Archives: Articles

IssueM Articles

Bible Study Guides – The Sinner’s Need of Christ

by

January 6 – 12, 2002

MEMORY VERSE: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

STUDY HELP: Steps to Christ, 17–22.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: “Christ connects fallen man in his weakness and helplessness with the Source of infinite power.” Steps to Christ, 20.

INTRODUCTION: “There is but one power that can break the hold of evil from the hearts of men, and that is the power of God in Jesus Christ. Only through the blood of the Crucified One is there cleansing from sin. His grace alone can enable us to resist and subdue the tendencies of our fallen nature.” The Ministry of Healing, 428.

The Fall of Man

1 What did Adam and Eve first believe that eventually led them to transgress (disobey) God’s commandment? Genesis 3:1–5; John 8:44; 1 John 2:21.

NOTE: “Ever since the fall of man, Satan has been sowing the seeds of error. It was by a lie that he first gained control over men, and thus he still works to overthrow God’s kingdom in the earth and to bring men under his power.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 37.

“Truthfulness and integrity are attributes of God, and he who possesses these qualities possesses a power that is invincible. Never prevaricate; never tell an untruth in precept or in example.…Be straight and undeviating. Even a slight prevarication should not be allowed. The Saviour has a deep contempt for all deception. The stern punishment meted out to Ananias and Sapphira shows this.” My Life Today, 331. See also Sons and Daughters of God, 196, “We are now…”.

2 How has sin affected man’s relationship with God? Isaiah 59:2; 53:6.

NOTE: “By sin man was shut out from God. Except for the plan of redemption, eternal separation from God, the darkness of unending night, would have been his.” Education, 28.

“Before the entrance of sin, Adam enjoyed open communion with his Maker; but since man separated himself from God by transgression, the human race has been cut off from this high privilege. By the plan of redemption, however, a way has been opened whereby the inhabitants of the earth may still have connection with heaven. God has communicated with men by His Spirit, and divine light has been imparted to the world by revelations to His chosen servants. ‘Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’ 11 Peter 1:21.…” My Life Today, 40. See also Testimonies, vol. 2, 390, “The Lord has given…”.

3 What did man lose as a result of his sins? Romans 3:23.

NOTE: God’s glory is His character, see Exodus 33:18, 19; 34:6, 7. “When Adam came from the Creator’s hand, he bore, in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to his Maker. ‘God created man in His own image’ (Genesis 1:27), and it was His purpose that the longer man lived the more fully he should reveal this image—the more fully reflect the glory of the Creator.…But by disobedience this was forfeited. Through sin the divine likeness was marred, and well-nigh obliterated. Man’s physical powers were weakened, his mental capacity was lessened, his spiritual vision dimmed. He had become subject to death. Yet the race was not left without hope. By infinite love and mercy the plan of salvation had been devised, and a life of probation was granted. To restore in man the image of his Maker, to bring him back to the perfection in which he was created, to promote the development of body, mind, and soul, that the divine purpose in his creation might be realized—this was to be the work of redemption. This is the object of education, the great object of life.” Education, 15, 16. See also Christ’s Object Lessons, 311, “Only the covering…”.

Man’s Hopelessness Without Christ

4 What is impossible for fallen man to do for himself? Jeremiah 13:23; Job 14:4.

NOTE: “It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. ‘Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.’ ‘The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.’ Job 14:4; Romans 8:7. Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness.” Steps to Christ, 18.

5 What does the Bible say we will have without Christ? Ephesians 2:12.

6 Who is apparently the most hopeless man in the world? Romans 7:18–24.

NOTE: “It is not enough to perceive the loving-kindness of God, to see the benevolence, the fatherly tenderness, of His character. It is not enough to discern the wisdom and justice of His law, to see that it is founded upon the eternal principle of love. Paul the apostle saw all this when he exclaimed, ‘I consent unto the law that it is good.’ ‘The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.’ But he added, in the bitterness of his soul-anguish and despair, ‘I am carnal, sold under sin.’ Romans 7:16, 12, 14. He longed for the purity, the righteousness, to which in himself he was powerless to attain, and cried out, ‘O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?’ Romans 7:24, margin. Such is the cry that has gone up from burdened hearts in all lands and in all ages. To all, there is but one answer, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ John 1:29.” Steps to Christ, 19.

The Only Hope for Man

7 What has Jesus declared Himself to be for fallen man? John 14:6; Acts 4:10, 12.

NOTE: “Christ has led the way from earth to heaven. He forms the connecting link between the two worlds. He brings the love and condescension of God to man, and brings man up through His merits to meet the reconciliation of God. Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. It is hard work to follow on, step by step, painfully and slowly, onward and upward, in the path of purity and holiness. But Christ has made ample provision to impart new vigor and divine strength at every advance step in the divine life.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 193. See also Steps to Christ, 21. “But in vain …” and My Life Today, 260, “This earth…”.

8 How did Jesus become the Way for man’s redemption? Romans 5:8; Galatians 1:4; Romans 4:25.

NOTE: “No one need say that his case is hopeless, that he cannot live the life of a Christian. Ample provision is made by the death of Christ for every soul. Jesus is our ever-present help in time of need. Only call upon Him in faith, and He has promised to hear and answer your petitions.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 215. See also Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1132, “Our only hope…”.

9 Through Christ’s life and death man can receive not only forgiveness but power to do what? John 1:12; 1 John 2:4; Revelation 14:12.

NOTE: “It was to atone for man’s transgression of the law that Christ laid down His life. Could the law have been changed or set aside, then Christ need not have died. By His life on earth He honored the law of God. By His death He established it. He gave His life as a sacrifice, not to destroy God’s law, not to create a lower standard, but that justice might be maintained, that the law might be shown to be immutable, that it might stand fast forever.…‘As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.’ John 1:12. This power is not in the human agent. It is the power of God. When a soul receives Christ, he receives power to live the life of Christ.

“God requires perfection of His children. His law is a transcript of His own character, and it is the standard of all character. This infinite standard is presented to all that there may be no mistake in regard to the kind of people whom God will have to compose His kingdom. The life of Christ on earth was a perfect expression of God’s law, and when those who claim to be children of God become Christlike in character, they will be obedient to God’s commandments. Then the Lord can trust them to be of the number who shall compose the family of heaven. Clothed in the glorious apparel of Christ’s righteousness, they have a place at the King’s feast. They have a right to join the blood-washed throng.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 314, 315. See also The Desire of Ages, 668, “As Christ lived.…”

God’s Invitation to Man

10 To whom among men does God send His invitation of redemption? Isaiah 55:1; Matthew 5:6.

NOTE: “A divine element combines with the human when the soul reaches out after God and the longing heart can say, ‘My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.’ Psalm 62:5. If you have a sense of need in your soul, if you hunger and thirst after righteousness, this is an evidence that Christ has wrought upon your heart, in order that He may be sought unto to do for you, through the endowment of the Holy Spirit, those things which it is impossible for you to do for yourself.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 19. See also The Desire of Ages, 187, “He who seeks…” and Ministry of Healing, 161, “Grace is an attribute…”.

11 What two experiences does Jesus invite us to have with Him? Matthew 11:28, 29.

NOTE: “In these words Christ is speaking to every human being. Whether they know it or not, all are weary and heavy-laden. All are weighed down with burdens that only Christ can remove. The heaviest burden that we bear is the burden of sin. If we were left to bear this burden, it would crush us. But the Sinless One has taken our place. ‘The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.’ Isaiah 53:6. He has borne the burden of our guilt. He will take the load from our weary shoulders. He will give us rest. The burden of care and sorrow also He will bear. He invites us to cast all our care upon Him; for He carries us upon His heart.…

See also Desire of Ages, 328, 329, “The yoke that binds…” and Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 8-9, “All who have a sense…”.

12 When can we receive God’s gracious invitation of mercy? 11 Corinthians 6:2; Hebrews 3:15.

NOTE: “The day will come when the awful denunciation of God’s wrath will be uttered against all who have persisted in their disloyalty to Him. This will be when God must speak and do terrible things in righteousness against the transgressors of His law. But you need not be among those who will come under the wrath of God. It is now the day of His salvation. The light from the cross of Calvary is now shining forth in clear, bright rays, revealing Jesus, our Sacrifice for sin. As you read the promises which I have set before you, remember they are the expression of unutterable love and pity. The great heart of infinite Love is drawn toward the sinner with boundless compassion. ‘We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.’ Yes, only believe that God is your helper. He wants to restore His moral image in man. As you draw nigh to Him with confession and repentance, He will draw nigh to you with mercy and forgiveness.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 634, 635. See also Steps to Christ, 34, “Christ is ready…”.

By Craig Meeker

Bible Study Guides – The Love of God

by

December 30 – January 5, 2002

General Introduction- First Quarter—2002

The Christian experience is embodied in the plan of salvation and is indeed to be the fruit of the gospel of Jesus Christ to every believing child of God. Our experience is to be founded in and upon the Word of God. “In His word, God has committed to men the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritative, infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the revealer of doctrines, and the test of experience. ‘Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.’ 11 Timothy 3:16, 17, R.V.” The Great Controversy, vii. God’s Spirit, through Soloman, has aptly illustrated what is to be the experience of all God’s children in this world with these words: “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:18. “You have watched the rising sun, and the gradual break of day over earth and sky. Little by little the dawn increases, till the sun appears; then the light grows constantly stronger and clearer until the full glory of noontide is reached. This is a beautiful illustration of what God desires to do for His children in perfecting their Christian experience. As we walk day by day in the light He sends us, in willing obedience to all His requirements, our experience grows and broadens until we reach the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus.” Messages to Young People, 15. That perfect day is not far away, and we are told that, “we shall need an experience which we do not now possess and which many are too indolent to obtain.” The Great Controversy, 622. Will God have a people who arise and shine? Yes! If we are willing, He is able! “A deeper and wider experience in religious things is to come to God’s people. Christ is our example. If through living faith and sanctified obedience to God’s word we reveal the love and grace of Christ, if we show that we have a true conception of God’s guiding providences in the work, we shall carry to the world a convincing power.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 274. It is the hope that this quarter’s studies will be one of the means God will use to revive and reform His people unto Himself, that they may indeed be a people who “fear God and give glory to Him.” (See Revelation 14:17.)

MEMORY VERSE: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” 1 John 3:1.

STUDY HELP: Steps to Christ, 9-15.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: God has loved you with an “everlasting love.” (See Jeremiah 31:3.)

INTRODUCTION: “Love to man is the earthward manifestation of the love of God. It was to implant this love, to make us children of one family, that the King of glory became one with us. And when His parting words are fulfilled, ‘Love one another, as I have loved you’ (John 15:12); when we love the world as He has loved it, then for us His mission is accomplished. We are fitted for heaven; for we have heaven in our hearts.” The Desire of Ages, 641.

Creation Testifies of God’s Love

1 Identify one place where God declares His glory to all of humanity. Psalm 19:1-6.

NOTE: “Many are the ways in which God is seeking to make Himself known to us and bring us into communion with Him. Nature speaks to our senses without ceasing. The open heart will be impressed with the love and glory of God as revealed through the works of His hands. The listening ear can hear and understand the communications of God through the things of nature. The green fields, the lofty trees, the buds and flowers, the passing cloud, the falling rain, the babbling brook, the glories of the heavens, speak to our hearts, and invite us to become acquainted with Him who made them all.” Steps to Christ, 85. See also The Ministry of Healing, 411.

2 Through the things of creation, what can the eye of faith clearly see? Romans 1:20.

NOTE: “‘God is love.’ 1 John 4:16. His nature, His law, is love. It ever has been; it ever will be. ‘The high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,’ whose ‘ways are everlasting,’ changeth not. With Him ‘is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.’ Isaiah 57:15; Habakkuk 3:6; James 1:17. Every manifestation of creative power is an expression of infinite love. The sovereignty of God involves fullness of blessing to all created beings.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 33. See also Ministry of Healing, 413, “God’s handiwork in nature.…”

3 What has God said concerning the “thorns and thistles” (Genesis 3:17, 18) which are symbolic of the difficulties and trials we experience in this life? Romans 8:28.

NOTE: “All along our pathway God places the flowers of promise to brighten our journey. But many refuse to gather these flowers, choosing instead the thorns and thistles. At every step they weep and mourn, when they might rejoice in the Lord because He has made the road to heaven so pleasant. As we look at the promises of God we find comfort and hope and joy, for they speak to us the words of the Infinite One. Properly to appreciate these precious promises we should study them carefully, examining them in detail. How much joy we might bring into life, how much goodness into the character, if we would but make these promises our own! As we journey in the upward way, let us talk of the blessings strewn along the path. As we think of the mansions Christ is preparing for us, we forget the petty annoyances which we meet day by day. We seem to breathe the atmosphere of the heavenly country to which we are journeying, and we are soothed and comforted.…Let us honor God by weaving more of Jesus and heaven into our lives.” My Life Today, 338. See also Steps to Christ, 116, 117.

The Word Testifies of God’s Love

4 What has God Himself declared His glory or character to be? Exodus 33:18–19; 34:6–7.

NOTE: “It was when Moses was hidden in the cleft of the rock that he beheld the glory of God. It is when we hide in the riven Rock that Christ will cover us with His own pierced hand, and we shall hear what the Lord saith unto His servants. To us as to Moses, God will reveal Himself as ‘merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.’ Exodus 34:6, 7.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 162.

“The Lord is full of compassion for His suffering ones. What sins are too great for His pardon? He is merciful, and as such is infinitely more ready and more pleased to pardon than to condemn. He is gracious, not looking for wrong in us; He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are but dust. In His boundless compassion and mercy He heals all our backslidings, loving us freely while we are yet sinners, withdrawing not His light, but shining on us for Christ’s sake.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 231.

5 In what other way does God reveal His love to us in His Word? 11 Corinthians 1:20; 11 Peter 1:4.

NOTE: “As you read the promises, remember they are the expression of unutterable love and pity.” Steps to Christ, 55.

“My brethren and sisters, plead for the Holy Spirit, God stands back of every promise He has made. With your Bibles in your hands, say: ‘I have done as Thou hast said. I present Thy promise, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”’ Christ declares: ‘What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.’ ‘Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.’ Matthew 7:7; Mark 11:24; John 14:13.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 23. See also Testimonies to Ministers, 381, “The promises of God…” and Ibid., 490, “Even in the midst…”.

6 God’s love is revealed in His character. Compare 1 John 1:5, Proverbs 6:23, and Romans 13:10 to see where else His love is revealed.

NOTE: “The law of God, from its very nature, is unchangeable. It is a revelation of the will and the character of its Author. God is love, and His law is love. Its two great principles are love to God and love to man. ‘Love is the fulfilling of the law.’ Romans 13:10. The character of God is righteousness and truth; such is the nature of His law. Says the psalmist: ‘Thy law is the truth;’ ‘all Thy commandments are righteousness.’ Psalm 119:142, 172. And the apostle Paul declares: ‘The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.’ Romans 7:12. Such a law, being an expression of the mind and will of God, must be as enduring as its Author.” The Great Controversy, 467. See also Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, 97, “God’s law is the law of love…”.

Christ Testifies of God’s Love

7 Whose character did Jesus reveal in His life? John 14:7–9. See also John 1:1–3.

NOTE: “Every soul was precious in His eyes. While He ever bore Himself with divine dignity, He bowed with the tenderest regard to every member of the family of God. In all men He saw fallen souls whom it was His mission to save. Such is the character of Christ as revealed in His life. This is the character of God. It is from the Father’s heart that the streams of divine compassion, manifest in Christ, flow out to the children of men. Jesus, the tender, pitying Saviour, was God ‘manifest in the flesh.’ 1Timothy 3:16.” Steps to Christ, 12.

“Christ Himself is the pearl of great price. In Him is gathered all the glory of the Father, the fullness of the Godhead. He is the brightness of the Father’s glory and the express image of His person. The glory of the attributes of God is expressed in His character. Every page of the Holy Scriptures shines with His light. The righteousness of Christ, as a pure, white pearl, has no defect, no stain. No work of man can improve the great and precious gift of God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 115. See also Ibid., 69, “Christ is waiting…”.

8 What did Jesus say was the evidence of His oneness with the Father? John 10:25, 37, 38. See also John 14:10, 11; John 5:20, 21.

NOTE: “Every miracle that Christ performed was a sign of His divinity. He was doing the very work that had been foretold of the Messiah; but to the Pharisees these works of mercy were a positive offense. The Jewish leaders looked with heartless indifference on human suffering. In many cases their selfishness and oppression had caused the affliction that Christ relieved. Thus His miracles were to them a reproach.

“That which led the Jews to reject the Saviour’s work was the highest evidence of His divine character. The greatest significance of His miracles is seen in the fact that they were for the blessing of humanity. The highest evidence that He came from God is that His life revealed the character of God. He did the works and spoke the words of God. Such a life is the greatest of all miracles.” The Desire of Ages, 406, 407. See also Sons and Daughters of God, 55, “As a Teacher…” and Testimonies, vol. 9, 31, “Christ’s work is to…”.

9 We are to abide in Jesus’ love the same way Jesus abode in His Father’s love. How did Jesus abide in His Father’s love? John 15:10; 1 John 5:2, 3.

NOTE: “To man in Eden Christ made known the precepts of the law ‘when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.’ Job 38:7. The mission of Christ on earth was not to destroy the law, but by His grace to bring man back to obedience to its precepts.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 48.

“Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience. We do not earn salvation by our obedience; for salvation is the free gift of God, to be received by faith. But obedience is the fruit of faith.” Steps to Christ, 60, 61. See also Christ’s Object Lessons, 378, “Christ knew…”.

Calvary Testifies of God’s Love

10 What is the Father’s greatest demonstration of His love for fallen man? John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 3:16.

NOTE: “But this great sacrifice was not made in order to create in the Father’s heart a love for man, not to make Him willing to save. No, no! ‘God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son.’ John 3:16. The Father loves us, not because of the great propitiation, but He provided the propitiation because He loves us. Christ was the medium through which He could pour out His infinite love upon a fallen world. ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.’ 11 Corinthians 5:19.” Steps to Christ, 13.

“I exalted before them the infinite sacrifice made by the Father in giving His beloved Son for fallen men, that they might through obedience be transformed and become the acknowledged sons of God. The church and the world are called upon to behold and admire a love which thus expressed is beyond human comprehension, and which amazed even the angels of heaven. This love is so deep, so broad, and so high that the inspired apostle, failing to find language in which to describe it, calls upon the church and the world to behold it—to make it a theme of contemplation and admiration.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 293. See also Ibid., vol. 2, 200, “In order to fully realize…”.

11 What did Jesus’ death at Calvary magnify? Isaiah 42:21; Matthew 5:17, 18; Psalm 40:7, 8.

NOTE: “The cross of Christ testifies to the immutability of the law of God—testifies that God so loved us that He gave His Son to die for our sins; but Christ came not to destroy but to fulfill the law. Not one jot or tittle of God’s moral standard could be changed to meet man in his fallen condition. Jesus died that He might ascribe unto the repenting sinner His own righteousness, and make it possible for man to keep the law.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 312.

“There the light from the cross of Calvary is reflected. There we may gain a clearer insight into the mysteries of redemption. The salvation of man is accomplished at an infinite expense to heaven; the sacrifice made is equal to the broadest demands of the broken law of God. Jesus has opened the way to the Father’s throne, and through His mediation the sincere desire of all who come to Him in faith may be presented before God.” The Great Controversy, 489. See also Patriarchs and Prophets, 63, “The broken law…”.

12 What is required of us in order to follow Jesus who died for us? Luke 9:23; John 14:15.

NOTE: “Christ died that the life of man might be bound up with His life in the union of divinity and humanity. He came to our world and lived a divine-human life, in order that the lives of men and women might be as harmonious as God designs them to be. The Saviour calls upon you to deny self and take up the cross. Then nothing will prevent the development of the whole being. The daily experience will reveal healthy, harmonious action.” Tesimonies, vol. 7, 49.

“Every soul that accepts Jesus as his personal Saviour will pant for the privilege of serving God and will eagerly seize the opportunity to signalize his gratitude by devoting his abilities to God’s service. He will long to show his love for Jesus and for His purchased possession. He will covet toil, hardship, sacrifice. He will think it a privilege to deny self, lift the cross, and follow in Christ’s footsteps, thus showing his loyalty and love. His holy and beneficent works will testify to his conversion, and will give to the world the evidence that he is not a spurious, but a true, devoted, Christian.” Testimonies to Ministers, 394. See also Sons and Daughters of God, 69, “Wearing the yoke . . . .”

By Craig Meeker

Food for Life – Oat Date Bar Cookies

by

December! What a month of festivities! Pagan in origin and still pagan in philosophy, but nevertheless, we are surrounded by this element, and our children are bent to the ways of the world. Can we teach them the proper ways? I think we can. Instead of heaping the presents on them on this holiday, let us carefully keep in mind what Jesus went through while on this earth, and let us faithfully guard our children and their minds away from all earthly things to heavenly things. Let us keep His coffers full, instead of our own. God bless you and keep you during this holiday season.

“I should eat regularly of the most healthful food which will make the best quality of blood, and I should not work intemperately if it is in my power to avoid doing so.

“And when I violate the laws God has established in my being, I am to repent and reform, and place myself in the most favorable condition under the doctors God has provided—pure air, pure water, and the healing, precious sunlight.

“Water can be used in many ways to relieve suffering. Drafts of clear, hot water taken before eating (half a quart, more or less), will never do any harm, but will rather be productive of good.

“A cup of tea made from catnip herb will quiet the nerves.

“Hop tea will induce sleep. Hop poultices over the stomach will relieve pain.

“If the eyes are weak, if there is pain in the eyes, or inflammation, soft flannel cloths wet in hot water and salt, will bring relief quickly.

“When the head is congested, if the feet and limbs are put in a bath with a little mustard, relief will be obtained.

“There are many more simple remedies which will do much to restore healthful action to the body. All these simple preparations the Lord expects us to use for ourselves, but man’s extremities are God’s opportunities. If we neglect to do that which is within the reach of nearly every family, and ask the Lord to relieve pain when we are too indolent to make use of these remedies within our power, it is simply presumption. The Lord expects us to work in order that we may obtain food. He does not propose that we shall gather the harvest unless we break the sod, till the soil, and cultivate the produce. Then God sends the rain and the sunshine and the clouds to cause vegetation to flourish. God works and man cooperates with God. Then there is seedtime and harvest.

“God has caused to grow out of the ground, herbs for the use of man, and if we understand the nature of those roots and herbs, and make a right use of them, there would not be a necessity of running for the doctor so frequently, and people would be in much better health than they are today. I believe in calling upon the Great Physician when we have used the remedies I have mentioned.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 297.

Recipe – Oat Date Bar Cookies

2 cups coconut (unsweetened)

1/4 cup almond butter

l/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup date pieces, finely cut

1 cup chopped walnuts

2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup honey

Combine all ingredients, spread out into pan or form into cookies and bake at 350 degrees until light brown.

Children’s Story – Rescue at Night, Part I

by

Joan sat at the dining-room table, busy with her homework. Her older brother, Bill, was reading a book in the living room. Four little brothers and sisters were already sound asleep in the large bedroom at the back of the Joan sat at the dining-room table, busy with her homework. Her older brother, Bill, was reading a book in the living room. Four little brothers and sisters were already sound asleep in the large bedroom at the back of the house. The whole house was still and quiet.

Presently Joan finished studying and leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms and yawning widely. She then gathered her work together neatly and stacked her notebook and schoolbooks, ready to take to school the next morning. She got up from the table then shivered and pulled her sweater closer about her shoulders.

“Br-r-r! I’m cold!” Joan said in a loud whisper to Bill.

“I am too,” Bill replied, looking up from his book. “Dad’s been having trouble with that old furnace in the basement. It doesn’t heat right. He said he’ll have it fixed as soon as we have the money.

“Hope that’s soon,” Joan said, buttoning her sweater. “This old house always seems cold.” She walked to the window and looked out. “Wonder when Mother and Dad will come back from Aunt Jane’s?”

“It should be soon; they never stay late,” Bill answered. Then he sniffed the air and exclaimed, “I smell smoke!”

Joan stepped back from the window and sniffed too. “So do I!” she cried.

“Must be from the furnace in the basement,” Bill said. “I’ll go and check it.” He got up and went quickly down the center hall, where a door opened into steps leading to the basement. As he flung open the door, he looked down into the dark basement. At once strong smoke swept up the stairway and set him to coughing. He slammed the door shut quickly and ran back to Joan.

“The furnace must have started a fire in the basement,” Bill said, trying to keep calm. “Get the little ones out of bed while I call the fire department.”

Joan ran to the back bedroom where their brothers and sisters were sleeping. As she tried to waken them, she could hear Bill’s voice on the telephone, calling the fire department.

Strange crackling sounds could be heard from the basement now, and hot smoke was drifting through all the house. Little tongues of flame were licking up into some of the floor vents.

Joan wakened the sleepy children, who sat up in bed, rubbing their eyes and wondering what the excitement was all about. Trying not to frighten them, Joan finally got all four out of bed and hurried them into the center hall. Bill met her, and they tried to get to the back door, but there was fire in the kitchen. The front of the house was filled with heavy smoke.

“We must get the children back into the bedroom,” Bill shouted above the crackling noise of the fire, as he helped Joan. Then he said quickly, “You run out the front way and get under the bedroom window. I’ll hand the little ones out to you!””

Joan started, then stopped and shouted. “The window’s too high! I can’t reach it from the ground!”

“All right, I’ll go, and I’ll help you out too!” Then he disappeared through the heavy smoke toward the front door.

To be continued…

Restoring the Temple – Cold and Flu Care

by

Cool weather makes us think of family gatherings, bundling up the children for school, and playing in the snow. Unfortunately, something else comes to mind: flu season. Many of my patients have asked me, “Is there something going around?” I tell them there is always something going around. It is not the cold temperatures that cause infection. Although chilling predisposes us to illness, it does not cause the illness. Ellen White understood the relationship between temperature and illness: “I should be unwise to sit with cold feet and limbs, and thus drive back the blood from the extremities to the brain or internal organs. I should always protect my feet in damp weather.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 302.

Infectious diseases tend to become more epidemic in the winter, because we are inside more and exposed to more people in buildings with poorly circulated, stale air, than we are during the warmer months. Schools, malls, even churches, become ideal ecologies for viruses and bacteria. It has been shown that people isolated on a deserted island do not catch colds until rescued. Ellen White noted the necessity for fresh, circulating air when she wrote: “Sleeping rooms especially should be well ventilated, and the atmosphere made healthy by light and air.…Sleeping apartments should be large and so arranged as to have circulation of air through them day and night. Those who have excluded the air from their sleeping rooms should begin to change their course immediately.” Counsels on Health, 57.

What was possibly the first description of a flu-type illness was first recorded by Hippocrates in 400bc, but viruses—the microbe that causes influenza and colds—were not discovered until 1898. Today many of us are still confused about what makes the difference between colds and influenza (flu). Sometimes people use the terms interchangeably. Sometimes they use the term flu when they have a stomach virus. Both are incorrect. Generally, the distinction between colds and flu is not very significant. Since both are caused by viruses, antibiotics are useless against them. Influenza tends to be more concerning than a cold, because of its potential complications. A cold occasionally leads to a secondary bacterial infection, such as a sinus infection, which is miserable but treatable. Influenza can lead to more serious complications that can have a deadly effect on the elderly and those with weak immune systems. We should be extra careful not to spread our illness to other people.

Prevention

Though it is almost impossible to avoid exposure to viruses, it is possible to limit their impact on our lives. A strong immune system can destroy a virus before we ever knew it was there or at least limit the length and strength of a cold or flu.

First, follow the laws of health. Diet must be more than merely adequate. It is not as hard as it used to be to get fresh produce in the winter. The immune system needs the prime nutrients found in fresh foods. Activity typically slows down in cold weather, but it is important to make a goal toward getting at least 20–30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week, or every day if possible. A brisk walk is excellent. Ellen White writes: “Morning exercise, in walking in the free invigorating air of heaven,…is the surest safe-guard against colds, coughs, congestions of the brain and lungs,…and a hundred other diseases.” Healthful Living, 210. Water is also essential. It works for us by keeping the system working at its optimum and by helping flush microbes and their toxins out of the body.

Treatment

Remember that the symptoms of a cold or of the flu are signs that the immune system is fighting hard to combat the illness. Fever helps to speed white blood cells to their destination—to kill microbes. Your body makes extra mucus, which produces a runny nose and cough, so the body can attempt to shed the virus out through the nose and the lungs. Over-the-counter medications do not cure illness. Rather, they work against us by suppressing the symptoms. We must work with our bodies to enhance immune function.

As with prevention, following the laws of health are essential. Diet is very important. During illness it is important to listen to what your body is telling you. If you are not hungry, do not eat. It will not harm you or your child (if normally healthy) to fast for a couple of days during illness; fasting may actually be quite beneficial. If hungry, eat only easily digested, nutritive foods. Avoid sugar and dairy products—the former inhibits our immune response, and the latter produces thicker, stickier mucus, which is harder to expel and makes a cozy environment in which microbes can grow.

In our typically hectic lives, we do not give enough value to rest, especially during illness. The immune system uses tremendous energy to wage war against an invading microbe. Do not use up this valuable energy elsewhere. Stay home from work, especially when you have a fever. You may be able to work, but not only are you doing a disservice to your health, you are also exposing others—others who may not be as able to recover from disease as easily as you. Working during an infectious illness is a case of the hero who was not!

Deluge those microbes out of your system with water. Most people are in a chronic state of dehydration, and fever causes even more fluid to leave the body. It is very important to push fluids during your cold or flu. Pure water is best, followed by unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices and herbal teas.

Good anti-viral supplements include Olive Leaf, Echinacea,* Elderberry, Scullcap, and St. John’s Wort. Drinking a ginger/garlic broth throughout the acute stage of illness would also be beneficial.

Recuperation

It is important to replenish the body’s natural resistance after the acute stage of illness. During the recuperation period, start eating lots of fresh and steamed vegetables and brown rice for strength. Consider taking acidophilus and bifidus to replace friendly flora. A massage will help the immune recuperation phase by cleansing the remaining pockets of toxins, and it feels great as a bonus. Continue to avoid sugar and dairy products. Recovery herbs include calendula and astragalus, garlic and dandelion, to help stimulate and cleanse the lymph system.

“But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and ye shall go forth.…” Malachi 4:2.

*Echinacea: avoid during pregnancy

Inspiration – What Shall We Render Unto the Lord?

by

The Lord Jesus Christ came to our world as a helpless babe. He was born in Bethlehem, and the angel announced to the shepherds as they watched over their flocks by night, ‘Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’

“The Redeemer of the world might have come attended by ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of angels; but instead of this He clothed his divinity with humanity, made Himself of no reputation, took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels, but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. For it became Him for whom are all things, and by whom all things consist, in bringing many sons and daughters unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.

“Jesus, the world’s Redeemer, submitted to humiliation that we might have hope. For our sake He became poor, that through His merits we might be entitled to imperishable riches. Shall not the story of Christ’s self-denial and self-sacrifice for our sakes, lead us to pour contempt on all our pride and selfishness? The Son of God could make nothing of the human family, save as He submitted to humiliation, and through suffering came in contact with suffering humanity. It was through unutterable woe that Jesus came to reach lost man where he is plunged in sin and degradation. Let us contemplate the life, nature, and purpose of the King of glory. Let us look upon the Majesty of heaven as He shrouded His glory in the form of a child, and was cradled in a manger. But though He was so lowly born, so humbly circumstanced, angels bowed in adoration before the Babe of Bethlehem, without forfeiting their place in the courts of God or marring their allegiance to the Deity.

“The Babe of Bethlehem, though the King of glory, was not entrusted to wealthy parents. His was a lowly lot. When presented in the temple, His parents could not offer anything but the offering of the poor,—a pair of turtle doves or young pigeons. This offering was made in behalf of the child Jesus; yet when Simeon took Him in his arms, the Holy Spirit fell upon him, and he knew the Lord’s Anointed, and he blessed God, and said, ‘Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.’

“His divinity veiled in humanity, Jesus grew up as a child, and it is written of Him that ‘the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.’ At twelve years of age He accompanied His parents to Jerusalem to attend the feast, and, forgetful of their charge, they returned, not missing the child Jesus, who had tarried in the city. ‘But they, supposing Him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found Him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking Him.’ After three days of sorrowful searching, they found Jesus in the temple, sitting among the doctors both hearing and asking them questions. ‘And all that heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. And when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said unto Him, Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us? Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing. And He said unto them, How is it that ye sought Me? wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?…And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.…And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.’

“The story of the birth and childhood of Jesus never loses its fragrance and interest, and it should be often repeated to the children and youth. Jesus was ever in sympathy with all phases of the life of childhood and youth. When the mothers brought their children that Jesus might place His hands upon their heads and bless them, the disciples looked with disfavor upon the tired mothers and their little ones, and sternly forbade them to come to Jesus to trouble Him with so unimportant a matter; but Jesus did not look upon them with disapprobation. His compassionate voice was heard saying, ‘Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ He took the children in His arms, and blessed them, and spoke words of encouragement and sympathy to the mothers, and both mothers and children returned to their homes strengthened and blessed by the divine love of the Master. They loved Jesus, and often repeated to others the story of their visit. They told how the disciples had forbidden them, but how the Lord had had compassion upon them.

“The story of Jesus blessing the children should encourage all mothers to seek the Lord, and bring their little ones to Him. He is as verily a personal Saviour today as He was in the days when He walked a man among men. He is as verily the helper of mothers today as He was when He gathered the children to His breast in Judea. He identifies His interest with that of suffering humanity, and the children of our hearths are as much the purchase of His blood today as were the children of long ago. The Lord will give to the praying mother the wisdom and grace she needs to instruct and interest her little ones in the precious old story of the babe born in Bethlehem, who is indeed the hope of the world.

“Jesus is our Saviour, our Redeemer, our wisdom, our sanctification, our righteousness. Let mothers make it their first interest to teach their children of the great love wherewith God has loved us, that led Him to give His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. It is the first duty of parents to make the precious truths of salvation very plain and simple and attractive to their children. They should ever seek for the best way in which to lead their children to trust in Jesus as their personal Saviour, to love Him, to deny self for His sake, and to do good to those around them in His name. The first precept from their earliest years should be, Give your heart to Jesus; live to please Him. Do not live simply to amuse and gratify yourself; but live to honor Jesus, who has loved you, and given Himself for you. Were parents in earnest in thus educating their little ones, there would be a great company of children in the army of the Lord. They would then make sacrifices for Jesus’ sake, and desire to give, not only their little gifts of love, but their whole hearts to Jesus.

“We should bring gifts to Jesus, as did the wise men when they found the Lord of glory. They had been studying the prophecies, and they knew that the time was fulfilled, and that Jesus had come to be the Saviour of men. Guided by a star, they journeyed to Jerusalem, and all along the way they were inquiring, ‘Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.’ ‘And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him; and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.’

“The wise men have left us an example of what we should do. Jesus should be the object of our adoration, the recipient of our gifts. It is not man, but our Redeemer, that should be honored. To Him we should offer our praise and gifts and treasures; but instead of this, the world sets its treasures flowing in the channel of self-gratification, and to the honor of men. Christmas gifts are bestowed on our children, on our friends and relatives, and few think of what they can do to show their love and gratitude to God for His great love and compassion upon them.

“In celebrating Christmas, fathers, mothers, children, and friends are diverted from the great object to which the custom is attributed. They give their whole attention to the bestowal of gifts upon one another, and their minds are turned away from the contemplation of the Source of all their blessings both spiritual and temporal. In their attention to gifts and honors bestowed upon themselves or their friends, Jesus is unhonored and forgotten. Parents should seek to teach their children to honor Jesus. They should be instructed how He came to the world to bring light, to shine amid the moral darkness of the world. They should be impressed with the fact that ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’

“We are dependent upon Christ for both spiritual and temporal blessings, we should especially remember the world’s Redeemer, on those days in which others forget Him in pleasing one another, in festivity and careless mirth. We should show special honor to Him in whom our hope of eternal life is centered. Through all the year parents should be educating their children as to how they may honor Jesus in their gifts. They should instruct them that Christ came to the world to save perishing sinners, and that instead of spending money for needless ornaments, for candies and knick-knacks to gratify the taste, they should deny themselves for Christ’s sake, that they may offer to Him an expression of their love. The theme of Christ’s amazing love can be so presented to your children that the little ones will be lost in wonder and love, and their hearts will be melted at the story of Calvary. Tell the children and youth that Jesus died to save them, that He wants them to give to Him their young lives that they may be His obedient children, and be saved from ruin.

“Christ will be pleased to see that the children and the youth, whom He loves, also love Him, and He will accept their gifts and offerings to be used in His cause. From the denial of self in children and youth, many little streams may flow into the treasury of the Lord, and missionaries may be sent out through their gifts to bring light to the heathen, who bow down to gods of wood and stone. Home missionaries also may be assisted, and there are poor who are suffering and needy, who may be blessed with the gifts of the children. Christ identifies His interest with that of His children. He says, ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.’

“Brethren and sisters, what are you going to bring to Jesus as an offering of love? What will you render unto the Lord for all His benefits? Will you show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, or will you devote your time and money to self and to pleasure seeking, as though self were the great object of attraction? O, may the coming Christmas be the best one you have ever enjoyed, because you have brought gifts to Jesus, and given yourselves and your all without reservation to Him who has given all for you.”

—The Bible Echo, December 15, 1892.

A Time to Weep

by

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose. . .
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up. . .
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.…” –Ecclesiastes 3:1–4

Have you been troubled and confused over the Bible verses about dancing? What do these verses mean? Many are using these verses to bring in celebration. Do you understand these verses? Can you give a reason for your faith?

The first point we need to understand, in this study, is that the type of dancing we have today and the type of dancing in Bible times do not compare at all. Look at what Ellen White says in Adventist Home, 517: “David’s dancing in reverent joy before God has been cited by pleasure lovers in justification of the fashionable modern dance, but there is no ground for such an argument.…The music and dancing in joyful praise to God at the removal of the ark had not the faintest resemblance to the dissipation of modern dancing. The one tended to the remembrance of God and exalted His holy name. The other is a device of Satan to cause men to forget God and to dishonor Him.”

Now, laying aside that the style of dancing today is not what is represented in the Bible, we will go forward to look at the time and place of dancing in the Bible.

A Time to Dance—After a Day of Victory

In Exodus 15, Miriam sang and danced to the Lord after the destruction of the wicked. In Judges 11, Jephthah’s daughter sang and danced after the Lord delivered them in battle. In 1 Samuel 21:11, the people sang and danced, “saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?” In these verses the time for dancing is clearly after a day of deliverance or victory. We can conclude that dancing is symbolic of the joy of the redeemed after salvation and deliverance.

Dancing— After the Destruction of the Wicked

“As the Hebrews witnessed the marvelous work of God in the destruction of the Egyptians, they united in an inspired song of lofty eloquence, and grateful praise. Miriam, the sister of Moses, a prophetess, led the women in music.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, 236. “And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them, ‘Sing ye to the LORD, for He hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.’” Exodus 15:20–21.

David’s Dancing a Song of Deliverance

“And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto His place, which He had prepared for it.…Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps. And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw King David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.” 1 Chronicles 15:3, 28, 29.

Victory—After Destruction of the Enemy

“So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel. And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.” Judges 11:32–34.

“And the servants of Achish said unto him, ‘Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’” 1 Samuel 21:11. “Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?” 1 Samuel 29:5.

A Time to Mourn Day of Atonement

In the timeline of the Sanctuary, the Day of Atonement was a day to mourn, a day to sigh and cry.

“…on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.” Leviticus 16:30, 31.

“It shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls.” Leviticus 23:27.

In What Day Do We Live?

“Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.” James 4:8, 9.

“…pine away for your iniquities, and mourn.…” Ezekiel 24:23.

“…they…shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.” Ezekiel 7:16.

“We are now living in the solemn period of the antitypical Day of Atonement. In the type, the sins of the people were, on the atonement day, to be called to mind and repented of. It was a time of humiliation and affliction of soul.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, 5.

This tells us it is time to sigh and cry, the time to mourn, not dance.

Is This a Day to Celebrate?

Ezekiel 9:4–6 tells us those who sigh and cry are sealed for salvation and those who are not sighing and crying are slaughtered with the sword.

Does This Sound Like a Day to Celebrate?

“Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished: It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth?…Cry and howl, son of man…terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon My people: smite therefore upon thy thigh.” Ezekiel 21:9–12. “Son of man…prophesy against the land of Israel, And say…Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth My sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.…Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.” Ezekiel 21:2–6.

Celebrate Now— Mourn Later— at the Wrath of God

“In that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: And behold joy and gladness.…” Isaiah 22:12, 13.

“Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.” Luke 6:25.

“And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that…I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head.…Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.…” “The Lord GOD of hosts is He that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn.…” Amos 8:9–11; 9:5.

“The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musik. The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning. The crown is fallen from our head…Thou hast utterly rejected us; Thou art very wroth against us.” Lamentations 5:14–16, 22.

Mourn and Cry in Repentance

“We are now living in the solemn period of the antitypical Day of Atonement. In the type, the sins of the people were, on the atonement day, to be called to mind and repented of. It was a time of humiliation and affliction of soul.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, 5.

Mourn That God’s Wrath May Be Turned Away

“Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent Him of the evil that He hath pronounced against you.” Jeremiah 26:13.

“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness.…” “Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil.…Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation.…Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, ‘Spare Thy people, O LORD, and give not Thine heritage to reproach.…’”
Joel 2:1, 2, 12–17.

“Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God. Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD.” Joel 1:13, 14.

Go Not to the House of Feasting—Celebration

“Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink. For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.” Jeremiah 16:8, 9.

“It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting.…Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” Ecclesiastes 7:2–4.

A Time to Celebrate

In the Sanctuary service, the Feast of Tabernacles comes after the Day of Atonement. A time of sighing and crying comes first, then comes the day of celebration.

Celebration Comes After We Are in Heaven

“The feast of tabernacles was the great holiday of the nation. This feast was preceded by a day of atonement…when every one was to afflict his soul by confessing his sins.…This humiliation was to prepare the way for the celebration of the feast of tabernacles.” Review and Herald, July 7, 1896. “The Feast of Tabernacles…celebrated the ingathering of the fruits of the earth, and pointed forward to the great day of final ingathering.…The people of Israel praised God at the Feast of Tabernacles, as they called to mind His mercy in their deliverance.…They rejoiced also in the consciousness of pardon and acceptance, through the service of the day of atonement, just ended.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 541, 542.

In Heaven Our Mourning is Turned to Joy—Dancing

The Bible tells us God’s people will first mourn, then He will deliver His people and turn their mourning into joy. It is in heaven that we will celebrate. It is in heaven that we will experience the joy the Bible dance represents.

“Behold, I will…gather them from the coasts of the earth,…a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble.…Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion,…and they shall not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” Jeremiah 31:8, 9, 12, 13.

“Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.” Psalms 30:11. “Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” Isaiah 51:11.

A Time to Dance

In Psalms 149 and 150, David talks about dancing in the sanctuary. Many are using these verses as proof to bring dancing into the church services. What do these verses mean? Can you give a reason for your faith? We have already clarified that dancing in the Bible is much different than the dancing we have today. Dancing in the Bible represents the joy of the redeemed in the day of their salvation. Now we will look at the time and place of David’s dancing in the Psalms.

“Sing unto the Lord a new song.” Psalm 149:1. Does the Bible give us a time and place to sing “a new song“? We are told the 144,000 sing “a new song,” the song of Moses.

“Upon the crystal sea before the throne…are gathered the company that have ‘gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image’…And they sing ‘a new song’ before the throne, a song which no man can learn save the hundred and forty and four thousand. It is the song of Moses and the Lamb,—a song of deliverance.” The Great Controversy, 648, 649.

This song is sung in heaven, after the great day of deliverance and victory. Now we can understand David’s song of dancing in Psalms 149 and 150. The “new song” that David is talking about is after the great day of victory, the great day of judgment upon the wicked.

Song of Moses—Heaven’s Victory Song

“O sing unto the LORD a new song; for He hath done marvellous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory. The LORD hath made known His salvation: His righteousness hath He openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.…Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.” Psalms 98:1, 2, 4.

“Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in Him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name in the dance: let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp. For the LORD taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all His saints. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalm 149.

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power. Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalm 150.

In this last chapter of Psalms, David sings praises to God for the final destruction of the wicked. The dance here does not apply to the Day of Atonement. The time and place here is when the wicked are destroyed. Do not let anyone fool you into thinking we are in the day of Celebration.

A Time to Clap Your Hands

Is the clapping of hands to be a part of worship? The Bible speaks of God’s people clapping their hands. Are these verses literal, or are they also symbolic of the joy of the redeemed? Isaiah 55:12 says, “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

“The psalmist calls upon the trees to praise the Lord; and the prophet Isaiah declares that all the trees of the field shall clap their hands in that day when the word of the Lord shall have accomplished its work of salvation among men.” Signs of the Times, February 2, 1882.

This clearly shows that the clapping of hands is symbolic of joy, the joy of the redeemed in the day of their salvation. Just like the verses about dancing, this shows the time and place is clearly after the day of victory and deliverance.

“O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD most high is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. He shall choose our inheritance for us…God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King.…” “Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.” Psalms 47:1–6; 48:11.

Lift Your Hands to the Lord

Are we to lift our hands and sway our bodies in song to praise the Lord? What does the Bible say is the time and place to lift our hands?

“Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:2.

“The LORD is good unto them that…quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence.…Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.” Lamentations 3:25, 26, 28, 40, 41.

These verses are about prayer, not about singing with your hands up in the air.

“And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God, And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head.…” Ezra 9:5, 6.

“And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.” Nehemiah 8:6.

Based on this verse, if you want to follow the Biblical lifting of hands you must do it on your knees with your face to the ground.

“Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD, in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.”

“And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying…he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.” 1 Kings 8:22, 54.

Praise the Lord, that, from His Word, we can find the answer!

Dancing Fanaticism—A False Spirit

“I am telling you these experiences, in order that you may know what we have passed through.…
Some fanatics after 1844 would dance up and down, singing, ‘Glory, glory, glory, glory, glory, glory.’ Sometimes I would sit still until they got through, and then I would rise and say, ‘This is not the way the Lord works. He does not make impressions in this way. We must direct the minds of the people to the Word as the foundation of our faith.’

“I was but a mere child at that time, and yet I had to bear my testimony repeatedly against these strange workings. And ever since that time I have sought to be very, very careful lest something of this sort should come in again among our people. Any manifestation of fanaticism takes the mind away from the evidence of truth—the Word itself.

“You might take a consistent course, but those who would be influenced by you might take a very inconsistent course, and, as a result, we should very soon have our hands full of something that would make it almost impossible to give unbelievers the right impression of our message and work. We must go to the people with the solid Word of God; and when they receive that Word, the Holy Spirit may come, but it always comes, as I have stated before, in a way that commends itself to the judgment [reasoning, not emotions] of the people. In our speaking, our singing, and in all our spiritual exercises, we are to reveal that calmness and dignity and godly fear that actuates every true child of God.

“There is constant danger of allowing something to come into our midst that we may regard as the workings of the Holy Spirit, but that in reality is the fruit of a spirit of fanaticism. So long as we allow the enemy of truth to lead us into a wrong way, we cannot hope to reach the honest in heart with the Third Angel’s Message. We are to be sanctified through obedience to the truth. I am afraid of anything that would have a tendency to turn the mind away from the solid evidences of the truth as revealed in God’s Word. I am afraid of it; I am afraid of it. We must bring our minds within the bounds of reason, lest the enemy so come in as to set everything in a disorderly way. There are persons of an excitable temperament who are easily led into fanaticism; and should we allow anything to come into our churches that would lead such persons into error, we would soon see these errors carried to extreme lengths, and then because of the course of these disorderly elements, a stigma would rest upon the whole body of Seventh-day Adventists.

“I have been studying how to get some of these early experiences into print again, so that more of our people may be informed, for I have long known that fanaticism will be manifest again, in different ways. We are to strengthen our position by dwelling on the Word, and by avoiding all oddities and strange exercisings that some would be very quick to catch up and practice.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 42–44.

“Ellen White recounts early experiences. . . . She told incident after incident connected with her early labors shortly after the passing of the time in 1844.…As Sister White continued, she told of some who had strange exercisings of the body and of others who were governed largely by their own impressions. Some thought it wrong to work. Still others believed that the righteous dead had been raised to eternal life. A few sought to cultivate a spirit of humility by creeping on the floor, like little children. Some would dance, and sing ‘glory, glory, glory, glory, glory, glory,’ over and over again. Sometimes a person would jump up and down on the floor, with hands uplifted, praising God; and this would be kept up for as long as half an hour at a time. Among those who took part in these extraordinary forms of fanaticism were some who had once been faithful, god-fearing brethren and sisters. The strange exercisings of body and mind were carried to such lengths that in a few places the officers of the law felt compelled to restrain them by casting them into prison. The cause of God was thus brought into disrepute and it took years to outlive the influence that these exhibitions of fanaticism had upon the general public.” Ibid., Book 3, 370, 371.

“Those things which have been in the past will be in the future. Satan will make music a snare by the way in which it is conducted.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 38.

[All emphasis added.]

The Grace of Love

by

Located within the pages of the Spirit of Prophecy is the heartbreaking story of a lonely soul who was neglected and forsaken by the professed people of God. This soul, precious in the sight of Jesus, was left to languish and perish in a hostile environment because the love of many had grown cold. Her name was Hanna More, and her story can be found in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 666–680. If you have not read this story, you should. In it you will see the work of a people whose hearts are void of the love of God and the adverse affects such a people can have in the lives of those whom God has sent to them.

Meeting Cold and Indifference

Hannah More, who died near the age of ninety, had served the Lord as a missionary in Central Africa. It was there that she received the light of the Bible Sabbath and embraced it. Because of this, her services were no longer desired, and she returned to America, hoping to find employment and to find a home among the people who shared her newfound faith. Her journey brought her to Battle Creek, Michigan, but the reception which she received there was cold and indifferent. In need of a home and employment, Hannah was forced to travel to northern Michigan, where she secured both with acquaintances from her missionary work in Africa. It was in their company that this precious soul died.

Her last days, however, were spent sharing her new faith with her acquaintances and attempting to find a home with people who shared her faith. Though her heartfelt desires were never to be realized, neither her faith in God nor her love for His people wavered.

She resigned herself into the hands of God and sought to bring Him honor, either in life or by her death. Even the poor treatment shown her by the professed people of God could not dampen her love and desire for them. She died, as it were, in the wilderness, separated from the company of God’s supposed remnant people. It was not because of anything she did, but because this supposed remnant people had not the love of Jesus in their hearts.

Shame Brought Upon the Name of Jesus

It is the principle of this love which they violated, bringing shame upon the name of Jesus and contempt upon the name of His professed remnant church. Had they possessed the love of God in their hearts, they could not have rejected this child of God. They would have clothed her with the embrace of brotherly love and welcomed her into their homes and into their hearts. They would have rejoiced with her in her joy over the new light which she had received. This poor soul should have found among them the warmth she sought, and then perhaps she would have been spared the chill of winter which took her life. But it was not to be. This woman of God, for whom Jesus had given His life and to whom God had revealed light regarding the Bible Sabbath, who was anxious to prepare people for the Lord’s coming and referred to her new faith as “our faith,” considering herself a member of God’s remnant people, was in fact, rejected—just as Christ was rejected by those people whom He came to bless and save. Love was not to be found among them, and the records of heaven will speak out against them in the time of judgment.

Though this sad experience took place many years ago, the heart wherein the love of God dwells cannot but be moved with a deep sense of shame and sadness. When our very work, as a people of God, is to proclaim the Three Angels’ Messages, how can we not embrace and care for those who have received it? “In our benevolent work special help should be given to those who, through the presentation of the truth, are convicted and converted. We must have a care for those who have the moral courage to accept the truth.…Those who take their position on the Lord’s side are to see in Seventh-day Adventists a warmhearted, self-denying, self-sacrificing people, who cheerfully and gladly minister to their brethren in need.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 85.

History Repeats Itself

Yet history often repeats itself, and some say now, as many did then, “I do not see the need for making such a big fuss about Sister More.” But the voice of Sister White echoes down through the annals of time, saying, “It is much worse than we then supposed.” Ibid., vol. 1, 677.

It is much worse, because as a people, while we profess godliness, we have not the zealous love for Jesus and for our neighbor which is to distinguish His remnant people from those who worship the god of this world. We profess with our lips, but our hearts are divided. We compromise the commandments of God and fall into the snares which Satan has laid for us. If we refuse to love our neighbor, we cannot keep the commandments of God. “We need to guard against the first deviation from righteousness; for one transgression, one neglect to manifest the spirit of Christ, opens the way for another and still another, until the mind is overmastered by the principles of the enemy.” Ibid., vol. 6, 265.

It is the device of Satan to prevent us from having this divine principle at work in our hearts and lives. We must not be too busy to tend to the needs of those whom God has sent into our lives. We cannot let the things of this world steal away our affection for what is right and good and holy. We must not think it too much of an inconvenience to sacrifice that others might be relieved of their burden. We must discharge that duty which is before us and not let go by the opportunity for good. Jesus Christ is our standard. He has shown us how it is to be done. He did not think it an inconvenience to leave heaven and die upon the cross. No, His heart was filled with love for a perishing world, and He did what love demanded that He do. How can we, who profess to be His disciples, do any less? “Those who claim to believe in Christ are to represent Christ in deeds of kindness and mercy. Such will never know until the day of judgment what good they have done in seeking to follow the example of the Saviour.” Letter 140, 1908.

Have You Met Your Hannah More?

In every life there is a Hannah More. God has sent her to us, that by loving her and providing for her needs, we may grow in His love. It is the use of this holy grace that purifies the soul wherein it dwells. We must be in possession of it, or rather be possessed of it, if we are to enter heaven. “It is in the providence of God that widows and orphans, the blind, the deaf, the lame, and persons afflicted in a variety of ways, have been placed in close Christian relationship to His church; it is to prove His people and develop their true character.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 511.

It is the wisdom of God which calls us into the service of ministering to others. It is to perfect us for heaven, and we cannot afford to look the other way. Sin has extinguished the love that God placed in the heart of man, and sin will continue to strive against the love which is in the Christian heart. God knows that if we do not put to use the graces which He has given us, we will lose them. “I have loved thee with an everlasting love,” says the Lord of hosts. Jeremiah 31:3. It is this love, as manifested on the cross of Calvary, which seeks to perfect us. It will not hold back that thing which is for our own good. We, in perfect trust, must obey the word of God and the impression of His Spirit upon our heart, for they work together for our good.

Who Is My Neighbor?

We must learn to love the unlovable, those who appear to be destitute of any hope. It is not our duty to choose whom we shall love. We cannot see the heart as God does. We know not what work has gone before us to prepare this soul for the love of God. We must not ask, as that lawyer, “Who is my neighbor?” (See Luke 10:29.) We must not seek for ways to escape our duty, for this is not acceptable to God. “To become a toiler, to continue patiently in well-doing which calls for self-denying labor, is a glorious work, which Heaven smiles upon. Faithful work is more acceptable to God than the most zealous and thought-to-be holiest worship.…Prayers, exhortation, and talk are cheap fruits, which are frequently tied on; but fruits that are manifested in good works, in caring for the needy, the fatherless, and widows, are genuine fruits, and grow naturally upon a good tree.” Ibid., vol. 2, 24.

As children of God, this is the fruit that we will bear in our lives. Being rooted and grounded in the Lord, Jesus Christ, we cannot but bear good fruits which are manifest in good deeds unto others. “‘I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.…’” John 15:5. (NKJV) So we see if we do not bear fruit, it is because we are not abiding in Jesus. And Jesus warns, “‘Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He [God] takes away.…’” John 15:2. (NKJV) Those branches which are taken away are cast into the fire, and they are burned.

So what is it that keeps us from abiding in Christ? What disease prevents us from bearing fruit? While God prunes us, it is for the purpose of bearing more fruit of a better quality. But if a branch is so diseased as to bear no fruit, He has no choice but to remove it, lest it infect the other branches. The work of pruning is accomplished through circumstances that manifest the selfishness which still indwells our hearts. We must go to God in true humility and “Pray that He will give you a heart of flesh, a heart that can feel the sorrows of others, that can be touched with human woe. Pray that He will give you a heart that will not permit you to turn a deaf ear to the widow or the fatherless. Pray that you may have bowels of mercy for the poor, the infirm, and the oppressed. Pray that you may love justice and hate robbery, and make no difference in the bestowal of your favors, except to consider the cases of the needy and the unfortunate.…” Letter 24, 1889. We must cooperate with the pruning process, or we will be taken away. We must give up self that the love of God may flow freely through us. This is the great work which is before us. But it is a work which will bring many blessings to those around us. We must be about our Father’s business and work while it is yet day. The end of probation will soon come upon us, and we must be ready. And unless our hearts are filled to over-flowing with the love of God, we cannot expect to receive the Latter Rain. We must have victory, complete victory over sin. This can only be accomplished by a complete surrender to God’s love. For it is love that “will gain the victory.…” Testimonies, vol. 2, 135.

Infinite Mercy and Love

“We should meditate upon the Scriptures, thinking soberly and candidly upon the things that pertain to our salvation. The infinite mercy and love of Jesus, the sacrifice made in our behalf, call for most serious and solemn reflection. We should dwell upon the character of our dear Redeemer and Intercessor. We should seek to comprehend the meaning of the plan of salvation. We should meditate upon the mission of Him who came to save His people from their sins. By constantly contemplating heavenly themes, our faith and love will grow stronger.” Review and Herald, June 12, 1888.

Love, that heavenly perfume which sweetens the lives of all who come within its holy fragrance, is the basis of all godliness; it only abounds in the heart when the entire self is merged with Christ. Then it will spring forward naturally, and then we shall know the perfect will of God. We must not let self corrupt that good thing which is in us through Jesus Christ. We must surrender all to God and we shall have success. Then on that marvelous day, when Jesus returns to claim His own, we shall be among them.

I See

by

David the Psalmist says, “I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:14. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, created by a God who is infinite in goodness.

One of the most wonderful gifts we have received is the ability to see. The eyes are a marvelous mystery to man. We cannot fully understand how they work.

Medical journals tell us about the eye: The photographic camera is patterned after it, but it is only a feeble approach to the eye itself. The sensitivity of the retina is adjusted to the intensity of the light, and the eye adjusts itself automatically to the varying amounts of light and to the distances near and far. It creates its own transparent skin to separate it from the outer world but to shut out no light. This covering will allow oxygen to pass through it and into the eye, but will not let it escape. It will allow carbon dioxide to escape, but will not allow it to enter. The eye imparts to the brain a perfect picture of everything in front of it with all of the vivid colors and teeming activities, and does it continuously so that the least motion is detected. These pictures are impressed upon the brain so vividly that the record of them remains as long as life lasts. The eye is an amazing thing!

The eye gives us the ability to see in color. God could have given us eyesight to see only in black and white. That would have been all right, but, oh, how much more wonderful is color! Color only comes by way of light. In other words, light produces color.

The Sight of Light

Is it necessary to have physical eyesight in this life to have physical life? Is eyesight necessary for spiritual life? The answer to both questions, interestingly enough, is that everyone who is blind is dependent upon those who see. This is true in the physical world as well as in the spiritual world.

What does God say is needful for us to have sight—physical sight or spiritual sight? “For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light.” Psalm 36:9. Light is necessary for sight.

What is God’s light that gives us sight? Psalm 119:105 tells us, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” God’s Word, if we choose to believe it, is a light that gives us sight.

There is no sight in unbelief. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world.” John 8:12. In John 1:14 we are told that “The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.…Jesus, the Light of the world, came to give sight to those who know they are blind and who desire to see. “And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.” John 9:39.

There are some people who believe they can see when, in fact, they cannot. Jesus came to open the eyes of those who know that they are blind. Is it not wonderful that as you read through God’s Word, a picture builds before you of what is necessary for our salvation? God’s Word, indeed, is light to those who believe it.

What actually brings condemnation to mankind? “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” John 3:19, 20.

Choosing Darkness

If we, and every human being in the world, are condemned at last, we will not be condemned because we chose darkness. We will be condemned because we did not choose the light. To reject light is to reject Him who is the light of the world. It does not get any simpler than that. The gospel is good news, because it is so simple that even the little ones can understand it, if it is rightly told to them.

Isaiah 59 gives us a tremendous description of how heaven looks at this world and what it sees. It is a description of our world in the dark. “Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.” Verses 9, 10.

That is a description of this world, spiritually speaking. It is a description of the world that lies in darkness; that is what sin brings. Sin shuts the light away. “We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. For our transgressions are multiplied before Thee, and our sins testify against us.…” Verses 11, 12.

Sin brings darkness. Darkness brings blindness. Blindness brings transgression. It is a cycle that continues from generation to generation to those who choose to love darkness rather than light.

When we combine Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” with John 17:17, “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth,” what we see is simply that God’s Word is light, that light equals truth, and that truth gives us sight into the reality of the eternal world.

Ah, to See!

This, too, is a cycle. It can be a cycle as much as sin, darkness, blindness are a cycle. We can choose to have light and truth and sight and reality. We can choose that because the gospel is an alternative to sin.

God has allowed the light of His grace to cover this world through the life and death of His Son, that He might bring the light to a darkened world. The gospel of Jesus Christ is light; it is salvation, and it is reality.

Psalm 34:8 tells us another truth about light. “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” Spiritual sight is not a profession, it is an experience. You can have a profession and be blind. You can have an experience and see.

Tasting is trusting, believing the Word. When we believe the Word, the Word becomes light to us. Then we can see where God wants us to walk.

To be satisfied with a profession or a form of godliness is to choose blindness. Let us look at what the blindness of the leaders in Israel, in Jesus’ day, caused them to do.

Out of Focus

What did they do in their blindness? “Howbeit,” Jesus said, “in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” “Making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”
Mark 7:7, 13.

They put men’s laws in the place of God’s laws. Only blindness will do that! Only darkness would attempt to do such a thing. They put tradition above God’s Word. Spiritual blindness distorts our priorities and puts things totally out of focus.

“Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?” Matthew 23:16–19.

Did they have distortion in regard to their priorities? Oh, yes, they were totally out of focus, and yet they proclaimed themselves to be the children of God, the chosen of God, the light of the world, but their priorities were all upside down. Is it any different in our day?

What Possesses You?

In our day, among professed Christians, men are satisfied with a profession of truth rather than a possession of truth. You and I will never walk through one of those tall gates into the city of God without allowing the truth to possess us. You can hold this truth and walk around with the Bible that has all this light in it; you can put it in your mind; you can memorize it, but if it never gets to your heart, if it never possesses you, you are in the darkness. Possessing truth will take you from darkness into light.

Men today are satisfied with merely professing the truth, not allowing the truth to possess them. Men are satisfied with hearing God’s Word rather than doing it. They are satisfied with following religious leaders more than with following Jesus. That is a sad thing.

I do not care who the man is, he is not Jesus. One of the great distortions of our day is that we find Christians who profess the truth, who are defending a name and a church more than the truth. Is that a distortion of priority? Yes, it is. When we start compromising the truth, while defending an organization or a church, we are in darkness.

The Invitation

The message to Laodicea brings us up to date, as it were, because we are in the midst of the period of Laodicea. Laodicea has some serious priority problems. Laodicea has some serious eyesight problems. Jesus says to Laodicea, “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.” Revelation 3:17.

Laodicea says, I can see. God says, You are blind. Whom are we to believe, our leaders or God, our own understanding or God’s understanding? Do we have needs? Yes, we have tremendous needs. The description says we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Those are not complimentary statements. Yet, we are patting ourselves on the back for all the wonderful progress we think we have made in regard to the Three Angels’ Messages. Something is wrong with this picture.

Jesus gives a solution, because Jesus always has a solution. He has a solution for every problem that you and I have, no matter what sin it is. In verse 18 He says, “‘I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich. And white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear. And anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.’” You notice that He never forces us—He invites us. The gospel is an invitation from God in heaven who loves us supremely and who is looking out for only our best, our highest good. He will not force our choice, but He will counsel us. He will woo us because He loves us. The “gold tried in the fire” is faith that works by love in the midst of the fire, the fire of temptation, the fire of trial. The white raiment is the wonderful righteousness of Jesus. Truly, to receive Jesus is to receive His righteousness, and it is in receiving His righteousness, imputed and imparted, that we become like Him. His name alone will not save us. His name alone will not transform us, but His righteousness will. Jesus wants us to see—not in black and white, but in color, in reality—the things, that without faith, we cannot see.

Working In Harmony

What is the eyesalve that He wants to give us to help us see? It is His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to see. “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth.…” John 16:13. We have learned that truth is God’s Word, and God’s Word is light. This truth is reality, reality from the heavens of light. So He leads us into all truth, “for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.” Ibid.

One–Two–Three

The Holy Spirit always works in harmony with God’s Word, with God’s truth. They always go together, always! John 16:8 tells us that God wants us, through His Holy Spirit, to see three things clearly. “And when He is come, He will reprove [convince] the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”

First God wants us to clearly see what is sin. We have already seen that sin brings darkness, darkness brings blindness, and blindness brings sin. God wants the Holy Spirit to show us sin so we can understand what sin is, because He does not want us to be blind. Does that mean that He is going to show us sin in everybody else? No. He wants to help each of us to see our own sin so we will not be blind.

The second thing the Holy Spirit is to help us see clearly is righteousness. How is God going to show that to us? By His Holy Spirit, by His Word, and by His truth.

If we are separating ourselves from those, we cannot expect to see clearly. Even if we pray for the Holy Spirit, if we are not bringing our minds into contact with God’s will, we will not see clearly. There is always balance in salvation.

The third thing God wants us to see clearly is the judgment. He wants us to see that we will have to give a personal account to Him of what we have done in this earth. He wants everybody to understand that it is a personal account. We are not saved in groups. We are not saved in families. We are saved as individuals, and we will be judged as individuals. He wants us to understand our personal responsibility to Him.

Receiving Sight

How can a person, who recognizes that they are spiritually blind, receive their sight? We have alluded to it in some degree, but I want you to notice a few things. Let us look at a man who was physically blind, and then healed, and see what we can learn in regard to spiritual healing of our blindness.

“And they came to Jericho: and as He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; He calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto Him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. [I want to see. I want to see the color. I want to see what You made.] And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.” Mark 10:46–52.

Immediately he began to see! Immediately! What did he do after he could see? He “followed Jesus in the way.” Verse 52.

Are You Blind?

What can we learn about spiritual blindness in the physical healing of Bartimaeus? One thing about Bartimaeus, he knew that he was blind. That is number one. We have to recognize that we are blind. We have to know we are sick before we seek a physician. We must know and recognize that we are spiritually blind, that we need help.

Number two, as he cried out to Jesus, he believed that Jesus could heal him. When he cried out, the people said, Shhhh, shhhh. Shhhh, keep it quiet; do you not understand this is a man of God? What did Bartimaeus do? He cried out all the more!

Bartimaeus was determined. He wanted to see, and he knew and believed in his heart that Jesus could heal him. Nothing anybody said could change that faith. He was determined, and we must be determined if we want to see, spiritually. We must show God that we do want to see and that when we receive our spiritual sight, we will follow Him.

Taking Responsibility

I want you to notice, also, that Bartimaeus was being personally responsible. He did not ask anybody else to go to Jesus for him. His faith was laying hold of the Great Healer, personally. It must be personal; there is no proxy salvation! My wife cannot stand in for me, and I cannot stand in for her. It is personal. If we are going to see, then we must address Him personally.

Jesus said unto him, “Go thy way.” I know that he obeyed that command. How do I know? Because he was healed. He obeyed the command because he believed the word spoken to him.

Do we, when we confess our sins before God and in our heart forsake those sins, believe God when He says, I forgive you? We can, because He does. He is a God who is faithful, a God of His Word.

Notice in verse 51, Bartimaeus comes to Jesus. Is it evident that this man is blind? Yes. What does Jesus ask him when he comes over to Him? “What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?” Why does Jesus ask such a question? Because He wants us to personally bring our needs to Him. He wants us to verbally tell Him what are our needs. Does He know what you need right now? Does He know your sickness? Yes, physical or spiritual, He knows all about you, but we are to come to Him by faith and let Him know our needs. That is the way that we regain our spiritual eyesight—just like Bartimaeus regained his physical eyesight.

Compromising the Light

Bartimaeus had spiritual eyesight before he regained his physical eyesight. We can have the same spiritual eyesight. God’s program does not change. He is not dealing with dispensational salvation. He does not do one thing one time and then say, this is how we are going to do it next time. It is always the same. He says, I never change. I am the same yesterday, today and forever. (See Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8.) How He saved Abraham is how He is going to save you and me—if we believe and allow Him to give us sight to see, because no one is walking through the gates into the Holy City without spiritual eyesight.

The light, we have already seen, is the most important factor to give us sight. Light and sight go together. A warning is given about compromising the light. This warning deals with losing our sight and how that could happen. “Yielding to temptation begins in permitting the mind to waver, to be inconstant in your trust in God. If we do not choose to give ourselves fully to God then we are in darkness. When we make any reserve we are leaving open a door through which Satan can enter to lead us astray by his temptations. He knows that if he can obscure our vision, so that the eye of faith cannot see God, there will be no barrier against sin.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 92. So we can lose our spiritual eyesight by compromising the light.

Mark 8:22–25 shows us that God wants us to see clearly, not dimly. “And He cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto Him, and besought Him to touch him. And He took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when He had spit on his eyes, and put His hands upon him, He asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that He put His hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.”

Through the Eyes of Jesus

That is what Jesus wants us to see. He wants us to see men clearly. He does not want us to see men as trees, as just objects to pass by. He wants us to see men in their needs, so we can be used of God to help them. It takes spiritual eyes to see men like that.

What will God’s people eventually see? “Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.” Isaiah 33:20.

The New Jerusalem is a city that shall never pass away, never come to an end. It is a city that the redeemed shall some day see on the horizon as they approach it with Jesus. Can you see it on the horizon? We are told that there is One waiting in the city. When Jesus comes the second time, He comes with every angel from that city. There is only One person left there. It is God the Father, all alone, waiting, waiting, waiting for you. Only spiritual eyes will see that wonderful city some day. I want to have those eyes, because someday I want to see that city, and I do not want to see it from the outside in the second resurrection. I want to see the city on the inside, nevermore to leave.

I Shall See the King

Paul says, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9. But there is more to see! “Thine eyes shall see the king in His beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.”

Some day Jesus will be a reality to these human eyes. Some day, with our spiritual sight and His righteousness, we will be able not only to see the city but also to see the King. We are told in the inspired writings that some day Jesus is going to put a crown, personally, upon the head of every redeemed soul. (See The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 464.) That means you and me, if we choose to make our calling and election sure by allowing God to help us to see and to maintain our sight.

God would have us see clearly sin, righteousness, and judgment. May we each recognize our spiritual blindness and seek God’s healing hand.

Who Can Contain God? When Probation Closes for the Church

by

Two Camps of Belief?

It has been stated that there are two camps of belief among historic Seventh-day Adventists today.

The first group calls the church Babylon, because of the terrible apostasy within its ranks, and calls people to separate from it and remove their membership.

The second group recognizes the apostasy in the conference church, but believes that it is still God’s” one and only true church“, and that it is not Babylon until it teaches the immortality of the soul and Sunday worship. They believe the structured church will be rejuvenated by faithful preachers, and that the Latter Rain will fall only upon those in the structured church who have been sighing and crying at the abominations done therein.

There is a Third Group

In reality, the largest group of all has been excluded. In essence, it is very similar to the second group. This group also recognizes the ever-expanding evil in the church, but it does not call the church Babylon nor tell people to remove their membership, despite some of these dear folks being disfellowshipped for exposing error and standing for truth. However, this group does not believe that God’s Latter Rain will be restricted to the faithful few in the conference structure. They believe that God can work with whomever He sees fit, both in the structure, and out of the structure. They believe that God did not give any unconditional promises. The Jewish structure of old was never given an unconditional promise by God, whereby it could do as it pleased.

This is clearly seen by the fact that Christ raised up an independent church from among the common people before probation had expired on the structured conference church in Jerusalem. (See Acts 2.) He did not, however, call the doomed and disobedient structured church Babylon. This clearly shows that for a period of time, before the destruction of the structured church, there was a God-ordained overlapping of these two groups. Both groups were considered to be part of the church, for it would be a brave man who said that Christ’s little independent ministry was not part of the church, even though He was holding unauthorized campmeetings, speaking strongly against the ordained leadership, preaching the truth, and collecting tithe money.

Did God Make a Mistake?

The church leaders had the fatally narrow idea that God could only work through them and their structured church organization, because their probation had not expired. The next fatal step was to conclude that Christ’s independent ministry was outside their structure and, hence, of Satan. The final step was to kill Christ and members of His new independent ministry, in God’s name. Could Christ, who was disfellowshipped from the structured church, be used of God to further the gospel truth? Did God make a mistake by missing the structured church (whose probation had not expired) and giving the Former Rain to an independent ministry critical of the conference church?

Could this have a type and anti-type warning for God’s end-time church? “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11.

Is the present conference church repeating the history of old Israel? “I have been shown that the spirit of the world is fast leavening the church. You are following the same path as did ancient Israel.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 75, 76.

In Testimonies, vol. 1, 129, the angel said that we are worse than old Israel.

“The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, have been presented before me again and again to illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the Second Coming of Christ.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 406.

“Satan is working that the history of the Jewish nation may be repeated.…” Ibid., Book 2, 111.

“Internal corruption will bring the denunciations of God upon this people as it did upon Jerusalem.” Ibid., 378.

Christ Had an Independent Ministry

Some conservative Adventists think they can turn the church around by their faithful preaching, but Jesus—the greatest preacher of all time—could not turn the church structure around in His day through His independent ministry. He could only save the ones in the structured church who would listen to Him. The prophet said we likewise, will not stop the flood of iniquity which is entering the structured church. “Are we hoping to see the whole church revived? That time will never come.” Ibid., Book 1, 122. The prophet also saw that the great apostasy in the church would wax more and more till the coming of the Lord. (See The Upward Look, 352.)

“Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times.” The Great Controversy, 464.

God Takes the Reins

Just as God took the reins into His own hands, because of the apostasy in Christ’s time, He is also taking the reins today, because of apostasy in the church.

“The Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning.…God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands.” Testimonies to Ministers, 300.

In Christ’s time there was the structured church, which was controlled by an apostate leadership, and there was Christ’s independent ministry of the common people, which received the Former Rain. (See Mark 12:37.)

There were two parties in the church in Christ’s time, and there are also two parties in the church today. (See Selected Messages, Book 2, 114.)

Intellectual Philosophy

Today, we have the new system of intellectual philosophy controlled by an apostate church leadership, which is bitterly opposing the Righteousness by Faith message—a prerequisite for those who would prepare for the Latter Rain. Nothing will be allowed to stand in this new system’s way, but storm and tempest will sweep away the structured church, just as it did in 70 ad. (See Ibid., Book 1, 204, 205.)

“Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at His word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for My name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” Isaiah 66:5.

Sighing and Crying Ones

We see that this new system would cast out the saints who are sighing and crying at the abominations in the conference church.

In apostolic times, the common people, who believed in Christ and attended His independent ministry meetings, were cast out of the structured church. The common people will be used again: “Words will come from the lips of the unlearned with such convincing power and wisdom that conversions will be made to the truth. Thousands will be converted under their testimony. Why should the illiterate man have this power, which the learned man has not? The illiterate one, through faith in Christ, has come into the atmosphere of pure, clear truth, while the learned man has turned away from the truth.” Maranatha, 252.

We all know that we must sigh and cry at the abominations in the church structure. Many have done this and been assaulted and disfellowshipped for their loyalty to God. God is greatly displeased when we knowingly go and listen to error (See Early Writings, 124). We only have to admonish them twice (see Titus 3:10), and then move on to areas where the gospel has not been preached, just as Jesus did. Parts of the world might be considerably different than others, so we cannot make a sweeping statement restricting God and the giving of His Latter Rain.

The Stigma of John the Baptist

In the South Pacific it is nearly impossible to get the leaders of the conference church to preach the Righteousness by Faith message. (See Gospel Workers, 301.) They are now attacking those who do preach God’s message. It is a big call to sweepingly state that these saints, who have been thrown out of the structured church for preaching God’s truth, cannot receive the Latter Rain. There are miracles happening all over the world among Seventh-day Adventists. It is another big call to play God and state that the miracles happening among conference Seventh-day Adventists are of God, and those happening among independent ministries are of Satan. That is the only conclusion you can come to, if you believe the Latter Rain will only fall on the conference church.

John the Baptist had an independent ministry outside of the church structure. The church members went to see him in the wilderness. It is just as difficult and humiliating for conference church members today to come to an independent ministry to receive the light of God.

Testimonies, vol. 5, 208–216 has been used to support the case that only those who remain in the conference church will receive the Latter Rain. If you read on just one more page, however, you will see that the prophet said, in essence, that the Holy Spirit had left the church.

In another attempt to prove the Latter Rain only comes upon the remaining saints in the conference church, the type and anti-type are used. In the type, the manifestation of both good and evil took place in the structured church in Jerusalem, so one could conclude that in the end time the manifestation of both good and evil would also take place only in the conference Seventh-day Adventist church. All those with a basic biblical knowledge know that while the evil manifested itself through the conference church at Jerusalem, the good was manifested through Christ’s independent ministry, which He started because of the apostasy in the structured church. As the anti-type to this interesting scenario, the evil would have to be manifested through the apostate conference church, and the good would have to be manifested through the independent ministries, as God takes the reins into His own hands to again bypass heresy. Will acceptance of wrong theology on this point prepare me to follow the church leaders of old, who ended up speaking evil of good and good of evil? (See Isaiah 5:20.)

Just Who Will Receive the Latter Rain?

When the Former Rain missed the disobedient structured church and fell upon the obedient followers in Christ’s independent ministry, great miracles were wrought all over the known world, because no one could contain God.

Miracles are also taking place today in many parts of the world, among those who have never heard of the General Conference in Silver Spring, Maryland.

In China, it was recently reported that two men had a vision from God. They preached, and two thousand precious souls were baptized. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” Acts 2:17.

A geologist friend of mine, who at that time kept the Sabbath, discovered a primitive native tribe in the jungle of South America. They were keeping the Sabbath day holy. They had found it for themselves in an old Bible, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They also had never heard of the structured Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In the jungles of New Guinea, the saints are being bashed, stoned, and disfellowshipped by the unbelieving brethren in the structured Seventh-day Adventist Church. Angels have appeared to some of these poor, persecuted saints. Hundreds are responding to their preaching of the Righteousness by Faith message and are joining the independent churches. “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7.

“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” Matthew 24:9, 10.

“There are persons in the church who are not converted.…We have far more to fear from within than from without. The hindrances to strength and success are far greater from the church itself than from the world. Unbelievers have a right to expect that those who profess to be keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, will do more than any other class to promote and honor, by their consistent lives, by their godly example and their active influence, the cause which they represent. But how often have the professed advocates of the truth proved the greatest obstacle to its advancement! The unbelief indulged, the doubts expressed, the darkness cherished, encourage the presence of evil angels, and open the way for the accomplishment of Satan’s devices.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 122.

In the Pacific Islands, some of the people, who do not understand Greek or Hebrew, are having wonderful dreams and visions which lead them to the independent ministries, where they are nourished by the Righteousness by Faith message. Some believe that this is a fulfillment of Acts 2:17.

Repeating the Sin of Old Israel

In conclusion, the apostate Jewish church tried to restrict the movings of God to their narrow thinking and, consequently, spoke evil of the work God was doing through His Son’s independent ministry, which received the Former Rain. Today, those who fail to learn from the past will try to restrict God’s Latter Rain to the conference church alone, and will likewise speak evil of the Holy Spirit’s workings, as it falls outside the conference structure. They are in danger of repeating the sin of old Israel, who attributed the wonderful workings of God to Satan because things did not happen just as they thought they should happen.

(See Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 106.) It was this crime which sealed their fate.

(See Patriarchs and Prophets, 405.)

If, as some believe, the Latter Rain will only fall on the conference church structure, then they restrict the love of God and make Him an arbitrary judge by having Him withhold the Latter Rain from the saints who have been disfellowshipped from the structure for trying to stop the flood of wickedness. Also, they must take the next logical step and believe that the miracles taking place outside the structured church can only be of Satan.

If we believe, however, the church is as the prophet said it was, then we can believe God can give the Latter Rain to whom He sees fit, as He did with the Former Rain.

“The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to serve Him. When the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of life, He took from them the kingdom of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work on this principle with every branch of His work. When a church proves unfaithful to the Word of the Lord, whatever their position may be, however high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no longer work with them. Others are then chosen to bear important responsibilities.” Upward Look, 131.

“The Lord does not ask permission of those in responsible positions when He wishes to use certain ones as His agents for the promulgation of truth.” Review and Herald, July 23, 1895.

May all the honest saints, either in the structure or in the independent ministries, prepare for the Latter Rain, for God is no respecter of persons. Who can contain Him?