Watch your Pearls

December 26, 2015

swine picture

Our King said, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” (Matt. 7:6)

Quite some powerful and direct words for sure. Let us look at this great admonition and how we can observe it.

If you are active in the Lord’s vineyard, hopefully proclaiming present truth message of Elijah, you should be acutely aware of this instruction. By obedience to this rule we can save ourselves much precious time and even heartache as the Lord warned.

You see, the Lord’s truth is as priceless gems to us. They are our meat, our  golden nuggets and yes–our pearls. Understanding why we should not cast them to the swine is very important lesson for us.

Our confidence in the Lord and His word should be guarded.

“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!” (Hebrews: 10:35)

And we can throw it away if we continue to cast our pearls of Truth before those who will trample it afoot.

Recently I have been in an email study with a brother we’ll call bro. J. He is active in studies but unfortunately he has been led into one of the adversary’s rabbit trails– Feast day keeping. As we have posted many times before, the last message of the Lord, the Elijah message, shows us beyond doubt that the Old Testament Feast days observance has been replaced by Christ and His work in the heavenly sanctuary. The sermon address that dealt with this is here — http://shepherds-rod.org/TGvol2/2tg37.htm

But as we continued the study the Spirit started to remind me of what I was doing. The hard work and plentiful study I have done to know this message, was being dangled about to someone who either a) wasn’t reading the truth I was showing him  b) was reading it yet it was like water off a duck’s back–or put another way–trampled under his feet.

Either way I sensed I was barking up the wrong tree. So the Lord reminded me to stay focused and not venture into a situation where your pearls are being chewed up and spit out. Here is where some thoughts came.

What I sense is that if we get involved in a discussion and very soon it becomes obvious that the truth (plain obvious statements) does not get agreement or acknowledgment, then we can come into perilous ground. Why?

Because we can start to lose our own confidence! Yes, we can think, “maybe I need to show him more truth because this is not clear enough” yet it is very clear, it is just our desire to come down to his non-truth loving level that starts to blur our vision, make us doubt our own message.

The message deals with this subject–

IS IT SAFE TO CHALLENGE?

Question No. 132:

   If we are to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good,” and be ready always to give an answer to  every man that asks us a reason of the hope that is in us, then ought we not challenge those who are enemies of “The Shepherd’s Rod” to prove it in error?

Answer:

   Even those who have settled it once and for all that The Shepherd’s Rod contains a heaven-sent message, not to mention those who are incapable of defending it in all its aspects, are in no wise  justified in exposing their precious jewel of Truth to the Enemy, whose only aim is to take it away from them. Especially so when he is not coming with a promise to give them something that will replace that which they already have.

They cannot afford to invite his challenge to prove whether or not he can cheat them of their  treasure. When it is gone, the “proof” will be sad  consolation! Placing themselves thus on Satan’s vantage ground will make them guilty not only of the folly of presumptousness but waste of time and of energy as well. It will be but inviting the Devil to rob them of eternal life.

   All of us must guard our heavenly treasure with the utmost care, and preserve our faith by studying to give an answer to every man that asks us a reason of the hope that is in us, but not by challenging him to ply us with deceitful questions, and then debating with him.

   If, though, for any compelling reason you assume the risk of meeting the Enemy in this great spiritual warfare, then you must at least hold him to answer to the whole Truth; do not let him switch you to some certain moot point which no one, perhaps, at the moment could clear. Do not permit yourself to be backed into a defensive position, but rather keep yourself on the  offensive, yet never debate.

   Do not forget that the Enemy who seeks to take your crown is mightier than you, and that therefore if you are not absolutely settled on the message,  then by all means rather than to study with its enemies, go study with its friends. Not until you have thus done all to let the messengers prove it right, and are still convinced that it is not Present Truth, can you rightly study with its opposers. Do all to make sure that someone does not cheat you of a message from the Lord. Let “no man take thy crown.” Rev. 3:11.

   Remember that if there is someone ready to undermine one truth, there is another one ready to undermine another truth, and so on and on. In fact, the Enemy is ready to dynamite every truth in existence, even the Bible Itself, if you but give him the chance. Certain it is, though, that Satan does not begin to have as much room for an argument against the Rod’s truths as Sunday keepers have against the Sabbath truth.

   Ever bear in mind that “the efforts made to retard the progress of truth will serve to extend it” (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 454), and that you will be promoted with it if you faithfully keep in the middle of the road, not running ahead with a zeal that is not according to knowledge.

   “Our convictions need daily to be re-enforced by humble, sincere prayer and reading of the word. While we each have an individuality, while we each should hold our convictions firmly, we must hold them as God’s truth and in the strength which God imparts. If we do not, they will be wrung from our grasp.”–Testimonies, Vol. 6, p. 401.

   Hence, for one who is settled in the Truth and who is searching for more, to challenge the Enemy,  is like putting one’s sword in his hand and daring him to cut off one’s head.

   Never challenge, therefore, but ever be ready to give the right answer intelligently and convincingly to every man; never debate, but always teach the Truth; never go to an enemy or to a non-believer of a message to prove it right or to prove it wrong; rather, do all your proving with its friends, with its authors–those who know all about it. (Answerer Book, vol. 5, Q-132)

Back to brother J. In regards to not keeping the feast days, I showed him this unequivocal statement–

Broadly speaking, the law of Moses consists of three parts.  The first is the Ceremonial law, the law of the temple — the sacrificial law.  This law, of course, we today must not observe, except in antitype, for it foreshadowed things to come, particularly Christ’s first advent.  Thus it is that if we had lived in Old Testament times and had failed to comply with the sacrificial law and system of that day, we would thereby have demonstrated unbelief in Christ, Who was to come.  But since we are living in the Christian era, if we should now observe the typical sacrificial law and system, we should thereby demonstrate unbelief in Christ, Who has come.

  And so, as this law was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14), we need not, and must not, observe it now. (TG, vol. 2, no.37, p.14-15)

Ok clear enough right? Not according to the types like brother J. You see we must be very cautious when we show Scriptural plain statements, for a fictional example– “The lady had on a blue dress.”   And they come back, “Well it’s not really blue because, blue has other colors in it to make it blue. So it’s a mixture of different colors scientifically.”  Huh? We say or think to their secret mysterious meaning!

The message tells us that the wise will understand (Be guided into all truth) and the wicked will not.

“Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”(Dan. 12:10)

SOP also gives us great counsel–

“The truths most plainly revealed in the Bible have been involved in doubt and darkness by learned men, who, with a pretense of great wisdom, teach that the Scriptures have a mystical, a secret, spiritual meaning not apparent in the language employed. These men are false teachers.” (GC, P.598)

Now to be clear, we are not advocating avoiding good back and forth discussions, but once it becomes clear that straight clear Scripture, SOP or Elijah message does not have them agreeing or even acknowledging, that should be our Que that we may be “casting our pearls…”.

“I have beheld angels grieved as the most precious jewels of truth have been brought before men utterly incapable of appreciating the evidences in favor of the truth.”( Testimonies, vol. 3, p.425)

In closing my brethren, let’s hold onto our pearls bought at a great price( hard study and deep devotion). If we give them away let it be to our friends and the Bureans.  If we obey the Lord in His admonition we shall not get snared in time-wasting.

“No one is lost for believing a false interpretation of a prophecy before the truth of it is revealed, provided the false interpretation does not draw him away from some other truth.  Such individuals, however, are in great danger because, as history reveals, very few who become thus involved in error are willing to humble themselves by renouncing their errors and accepting the truth when it is made known. 

They are consequently in constant peril of sinning against the Holy Ghost.  And being acutely aware of this, Satan misinterprets the prophecies before they are divinely revealed.  He realizes full well that many, unwilling to be corrected and to exchange their errors for revealed truth, will thereby be led to eternal ruin.  All-important, therefore, is the need that the student of the truth fortify himself with all honesty and humility..” (Tract 5, p.7)

 

 

Posted in Proper teachings, Warning our brethren, Witnessing | Leave a Comment »

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

December 19, 2015

Ten Virgins

One of  the parables most often studied and quoted around the  world is that of Matthew 25–the parable of the Ten Virgins.

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us.  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matt. 25:1-13)

In order to know the true interpretive meaning of this parable (or any other parable or prophecy) we are counseled to not trust in our own “private interpretation” but rather a “Thus sayeth the Lord” by His prophets. And we who are living in these very last days, should yell to the mountain tops in joy that the Lord gave us His promised –restorer of all things, Elijah. We are just very blessed because as you’ll see the end time prophetic meaning of this parable is directly applicable to us today. Let us heed the lesson!

Who are the Virgins?

The virgins are a figure of the church.  Number “ten,” has the symbolic meaning of universal (the church as a body).  Note that they are all “virgins.”  The 144,000 are designated by the same word. (See Rev. 14:4.)  The word “virgins,” signify that the class represented by them (ten), are not those who are called out from Babylon (fallen churches) at the time the “cry” is made. 

For, if they were to come out of Babylon by the call “Come out of her, my people” (Rev. 18:4), they would have been defiled with “women” (fallen churches), and therefore, could not be called “virgins.”  Thus, the message of the “Midnight Cry” must find them in the house of God — virgins. (SRod, vol. 2, p.181)

What is the “cry” that is made?

The “Midnight Cry” was first proclaimed prior to 1844, and the coming of the “Bridegroom” was Christ’s coming to the Most Holy place in the heavenly sanctuary for the investigative judgment of the saints.  The investigation being in two sections; first, the judgment for the dead, and the second for the living, the “cry” must be repeated, otherwise we would have no present truth for the time of the judgment of the living. 

The “cry” for the living being of a greater importance to the world than the one for the dead, and as the “virgins” are a figure of the living church, the parable must have a direct application to the church at this present time, — the coming of the bridegroom for the judgment of the living.  But indirectly it points back to the commencement of the “Midnight Cry” (the first angel’s message — the judgment for the dead). 

The messages being of the same event, judgment, both (for the living and for the dead) are called the “midnight cry.”  The same is proven by the parable itself. (p.181)

What does the oil represent?

The “oil” is a symbol of the Spirit of God in the form of a message (truth); for, it is the substance that gives the light (the prophetic Word of God).  The lamp must be a symbol of the heart into which the Word (oil) is being retained.  The trimming of their lamps, is the “trimming” of their hearts; that is, their conscience being aroused they began to show interest. 

But only five of them had an extra supply of oil in their vessels.  As they started out to meet the bridegroom, the lamps of the foolish ones went out; and as they found themselves in darkness, it made their progress impossible.  Now, the question arises: What made their lamps go out, and why could they go backward, but not forward? 

As the message of the judgment for the dead was the present truth since 1844, at the beginning of the judgment for the living (when the cry was made), it became present truth no longer.  Consequently their lamps went out.  They could not move forward because they were foolish; that is, they did not accept the light — the judgment for the living.  Was the “oil” beyond their reach?  The words in the parable prove that they all heard the “cry, “arose, and trimmed their lamps.” 

Five of them failed to get the supply of oil because they were “foolish,” — they did not study for themselves.  Allowed others to think for them; they chose the easy, popular side, and accepted the decisions of the leaders, copies the mistakes of others and were thus left without a supply of oil, — robbed of the truth, cheated of glory, and left in darkness!

   “And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.”  At last the foolish virgins saw themselves in darkness.  Then they went to the wise and asked for oil as a gift; “But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” 

The oil is sold and there must be something given in exchange to obtain the supply.  The price they had to pay was to “sigh and cry for the abominations done in the midst thereof,” give up sinning and obey the truth.  Their receipt for the value of exchange would have been the seal of the living God in their foreheads.(P.182-183)

What is the significance of the door being shut?

As the foolish virgins at last came to the door, it is evident that they obtained the oil (learned of the message) but there had been a delay — the door was shut, and they were left out.  Now, why were they unconcerned at first, and very zealous at last?  The experience in this instance is about the same as that of the deluge. 

While Noah preached the coming of the flood, the world paid little attention to this message; but those who believed, went into the ark at a given time and the door was closed.  But not long afterwards, signs of Noah’s prediction appeared; and as drops of rain began to fall the wicked multitude became alarmed and rushed for the ark, but the door was closed and they were left out. 

The door that “was shut,” is a symbol showing that probation for the church had closed just shortly after the foolish virgins became alarmed.  At last they were willing to pay the price and buy the oil; but it was not a change of heart, only the fear of losing out.  Their course of action had left them without the seal — “the man with the writer’s inkhorn” had passed them by.  What a terrible mistake! What a disappointment! Almost saved, but entirely lost.(P.183-184)

Why 10 virgins?

The number, “ten”, being a symbol of universal, it represents the church as a body prior to the commencement of the judgment of the living — in the sealing period of the 144,000, and before the “Loud Cry” of the Third Angel’s Message; being the period of the first fruits of the harvest. (P.185)

What is the lesson of the five foolish and five wise virgins?

The five wise virgins were they who trusted in God and His word only; having no confidence in man, and were hungry for truth, searching for light, and gladly accepting it when it came.  Thus they received the seal of God’s approval, their sins were blotted out, and their lives made sure — they passed from condemnation and death into glory and life eternal.  They are God’s servants, kings and priests — 144,000 in number.

   The five foolish virgins are they who had confidence in men; they were willing that others should think and study for them.  Their love for this world and the things of it, exceeded their love for Christ and the world to come.  They had no true sense of the awful result of sin.  Their zeal for self, drowned their zeal for the house of God and His honor. 

They were satisfied with their lamps trimmed and but little oil in them.  They saw no necessity for more light — prophets, truth or message.  They said in their hearts, we are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing.  They were prejudiced against light upon the word of God, and accepted not the truth because the channel through which it came was not of their choice.

   The knowledge of present truth, which the five foolish virgins possessed since 1844 is the judgment of the dead, and was the only oil in their lamps.  When the judgment of the living commenced, and the “cry was made,” they were found without this extra oil in their vessels; they had neglected their Lord’s command: “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” 

Thus when the wise ones started out to meet the bridegroom the lamps of the foolish went out, for, the judgment of the dead had passed.  Therefore, it was present truth no more, and thus they were left in darkness. 

At the beginning of the judgments of God they saw their mistake and rushed for the ark of safety, but it was beyond their reach for they knew nothing of the message, and by the time they acquired it (filled their lamps with oil), there had been a delay, the angel had passed “through the city, through Jerusalem,” the church — the sealing was finished, and probation for the church had closed — the door was shut.  Thus they were left out. 

Then they came with these words: “Lord, Lord, open unto us, But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”  “Appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  What a disappointment that will be!

   It will be noticed that the close of probation for the church and the one for the world are two different events.  The former is a miniature representation of the latter.  The Scripture for the preceding one is found in Matthew 25:11, 12; but of the final one we read: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.  And, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Rev. 22:11, 12.) 

At this time those who were like the five foolish virgins, will say, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” (Jer. 8:20.)  “And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” (Amos 8:12.) ( SRod, P.185-186)

 

 

 

Posted in Elijah Interpretations, Parable studies, Present Truth, Proper teachings | 1 Comment »

History of the Heels

December 12, 2015

modern high heel

This week I observed something that burdened my heart. A young gal, maybe 18 or 19, whom I thought had taken good counsel before, showed that as the ol saying goes “went in one ear and out the other.” Sister L, we’ll call her, is a kind of leader in our church, especially to her peers. But before we get more into that let’s look at current worldly fashions in our church and specifically –the ladies high heel shoes.

“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but — which becometh women professing godly piety — through good works.”(1 Tim. 2:9-10)

We are going to really get down and study this issue because the Lord has placed it on my heart to awake many of our sisters who for one reason or  another just cannot fathom  how “converted” Christians should come before the Lord.

We are told to be converted and to have a new spirit and mind. In other words things of the world, including fashion– must go. For a personal example, music was my worldly love prior to being converted. Just as many women love fashion as their worldly love. But one day the Lord convicted me of my idol and I grabbed the large outside trash can and went into the house and threw everything that was worldly music (CD’s, Albums, Tapes) into the trash. I never looked back.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

Once we declare to our heavenly Father we are His, by Christ’s brutal death for us–we change. Our old ways go away–at least that is the plan of God. But unfortunately many want both worlds! Again Scripture warns us–

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8)

It’s the perfect deadly storm, with some saying secretly in their soul, “I want Christ but the world’s attractions I cannot ignore, Oh Lord help me to do both.”

Peer pressure is very powerful. We all remember our youthful days when we wanted to be liked and accepted. But we also remember our caring teachers, even those who were more stern than we liked, but looking back we admired them for their uprightness and firmness to showing us the right way the best path. The same applies to our youth in the church. They need help , they need guidance from our leaders.

Yet the Lord knows that today, our SDA church is filled with misguided shepherds. They “look the other way” at worldly snares that come into the Lord’s church. Jeremiah relayed the case in our church today–

“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. (Jer. 23:1)

Today one of the most common and observable worldly fashions prevalent in the Lord’s sanctuary is the high heel shoes.  When you couple that with the miniskirt ( above the knees), voila– you have a strikingly similar dressed gal, to a night club gal! That’s right.

Back in the day  before being renewed in mind and spirit, I was often found in the clubs on a Friday or Saturday night, I remember quite clearly what we considered in style there. Yes high heels and short dresses. And that didn’t mean way above the knees, just above them.

Scriptures clearly tells us we are not to be viewed (seen) as a worldling. We are to be different.

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (1 Peter 2:9)

Of all the shoes in the women’s world, I can think of no other that resembles the worldly fashion. We see executive women with them, we see professional women with them, we see teachers with them, we see night club gals with them. They are THE WORLD FASHION, the “in” thing to wear.

Let’s look at the history of them.

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Men were the first sex to don the shoe. They were adopted by the European aristocracy of the 1600s as a signal of status.  The logic was: only someone who didn’t have to work could possibly go around in such impractical footwear.  (Interestingly, this was the same logic that encouraged footbinding in China.)

Women started wearing heels as a way of trying to appropriate masculine power.  In the BBC article on the topic, Elizabeth Semmelhack, who curates a shoe museum, explains:

In the 1630s you had women cutting their hair, adding epaulettes to their outfits…

They would smoke pipes, they would wear hats that were very masculine. And this is why women adopted the heel — it was in an effort to masculinise their outfits.

The lower classes also began to wear high heels, as fashions typically filter down from elite.

How did the elite respond to imitation from “lesser” people: women and workers?  First, the heels worn by the elite became increasingly high in order to maintain upper class distinction.  And, second, heels were differentiated into two types: fat and skinny. Fat heels were for men, skinny for women.

This is a beautiful illustration of Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of class distinction.  Bourdieu argued that aesthetic choices function as markers of class difference.  Accordingly, the elite will take action to present themselves differently than non-elites, choosing different clothing, food, decor, etc.  Expensive prices help keep certain things the province of elites, allowing them to signify their power; but imitation is inevitable.  Once something no longer effectively differentiates the rich from the rest, the rich will drop it.  This, I argue elsewhere, is why some people care about counterfeit purses (because it’s not about the quality, it’s about the distinction).

Eventually men quit wearing heels because their association with women tainted their power as a status symbol for men.  (This, by the way, is exactly what happened withcheerleading, originally exclusively for men).  With the Enlightenment, which emphasized rationality (i.e., practical footwear), everyone quit wearing high heels.

What brought heels back for women? Pornography.  Mid-nineteenth century pornographers began posing female nudes in high heels, and the rest is history. (Lisa Wade is a professor at Occidental College and the co-author of Gender: Ideas, Interactions, Institutions.)

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The above article is typical of the reports on these shoes. Now, I ask you, do you see Christ in this? Do you see modesty in this? Or do you see prestige, self glory and worldly style? Disturbingly these shoes have a solid history associated with prostitution! What is a converted Christ loving woman doing wearing such things? Just like my trash can experience, all gals reading this should seriously consider pulling that trash can out as well. Believe me you’ll be very much blessed.

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ” (Matt. 6:20)

Ok back to our sister L. I had observed her as a young lady striving to walk the walk. She gave a really good sermon about 3 months ago and I figured she would be the one to get some CD’s and DVD’s of the Lord last message to us–the Elijah message. So about 6 weeks ago during lunch I handed her some present truth along with a blog post on dressing for God in His sanctuary.

She seemed pleased to receive them. The reason I chose her was because she seemed as one of the young leaders of the church. Some other young gals were really dressing badly with the club outfits on. So I gently told her that she could review these reports and maybe discus with her friends. She happily agreed.

Over the course of the next few weeks she seemed to have a influence on some of them. Not a great big difference but I did see some improvement. Then this last week,   a typical night club goer would have definitely kept their eyes on sister L that’s for sure! So here we stand. I have prayed to the Lord and supped with Him on this and this is the reason for this post, to warn of this immodest behavior in God’s house.

Some may ask–“What about a moderate heel”? Again the word modesty comes into play. Take a look at this look and see if we can see modesty? From a personal view I see modesty and presentable dress before the Lord.

low heeled shoes

Another factor that comes into serious concern is that of a woman’s health. There are many many health reports showing some short term and long term physical damage done by wearing high heels. SOP gives us God’s word as well-

“I beg of our people to walk carefully and circumspectly before God. Follow the customs in dress so far as they conform to health principles.” (Selected Messages, Vol. 3, p.242)

For a good report on the physical ramification of wearing high heels click here- https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/09/09/do-high-heels-damage-your-feet/

To sum up,  our sisters should ask this one question– “Does my dress appear modest or worldly before the Lord?”  One thing is certain the high heels have a long and sure history of not only being “worldly” but a standard footwear for the prostitutes. And believe me Christ knows this and we should as well!

My beloved, all we can do is warn, we cannot by compulsion make them do what they do not want to do. Jesus warned the wrong doers but He never haggled them or pressured them. We simply do our job and let the results be what may.

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

As we posted recently, we as Seventh-day Adventists are to “strive with all power God has given us to be among the 144,000” and to be among the Lord’s remnant people prepared to give the very soon to come Loud Cry. To be sure, all that are found unconverted will not stand in the church judgment. 

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” (Romans 12:1)

“In all things we are to be representatives of Him. Our appearance in every respect should be characterized by neatness, modesty, and purity.” (Testimonies, Vol. 6, p.96)

Lastly, the Chinese have an old saying, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” Why don’t you young ladies who are reading this report take that same trash can idea that I did and get a truly God felt blessing that really lasts?  You may very well find that the all-seeing Lord gives you much more than you give up!

 

 

Posted in Christian walk, Church, Obedience | 2 Comments »

Study to Show Yourself Approved

December 5, 2015

Bible-marked-up

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

Last Sabbath I had a Bible study with a man we’ll call brother S. After Sabbath we had a Bible study that lasted a good 3 hours. After we prayed, which is a prerequisite before any Bible study, he opened his large bag and pulled out his Bible. As he opened it I was amazed to see nearly every page marked as the picture shows. Color  coded even with lines going from one part of page to another, showing that he saw them connected in some way.

This is not the first time I have seen such markings. A while back I had another study with a brother (we’ll call him brother F) who also had these same markings.

So what does this show to us and the Angels? It shows that people are taking seriously their study of the Scriptures. They have more than a surface interest in the Word. Like the Word says they are studying to be approved by God. This really should be a basic fundamental trait that all of us who call ourselves “Christian” should have.

Obviously these brothers are striving to know God’s Word better. But studying the Word and knowing the truth is not always mutually the same. We know that He has made us a great promise–

“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 1613)

This promise is one of the greatest promises we have. It says we are to know all truth. But let’s look at the two mentioned brothers and look at clues to who is being “guided” into truth.

To start, brother F and I had a study about a month ago concerning the prophecy of Daniel 2. We watched a DVD of Daniel 2 and while playing we’d stop it and discuss. Keep in mind most Adventists have been taught or have heard that the stone that comes from the mountain is Christ.

So as it played brother F began making comments like “I don’t believe that”. When I asked where is the presentation wrong, where is the error? He hemmed and hawed and basically summed it up by saying that the Scriptures showed that Christ is a “stone” and therefore that is the correct interpretation. He was no doubt parroting what we as Adventists have heard about Daniel 2.

But in an effort to look deeper into this prophecy,  I asked about where the stone came from? And what does the mountain symbolize? He wasn’t so clear. Bottom line, although he basically did not want to accept the study, he couldn’t refute the teachings.

As the study of Daniel 2 progressed and started to go into how the church abominations are leavening it, ripe for its purification, brother F began to “pass the buck” as it were. He explained that it is “Christ’s righteousness” that saves us and our works are as filthy rags. I agreed with this but pointed out that we cannot sweep the unholy acts of the church under the rug. I stressed that only sighers and criers of the sins in the church will be sealed and be saved in the SDA church (Testimonies, vol.3 , p.267). To this he kind of just shrugged his shoulders. As if the eternal point really did not awake him nor did he need to address it!

So this brings up the question–why and how can someone so devoted to studying and highlighting the Scriptures  ignore clear truth from the very Scriptures they study? How can they not see many truths within its sacred pages?  The answer is a long one but we can give some general guidelines.

“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” (Rev.3:17)

You see many are satisfied in their knowledge. If a new understanding of Scripture comes their way , they rise up a mental block wall to shut it away. They are content in what they think is truth because they do not embrace a new understanding mainly because they feel they might be deceived or off base if they accept it.

There is also the “herd mentality”. If the church believes it–so will I. The Jews of old had this same problem! The masses obeyed and believed what their Pharisee leaders taught, their version of truth. Jesus came along and taught truth that was not truth to those who refused to give up their many lessons they had been taught. Nothing has changed much. Truth is still seen by the few as opposed to the masses. No wonder the Scriptures say only 144,000 sealed from “all” the tribes of Israel.

SOP tells us we have been taught traditional ideas and lessons that we must “unlearn”.

“We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and heaven alone are infallible. Those who think that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed. As long as we hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined persistency, we cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.30)

Again SOP gives us counsel–

“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 which we have hitherto received, and in which we are settled. 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 of blindness as to their true condition before God, and they know it not. We must not think, “Well, we have all the truth, we understand the main pillars of our faith, and we may rest on this knowledge.” The truth is an advancing truth, and we must walk in the increasing light.“ (Counsels to Writers and Editors, p.33)

Let us compare with brother S approach to study. First,  the reason the study took 3 hours was because he was asking some really good and pondering questions. Unlike brother F, he was searching instead of telling. Our study was about the church purification, backed up by 24 references shown by the Spirit of Prophecy.

As we progressed I started to see that his view of purification was in need of realignment. In other words, just like many within our SDA church he saw this purifying process of us as members drawing closer to God and doing more reform in the future. I countered that God has given the SDA church about 171 years to “get it together”. He cannot continue on and on, for it would probably be eons of years if and when we ever have meaningful reforms in our church. The word says that He will take the reins into His own hands (Testimonies to Ministers, p.300).

Our study was very satisfying as he made me think and I made him think. But I was heartened because by his questions I could see that his goal was knowing the truth not protecting lessons or ideas he could not rethink.

You see brethren our King who knows all, knew that we would , for the most part, reject His final message of Elijah. Therefore He warned us to get rid of our stuck in the mud know it all attitude and accept His new truths He would send via His messengers.

If someone comes to me and says, “hey Rob, I found this great new truth from Scripture.” I want to see it and apply the Lord’s remedy to see if it’s really true.

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:20) 

I check first if the person who is telling me this 1) believes and keeps our Lord’s holy 10 Commandments (checking his fruits) 2) The “truth” they have discovered is not counter to what the prophets teach (and that includes His last Elijah prophet–who “restores all things”.) If these two important tests are passed then I praise the Lord for truth revealed to my brother or sister. But this concerns Bible nuggets of truth not Bible prophecy. Prophecy is not given to any “man” only to His prophets.

“Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7)

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” (2 Peter 1:20)

How important that we be ready for “fresh truth”?

“Ever have your ears open to any claimant of Inspiration if you are not to repeat the history of the Jews. God will not let you be deceived if you really hunger and thirst after righteousness, if you really want to know the Truth, for He is anxious that you keep up with His progressively revealed Truth. There is therefore no danger for one to be deceived by coming in contact with error, but there is a great danger for staying in darkness by not coming in contact with fresh Truth.” (TG, vol. 1, no.12, p.18

In closing, let us get away from our “rich and increased with goods” mentality and heed the message of the hour —

 “A new day is dawning on us, Brother, Sister.  And now, rather than imagining that we are rich and increased with goods, in need of nothing, we see ourselves in need of everything.  Shall we not accept these riches (Truth) that are tried in the fire, and these garments of righteousness by which to cover our nakedness? 

Shall we not anoint our eyes with this fresh golden oil of Truth that we may see and know the way, that we may reach “the door” on time?  There is no reason for staying wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.  The Lord is waiting at the door of our hearts.  He is anxious to pour out a blessing, to fill the cup to overflowing.” (TG, vol. 1, no. 25, p.12-13)

 

Posted in Present Truth, Proper teachings | 2 Comments »

Ultimate Goal for Seventh-day Adventists

November 28, 2015

144000

We as Seventh-day Adventists are just like the many other Christians in the world, we say “I want to be with Jesus, I want to be in heaven.” This is our true desire our hope in which we live. Yet, how few SDA truly know what the Lord requires of us to indeed –see Him. You see we are a peculiar people, a group of people of which has been shown great light. The Spirit of prophecy and the Lord’s Elijah message, we are ( or should be) privileged to know and follow.

In this post we will endeavor to learn more of the knowledge of the 144,000. Because we should be seekers of more truth, we must not neglect to improve our Scripture knowledge. In fact there are serious warnings if we become lazy or ignorant.

“Ignorance is a sin, when knowledge can be obtained. ” (HR, Sept. 1, 1866)

“If light and truth is within our reach, and we neglect to improve the privilege of hearing and seeing it, we virtually reject it; we are choosing darkness rather than light.” Great Controversy, pp. 595, 596, 597.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”(Hosea 4:6)

The Christian world claims to know Christ through the Bible, yet they don’t have that illumination that the Bible foretold would come (Mal. 4:5 and Rev. 19:10). We as SDA and DSDA have no excuse , we  can have it  IF we seriously want it.

Last week we spoke of the current dire situation unfolding in the world. But those who are serious in their walk with the Lord, those who have accepted the Lord’s final message of Elijah, really do not fear. No, not in the least! They are secure and prepared. The Scriptures are illuminated to them and they rejoice that the Lord has dealt bountifully with them by “guiding them into all truth” (John 16:13).

Let us now look at our ultimate goal, our ultimate passion for our existence today. To be among the 144,000 and stand with Jesus in the Kingdom.

We have posted several posts on this subject but we’d like to delve into it more because the time truly is so close at hand of the disclosure of God’s elect.

God started our church under the leadership of a woman named Ellen Gould Harmon, later to be Ellen G. White. Her very first vision from God is our subject–the 144,000. This is telling. God was to get our church off on the right step, the most important topic for us today. It’s amazing how God often does things in a circle. He began our church with the knowledge of the 144,000 and His word says he’ll end our SDA church with the knowledge (disclosure) of the 144,000.

To begin with, both Ellen White (Spirit of Prophecy)  and Victor Houteff (The Lord’s Elijah message) began their ministry by announcing their calling in discussing the 144,000. EGW , as mentioned had that first vision , which can be read in Early Writings, p.13-20. Brother Houteff had his first publication , The Shepherd’s Rod, volume 1, preface with this announcement–

“THIS publication contains only one main subject with a double lesson; namely the 144,000, and a call for reformation.”

So if we are truly focused on being a part of that group we then are truly obedient to God’s word–

“Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand. And let us do all that we can to help others to gain heaven.”(Review and Herald, March 9, 1905)

Ok now that we know what our goal should be, let us look at what the 144,000 will be like. Be prepared to see some eye-opening things , God holds back nothing in His granting them a work to do!

We know that the world is going crazy and evil is on the loose throughout the world. The winds are breaking through the cracks of the Angel’s corners. But who will the Lord use to confront them head on and utterly defeat them at every turn? Yes, the 144,000.

The 144,000 will–

1.In the Name of the Lord , defeat all enemies who arise against them and not be hurt.

“The 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious star containing Jesus’ new name. At our happy, holy state the wicked were enraged, and would rush violently up to lay hands on us to thrust us into prison, when we would stretch forth the hand in the name of the Lord, and they would fall helpless to the ground.” (Early Writings, p.15)

“…the swords that were raised to kill God’s people broke and fell  as powerless as a straw..” (Early Writings, p.285)

“And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” (Isaiah 52:12)

“In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.”(Zech. 12:6)

“Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.”(Joel 2:8)

2. Be saviors.

“And saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.” (Obadiah 1:21)

Isa. 49:6 — “And He said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth.”

   This scripture had as its type the time when the Apostles were finally instructed to preach the gospel to Gentiles as well as to the Jews.  Now to raise up the tribes of Jacob, is first to raise up the first fruits, 144,000 — 12,000 out of each tribe of Israel (Rev. 7:3).  Moreover, to be a light and salvation to the ends of the earth, means that these latter-day servants of God are to finish the gospel work, are to preach the gospel of the Kingdom in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and thus bring the end (Matt. 24:14).

It is our privilege, therefore, not only to bring the light of God to the Denomination where the “first-fruits” (the 144,000 — Rev. 14:4) of the great spiritual harvest are, but even to bring the same light to the second fruits, to the great multitude that are gathered out of all nations, a multitude which no man can number (Rev. 7:9). (Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 46, p.5-6)             

3. Be God’s army.

“Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid; I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers.”(Jerimiah 51:20-23)

“They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course.”(Joel 2:7)

“And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” (Joel 2:11)

4. Stand with Jesus in the Holy land.

“Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.”(Rev. 14:1)

“The first fruits stand with the Lamb, safe on Mt. Zion (in the Kingdom).” (Answerer, vol. 2, Question- 37)

“..John’s vision of the 144,000 as they stood on Mount Zion with the Lamb, is an incident after this special company of saints had been sealed, and some time before the close of probation.  The sealing of the 144,000 is at the closing of the judgment of the dead, and at the beginning of the judgment of the living.  Therefore, they have a great duty to perform upon the earth in connection with the judgment.  Their service was typified by ancient Israel when they were obliged to possess the Promised Land.”(SRod, vol. p.171)

5. Proclaim the Loud Cry with God’s power.

“..and with power they sounded abroad the third message. I saw that this message will close with power and strength far exceeding the midnight cry. Servants of God, endowed with power from on high with their faces lighted up, and shining with holy consecration, went forth to proclaim the message from heaven.” (Early Writings, p.278-279)

6.Will be servants for God’s miracle power.

“Mighty miracles were wrought, the sick were healed, and signs and wonders followed the believers. God was in the work, and every saint, fearless of consequences, followed the convictions of his own conscience and united with those who were keeping all the commandments of God;” (Early Writings, p.278) and with power they sounded abroad the third message. I saw that this message will close with power and strength far exceeding the midnight cry. Servants of God, endowed with power from on high with their faces lighted up, and shining with holy consecration, went forth to proclaim the message from heaven. (Early Writings, p.278-279)

7. Sing a new song of a unique experience.

“And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.” (Rev.14:3-4)

8. Be protected at all times.

“In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.  And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” (Zech. 12:8)

Zech. 12:8 — “In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.”

   “Besides giving us the assurance that the Lord shall defend His people, Inspiration likens them unto David and unto God.  Even the feeble ones “shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God,” “as the angel of the Lord before them.”  What a great and wonderful statement!  What a privilege to be likened unto God Himself!” (TG, vol. 1 no.9, p.6-7)

“And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. (Zech 2:3-5)

9. Be the Lord’s “arm”.

“Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?  Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?”

   If His people were not asleep, then what need would there be for calling them to awaken?  We are glad that God Himself is arousing us and plainly telling us that as our forefathers did great things, we, too, as the Lord’s “arm,” can and shall do even greater things than they.” (Timely Greetings, vol.1, no. 37, p.15-16)

10. Kings and Priests in the New earth.

“In Volume 5, pages 475-6, speaking of the 144,000, we read: “They are to be as kings and priests unto God….’These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth’.”  Therefore, the 144,000 are priests, and Christ the High Priest, (and King). 

It may be said that when probation closes Christ takes off His priestly garments, and is Priest no longer, but there need be no confusion in this, for we read in Isa. 66:22, 23: “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.  And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me saith the Lord.” Thus we see that there is to be a system of worship in the new heaven and earth which will require Priests and Levites. (SRod, vol. 1, p.39-40)

In closing, isn’t this the greatest opportunity before us? To be born today (of all times in history) and have this opportunity before us? To be among those God will use to finish His work? The above is only a partial list of the work God will place upon His elect.

My beloved, please make a covenant today with God , that you will– “strive will all power God has given us to be among the hundred and forty four thousand.” This number has not been filled yet, unbelievable as it sounds, you and I still have a chance–IF we want it bad enough.

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13)

Note: For approximately the last year in our posts the following color code is used  Orange=  the Lord speaking Blue= Scripture or SOP Brown= Lord’s Elijah message brought by Victor Houteff. As not to get too confusing, if Scripture or SOP are quoted by brother Houteff we still keep it brown.

Posted in The Loud Cry, Who are the 144K? | 2 Comments »

World Madness

November 21, 2015

Paris killings

Recently the world learned the latest world madness–the Paris shootings. It seems almost every week there is a new disaster, a new mass killing. What is happening?

The Word says-

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity, sea roaring and surge rolling, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”(Luke 21:25-26)

Who can deny that today, right now, many are very fearful of the things coming? The spiraling out of control is part of the great plan, part of God’s allowing things to take place to awake the world of its utter need of the One who alone can sit upon the throne and make peace upon the world.

As many of you are aware we here at Godsloveandlaw have primarily posted exclusively on the message of Christ, but this week we’d like to discuss some world events and politics because this formation now taking place is helpful and enlightening to know, to prepare us to see how prophetic events are unfolding.

Many of us here in America, think that the current situation in Syria is the following the script below.

USA is and has been actively trying to “destroy” the evil ISIS terror organization. Yet it is well documented that for over a year our bombing in this region has produced a stronger ISIS! So what gives?

This author has delved into this situation and found some strange and amazing current political and world-wide gamesmanship at work. Let me begin by saying that our mass media is not our friend. It is controlled by the elite of the world , the relatively few who control the world’s money supply  and war machines (which even control terrorists). Some say the Bilderberg group, some say the Rothchild empire, some say the Roman influence with the Jesuits and Illuminati as their warriors. Most likely it is a combination of all these.

As such we, as a whole swallow what we read in the elite controlled media hook, line, and sinker for the most part. The general masses are told something and they believe it. The relatively few look deeper. This brings me to the point of –balance. If we cannot really trust our media then what are we to do? Go to the alternative source out there today. That source is called RT Today. A global news source that is, as the Fox news motto says –fair and balanced.

If you aren’t aware this is the “Russia Today” network. Their link https://www.rt.com/. What I believe is happening is that our real friends are not our enemies as many think. Yes, we are brought this line that Russia wants to “control” the world and therefore has seized Crimea, caused disruption in Ukraine, and now has inserted itself into Syria. The propaganda is that Russians are the evil empire. Not at all true!

We as present truth believers know that the last world war will be fought over the Holy land, Israel. In 1948 the “Jews” gathered together to form their own homeland.  They may or may not be true Israelites from ancient times. We know that they are , for the most part, unbelievers in Christ. The Word began to be fulfilled–

“Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; Before the decree takes effect– The day passes like the chaff– Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, Before the day of the LORD’S anger comes upon you. Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’S anger.”(Zeph. 2:1-3)

The Lord’s hand is working in all this as we speak. Russia has inserted itself into Syria because they know that the elite are planning to take over the world for a one world government. They rightfully have come to the aid of the Syria government because , just as Libya, Iraq and Egypt before, a sovereign power was toppled by the elite in the guise of “freedom and justice for all”. And yes the protesters and terrorists were the means of choice. Yet look at the mess in those countries. Much worse than before they were toppled. Killings and chaos abound.

Further Russia did not come into Syria by force, like USA and other coalition countries have , but were invited in by the  Syria government.  Russia has continually stressed this in the RT media reports.

The elite had built up a sort of momentum, until they came into Ukraine. There they found out that Russia , the big bear as it is known, was awoke to  what was going on.

So now Russia has found itself in the middle of the hot action in the middle east. Before it was on the sidelines as the elite conquered Libya, Iraq and Egypt. Now it has said “No” to the elites and their conquering war machines. This is the beginning of the steps up to the gigantic war. Russia, USA and NATO now have armory in or near this region.

Israel is feeling it’s back to the wall as it perceives USA and even Russia backing it’s arch enemy-Iran.

So what do we see as forming?  The sides are shaping up. Russia and China, Iran and Syria with possibly India against USA, England, Germany, France, and Australia, Saudi Arabia and maybe Canada as well.  Israel of course sides with the west, yet they have shown lately they don’t trust anyone except their own power. And they do have the nuclear warheads and much armory.

All this gamesmanship will come to a close shortly as we know Scripture has the final say. Once the bombs fly in Israel we are then to know that the church judgment has arrived–

“..while the powers of the earth are engulfed in a gigantic war, the wicked in the church shall be cut off, no more to pass through her.” (Tract 14, p.22)

After this church judgment , God’s power is finally loosed upon His servants and this causes a shift in the world’s priorities. Religion is the foremost topic of all the world and press. The world-wide protestant religions are exposed as lying prophesiers. For they have continually proclaimed that “God will protect Israel” and when the world sees Israel is utter desolation they will be seen as false prophesiers. They will be dumbfounded as to what happened.

But the small group from the SDA church known as Davidian Seventh-day Adventists will arouse the world for their prophesies are the only ones to be found as Truth to the letter. YouTube videos that proclaimed the events will be seen. Tracts that proclaimed the events will be seen. CD’s and DVD’s that proclaimed the events will be seen. This no doubt will awake the Truth seekers and the last Gospel proclamation will begin, it is the –Loud Cry.

Now that we know the background leading up to this war, let us read about the four winds (religious trouble and persecution).

“And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.  And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” Rev. 7:2-4.

From the implication that “the four winds” are to blow and the four angels are to hurt as soon as the servants of God are sealed is seen looming the “time of trouble” such as never was (Dan. 12:1).

 

   Moving from the four corners of the compass, the winds must represent a worldwide disturbance of some kind.  Very obvious it is, too, that their blowing and the angels’ hurting, represent two armies in conflict.  The wind’s blowing is, of course, the anger of the nations against the saints; and the angels’ hurting is doubtless  the Lord’s judgment falling upon His enemies.  In other words, the angels and the winds together represent a trouble between God and the nations involving both saints and sinners.  Indeed, it is the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

   The difference between the “great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world” (Matt. 24:21), and the “time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation” (Dan. 12:1), is that during the “great tribulation” the saints are slain (Matt. 24:21, 22), whereas during the “time of trouble” they are delivered (Dan. 12:1).

   That the angels’ holding the winds does not denote their restraining the nations from warring among themselves, is made clear by the fact that the winds were not held from clashing wind against wind (nation against nation), but rather from hurting the earth, the sea, and the trees. 

Moreover, that the nations from the north and from the south, from the east and from the west were engaged in World War I, and also in World War II, although the 144,000 are not yet sealed, is another irrefutable evidence that the trouble which is forecast by the winds’ blowing and the angels’ hurting, is yet future.  That it is a global disturbance, is again seen in the fact that the winds on the one hand, and the angels on the other hand, are to trouble both earth and sea.

It being a foregone conclusion that Satan is against the saints, and that the Lord is against the truth-hating and evil-doing multitude, the  subject becomes crystal clear: When let loose, the winds are to strike against the faithful “remnant,” against those who are left after the earth has opened her mouth and swallowed up “the flood,” the “tares” (Rev. 12:16, 17); but the angels who are stationed to hurt, are  to smite those who make war against the remnant. 

Those whose names are found in the book, are “delivered.” Dan. 12:1.  Seeing that the 144,000, the servants of God, are not as yet sealed (not yet enclosed, protected, guarded, and ready to take their stand with the Lamb on Mt. Sion, but rather are still commingled with the tares) the angels are commanded to forestall the clash.

   Consequently, when this sealing work is completed, then the angels who hold the winds, will let the winds blow, and the angels who are to hurt the earth, sea, and trees, will then commence their given work.

Otherwise stated, to let the winds blow, is to permit the two-horn beast to decree “that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” (Rev. 13:15); and to let the angels hurt, is to allow the Lord’s decree to take its course: “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.” Rev. 14:9, 10.  This warning is followed by the forecast:

“The four angels were loosed, which were prepared  for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.” Rev. 9:15.

   Both decrees will be in force after the 144,000 are sealed. (Tract 15, p.58-62)

“..I do know that the greatest of all wars is to be fought about the holy land; “Behold,” says the Lord, “the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.  For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.” Zechariah 14:1, 2. (Timely Greetings (sermon), vol. 2, no.41, p.18)

Let us close with the message’s prophetic words made in 1951 that are being fulfilled today.

“Just look at the brute, predatory forces loose and lurking everywhere, and causing the whole earth to erupt with violence, tumult and terror. Verily, they are making “men’s hearts [to fail] them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth….” Luke 21:26. Will not all Christians everywhere be aroused by these things to “put on the whole armour of God” and to “take…the sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:11, 17) while following the Lord as He leads ahead?  If not, then certain it is that the Church and the World as well are hopelessly doomed.

To be sure, though, the few who do arouse to make the total surrender which the hour demands, God will save from, the conflagration to come.” (The White-House Recruiter  p.9)

Posted in End times, Final Events | 2 Comments »

Sabbath Business Meetings?

November 14, 2015

Meeting- church members

On any given Sabbath, we could be observing a gathering like pictured above. It would be a –Sabbath church council meeting. Many members of the church gather together to discuss topics such as, bill paying, allocating funds for church business/activities, current and future projects and/or the financial requirements, etc.

But as anything we do, we should follow the Lord’s word in our actions. What does Inspiration tell us about this all too common practice among us as Seventh-day Adventists? Let us look at the “Thus sayeth the Lord.”

As we are well aware, being SDA, our hallmark sign is our obedience to the Lord’s 4th Commandment. We understand this to be absolutely crucial in our Christian walk with the Lord. No one can dispute this. But it seems there are two camps today in our church. One, the people who seem to think a “general” observance is required, i.e show up to church, do the service, continue the rest of the day doing more or less your own thing albeit in a religious cloak. They shun the obvious such as working in secular work, buying and selling, worldly activities like movies, TV shows , music, etc.

Then we have the other camp. While observing the above as well, they make it more of a serious observance. Not that they are being Pharisaic, rather the Lord’s honor is a prime concern for them. The “Thus sayeth the Lord” is their guideline. Observance even in the fine points matters to them.

A fine point, or maybe we should say a main point would be a Sabbath council member meeting. Would this issue be a concern to the Lord? Let’s see.

Before we begin let’s look at some foundation quotes concerning the Sabbath–

“Those who wish to be blest and approved of the Lord in this world, and who expect to finally be saved, and have right to the tree of life, must keep the Sabbath holy. They should pray daily for grace and wisdom to keep from polluting it in any way. Isaiah says: “Every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; even them will I bring to my holy mountain.”(The Youth’s Instructor, Feb. 1, 1853)

“There is need of a Sabbath reform among us, who profess to observe God’s holy rest-day. Some discuss their business matters and lay plans on the Sabbath, and God looks upon this in the same light as though they engaged in the actual transaction of business.” (Review and Herald, March 18, 1884)

“Any work that is neglected until the commencement of holy time, should remain undone until the Sabbath is past. This course might help the memory of these thoughtless ones, and make them more careful to do their own work on the six working days.” (Signs of the Times, Feb. 7, 1911)

“There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.” (Lev. 23:3)

In 1912 W.C. White (EGW’s son) answered a letter concerning what EGW wrote concerning the offering and purchasing of periodicals and subscriptions ( even religious) during Sabbath. She was 84 at the time and had limited time/energy to respond to all the requests that came in.

He wrote, “The question of proper Sabbath observance is one about which Mother has often spoken. She has often  appealed to our people to make the Sabbath a day of worship, devotion, and communion with God, and to sacredly guard it from secular business.” (Source–ellenwhite.org)

But some may say, “That is talking about regular working business in the world not church business.” This is a classic example of why the Lord needed to send a “restorer of all things”. Our all-seeing King knew that this issue should be clarified and thus we should have no confusion and then without excuse as to which way is the right course here.

So with this understanding let us look at the Lord’s Elijah message for the restoring word on this issue.

“Turning back to Isaiah 58, verse 13, tells the kind of fast this is. “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words.”

Therefore, the fast mentioned here is not a fasting of food, but of pleasure, labor and our own ways and thoughts, and that we must honor God and keep His Sabbath holy. The charge is, that we exact all our labor on the Sabbath day. As a people we have forgotten the true meaning of Sabbath keeping. We have come to suppose that anything which pertains more or less to religion is permissible on God’s holy day. It is said, It is the Lord’s work.

But God has never said anywhere in the Scriptures that His people are at liberty to do all manners of work (that pertain to religion) on the Sabbath day. Work which can be done on a day other than the Sabbath is not a work for the Sabbath. “Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: In it thou shalt not do any work.”

        Note the way the commandment reads: “Any work.” God does not mean that we can do our work in the six days, and His on the Sabbath. He says it is a day of rest: Not physical, but spiritual rest. For instance, it would be wrong for one to sell good religious books on the Sabbath, even if he turned all the proceeds to the church.

It would be wrong for a surgeon to perform surgical operations on patients on the Sabbath day if it can be done at another time. It would be wrong for a nurse to give treatments to patients on the Sabbath day if it was not absolutely necessary. Read Volume 7, page 106.

It would be wrong for a church council to meet on the Sabbath and discuss church business, or make plans of any kind. It would be wrong for a Sabbath keeper to load himself with evangelical announcements for a series of meetings, and distribute them from house to house on the Sabbath day. All this manner of work could be done on a day other than the Sabbath.

When we do this kind of work on the Sabbath, we do it to save ourselves an hour or so of time for the next day, thus we rob God of His time and add it to our secular pleasure. If it is wrong for one to go and sell good religious books on the Sabbath, though he turns all the proceeds to the Church, it would be doubly wrong to sell that same book in the house of God on the Sabbath day, regardless of what is done with the income.

If all of this is true, then it would be wrong to go out with Harvest Ingathering papers and receive contributions for missions on the Sabbath. It is time for God to call our attention to these things. (SRod, vol. 1, p.148-149)

Let our hearts rejoice as we see that the Lord makes this issue very clear as to leave no excuse. A Sabbath business meeting is a human convenience cloaked in the name of religion! Let us not fall for this Satan trap. It’s not real hard to figure out by human standards. We have all the members there during Sabbath, why not have the meeting then and save our precious leisure time later? Our conveniences over the Lord’s word–a recipe for disaster!

We can arrange a weekly evening gathering and do all the business we want, and thus please the Lord and more blessings shall flow.

As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and blessed are the breasts that nursed You.” But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Luke 11:27-28)

Here is an example of a church posting that would glorify God-

Chruch council meeting

This could be posted in our Sabbath bulletins to remind our members that we can make time to do business that does not pollute our King’s holy day.

“Arise against the abominations and now take your stand with this revival and reformation (“Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 126), called forth by the True Witness to the Laodiceans (“Testimonies,” Vol. 3, pp. 252, 253). Read “Testimonies,” Vol. 3, pp. 266, 267; Ezekiel 9.” (Jezreel Letter, no. 7, p.9) 

We as present truth believers know that we must “sigh and cry” for all the abominations that be done in the church (Testimonies vol. 3, p.267), in order to get the seal of God in our forehead. And as this sin of working on His Sabbath has been seen as wrong in God’s word, let us turn from this practice and do the right thing here.

The word says–

“..we should pray that we judge not others; that we as a church deal only with open sins. (Timely Greetings, vol. 2, no.38, p.2)

This business gathering is open and thus we must deal with it openly. Lest we be looked at from God’s view as contributors to breaking His holy Sabbath.

We should never forget that Inspiration says that ONLY those who sigh and cry for the all the abominations done in the church (Testimonies, vol. 3, p.267 and Testimonies, vol. p.212) will receive the seal of God. Should we gamble our eternal life by presumptuously assuming that Sabbath business meetings are not an abomination? That’s an eternal gamble we cannot afford to take!

Can we image the Lord saying , “My Son/Daughter shame on you for fearing me and avoiding Sabbath council meetings.” Of course not. Rather we can walk in full faith that we stand on solid God breathed words when we take His word literally and obediently.

In closing we are in the time of the end and the Lord’s angel with the writers inkhorn is doing the all important marking of those who fear the Lord. If we error in anything let us error in fearful obedience rather than careless presumptuousness.

“Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.” (Psalms 128:1)

Posted in Church | 20 Comments »

Reformation at the Door

November 7, 2015

Reform at the door

As we look at the above, let us image that this man wants to see Donald Trump or maybe the office of Bill Gates. Their secretary must screen them, see how they are and do an inspection of sorts. If they are well-mannered and well dressed, after being screened as to who they are,  they can usually get the ok to go in. But if they are sloppy and dirty or not dressed well chances are they are refused entrance.

What about our church? What about the “house of God”? Should the standards be high as well? The word says-

“Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.” (Ezekiel 5:11)

Here we see that defilement of His “sanctuary” , His house, causes our Lord to “diminish thee”. Or to put another way “sprue” them out of His mouth (Rev. 3:16).

So what are we saying here? What we are saying is that today, right now, there is a work to be done and that work is NOT to bring more and more unconverted into His church. Reformation among us as Seventh -day Adventists, should be our main objective right now. How do we know this? Both of His last messengers say so.

We need to get real. Let us stop thinking of the Lord God as –Jolly Ol Saint Nick.  “Ho Ho Ho, my little children, come into my house, abominations and all, I’m so happy to see you.” No! Our Lord is holy, HE IS GOD.

Let us begin with the Spirit of Prophecy.

“Only when the Church is composed of pure, unselfish members, can it fulfill God’s purpose. Too much hasty work is done in adding names to the church roll. Serious defects are seen in the characters of some who join the church. Those who admit them say, We will first get them into the church, and then reform them. But this is a mistake. The very first work to be done is the work of reform. Pray with them, talk with them, but do not allow them to unite with God’s people in church relationship until they give decided evidence that the Spirit of God is working on their hearts. 

Many of those whose names are registered on the church books are not Christians. They have not a genuine experience. If they were copying their Pattern, they would pray more and quarrel less. They would strive to be laborers together with God. Their sincere faith in Christ would lead to entire dependence on Him and perfect co-operation with Him.” (RH May 21, 1901)

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

There is no doubt that those who do not know the Lord’s last message of Elijah (which are legion in our church) will say “What?? What are you talking about? Don’t work to bring others into our church??”

I admit that I too once thought this. When I first came into the Elijah message this part of the message was so foreign to me that I felt it almost strange, or put another way–not quite right. Yet it was “my thinking, my ideas” that I was relying on, not God’s word as spoken by His prophet and prophetess.

I led our church to design and install a large Billboard in our city, trying to win new people into our churches! It was our billboard idea and soon Amazing Facts was writing an article about it in their quarterly magazine. I was zealous for what I thought was the right thing to do. Yet the Lord was guiding and soon I walked up that next step to light I never knew was there. “My” plans soon changed into God’s plan.

S7301355

We as SDA, and nearly all other denominations of Christianity, teach the formal doctrine of “bring em in, ask little or no in-depth questions,  baptize them as soon as they request it.”

To be clear we are not saying NO ONE should join the church. The message of Elijah is clear here.

“..if we truly understand the situation, and believe in faithfully executing our trust, we should be working for the sinners in Zion with such an  all-consuming burden that we would at present have neither time nor energy left to work for the  sinners in the world, save for such as those  represented by the “Syrophenician” woman (Mark 7:26).  Then we shall be doing our full part in the calling of the 144,000 to their task, and thus hastening  the time of the in gathering of the great multitude from the world–the day of the Loud Cry.” (Answerer, vol. 5, Q-129)

If God leads anyone into the Truth, then we should not discourage them. But as we saw from Inspiration, “The Lord does not now work to bring many souls into the truth.”

So we ask. Who is doing God’s work today, for HIM? Is it those who try to reach the heathen? Or is it those who try to save the ones who will be first to receive judgment (the SDA church)(1 Peter 4:17, Testimonies Vol. 5, p.211)? The world WILL be preached to, when the time comes and that, by the purified church the 144,000.

But this understanding certainly is not being followed except by the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists. Those who are following in the final light to His church through His pleading message of Elijah.

“God does not want to bring the heathen unconverted into the church for the slaughter of Ezekiel Nine, but He is exceedingly anxious to save the church: neither is He working “to bring many souls into the truth, because of the church-members who have never been converted….Would they not make of no effect the God-given message which His people are to bear?” — “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 6, p. 371.  (Symbolic Code, vol. 2 no.5-6, p.9)

Let me interject here and say this is SO TRUE. What happens when there comes an honest God loving -God fearing soul into the church and he or she sits down and quickly notices nightclub dressed up gals, complete with short skirts and high heels? Do we think he is comforted or sorrowful–think about it.

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

But in her present deplorable state of blindness and destitution as exposed by the True Witness (Rev. 3:14-18), she is utterly unfit for the task assigned her, and must be rescued from her sad deception before she can become a safe refuge and a saving influence to those who would join her ranks. Should God leave her in the Laodicean condition in which she now languishes, not only would she herself be lost but, in consequence, so also would the whole world along with her. He must therefore rouse her up or else raise up another to do the work which remains to be done.” (Answerer, vol. 2, Q-32)

I don’t know about you but after truly understanding this situation we should at once determine to go to work helping our own. We, not the world,  as Inspiration says is just about to be sprued out. Meetings should be set up,  present truth Bible studies given, sermons arranged, phone conferences engaged, etc. There is SO MUCH we should be doing to enlighten our church to God’s final message of reformation and revival.

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

For these reasons, God says now to work within the Laodicean congregation rather than without. And what He says, that He means, and we dare not disobey, regardless what men may say or do.”   (Answerer, vol. 2, Q-32)

“The mission to save the world cannot be more important than the mission to save the church. Enlarging the church membership under the now prevailing lukewarm Laodicean conditions could no more advance the Kingdom of Christ than could have been done under the condition in the Jewish church in the days of His first advent. Understanding the true situation in the church, John the Baptist and Christ Himself and even the apostles at first, engaged them selves to work, not for the world in general, but only in the interest of their brethren in the church.

As the same departure from Christ exists within the church now as it did then (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 217), it will take much greater effort to rescue the people from the Laodicean “sad deception” (Testimonies. Vol. 3, p. 253), than if they were in heathenism. For in Laodicea they are made to believe that they have all the truth there is to be had, that they are rich, increased with goods, and in need of nothing,—their salvation forever secured as long as they hold membership in the church. Hence there is greater risk of their losing their souls in the church while she is “lukewarm” and about to be spued out, than if they remain in the world until the church awakes from her slumber, and anoints herself with the eyesalve (Truth)—sees right, does right, and leads an. feeds the flock aright.

Let every honest member ask the question, If the church herself is not saved (Testimonies Vol. 3, p. 253), not following Christ her Leader (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 217) and “has become an harlot” (Testimonies, Vol. 8, p. 250), how can she save others? The greatest need therefore is first to save those in the church, then those in the world. The “special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people” (The Great Controversy, p. 425), “the closing work for the church, in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand (Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 266), must come first then is to follow the sealing of those in the world.” (Answerer, vol. 3, Q-67)

Right now we are perilously close to entering into either life everlasting or death everlasting.  The decision is ours. The course is laid out. Do we work within and follow the Lord through His messengers? Or do we follow our own path as Korah and his followers did? We must make a decision which will it be?

In closing what better and clearer word of God can we get than the following. Our prophetess gives us unmistakable instructions of why we are not to carelessly let people join  the church. As we have shown the Lord’s work is to do in- house work now. Why? because we are filled to the brim with unconverted among us. But should we find those who want to come into the truth , being led of God, then let us use the following example–

Examination of Candidates

“The test of discipleship is not brought to bear as closely as it should be upon those who present themselves for baptism. It should be understood whether they are simply taking the name of Seventh-day Adventists, or whether they are taking their stand on the Lord’s side, to come out from the world and be separate, and touch not the unclean thing. Before baptism there should be a thorough inquiry as to the experience of the candidates.

Let this inquiry be made, not in a cold and distant way, but kindly, tenderly, pointing the new converts to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Bring the requirements of the gospel to bear upon the candidates for baptism.

One of the points upon which those newly come to the faith will need instruction is the subject of dress. Let the new converts be faithfully dealt with. Are they vain in dress? Do they cherish pride of heart? The idolatry of dress is a moral disease. It must not be taken over into the new life. In most cases, submission to the gospel requirements will demand a decided change in the dress.

There should be no carelessness in dress. For Christ’s sake, whose witnesses we are, we should seek to make the best of our appearance. In the tabernacle service, God specified every detail concerning the garments of those who ministered before Him. Thus we are taught that He has a preference in regard to the dress of those who serve Him. Very specific were the directions given in regard to Aaron’s robes, for his dress was symbolic. So the dress of Christ’s followers should be symbolic.

In all things we are to be representatives of Him. Our appearance in every respect should be characterized by neatness, modesty, and purity. But the word of God gives no sanction to the making of changes in apparel merely for the sake of fashion, that we may appear like the world. Christians are not to decorate the person with costly array or expensive ornaments.” (Testimonies, vol. 6, p.95-96)

Posted in Church, Elijah Interpretations, Warning our brethren, Witnessing | Leave a Comment »

Rabbit Trails

October 31, 2015

Rabbit Trails

A while back I was speaking with a dear sister in the faith (we’ll call her sister V) , and we were talking about all the winds of doctrine flying around today. So many “rabbit trails” as she called it, of false ideas and deceptive paths, that there can only be one master planner behind all this–our arch-enemy– Satan.

“The enemy is preparing for his last campaign against the church. He has so concealed himself from view that many can hardly believe that he exists, much less can they be convinced of his amazing activity and power. They have to a great extent forgotten his past record; and when he makes another advance move, they will not recognize him as their enemy, that old serpent, but they will consider him a friend, one who is doing a good work.

Boasting of their independence they will, under his specious, bewitching influence, obey the worst impulses of the human heart and yet believe that God is leading them. Could their eyes be opened to distinguish their captain, they would see that they are not serving God, but the enemy of all righteousness. They would see that their boasted independence is one of the heaviest fetters Satan can rivet on unbalanced minds.

 .. Man is Satan’s captive and is naturally inclined to follow his suggestions and do his bidding. He has in himself no power to oppose effectual resistance to evil. It is only as Christ abides in him by living faith, influencing his desires and strengthening him with strength from above, that man may venture to face so terrible a foe.

Every other means of defense is utterly vain. It is only through Christ that Satan’s power is limited. This is a momentous truth that all should understand. Satan is busy every moment, going to and fro, walking up and down in the earth, seeking whom he may devour. But the earnest prayer of faith will baffle his strongest efforts. Then take “the shield of faith,” brethren, “wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” (Testimonies, vol.5, p.294)

Here we see that our enemy is “busy every moment” and seeks to “devour” us. And just how does he do this? Yes, rabbit trails are one of his most useful ploys! From the part-time believer to the advanced Elijah messenger, it’s makes no difference to him. If he can get us to go down one of his trails, he has us in his clutches. Let us look at two of Satan’s popular rabbit trails today.

Just recently, and the motivation for this post, a sister whom I had thought was learning the Lord final message of Elijah quite well emailed me with a curve ball (let’s call her sister C). She basically said that we must start obeying the Sabbath according to the Scriptural Sabbath and not according to the Roman calendar (our current calendar).

In other words we are not truly fulfilling God’s will because we are obeying the wrong day! As I read this my mind went back to what the aforementioned sister said –rabbit trails. I truly shook my head and said to myself “Satan! he is at it again!”

You see this sister has went on a few sites that are proclaiming this new idea of obeying a different Sabbath and has bought it hook line and sinker. But let us look at how people who take up these strange new ideas are setting themselves up for failure just as Korah and his men of renown did.

We as present truth believers know that the Lord had to keep His word and sent a “restorer” of all things prior to His coming–

“And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things..” (Matt. 17:11)

So logically if the Sabbath day (our current calendar of Saturday) is not correct and we should obey another day as the correct Sabbath, would not God have told His Elijah prophet to “restore” this? Absolutely. But did He?

WHICH IS THE SABBATH CALENDAR?

Question No. 242:

In keeping the Sabbath, are we to go by the present calendar?

Answer:

As the Sabbath is a weekly, not a monthly, holy day, and as only the seven-day cycle remains intact from creation, it is the only time cycle in modern use that can be followed in the observance of the Sabbath or of any other of the Bible weekly holy days.(Sym. Code, vol. 7, no.7-12, p.20)

Here we see that our seven-day cycle has not changed since creation. Further, the Jews of old (Moses’time) keep a certain 7th day religiously. They were consistent even to Christ’s time, and thereafter the Apostles and their followers as well. All the way down to our time. So we see that this rabbit trail really goes nowhere good!

You see brethren the message shows that this trick will lead all into “perdition”. This sister C has decided to travel this rabbit trail and when she does, her trail builder may get her to break the real 7th day, for a false 7th day.  Exactly what he hoped to do!

All the while she thinks she is enlightened just like Korah did. For he thought he was walking with God and did not have need of obeying God’s chosen prophet.

“Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?” (Numbers 16:1-3)

After reading the above, what makes us think we are any different from what Korah was? Can we tell God’s prophet that he missed something and we know better what to do? Is this not an insult to our ALL-SEEING AND KNOWING GOD?

Another rabbit trail is the issue of –calling God’s name properly. In other words some think they find out the”correct” way of calling Him, instead of saying “God” or even “Jesus”. When they find this out they then are led to believe that this issue is so important that if you do not address His name properly your salvation is in jeopardy.

The same friend, sister V, told me about a time recently where she was on a phone conference call with some present truth believers. She relayed that in the call a woman spoke up and said she has now learned God’s “real” name and that they all should learn it, and if they don’t she feels like she should not even speak to others who “degrade” His name!

Sister V was flabbergasted. This seemed like a Pharisee rule of long ago. Remember when they would actually measure the distance away from the synagogue and you could not walk one foot more than that to it?  Well this is about the same!

So again let us see what God’s restorer said about this. The following was so important an issue that the prophet spoke about it in a Tract called “God’s Titles Not Restricted To One Language.”

Question:

     ” Is it not a fact that the Bible translators changed the Creator’s original Hebrew names (Elohim, Jehovah, El, Elahh, Elowahh, Bethel, and Tsur) to the names of Baal (God, Lord, etc.)? And if the Creator’s names actually are Elohim, Yahovah, et al., and if God, Lord, etc., are the names of the pagan gods, why, then, do we call Him by the latter?

Answer:

      For the sake of correct and consistent understanding in referring to the words under discussion, we call the reader’s attention to the self-evident fact that the various Hebrew words termed by the questioner as “the Creator’s original names,” all being designative of some aspect or attribute of Divine nature or character, are therefore not names, but titles, of the Creator. Only the name Jehovah appears to be His Proper Name; therefore we shall herein treat it separately from the titles.” (Teact 11, p.2)

Idols, Named With The Divine Titles.

“Rather than give the idols names originated specifically for them, the makers honored them with the Divine titles in order to make it appear that the idols were the figures of God, a fabrication which is conclusively borne out by such manifest evidences as that the word, Elah, a Hebrew title of the Deity, is used by the Turks for the name of their god; that the word, Tsur, another Hebrew title of the Deity, is used by the Russo-Slavic peoples as the title of their kings; and that “Elohim is used in many cases of the gods of the heathen, who included in the same title the God of the Hebrews, and denoted generally the Deity when spoken of (sic) a supernatural being.” – Dictionary of the Bible, Smith, definition “Jehovah.”

      From these evidences, we see clearly that the names of the idols are, in fact, not the names of the idols, themselves, but the titles of God. Therefore, to restrict our address of Him to one language – the Hebrew – just because His titles in other tongues were once used in honor of idols, forces the conclusion that the idol-gods of the heathen have defeated God the Creator by robbing Him of His titles! What a forbidding thought!

      Hence, if we must attach more sacredness to letters expressing Deity in any one language more than in another, it should be Only In The Language of Eden, or In All Alike.

      If from the beginning till today “the whole earth was of one speech” (Gen. 11:1), and had the day never dawned when “the Lord did confound the language of all the earth” (Gen. 1 1 :9), then only could God’s worshipers address Him in the language of Eden. But in view of the fact that from that hour to this, diversity and confusion of tongues have been the linguistic lot of the human race, the Lord has never restricted His word to one universal medium of expression, but rather has accommodated it to all “the peoples and multitudes and nations, and tongues” of earth, thus accounting for The Different Titles of the Deity. “ (Tract 11, p.3-5)

Irreverently Using the Lord’s Proper Name.

      “If God’s proper name is Jehovah, then dare we His created beings, be so disrespectfully familiar as to address Him by His Proper Name, rather than by one of His titles, God, Lord, Father, Creator, Saviour, etc., when we would not think of indulging the less disrespectful familiarity of addressing our earthly parents by their given names – John, George, Bill, Dorothy, Ruth, Mary, etc., – in place of their parental titles Father and Mother?

Such irreverence practiced by the heathen might be excusable because of their ignorance, but practiced by enlightened Christians, who ought to know better, it is inexcusable. We may with reverence use the word,Jehovah, only if a heathen should ask us, Who is your God? Then we could with solemn propriety answer Jehovah, the only true and living God. Never, though, when addressing God, can we reverentially use His Proper Name.

As the God-fearing Jews anciently “regarded the Divine Name as too sacred for utterance,” so should enlightened Christians do today.

      However, the most ancient and hallowed Hebrew name for God was not only never commonly pronounced, but was even so-spelled, in an abbreviated form, that it could not be pronounced; so much so that the original pronunciation is not known. All we know for sure is the Consonant Form, Yhwh, Yvh, or Yhv.

      This abbreviated form of the name made it hard for the translators to spell out a pronounceable word. They, therefore, chose to supply what they thought were the missing vowels. The first syllabic term upon which there was general agreement was Jah. Other derivatives were supplied by different translators. Yahweh, Yahowah, or Yahovah were formulated to suit certain languages. The anglicized form evolved as Jehovah. Therefore, any improvised letters that go to make up the ineffable Name may not actually be the Hebrew word after all! (See Funk and Wagnall’s Standard Dictionary, definition “Jehovah.”)

      If the original-name theory had proved correct, there is in the way Nothing to Prevent the Change.

      As we want, more than anything else, to be right in all things, therefore were it a sin to address the Deity in any language other than the Hebrew, we would immediately and unhesitatingly change out verbal mode of addressing Him.

      But as the matter now stands, we are not only unable to share any enthusiasm concerning such an original-name theory, and to accord it any of the truth and worth that some would lead us to believe that it assumes, but also we are more than ever before persuaded not to address the Lord by His proper name. In fact, every wide-awake Christian who sincerely serves the Lord, must plainly see that to conform to such a theory, is to cause the saints to insult their Creator by addressing Him by His Proper Name instead of by His title, and also to suffer the baleful results of becoming enthusiasts over some theory so appealing as virtually to exclude those truths vital to their salvation. Let us therefore

Admit:

      These facts forever invalidate the movement that is now afoot to discard from the Christian use, the titles, God, Lord, Christ, etc.; for to give up addressing the Deity by the titles which He has originated in the various languages, would mean defeat for God, and victory for the idols! Such misguided movements should be A Lesson.” (Tract 11, p.9-12)

In closing we can see that we must very careful not to be led down one of Satan’s rabbit trails. They will lead to a place we don’t want to go.

Note: The color codes are as follows:  Orange is the Lord’s Words  Blue is the Scriptures and SOP brown is the Lord’s Elijah message as brought by Victor T. Houteff

Posted in Elijah Interpretations, Proper teachings | 12 Comments »

Voice Like A Trumpet

October 24, 2015

trumpet

“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)

The above word of God is too plain for us to misunderstand. This crying aloud has been a Biblical trait from the people of God since ancient times. The prophet Amos knew all too well that this crying out the straight forward warning is not readily accepted by many, and often by those today who proclaim themselves as Christians, even some advanced Elijah messengers. But why is this faithful act so often misunderstood? Let’s take an in depth look at it.

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

We as Seventh-day Adventists  hardly ever see or hear of someone warning others in a straight forward way, just as they did back in Amos’ day.

A little history of what “rebuking in the gate” was,  from Biblehub. com–

“The gate” is the well-known place of concourse, where just or, in Israel now, unjust judgment was given, where all was done which was to be done publicly . Samaria had a large area by its chief gate, where two kings could hold court, and the 400 false prophets and the people, in great numbers, could gather and a market could be held . Josiah broke down an idol-shrine, which was in one of the gates of Jerusalem. The prophets seized the opportunity of finding the people together, and preached to them there.

So it was even in the days of Solomon. “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets; she crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates, in the city she uttereth her words, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?…” and again, “She standeth in the top of high places, by the way, in the meeting of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors; Unto you, O men, I call, “Pro 8:2-4.

Jeremiah mentions two occasions, upon which God bade him reprove the king and people in the gates of Jerusalem . There doubtless Amos and Hosea reproved them, and, for reproving, were “hated.” As Isaiah says, “they lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate”. They sinned publicly, and therefore they were to be rebuked publicly. They sinned “in the gate” by injustice and oppression, and therefore were to be “rebuked before all, that others also might fear”. 

We can gleam much from the above short synopsis. We see that the prophets found gatherings as an opportune place to rebuke “open sin” and to place warning in front of all, that the honest and God-fearing among them may be set straight, hopefully repenting. Their conscience needed to be aroused.

A while back a fellow present truth believer said to me ” our people are in a coma”. I could not have said it better. So I thought, “how can they be awakened?” One of the ways is the straight testimony from the pulpit. But how often do we see that? Not frequent.

Let me tell you of another way, a way that hearkens back to the “old days”, a way that clearly shows the rebukers lifting their voice “like a trumpet” at the “gate”, a place where the people of God gather.

Her name is sister Patricia. Her and her two children have a ministry where they travel to different SDA churches around the country and world. They bring with them Tracts, CD’s and DVD’s. They also carry signs of warning. For instance , during Christmas, they may have signs warning against the pagan practice of Christmas.

Recently they traveled to Michigan to Doug Batchelor’s seminar at a church in Lansing. I had been in contact with her prior to the event and she let me know she would look into it and possibly make the trip (she’s from Michigan). So they soon went to the event.

The first night they were able to get inside and see Doug speak. But as present truth believers , their love for souls just could not sit back and “enjoy” a seminar of basically peace and safety. As we are surely aware, the Lord through His prophecies show that the Lord “will suddenly come to His temple.”(Mal. 3:1). There is warning message now to be given.

“Our message must be as direct as was that of John. He rebuked kings for their iniquity. Notwithstanding the peril his life was in, he never allowed truth to languish on his lips. Our work in this age must be as faithfully done..” (Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p.1184) 

“Our message is not to be one of peace and safety. As a people who believe in Christ’s soon appearing, we have a definite message to bear,—“Prepare to meet thy God.” (BC, vol. 4, p.1184)

With the next event, the solemn church judgment about to take place, we have no time to be whistling Dixie while the iceberg is straight ahead! So they decided to do what they call a “siege”. This is their act of love, their way of arousing the conscience of the “sinners in Zion.”

They follow Inspired counsel–

“Christ’s ambassadors have nothing to do with consequences. They must perform their duty and leave the results to God.” (GC, p.609-610)

During their last siege, their signs included “S.D.A Does Abortions Just Like Planned Parenthood” and  “We Love You”. They recorded it and later placed it on their YouTube channel for wider distribution.

The Spirit of Prophecy confirms their approach–

“The true people of God, who have the spirit of the work of the Lord and the salvation of souls at heart, will ever view sin in its real, sinful character. They will always be on the side of faithful and plain dealing with sins which easily beset the people of God. Especially in the closing work for the church, in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand who are to stand without fault before the throne of God, will they feel most deeply the wrongs of God’s professed people.”(Testimonies, vol. 3, p.266)

“In the case of Achan’s sin God said to Joshua: “Neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.” How does this instance compare with the course pursued by those who will not raise their voice against sin and wrong, but whose sympathies are ever found with those who trouble the camp of Israel with their sins? Said God to Joshua: “Thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.” He pronounced the punishment which would follow the transgression of His covenant.” (Testimonies, vol. 3, p.267-268)

“Some will not receive the testimony that God has given us to bear, flattering themselves that we may be deceived and that they may be right. They think that the people of God are not in need of plain dealing and of reproof, but that God is with them. These tempted ones, whose souls have ever been at war with the faithful reproving of sin, would cry: Speak unto us smooth things. What disposition will these make of the message of the True Witness to the Laodiceans? There can be no deception here. This message must be borne to a lukewarm church by God’s servants. It must arouse His people from their security and dangerous deception in regard to their real standing before God.” (Testimonies, vol. 3, p.259)

“Satan trembles when the voice of God speaks through his instruments, giving cautions and warnings, and rebuking sin.” (RH, June 20, 1882)

The Lord’s last message of Elijah says this about our issue-

“Speaking of those who indulge in criticizing those who reprove at the gate, we read: “They will question and criticize everything that arises in the unfolding of truth, criticize the work and position of others, criticize every branch of the work in which they have not themselves a part. They will feed upon the errors and mistakes and faults of others, ‘until,’ said the angel, ‘the Lord Jesus shall rise up from His mediatorial work in the heavenly sanctuary, and shall clothe Himself with the garments of vengeance, and surprise them at their unholy feast; and they will find themselves unprepared for the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ Their taste has been so perverted that they would be inclined to criticize even the table of the Lord in His kingdom.” — “Testimonies for the Church.” Vol. 5, p. 690. (Sym. Code, vol. 1, no.15, p.4-5)

The Scriptures point to the people of God each having a specific duty to perform.

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free–and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 

And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. Now the eye is not able to say to the hand, “I have no need of you.” Or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” But much rather, those members of the body seeming to be weaker are necessary, and the parts we consider less honorable, we treat with greater honor.

And our un-presentable parts are treated with special modesty, whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God has composed the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, that there should be no division in the body, but the members should have the same concern for one another.

And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.” (1 Cor. 12:13- 27)

So we see that all of us , who proclaim to know Jesus and desire to work for Him and His kingdom, must respect what God has called another to do. We all cannot be the “hand”. Likewise we all cannot do the type of work sister Patricia and her family are called to do. But we do not call it wrong or misplaced work, because it is God’s work from long ago. His true “rebuking at the gate” work!

Some may ask–What motivates people to do this straight forward work? Again Inspired counsel tells us-

“While others try to throw a cloak over the existing evil, and excuse the great wickedness everywhere prevalent, those who have a zeal for God’s honor and a love for souls will not hold their peace to obtain favor of any. Their righteous souls are vexed day by day with the unholy works and conversation of the unrighteous. They are powerless to stop the rushing torrent of iniquity, and hence they are filled with grief and alarm.

They mourn before God to see religion despised in the very homes of those who have had great light. They lament and afflict their souls because pride, avarice, selfishness, and deception of almost every kind are in the church. The Spirit of God, which prompts to reproof, is trampled underfoot, while the servants of Satan triumph. God is dishonored, the truth made of none effect.”(Testimonies, vol. 5, p.210-211)

In closing, the Scriptures tell us that we all have our work to do. Some work successfully from within some from without. Some, as sister Patricia and her ministry attests, are called to do the reproving at the gate. Let us pray for and support people like them that do a work that requires courage and fortitude to –

“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)

For their website-click here http://siegesda.wix.com/ministry

Posted in Courage, Sighing and Crying, Witnessing | 2 Comments »

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