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Will the Jews of Old’s Mistakes be Ours?

October 25, 2014

Jesus and Pharisees

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WILL THE KINGDOM BE SET UP BEFORE THE MILLENNIUM?

Question No. 42:

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

Answer:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let us ask ourselves the following soul searching questions:

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

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

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

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

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

Meet the Lord’s Young Workers

January 18, 2014

 

Boniface

(Brothers (from left) Ali Mwanza, Boniface Mwanza and Elvis Mweetwa)

Today’s youth are bombarded at every turn. They are diverted into outrageous music (noise), perverted and violent TV shows and video games. The diversions are never-ending it seems. Yet to the ones who avoid all that and stay on the straight and narrow, the Lord declares in His word, “They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, on the day that I make them My jewels.” (Mal. 3:17)

Let us meet some of His “jewels”. These are young people who are not only professing to be followers of His word, but –doers!  Recently I received an email from  brother Boniface from Ndola, Zambia,  that I knew had to be spread. In the following letter, note the obvious fact that the devils are very active once we  start obeying His word, standing up for His unpopular truth,  and attempting to show others. Showing us another obvious fact that we’re on the right path towards His Kingdom.  These kind of stories really bless us and motivate us to continue on that “straight and narrow road”.

His word is clear, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” (1 Peter 4:12-14)

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Greetings brothers and sisters in the lord Jesus Christ,

Last year in August we decided to move to another Church having seen that were known and that our names were polluted. We moved to the church which is just near by the Military Barracks, so most of the Church members are in the military, we went their with the aim of inviting the brethren to our Bible studies, and to avoid open conflicts with the leaders, we talked less and invited more.

We were welcomed very well the first time went there, a month after, we started distributing literature and DVDs, and some people got interested and wanted to know more. The opposition started last year when the Church elder received the Rev 7 booklet, He didn’t even bother to read it but he just announced in Church on Sabbath, saying “we’ve been invaded by offshoots and you can even see how good your leaders are that we are even warning you, currently they are in a habit of distributing literature and how I knew, I was given one, and if they won’t stop, we are ready to fight”.

People were confused, they didn’t understand what he was trying to tell them thus some got interested to find out, and also when were learning the Sabbath School study guide, we use quote to from the Spirit of Prophecy many people enjoyed our contributions and some approached us, trying to find out were we learned the lessons from, others wanted to be associated with us so that they to can have the same understanding , we invited them to attend our Bible Studies, they really enjoyed the lessons, others failed to attend because we usually have the lessons in the afternoon on Sabbath,.

Last month we sat down and began to evaluate what we’ve archived and planned the way forward asking the lord to guide us, we came up with the plan to join youth movement so that we have some time together, we get to know them better, distribute some DVDs and to share the message of truth with others, we praise God that the plan worked.

Last Sabbath we went to Church early in the morning, upon entering the Church we kneeled down prayed and then we sat down according to, 6T 362

“We do not obtain a hundredth part of the blessing we should obtain from assembling together to worship God. Our perceptive faculties need sharpening. Fellowship with one another should make us glad. With such a hope as we have, why are not our hearts all aglow with the love of God? We must carry to every religious gathering a quickened spiritual consciousness that God and His angels are there, co-operating with all true worshipers. As you enter the place of worship, ask the Lord to remove all evil from your heart.

Bring to His house only that which He can bless. Kneel before God in His temple, and consecrate to Him His own, which He has purchased with the blood of Christ. Pray for the speaker or the leader of the meeting. Pray that great blessing may come through the one who is to hold forth the word of life. Strive earnestly to lay hold of a blessing for yourself.” {6T 362.4}

We were told to take the morning service together with the bro who is interested in the message, and enjoys watching prophetic DVDs, he prepared a power point presentation about the use of music and the wrong use of it with Ali and I was asked to lead them in prayer, when they started their presentation, bro Ali read Rev 3: 17, and then whist I was in front I noticed that

the Sabbath school leader got upset so much so that she wanted to end the presentation, but we thank God that they did the presentation, the Sabbath school leader reported us to the head deacon and so they sat down and planned what they’ll do to us, having done the presentation the Sabbath school leader said that she wanted to see us after the main service, we were certainly sure that what we are being called for was nothing good, just after the main service I prayed to God, asking Him for guidance and that we may stand for that which is written.

We were called by the Sabbath school leader and her name is SR Siyamwinga:

SR Siyamwinga > “As a prayer Band Leader or the prayer Ministry Leader, brethren the reason why I called you is about what you usually do when you enter in church, you like kneeling down when offering your silent prayers and am telling you that, what you do is not correct, it is wrong, you are disturbing the order of service, in the Church we have different times when we stand and kneel down together as a Church, am not encouraging you to be doing that.”

BRO Boniface > “If you remember very well, just before we got baptized we made some vows and vows that said that we believe in the Spirit of Prophecy and we also read in Isaiah that if we do not speak according to the law and to the testimonies then there is no light in us, you should have asked us why we kneel down upon entering the church, and where it is written, we kneel down because we’ve read from the Bible and the Spirit of prophecy that it is our privilege to bow down when offering our prayer unto the Lord.”

BRO Ali > “SR we are not saying that we know everything, perhaps we’ve gone wrong, give us the references as to why praying whist kneeling down when we enter the Church is not correct, where is it written?

SR SIYAMWINGA > “what am saying is that what you are doing is not correct, as the leader of the prayer ministry, I am not encouraging that!”

BRO EURIAHS > “”If you wont give us the references, we won’t stop kneeling down when we enter the place of worship”

SR SIYAMWUNGA > “Brethren you are just bring confusion, we must follow the order of service, when you come to church in the morning, just sit and offer your silent prayers whilst sitting and you’ll be kneeling down when the whole church is asked to do so, and brethren we don’t even know where you came from, you started worshiping with us some two years ago and now you want to become problems!”

Upon failing to give the references she decided to call the head deacon and they came the head Deacon was like

“Mwanza I don’t want confusions here if you want to bring confusions go and create your own Church because if you continue I’ll beat you, I don’t want to see you here have you heard, we don’t need you here, just go back where you came from!”

.BRO BONIFACE > “Am very disappointed with the way you handling the issue as the head deacon, I thought you are going to handle this issue with love and caring, you should have told

us where we’ve error according to what is written unlike what you are saying, you should have asked that brothers why do you do that, where is it written? And if we are wrong show us according to what is written”

THE DEACON “you think you know everything just because you’ve studied one or two books of EGW, let me tell you young men, I have EGW’s book, I bought them with my own money and for you, you didn’t even buy them, I know I know what they contain, where in the Bible have you read that must be kneeling down when praying and if you won’t find it, Mwanza I’ll beat you!!!”

BRO BONIFACE > “lets read Philippians 2 vs 9-11.” “2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;

2:11 And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

THE DEACON “have seen, you don’t even understand the English very well, what can you tell me! Mwanza you are just a grade eleven pupil, what is it that you know about the Bible, I’ll beat you If you are playing with me!”

BRO EURIAHS >”lets read another quote”

THE DEACON >”silly! What grade are you? There is nothing that you can tell me!”

BRO ALI “well brethren let us not fight the battle which does not belong to us, we don’t want to engage our self into a physical fight, for it is written that “it not by mighty nor by power, and are not talking about education here.”

BRO EURIAH “we’ve given you the reference, now give us the your reference as to where it is written that we should not bow down when praying.”

THE DEACON > “have never read that scripture which says “”as He stood”?

We all replied in unison “no, show us please!”

THE DEACON > “huh young men, stop playing games, you mean you’ve never read that verse?”

BRO BONIFACE “Well sir, I have the Bible with me, we don’t know where it is written, show us please.”

THE DEACON > “let me go and get my Bible, and if I find it, am telling you that you will be in trouble!”

SR SIYAMWINGA > “brothers let us not try to challenge another and let us not exaggerate the issue, I just wanted to tell you that what you like doing just show hypocrisy and that you should stop”

THE DEACON > “they think they are more Christian than us, like they are more learned.”

The deacon flipped the whole book of Luke and never found the verse and upon falling to give us the reference he said that “brethren what you are doing is disturbing worship you might even be arrested if I report you to the police!”

BRO ALI >”the order of worship was given to EGW in the book 5T 490-491, don’t forget that she’s the founder of the SDA CHURCH”

BRO BONIFACE >”brethren I think this discussion won’t help us in any way because you don’t want us to read the quotes and you are upset, find time, so that we can sit down together and prove everything according to the law and to the testimony.”

THE DEACON >”I don’t have time to sit and discuss with you, am a very busy man, in the mean time go back were you came from!”

After the discussion the deacon pushed us out of the gate and shouted on top of his voice that we should not go there again.

The next Sabbath we went back early in the morning even before the leaders arrived, we prayed and sat down, then we started singing hymns, just an hour after that the church leaders came and found us in the church, upon seeing us they went out and called a police officer who congregates at the same church and he came in, he called us out, I recorded the conversation that we had, its is attached to this file.

They didn’t spare us that time, the same deacon wanted to withhold us, so that his fellow deacon whom they say he’s violet could find us, but the police officer refused his evil plan, the deacon chased us out, the police officer was shocked with the move that was made he followed us whilst we were walking out of the church premises and told us that he didn’t want us to leave, we gave him the quotations that talks about the behavior in the house off God, after we read the quotes he said “Brethren what I can tell you is that, a person can be a pastor, an elder or deacon but he doesn’t have the truth, he is useless.” We gave him the leaflet on the same topic although to him it was quite hard to get it in the eyes of the church members, but we thank God that he received it.

The church members have aroused to their senses, they were disappointed with what the church leaders did, (chasing us for kneeling upon entering the place of worship) the bro whom we were with the other Sabbath when we took the Sabbath school, followed us and told us to meet in the afternoon, we called him in the afternoon and invited him to attend the Bible study, and when he came we even changed the lesson and presented New Light And Personal Investigation, after the lesson we escorted the brother home and whist on the way, we met three brethren from the same Church, they too got interested to study with us and promised to be with us next Sabbath.

Although they’ve chased us from the church, the Lord has opened another way through the Adventist Youth Society, they requested for a Bible study next week on REV 7.

They can prevent us from going to Church, but they can’t prevent the truth from reaching the people. Let us join hands and pray for the leader of this Church so that the Lord my help them and also for the brethren who’ve started studying the message, we are also requesting for your prayers, so that we can stand firm despite the opposition and leave up to the truth that we have.

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Please keep these young workers in your prayers and may our Lord continue to guide them. All they want to do is show the right path and honor fit for our King. They continue to fight the good fight. May the Lord see such young men as these and do a mighty work among the people there.

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” (Matt.11:25)

Boniface brother (Brother Euriah Chileshe)

 

Posted in The spirit of predjudice, Witnessing | Leave a Comment »

Stepping up to the Plate

February 2, 2013

“Indeed, all who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).

What do we notice with this word of God? We see a –promise. Notice it doesn’t say “may suffer” it says, “shall  suffer”. I remember when I first became a SDA member I read that verse then I began to ponder. I thought  “Um? That really doesn’t apply to my life. I mean I really don’t have anyone or anything “persecuting” me. My walk is rather pleasant. I am trying to live a good Godly life, yet how come I don’t see any of that in my life, what am I missing?”

I seriously contemplated this. Little did I know I would indeed find out later with full understanding,  just what this truth is and how it works. Let us look into this important aspect of our walk with Christ.

As I pondered this aspect of my walk, I thought, “Well the only thing close to me being persecuted is maybe my online debates with Sunday keepers, as they would deride me and say that I wasn’t right with Christ, etc.” But this was a big stretch.

Our Lord gave some direct words about what He thinks about this subject, and they are very clear. “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Luke 7:23) We’ll explain how this verse ties in with suffering persecution later in this post. Next we see one of the most direct and plain Scriptures on our subject.

“Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.” (Luke 6:22-23)

So after reading so far, we can ask, “Ok this is all plain but how does this really fit in today? How can we who are professing Christ, really suffer much, in our religious free society? Aren’t those days past? And if we aren’t suffering persecution  for Christ in some aspect, are we living Godly, despite what His word says?” There is only one true answer– no we are not. His words must stand as they read, and the truth said must apply.We  must dig deep to ask –What can we do to live Godly?

How does one’s  life  today, within our Seventh Day Adventism  cause our people to want to exclude  us, mock us,  to demote or cast us out from their company? It can only be when we decide to boldly proclaim the Lord’s message of the hour, the straight testimony. Ellen White explains ” Now as in former ages, the presentation of a truth that reproves sins and errors of the times will excite opposition.” ( Great Controversy, p 458).  “We have more to fear from within than from without. The hindrances to strength and success are far greater from the church itself than from the world.” (Review and Herald, March 22,1887).

The different forms of persecution can be mocking, derailment, slander , false accusations, and of course physical abuse. And as we look at the history of our church, the ones who suffered persecution were the ones who “stepped up to the plate”. Each of the prophets suffered as they spoke the straight unpopular truth.

So this brings me back to how I learned what it meant to be persecuted. When I came into our SDA church I learned that our church was indeed the “remnant church of God”. We are the ones professing the Commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus (SOP). But as I was not content to sit on this knowledge, I searched Scripture and EGW writing regularly and prayerfully. Then on one fateful Sabbath around the end of May, 2011, I found an online audio sermon called “The 144,000, who are they?”  This was no accident, for the Spirit of Truth was indeed guiding.

I listened spellbound to the truths said (from Scripture and EGW) and I thought “Wow! Why haven’t I been taught this in our church?” So I undertook a serious study into the new truths I learned and it caused a complete 180% change in my understanding of our Lord’s plans. As I mentioned before,  the Lord’s last prophet expounded on the Old Testament writings and Revelation, so that clear light began to flood my mind and soul.

I had become a semi-regular pre-Sabbath school speaker and went up for maybe 20-25 minutes each time. Each time, I talked on the “straight truth” despite the church custom of the normal “peace and safety” message. Surprisingly I received mostly a heart warm response from several in our church.

Do you remember what our prophetess said above? “..the presentation of a truth that reproves sins and errors of the times will excite opposition.”  That is exactly what happened. Some could not bear the testimony and soon a couple complaints went to the higher-ups. “Many visions have been given to the effect that we must..occupy a position to stir up the people of God, for they are asleep in their sins (Test. for the Church, Vol. 1, p.247).

So let’s fast forward to the last few months.  I was called into the pastors office a few months ago and asked if I was a “Davidian”. I answered affirmatively.  “Blessed is he who is not offended of Me”(Luke 7:23). Then after the 3 against 1 meeting was over, I got demoted from  the deacon position I had. Then a couple of months later the church council held a church meeting to discuss “Davidian” topics. I was there.

As the meeting later progressed the “head elder” came up front and began his monologue on “his take” on Davidians and their beliefs. I silently listened and held my peace as he uttered falsehood after falsehood. Among other things he said “I want you to know that the teachings of the Davidians have been studied by our church, and found to be in  error.” Although another falsehood, I remained silent until he said ‘This brother came into our church and got baptised and didn’t tell us he was a Davidian”. At that point I had to speak up against the lies. I let him and the rest know that this was not true, for I accepted the message about one year after I was baptised.

Anyway to make the story short, I received at least 4 or 5 un-solicited statements from church members  that night,  backing up my character and basically supporting my church contributions. So I went home that night shaking my head in amazement, I thought “I now know what it’s like to be slandered and  derailed.” Church persecution had riled its ugly head and I now look back and understand the words said in (2 Tim. 3:12).

So that brings us to the most important question. In our SDA church today, what message will most likely get you “persecuted” ? Only one really stands out, it’s the Elijah message of the Shepherd’s Rod. If you can take the time, you will find in many of brother Houteff’s writings, the history of many believers in the message being persecuted, and sadly it still happens today. Why is this? The Elijah message is one of revival and reformation, and how to get sealed before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Where’s the evil? Where’s the basis for all the incidents of abuse upon our courageous members who have spoken the truth?

It can only be traced to the king of evil-Satan. He knows beyond doubt that, as brother Houteff said, “..For Satan well knows that if he loses now, he loses forever.”(General Conference Special, p.6).

One thing is so very clear, now is not the time to sit back and say “Oh yes,  the Elijah message is true, but I’ll let others proclaim it, I don’t want to be unpopular or get in trouble with anyone.” Let me ask you, when the approx. 1 million people came out of Egypt, how many made it to the promised land over the age of 20?  TWO.  How many were there that were lukewarm toward the two courageous men, Joshua and Caleb? Don’t you think that there were hundreds if not thousands that QUIETLY supported and respected the courageous actions of those two? I would most definitely say there was indeed-many! Did the Lord spare them for “thinking” about supporting them? No, he did not.

He saved only those two who –stepped up to the plate! Our Lord gave them vocal cords and they used them! And what is the cost of us stepping up to the plate? We shall be persecuted.  But you will find yourself on the most powerful One of the universe’s side. And those who persecute you? ” Those who rise up against warning and reproof..to make no effect the plain words of reproof prompted by the Spirit of God, will find, in the great day of final reckoning, an account against them which they will not wish to meet (Signs of the Times, Oct. 4th, 1883).

In closing my dear brethren, let us not shrink back from our duty today. God is calling each one to do something. Start small and just where you’re at. Then as the Holy Spirit guides you, you’ll find a clear path to guiding and warning your particular sphere of influence. Let’s not fear opposition, for as we have learned, a Godly life will always meet opposition.Do we care enough for our brothers and sisters to warn them of the upcoming church disaster?(Mal.3:1-3)

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot (Rev.3:14-16)…Laodiceans..are neither cold nor hot; they occupy a neutral postition..The True Witness hates lukewarmness. He loathes the indifference of this class of persons (Test.for the Church, Vol. 4, p.87).

  Our Lord is near the door, and it’s the church door He’s about to enter, let’s be prepared and go to work!

Posted in Courage, The spirit of predjudice, Warning our brethren | 6 Comments »

Each Must Personally Investigate

November 24, 2012

(Note: we are going to be making youtube videos of  certain posts. When a particular post will be made available in video, we’ll put the link below the post. The first video can be seen in last week’s post called “Original Davidians are Not Branch Davidians”)

 Many of us remember when we were kids in elementary school, we played the “pass the rumor down the line experiment”. A row of chairs(20 or 30) would be set up and the teacher would whisper in the ear of the first student a certain phrase or sentence. Then it would pass along the chain, from one student to the next  until it reached the last student,  who would often hear a completely different phrase or sentence.

The purpose of this , as we know, was to show that us humans can’t be counted on to pass our thoughts and ideas to further people, unlike God. We most likely will get the whole story incorrect. What we hear is not necessarily what was told.

 That is exactly what transpired with the leaders in our church passing on their ideas and thoughts to the church members, down through the years, of what was thought of the Elijah messenger and his message. Soon the story morphed into “We have thoroughly investigated brother Houteff’s message  and have found it in error”. Oh really?  How about the facts? (The infamous  7 day “thorough” investigation of brother Houteff’s teachings by the Conference leaders that was aborted in 1 day).http://www.shepherds-rod.org/Tracts/trac007.html

The reason I bring this up is because we had a church meeting this last week and what I heard was just amazing. With a straight face, one of our church leaders got up before the group and said, “I want you to know that the Shepherd’s Rod teachings have been found to be in error by the General Conference leaders..” How did he know that? He believed the rumor and false written reports that has been told down through the years! Certainly he did not investigate the matter from both sides.

Let’s stop for a moment and truly comprehend what this “leader” was saying.  Did he not remember that we,  as Seventh day Adventists,  broke away from the Protestant churches, because we did not believe in  what their leaders professed as truth? We would have never become SDA people had we taken this man’s counsel and trusted in what the leaders said! Or how about the Protestant movement inself? Did not the Protestants object to the Catholic popes and leaders dicating what was truth and what wasn’t? Truth seekers began to investigate for themselves.

Let us look at inspired counsel on how we are to investigate for ourselves the Scriptures and inspired writings and not lean on the “arm of flesh”(Testimonies to Ministers, p. 106).

Today is a  serious time for us as members of our beloved SDA church. Many of us stand at a crossroad.One direction says to go this way, a straight and narrow road, the other a wide and easy road.  We as His people are either obeying or discarding His counsel specifically to us, the Laodicean Church.

The specific counsel we are told is found in (Rev. 3:17) “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor , blind and naked–“I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garment, that you may be clothed, that your shame of your nakedness may not be revealed;and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.”

Here our Lord counsels us about who we are, and what we can do about it. We, as members of our Laodicean church are instructed to do something. We are not to have the mindset that we can keep the status quo, the all-prevailing lukewarm mindset. In effect, by  lukewarm sermons of peace and safety weekly, we get into a feeling of comfort. “I am safe, I don’t need more truth, or to search for His present truth message. The Lord understands my lukewarmness.” Yes, He does all too clearly understand this, but will He accept it?– No He won’t.

When we read that He will vomit us out, that is a striking rebuke to us! Let us understand that our Lord means what He says. So what should we do? What can be the beginning of our stepping onto the straight and narrow? Well, as always our loving Savior tells us. He says we are to “buy” from Him gold refined in the fire.

Now to understand this we need only go to the next verse “..That you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed..” Here we see that gold refined in the fire is showing His pure Word and counsel. And that when we “buy”, which really indicates to read and study and obey His word, we can then be clothed in “white” garments. White would indicate purity, and the clothing would indicate our walk (righteousness) before Him. Adam and Eve were not naked as long as they walked upright before Him, but as soon as they sinned , their nakedness appeared before Him and themselves.

 We are in a spiritual war right now and our Lord is the General, giving the commands. He sends different instructions (messages) down the chain of command, as the war goes on and there are new messages sent,  mankind’s time marches to its fulfillment of time. Now, we are near the end of this war and He has sent His last message to us through His last messenger Elijah. Here is the message that our Lord counsels us to “buy”.

But the enemy knows this because he has got a copy of the war plan (Bible). So he has been on look out for this messenger. The enemy has told his troops to go out and destroy the message as best as possible, for this is the beginning of the last battle waged, and as such, he must defeat it (which is only delaying) at all costs.

So as this last spiritual battle is waged our Lord counsels us to study and learn it. But how do we do that? —by personal investigation. Do we think that one morning the Lord’s Elijah message is just going to come to us magically?   Of course not, we must make the effort to learn it –“be Zealous”, He says.

Ellen White knew that this battle of learning the message would be waged. ” 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.”(Test. to Ministers, p.105-106)

  Today’s real message bearers are those who arouse  opposition from some in our own church. EGW again explains “Now as in former times, the presentation of a truth that reproves sins and errors of the times will excite opposition. ..Elijah was declared 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)

 Notice that the above examples of the ‘troublers” were those righteous men who had direct opposition  from their own people!You see when we stand forth with our Lord’s true last message, it will excite opposition. Remember that the evil ones care not about lukewarmness, in fact that is their wish. It is only when we take to the battlefield, as it were, that they get riled up and fire up the unconverted and worse against those who step forward.

 From a personal point of view I see this, and many other brothers and sisters also experience this when they step forward to bear the straight testimony. But as we’ve read,  this has been the case through out our church history.

In speaking to the opposition that arose against bro. Houteff, when he began to proclaim the Elijah message we read in the Tract entitled “Pre-“Eleventh Hour” Extra (Tract #1)  ” Your attitude, my brethren, toward the glorious light now shining upon the “Three Angels Messages,” is but a fulfillment of prophecy: “because thou sayst, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing”, truth or prophets,–you refuse to be interested in investigating the cry of the Angel whose glory is to “lighten the earth.”

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

Again brother Houteff advises ” As you will find yourself under severe trial if your obey your inner convictions and take hold of the truth, you must therefore let the Lord alone be your guide, and Inspiration your only teacher. Do not value your salvation so little as to trust the wisdom of another. Be wise: obey the word of the Lord, investigate for yourself, and do not delay, for you know not the narrow margin between you and heaven! “Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.” (Micah 7:5).

In (Rev. 21:8) our Lord describes those who will not make it to heaven. What has always perplexed me is the very first description-cowardly. What did the Lord mean by that? But as I become more and more familiar with the Lord’s last straight testimony (Elijah message) I see that it does indeed take courage . At times one feels alone and frustrated because the  majority refuse to listen. Yet I know that to shrink back from duty now, would be waving the white flag on the battleground. This we know,  as Elijah message bearers cannot happen.

 Let us read one more  counsel from the prophetess.

“..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.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.105-107)

So we can become enlightened if we investigate. Just like Mr. E. T. Wilson , a General Conference leader during bro. Houteff’s day, who ignored the general belief  among the leaders that the Elijah message was false. Instead he believed the Lord’s promise that he would be led into all truth (John 16:13). He prayed and cried to the Lord to “reveal truth and unmask error” and it was granted unto him. Look forward to seeing you Mr. Wilson in the premillennial kingdom.

Copy of E.T. Wilson letter to Victor Houteff. He was the Carolina conference leader in 1933.

My Dear Brother Houteff:

   I wish to thank you most heartily for calling my attention, as a minister of the gospel, to the precious truths of the Bible, and the gems of the Spirit of Prophecy, which are so abundant throughout the two little volumes of the “Shepherd’s Rod,” so kindly sent me, either by yourself, or at your request, no doubt.

   For many years I have been deeply interested in what the Spirit of Prophecy tells us should take place in our midst by way of “revival and reformation,” and have therefore watched with deep interest  every attempt to launch such a “reformatory movement,” but have been disappointed in all of them, for they never seemed to materialize, so when your little booklets came along they found me really hungry for just such a revival of “true godliness” in my own heart.

   I might say that when I first looked at the “Shepherd’s  Rod,” the very name seemed to prejudice me, and I came near tearing it up several times before I really read it, but each time, when I was about to destroy the book, the thought would come to me that this is against my principle, and I would lay the book away again.  When I finally did read it, I was startled, and many times I would cry out to God to forgive me for my sins as a minister, if He were really speaking to me through this little volume, and when I finished it, I was convinced that I had read no ordinary book, but being very cautious about accepting error, I began the second reading, making comparison with the Bible and the Testimonies to be sure they were in harmony but before each reading, I would cry to God to “reveal truth and unmask error,” according to His promise. T.M. 107.

   When I had finished the second reading of the book, I was afraid it was true, for I knew full well, if it were true, I, as a minister, would be held accountable to God for my attitude toward the abundance of light that He had called my attention to that I had never seen before.  Of course I naturally wondered from whence came such knowledge, and decided to re-read the book to make sure that I had not overlooked anything in the way of specious error and when I had finished it the third time, although I did not understand everything in the book, yet I was convinced of one thing, and that is, I could not refute anything in it, for it harmonized with the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy.

   And now after nearly three years of watching the result the reading of the “Shepherd’s Rod” has upon both minister and laity, I find that, almost without exception, the ministers reject the message of the book, either blindly or for fear of their superiors, and the laity, almost without exception, receive its message of reproof and warning with joy and gladness, and seek to correct their lives accordingly, and the spiritual tone of said persons is much higher than ever before for they love the message of the Third Angel more, and they love the brethren better than before.

   In closing this letter I wish to say to you that I believe the Lord has used you to bring to our people as important a message as the one that came to the S.D.A. church while assembled in conference at Minneapolis, and I think I am correctly informed, being a minister in this denomination for many years, and having labored both in the United States and in foreign fields.  We have seemingly rejected the message of reform set forth in “The Shepherd’s Rod” as completely as our brethren rejected the one in 1888.

   May the Lord richly bless you in everything you undertake in His name is the prayer of your brother in Christ. (The Great Controversy over theShepherd’s Rod, p.9, Tract #7)

E. T. Wilson

Posted in Proper teachings, The spirit of predjudice, The Spirit of truth | 2 Comments »

The Spirit of Prejudice

June 30, 2012

Down through the ages, prejudice in all it’s many forms, has  hampered the good will of man, and exposed the foolishness of man. The dictionary describes the word as follows “An unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.” (source dictionary.com) It also can be described as “prejudging”, with a certain closed  mindedness toward someone or something. When prejudice is allowed to come into our Christian walk, it can be deadly (spiritually speaking). Let us remember that the spirit of prejudice will not come from the Spirit of Truth.

 One of the clearest cases of prejudice,  Biblically speaking, was that of the Jews in Christ’s day. The Jews rejected the Lord because not all of what the prophets taught and wrote was found in the teaching of Moses. “We know”, they said “that God spake unto Moses:as for this fellow, we know not from where He is from” (John 9:29). They were prejudging our Lord because of His humble appearance and lack of aspiration to establish the kingdom during their time.

Today there is a strong spirit of prejudice among us, the Laodiceans, and it is prevalent within our church. Our Lord described us as thinking we are full and satisfied spiritually , knowing all we need to know (Rev.3:17). If a message comes to us that has been rejected by our “leaders” we shut it down with  prejudice. We care not to investigate the matter on our own. Our leaders  are our infallible guides,  without error, so we think.

Let us now look at some powerful words from our prophetess concerning this prejudice, and it’s error. “Men, women, and youth, God requires you to possess moral courage, steadiness of purpose, fortitude and perseverance, minds that cannot take the assertions of another, but which investigate for themselves before receiving or rejecting, that will study and weigh evidence , and take it to the Lord in prayer.” (Test. for the Church, vol. 2, p.130)

A  Christian brother told me a while back “Rob , the best testimony you can give, is that of your own testimony.” So with that counsel in mind, let me relate my experience recently that hopefully will drive home some clear points.

As a SDA member for about 3 and a half years. I soon became somewhat of a leader within our local church. The Lord had me up there speaking in front of the people , right after I arrived (due to my unique story of becoming a Sabbath keeper). One thing led to another, and soon I was asked to be a Sabbath school superintendent and deacon. I would speak maybe 20 or 30 minutes from the pulpit, prior to the Sabbath school lesson before services.

My messages were mostly based on this blog. I would take one of the posts and use it as a basis for the speech. As many of you are aware, I do not mince words, I tell the straight truth as the Lord guides me. Popular or not, I serve Him, and as such the speeches were not lukewarm, rather they were the straight testimony.

As I progressed in my walk and drew closer to Him, the Lord began to reveal things that stood out from the normal teachings of the SDA. Being guided by the Spirit of Truth, I had no choice, but to teach that which became so clear to me. I could not conceal and pretend. Sadly, soon the “leaders” within our church could not accept the teachings I was guided to make. Even though I had spoken about 5 or 6 times, and received many heartfelt thanks by our members after speaking.

For example, I received comments such as ‘I was blessed all week by what you said”, “Thank you so much, that was excellent”, and “I would like to hear you again very soon”. Despite many of the  people  accepting the testimonies, the higher ups were going to put a halt to the testimonies and they did.

This following quote from EGW really nails my experience and situation, as regards to the leadership taking the position it took. ” Those who allow prejudice to bar the mind against the reception of truth can not 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.”(Test. to Ministers, p.105-106)

Let me make something clear, if someone was to come to me and say “Rob, listen to this, I have been shown from the Lord, the following …such and such.” I would never close him down.I would hear him out. Why? Because I take our prophetess counsel —  “..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.” (Test. to Ministers, p.107). Additionally, being a lover of the truth, I just might learn new truth.

Let me explain why the above approach is correct. If a pastor or brother or sister, comes to me and says “brother you are wrong to believe that, or this, here’s why” and they point out clear Scripture or SOP countering my position, I will be very attentive and search this out. Why? Because I do not want to be in error. In Scripture we read ” My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgement” (James 3:1). As a teacher of His word, I am held accountable, therefore I take very seriously what I teach. If I am found in error, I am very thankful to God for being shown this, and profess to my brethren my heartfelt thanks for being straightened out. This is the attitude we all must have.

 The truth will lose nothing upon close investigation. Those who blindly reject what a brother has to offer mustproduce from Scripture or SOP, why he is in error. Otherwise if the corrector bases it on “what I have been taught” or “heard” he shuts down the Spirit of Truth, and as such cannot receive God’s truth.It’s like a blind man riding in a car, and he wants to grab the steering wheel and says “let me take over, I’ll guide you.”  Should we allow ourselves to be guided by blind men or women?

Sadly, the great throng in our church are holding onto blind leaders, who are approaching the edge of the cliff. Now is the time to awake, and hear His voice.

As we are aware , the last message to us, His church,  is the Elijah message (Mal. 4:5). Unfortunately many of us, as members of His church (the SDA) are not taught what this message  is. However, there are some who, being converted and guided by the Holy Spirit,  perfectly understand what this message is. Unfortunately, Satan and His angels also understand what it is.

Because he knows what it is all about and has been waiting for the promised Elijah to appear, do you think he will sit idly by and twiddle his fingers, as the Elijah message goes out? He must gather all his minions and plan a counter attack. On the right and on the left, don’t let up, muzzle and stop all those who proclaim the last message. His survival is at stake! Can he hinder the spreading of this message? Yes, definitely, just look at our history and how brother Houteff was received and those today who are spreading the message. We are in good company, did they not (His own people) throw out our Lord from church?

We are told in Scripture “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ will be persecuted.” (2 Tim. 3:12)  Notice it doesn’t say “may” be persecuted  it said –will be persecuted. Make no mistake the devils will not pursue you or counter you if you are not taking a firm truthful stand for Christ and His word. We made a post before that stated that those who truly live for Christ, have their light shine amidst the dark world, and as such the devils spot those and target those.

“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.” (Test. for the Church , vol. 5,p.728)  Our Lord will not allow it to linger anymore, for it is going out now in a powerful way. What is this message and by whom has it been advocated?  It is the  Lord’s final Shepherd’s Rod message, began by brother Victor Houteff. Also known as the Elijah message. It’s the one where “leaders” within our church have fought, just like they did to the 1888 message to the church. Except this one is the Lord’s final message.

 The message that has stirred up our people since 1930 and has been gaining momentum in this late hour of  our church history. Facebook, emails,DVD’s and CD’s,  private studies, are all spreading it.  But the “leaders” are stillfighting it. This is the sad part.  They have not investigated by themselves.  Their  prejudices have guided them. Almost each and everyone of the leaders are parroting what they have heard. To prove the point,  ask one of them   —-   “Excuse me pastor….., can you tell me the error in brother Houteff’s interpretation of the Hosea prophecy?” (Hosea chapter 1 and 2). Or ” What is the error in brother Houteff’s interpretation of Matt.20?” (The parable of the 11th hour workers)  Most likely they will  be dumbfounded and speechless about these interpretations. Most will ignore your inquiry and then speak of a diversionary sidetrack issue, again based on their prejudices. Because they have not even listened to, or read, his interpretations of that Scripture. How can they be a fair impartial guide if they refuse to hear or read things out, to weigh the evidence? Does   the 1888 message ring a bell?  Again, can prejudice  guide us into all truth?  Of course not.

“Now as in former ages, the presentation of a truth that reproves the sins and errors of the times will excite opposition..as men see they cannot maintain their position by 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…Elijah was declared to be a troubler in Israel…” ( The Great Controversy, p.458)

Just as the original Elijah was accused of troubling his own people (not the world), the Elijah to come was also similarly accused, and his messengers today are also being labeled as “troublers”, people with a un-needed and useless message. Prejudice raises it’s ignorant head and declares them to be unsound,  “…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; thus many will reject the very messages God sends to His people, if these leading brethren do not accept them.” (Test. to Ministers, p.105)  Sadly, this is exactly what is taking place through out our church.

If we reject our Lord’s very last message to us, are we not rejecting His  final word? It’s a dangerous position of false security. The Elijah message  is , as we who have studied it know, where our Lord gives us specific instructions to survive His upcoming church judgment ( the beginning phase of the judgment of the living).  Most importantly,  it shows us how we can be sealed (marked) by the sealing angel prior to His great and dreadful day.

Right now we are fulfilling the prophecy Jeremiah 23:20 ” The anger of the Lord shall not return, until He has executed, and till He has performed the thoughts of His heart: in the latter days you shall consider it perfectly.” Yes, we now understand that His held back anger will  soon break forth, are we prepared and able to stand in the day of His retribution?

“But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like a launderers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness”  (Mal.3:2-3).

Can He accept a church with a mixture of righteous and unrighteous? We only need to look to His history to find the answer. Not once in all the OT did he ever accept such a people. One Achan was enough to shut down His power( Test. for the Church, Vol. 5, p. 157). Can He change for us today? No, our Lord does  not change “For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Mal.3:6). This is why this last  Elijah message is warning us to come clean, convert, and repent, before His judgments start. He is at the door!

 In closing, we must be  careful not to fall into the prejudice trap, nor let others snare us. If we do, we may  find someday  very soon, we have pre-judged ourselves right out of God’s sealing.

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