly marched on with the Truth. Not so, though, with the vast majority of the Jews. Their pride of opinion, forbidding them to forgo their errors and to embrace advancing Truth, led them deeper into error.

“Thus it was,” says the Spirit of Prophecy, “that the Jews did in the days of Christ, and we are warned not to do as they did, and be led to choose darkness rather than light, because there was in them an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.”–Testimonies on Sabbath-School Work, p. 66; Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 30.

So The Great Controversy and Early Writings make the subject of the Kingdom just as clear as the partial unrolling of the scroll permitted the writer to view it, in only one of its phases, at the time she wrote both books.

While The Great Controversy may omit showing that the establishment of the Kingdom and the inheriting of it are two different events, elsewhere the Spirit of Prophecy does do so: While the apostles, it says, “were not to behold the coming of the kingdom in their day, the fact that Jesus bade them pray for it, is evidence that in God’s own time it will surely come.

“The Kingdom of God’s grace is now being established, as day by day hearts that have been full of sin and rebellion yield to the sovereignty of His love. But the full establishment of the kingdom of His glory will not take place until the second coming of Christ to this world. ‘The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,’ is to be given to ‘the people of the saints of the Most High.'”-Mount of Blessing, p. 159.

Every Christian should remember that as the Truth is ever-advancing, It will not be found today where It was yesterday, and that therefore Christ’s followers must advance with It. They will not follow the examples of the Jews and the Romans.

When Moses wrote the first part of the Bible, he was not given all the light which God intended to reveal to His people through the ages. With each approaching hour for the Truth to advance, came first one prophet, then another, in a long succession ending with John the Baptist. Then came Christ, the apostles, the reformers, William Miller, and Sister White, each one in turn teaching truths which could not be borne out entirely by the writings of any one predecessor. To find all the Truth thus progressively revealed, the writings of all must be collaborated.

For instance, in setting forth the law of the Passover, and in commanding its observance Moses wrote: “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.” Ex. 12:5, 6.

The reason which Moses assigns for the Passover observance is that it is to commemorate Israel’s going out of Egypt (Deut. 16:1-3). John the Baptist, however, imputes its significance to the coming of Christ, “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29), while the apostles assign it to His crucifixion: “For even Christ our passover,” says Paul, “is sacrificed for us.” 1 Cor. 5:7. And the significance of keeping the Passover, he then attaches to the ordinance of the Lord’s supper (1 Cor. 11 :26).

Similarly, Moses did not explain that the Levitical priesthood in the earthly sanctuary (Ex. 40:15) was only a provisional and thus a temporary one, a figure of Christ’s priesthood in the heavenly sanctuary, as the apostles explained (Heb. 6:19, 20; 9:12, 26).

Failing to advance with the advancing Truth, each generation of Jews found fault with its respective prophets, culminating with the apostles and the very Son of God Himself. The Jews justified their criminal actions on the ground that the claims of their prophets, of Christ, and of the apostles, were not founded upon Moses’ writings. So while boasting of Moses’ writings, they denied and killed the prophets who came after him–a solemn warning to us, lest doing as they did, we meet their fate!

The main question therefore is not as to whether Sister White’s or Moses’ or this one’s or that one’s writings contain all the messages for this day, but rather simply as to whether they are found in, and supported by, the Bible.

The Rod consequently does not claim that its message is found in its entirety in the writings of any one particular prophet, but rather in the writings of all the prophets–“here a little, and there a little.” Isa. 28:13.

Let none, therefore, treacherously use Sister White’s writings, as the Jews used Moses’ writings, against the advance of Truth, and to their own eternal hurt. From every angle approached, the Bible clears the subject of the Kingdom, making impossible one’s erring if he follows precisely what the Word says concerning it….”(Answerer, vol. 2, Q-42)

Let us ask ourselves the following soul searching questions:

1) Do we really believe that the Lord stopped His messages through prophets, with Ellen White? If so, then we must throw out the Lord’s promise to bring a prophet to us “before the great and dreadful day of the Lord”–the “Elijah”(Mal. 4:5-6).

2) If we throw out His promise, then can we be held guiltless for ignoring the message that was promised to come? Did the Lord ever hold blameless any of His people for rejecting His prophets of the past? The Lord does not change (Mal.3:6)

3) if the Jews were lost because of failing to advance with the Truth, are we then to be considered safe, if we do the same by ignoring or rejecting, the man who professed to bring the Elijah message to our church? Investigate my dear brethren–Investigate!

In closing, let us remember that the Jews of old made a fatal mistake–they trusted in their “man” Moses to the exclusion of God’s advanced Truth. Ellen White brought us tremendous beautiful truths, of which we are eternally thankful for. But she was not the “Elijah” that was to come and “restore all things”. She set the table for the Lord’s last prophet to speak the truth of His soon to come church judgment and His soon to come Kingdom. Let us be ever ready to listen and heed–advancing Truth.

Posted in Present Truth, Proper teachings, The spirit of predjudice, The Spirit of truth | 3 Comments »

A Spiritual Virus

August 30, 2014

“Spiritual Virus”, just what is that? Before we explain allow me to tell how this term came recently.

In Revelation 3:20 we read, “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.”

Here we see that the Lord will “come in” to us if we hear His voice and open the door. And an important part of this process is that we will “sup” with Him. This is a fascinating description of communicating with Him. Hopefully we can do a post soon on this subject alone, as it is very important.

To simplify “sup” is indicative of communicating with our Lord, and as such we hear Him speaking to us. As I often do each week, I drive several miles in my truck. For decades I would be playing the pop music or CD’s. Basically drowning out any possibility of hearing anything except that worldly music.

But since my conversion, I no longer listen to that music and as such have my ears ‘wide open” to hear His voice. I explain all this to show how this word “Spiritual Virus” came. It came as I was “supping” with the Lord. It just came into me.

So that being said, I kept hearing that as days went by. So I knew that this was a topic the Lord wanted me to discuss.So let us look at this subject and how we must be on guard and take precautions not to develop this most serious plague.

Just as there exists many physical viruses, so too, there are many spiritual viruses. And as the physical ones lodge within us and are sometimes hard to eradicate, same with the spiritual. While there are certainly many “strains” or symptoms of spiritual viruses such as habitual sinning, they can begin the same way. His Inspired word shows us how they develop.

Let us look at how they can develop.

Christ our King showed us the importance of “knowing” Him. In 1 John 2:3-4 we read, “This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his Commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

Any true Christian must first “know” the Lord, yes? And if we are to know Him, we see clearly that keeping His Commandments are the key. So the very first steps in our walk is to repent and then to “walk” in His Commandments. Therefore, the ones who are susceptible to a spiritual virus are the ones who really don’t know Christ. They may talk of Him and profess to know Him yet we know they are lying if they do not keep His Commandments.

It’s similar to someone walking around with a bull’s-eye target on their back. The Satanic forces can see it in the spiritual realm and zero in on them. So our first area of defense from the viruses, is to know and keep His Commandments.

Sadly, as I have continued to walk along the path of the Lord’s leading, I have found that even those who proclaim the Elijah message (the Lord’s highest light) are no exception to these terrible viruses. What does that tell us? It can only mean that Satan and his workers have tricked them into being careless in their walk.

In other words, a deception has crept in and that is that they are the Lord’s messengers and thus they don’t need to be careful daily in walking in His Commandments.

Inspiration points out how important it is to keep faithful in obeying them —“When one commandment of the Decalogue is broken, the downward steps are almost certain.” (Signs of the Times, July 1, 1903)

You see, it is a ‘gift” from the Lord to have His “Spirit of Truth”. In John 16:13 we read, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”

Those who know Him can thus be guided to know the Truth. This goes even to the fact that those who know Him can tell sinner from saint! The Elijah prophet said, “For only a true Christian, one who has a personal experience with God, a perfect knowledge of His Word, and who is filled with His Spirit, can discriminate saint from sinner. He, only, can recognize who has the seal and who does not have it, when the latter is cloaked in a counterfeit robe of righteousness.” (Tract 5, p.63)

One of the most important areas to check in regards to our faithfulness in keeping His Commandments, is to investigate our Sabbath keeping. We often should check up on ourselves in this area.

Let us look at some questions we can ask ourselves–

1) How is our appearance on the Sabbath day? Do we dress our “best”? Are we well-groomed and bring the Lord honor by going into His house a good representative of Him?

2) Are we abstaining from the numerous temptations that Satan brings on the Sabbath? Buying and selling? Worldly pleasures such as TV and music? Discussing business?

3) Are we careless like Eli was and overlooking, or worse yet contributing, to our family and friends willful transgressing of the Sabbath

Let us expand on this point. If we have a wife or husband, or children, and they often do things that are not right in the Lord’s sight on the Sabbath, how do we respond? Do we wink at it or even participate in it?

Suppose we are on the way to the church service on the Sabbath and our wife says. “oh honey I just remembered I promised to bring a salad to the lunch today. Could we stop by the grocery store on the way to church and buy the salad? What is the husband to do? Be like Eli and wink at this and go along with this willful breaking of the Sabbath? Or does he protect the wife and himself from falling for this devil trick , thereby saving themselves from trampling His holy Sabbath?

Just so we know the Lord’s will in this regard, let us read His instruction, “In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the Sabbath, even in Jerusalem. Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the Sabbath day?

“Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath. It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the Sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the Sabbath day.” (Nehemiah 13:15-19)

What a beautiful story of true respect and admonishment from the prophet! He cared enough for the Lord’s honor to make known the error of the people. Are we doing this with any of our friends or family who happen to carelessly honor the Lord on His holy day? If we are not, we may be compromising our “defense system” and allowing a virus to develop. Why? Because we are also committing transgression just as we allow those within our reach and care to do.

“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem,which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence..” (Isaiah 62:6)

When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.(Ezekiel 3:18)

So what is our point here? It is that the strongest defense in not obtaining a spiritual virus is to keep His Commandments. This is first and foremost. Let us not forget that we also show the Lord we “love” Him.

“If ye love Me, keep My Commandments.” (John 14:15)

So now that we know what helps us as a healthy line of defense, let us look at some specific symptoms of these viruses.

1) Repetitive breaking of the Sabbath.

This can include but not limited to: Doing business on the Sabbath, such as phone calls, writings, job appointments, worldly TV and music, lack of reverence in His house such as, talking loudly in sanctuary, playing games on cell phone in sanctuary, lack of presentable attire in His sanctuary (this one is especially specific to the ladies for dresses and shoes and proper head-covering)

2) Proclaiming false teachings and beliefs.

Such as no Trinity exists, no Elijah prophet message needed, no need to strive with all power God has given us to be among the 144,000 (Review and herald, March 9, 1905), Elijah prophet is not to be the last, continual proclaiming of peace and safety message. No church judgment to come, only the next coming of Jesus in the clouds at end of plagues, etc.

Let us expound on this point. Our Master told us the following:

“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)

This again shows that first we must “do His will” THEN we shall know His true teachings. This is why some get tripped up in their walk, they fail to do “first things first” and falsely presume that the Lord allows then to “jump over the threshold”.Even though they may know quite a bit of the word of the Lord.

The prime example of this was the Pharisees. Jesus admonished them, even though they knew all the Scriptures and professed to know God, He exposed them for not doing the basics.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” (John 8:32)

From another angle we see an excellent example of women “laden with sins”unable to learn properly. Although it mentions silly women, the concept applies to all sinners.

“For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim. 3:6-7)

Our prophetess also explained, “God never honors unbelief and questioning and doubt. When He speaks, His word is to be recognized and carried out in the daily actions. And if the heart of man is in living connection with God, the voice that cometh from above will be recognized…There is need that we reverence the Word of God and recognize His voice in the living oracles, that we may practice its precepts and live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.(Testimonies on Sabbath School Work, p.64)

3) Robbing God.

Being unfaithful in returning His Tithes and offerings per Mal. 3:10. Thus not providing your funds so that He may have “food” in His house. The food being spiritual food as in His present truth for us right now–today. Supporting instead an old message that was present truth for generations past.

4) The Laodicean spirit

This is perhaps the greatest virus of all. It paralysis the host. They are unable to get out of their “rich and increased with goods” attitude and therefore they fail to advance in the Lord’s light.

Our King knew these people well and warned:

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”(Rev. 3:14-18)

“The only hope for the Laodiceans is a clear view of their standing before God, a knowledge of the nature of their disease. They are neither cold nor hot; they occupy a neutral position, and at the same time flatter themselves that they are in need of nothing. The True Witness hates this lukewarmness.

He loathes the indifference of this class of persons. Said He: “I would thou wert cold or hot.” Like lukewarm water, they are nauseous to His taste. They are neither unconcerned nor selfishly stubborn. They do not engage thoroughly and heartily in the work of God, identifying themselves with its interests; but they hold aloof and are ready to leave their posts when their worldly personal interests demand it.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p.87)

Obviously there are many more viruses that can lodge into our soul and those are just some primary ones.

In closing, let us be mindful that we cannot fool God. We may very well fool others but the One that is watchful–we can’t. A “spiritual virus” can be avoided and even eradicated, if we humbly repent of our wrong doing and submit to Christ, keeping His Commandments as best we can daily.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

Free, even from a “spiritual virus”.

Posted in Commandments, Delusion, Proper teachings | 1 Comment »

Zechariah 4 (God’s Method of Revealing Truth)

July 12, 2014

zechariah-4-picture

Zech. 4:1-4 — “And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, and said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and has seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: and two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my Lord?”

The illustration here exhibited, you note, is an exact reproduction of Zechariah’s symbolism. In order that our study be simplified and vivid, we shall study the chapter along with the illustration.

Now let us hear the angel’s explanation of this symbolism.

Zech. 4:5, 6 — “Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the Word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

The angel disclosed two things: First he made known that the symbolism is concerning the Word of the Lord (the Bible) to the servants of God; second, that His Word is revealed, not by man’s might nor by power, but by the Spirit of God.

Plainly this symbolism as a whole represents the system by which the Lord transmits His revealed Word to His people. That we might have a thorough understanding of this Divinely designed system, we need to know what each component part of the illustration stands for. The Spirit of Prophecy gives the clue.

In The Great Controversy, page 267 is explained that the “olive trees” represent the “Old and New Testaments;” Testimonies to Ministers, page 188, says that the golden oil represents the Holy Spirit; and on page 337 of the same book, along with Revelation 1:20, says that the seven lamps represent the church, and that the seven tubes (the ministry) convey the oil to the churches.

Now study the illustration itself as you would study any cartoon. First of all, the trees represent the Word of God (the Bible — both Old and New Testaments — two trees).

Here is seen that the whole symbolical set up is for the purpose of depicting the accomplishment of but one thing — of keeping the seven lamps (the entire church membership) supplied with spiritual oil (Bible Truth) so that it might give spiritual light all round about, that the church might lighten the world with the revealed Word of God. And since the ministry’s duty is to feed the church with spiritual food, the fact is that the seven tubes represent the ministry at work, taking the oil (revealed Truth) from the bowl to the seven lamps, the churches.

Now the truth that in the illustration the tubes (the ministers) do not take the oil directly from the olive trees (the Bible), it positively indicates that the bowl in which the oil is deposited represents the container or the store in which the compilations of Inspired Bible interpretations are stored, and that from it, not from the olive trees, the ministers help themselves with oil and carry it to the seven lamps (to the church).

The two golden pipes, therefore, can be only a representation of the inspired channels which are capable to extract the oil (light of Truth) from the trees (from both Testaments) and store it in the bowl (books) for the tubes (ministers) to convey it to the candlestick (to the churches).

The symbolism, therefore, points out the system which Heaven has ordained for dispensing the Word of the Lord to His church: that the Spirit of Prophecy at work is the only remedy against isms in the church and in the world.

Those who do not avail themselves of the golden oil, and those who continue ever to hunt for some kind of oil, or whoever try to extract their own, will, of course, drop into the pit when the earth opens her mouth to swallow up the flood. Then it is that ism-breathers and ism-seekers shall forever pass away.

Zech. 4:13, 14 — “And He answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord. Then said He, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

From the angel’s information it is now clearly seen that the symbolism depicts the system of interpreting the written Word of God, and of transmitting It to the church. The time of which is in the New Testament era, when both trees are in existence.

Let us now summarize the lesson by the aid of the illustration. Here we see a candlestick (a church) all of gold, the finest of all candlesticks (no “tares” in it). It constitutes the remnant (those that are left after the sinners are done away with) which indeed keep the commandments of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of Prophecy (Rev. 12:17; 19:10).

This fine candlestick is fully trimmed and burning. The two golden pipes (God’s inspired interpreters) store the golden oil in the golden bowl (Spirit of Prophecy publications). And the seven tubes (the entire ministry) convey from the golden bowl the golden oil to the seven golden lamps (to the entire laity).

Under this perfect system of preparing, and dispensing the Word of God, “meat in due season,” to His people, there need be no fear that the reservoir will run dry, or that the lamps will grow dim. This is the only system, moreover, that can make the church perfect, without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing — a people without guile in their mouths, all seeing eye to eye, all saying the same thing. Truly “a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like.” Joel 2:2.

This beyond doubt is the mighty power that lightens the earth, it is the Loud Cry. Indeed this symbolism reveals the church at the time she is endowed with the Spirit of Prophecy and with the righteousness of Christ.

Obviously, the system of Bible interpretation, described by Zechariah, is the Lord’s only system. It is the only remedy for isms and discord among Christians. Thus it is that His “watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.” Isa. 52:8. (Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 14 , p.16-23)

The above was selected portions of Victor Houteff’s sermon , Nov. 9. 1946, concerning God’s inspired way of transporting Truth from Scriptures down to the laity. The two pipes, as the prophet indicated represent the two interpreters, who are the ones rightly inspired to take the clear message and prophecies from the Scriptures, and put them in the bowl (books), so that we as laity can really know what the mysteries of the Bible mean! Those two inspired interpreters are none other than Ellen White (SOP) and Victor T. Houteff (ELIJAH MESSAGE). May the Lord be glorified for such revealing of His end time truths to us!

Posted in Elijah Interpretations, Proper teachings | 1 Comment »

Religious Liberty vs. 2 John 1:9

July 5, 2014

In the second book of John, chapter 1, verse 9 we read–

“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

What does John really mean here? Does this really mean exactly what it says? We have no choice to admit it must. For the Scriptures say, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim.3:17)

How many of us have been greeted at the door by Jehovah Witnesses? Certainly most of us. Yet, we often chat with them, even trying to discuss our beliefs with them. But are we doing what God’s word says to do? Most of us have to admit we’ve been guilty of ignoring this counsel from God at one time or another, including yours truly.

Yet, once we have looked anew at this instruction, it should serve as a reminder to double down and do as God instructs. For obedience can only bring God’s blessings (see Duet.28:1).

But what about religious liberty? How do we balance that with 2 John 1:9? This is our study for this post. Let us look at the ramifications of this seemingly confusing dilemma.

Recently on some of our Facebook groups, myself and some other administrators have seen a rising of activity from those who we know and believe to have false teachings and wrong beliefs on the Lord’s word as brought by His prophets. Particularly against His last messenger, the Elijah prophet.

This all is understandable because as we’ve said many times–this is really the only game in town that matters to Satan. He is out to destroy any way he can, the truth of the sealing message from the anti-typical Elijah. This he is VERY active in.

Today, this is the controversy among His people.

“Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.” (Micah 6:2).

So as shepherds at the gates (administrators) for His sites, those professing His present Truth for the hour, we are faced with the fact that we must “guard the gate” as it were. This is a fine line that we must walk.

On one hand we want to be fair (religious liberty) and let the people post what is on their hearts, yet on the other we cannot allow false doctrine to come in and God forbid, some innocent newbie in the faith falls for it hook, line and sinker!

Today, we see several frequent false doctrines that the dark one uses to pull the wool over the unsuspecting ones. They include, but not limited to:

1) There shall be two church purifications (two Ezek. 9’s) one to the Davidian SDA*, then later the other to SDA. (Although it is not found in one single writing in Scripture, SOP or the Elijah message.)

(*Davidians are not to be confused with Branch Davidians)

2) Another prophet is to come after the Elijah prophet. In other words two or more are to come before the Great and Dreadful day of the Lord. (Again, nowhere in the Inspired writings do we find this.)

3) We must keep the feast days. His blood did not cover that. God requires we obey all the ceremonies. (However, the Elijah prophet strictly said the obeying of these days, shows “unbelief in Christ”.)

4) The Holy Spirit is not a real live Person with personal characteristics. It’s a force.(This belief not only flies in the face of SDA fundamental beliefs, it does the DSDA as well.)

5) The Elijah message must go to Davidians (the Elijah messengers) only now. The SDA church will receive it later. (In other words, they teach we are to be talking to ourselves now. The SDA people aren’t to be taught now.)

6) Two particular leaders are to be followed today, their followers say. “Ariel” from the Philippines and “Lennox” from the Wave-sheaf ministries. (Of course these two groups tell each other that they are right and the other is wrong.)

7) The Holy Spirit needs an “active prophet” in the midst to communicate God’s word to the people. ( This belief is proclaimed to support their belief in their prophet.)

We know that to be a faithful guardian, it requires fortitude and strength. In (Amos 5:10) we read, “They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks uprightly.”

It’s not easy cutting people off from sites, but to look the other way is to be asleep at the wheel and allow the evil deceptions to come in. A new kind of “flood” in other words, could carry away some.

Now, with the above understanding, some may say, “Well if that is what Davidians do to others, then why can’t the SDA church be justified in their historical out-casting of Davidians? The same line of reasoning, yes?”

This is a valid point and must be addressed. We should understand where both parties are coming from. Let us take the first scenario;

The SDA out-casting the DSDA.

The SDA church has a long history of non-tolerant and even abusive history towards the DSDA. This is well documented in the writing of brother Houteff’s Symbolic Code volumes. People were literally thrown out of churches, and brother Houteff himself violently beaten on at least two occasions.

The SDA proudly states the following on one of their websites:

“FREEDOM TO BELIEVE

The Seventh-day Adventist church strongly believes in religious freedom for all people. A person’s conscience, not government, should dictate his or her choice to worship—or not.

We have advocated for these goals for more than 100 years, through our department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL), to governments and religious and international organizations.”

But it seems that our SDA historical practices conveniently left out these principles in corresponding with the DSDA. The line is well spread about from the SDA. “Stay away from these Davidians, they are not teaching correctly from Bible or Spirit of Prophecy.” Yet, when the well-informed DSDA students attempt to sit down and study with the SDA leaders or people in responsible positions, often it is denied, with the slight of the hand as if to say “away with you”.

Here is the crux of the problem. The DSDA come in the name of Jesus saying that they have a message from the Lord. But the typical leaders care not to hear it. They think they already know what the DSDA message is and 9 times out of 10, they have never even read into it! And those who do, read only what they can find to bolster their own opinion and agenda.

Inspiration says, “When a message comes in the name of the Lord to His people, no one may excuse himself from an investigation of its claims.” (Test. on Sabbath School Work. p.65)

“If a message comes that you do not understand, take pains that you may hear the reason the messenger may give,” and not the reasons the ministers may give. (Ibid., p. 65)

So to sum up the practice of the SDA towards the DSDA, we must say that 2 John 1:9 cannot apply as being practical. Why? Because the DSDA are not “transgressing” nor are they not failing to “abide in the doctrine of Christ.”

For a short Youtube video of peaceful Davidans be removed for church see this link-

I happen to know this woman who was removed from church. She is very dedicated to the Lord and truly “sighs and crys” for the abominations done in the church. She was asked to give the Children’s story, but some of the leaders found out she is a believer in the Lord’s Elijah message and removed her and her family–Sad indeed!

The DSDA out-casting the false brethren and their teaching.

Occasionally , as an administrator, I will notice a post that will contain one of the doctrines of the afore-mentioned 7 points. The first thing done is to warn the poster that we (our FB group) do not subscribe to their beliefs and that they should not post anymore similar posts with those teachings. If they continue, they are deleted.

In September of 2011, our group “Truth Tellers” became the first active FB group to promote the Lord’s Elijah message(Shepherd’s Rod). Now, today there are at least 15 groups, proclaiming the 11th hour message. However some of them are promoting a mixture of the straight Rod message as brought by brother Victor Houteff, and teachings of their own prophet (as mentioned earlier in point 6).

The big difference in our casting out practices and the SDA practices is that we are “well-informed” of the error doctrines trying to be put over. And contrary to our SDA leaders, I am more than happy to “sit down” with them to go over what they are doing and to point out my position (backed by Scripture, SOP and Elijah message). If we can bring back even one to His pure unaltered truth, it’s worth it!

So in a nutshell that is the difference. And because these types are “knocking at our door” with a doctrine that is not based on His word as brought by His prophets but instead by “their” prophet, we can follow the Inspired advice –“do not receive him into your house”. In our case, the “house” being the FB group.

In closing, let us remember the apostle’s warning, “ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

But be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”( 2 Tim. 4:3-5)

Posted in Proper teachings, Warning our brethren, Witnessing | 7 Comments »

Difficult Passages

June 28, 2014

The word says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.(2 Tim. 2:15).

However in our studying sometimes we come upon passages that frankly make us scratch our heads. They appear either confusing or very difficult to understand or worse yet- contradicting.

We are told in (John 16:13) “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth;..” So we see that we have a helper to guide us. We should not think that we cannot kneel down in prayer and ask for guidance.

So this week’s post we’d like to look at some specific passages that appear difficult. By the Lord’s grace, we hope we can shed some light on them.

We know that many doubters and unbelievers will use these types of passages to say”Ah ha, see the Scriptures are fallible and not necessarily God’s truth.” Ellen White gives us good counsel.

“Those who desire to doubt will have plenty of room. God does not propose to remove all occasion for unbelief.” *(Test. for the Church, vol. 3, p.255)

“The unbelief that demands perfect knowledge will never yield to the evidence that God is pleased to give.” (Ibid, p.258)

So we see that even if we think we see contradictions or confused passages, we are not to be doubtful or believe that some type of error or mistake was written. God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). But this is where the “rubber meets the road.”

Those who desire to know what something really means can claim the Lord’s promise, “Seek and you shall find”(Matt. 7:7). Ok, let’s look at some of the difficult passages.

“But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.” (Matt. 10:23)

However, we know that the apostles did preach the gospel to all the cities of Israel. Yet it’s been almost 2000 years and the Son of Man has yet to “come”. Or has He?

Now, let us go to Revelation chapter one. Let us read from verse 10 to 17.

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:”

Could this be the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise? It sure looks and sounds like it. We notice that John heard someone speak from behind him. And His voice was from the “Alpha and the Omega”. Then John is touched by Him as he “fell at His feet”and our Lord spoke again. All this happening while John was on the island of Pathos. What we may gather from this scene is that John may have first seen Jesus and upon seeing Him then fell into vision.

In commenting on this verse the Spirit of Prophecy said, “When John in his mortal state beheld the glory of God, he fell as one dead; he was not able to endure the sight. But when the children of God shall have put on immortality, they will “see Him as He is”. (Testimonies, vol. 9, p.285)

Next we look at apostle Paul’s supposed prediction that he would see the Lord’s coming “in the clouds”.

“The we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1 Thes. 4:17)

We could very well say that Paul prophesied falsely , right? He was writing to the faithful and encouraging them that soon they would see the Lord’s coming in the clouds. However, this appears a classic case of the Spirit of Prophecy’s prophetic words.

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their time than for ours, so that their prophesying is in force for us.” (Selected messages, vol. 3, p.338)

So the right way to interpret this passage of Paul’s is to understand that he was “projecting” himself into the future, although he may not have been aware of it at the time. Further, just as John the Baptist was convinced the Lord would establish His kingdom at His first advent, so too Paul appears convinced that the Lord’s coming was an event he would witness. Obviously both are declared innocent for such deep love and hope of their Lord’s kingdom.

Now we’ll look at something that is a prime example of a confused passage. Those who would like to hang their doubts on a passage, sure got one here. But the prophet who was to “restore all things” shows us how this seemingly contradiction can be perfectly understood.

Brother Houteff says, “Acts 1:18: “And he [Judas] cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.” Matthew 27:5. “Now this man [Judas] purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.” Acts 1:18. These two halves, put together, is what tells the full story of Judas crime and death. But the anti-Christians living in the days of the Apostles, declared:

“These divergent records positively contradict each other, and the authors of them are nothing less than deceivers.”

But were they? Matthew 27:5 tells the first part of the story — that Judas hanged himself. And Acts 1:18 tells the second part of it — the way he died. Reading the two records together, they tell that Judas hanged himself, but that either the rope or the limb broke off, and that Judas fell headlong over something, perhaps a stick, or a stump that ripped his abdomen, then his bowels gushed out and that is the way he died. This harmony between the two gospel writers can be derived only if the reader reads to know the Truth, not if he is looking for pegs to hang his doubts on. (Jezreel Letter, no. 8, p.1)

Next we look at the confusing subject of “the Messenger of the Covenant.” Ellen White wrote some passages which seem confusing and when we compare brother Houteff’s explanation , it too, appears at odds with EGW. But let us again behold the God sent explanation.

“Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John…But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.” (Matt. 11:7, 9, 10, 14.)

Here we see that Jesus applied the message of Malachi Three to that of John the Baptist, and named him the Elijah that was to come, but when the Jews, priests, and Levites asked John saying, “Art thou Elias?…he saith, I am not.” (John 1:19, 21.) Shall we here conclude that both Jesus and John violated the truth? What then?

Moreover, the “Gospel Workers” applies Malachi 3:1 to Christ’s first advent, but the same author in “The Great Controversy, ” p. 424, par. 3, applies it to Christ’s coming to the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary in 1844; and on p. 425, is applied to the soon expected purification of the church.

Again, on p. 426, the author states that “…Dan. 8:14; the coming of the Son of man to the Ancient of days, as presented in Dan. 7:13; and the coming of the Lord to His temple, foretold by Malachi, are descriptions of the same event; and this is also represented by the coming of the bridegroom to the marriage, described by Christ in the parable of the ten virgins, of Matthew 25.”

If only one of these applications could be right, then which one should we choose? When the questioner harmoniously unifies the above scattered periods to which Malachi 3:1 is applied, then “The Shepherd’s Rod” will prove to him to be in perfect harmony with “The Great Controversy” and “Gospel Workers.” Though one statement seems to contradict the other, yet we are compelled to conclude that every one of these inspired applications must be correct. Says the great apostle, “Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That Thou mightest be justified in Thy sayings, and mightest overcome when Thou art judged.” (Rom. 3:3, 4.)

The trouble does not lie in the statements themselves, but rather in man’s limited knowledge of the truth therein, which proves that we are in the period of the Laodiceans, — “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” But the worst part of it all lies in that the Lord is saying to the church of today, “Thou knowest not” your great ignorance in not understanding rightly the Word of truth, and she does not believe Him! The apparent contradictions being discussed in this article are harmonized, in short, as follows:

Any fair Bible student will, without difficulty, perceive at a glance that the perfect fulfillment of Malachi Three is yet future, and is directly applicable to the imminent “purification of the church,” – “temple” — for saith the Lord, “Who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ sope.” (Mal. 3:2.)

Though Christ and the “Gospel Workers” apply this scripture to Christ’s first advent, any student of sacred history knows that it did not meet its perfect fulfillment there, for the Jews did not “delight” in Him as prophesied in Malachi 3:1, but instead, they hated Him. Neither did Christ at that time purify His church as described by the prophet.

But by the fact that Christ applied Malachi Three to John the Baptist’s message, and as this scripture did not meet its fulfillment at that time, it proves that John was a type of the Elijah that is to come before the coming of the “great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5), at which time the prophecy will be fulfilled in its fullness.

Therefore, as John was a messenger to God’s own people at that time, just so at this time the Elijah of Malachi’s prophecy represents a message which is to be delivered not to the world, but to the professed people of God. As John was their last prophet, his message was their final means to fit them for the Messiah’s appearing, for which cause said the Master, “If ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. (Matt. 11:14) Likewise, Elijah’s message of today must be to the professed people of God, and is to be their last means to fit them for Christ’s appearing at this time.

Thus as John “…declared that those who claimed to be the chosen people of God were defiled by sin, and that without purification of heart and life they could have no part in the Messiah’s kingdom” (Desire of Ages, p. 104), just so the Elijah’s message at this time will denounce the denominational corruptions — “the abominations in the midst thereof” (Etc. 9:4) — rebuke the prevailing sins, and exclaim: “What greater deception can come upon human minds than a confidence that they are right, when they are all wrong!…They know not that their condition is deplorable in the sight of God….The message to the church of the Laodiceans is a startling denunciation.” — “Testimonies for the Church, ” Vol. 3, pp. 252-3.

The above proves that the cleansing of the ancient temple in Jerusalem was a type of the purification of the church, which will take place at a time when the house of God is made a house of merchandise by selling denominational publications and raising goals (8 T. 250), for when Christ “had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence: make not My Father’s house an house of merchandise.” (John 2:15, 16.)

The “Great Controversy,” p. 424, applying Malachi Three to Christ’s coming to the heavenly sanctuary in 1844, and on p. 425, to the impending purification of the church at this present time, to which the parable of the ten virgins refers to, must now be harmonized.

The fact that Malachi Three is again applied to two different periods, — the one of 1844 and also to the one in which the church is to be purified — proves that Malachi’s prophecy apprehends both the judgment of the dead and the judgment of the living.

Consequently, there are two such comings of the Lord “to His temple” and two purifications, — first, the cleansing of the temple (sanctuary) from the wicked dead (the investigative judgment), and second, the purification of the church (temple) from the living wicked, at which time Malachi 3:1-3 will meet its perfect fulfillment. The parable of the ten virgins is applicable to the latter. See “The Shepherd’s Rod,” Vol. 2, pp. 180-186.

Here follows the explanation of the “messenger of the covenant.” As Christ was the “Messenger of the covenant” at His first advent; also Moses, while leading Israel out of Egypt; in like manner, John the Baptist’s message; and the one to the Laodiceans — all four were compared to the message of Malachi 3:1. Here we see that the title, “messenger of the covenant,” referred to by Malachi, is applied to more than one person, in the same manner as the promises which were made to ancient Israel are now applicable to modern Israel — the 144, 000.

Says the Spirit of Prophecy, “…It is necessary now that the minds of God’s people should be open to understand the Scriptures. To say that a message means just this and nothing more, that you must not attach any broader meaning to the words of Christ than we have in the past, is saying that which is not actuated by the Spirit of God.” — R. & H., Oct. 21, 1890.

The word, “covenant,” means nothing more or less than an agreement, — promise. This being true, Moses was a “messenger of the covenant;” namely, the promise God made to Abraham that He was to deliver his posterity out of Egypt by a prophet — messenger. John also came in fulfillment of prophecy as he himself declared that Esaias had prophesied of him (John 1:23), and according to Christ’s own statement (Matt. 11:7, 9, 10), Malachi had also prophesied of John.

As God had made a written covenant with His ancient people that He was to send them the Messiah, Christ came in fulfillment of that covenant, and having brought a message by His teachings, He was the “Messenger of the covenant.” But the words of Malachi in chapter three, verse one, make plain that before the Lord comes “to His temple,” He will send a messenger to prepare the way, at which time He is to purify the sons of Levi, — those who minister in “His temple” — the church.

As he that “is filthy” at the moment probation closes must remain “filthy” (Rev. 22:11), it follows that this work of purification which the Lord is to perform at His coming must be accomplished in probationary time, and long before the gospel work is finished, for He cannot finish it with the impure sons of Levi,” — ministry. This particular coming of the Lord is also predicted in Vol. 5, pp. 80, 690.

In view of the fact that Christ at His coming to purify the church will not in person preach the message as He did before the crucifixion, but send someone other than himself, how could He at this time be the “messenger of the covenant?”

There is but one answer to this — the one who brings the message must be the “messenger of the covenant,” and when the Lord sends him he will fulfill the promise of Malachi 4:5. Having prepared “the way,” the Lord will “sit as a refiner and purifier of silver” (Mal. 3:3), “and it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem; when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion.” (Isa. 4:3, 4.)

Furthermore, though the title, “messenger of the covenant,” is applied to more than one messenger, it rightfully belongs to the Holy Spirit, and only for the reason that the Spirit of God is in them are they designated by that title. For example, we call the reader’s attention to 1 Pet. 3:18-20. There it is stated that Christ went and preached to the antediluvians by the same “Spirit” Who “quickened” Him.

Being stated that He went by the Spirit and not in person, it proves that Christ accomplished this by that same Spirit through Noah. Hence, Christ being the “Messenger of the covenant, and He being in Noah by the Spirit, compels us to acknowledge that the title, “messenger of the covenant,” belongs not only to those mentioned in this article, including Noah, but to all God’s chosen messengers in whose message is Christ, by that same Spirit. (Sym. Code, vol. 1, no.4, p.4-5)

In closing let us realize that the Lord’s word is sometimes like a hard to find gold nugget in the mother lode stream. We just have to search a little harder and we shall find that shining gold nugget of Truth. May the Lord guide us into all Truth.

Posted in Covenants, Proper teachings | 1 Comment »

Light Illuminated

June 7, 2014

This week was one of those weeks, where one gets a revelation that truly makes us go–“wow”! As an Elijah messenger to or people, I am constantly studying ways to improve my delivery, to solidify the message in a more straight forward and understandable way. The Lord came through again!

In Timothy we read, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”(2 Tim. 2:15).

The message gives us an almost uncontrollable love for our brethren. We realize the danger that faces the church unless we humble ourselves and take up the largely unpopular message of Elijah.

So the Lord divinely showed me something that really explained this message in a different way, and from a new angle, that may dig the dagger of truth into those who may be still stubbornly resisting the last message to the Laodiceans.

Ok let’s look now, at this approach and angle.

First, we know that we as Laodiceans need something. Why? Because our Lord said so.

“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” (Rev. 3:17-18).

Ok, we all know this (or should). What our Lord said is that we have this stuffy proud feeling that we know the Lord and that we don’t need anything over and above what we know, to make it to the kingdom. I think we all can agree that this is a fair description.

So understanding the above, we must now admit that there IS SOMETHING we must learn or know, else He would not admonish us for being naked and without hardly anything. In other words, we need to stop deceiving ourselves, and awake to the fact that there is something out there that the Lord want’s us to know.

In this fascinating deception we find ourselves in , we read, “ “What greater deception can come upon human minds than a confidence that they are right, when they are all wrong! The message of the True Witness finds the people of God in a sad deception, yet honest in that deception. They know not that their condition is deplorable in the sight of God.

While those addressed are flattering themselves that they are in an exalted spiritual condition, the message of the True Witness breaks their security by the startling denunciation of their true condition of spiritual blindness, poverty, and wretchedness. The testimony, so cutting and severe, cannot be a mistake, for it is the True Witness who speaks, and his testimony must be correct.” — Testimonies, Vol. 3, pp. 252-253.

I underlined two important points I’d like to address. First, we see that Inspiration confirms what the Lord said about us. But she adds that we are “honestly” deceived. We are so convinced that we have it all (truth) that we aren’t looking for more. What’s worse is that our “shepherd’s” (pastors and leaders) aren’t helping. They too are in the same condition!

The second underlined point gives us a big clue as to what we need. We need a “cutting and severe” testimony that breaks our lukewarm condition. In other words– a straight testimony, with no sugar-coating. And we know one thing for sure, the “peace and safety” message that we hear almost every Sabbath from the pulpit is not it.

Ok let’s admit that we need something, and that something is obviously a message from the “True Witness”. And how has this True Witness in times past, delivered it? Yes, the PROPHETS. As a church body, He sends His message strictly through His prophets. In our case through His promised Elijah (Mal. 4:5).

All our Scriptures are written by His prophets. In (Amos 3:7) we read, “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

So we have found that we need two things up to this point:

1) A important message from our Lord

2) A message to be delivered by a prophet.

Ok, what is the word of God in relations to an end time prophet? It is found in the last book of the old testament–Malachi. I like to think of this book as His “sign off” letter of the OT. In other words it has His last words of extreme importance in them.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” (Mal. 4:5).

We see that this Elijah is to come right before this great and terrible day. Ah hah! This should be what the Lord is talking about! For this is the LAST message that He will send before the end.

3) The anti-typical Elijah prophet has the Lord’s last message.

Recently I was involved in an online discussion with a solidly entranced Laodicean woman . I pointed out the fact that there was one last prophet (Elijah) to come to our SDA church. She responded, “Oh that doesn’t mean a literal prophet, it’s a message.” Huh?

Let’s look at counsel from the very prophetess she claims to believe in.

“The language of the Bible should be explained according to it’s obvious meaning, unless a symbol or figure is employed.” (Great Controversy, p.598)

So instead of believing the Lord’s literal word, she must twist that into a non-literal meaning. Needless to say I pointed this out to her. But it was like water off a Duck’s back. It did not register.

I also pointed out that that kind of reasoning is right up Satan’s alley. When God said a straight testimony “Surely you shall die”, Satan twisted it to say “Surely you shall not die”. In other words she was not believing in the clear unmistakable word of God. And His promise as well.

When God makes a promise to send somebody, we don’t dare say, “No, you won’t God” do we?

Ok, let’s get to the quote that opened up this new idea of explaining the message to our brethren.

“I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God’s people.

The testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must work deep repentance, and all that truly receive it will obey it and be purified.”(Test. for the Church, vol. 1, p.181)

Let’s carefully go over this very important inspired word of God. We see that a “shaking” is going to happen among us, and that this shaking won’t be caused by anything else other than “the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans.”

The counsel here represents those who are delivering that straight testimony for the Lord, beginning with and including the anti-typical Elijah. Notice something VERY IMPORTANT. This message is given only to us! Not the world. We, the Laodiceans, are the ones the Lord must give it to. It is us who are about to be sprued out not the world.(Rev.3:16)

Next we see that this message will cause division among us. Some will “rise up” indicating that they will not only be against it, they will be strongly against it because it unbearable. It obviously exposes our sins and lukewarmness, making them uncomfortable and defensive.

The last underlined point gives the seriousness of it all. THE CHURCH DESTINY HANGS UPON THIS MESSAGE. AND THAT IT WILL BE LARGELY–REJECTED.

So we can add two more points to our list.

4) Our Church’s ( Seventh Day Adventists) future destiny ( our eternal life) hangs upon this message.

5) This last message of Elijah will be almost entirely rejected.

The last point in that reference establishes what this message does to us upon reception and obedience to it. We repent and thus are purified. What does these miraculous things? THE LAST MESSAGE FROM THE LORD, It has such a transforming effect upon us.

6) This last message causes repentance and brings eternal life to those who accept it.

This is so important let us read it again,

“What greater deception can come upon human minds than
a confidence that they are right when they are all wrong! The message of the True Witness finds the people of God in a sad deception, yet honest in that deception. They know not that their condition is deplorable in the sight of God. While those addressed are flattering themselves that they are in an exalted spiritual condition, the message of the True Witness breaks their security by the startling denunciation of their true condition of spiritual blindness, poverty, and wretchedness. The testimony, so cutting and severe, cannot be a mistake, for it is the True Witness who speaks, and His testimony must be correct.” (Testimonies, vol.3, p.253)

We see that this last message “breaks our security”, it exposes our true condition. If we are walking in its light, the message does not bother us. But if we are not walking in this light, refusing it for whatever reason, we shall either “rise up against it”, be intimidated by it, or humble ourselves and draw close to it causing us to have “deep repentance” and obedience. The Lord knew what He was doing in bringing this Elijah message. It works!

“The light which will lighten the earth with its’ glory will be called a false light, by those who refuse to walk in its advancing glory.” (Review and Herald, May 27, 1890)

“In the manifestation of that power which lightens the earth with the glory of God, they will see only something which in their blindness they think dangerous, something which will arouse their fears, and they will brace themselves to resist it. Because the Lord does not work according to their expectations and ideal, they will oppose the work. “Why,” they say, “should we not know the Spirit of God, when we have been in the work so many years?” Because they did not respond to the warnings, the entreaties, of the messages of God, but persistently said, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.”(Maranatha, p.220)

This is getting more and more clear. We continue to see a clear and unmistakable rejection from God’s remnant people of the last message. They see it as dangerous and not from the Lord.

“..but prophecy must be fulfilled. The Lord says, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5). Somebody is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears, men may say, “You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message.”(1 SM p.412.2)

The above is one of two clear and unmistakable Inspired quotes (the other is Mal. 4:5) showing that the Lord would send a male prophet to His remnant church at the very end of time. But we see, again, a rejection from the people.

Are we starting to see a common theme here? Yes, indeed!

So let us now add up the meaning of this post. What we can now see is that it is the REJECTED MESSAGE that is the one we are to follow. This is the one the Lord has sent! The real message that the vast majority of us SDA think is false!

We can add our last point now.

7) The last day message that saves us (seals us) is the rejected message of Elijah.

With this clear conclusion, we must now ask ourselves–What message has come to us SDA promoting that it is the Elijah message and been soundly rejected?

The answer– The Shepherd’s Rod.

Search our history, there has never been any another Elijah message that went church wide around the world that was soundly rejected and labelled as false by our leaders.

In closing, let us humble ourselves and begin to accept this rejected message, for as we’ve seen , it is the one we need. The Lord said we as Laodiceans need something, and the rejected Elijah message is the sure message that saves us from being “sprued out”. Amen.

Posted in Elijah, End times, Present Truth, Proper teachings, Witnessing | 7 Comments »

False Teachers in the Midst

May 17, 2014

Bohr

The Spirit of prophecy says, ” False teachers may appear to be very zealous for the work of God, and may expend means to bring their theories before the world and the church; but as they mingle error with truth, their message is one of deception, and will lead souls into false paths. They are to be met and opposed, not because they are bad men, but because they are teachers of false hood and are endeavoring to put upon falsehood the stamp of truth (Test. to Ministers, p.55)

Last week we concluded our two-part post on the Seven Seals of Revelation and the heavenly judgment of chapters 4 to 6. As I have mentioned many times, the posts we do here are guided by our walk with the Lord. Our path was led the last two weeks to look at the fore-mentioned studies because our own church was and is conducting a Revelation study.

During Sabbath service a couple of weeks ago, a church friend of mine came up and said, “What do you think of our Revelation studies?” I replied , “It’s a deep subject but I listening.” She then began to speak of the Revelation YouTube studies that a SDA pastor named Stephen Bohr has made. Her eyes glowed as she spoke very highly of him and told me to watch them if I could.

Later during the week I sent her part 1 of the Rev. posts we just made. She called me a few days later, again glowing, however this time it was about the post I sent her. She commented that the post and Mr. Bohr were very much alike in their teaching except the 24 Elders. So I decided to inquire about what his teachings were on the Elders.

Realizing that my friend knows very little about the “Elijah to come” that came to our church to restore all things (truth), I wanted to try to show her where the truth and the falsehood existed between the two teachers, Mr. Bohr and brother Houteff.

I was not to fail. The “Spirit of Truth” guided and I subsequently made a report for her, which I have adapted to share in this post.

Remember in our above quote from SOP where it said, “they are to be met and opposed”? Well that is what we are doing here, exposing one glaring false building block that Mr. Bohr attempts to build his castle of truth on. the Seals and judgment scene is very important for us to understand in these last hours of probation.

THE REPORT

Stephen Bohr goes into the Revelation Seals quite in-depth. However, we should always defer to the Scriptures on any “man’s” report, looking closely at them. For the Bible says, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” (2 Peter 1:20).

If one is a writer, teacher, or instructor of Scripture they should always check with Inspiration first prior to writing about a subject , especially Revelation! We read in (rev. 22:18), “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:”

Inspiration said, ““New Light will ever be revealed on the word of God to him who is in living connection with the Sun of Righteousness . . . The diligent seeker for truth will find precious rays of light yet to shine forthfrom the Word of God . . . Many gems are yet scattered that are to be gathered together to become the property of the remnant people of God. (CSW, p.35)

So we’ve read his report with our “eye’s open” to possibly finding “new light” nuggets of truth supporting inspiration, but instead we found a large gaping hole of falsehood.

I’m afraid Mr. Bohr has interjected “his” interpretation on this important subject. For example let’s look at the subject of the 24 “Elders” in Rev. 4:4. He comes to the conclusion that the 24 Elders around the throne, are not former human beings but rather “They are neither angelic nor human. They must be some other order of being.” If he attempts to teach us on this subject, he concludes he doesn’t know who they are, only who they are not (?).

In addressing an admitted potential problem with his interpretation, his written report says —

A Problem in Translation

Bohr –– “How, then, do we explain Revelation 5:8-10 where the 24 elders (in the KJV and NKJV) appear to be singing the song of their redemption from “every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation?” Let’s take a look at the passage as it appears in the King James Version:

Revelation 5:8-10–

“And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints.

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

Doesn’t this passage explicitly state that the elders were redeemed from the earth, that they were made kings and priests and that they shall rule upon the earth? How then could they be representatives from other worlds?

Before I answer this question I would like to share a word about the King James Version. I personally believe that the KJV is an excellent translation. It is a reverent version which is written in beautiful Victorian English. Having said this however, some people revere the KJV so much that they practically give the impression that it was verbally dictated by God! Anyone attempting to amend or change anything in the King James Version is accused of being an agent of the Jesuits. But the KJV translation is by no means perfect. For example, the much maligned NIV is much more accurate than the KJV when it translates texts that deal with the state of the dead.

The simple fact is that the King James Version has mistranslated Revelation 5:9, 10 and every modern translation has corrected the error.” (The Twenty-Four Elders – Secrets Unsealed–Bohr)

The bold statement is made –”every modern translation has corrected the error.” Let us look at several of the top authoritative translations of the Bible, and many of which he obviously overlooked. We are specifically looking at verse 9.

New International Version

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

New Living Translation
And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

English Standard Version
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,

Wycliffe Version (oldest English version)

And they sung a new song, and said [saying], Lord our God, thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals of it; for thou were slain, and again-boughtest us to God in thy blood, of each lineage [of all lineage], and tongue, and people, and nation;

New American Standard Bible
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

King James Bible
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slaughtered, and You redeemed people for God by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation.

International Standard Version
They sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered. With your blood you purchased people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

NET Bible
They were singing a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were killed, and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Singing a new hymn of praise, and they were saying, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to loosen its seals, because you were slain and you have redeemed us by your blood to God from every tribe, nation and people,”

GOD’S WORD® Translation

Then they sang a new song, “You deserve to take the scroll and open the seals on it, because you were slaughtered. You bought people with your blood to be God’s own. They are from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

Jubilee Bible 2000

And they sang a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation

King James 2000 Bible
And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation;

American King James Version
And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

American Standard Version
And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they sung a new canticle, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; because thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.

Darby Bible Translation
And they sing a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open its seals; because thou hast been slain, and hast redeemed to God, by thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,

English Revised Version
And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,

Webster’s Bible Translation
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals of it: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and language, and people, and nation;

Weymouth New Testament
And now they sing a new song. “It is fitting,” they say, “that Thou shouldst be the One to take the book And break its seals; Because Thou hast been offered in sacrifice, And hast purchased for God with Thine own blood Some out of every tribe and language and people and nation,

World English Bible

They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,

Young’s Literal Translation and they sing a new song, saying, ‘Worthy art thou to take the scroll, and to open the seals of it, because thou wast slain, and didst redeem us to God in thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,

e-Sword And they sang a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and open the seals thereof: for thou was slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation;

What we see from 22 translations is that 11 of them agree with the original King James version of verse 9. In other words, they concur that the word indicates “us” in that verse. That would obviously mean that the Elders were “redeemed” and could not be angels or other beings apart from human beings who once lived upon the earth.

So we see a serious error that Stephen Bohr makes – “every modern translation has corrected the error.” Error according to who Mr. Bohr?

Let us look at the original Hebrew words ourselves. We can “study to show ourselves approved” by going to the original language.

A God sent site called “e-Sword” is a must for those who wish to be serious students of Scripture. It’s a free download and I have personally found it invaluable in researching Scripture.

Here is the e-Sword translation with the Hebrew translation code numbers:

Rev 5:9 And^G2532 they sung^G103 a new^G2537 song,^G5603 saying,^G3004 Thou art^G1488 worthy^G514 to take^G2983 the^G3588 book,^G975 and^G2532 to open^G455 the^G3588 seals^G4973 thereof:^G848 for^G3754 thou wast slain,^G4969 and^G2532 hast redeemed^G59 us^G2248 to God^G2316 by^G1722 thy^G4675 blood^G129 out of^G1537 every^G3956 kindred,^G5443 and^G2532 tongue,^G1100 and^G2532 people,^G2992 and^G2532 nation;^G1484

The specific part of verse nine in Hebrew says– “ Hoti (because or for) Sphazo (killed or slaughtered) Kai (and) Agorazo (redeemed or purchased) Hemas (us or we) Theos (Diety or God) En (by or in) Sou (thy or thee) Aima “(blood)…

Note carefully the word “Hemas”. This word is very important to note because apparently some translations make that out to be one of the following –“men, persons, people, some”.

What we have now learned, it escapes us how these ‘translators” can depart from the clear and correct King James translation. No wonder that this version is still the “gold standard” of translations. Ellen White almost exclusively used it. Victor Houteff did the same.

We know that in order to be redeemed one must obviously have been human at some point. For angels cannot be redeemed. Those in heaven have not “fallen”.

In order to support Mr. Bohr’s idea of the 24 Elders being something other than former human beings, he has to join up with the translations that say that the word Hemas means something other than “us” or “we”.

In the widely popular and well researched site “ blueletterbible.org” we found research on the word Hemas and it’s use in other places within the KJV Bible.

Lexicon :: Strong’s G2248 –hēmas

ἡμᾶς

Transliteration hēmas	Pronunciation hā-mä’s (Key)
Part of Speech pronoun	Root Word (Etymology) Accusative case plural of ἐγώ (G1473)
Outline of Biblical Usage us, we, our etc.
KJV Translation Count — Total: 178x The KJV translates Strongs G2248 in the following manner: us(148x),we(25x),our(2x),us-ward(withG1519)(2x),not tr(1x).

Notice that Hemas is used as “us” 148 times in other Scripture within the Bible. It would be interesting to know about the other 147 times Hemas is used in Bible. How do the other translations translate the word ?

We clearly see that Mr. Bohr has taken liberty to put his ideas and therefore his agenda into Revelation 5:9. This is just one area that is exposed from his report on the Revelation Seals. As time allows we may delve more into his report to look at other aspects. We are bringing this to your attention because in these last days, we must be careful of the teachers who depart from the truth and thus may lead us down “false paths”.

Scripture (Rev. 4 through 6) addresses the very important subject of the judgment scene in heaven of God’s people, can we carelessly follow man’s fables in interpreting such an event?

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.” (2 Peter 2:1)

“A judgment in session requires a judge, an advocate,a jury, and representatives of those who are to be judged, for they cannot be there (in heaven) in person. There must be books containing the names, and the records of the deeds, of those who are judged; also the time of judgment, and the reward… The following verse depicts the jury: “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats:and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of Gold. (Rev.4:4). The crowns of gold denotes their kingly authority to act upon the case. The white robes show that they are men from earth, redeemed by the blood of Christ.” (SRod, vol. 2, p.194-195)

There is clear evidence that the judgment scene is a “court room” scene. And as such, common and clear reason says that a defendant is heard by a “jury of his peers”. Now tell me, why would this court room have beings of some “other order” as our jury?? This is what Stephen Bohr wants us to believe!

The final conclusion –The 24 Elders are some of those who were raised with Christ.

When one knows the true from the false, we can discern much clearer any deception that attempts to come in. We know that in the real world, there are professional detectors of false money, such as one hundred-dollar bills and it’s their job to spot the counterfeit. But they only know the counterfeit from the original because they are well familiar with the original.

There has, thank God, been an “Elijah message” sent to our church to “restore all things”. Meaning all truth would be restored. The “original” is now within our reach. We sincerely hope you study the prior posts on the interpretation of the Revelation Seals and other prophecies. Once you have done this very closely, you may be like us and say is Hallelujah, let HIS truth shine!

One final note. I personally happen to like Stephen Bohr , just as I like Doug Batchelor. But to be a “lead teacher” in our midst, they must know that the Lord had a “restorer” of truth sent to us. Are these men brushing aside a heaven-sent prophet to straighten our paths and brace ourselves for the “great and dreadful day of the Lord”? Or are they doing as Korah and his gang did, proclaiming to God’s messenger (Moses), that they are equal and can lead the people instead of God’s chosen one?

Once you learn the Elijah message as brought by the prophet who Ellen White said would come after her, you learn truths that just dazzle the soul! We are made to want to know the truth as God gives us and our radar will dial in these truths if we open our mind and hearts to studying these things out. As mentioned , once we see clearly the truth in prophecies, we can be better in detecting any falsehood that may try to side track us.

May we prayerfully ask our Lord to send His gift of the “Spirit of Truth” that we may be guided into all truth.

Posted in Proper teachings, Revelation teachings | 14 Comments »

Holy Spirit under Attack

March 15, 2014

In Luke 3:22, we read, “..and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

We are well familiar with this passage. Here we see that the Holy Spirit came in the form of a dove. But who really is the Holy Spirit? Does it have a gender? Or is it a kind of floating energy at the beck and call of God and His Son? Kind of like airwaves?We can’t see them but they exist and pickup/transmit information through great distances from the sender and receiver.

Most of Christian world, although amiss in much understanding of the true doctrine of Christ, do believe in the almighty Godhead. However there is a growing body of “believers”, claiming to be Seventh Day Adventists, or even Davidian SDA, who deny that there exists an actual “person” in the form of the Holy Spirit. They see “it” as a general God force instead. Some far-out sects even call the Holy Spirit a female being!

With this very important Biblical subject under attack, we thought it would be good to try to get to the “Thus saith the Lord” as spoken from His mouthpieces–the prophets. And amazingly when we take a clear and straight forward look at the evidence of the Holy Spirit, we cannot escape the solid conclusion.

I say amazingly because when something is so clear and plain yet people ignorantly close their eyes to the obvious, then we can be sure that the “Spirit of Truth” is not in them and they are indeed heading for disaster. To deny God’s word means to deny Him.

Recently I was informed by a so-called “Davidian brother” that I should take a serious look at the Holy Spirit and it’s “real” purpose and existence from a ‘Biblical” viewpoint. Right away giant red flags went up. Here was what I thought, a brother in the faith, who was basically telling me that I needed to re-learn who the Holy Spirit really was and if I didn’t come to a clear understanding of this, I would be in serious condition spiritually.

In other words he was trying to tell me that there exist only TWO supreme beings, the Father and the Son.

It would bad enough to hear this from a protestant( who generally has giant holes in their beliefs anyway), yet from a so-called Davidian, the highest light bearers in the world (most present truth known), this was really too much to take. And I did not mince words in my rebuttals. Not soft little words that would only slide off him like water off a ducks back.

Last week we posted about righteous discernment. This is a perfect example of using this discernment to warn and even admonish such disastrous and wayward thinking.

What I said , and this should be a main consideration to anyone presenting a belief that is divergent from our standard beliefs, is “Ok if you want to enter this study, please show me from the “restorer of all things”, the Elijah prophet where he said that our SDA understanding of the Trinity is incorrect.” In other words I highly doubted his conclusions and put the “proof” onto him.

Well after several run- around side tracking emails, he could not and did not provide any Elijah quotes. I let him know that basically he was kidding himself if he thought he was a Davidian. Further I countered with solid evidence to the contrary of what he was trying to teach. Specifically that The Holy Spirit was not actually a person.

Let us look at some evidence from His inspired writings on the matter.

Before we do, we should read applicable counsel from the Spirit of Prophecy. “The language of the Bible should be explained according to it’s obvious meaning, unless a symbol or figure is employed.” (Great Controversy, p.598).

Obviously this applies as well to His inspired writings brought by Ellen White and Victor Houteff. Brother Houteff added further counsel in this regard, “Hold not to what fabricated ideas seem to make Scripture say, but grip tenaciously to what the Word, in simplicity , plainly says.” (Tract no.10, p.13)

“We need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds. — Manuscript 66, 1899. (From a talk to the students at the Avondale School.) {Ev 616.5} The Holy Spirit is a person, for He beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. When this witness is borne, it carries with it its own evidence. At such times we believe and are sure that we are the children of God. .. . . {Ev 616.6}

The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of God. He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God. “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”–Manuscript 20, 1906. {Ev 617.1}

“Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power. It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world’s Redeemer. It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature.” (Desire of Ages, p.671)

The above words are beyond obvious. Do we not see that the prophetess says that a)the Holy Spirit is a person as God is a person b) has a personality. Does a “force” or an “energy” have a personality? If it does it can no longer be a force or energy but a being.

Additionally we know that the Holy Spirit has feelings. “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)

The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them. Men having fanciful views may bring together passages of Scripture and put a human construction on them, but the acceptance of these views will not strengthen the church. Regarding such mysteries, which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden. {AA 52.1}

What part of “silence is golden” do the anti- truth tale bearers not understand? They promote their false ideas that say “we need to re-think our Trinity understanding” . “We got this from the Catholic Church”, etc. etc. Unless Ellen White was a secret member of the Catholic church, they are really groping and reaching for straws on this issue.

You see this is what Satan and his angels do to the unsuspecting (non grounded)–they twist and side-step the straight word. That was Satan’s first deceptive practice – “Surely you shall not die..”(Gen. 3:4). God plainly said “You shall surely die.”(Gen 2:17).

So who is it that leads men to say “The Holy Spirit is not a person”? You guessed it! There is nothing new under the sun(Ecc. 1:9). SOP says “Holy Spirit is a person” Devil says, “Holy Spirit is not a person.” This really is not complicated when we understand from whom these falsehoods come from. Just follow history my brethren.

SOP makes mention of praying with the Holy Spirit —

“We must not only pray in Christ’s name, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This explains what is meant when it is said that the Spirit ‘maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.’ Such prayer God delights to answer. When with earnestness and intensity we breathe a prayer in the name of Christ, there is in that very intensity a pledge from God that He is about to answer our prayer ‘exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.”--Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 146.

We also must as brother Houteff said “grip tenaciously to what the Word, in simplicity, plainly says.”

The Elijah prophet further confirmed that we are to believe in the Trinity as understood in our Seventh Day Adventist faith in his writings (Fundamental Beliefs and Directory, p.3-11) . Here is the exact wording of our original SDA faith and understanding of the Holy Spirit and Trinity.

Fundamental belief no.2

” That the Godhead, or Trinity, consists of the Eternal Father, a personal, spiritual Being, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, infinite in wisdom and love; the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, through whom all things were created and through whom the salvation of the redeemed hosts will be accomplished; the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, the great regenerating power in the work of redemption. Matt. 28:19.

Brother Houteff was asked the following question in the Symbolic news codes.

Question 214:

Why are not the given names of the Trinity used in baptizing?

Answer:

As the Scriptures give several names for the Father and for the Son (and none for the Holy Ghost), and as we are not told which of these to use in baptizing, we must, therefore, take Him at His word and baptize in just the way He commands: “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Matt. 28:19. Moreover the names given in the Scriptures are not absolute names, but rather titles–equivalent to the names Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Still further, even if the absolute names of the Trinity were known, their use would lead to irreverent address. For example, suppose the Father’s name is George; the Son’s, Thomas; and the Holy Ghost’s, William. Could any God-fearing human being even dare think of its being reverent to say, I now baptize you in the name of George, Thomas, and William! Let us therefore comply with the Lord’s command: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of be Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Matt. 28:19. (For further light on this subject, study our Tract No. 11.) (Vol. 7 Symbolic Code Nos. 1-6. page 13.)

Now that we see that the Holy Spirit is a person, a being, let’s look at Scripture that further identifies other characteristics of “Him”.

Holy Spirit is a helper and teacher

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)

Holy Spirit is God’s precious gift

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)

Holy Spirit is our Comforter and companion for ever

..do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? (1 Cor.6:19)

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.. (John 14:16)

Holy Spirit is a power enabler

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.(Acts 1:18)

Holy Spirit is a discernment enabler

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment ; concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (John 16:7-15)

Holy Spirit is miracle enabler

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:4)

Holy Spirit is a witness for us

And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him. (Acts 5:32)

Holy Spirit is a faithful servant of God, truth giver and prophesier

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own authority , but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Holy Spirit is a joy giver

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit.. (1 Thes. 1:6)

Holy Spirit is a communicator

The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”(Acts 8:29)

While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.” (Acts 10:19)

That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice,don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness…” (Hebrews 3:7-8)

Holy Spirit is a truth detector

Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself..” (Acts 5:3)

In closing, those who deny the “person” of the Holy Spirit must come clean. They should immediately renounce their Seventh Day Adventist membership and/or their Davidian SDA affiliation. With such powerful evidence as presented from the three divine sources, Scripture, SOP, and the Elijah message, there is no doubt that the Holy Spirit is a real being, and part of the almighty Godhead.

Holy Spirit is a leader

The experience of apostolic days will come to us when we wholeheartedly accept God’s principle of benevolence–consent in all things to obey the leadings of His Holy Spirit.(Testimonies, vol.7, p.146)

Posted in Delusion, Holy Spirit, Proper teachings, The Spirit of truth | 3 Comments »

Is it Past or Future , Literal or Symbolic?

February 15, 2014

Satan has from the beginning tried to make mankind not believe what God’s word says. The words, “you shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4) was a direct refute of the clear word of God. God’s word really doesn’t mean what it says. And what has been the historical result? Mankind has bought it hook, line, and sinker.

As we have learned from our prior posts, the soon to come “beginning phase” of God’s “judgment for the living” is to take place in God’s remnant church. Our prophetess said, ” Here we see that the church–the Lord’s sanctuary– was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God” (Test. for the Church, vol. 5, p.211). She said those words after describing Ezekiel 9. Solemn indeed!

Imagine if you will, you are driving late at night with your family down a road. Ahead is a policeman with a big fluorescent sign that says “stop!”, and he’s waving it furiously at you to get your attention. How many of us would continue right on? Most of us would pull over. In this case there was a huge crater (sink hole) ahead in the road. Yet today the vast majority within the SDA church are driving straight past the warnings. Isn’t it time we paid attention to God’s last and final warnings?

Recently we received the latest newsletter from Amazing facts. The title is “Satan’s war against God’s word”. It goes on to describe the satanic traps and ways he has worked in america. But what is missing from Amazing Facts and their ministry? It ‘s that warning sign. They ignore the literal judgement to come in God’s house before the plagues. The message of the “Judgement for the living.” Assumption is made that all is well in God’s house until the second advent. There will be no such “first stroke” of God before the coming in the clouds.

Spirit of Prophecy said, “study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel, these words will be literally fulfilled ” (Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, p.260). When is the last time your church had a study on this important chapter? Quite the contrary! Instead they are telling people that those who proclaim the Lord’s soon to come judgments are off-shoots, fanatics, etc.

Just look at a Tennessee SDA church website. Under “Bible study” they teach people that the “Shepherd’s Rod” teachings are false. Little do they know they brother Houteff soundly refuted all those allegations in the “Answerer” and other writings (Tracts, Timely Greeting sermons and Symbolic code news).

We took some time to read their reports and found pure unadulterated confusion and misconception. But the sad thing is, if one is inclined to find hooks and pegs to hang their doubts on, these studies will give you some.

http://murfreesboro22.adventistchurchconnect.org/article/13/bible-study (Note: due to the severe storms in the east this site may not be available for a day or two)

One pastor said that Ezekiel 9 happens “in the plagues” and the other said it happened in the Old Testament days. Which one is correct? Neither.

The word of the Lord says, “Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets, who make my people stray; who chant “peace” while they chew with their teeth, but who prepare war against him, who puts nothing into their mouths..” (Micah 3:5).

Some have said that Ezekiel 9 is symbolic. The Spirit of Prophecy eliminates any such symbolic talk. “We are amid the perils of the last days, the time will soon come when the prophecy of Ezekiel 9 will be fulfilled; that prophecy should be carefully studied, for it will be fulfilled to the very letter.” (1888 Materials, p.1303)

Let us look at some solid inspirational evidence that prove the words of the Lord mean what they proclaim.

IS THE SLAUGHTER OF EZEKIEL NINE LITERAL?

Question No. 25:

“The Shepherd’s Rod” teaches that the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 is literal. Could it not be a destruction such as is caused by so-called “acts of God”-earthquakes, famines, pestilences, the seven last plagues, or the like?

Answer:

“The five agents that destroy the wicked in the church are not forces of nature but men with slaughter weapons in their hands. They are supernatural beings, not natural elements. Hence they cannot fittingly represent earthquakes, famines, or the like.

Neither can they be the seven angels with the seven last plagues, for these angels are seven in number, not five. Furthermore, they do not have “slaughter weapons” in their hands, but vials. Still further, the plagues fall in Babylon (Rev. 18:4), whereas the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 takes place in Judah and Israel (Ezek. 9:9).

Ezekiel 9, whether literal or figurative, effects a separation between the good and the bad, the tares and the wheat, in the church (Judah and Israel), just as the plagues finally do in Babylon (Rev. 18:4). And as the plagues are literal, then how can the slaughter be any less literal?

The angel with the writer’s inkhorn is to place a mark upon the foreheads of all who sigh and cry for the abominations, then the destroying angels are to slay both old and young (Ezek. 9 :4-6).

“The church—the Lord’s sanctuary,” is “the first to feel the stoke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light, and who had stood as guardians, of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestations of God’s power as in former days. Times have changed.

These words strengthen their unbelief and they say, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil. He is too merciful to visit his people in judgment. Thus peace and safety is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God’s people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs, that would not bark, are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children, all perish together.” —Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 211.

As in The Great Controversy, p. 656, only an indirect parallel can be drawn between the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 and the falling of the plagues, because a common end (death) befalls both the wicked in the church of Laodicean and the wicked in the churches of Babylon. And only those who say, “We need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God’s power as in former days,” think the slaughter is not literal.” (The Answerer)

Let’s recap what was said. Notice that there is a distinct difference in “5 destroying angels” and “7 angels with vials.” Those who say that the church judgment of Ezekiel 9 happen in the plagues are thus confused. Two different acts and times.

Further inspiration says that this act is the “first” stroke of God’s wrath in His “sanctuary”. Obviously the plagues will be strokes of God’s wrath and so this act must precede them, therefore they cannot be “in” the seven last plagues.

Then we have the argument that Ellen White specifically places Ezekiel 9 in the time of the plagues with her quote in Great Controversy, page 656. This is a legitimate and relevant point and is addressed as follows:

“Before the close of probation there are two “fruits,” the 144,000 and the great multitude (Revelation 7:9), to be separated at two different times–the former’s taking place before the close of probation while “the door is closed to those who would not enter,” and while “His hand is still stretched out to save.” (“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 9, p. 97), thus showing, as does “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 3, p. 266, that the sealing of the hundred and forty-four thousand is the closing work for the church, whereas the sealing work for the great multitude is the closing work for the world.

Thus, while, in the time of God’s destructive judgments before the close of probation, the door is closed to one class, it is open to another class for whom “His hand is still stretched out to save,” clearly showing that probation closes first for the tares in the church. Moreover, as the time is that of God’s destructive judgments–the separation of the tares from the wheat–the slaughter of Ezekiel Nine is that which severs the wicked from among the just.

there is a double fulfillment of Ezekiel’s slaughter: one in the church before the close of probation, and the other in the worldly churches after the close of probation, when everyone has made his decision. The unfaithful spiritual guardians, or the false watch-men, of the people are the first to fall in the worldly churches, just as the “ancient men” who are in the S.D.A. church are the first to fall. (“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 5, p. 211.)

This is the only explanation that will harmonize every statement on this subject found in the Spirit of Prophecy and in the Bible. ” (The Answerer, Vol. 3, Question 145)

The satanic game plan hasn’t changed. Once Satan knew a successful tactic of denying or twisting the plain words of inspiration, he’s been using it ever since with great success. Let us not be one of those who fall into his trap.

The church is about to be “sprued out” to a great degree because the leaders are neglecting their duty to put up the warning signs. They are preaching peace and safety week after week. We are only “safe” in Christ when we obey His word as brought by His prophets. The last prophet was the Elijah prophet.

Going back to that analogy we gave in the beginning, the policeman is representative of those of us willing to “go to work” proclaiming that time is short and that if we don’t stop our wrongful course of paying no heed His final message of Elijah, we will also fall into the ditch (to the dust).

Think about this for a moment. If The Lord made the promise to send a last prophet to His people (Mal 4:5 and Test. to Min. p.475), would He being sending it for an unimportant reason? Of course not. As in every instance in Scripture, the Lord had a purpose to reach His people with His message.

The servant of the Lord gives us true end time instructions–

“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” (Test. for the Church, vol. 5, p.203).

Let us not stand idle and watch the other people do what the message tells us we should do. Our church is approaching a gigantic iceberg, are we ready?

Posted in Ezekiel, Final Events, Present Truth, Proper teachings | 1 Comment »

Godsloveandlaw's Blog

Archive for the ‘Proper teachings’ Category

To the World or to the Church?

Will the Jews of Old’s Mistakes be Ours?

A Spiritual Virus

Zechariah 4 (God’s Method of Revealing Truth)

Religious Liberty vs. 2 John 1:9

“FREEDOM TO BELIEVE

The Seventh-day Adventist church strongly believes in religious freedom for all people. A person’s conscience, not government, should dictate his or her choice to worship—or not.

Difficult Passages

Light Illuminated

False Teachers in the Midst

Lexicon :: Strong’s G2248 –hēmas

ἡμᾶς

Holy Spirit under Attack

Is it Past or Future , Literal or Symbolic?

Categories

Archives

Contact Information

Archive for the ‘Proper teachings’ Category

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

“FREEDOM TO BELIEVE

The Seventh-day Adventist church strongly believes in religious freedom for all people. A person’s conscience, not government, should dictate his or her choice to worship—or not.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Lexicon :: Strong’s G2248 –hēmas

ἡμᾶς

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Categories

Archives

Contact Information