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Mad Man Diagnosis

February 16, 2019

Image result for Pharisees arguing with Jesus

It is clear, the so-called “religious men” of Christ’s day were so furious with our King that they were literally driven –Mad. Reason was completely removed from them due to pride, self-assurance, ego, and all the other human weakness traits.

“Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 

And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.” (Matt. 12:22-28)

The Pharisees could not admit what was before their eyes– healing for a sick man. Their hatred was so deep that anything and everything was to be shunned that Christ spoke and did. The truth that Christ spoke and the acts He did were undeniable and could not be gainsaid. Yet they used character assassination with Him. Unfortunately, those who leaned on flesh (Jer. 17:5) , the great multitude followers of the Pharisees were deceived by them.

One of the clearest mad men exhibitions was that of Stephen’s case.

“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him. and having cast him out of the city, began to stone him. And the witnesses laid aside their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he was calling out and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (Acts 7:55-59)

Thus we see that this hatred of the truth was the type, and today there is an anti-type, let us look at that.

As many know we here on Godsloveandlaw are all about the truth, specifically “present truth”. SOP tells what we need today —

“Satan is pressing in on every side, and unless we watch for him, and have our eyes open to his devices and snares, and have on the whole armor of God, the fiery darts of the wicked will hit us. There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but it is “present truth” that the flock needs now.” (Early Writings, p.63)

Our present truth today is the Lord’s final message of Elijah, the one He promised in Mal. 4:5-6. This message tells us more about Satan and his mad men’s last day ploy. Anti-type to be repeated all over as in type.

“Everything that can be done will be done to distort the Truth and thus distract and dishearten believers and draw their attention to something other than the message of Elijah.

   Thus will be the Devil’s deal while the day of God is approaching, and while Elijah is making the announcement of it as the scroll unrolls and while the prophecies concerning the day of God are being unsealed.   His work and his interpretation of the prophecies for the great day will identify him as the promised Elijah the prophet (“Testimonies to Ministers,” p. 475), and this will enrage the Devil as never before.” (General Conference Special, p.7-8)

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

Recently we were contacted by a faithful sister of ours who is actively proclaiming the Lord’s Elijah message, even in her church! The Lord has blessed her with a church whose elders are open to truth, and do not go mad when hearing it, even though it may not be what they had once understood!

We’ll call her sister L. She has given a couple of Sabbath School lessons lately and also two of her Elders have requested private studies with her. She has reached out to us because she has been a part of our phone conference studies and has learned much. Her last call was a request for help in understanding the Rod references as follows —

 

“WHO IS THE ELIJAH OF TODAY? IS HE TO RESTORE ALL THINGS? WHAT TO DO WITH OFFSHOOTS?

   These questions are being agitated among us by an ever-increasing family of off-shoots, the most prominent and the most tormenting of which is “The Shepherd’s Rod.”  In truth its tormentings have grown to such proportions as to bring every true Seventh-day Adventist squarely face to face with it.  Indeed, brethren, its growing gravity challenges each one of us no longer to dodge the issue as did the Jews in their day, and thereby lose out, but rather to meet it as Christ met the Sanhedrin, and thus gloriously win out.

   This General Conference year should resolve in every mind, once for all, the questions as to who is who and what is what.  Even if you are not one who is personally tormented by the Rod, still you should fortify yourselves with the facts, so you may be able to administer the healing ointment of Truth to those who are suffering from its torments.

   To bring before you the seriousness of the situation in which the church finds herself at this late hour, and the remedy which God would have His people apply so as to set them free from this “offshoot” annoyance, I am therefore making this second attempt to set before you the revealed facts so that no one, whether minister or layman, need longer walk blindly and in darkness.” (GCS, p.3-4)

She said, “brother something is bothering me, the Rod calls it’s message “tormenting”, I can’t quite understand that, could you help me understand that?”

An excellent point and question to address for sure. As I supped with the Lord over this, very shortly the answer came. And that is that the type which we have already showed was Jesus dealing with the Pharisees. His truth and His miracles did indeed “torment” the non-believers! Such as the mad men Pharisees who flew into rages and total disgust upon listening or watching Jesus do His Father’s work.

Torment is indeed the right word. Thus today the Lord’s same truth is doing the same thing–tormenting our S.D.A leaders and members who have taken a “mad man” like stance against it. You want evidence? Let us look at the what the S.D.A leaders did to Victor Houteff and those who accepted the Rod message in the early days. 

“.. then came the message which we are now endeavoring to take to the Laodiceans.  The enemies of the message then left nothing unturned in their search for something against me, rather than to make sure that they were not turning down Truth.  They tried every hook and crook to pin something on me and to stop my activities, but found nothing and as a rule about 30 members of the church stayed in my special meetings each Sabbath afternoon.  Then came the time that the elders of the church refused to let us use the church for our meetings, and they made us all get out.

But one of the sisters who was living in a big house right across from the church offered her place for the meetings, and there was a great uproar among the people around the church premises.  Some were for us and some were against us.  So it was that the house across from the church was filled that afternoon and many listened from the outside through the windows.  The enemies failed to break up our meetings, and the victory was ours.

   Next they forbade us to attend their church services, and they began to disfellowship those who still wanted to attend our meetings.  They tried to deport me, too, but failed.  Then they endeavored to get a court order against any of us going to the church on Sabbath, but lost out.  Once they called the police to have me arrested on false charges that I was disturbing the meetings, but after the officers in the police station heard my story and the deacon’s charges against me, he commanded the two policemen who brought us to the station to put us in their car again, and to take us right back to the church where they picked me up!

   After this the elders endeavored to put me in an insane asylum.  The “city manager” of Glendale himself (a Seventh-day Adventist) had come to this church that Sabbath morning to lay down the charges and to see me carried away and locked in the asylum.  After talking with me for a few minutes, though, the officer did nothing but to tell me that he would not bother me again!  Then the 200 lb. city manager felt smaller than my 135 lb. weight.

   They did all these unbecoming things and many others; besides, they talked and preached against me.  And though I had no one but the Lord to defend me at any time, yet in all these the victory was mine!” (TG, vol. 2, no.35, p.22-23)

The above is just a small portion of the testimonies of those who have stepped forward with the Lord’s Shepherd’s Rod message. Even yours truly has been disfellowshipped from one of the local churches for discussing prophecy and admitting we believe in the message of the Shepherd’s Rod. Their fury and madness hasn’t changed.

SOP gives us light on our subject–

“Pilate was filled with amazement at the uncomplaining patience of the Saviour. He did not doubt that the sight of this Man, in contrast with Barabbas, would move the Jews to sympathy. But he did not understand the fanatical hatred of the priests for Him, who, as the Light of the world, had made manifest their darkness and error. They had moved the mob to a mad fury, and again priests, rulers, and people raised that awful cry, “Crucify Him, crucify Him.” At last, losing all patience with their unreasoning cruelty, Pilate cried out despairingly, “Take ye Him, and crucify Him: for I find no fault in Him.”(Desire of Ages, p.736)

“The message God sends through His servants will be scorned and derided by unfaithful shepherds, who tread down with their feet the feed of the pastures, giving the flock as food that which they have defiled. “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.”(Review and Herald, June 25, 1901)

Despite the mad men actions today, there is a “shaking” going on right now, truth lovers against truth haters and this will culminate with the Church purification (Ezek.9). Let us stand upon the truth platform even though Satan is working hard through his mad men servants to slander us, mock us, despise us, disfellowship us. His tactics are the same today as yesterday, except barbarism is against the rule of law fortunately, but our Lord is the same today as yesterday and GREATER IS HE. 

Color Code: Orange–our King’s words,  Blue– (SOP) Spirit of Prophecy writings  Brown — The Lord’s Rod message (AKA the Elijah message)

Posted in Delusion, Satan, The spirit of predjudice | 2 Comments »

A Text Book Example of Bearing False Witness

September 29, 2018

Related image

 

In our King’s 9th Commandment we read —

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor”(Exodus 20:16)

Written by the finger of God, these moral laws are SUPREME in our holy walk with our King and Savior! Thus those who flagrantly or carelessly break one of them are truly walking on a dark path, lest they repent. The following post we will delve into a text-book case of a so-called leader of God’s flock giving terrible and deceptive teachings and advice to the flock. Pastor Alden Ho decided to publicly denounce and put out of God’s house a family on truly shocking grounds.

A little background on the brother and his family that Ho called out in the video. They are long time present truth deliverers. The brother has extensive knowledge of the Lord’s Rod message (Micah 6:9) and has one of the closet knit families in the message.

The kids are active in the kids programs and in all aspects represent the Lord (dress, manners, comportment, etc) as well as can be expected of a Seventh-day Adventist family. The credit goes to the parents raising them in the way they should go.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.(Proverbs 22:6)

Yet Ho took time in a recent sermon address to “warn” the people of  a family whose main crime was representing Christ and His Word. Let us look at this disturbing occurrence.

Before we do let us remember this counsel from God’s word —

“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Tim. 3:12)

This situation hits home because we personally know this brother and his family. We have spent many a conversations about Christ , His Word and His prophecies. There are few who , in our opinion have shown a truly sincere desire to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. So when we heard this , our jaw dropped! How can this be?? We thought!

The family had been going off and on to this particular church for three years and developed friendships within the church. They participated in church activities and did all they could to make the church pleasing to God. But being a believer in the Lord’s Rod, our brother did not shy away when the Spirit led him to spread the “message of Elijah”.  Just as we personally have experienced, someone within the church discovered that they were “Shepherd’s Rod” people.

Later this filtered down to the Pastor Ho. Our brother relayed that instead of true concern for him and his family by Ho, by informing him he’d like to discuss an issue with him in the office to get to the bottom of this, he spoke to him in the restroom on a recent Sabbath morning. He asked the brother if he was “Shepherd’s Rod” to which the brother  responded, “No… I am a Davidian Seventh-day Adventist”. To which Ho simply walked out of the restroom.

The next thing you know a Constable shows up to escort his family out of the church! No formal discussion one on one with the Pastor, no opportunity to state the brother’s case, nothing!

This is how they do it brethren in God’s house today. Let us now expose the words from Ho for all to see and be amazed. It’s a short 3 and a half minute speech given by Ho on the day the family was put out.

In the video at the 28:20 mark, Ho announces at the pulpit that he needs to let the flock know about something unpleasant that happened “about 45  minutes ago”.

Ho then goes on to tell the flock about the “modes and methods” of Shepherd’s Rod/ Davidians.

“They very lightly come , make friends with people, they don’t ruffle any feathers or anything like that for the first year or two. Then they slowly start making their way and start planting seeds and start doing their divisiveness. I would encourage you to look up Branch Davidians and Shepherd’s Rod. And to see what they are about. They believe in the Spirit of Prophecy, they believe many things that Adventists do.

But they believe that they are part of the 144,000 and they are very much into the health message. Knowing this, um, we have been waiting for them for the last couple months but they have not been around. So I was warned that they were here today, so I texted David Capps immediately, we already had a plan in mind. And David came over from across the street and I approached the gentleman and I asked him point blank, because that’s the only way to know, “are you a Shepherd’s Rod?” 

And to which he says, “I believe it”, but I said, “are you”?  He said , “No, I believe it.” I said “what does that mean?”  Then he said to me he is a Davidan Seventh-day Adventist. It’s basically the same thing. At that point I just stepped away  (meaning he stepped out of the bathroom) because if I tried to say anything more, their mode of operation at that point is to create a big chaotic scene. So I stepped away and David Capps gladly stepped in  and told him he needed to leave the premises, he and his family, and they were not allowed to step foot back here anymore.

This is not a very pleasant thing to have to do. To turn someway away from church but it is a necessity and must be done in order to protect the sheep. Now, there has not be any rifts from them that you are aware  of but we’ve been watching through Sabbath school and other things, that there has been little pokes at things. So I’ve been keeping my eye on that as well as some of the other leaders in the church. And we did talk about this at our past board meeting as well.

So this is just something that I needed to let you know and encourage you , please look them up, study what they are about. It’s very difficult to win them and to correct them because they have almost self-deceived themselves, into thinking that they are the only ones. And, um, I ask that you lift up this family in prayer, that the Holy Spirit would impress upon them what is truth.” (Ended at the 31:53 mark) (bold highlight  ours)

Let us now carefully examine what was said. Four points we’d like to make clear.

  1. Notice carefully that Ho plants his own “seeds” by saying loaded words while explaining that they plant seeds, yet we are left not knowing exactly what their “planting seeds” really means. For example, what does “little pokes” mean during Sabbath school? What is the evil of thinking they are a part of the 144,000, especially when SOP tells us to “strive with all power God has given us to be a part of the 144,000”(Review and Herald, March 9, 1905)? What does “thinking they are the only ones” mean?
  2. This family was removed from God’s house and their chance of worshiping and fellowshiping removed and forever gone at their beloved church. Does Ho think that a quick 3 and half-minute explanation is all that is needed  for such a drastic and profound action, especially when bonds and friendships are abruptly broken at his whim? With vague innuendos and confusing accusations?
  3.  Perhaps the worst of all is the following downright  terrible deceptions. Notice that Ho connects the horrible and tragic Branch Davidian history (by calling them Branch Davidians) to the Davidian  Seventh-day Adventists, which the brother and his family are not a part of. Those who know the truth  know that Branch Davidians are NOT Davidian Seventh-day Adventists, and their history and beliefs are very different. But the key point was that Ho wanted to stick in the minds of the flock, that they were trouble makers, hence the connection with the Branch.Koresh and his followers no doubt seen in the minds of the flock!The other area of falsehood was the implanting of the idea that they will “create a big chaotic scene.” Once Ho established the Branch  connection, then his logical next point was to make them out as troublemakers.  Thus he completes his unholy work of deception! Again, those who know the truth know that DSDA are all about loving and peace among the brethren. Not once during the whole time this brother and  his family worshiped there, were they ever accused of “trouble” of any kind! On the contrary, they showed a true desire to fellowship and worship in love and peace–our Creator.
  4. Finally, Ho tells his flock to “look them up” , to investigate what they are about. But he deceptively tells them to look up Branch Davidians not Davidian Seventh-day Adventists. Nevertheless, we hope that the flock does indeed look up the Shepherd’s Rod and what it is about. For the Lord’s Rod (Micah 6:9 and 7:14) is what we are told to “hear ye” today.

“The LORD’S voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the Rod, and Who hath appointed it.” (Micah 6:9)

In the dark ages, the Roman leaders systematically persecuted those who they thought were heretics, yet we know as historians that often the “heretics” were just trying to obey God’s words through His holy Word–the Bible. The Seventh-day Adventist church has sunk down to this same low-level by excommunicating those they ‘think” are not in accordance with their teaching–yet they are, and SO MUCH MORE SO THAN THEY REALIZE! Is not Ho showing that instead of sincere love and caring for this family, he chooses to throw them out without a public hearing?!

We as S.D.A have publicly announced to the world we are all for religious liberty, to worship God according to our conscience. In fact we publicly produce the following —

https://www.adventist.org/en/service/religious-liberty/

Yet, away for the gazing eyes of the world, we often remove those who proclaim and desire to study Bible prophecy with deep devotion! This is  so wrong and not in Christ’s Word that to defend such behavior is impossible.

For example how about the young kids? What are we showing them with this un-biblical censorship? Do they not say “Dad, what happened?” “Why can’t we go to our church anymore”?  What can the parents tell them? Think this through brethren!

SOP is very clear about this issue —
“.. The Lord forbids us to proceed in any violent way against those whom we think erring, and we are not to deal out excommunications and denunciations to those who are faulty.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.47)

“…The work of separation is given to the angels of God, and not committed into the hands of any man.” (Same, p.47)

In closing, as Pastor Ho advised his flock to search out the Shepherd’s Rod and see what they are about, we’d like to help the flock in this regard. Ho cannot be relied on to know the message truly, based on his deception already, so in order to get to the bottom of what they are really about they should review the actual message for themselves.

We call on Pastor Ho to prayerfully consider what he has done. Ask those within the church what was the family’s crime? Not just the leaders but those who developed friendships with this family, what disturbance and trouble did they cause? Did they show only Christ like comportment in accordance to the Scriptures? Did they force their beliefs upon others?

“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” (Jer. 17:5)

“He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him.” (Proverbs 18:13)

“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.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.107)

The link below is searchable websites that help explain what the message is about.

http://mtccamp.org/local_news_modified_004.htm

Who really is a Davidian Seventh-day Adventist?

http://shepherds-rod.org/index.html

(actual video, posted July 7, 2018 –YouTube. The speech is 28:20 to 31:53 mark)

Posted in The spirit of predjudice, Truth telling vs. lying | 4 Comments »

M.L Andreasen meets Victor Houteff (Part 2 of 2)

September 15, 2018

Image result for M.L Andreasen  Image result for victor houteff

Let’s review part one of our interview post. We found that the General Conference was basically firmly against the message of the Shepherd’s Rod. The leading men were against it from it’s inception when brother Houteff began to lead the Sabbath School lessons in 1929.

But the message did not fade away, for it gained such traction that the GC leaders needed a man to meet with Houteff and expose his movement as not of God. They had tried once before in setting up a meeting with VTH to “go over” his doctrines in a formal meeting. This ended in a total failure as the S.D.A leaders were later found out to have double crossed Houteff. This so called “get to the bottom of his teachings” meeting was smoke screen to show the gullible people that the teachings had been looked into and found wanting.

S.D.A and D.S.D.A historical accounts show that while this Los Angeles meeting was going on, GC leaders were back east in Washington D.C discussing strategies to put down the Shepherd’s Rod movement.

The man who they selected to “beard the lion” was M.L. Andreasen, the top respected scholar of the day.

Before we go further let’s review God’s word about how to tell if a movement is from Him.

“And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” (Acts 5:38-39)

The interview took place December 15th and 16th, 1942. Brother Andreasen arrived at the official headquarters of the Davidian movement, known predominantly at that time as the Shepherd’s Rod group or people. (Note: for those who may not be aware, the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists are NOT the Branch Davidians, those well known for the Waco disaster in 1993. See our post we made in 2012 for information on this often confusing subject)

Original Davidians are not Branch Davidians

The two men met and then soon went into the reception room and sat down for the discussion. Andreasen took careful notes and later sent a full report to headquarters giving his first hand account of the meeting. The full transcript can be viewed on the aforementioned book in part one. Brother Augustus has compiled a comprehensive historical account of this meeting along with much history between the S.D.A and the D.S.D.A (A link for the purchase of the book will be provided at end of this post)

After describing the place (Mt. Carmel headquarters) in his report he says “ The most satisfactory part of the interview concerned the matter for which the interview had been sought: that of confirmation on his part that the public statements published in the two volumes of the “Shepherd’s Rod” were still his belief and teaching.”

We can see that M.L was attempting to verify whether VTH had changed his mind about what he had written. To this Houteff responded, “We do not work that way. We do not claim the words are inspired , but the idea is. We do not change our teaching, and have not done so. What is published we still stand by and always will.”

Thus, M.L was firmly handed his response. But being sent by the GC and knowing his goal to accomplish, M.L wrote his report in a slant that was appealing to the higher-ups, and we don’t mean God. This will become clear as we review it.

As brother Augustus pointed out in his book, when one wants to make of no effect someone’s work or art, they usually first try to destroy their image, paint them in a bad light to lessen their impact as good people or their work as good works. In fact the message tells us this very same ploy —

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

So M.L begins early in his report to start this blacken character work. He points out that a certain disgruntled former follower “Hazel Hendricks”, had written a small book describing what she thought were error and falsehood in the SRod. But M.L. discussed the accusations of “whippings” and other terrible treatments of the young children on the grounds. But when M.L brought this up, VTH denied it and offered to bring the children right then and there to clear it. This was not pursued by M.L.

Quick note on Hazel. Sister Bonnie Smith, who is still proclaiming the message at 88, personally told this author aobut the last time she saw Hazel Hendricks. It was at a Sabbath lunch and the two discussed their past. Mrs. Hendricks confided in sister Bonnie, that looking back she made a mistake and regretted what she had done. To this sister Bonnie told her it was not too late to make amends, of which Hazel could never (as far as we know publicly) come clean and repent. So sad when pride hinders us!

After this unsettling blow, M.L decides to further deride Houteff. “The writings of Mr. Houteff, which I have examined for the last few months somewhat critically, bear the evidence of a confused mind. He gives some very fantastic interpretations of the Scriptures, sometimes quoting the writings of Mrs. White, and at other times giving no authority whatsoever, except his own inferred inspiration.”

He then goes on to basically mock interpretations such as Ezek. 4:9-17, Isaiah 7:21-22. However, while noting them as “fantastic” M.L gives no other idea as to their meaning. Thus, M.L sits upon the throne of judgment and renders a judgment without reasoning! In other words, Houteff is wrong but he doesn’t know why. They are just “fantastic”.

Continuing on in his black report, he then says, “The truth is while the majority of persons deceived by the “Shepherd’s Rod” are people that this denomination is better off without, there are some we cannot afford to lose.”  Huh?? With a wave of his hand M.L. judges the thousands of people who accepted the Rod as unworthy! If this is not mounting the judgment throne, tell us what is? The plain God’s truth is that there should be MORE Davidians among us today! Those who walk the talk.

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (Matt. 7:1-2)

However, at this point Andreasen has his first reflective moment. He may have been dwelling on the call for reformation that the Rod declares, he says, “Honest people are led astray by the call of the “Shepherd’s Rod” to reform, and by their pointing out practices that we do not countenance, and which yet exist within the denomination. The only safe way to meet this is that we examine thoroughly the things that need rectification and make a determined   and honest effort to eliminate all that will not stand the light of investigation.

To me it seems entirely inadequate to denounce the “Rod” people for their many errors if we do not profit by criticisms made.”

Next he goes into lamentation about what the S.D.A church is lacking. At this point , there can be no doubt that during the interview Houteff has struck a nerve. As we continue this will become more prevalent.

“The field is divided  on the subject of the Trinity. The vital doctrine of the 144,000 has ceased to be preached. Fantastic theories in regard to war.Hitler, and the future are being promulgated. The battle of Armageddon is a present source of discussion, and unauthorized books appear. The ever present question of the position which sister White should hold among us is a prolific cause of difficulty.

Our stand upon religious liberty, noncombatancy, health reform, recreation, amusements, Sabbath-keeping, the nearness of the Lord, are being discussed and questioned. while some of these questions may seem less important, others are vitally  significant. The fact remains that, in the matter of Bible study, — I mean official, authorized study– we are doing very little…

Mr, Houteff raised, decidedly, the question of our lack of unity and our spiritual impotency.”

At this point we clearly start to see that M.L. is reflecting on brother Houteff’s points and if the S.D.A church condemns the Rod’s position on reforms, then it cannot stand innocent if what is said is the truth.

Continuing on about what the Rod teaches, he says, “The “Shepherd’s Rod” makes much of the buying and selling going on in our churches on the Sabbath. I do not think we can defend this practice. Indeed, we do not defend it, but rather condemn it, as our resolutions show. But the practice continues… For years we have been advocating the need for revival and reformation… I conceive it to be a duty of the church in its official capacity to take action in this matter.”

What we have here is Andreasen basically echoing what the Rod proclaims. Yet, he cannot bring himself to concur with the movement, lest he forget what his mission is. At this point M.L. reverts back to his blacken mission course.

“In the first volume of the “Shepherd’s Rod” publication, there is what is called a partial list of sins of the Adventist church. Twelve sins are mentioned. This list is enlarged in later publications. Some of these so-called sins are trivial, some are not so trivial. They themselves are guilty of most of them, and of many more. In reality, their whole movement is unwholesome, illiterate, presumptive and, I am afraid, corrupt and devilish. This , however, does not help our case any.” 

Blacken is the correct word we read here. M.L. is planting his seeds of doubt strong and unmistakable,  “unwholesome, illiterate, presumptive and, I am afraid, corrupt and devilish.” 

Yet no where in this report does Andreasen establish the Scriptural reasons for the so-called false doctrines. Nor does he explain why the movement is so “devilish”. It’s an unambitious  black charge for the sake of tarnishment. The same unholy works the S.D.A leaders have promulgated since the Rod came on the scene. Except this time the church thought they could use the “master scholar” as their testimony to the ignorant and unaware in God’s church. It back fired!

After letting his best blacken charge stand, mysteriously he again reverts back to acknowledging the Rod’s points. It seems a real spiritual struggle is going on within Andreasen now. He has been awaken by the “lion” whom he said he would “beard”, meaning expose and conquer in the written report. Now the lion has made him reflect and he finishes his report with a rebuke of the then current S.D.A church condition!

“If we answer one charge on which we are sure and omit others, we give them weapons against us which we can ill afford to give them. Should they merely list the things we must, of necessity, omit in our answer, this list will expose our weakness. The question, “why have we not answered all the charges” will naturally arise in the mind of the reader. And we are not prepared to answer them until we have done some housecleaning… the opinion prevails that the General Conference is not interested in Bible study as such; that it is each man for himself, with the General Conference a mere onlooker. 

I have not written this , brethren,  without some trepidation and fear and a great deal of prayer. I might consider it none of my business;and I should  not have rushed in where angels might well fear to tread had I not been asked to do investigate the “Shepherd’s Rod.” Having been asked to do this work, I knew I would have to make some kind of report. I feared that I would find some charges that I could not refute and, wishing to do an honest piece of work, I could not ignore them.  So I am in a dilemma…

If I were to write an answer to the charges of the “shepherd’s Rod”, I would have  to omit  some of the most serious indictments they level against us– charges of conditions which we ourselves deplore, but do little about. But to do this would invite defeat… The truth is, brethren that this denomination is ripe for a revival and reformation such as we have never seen, and we are all looking to you for its inauguration… There are sins in Israel that can only be corrected by men in official positions…

I believe that I am beginning to understand when sister White says, “I seldom weep, but now I find my eyes blinded with tears; they are falling upon my paper as I write.” …

Sincerely your brother, 

M.L. Andreasen”

Wow, what we have witnessed in this report is truly eye-opening! The great S.D.A savior who was to go into the “lion’s den” and come out victorious, instead came out as a dog with his tail between his legs! He conscience was greatly affected by this interview and thus he ended up making the whole case for the Rod movement–reformation!

Sadly, M.L. Andreasen never did accept the Lord’s Rod message (Micah 6:9 and Mal. 4:5) as far as we know. He became involved in trying to correct some of the wrongs within the S.D.A church in the latter years of his life and was largely an outcast for it. Plainly then it appears this interview, whom many believe was with the last prophet to be sent to the S.D.A church, dramatically affected him from then on.

The whole lesson here is that God works for his people and yet the leaders are often the very ones who reject the message God’s gives. Now is our time to work brethren, let us learn from this very important lesson God sent us.

“These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.” (1 Cor. 10:11)

(For those interested in brother Augustus’ book  —  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-every-seventh-day-adventist-should-know-about-the-shepherds-rod-garrick-d-augustus/1129276750?ean=9781491784006 )

 

Posted in The spirit of predjudice, Truth telling vs. lying, Victor T. Houteff | 2 Comments »

M.L Andreasen meets Victor Houteff (Part 1 of 2)

September 8, 2018

Image result for M.L Andreasen         Image result for victor houteff

 

In the annals of our church history stands out one of the most prolific , yet not well-known, one on one interviews the church has ever had. The man inspired of our Lord to hand the mantle to another man, yet unfortunately it would end in bitterness and anguish by one man. In this post we will review this historic account of Pastor M.L. Andreasen and Minister Victor Houteff. There is a BIG lesson for us here. Let us carefully look at this lesson sent by God for our instruction.

“… you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Amen. Anytime we get closer to the Truth, learn it, discover it, challenged by it,  get surprised by it  -we MUST embrace it! For the Lord also warned us in the counter verse —

“He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.” (2 Thes. 2:10)

By nearly all accounts Pastor and theologian Andreasen was a gifted man. Well versed in God’s word and given the ability to translate God’s word with motivating skill.

Briefly Wikipedia says —

“He was one of the Seventh-day Adventist church’s most prominent theologians during the 1930s and 1940s. Andreasen held to the belief that Christians can overcome sin, known popularly as Last Generation Theology, controversial for its views on atonement and salvation. Andreasen became well known for his protests against Seventh-day Adventist church leaders during the last years of his life.”

But what many do not know is that Andreasen’s change in dealing with the S.D.A church appears to be due, in a significant way,  to the aforesaid one on one interview.

Our story starts in 1928 when Andreasen authors one of the most profound books in our Advent history called “Isaiah the Gospel Prophet”.

Front Cover

Later in 1929 the subject of Isaiah’s chapters was the first quarter’s Sabbath School lesson. The lesson was largely based on Andreasen’s in-depth study of Isaiah.  In 1929  brother Houteff began to teach the Sabbath School lessons in Olympic Exposition Park S.D.A Church in 1929, Los Angeles. It is during that year that Victor began to see new understandings from this part of Scripture.

There is something different when you or I search the Scriptures, possibly being “inspired” by them or even led by them to know “all truth”. Yet when one is “chosen” of God it is on quite another level indeed!

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”  (2 Peter 1:20-21)

As Houteff explained the lessons, word soon spread among the church members, that something special was going on. For as the year went on the crowd began to grow sizeably and they began to have two lessons even after church. Yet the leaders were not so humble to accept new revelations.

Victor explains —

“The enemies of the message then left nothing unturned in their search for something against me, rather than to make sure that they were not turning down Truth.  They tried every hook and crook to pin something on me and to stop my activities, but found nothing and as a rule about 30 members of the church stayed in my special meetings each Sabbath afternoon.  Then came the time that the elders of the church refused to let us use the church for our meetings, and they made us all get out.

  But one of the sisters who was living in a big house right across from the church offered her place for the meetings, and there was a great uproar among the people around the church premises.  Some were for us and some were against us.  So it was that the house across from the church was filled that afternoon and many listened from the outside through the windows.  The enemies failed to break up our meetings, and the victory was ours.

   Next they forbade us to attend their church services, and they began to disfellowship those who still wanted to attend our meetings.  They tried to deport me, too, but failed.  Then they endeavored to get a court order against any of us going to the church on Sabbath, but lost out.  Once they called the police to have me arrested on false charges that I was disturbing the meetings, but after the officers in the police station heard my story and the deacon’s charges against me, he commanded the two policemen who brought us to the station to put us in their car again, and to take us right back to the church where they picked me up!

   After this the elders endeavored to put me in an insane asylum.  The “city manager” of Glendale himself (a Seventh-day Adventist) had come to this church that Sabbath morning to lay down the charges and to see me carried away and locked in the asylum.  After talking with me for a few minutes, though, the officer did nothing but to tell me that he would not bother me again!  Then the 200 lb. city manager felt smaller than my 135 lb. weight.

   They did all these unbecoming things and many others; besides, they talked and preached against me.  And though I had no one but the Lord to defend me at any time, yet in all these the victory was mine!” (Timely Greetings, vol. 2, no.35, p.23)

So no doubt the beginning of the Lord’s final message of “Elijah”(Mal. 4:5) began with strong headwinds. No doubt the great enemy , Satan, knew full well he must start his counter attack. Thus, this was the way that M.L Andreasen and other top leaders reacted , generally, throughout the Seventh-day Adventist community. Not so much with the laity, which to a sizeable decree, began to accept or at least acknowledge some truth within the message known as the  “Shepherd’s Rod”.

Soon the message had gained  enough traction throughout the denomination that the leaders were forced to hold a formal meeting with Houteff to review his teachings. This was known as the famous sit down meeting to once and for all look at the Rod. It was held in Los Angeles in February 1934. But, as might be expected, this meeting ended in a fiasco, with an unbelievable S.D.A double-crossing of brother Houteff. This is documented.

For an in depth review of what took place see this Tract–

http://shepherds-rod.org/Tracts/trac007.html

The message was not to be deterred. For several years after this charade of an honest “get to the bottom of the Rod” meeting, the Rod only grew stronger. Andreasen no doubt was one of the concerned leaders watching from the sidelines as the S.D.A could not put down the Rod movement . In December of 1942 he decided to get involved and on behalf of the General Conference to go out — “bearding the lion in his den”. Let us read the GC’s  file letter to Andreasen,

“Dear brother Andreasen: Just a line to say that the brethren still want you to write the reply to the Shepherd’s Rod, and they believe you are the man who is best qualified to do this work. .. The committee has voted today to authorize you to make a trip to the headquarters of the Shepherd’s Rod movement in Texas at such time as you are able to arrange for an absence from the Seminary, and spend as much there as you think wise..

We believe your idea of going out and ‘bearding the lion in his den’ is a very excellent one, and we are just glad to cooperate with you  in this matter and in any other way that we can  in order to make your work an outstanding success.” (File letter from W.H. Branson, General Vice-President -GC to Andreasen , July 30, 1942 *)

So because the Lord’s Rod message was doing its intended work in His vineyard, the SDA leaders continued their impeding work, and finally found, they believed,  their man to quash the movement by exposing its error and deception. Andreasen would not only be able to hold his own against Houteff, but would prove his “false theories” as just that–false.The great savior had been found to “beard the lion”!

But stop and think about this brethren, here you have a movement that announces ” .. the chief object of this publication  is bring about a reformation among God’s people. (SRod, vol. 1 preface)

The Davidians goal was to “reform” God’s people, in dress, worship, health, study habits, etc. yet the S.D.A church was getting a “man who is best qualified to do this work” whom they thought would put the movement down! The cronyism and club, the S.D.A hierarchy,  was not about to be overturned, by any movement, even by one from God!

….To be continued

( * thanks to brother Garrick Augustus for providing information used in these two part posts. His new book —  “What every Seventh-day Adventist should know about the Shepherd’s Rod” an in-depth book on the historical relations between Adventists and the Shepherd’s Rod movement)

Posted in The spirit of predjudice, Truth telling vs. lying, Victor T. Houteff | Leave a Comment »

Leap for Joy!

April 28, 2018

Image result for picture of a man leaping for joy

In Luke 6:22-23 our Master said this —

“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company , and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”

These words were fulfilled before our eyes a couple of weeks ago. Allow us to explain.

There are five Adventist churches in area. We (wife and I) live in a fairly large county called Coachella.  The experience came from one of these churches. It’s one of the older ones and has predominately older members. Our story will deal with a married couple, brother R and sister L.

They are members of one of the aforementioned churches  with brother R being a S.D.A member since 2009. BR (hereafter for brother R) joined the Palm Springs S.D.A church back in 2009. He enjoyed the church services and was moving up the ladder of leadership becoming a Deacon in 2010. But in early 2011 he happened to come home from services one Sabbath and searching the computer came across a site offering a unique Adventist message called “The 144,000 Who are They?”.

BR clicked it and began to listen. As he listened he became almost spell-bound, for the new truths were explained and all backed up by Scripture and Spirit of Prophecy, yet no one in the S.D.A church had ever explained any of the things in the report. The amazement became profound. “Why are these things not spoken of in our church?” BR wondered.

After all they were profoundly serious, showing a church judgement to come upon the S.D.A church BEFORE He comes in the clouds. As he listened he felt such great appreciation for having the opportunity to be exposed to these prophetic teachings, BR went to the room bowing in prayer and profusely thanking the Lord for being given guidance in what is in store for us Adventists.

“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.” (John 16:13)

Despite the great spiritual awakening BR was soon to witness an unfathomable rejection of the Lord’s Elijah message Truth.  While he found new brethren scattered around the county, he discovered nearly a whole lock stock and barrel rejection or non-interest in the prophesied Elijah message (Mal. 4:5) within the local S.D.A churches.

Soon BR got married and his wife and him would frequent other churches in the area. One in particular appealed to the couple. It was the aforementioned older conservative one. But one thing BR was consistent with–passing our present truth material (CD’s DVD’s Tracts, SOP material, etc.) For a good two years BR and his wife went off and on to this conservative church. Being generally welcome they received good treatment from the brethren there and especially enjoyed the church lunches. They gave an opportunity to discuss prophecy and other important aspects of the Elijah message.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. The leaders, particularly the Pastor and the head Elder, made their move against BR and his wife. The Elder approached BR and told him he’d like to see him in the Pastor’s office after lunch.

BR instinctively knew that it was to be about the slander that so frequently comes against God’s people, SOP explains–

“Do not be unbelieving. The more you are jostled, misapprehended, misstated, misrepresented, the more evidence you have that you are doing a work for the Master, and the more closely you must cling to your Saviour.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p.130)

The workers of Christ today, as we have posted before have a large  X on their back spiritually speaking. And this mark is seen by the workers of darkness, yes, even those who cover themselves in false righteousness, many of those at the head of the church work!

Let us remember our King prophesied that Satan would sprew a flood of unconverted into the church to try to “carry her away.”

“And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.” (Rev. 12:15)

The church right now is flat-out “flooded” with non-converts. Truth is not accepted unless it’s watered down and converted into a peace and safety form. BR , while friendly, did not back away from letting people know within the church that God loved them but that judgment is soon to come FIRST to His S.D.A church.

Nevertheless, some objected and instead of discussing the matter directly with BR and going the way of Scriptural procedure, they chose to go behind his back un-Christ like and spread false accusations against him and his wife.

So BR and sister L went into the Pastor’s room and heard accusations labeled against them. “We have been told you are a follower of Waco” the head Elder said. BR asked if he knew about the history of Waco? He did not except short bits and pieces. BR went into a brief history of  Mt. Carmel in Waco, Texas. Explaining how “Davidians” are all too often falsely connected with David Koresh and his BRANCH Davidian movement from Waco.

But as BR went into all this and then into the actual message of Elijah, he did not faze them at all. They were as blind to the Truth as they were before. The Pastor then explained how BR as a layman is not authorized to teach within  their church, even to discuss Scripture and SOP in studies! Can we believe that?? In other words all “teaching” is meaning one cannot discuss the Scriptures and SOP with others without getting the Pastor and head elder’s permission first (ie. church board) ? WOW!

Correct me if I am wrong but this is a definition of a cult. Yes brethren this is what we have come to! Instead of following the below counsel, we belittle, reject and sometimes “separate” brethren from our company. No such sitting down together, Christ  like and discussing specific aspects of the Scriptures and SOP. As Luke 6:22-23 says, the Lord foreseen it  all!

“It is a fact that we have the truth, and we must hold with tenacity to the positions that cannot be shaken; but we must not look with suspicion upon any new light which God may send, and say, “Really, we cannot see that we need any more light than the old truth (historic Adventism) which we have hitherto received, and in which we are settle. While we hold to this position, the testimony of the True Witness applies to our cases its rebuke, “And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Those who feel rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, are in a condition before God, and they know it not.” (RH: August 7, 1894)

“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.105-106)

 

“..beware of rejecting that which is truth. The great danger with our people has been that of depending upon men and making flesh their arm. Those who have not been in the habit of searching the Bible for themselves, or weighing evidence, have confidence in the leading men and accept the decisions they make; and thus many  will reject the very messages God sends to His people, if these leading brethren do not accept them.

No one should claim that he has all the light there is for God’s people. The Lord will not tolerate this. He has said,”I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” Even if all our leading men should refuse light and truth, that door will still remain open. The Lord will raise up men who will give the people the message for this time.

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.” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 106-107)

At the end of the meeting BR and sister L kneeled and prayed for light to come to the church. Did it do any good? Well the very next Sabbath BR and sister L were asked to not come to the church any more. Prophecy fulfillment —

“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company , and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” (Luke 6:22-23)

The Lord is about to do something brethren and His word is to come to past let us stand strong despite the evil that surrounds us. Keep your head up and carry on with the Truth, His work to be done in the vineyard.

“The tares and wheat are now commingled, but then the one hand that alone can separate them will give to everyone his true position. Those who have had the light of truth, and heard the warning message, heard the invitation to the marriage supper-farmer, merchant, lawyer, false shepherds who have quieted the convictions of the people, unfaithful watchmen who have not sounded the warning or known the time of night–all who have refused obedience  to the laws of the kingdom of God, will have no right therein.”(Testimonies to Ministers, p.235) 

“There is a lack of moral and spiritual power throughout our Conferences. Many churches do not have light in themselves. The members do not give evidence that they are branches of the True Vine, by bearing much fruit to the glory of God, but appear to be withering away…They understand not the true application of the Scriptures, nor the power of God. They have eyes, but they see not; ears have they, but they hear not; they continue in their evil ways, yet regard themselves as the privileged, obedient people who are doers of the word.

A carnal security and ease in Zion prevail. Peace, peace, is sounded in her borders, when God has not spoken peace. They have forfeited the terms of peace; there is reason for an alarm to be sounded in all “my holy mountain.” The sinners in Zion should be afraid, in a time when they do not expect it, sudden destruction will surely come upon all who are at ease.” (RH December 23, 1890)

 “Whenever the people of God are growing in grace, they will be constantly obtaining a clearer understanding of His word. They will discern  any new light and beauty in its sacred truths. This has been true in the history of the church in all ages, and thus will continue to the end. But as real spiritual life declines, it has ever been the tendency to cease to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest satisfied with the light already received from God’s word, and discourage any further investigation of the Scriptures.

They become conservative, and seek to avoid discussion…When no new questions are started by investigation of the Scriptures, when no difference of opinion arises which will set men to searching the Bible for themselves, to make sure that they have the truth, there will be many now, as in ancient times, who will hold to tradition, and worship they know not what.” (5T pp. 706-707).

 

Posted in Church, Delusion, Righteous Anger, Sighing and Crying, The spirit of predjudice, Truth telling vs. lying, Warning our brethren | 1 Comment »

Stephen Bohr : A Sad U-Turn

April 15, 2017

Recently we learned (then saw) that Mr. Bohr had conducted a 10 part series on YouTube, presenting a man called Ismael Rodriguez. For those of you who are unaware of this man, he is perhaps the most well known anti-Shepherd’s Rod spokesman in the world today. We were both saddened and mildly shocked to see that Stephen Bohr was sponsoring this series.

As many are aware Mr. Bohr is an active leader/teacher of the SDA church. His sermons and studies have gathered widespread acclaim among the SDA community. But we did a post back in May of 2014

False Teachers in the Midst

where we pointed out from scripture that his teachings are not always accurate. Now, we see that he has promoted a man who many present truth believers know quite well, and has a very misleading and even downright fallacious testimony on the Lord’s Rod (Micah 6:9).

As we viewed Mr. Bohr’s sponsored presentations, the Inspired words of God came to us–

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

So why do we say –a sad U turn? The foremost reason is that now Bohr instead of times past staying clear from those who would enter, has begun “hindering” those who would enter, our Lord explains —

“Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” (Luke 11:52)

You see brethren this man has not truly studied the whole writings of the Lord’s Rod. He has, obviously, chosen to dwell on the areas of controversy rather than read it all through. If he had done this, as we who have done so, he would have had to admit that the writings are far outweighed in powerful truth and new revelations that CANNOT be controverted when compared to Scripture.

The Lord’s word spoken through SOP warns us that there are seemingly “great men” who have “proved themselves unfaithful”.

“Those who have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent will not then stand at the head of rank and file. They did not keep pace with the light. Those who have proved themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock. In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view. There are precious ones now hidden who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” (Testimonies, vol. 5, p.80)

And further, Bohr and those like him are fulfilling Scripture as follows–

“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.219)

Bohr has taken the fateful step now, to condemn the Lord’s Rod, yet he does not know it’s the Lord’s Rod. He thinks it’s “dangerous” and therefore the people must be warned. But where in the writings of revival and reformation is the danger? In fact the very first statement from the Shepherd’s Rod writings says–

“It is the intention of this book to reveal truth of the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7, but the chief object of this publication is to bring about a reformation among God’s people.” (SRod, vol. 1, preface)

Questions for Mr Bohr–

Have you explained what is meant by “Hear ye the Rod, and Who has appointed it”(Micah 6:9, 7:14) to the people, Mr. Bohr? The Lord’s Rod does.

Have you taught the people that they must “sigh and cry for the abominations done in the church”(Test. for the church, vol.3, p.267), Mr. Bohr?  The Lord’s Rod does.

Do you let the people even know what some of the abominations are that are in the church, Mr. Bohr? The Lord’s Rod does (SRod. vol.1, p.34).

Where is the error in all the revelations of Truth in the Lord’s Rod, such as Hosea 1 and 2, Zechariah 4 and 6, Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel 4, Ezekiel 9, the book of Isaiah’s interpretations, Micah 4, the meaning of Esau and Jacob, Daniel 7, Revelation 12, Ezekiel 47, Revelation 18, Revelation 4 and 5, Matt.24, and all the other specific Rod reports on Bible subjects, Mr. Bohr?

You see brethren, this man along with his partner in crime and front man, Ismael Rodriguez, have now proclaimed to our people, our SDA brothers and sisters– DO NOT hear ye the Rod and Who has appointed! But the Lord MUST be heard and  His voice cries out!

“The LORD’S voice cries unto the city, and wisdom shall see your name: Hear ye the Rod, and Who has appointed it.” (Micah 6:9)

Ever since the beginning of time Satan has been standing in the way of the Lord’s Truth for God’s people, why should it be any different today? Do we think that Satan will rally the SDA ministers to get behind the Lord’s Elijah message? No way! Bohr is a perfect tool because he has a sizeable following and therefore many have leaned on his flesh.

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” (Jer. 17:5)

SOP explains further–

“We need never expect that when the Lord has light for His people, Satan will stand calmly by and make no effort to prevent them from receiving it. He will work upon minds to excite distrust and jealousy and unbelief. Let us beware that we do not refuse the light God sends, because it does not come in a way to please us. Let not God’s blessing be turned away from us because we know not the time of our visitation. If there are any who do not see and accept the light themselves, let them not stand in the way of others. Let it not be said of this highly favoured people, as of the Jews when the good news of the kingdom was preached to them: “Ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.”(Testimonies, vol. 5, p.728)

There is a another angel which is to join the three angels messages (Rev. 18:1), and just like the first three, this fourth angel is a message to God’s people FROM A HUMAN MESSENGER. First to His remnant to prepare them and then to the world. Yet sadly this message of truth is discarded and thought dangerous.

“I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven, descending to the earth, and again ascending to heaven, preparing for the fulfillment of some important event. Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message. Great power and glory were imparted to the angel, and as he descended, the earth was lightened with his glory.

The light which attended this angel penetrated everywhere, as he cried mightily, with a strong voice, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” The message of the fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844.

The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message as it swells to a loud cry. And the people of God are thus prepared to stand in the hour of temptation, which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them, and they united to fearlessly proclaim the third angel’s message.” (EW, P.277)

Does not the Lord’s Rod message speak of “additional corruptions” that have entered the church? Yes indeed and this mighty angel’s message shall soon go on to lighten the earth with his glory, amen.

But Mr. Bohr has now tried to influence the people to reject the Rod and only time will tell the outcome of his work. Let those who are seeking after truth remember that their own study, their own investigation will prove worthwhile IF they believe that the Lord’s Spirit of Truth  (John 16:13) is guiding and not the preachers, such as Stephen Bohr.

“The people imitate the preacher, and thus he has a very great influence upon them.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1. p.433)

“A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land:  The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and My people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?” (Jer. 5:30-31)

Posted in Delusion, The spirit of predjudice, Warning our brethren | 3 Comments »

“Thou Shall not bear False Witness”

February 18, 2017

Image result for wes peppers picture

A while back one of our sisters travelled to Michigan to “sigh and cry” for the abominations done in the midst, namely a Doug Batchelor event hosted by the local SDA church in Lansing Michigan, pastored by the man shown above, Wes Peppers.

It is our hope and prayer that this pastor acknowledges his public error of spreading of false rumors and agrees to be corrected and on the side of Truth.

 

The aforementioned sister has a couple of ministries going on. One, a YouTube ministry where she goes to SDA churches and passes out Tracts, Videos, CD’s etc, of the message of the hour and puts the work they do online as a witness that the Lord is soon to “suddenly come to His Temple” (Mal 3:1). Second, she also has a Facebook ministry as well.

Her method is controversial, for it harkens back to the days of Amos, as we read–

“They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.”(Amos 5:10)

Back in the old days, the man of God would sit or stand “at the gate”, the entry point to the city or Temple. They would call out the public wrongs concerning God’s people. As we see from the word of God, we should not be one of those who “hate” this work, lest we be found to offend God’s work through His unique workers. Granted not all are called to do this but this has/is still a work that God calls some to do.

Additionally we read–

“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. “(Isaiah 58:1)

So the event took place in Lansing Michigan last Oct 2-10, 2015. Sister Patricia and her crew made the trip to the event and set up their positions on the sidewalk. This is very important to understand as this was not done on their property. In the following video, WP (Wes Peppers) goes to great lengths to accuse them of trespassing and doing an “illegal” protest on his property. In fact he called the police trying to get them booted off the public sidewalk, and they sided with sister Patricia and her crew against WP’s attempted act of curtailment of free speech and assembly.

We all remember that the Jews did the same thing, they blocked, derided, scorned the few present truth believers and the Lord warned us concerning this method–

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men. For you neither enter, nor even do you allow those who are entering to go in.”(Matt. 23:13)

There is no doubt that WP thinks he is doing the right thing “protecting” his people. Yet the Jews had the same attitude. The Jews had mis-read the Scriptures and that was their fatal mistake. Our ONLY safe course to take Inspired counsel here–

“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.105-106)

“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.107)

You see, we as Adventists shake our head at people who write things such as this —

http://www.jesusisprecious.org/false_religion/sda/heresy_on_hell.htm

Why? Because we’ve study the whole picture and ALL of the writings concerning hell. But the sad fact is that we, too, are sometimes blinded that we can do the very same thing! Proclaim something falsely when we haven’t studied it all out. Our Lord, in fact said that we would “knowest not that we are “wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked..” (Rev. 3:17)

We are counselled that we have “many many lessons to UNLEARN.” (TM, p.30)

Ok, so now that we have laid the groundwork let’s get to the meat of this post. Of special note, WP clears himself by saying that their recordings won’t show anything said “amiss” by him (14:38 of the 2nd video). But the true lovers of the Truth will be offended by his comments as it shows the classic false beliefs and narrative from the leaders of our SDA church. Indeed things are said “amiss”!

We are under no illusion, it appears WP is dug in deeply in his mistaken ideas, but we pray and ask others to keep this man in prayer that his eyes be opened to the real Truth. He “promises” a good thing at the 18:10 mark of the second video, saying–

“If it’s truth and you can show it to me from the Bible, I’ll believe it, that’s a promise.”

Let us look at some of WP’s statements (we have links to both parts of the video below)

  1. At the 36:32 mark of the first video, WP says  “You guys believe in the literal interpretation of Ezekiel, when it talks about…”  He then tried to move in front of the sister who was attempting to give some Tracts to others.

WP is in need of learning what SOP, which he stated he strongly believes in, shows about “literal interpretation of Ezekiel”. He said, “the truth is the writings of Ellen White and I believe it all” (17:26 of 2nd video).

“Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled; yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep. They refuse to humble their souls and to be converted. Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual experience. The time is short. God is calling; will you hear? Will you receive His message? Will you be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity.” (Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, p.260)

“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)

2. Then doubles down again on the rumored false idea about Ezek. 9 and says–

“Based upon your interpretation of the prophecies of Ezekiel, when that final crisis comes it’s the Shepherd’s Rod’s job to actually kill Adventist pastors is that what you’re going to do? That’s what I was told by different people ” (38:30 of 1st video)

When we “love” the truth, we respect it too much to state something so disturbing (even if it’s a rumor we heard) without knowing the “facts”. Let us be clear, to even bring such a dire dreadful statement up like this shows that WP really didn’t seriously care to “look into this” before. Had he done so he would not have even raised this serious charge against these people. Apparently he blindly assumed what he was told as–truth. When the sister answered him, all she got was a wry snicker instead of any acknowledgment that he may have heard a false witness lie.

False witness against someone is a terrible crime before the Lord–terrible! So important that it’s one of the great Commandments! The “Shepherd’s Rod” people have been slandered against, rumored against, and flat our lied about for a long time now. It’s time these falsehoods are met  head on and expose this kind of Satanic rumor.

By way of disclosure I have had a few back and forth emails with this pastor and have clearly pointed out that his idea (that he “heard”) that the “Shepherd’s Rods” will commit the killing as described in Ezekiel 9 is nothing short of ludicrous and the spawn of that ol deceiver and instigator of false hood. He was sent this video which shows clearly without question what the Rod teaches about Ezek.9

Let us now look at what the SRod actually teaches about those who will commit the slaying as spoken of in Ezek.9

Question:–“Are the 144,000, after being sealed, to go and kill all the others in the S.D.A. church who failed to receive the seal?” — {1SC16 3.2}

  Answer:–The slaying of the tares in the church is plainly foretold that this work is not man’s duty to perform. The prophet Ezekiel, in vision, was shown that the angels who bear the slaughter weapons are the ones whom the Lord commissioned to “slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women”…but to “come not near any man upon whom is the mark.” (Ezek. 9:6.) The Lord makes this destruction of the “tares” still plainer by His parabolic illustration, saying:

“Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into My barn.” 

  “So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just.” (Matt. 13:30, 49.) (Sym. Code, vol. 1, No.16, p.3)

 

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

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

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

3. WP asks, “He is going to set up a kingdom here on earth?” (in reference to the sister speaking of the pre-millennial kingdom phase–  20:36 of the 2nd Video) The sister then gives an explanation based on Daniel 2. But it appears to not make sense to WP as he disputes the sister’s interpretation of Daniel 2.

There are many places we could show evidence “from the Bible” of this pre-millennial kingdom, but we’ll show just one for now. We’ll quote Isaiah 11: 6-12.

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. 

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”

Questions for WP–

  1. When will this day be that the “wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid… and a little child shall lead them?”  In heaven, the new earth or on the existing earth?
  2.  Will there be “sucking and weaned children” in heaven or the new earth? To play with snakes there?
  3.  In that day, the days mentioning the above circumstances in 1 and 2, can it take place in heaven where “Gentiles” can seek an “ensign”  from the Lord? Heaven or the new earth will have Gentiles who want to “seek” the Lord?
  4. The first “recover the remnant” was when the Lord recovered His people from Egypt, and was that recovering here on earth? Is this second recovering of His people on heaven or earth? Is this Gathering to a place on earth just as the first one was?
  5. Will there be nations in heaven or in the new earth?

“True confession is always of a specific character, and acknowledges particular sins. They may be of such a nature as only to be brought before God; they may be wrongs that should be confessed before individuals who have suffered injury through them; or they may be of a public character,  and then should be publicly confessed.

But all confession should be definite, and to the point, acknowledging the very sins of which you have been reproved by the Spirit of God.” (Signs of the Times,March 16, 1888)

(Part One)

 

(Part Two)

For any and all who would like to read an authoritative article on just who are the Davidian SDA (aka Shepherd’s Rods) see this Wikipedia article –

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davidian_Seventh-day_Adventist

In summary, Wes Peppers has the right to reject the Rod. But when he talks of false rumors and tries to pawn them off as legitimate statements, without truly knowing the truth of the matter, then he takes a solemn chance of offending the Lord by breaking Commandment no. 9–solemn indeed! We suggest he does not further hinder those who wish to “enter therein” to look at the whole matter, as many of us have done. You have not weighed this matter thoroughly (as we have) and therefore should be concerned you speak rightly concerning it.

“Hear ye the Rod, and Who has appointed it.” (Micah 6:9)

You said “from the Bible” and here it is, the Lord says “HEAR ye the Rod” are you doing that WP?

“For He said, ‘Surely they are  my people, children that will not lie: so He became their Saviour.” (Isaiah 63:8)

“Do not be unbelieving. The more you are jostled, misapprehended, misstated, misrepresented, the more evidence you have that you are doing a work for the Master, and the more closely you must cling to your Saviour.” (Testimonies, vol.8, p.130)

Please keep sister Patricia and her team in your prayers, they are actually “doing something” about the upcoming judgment upon God’s house (1 Peter 4:17).

“Our message is not one of peace and safety.” (SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p.1184)

 

Posted in Proper teachings, Sighing and Crying, The spirit of predjudice, Truth telling vs. lying, Warning our brethren, Witnessing | 2 Comments »

A Deadly Rumor

August 15, 2015

Gossip

The dictionary describes the word “Rumor” as –  “a currently circulating story or report of uncertain or doubtful truth. Gossip, hearsay, talk, speculation.”

A while back we posted about how a SDA woman was trying to learn the Lord’s message of Elijah  and then later she came in contact with her fellow SDA friend who told her in no uncertain terms a most terrible and alarming falsehood. The “Shepherd’s Rod” people teach that one day they will rise up in the SDA church and commit the killing told of in Ezekiel 9.

What we’d like to do in this post is make a comprehensive verifiable post with documented writings that one may copy and therefore by ready to show anyone who would so recklessly and naively utter those same sentiments to their victims. Sadly, as I get more seasoned in the message, this truly disgusting and Satanic rumor really amazes me and is spread more than people realize.

Recently it has become painfully clear that this sister who was so excited to know new truth from the Lord, has been scarred. What is even worse is that her favorite New York phone ministry (they provide fellowship and Bible studies via phone conferencing) had a minister  a few days after she heard that charge from the sister, who said the same thing! Two rumor blows within two weeks!

She has expressed no further desire to study the message of the hour. The Satanic work has done its damage. Yet another soul has been stopped from stepping into the ark for us today (learning the sealing message), to be ready for the church’s “surprise” judgment (Mal. 3:1-2). Things may change, but Satan’s rumor work has affected her and only the Holy Spirit can draw her back now.

But this sister is not totally guiltless here. God requires each of us to search out the Truth and we cannot trust in man (ie. rumors) over studying ourselves.

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, who heart turns away from the Lord.”(Jer. 17:5)

But let us look at concrete Biblical, Spirit of Prophecy, and Elijah message writings concerning who are the ones that the Lord directs to actually “do” the execution of judgment upon God’s house.

Before we go further , however, we as SDA should know that it was our own prophetess who let us know that this Ezekiel 9 will affect us as a church. This was NOT started by Victor Houteff. He shed further light on this but  did not originate this application to the church.

“Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled; yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep. They refuse to humble their souls and to be converted. Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual experience. The time is short. God is calling; will you hear? Will you receive His message? Will you be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity.” (Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, page 260)

The “every case” is every SDA member (“people who have such great light and important truths revealed to them”), the judgment to come will reveal survivors who live forever or fallen ones who fall in the church judgment. There may be some who do not fall but their fate is even worse as they see what they have done by fighting the Lord’s message, the damage they caused. There will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (See SRod, vol. 2, p.185-186)

“He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had  the writer’s inkhorn by his side;” (Ezekiel 9:1-3)

The area of mis-application stems from the usage of “men” and “man”. These words obviously could be taken literally if one did not have a firm grasp on Inspiration. Satan knows how so many people can be hood winked into making false interpretations. Hence the groundwork of a Satanic rumor is formed.

One needs to understand that Scripture can describe angels as a human appearance  or “man”. Several references prove our case.

“And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.” (Daniel 8:15)

“Yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.” (Daniel 9:21)

“I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist.” (Daniel 10:5)

Lot calls the two angels who came to him while in Sodom  “men” as well–

“..unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.” (Genesis 19:8)

So we see that angels can be described as men. Let us now move on to the Spirit of Prophecy. As mentioned our prophetess was first to speak about the church judgment in regards to Ezek. 9 and the following is quite clear who is allowed to execute God’s judgments.

“To His angels He gives the commission to execute His judgments. Let the ministers awake, let them take in the situation. The work of judgment begins at the sanctuary. “And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.” Read Ezekiel 9:2-7.” (Testimonies to Min. p.431)

“Angels keep a faithful record of every man’s work, and as judgment passes upon the house of God, the sentence of each is recorded by his name, and the angel is commissioned to spare not the unfaithful servants, but to cut them down at the time of slaughter.Here we see that the church–the Lord’s sanctuary–was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God.” (Testimonies, vol.1, p.198)

“When God was about to smite the first-born of Egypt, He commanded the Israelites to gather their children from among the Egyptians into their own dwellings and strike their door posts with blood, that the destroying angel might see it and pass over their homes. It was the work of parents to gather in their children. This is your work, this is my work, and the work of every mother who believes the truth. The angel is to place a mark upon the forehead of all who are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying angel will follow, to slay utterly both old and young.” (Testimonies, vol. 5, p.505)

“Let both grow together until the harvest;” then the angels will gather out the tares, which will be appointed to destruction…. The time of the harvest will fully determine the character of the two classes specified under the figure of the tares and the wheat. The work of separation is given to the angels of God, and not committed into the hands of any man.” (Review and Herald, Sept. 5, 1893)

Clearly Inspiration shows us the dire and solemn responsibility given not to man but to the angels of God.

Ok, let’s go straight to the horse’s mouth as they say. Let’s look at what is published in the Shepherd’s Rod.

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

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

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

Question: “Are the 144,000, after being sealed, to go and kill all the others in the S.D.A. church who failed to receive the seal?”

   Answer: The slaying of the tares in the church is plainly foretold that this work is not man’s duty to perform. The prophet Ezekiel, in vision, was shown that the angels who bear the slaughter weapons are the ones whom the Lord commissioned to “slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women”…but to “come not near any man upon whom is the mark.” (Ezek. 9:6.) The Lord makes this destruction of the “tares” still plainer by His parabolic illustration, saying:

   “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into My barn.”

   “So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just.” (Matt. 13:30, 49.)(Symbolic Code, vol. 1, no. 16, p.3)

There we have it. English language cannot be more clear. Victor Houteff responded to the slanderous rumor concerning our subject matter leaving no doubt that the Shepherd’s Rod teaching  (Also known as the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist teachings) does NOT advocate any murderous acts to be committed by any human beings. You may search ALL the writings of the message, Tracts, Timely Greetings, Shepherd’s Rod books (vol. 1 and 2), The Answerer, Jezreel Letters, and the Symbolic Codes and not fine ONE reference that has a smidgen of even a hint that such terrible teachings exist.

So what does this whole exercise tell us? Inspiration spells it out without doubt.

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

“The Devil will use any willing tool to slander and abuse the followers of Jesus Christ. Scoffers will scoff, and liars will lie, whether they bear the title of Reverend, or be patrons of brothels. And the higher the position, the greater the criminality.” (Ascension Robes, p.6)

If you happen to unfortunately come in contact with one who, unsuspectingly, spreads Satan’s lie about this deadly rumor, ask them one simple question.

Can you provide me with any references from the Shepherd’s Rod as proof of what you say? As sure as the Lord lives they will vacillate  and never perform their Christian duty to provide honest evidence of such charge. The honest will admit they “heard” of the charge but have no concrete evidence.

“Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? (John 7:50)

The Holy Commandments are God’s precious laws that He wants obeyed and one of those is the 9th Commandment. “Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

Let’s look at how the Satanic rumor has evolved:

  1. In 1930 Victor Houteff published the first of the many publications ,which  was entitled “The Shepherd’s Rod”,volume 1
  2. In the October 15, 1935 news publication (Symbolic Code) we find one of the first suggestions that the idea that the 144,000 will, after being sealed, commit the work of the angels of Ezek.9 was circulating. (See above reference)
  3. In November of 1937, we see that the rumor was more defined by the comment in Sym. Code vol. 3, no.11-12, p.2 (See above ref.) Obviously the rumor had developed to the point that God’s servant was now making a sort of “fort” to commit future killings. True absurdity.
  4. Fast forward to Waco Texas, 1993. David Koresh and his band of so called “Davidians” (they were Branch Davidians, not connected to original doctrinal Davidian SDA groups) engaged in the tragic events with government ATF personnel. Satan accomplishes his goal–taint the name –Davidian. Koresh had led a commune of sorts, engaging in terrible activities, drugs, alcohol, sex with minors, etc.
  5. Soon these events filtered through out the world, giving further ammunition that “Davidians” are aggressive, gun loving, off-shoot people who are not right with God. The confusion of the Branch DSDA with the true DSDA was now common place, especially within the SDA church. The Waco disaster therefore, gave Satan much fuel to keep lighting his killing rumor through out the SDA church.

So here we are today, the deadly rumor still very much alive. However only those who study for themselves will be free of Satan’s snares which include rumors, twisting truths and falsehoods as his specialty!

“A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.” (Proverbs 19:9)

“You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.” (Exodus 23:1)

Stay strong you who love the Truth and God’s word. Satan is active but if we know his ploys in advance, how fortified  and prepared we are!

Posted in Delusion, Satan, The spirit of predjudice | 4 Comments »

Arthur White and his Men Passing the Buck

August 1, 2015

Arthur White

There is an old saying that says he is “passing the buck.” We know this basically means passing the responsibility onto someone else. There is also this one,  “The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.” Arthur White, as we Seventh day Adventists know was the grandson of our prophetess–Ellen G. White. We have been so blessed to have studied her inspired writings and truths from the Lord.

Brother Don Adair , 84, is one of only two (as far as we know) living people who were a part of brother Victor T. Houteff’s original Mt. Carmel Davidian camp in Waco, Texas. He wrote of his personal testimony called , “A Davidian Testimony”. This was made for a couple of reasons. The Waco disaster in 1993 had recently occurred and he wanted to explain that those “Branch Davidians”(David Koresh and his followers) were not the same in beliefs and doctrinal points as the original Davidian Seventh-day Adventists.

He also had opportunity to give his testimony of how he came into the Davidian movement. Much history is given and for those who wish to get a good background of the early days, I highly suggest the book.

Here is Don’s personal testimony of his encounter with Arthur White. 

******************************************

AUTHOR STUDIES WITH TWELVE SDA YOUNG PEOPLE

One day in 1975 I received a phone call from a Seventh-day Adventist brother named Jack Lord, who heard that I was giving Bible studies. He asked me to come to Washington, D.C. and tell him and other SDA brethren what I was teaching. I accepted the invitation and with the Council’s approval, I drove up there in my 1967 Ford sedan. He lived with the Risosin brothers (four of them) in an apartment of a large rental complex, and I stayed with them.

They worked as house painters; and since they worked during the daytime, I would prepare their evening meal, after which the other listeners would come over for Bible studies. After I gave them about three studies, all twelve decided by then either for or against the Shepherd’s Rod message. Six believed in the message and would hear more studies; while the other six (one of which was bro. Jack Lord) had rejected it, but they didn’t want the others to believe.

It was during one Bible study on a Sunday that I realized the six unbelieving brethren intended to do something to stop the other six from believing. At the end of the study one brother said that the six believers were only listening to what Don was teaching, and they should hear what a Seventh -day Adventist minister has to say about my studies.

So I told them that I had no problem with that and asked him, “Who do you want them to hear?” and he said “Elder Arthur White”, whom we all knew was the grandson of Sis. White, the prophetess of the SDA church. Since they all had to work the next day, I told them that tomorrow  (Monday) I would drive up to the office of the General Conference Headquarters and ask Elder White to come to our Bible studies and refute the SRod.

AUTHOR ASKS ARTHUR WHITE TO COME AND PROVE THE SHEPHERD’S ROD IS WRONG

The next morning I drove to the General Conference Headquarters and the SDA church, and the receptionist asked if she could help me. I told her that I had a problem and needed to speak with Elder Arthur White about it. She told him and he came out, and invited me into his office, and after I had sat down he said in a friendly tone, “What can I do for you, young man?”

I told him there were twelve young people studying the Shepherd’s Rod message, and that six of them believed and six of them did not believe; and that the six unbelievers wanted him to come to the studies and prove that it was wrong. he said that he thought the Shepherd’s Rod message had died out; but I told him, “Oh no, it is still going strong.” he said he put away his Shepherd’s Rod literature, and had not studied it for a long time, and would need some time to review a few points.

I told him that we would all be glad to wait a few days for him to study. After thinking a few moments, he asked, “Who is the teacher?”  I said, “I am the teacher!” He said, “what, you are the teacher, and you want me to come and prove it wrong?” I said, “Sure, if you can prove its wrong, then I can give up being a Davidian and join the church.”

When he realized who I was, he considered me an enemy not a friend, and he said indignantly, “You know all that man Houteff did was criticize the church and say evil things about our ministers.” And I quickly replied, “I know of someone who rebuked the Seventh-day Adventist church ten times greater, especially the evils of the ministers, even far more than Bro. Houteff did.” He looked at me in great surprise with an expression on his face that seemed to ask, “who is that person?” And I pointed to a large picture he had on the top of his file cabinet, and said “Sister White, your grandmother!” He knew what I said was true, and he sat back in his chair in deep thought, apparently thinking of what he was to do about my unusual request.

Finally, he called into his office another minister from another room; and right after he asked him if he would go to my Bible studies and prove the SRod message was wrong, the phone rang. While he spoke on the phone, this minister asked me, “What does the Shepherd’s Rod teach?” I thought, “How can he prove it wrong if he does not know what it teaches?” So I told him briefly some very deep things about the slaughter of Ezekiel nine, the kingdom, the seals and trumpets. I could see that he was shaken up by what I was saying, because it was all new to him; and he knew that he was  not prepared to refute it.

Then while we were still talking, Elder White finished answering the phone, and he asked the minister if he would go and prove the Shepherd’s Rod wrong; and he said, “Arthur, I don’t think that I am prepared at this time to go.” So Elder White said to me sternly, “Come with me young man.”

ARTHUR WHITE LEADS AUTHOR TO OFFICE OF DR. HYDE

He led me out of his office up the stairs to the office of Dr. Hyde; and as he left, he said to the receptionist, “Take care of this young man.” When she asked what I wanted, i told her I had a problem and I needed his help. She wrote down my name on the register, and told me that I could see him at one o’clock that afternoon. as I opened the door and was about to leave, she said, “Oh, by the way, what is the nature of your visit?” as soon as I told her briefly about the six unbelievers  who wanted him to come to our studies and prove the SRod wrong, she immediately said, “Oh, I forgot, Dr,. Hyde has another appointment  at one o’clock and he cannot see you.”

And when I told her I would gladly come later, she kept insisting  that he would have no time left that day to talk to me or for the rest of the week. Finally, in desperation, she said, “Come with me,” and led me across the hall to a man sitting at his desk; and said to him, “take care of this man’s problem.”

He was cordial to me and asked me to sit down. He immediately asked me what he could do to help me, and I explained in detail about my problem and my visit downstairs with Elder White; and he seemed to show some interest. Then he asked me, “What does the Shepherd’s Rod teach?” So again, I explained to him in more detail, because I had a little more time (probably because they were trying to find Dr. Hyde).

Finally, we were interrupted when the phone rang, and after he answered and listened briefly, he said, “Sure I understand.” Then in closing the conversation, he said, “Yes sir, I will do that,” and hung up the receiver. Then turning to me he said, “That was Dr. Hyde, and he said to tell you that we cannot help you.” And before we could continue, I spoke to him in a determined voice to dispute Dr. Hyde’s refusal to help, and said “Wait a minute, I know that the General Conference has organized an institution which they call the Religious Defense Department, and that the General Conference should send someone to my studies to defend the six believers against the teachings of the Shepherd’s Rod!”

He was surprised at my demand, and admitted that the department did exist; but he could not explain why Dr. Hyde or someone from the Religious Defense Department could not and would not defend the six brethren. Instead, he told me that Dr. Hyde said it is the duty of the local ministers to defend the laymembers.

And as he opened the door for me to leave, he said that I would have to ask one of them to help with my problem. His answer proved that the General Conference leaders were afraid of the SRod message, because they knew they could not prove it wrong. And rather than have this fact exposed to the laity, these highest officials in the Seventh-day Adventist church deliberately shifted their own responsibility onto the local ministers, whom they knew couldn’t prove it wrong either.”

********************************************

Brother Adair goes further into the story showing that the six unbelievers still did not give up, rather they tried one more time with an Elder from the General Conference experienced in religious matters. This too backfired as this Elder agreed to study but within a few minutes of being in the room to study, changed his mind and told them he didn’t have time for “every offshoot deception that comes along.”

Those young men who wanted help from the “brethren of experience”  were left empty handed. Why? As brother Adair said they knew it could not be proven wrong. The Lord’s Rod (Micah 6:9) is now and was then, His message that causes a “shaking” amongst us SDA. We must all be accountable to God individually and by the story above, even if your relative was a prophetess, it makes no difference with God. You and I alone must “love and accept the Truth”.

So what lesson can we gleam from this story? What comes to mind is Arthur’s grandmother and her  inspired words. Sadly, from what we gather from the story is that the apple apparently fell  far from the tree. The tree of Truth. —

“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.105-106)

“Now as in former ages, the presentation of a truth that reproves the sins and errors of the times will excite opposition. “Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” John 3:20. As men see that they cannot maintain their position by the Scriptures, many determine to maintain it at all hazards, and with a malicious spirit they assail the character and motives of those who stand in defense of unpopular truth. It is the same policy which has been pursued in all ages. Elijah was declared to be a troubler in Israel, Jeremiah a traitor, Paul a polluter of the temple. From that day to this, those who would be loyal to truth have been denounced as seditious, heretical, or schismatic.” (Great Controversy, p.458)

“..beware of rejecting that which is truth. The great danger with our people has been that of depending upon men and making flesh their arm. Those who have not been in the habit of searching the Bible for themselves, or weighing evidence, have confidence in the leading men and accept the decisions they make; and thus many will reject the very messages God sends to His people, if these leading brethren do not accept them.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.106-107)

Posted in The spirit of predjudice, Witnessing | 2 Comments »

Approval of Man

February 21, 2015

approval of man

Apostle Paul said, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ “(Gal. 1:10).

These Inspired words carried much weight back then and especially today. Sadly, there are untold masses of “believers” that say “I want approval of man, and if I get it then I will discuss Christ.” Sure, not openly, but in their heart and mind.  Oh how we cower at the thought of being “unpopular” or “rejected” of men and women!

Our Lord experienced this rejection first hand.

“He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.”

These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this , said, ‘This is an hard saying; who can hear it’? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, ‘Doth this offend you? What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

But there are some of you that believe not.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, ‘Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.’ From that time  many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, ‘Will ye also go away?’

Simon Peter answered, “Lord, who will we go to? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:56-68)

Here Jesus was talking of some very deep things spiritually, yet even after having done great miracles prior to this, many were showing their true colors by their surface belief. Can you imagine being the Son of God and just having raised a young boy to life, and then to have most of your followers desert you because they can’t understand some things you said? We can only imagine the great feeling of rejection and disappointment He experienced.

Today, we have this very wide-spread problem. Truth is largely disdained among His professed people, for the sake of “human approval” first and foremost. Recently a personal experience brought this home so clearly that it prompted me to write about it.

Our local church as most churches do, has some “Bereans”. A certain woman, we’ll call Sally (name changed) and I had been discussing present truth over lunch. I gave her a two-part CD audio set called “God’s end-time servants”. She later listened to them and was quite joyful to learn truths of which she did not know. Our church, as we have posted many times, largely discusses the “past truths” instead of present truth, so this was quite refreshing to her.

She later called me letting me know her appreciation for giving her the CD’s. Later she told another church member Debra (name changed) and lent them to her. Debra got back to her very excited. So much so that she soon set up a Bible study in which she wanted to have several people discuss this “new light” she had heard and believed was truth.

I get a call from Sally saying there was to be a Bible study over the CD set I gave her, and that there were friends from church that were excited to learn “new truth”. She gave me Debra’s number and I  gave her a call. I introduced myself as a member of the local church of which she goes as well. She spoke about the Bible study to follow the next day. We discussed the CD set and what it contained.

Debra kept saying things like “This is truth and we need to tell the church about it!” Of course I agreed and said the present truth on the CD’s are not being allowed in the church because it awakes the members to what’s really going on. The leaders want the people asleep with the “peace and safety” message. All of this she agreed to and brought up some of her own good points.

We finished with her asking where I got the CD set from. I mentioned that it had come from a close Davidian brother. There was silence. Then she recovered and said she’d see me tomorrow at the Bible study.

After this,  apparently she began to delve more into the teachings and the next day she called and said, “Hi this is Debra, we’ve decided to cancel the Bible study, because we found out this is Shepherd’s Rod teachings.”  I was confused, yet I knew all too well who was behind this–the spirit of darkness! The one who wants truth hidden and out of view! And those he knows listens to his voice!

I calmly asked her why she had agreed that the truth on the CD’s were so powerful and backed up by Scripture and SOP only, yet now she was saying they are not truth? She wallowed around talking senseless points about how the Rod believers have beliefs she does not agree with. Yet she offered no examples or proof to support her mistaken understanding of the Lord’s Rod.

I ended with the point that the “truth” is what matters and if it comes from a “monkey rod” or the Shepherd’s Rod , it should not matter. For Christ is–truth, and in whatever form we find It! It fell on deaf ears. After I hung up , it occurred to me I could have asked her what “Rod” is it that the Lord wants us to hear?

“The LORD’s voice cries to the city–Wisdom shall see Your name: Hear ye the Rod! And Who has appointed it!” (Micah 6:9)

So there is a perfect example of how someone who “heard” things and did not take upon herself to investigate it–succumbed to the peer pressure of rejecting the Lord’s Rod. Her fear was most likely that of being rejected by the church for professing belief.

“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.105-106)

Then we have the most pitiful story of the blind man’s parents as told in John 9:1-38. After Jesus had restored the man’s sight we pick up the story in verse 18.

“The Jews therefore did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight, and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered them, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we don’t know; or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. He is of age. Ask him. He will speak for himself.”

His parents said these things because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any man would confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age. Ask him.”

Wow. Here this couple had given birth to a son who could not see, and decades later, along comes the Son of Man and makes him whole, restoring the priceless gift of sight. Then at their moment of test before God’s eyes, they fail!   The approval of man took precedent over the approval of God! Fear won over courage!

You see my brethren, our King places a premium on courage. In fact “cowards” are the very first one listed who do not make it to heaven!

“But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars–their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”(Rev. 21:8)

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5)

You lack courage? Just ask. So we come to a fork in the road many times in our life–take the brave road, regardless of circumstances or results, or take the safe easy road, complete with “man’s approval” and life’s easy chair.

There is a test that we are now being made to prove before God where we stand– it is the acceptance of our present truth– The Lord’s message of Elijah. Where do you stand? Do you cower and mumble under your breath that you believe, yet when the opportunity comes to step forward, you retreat back? God does not miss this. He is watching us and what we do with His truth today. Are we like Debra or the blind man’s parents? Willing to acknowledge truth only as long as we can hold our church membership?

SOP says –-“God means that testing truth shall be brought to the front and become a subject of examination and discussion, even if it is through the contempt placed upon it.” (Testimonies, vol. 5, p.453)

Yes we are counseled to be as “wise as serpents and harmless as doves”(Matt 10:16), but at no time are we called to deny His truth. God knows how to test each of us and that test will be bearable. We only have to step forward when called. Often, such as in my example, we can proclaim His truth and can still be a part of the church. Yet, we must use good judgment and wisdom and most importantly–love.

Here’s another example of trusting the approval of man instead of God. About three years ago, I became friends with “Dean” (name changed) from our church. We talked one morning before service in the foyer. I had mentioned that I had a great study on the 144,000. His ears perked up and he said, “Do you? I would love to see that.” So I promised him that I would bring the CD audio to church the following Sabbath.

The next Sabbath I handed it to him and he listened that week. The next Sabbath I met him before service again in the foyer. “Wow” he said. “That study is awesome! We need to make copies of this and spread to our church.” I readily agreed ( I had not been demoted as Deacon at this point). So the next week I came with several copies to give him. He again voiced a most positive attitude. He agreed that the Scriptures and SOP both teach that the 144,000 is a literal number. Keep in mind these CD’s were composed of Scripture and SOP, nothing else.

Fast forward a couple of months. One day after speaking as a pre-Sabbath school attendant to the church (which I was asked to do on several occasions), and after receiving several complimentary comments from  the members, a church elder told me that the temporary pastor (we were in transition in finding a new pastor) wanted to speak to me later that week in his office.

Well, as I have posted before, someone got upset at the straight testimony I gave and told the pastor I was teaching Shepherd’s Rod teachings. Later I did not deny I was a believer in the meeting and was asked to either deny the teachings or be demoted from deacon to regular member. Obviously I chose truth and accepted their decision.

Later Dean got wind , as did many in the church, of my affiliation with the Lord’s Elijah message. From then on he acted as if I had leprosy! Just a quick “hi” as he passed me by. I knew he had chosen the church over the Truth. So sad yet very common.

In our last example, we remember Joshua and Caleb. Out of the vast multitude, only two adults were able to step forward and say they believe in the Lord. All the rest cowered at standing up for these two unpopular servants! Sure, there may have been quite a few that mumbled under their breath that they admired Joshua’s and Caleb’s courage, but God wants action, not wishy-washy lukewarmness! (Rev. 3:16)

In closing, let us truly love Truth. Man’s approval does not and should not supersede God’s approval. My Dad used to be a championship race car driver, and I remember telling him “You know Dad, our life on this earth is a test run, practice laps, for the main event.” In other words, we must qualify here before we can make the main event–heaven. Yes indeed, we are to step forward and “love the truth” even if it means we become unpopular and/or avoided. Our Lord was our perfect example!

“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.” (Isaiah 66:5)

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.”(Jer.17:5)

Posted in Christian walk, Courage, The spirit of predjudice | 3 Comments »

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