Archives: Articles

IssueM Articles

The Three Shakings

by

Have you ever been in an earthquake? Earthquakes have been important signs of the end. It was an earthquake, in Lisbon, Portugal, that started the signs of the time of the end.

Growing up on the Mississippi, I heard about the greatest recorded earthquake which happened there in about 1800. It was so strong that the Mississippi River flowed backwards for five or ten minutes. We have the record of a steamboat captain who went backwards while the bluffs were crashing into the water. It was estimated that it measured eight on the Richter scale.

In 1906, there was a big earthquake in San Francisco which Ellen White saw in vision two days before it happened. Then there was the earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska. More recently there was the earthquake in San Francisco when the Bay Bridge collapsed.

Each of us is going to go through a shaking. In fact, I hope that each of you will go through three shakings. First the church shakes. Second, the nations shake. And third, the earth shakes. The shakings become successively better and better for the saints, and worse and worse for those who disregard God’s law.

The Church is Shaken

The underlying issue of the shaking of the church is, Where is your trust? Is it in man? Or God? Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Thus saith the Lord. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” But cursed be the man who makes flesh his arm.

We can make flesh our arm in a number of ways. We can make an organization an arm of flesh by saying, “This organization or this church will not be shaken out. We will trust in this.” But we cannot put our trust in an organization or man, because all who have their trust in the arm of flesh will be shaken out. All who are not firmly rooted and grounded to the Rock, Christ Jesus, will be shaken out.

We cannot trust in our own arm. We are doing this when we say, “I can do this by myself.” That is what Peter did. Jesus said, “Peter, before the cock crows, you are going to deny Me three times.” And Peter said, “You have to be mistaken. I would never deny You, Lord. Though all these deny You, I will not.” Matthew 26: 34, 35.

Peter trusted in himself and because he trusted in himself, he was shaken. We have to put our trust in the Lord and in God’s Word. If our trust is not here, like Peter, we will deny our Lord.

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is.” Jeremiah 17:7. We are blessed if we put our trust in the Lord in order to stand. Cain trusted in his own arm when he brought his very best, but not what God required. He said, “I will trust in my arm. I do not want to go to Abel and ask for a lamb to have a blood sacrifice to point forward to the Messiah.” But Abel, said, “I will bring the best of my flock. I will do what the Lord has said. I will trust that if I obey He will deliver me.”

Where is our trust? Is it in our own arm, our parent’s arm, our friend’s arm, our pastor’s arm, or in an organization? If we trust in the arm of flesh, we are virtually denying God’s power.

Isaiah commanded, “Cease ye from man.” Isaiah 2:22. The whole issue of the shaking is, “Are we leaning on the arm of flesh or on the omnipotent arm of God?” If we will obey explicitly like Abel, and trust in God, we will also be accepted.

We can always trust God. When we come to a dark place in our lives, we can trust that He will see us through. Would it be trust if we could see through the darkness to the other side? No, but God has given us evidences to strengthen our faith. Just consider all the stories in the Bible when God sustained His people. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and as long as we do not turn from Him, He will hold us fast.

The shaking is painful, but necessary. Why is it necessary? At the bottom of a box of apples there is one rotten one. If left, the apples around it will spoil and become rotten. That is the work of the shaking, testing and sifting out of the good from the rotten.

During this shaking, the world exults. They say, “Your numbers are getting smaller. Many people are leaving you.” This is the most difficult shaking for God’s church.

There was a parallel of today’s shaking in Jesus’ time. It lasted throughout the life and ministry of Jesus. We read in John 6 that many of His disciples walked no more with Him because He said, “I am not here for temporal gains; I am here to free you from your sins.”

The company that followed Jesus became smaller until eventually, on the cross, there were only eleven men and a few women remaining. To see how essential this shaking was, consider Judas. The disciples trusted in Judas because he seemed to be eloquent, intelligent, and have more ability than other disciples, but inside he was rotten.

The Nations Shake

The second shaking stirs the nations of this earth. This shaking is much more exciting, and much better for God’s people. It was necessary that the first shaking, that of the church, take place before the shaking of the nations. If we do not make it through the first shaking, we will not be a part of this shaking when the church shakes the nation.

When the nations shake, it is going to be more powerful than anything yet seen. “After these things I saw another angel come down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:1–4.

Before Christ’s second coming the earth will be lightened with His glory. This will shake the nations. The glory of God will go all the way around the earth. It will be a world-wide message.

The day of Pentecost was a foretaste of what it will be like when the earth is lightened with His glory. When that other angel comes down, it will be much more powerful than the day of Pentecost. “Be glad then, ye children of Zion. Rejoice in the Lord your God: for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.” Joel 2:23, 24.

I want to be part of that experience. On the day of Pentecost, three thousand were added to the church. The gospel went to all the then known world in just a matter of years. But that will be small in comparison to when the nations shake. We are very privileged to be living in this period of earth’s history and have the opportunity to be part of that work.

Ellen White tells us that the loud cry will be ten times greater than the midnight cry of the 1840s. (See Spaulding and Magan Collection, 4.) Just think about that. During the midnight cry, the first angel’s message went to every tribe, kindred, tongue, and nation. Joseph Wolf, missionary to the world, preached the soon coming of Jesus to Jews, Hindus, Turks, and even in Congress, warning them that the hour of His judgment had come. La Cunza, a Jesuit priest in South America, preached the same first angel’s message. In Scandinavia, children between six and eight years of age preached the soon coming of Jesus because the ministers were silenced by the church, saying Jesus is soon to come.

William Miller in America preached the first angel’s message to thousands, and hundreds of thousands who flocked to hear him. But the latter rain, the “other angel” who is going to lighten the earth with his glory, will be ten times more powerful than that. Do you want to be a part of giving that message? God is waiting on us.

How can we be a part of this? First we must pray for it. In every assembly we need to pray for this, because God loves to hear and answer our prayers. It is like a child asking his father for something good. The father wants to give it to the child. So our Heavenly Father wants to give us the latter rain. He wants to fit us so we can be a part of this “other angel.” But He cannot while we are not ready.

“When the Third Angel’s Message shall go forth with a loud voice, the whole earth shall be lightened with His glory, the Holy Spirit is poured out upon His people. The revenue of glory has been accumulating for this closing work of the Third Angel’s Message. The prayers that have been ascending for the fulfillment of the promise, the descent of the Holy Spirit, not one has been lost. Each prayer has been accumulating, ready to overflow and pour forth a healing flood of heavenly influence and accumulated light all over the world.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 180, 181.

The prayers have been accumulating; none have been lost. That should urge us to pray more. The more we pray for it, the more quickly it will come and the more powerful it will be. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14. We need to pray for it as we have never prayed before.

That is not all that we need to be a part of the first shaking. We need to become a part of fulfilling God’s promise in Isaiah 13:12, 13: “I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.”

Jesus, by His death upon the cross of Calvary, has made provision so that we can be made more precious than the golden wedge of Ophir. To make use of the provision we must give up our sins.

If we have not given up our sins, if we have not laid all on the altar, we are not ready for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Why could God entrust the Holy Spirit without measure to Jesus? Because He had no sin, and that is the only way He can entrust us with the Holy Spirit without measure.

“Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 11 Corinthians 3:17. We need liberty from sin in order for the Holy Spirit to dwell in us fully. We cannot just believe it; we have to experience it. God says, “Taste and see.” Psalms 34:8. We have to know for ourselves that He is good and we have to give up all sin for Him.

God poured out the Holy Spirit upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost after they experienced the cross. They saw the deep spiritual significance of it. They spent ten days in the upper room, praying, searching their hearts and making things right. That experience enabled them to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We will be enabled, in the same way, to partake of the latter rain, to be a part of the church that shakes the nations.

Are we spending time at the cross daily? When we look at the cross, we see how horrible sin is, and how much we need to have it taken out of our hearts. We must ask ourselves, is there anything that is separating me from God? Am I clinging to any sin, so that God cannot use me for the fulfillment of His great work? We must humble ourselves before the Lord, and He will show us what we must do.

The third thing we must do in order to receive the latter rain, is to be working earnestly for others. In order for the other angel to unite with the third angel, we must be proclaiming the third angel’s message. “Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts: According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:4–7.

After the nations are shaken, then Jesus can come. Everyone will have made their decision. In Noah’s day everyone heard that a flood was coming. And every person on the globe had a chance to make a decision whether or not to heed Noah and go into the ark. So it is today. Jesus will not come the second time until everyone has had a chance to make a decision. That is the work that we have to do. We have a part to play in shaking the nations and hastening Jesus’ soon coming.

We have to be working earnestly for the salvation of our neighbors, and friends, and all with whom we come in contact. We are to pray, “Lord, what more can I do to be a part of the proclamation of the third angel’s message. I want to be a part of that other angel who lightens the earth with his glory and shakes all nations.”

The gospel has to go to the entire world before the end can come. Paul said that the gospel was “preached to every creature.” Colossians 1:23. And it must be again. They said about Paul, “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.” Acts 17:6. We need to be one of those today who turns the world upside down.

How badly do we want Jesus to come? Can other people tell by how we live that we want Him to come? The power that lightens the earth with his glory is never going to come upon someone who is not working earnestly for the salvation of souls now.

To be living during the time when the earth is lightened with his glory, to be living during the time when the Holy Spirit is poured out, and not to know that it is going on would be dreadful. That will be our experience if we are neither praying for it, nor removing sin from our lives, and if we are not earnestly working for others.

The Earth Shakes

We have seen that during the first shaking, the church shakes. The second shaking, the nations shake. The third, and best shaking is when the heavens and the earth shake. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” Matthew 24:29.

This occurs at the voice of God when He delivers His people, just a few days before Jesus comes. (See The Great Controversy, 636.) This shaking will be wonderful for God’s people, but it is a terrible shaking for the wicked, because they realize that they are lost.

Immediately after this “shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven.” Matthew 24:30. After this shaking, Jesus will come. Is this not what we are longing for? When Jesus comes, He will take away all sickness and sorrow and we will live in a perfect world. We have a part to do in bringing this about. We must experience the latter rain, when the Holy Spirit is poured out without measure. Then we will be able to give the loud cry. The work will be finished and we can go home where Jesus is. [Emphasis supplied.]

Cody Francis is currently engaged in public evangelism for Mission Projects International. He also pastors the Remnant Church of Seventh-day Adventist Believers in Renton, Washington. He may be contacted by e-mail at: cody@missionspro.org.

What is a Salvation Issue?

by

What is a salvation issue? From the time that disobedience first entered the perfect and sinless Garden of Eden, man has been asking God that very question in one form or another. In the sixteenth chapter of Acts, the Philippian jailor asks of Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Do you remember their reply? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:30, 31. Believe on Jesus and you shall be saved. That is all it takes? Jesus did it all for us? In that case all we have to do is proclaim that Jesus is our Savior and we can go on with our lives as before—doing our own will, following our own inclination, living our lives for this world while claiming to be part of the next. Is that what Paul was saying? Is that what the Bible teaches? Surely not! Yet we hear this message proclaimed from the pulpits both on Sabbath and Sunday.

James 2:19 says, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: The devils also believe, and tremble.” James is stating very clearly that there is more to salvation than belief. Satan is very willing that the people would think they are Christians simply by belief in Christ. “He is even anxious that they should believe in Jesus, His crucifixion, and His resurrection. Satan and his angels fully believe all this themselves, and tremble. But if this faith does not provoke to good works, and lead those who profess it to imitate the self-denying life of Christ, Satan is not disturbed; for they merely assume the Christian name, while their hearts are still carnal, and he can use them in his service even better than if they made no profession. Hiding their deformity under the name of Christian, they pass along with their unsanctified natures, and their evil passions unsubdued.” Early Writings, 227. It stands to reason that Satan would encourage our walk as Christians to end with belief, thus allowing, even encouraging, people to think they are saved when truly they are lost and, through their unconverted, unsanctified actions, they are leading others to condemnation also.

“There are those who profess holiness, who declare that they are wholly the Lord’s, who claim a right to the promises of God, while refusing to render obedience to His commandments. These transgressors of the law claim everything that is promised to the children of God; but this is presumption on their part, for John tells us that true love for God will be revealed in obedience to all His commandments. … John did not teach that salvation is to be earned by obedience but that obedience is the fruit of faith and love.” The Acts of the Apostles, 562, 563. “Doing, not merely saying, is expected of the followers of Christ. It is through action that character is built.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 149. We cannot earn salvation, but we are to abandon anything that would stand between us and eternal life. “Jesus said unto him [the rich young ruler], If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, [and] thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” Matthew 19:21.

The Yoke of Christ

“Today the invitation is given: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.’ (Matt. 11:28, 29). Christ has rest for all who will wear His yoke and learn His meekness and lowliness of heart. Here we are taught restraint and obedience, and in this we shall find rest. Thank God that in humility and obedience we shall find just that which we all need so much—the rest that is found in faith and confidence and perfect trust. Let us take the yoke of Christ and in entire obedience draw with Him.” That I May Know Him, 293. “In accepting Christ’s yoke of restraint and obedience, you will find that it is of the greatest help to you. Wearing this yoke keeps you near the side of Christ, and he bears the heaviest part of the load.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1090. His yoke is indeed easy and His burden is light. When we work with the Lord, when we take His yoke upon us, His wisdom and strength are ours. There is nothing we will be called upon to do, no trial we will have to endure, that has the power to overcome us if we are wearing His yoke of service. Obedience will be a joy, sacrifice a blessing.

“Little” Sins

“It is one of Satan’s most successful devices, to lead men to the commission of little sins, to blind the mind to the danger of little indulgences, little digressions from the plainly stated requirements of God. Many who would shrink with horror from some great transgression, are led to look upon sin in little matters as of trifling consequence. But these little sins eat out the life of godliness in the soul.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 2, 1017. “In the little matters some do not think it necessary to be so very exact, but this is the deception of Satan.” That I May Know Him, 325. Satan need not attack the whole law; “if he can lead men to disregard just one precept, his purpose is gained.” The Desire of Ages, 763. “It is not the greatness of the act of disobedience that constitutes sin, but the fact of variance from God’s expressed will in the least particular; for this shows that there is yet communion between the soul and sin. The heart is divided in its service. There is a virtual denial of God, a rebellion against the laws of His government.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 51.

“The importance of the little things is often underrated because they are small; but they supply much of the actual discipline of life.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 356. When we look at the Garden of Eden we are reminded of this important precept. Were not Adam and Eve banished from their beautiful home because they chose to eat of the forbidden fruit? Without insight, we may think of eating an apple as a very small sin, like a child who is caught with his/her hand in the cookie jar. But let us ponder this a moment. Sin is defined as anything that would separate us from Christ. Is that not a terrible thought? To be separated from Christ? This means that every sin from the smallest neglect to heed His word to the most gruesome deed, are equal in God’s eyes. They set us apart from our Creator. Had Eve been given a test great enough to justify, in our eyes, the couple’s removal from their home, would people not have perceived God as unjust, saying that it was too hard a test for a human to bear? In truth, was God not merciful in His allowance of such a simple choice for our first parents to make? Had they been diligent in the apparently small matters; had Eve stayed by her husband, had Adam not allowed her to stray, had Eve not lingered near the forbidden tree, they would not have need to concern themselves with their salvation. Such simple commands, and yet, without careful adherence, such great consequences! “It is not the greatness of the act of disobedience that constitutes sin, but the fact of variance from God’s expressed will in the least particular; for this shows that there is yet communion between the soul and sin. The heart is divided in its service. There is a virtual denial of God, a rebellion against the laws of His government.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 51.

A Last Day People

We are living in the very last days of earth’s history. In Matthew 24, Jesus is speaking to His disciples on the Mount of Olives. They had asked Him about the Second Coming. In the verses that follow He tells them of the things that will happen in the last days. “Many shall come in my name … and shall deceive many … wars and rumors of wars … nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom … famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes … false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many … this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations … there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matthew 24: 5–7, 11, 14, 24. This chapter reads like today’s newspaper, does it not?

We know Jesus is coming back soon. And yet, when people look at our lives, does our urgency testify to the nearness of the Second Coming? What is the purpose of having an end-time prophet and end-time prophecies if we are not going to listen in an end-time crisis? Amos 3:7 states, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets.” God provides the knowledge. It is our decision whether to accept or reject it. We are held accountable for the choice we make. The only way that Satan can blind us is if we refuse to believe truth when it comes.

There are those who hear God’s Word and give some mental agreement to it but delay action. They say to themselves, “Someday I am going to do it.” Choosing to obey tomorrow means you are choosing to live in sin today. In II Corinthians 4:3, 4 it says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” If God requests and we refuse, then Satan can come in with darkness.

Conviction and Conversion

Are we living up to the light that we have been given? The statement in Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved,” is not in and of itself sufficient to settle our salvation as the Devil would like us to believe. The Bible makes it evident that we are required to obey God in all things. If you love me obey my commandments (John 14:15). And who is going to experience God’s plan of redemption but those who love Him?

When we read something in the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy and do not follow the counsel, we often say it is because “I am not convicted of it.” Usually it is not conviction we are lacking, but conversion. Satan cannot blind us if we make a habit of walking in the light as it is revealed. When we read from God’s inspired Word, it is not up to us to try to reason it out, and question why, before we obey. For a Christian, when God speaks, that settles it!

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 55:9. Did Abram ask questions when God told him to leave his home and go to some unrevealed lands? Did Noah say, “Lord are you sure water will come from the sky? How can that be? I am not convinced.” If we wait until all doubts are removed, we will always have unbelief. In the finite mind there will always be room for doubt; that is where faith comes in. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.

“In deciding upon any course of action we are not to ask whether we can see that harm will result from it but whether it is in keeping with the will of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 634. There is great danger in “waiting for conviction.” “Each time we go against the Holy Spirit, each repetition, makes it easier to yield the next time. Every repetition of sin lessens our power of resistance, blinds our eyes, and stifles conviction.” (See Patriarchs and Prophets, 268.) The word stifle means, “to suppress, to smother, to suffocate.” Did you notice the progression there? Suppress, smother, suffocate. While we continue in sin, “waiting for conviction,” we grieve the Holy Spirit and eventually harden our hearts against Him.

What are Nonessentials?

It is the work of Satan to make plausible excuses for not obeying God implicitly. “Many close their eyes to the plainest teachings of His Word. …They hesitate and question and search for some excuse whereby they may shun the cross. Satan is ever ready, and he presents plausible reasons why it would not be best to obey the Word of God just as it reads. The soul is fatally deceived.” Faith and Works, 42. Many times, when we read something that condemns our sins, we search the Scriptures looking for a “balancing statement,” or something that appears to allow us to do as pleases us. If we are searching for a “balancing statement,” does that not imply that the Scripture itself is unbalanced? Surely none of us believe that!

You have heard people say, “It is not a test of fellowship.” This is usually when speaking about a standard the Adventist Church does not require to be met before baptism, such as vegetarianism. We have been told that “the very last great deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 48.

Let us not have a part in this deception by allowing Satan to provide us with excuses that encourage us to ignore a plain “thus saith the Lord.”

We have a job to do. “The work that the Lord has given us at this time is to present to the people the true light in regard to the testing questions of obedience and salvation—the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Ibid., 165. “It should be understood that perfect unity among the laborers is necessary to the successful accomplishment of the work of God. …

“Study the second chapter of Acts. In the early Church the Spirit of God wrought mightily through those who were harmoniously united. On the day of Pentecost, they were all with one accord in one place.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 196. Unity of believers is vital to the work we have to do in these last days. The only way we are going to achieve unity is through individual daily conversion and surrender to the will and ways of the Lord. “The reason for all division, discord, and difference is found in separation from Christ.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 259.

Disregarding Light

The prophet wrote, “The subject of health reform has been presented in the churches; but the light has not been heartily received. The selfish, health-destroying indulgences of men and women have counteracted the influence of the message that is to prepare a people for the great day of God. … If the members of our churches disregard the light on this subject, they will reap the sure result in both spiritual and physical degeneracy. And the influence of these older church members will leaven those newly come to the faith. The Lord does not now work to bring many souls to the truth because of the church members who have never been converted, and those who were once converted, but who have backslidden. What influence would these unconsecrated members have on new converts? Would they not make of no effect the God-given message which His people have to bear?” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 455.

When we disregard the light we have been given, whatever the reason, we not only risk our own salvation, but we create disunity and discord among church members and hinder the work we are called of God to do. As Christians, our actions should always reveal the grace that God has given us and His love within our hearts. There are really no nonessentials in the Christian’s life; no “ifs” in God’s requirements; His word is “Yea” and “Amen.”

“Do you ask, What shall I do to be saved? You must lay your preconceived opinions, your hereditary and cultivated ideas, at the door of investigation. If you search the Scriptures to vindicate your own opinions, you will never reach the truth. Search in order to learn what the Lord says. If conviction comes as you search, if you see that your cherished opinions are not in harmony with the truth, do not misinterpret the truth in order to suit your own belief, but accept the light given. Open mind and heart that you may behold wondrous things out of God’s Word.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 112. What must I do to be saved? It is a question of eternal consequence. We should ask it each day, on our knees, with our hearts open to receive the reply.

By Lori Ackerman

Ask For the Old Paths

by

Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” Jeremiah 6:16.

What are these “old paths” for which Jeremiah told us to ask? Some doubters might quibble that the Israelites never reached the condition that God wanted them to attain. They might further argue that these “old paths” contained some pretty bad history. We could think of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; Zimri; Miriam and Aaron’s jealousy; and the golden calf—to name just a few of the problems.

Are these errors and departure from truth the “old paths” for which the Lord is telling us to ask? No, the text itself explains for what we are to look. “Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein.” The qualifier is “the good way.”

The old path of truth must be walked on again. On this path lies the only way to victory for the church of God. Today we are calling to Christians across the land and around the world to return to the old paths of truth that God has committed to Seventh-day Adventists—the path that James and Ellen White walked on, and J. N. Andrews, Benjamin Wilkinson, F. C. Gilbert, Julius Gilbert White, Edward Sutherland, and a host of others. The old historic pathway is the truth as expressed in the Law of God. It contains the truth of the Three Angels’ Messages, the heavenly sanctuary, the Sabbath, the state of the dead, the Spirit of Prophecy, and the investigative judgment. Those who are walking on the “old paths” are teaching the old truths. This is why we are “Historic” Seventh-day Adventists. The pioneers did not reach the end of the path. They did not receive the latter rain—but they were on the right pathway.

Yes, as a people, there have been some bad experiences in our history. There was Canright, Conradi, the 1888 Conference at Minneapolis, and Desmond Ford, to name just a few. Is that the history we are talking about when we say “Historic” Seventh-day Adventists? Hardly! Jeremiah 6:16 gives us the context, “Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein.”

We will never attain to the full condition that God would have us reach or receive the latter rain and give the loud cry of warning to a perishing world until we first return to walking on the “old paths.”

One of the conditions that God has set before us as a people is to be of one heart and one mind. But my heart feels sad to think of the lack of unity among the independent ministries. Why is it this way when we are trying to walk on the “old paths?” My mind turned to the greatness and power of our kind heavenly Father. It gives me peace to remember that our Almighty God has everything in control. Each truly Historic Seventh-day Adventist minister and worker giving the Three Angels’ Messages must go forward with greater power under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and with godly counsel. God will help and support each one of His workers. He is even working out His plans right now in the midst of shaking and turmoil. We must stay close to Him.

We must not let anything stop us from giving the third angel’s message. We will be held accountable for the message of truth that God has given us to give to the world. Fellow travelers on the bloodstained pathway do not give up because of the lack of unity. Pray in earnest, as if your life depended on it, that you can help the cause of God to triumph. We often do not understand what God is accomplishing. We do not see things as He does. He is leading a people on a path cast up high above the world. It is the “old path,” the historic path of truth. But, friends, we must climb to higher ground and go farther on the path than any group of people have ever gone before. We may make mistakes as we climb, but God never makes mistakes. We may slip and fall, but the truth will triumph. At Steps to Life, we are in earnest prayer that the Lord will show us just what course to pursue as we seek to work in every way we can with those who are giving the Three Angels’ Messages. “There is not a single instance in which God has hidden His face from the supplication of His people. When every other resource failed, He was a present help in every emergency.” This Day With God, 194.

“Brethren and sisters, look up; you who are tried, tempted, and discouraged, look up. Let no weary, halting, sin-oppressed soul become faint-hearted. The promises of God that come down along the lines to our times assure you that heaven can be reached if you will continue to climb. It is ever safe to look up; it is fatal to look down. If you look down, the earth reels and sways beneath you; nothing is sure. But heaven above you is calm and steady, and there is divine aid for every climber. The hand of the Infinite is reaching over the battlements of heaven to grasp yours in its strong embrace. The mighty Helper is nigh to bless, lift up, and encourage the most erring, the most sinful, if they will look to Him by faith. But the sinner must look up; he must see the glory of God above the shining ladder, and the angels ascending and descending with messages of mercy.” Review and Herald, February 17, 1885.

Sometimes the ground under our feet seems to be shaking to cause us to look up to heaven. But as the earth seems to be shaking, keep on giving the Three Angels’ Messages. Stay on the “old path.” The devil would like us to be so shaken up that we stop the work that God has given us to do. Remember that God is working out His purposes in the darkest of days. “We are prone to look to our fellow men for sympathy and uplifting, instead of looking to Jesus. In His mercy and faithfulness God often permits those in whom we place confidence to fail us, in order that we may learn the folly of trusting in man and making flesh our arm. Let us trust fully, humbly, unselfishly in God. He knows the sorrows that we feel to the depths of our being, but which we cannot express. When all things seem dark and unexplainable, remember the words of Christ, ‘What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.’ John 13:7.” The Ministry of Healing, 486, 487.

One of the great hindrances to our advancement along the path is the justification of self. The wise man said, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.” Proverbs 21:2. We become so confident that we are right that when others do not see things in the same way as we do, we are certain that they are wrong. It then becomes very natural, when they fail to support us, to view them as actively seeking our destruction—they must be “attacking” us. We then attribute to them pride, selfishness, pettiness, evil surmising, and various other negative motives. Eventually, we reason that since God has been leading us and we are therefore right (righteous), for anyone to attack us is tantamount to an attack upon God Himself, when the truth of the matter is that we are often merely seeking to justify our own position. “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes.” It is a fearful thing for individuals or organizations to unconsciously occupy the place of God in presuming to dictate to others what their responsibilities and duties are.

What are we to do when this happens? The apostle John once asked Jesus a question about a similar situation. “Master, we saw one casting out devils in Thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in My name, that can lightly speak evil of Me. For he that is not against us is on our part.” Mark 9:38–40. Even if others are not in agreement with us, it is not our place to fault them for doing the work that they believe they are called of the Lord to do. If we can humbly pray and wait upon the Lord to work things out, we may find that we are receiving the very education that the Lord designs for us to have. Let us not be too quick to say that those who are not working closely with our plans are evil or that they are arrayed against us.

In every controversy, precious souls are lost. While in humility and waiting upon the Lord to subdue our natures, we do not need to let disagreements turn into controversies. “The difficulties we have to encounter may be very much lessened by that meekness which hides itself in Christ. If we possess the humility of our Master, we shall rise above the slights, the rebuffs, the annoyances, to which we are daily exposed, and they will cease to cast a gloom over the spirit.” The Desire of Ages, 301. If we would only do this, Jesus would then become the Lord and Master of all.

There will yet be a people who will answer the prayer of Christ recorded by the apostle John, “That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17:21. We may have confidence that the Lord is working to purify a people who will fulfill this prayer, though at the present time we can only view the end result by the eye of faith. It will most assuredly happen because the Word of God is sure and steadfast.

“As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare will in times of real peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock; they will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light and precious privileges, but have not improved them, will, under one pretext or another, go out from us. Not having received the love of the truth, they will be taken in the delusions of the enemy; they will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and will depart from the faith. But, on the other hand, when the storm of persecution really breaks upon us, the true sheep will hear the true Shepherd’s voice. Self-denying efforts will be put forth to save the lost, and many who have strayed from the fold will come back to follow the great Shepherd. The people of God will draw together and present to the enemy a united front. In view of the common peril, strife for supremacy will cease; there will be no disputing as to who shall be accounted greatest. No one of the true believers will say: ‘I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas.’ [I Corinthians 1:12.] The testimony of one and all will be: ‘I cleave unto Christ; I rejoice in Him as my personal Saviour.’ ” Testimonies, vol. 6, 400, 401.

Gwen Reeves is a mother of five and lives in Kettle Falls, Washington. She can be contacted at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Weighed in the Balances

by

Someday every one of us is going to be in this world for the last day of our life. Every day that we live should be a day that we live in reference to that fact, because whether we live until Jesus returns, or die first, there will come a day when our destiny is fixed for eternity and there will be nothing that we can do to change it.

There is a story of a man facing judgment. It was Belshazzar’s last day on this earth, and we are told that he was giving a party. “They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, and iron, wood and stone.” Daniel 5:4. Have you ever read the text in the Bible that says, “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth”? Ecclesiastes 7:4. “In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.” Daniel 5:5, 6. Commenting on this verse, Ellen White tells us that, “When God makes men fear, they cannot hide the intensity of their terror.” The Youth’s Instructor, May 19, 1898.

So Belshazzar called in all of the wise men, those who understood science and philosophy, that they might tell him the meaning of the writing; but they could not do so. “The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, ‘Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.’ ” Daniel 5:7. Philosophy and science have their proper place, but learning and education will not save you on your last day on earth unless you know the God of heaven.

The queen mother then came to Belshazzar and said, “There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.” Verses 11, 12.

So Daniel came in and gave the interpretation of the handwriting that was on the wall. He began by reviewing with him the providence of God in the life of Nebuchadnezzar.

“But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses. But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this, And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven.” Verses 20–23. By his actions, Belshazzar had despised the God of heaven.

“The fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written. And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of each word. MENE; God has numbered your kingdom and finished it.” Verses 24–26.

The time is going to come when we will be in this world for our last day, and our character is going to be put into that balance. Though there are stories in the Bible about people who were going in a certain direction who came to a point late in their life when they decided to reverse their direction, those cases are few in number.

“Many are quieting a troubled conscience with the thought that they can change a course of evil when they choose; that they can trifle with the invitations of mercy, and yet be again and again impressed. They think that after doing despite to the Spirit of grace, after casting their influence on the side of Satan, in a moment of terrible extremity they can change their course. But this is not so easily done. The experience, the education of a lifetime, has so thoroughly molded the character that few then desire to receive the image of Jesus.” Steps to Christ, 33.

The judgment is the heart of the message that God has given to Seventh-day Adventists. Our whole message has to do with judgment, because we are living in the end times when the judgment is taking place.

When, in the judgment, we are weighed in God’s balances, every detail of our character will be examined.

“God weighs every man in the balances of the sanctuary. In one scale is placed His perfect, unchangeable law, demanding perfect obedience. If in the other there are years of forgetfulness, of rebellion, of self-pleasing, with no repentance, no confession, no effort to do right, God says, “ ‘Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting [Daniel 5:27].’ ” Youth’s Instructor, July 31, 1902.

None of us can weigh out unless someone takes away our guilt and in its place supplies us with the righteous fulfillment of the Law. That is what the gospel is all about.

We are living in a time when people have become unconcerned about this judgment. They believe that they can live in any way that they please and that it is sufficient to just say, “Lord, I am confessing my sins,” and their sins will be forgiven. But as we just read, if there has been no repentance and no effort to do right, God will say, “No, you are not going to weigh out.”

“A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance. This was the time of Jacob’s trouble. Then all the saints cried out with anguish of spirit, and were delivered by the voice of God. The 144,000 triumphed. Their faces were lighted up with the glory of God. Then I was shown a company who were howling in agony.” Early Writings, 36.

What were they howling in agony about? “On their garments [that is, their garments of character] was written in large characters, ‘Thou art weighed in the balance, and found wanting.’ I asked who this company were. The angel said, ‘These are they who have once kept the Sabbath and have given it up.’ ” Ibid., 37.

Now when the national Sunday law is passed, there is going to be a multitude who are going to give up the Sabbath in order to obtain food and clothing. When that temptation comes to you, I hope that you will remember this reference in this story.

“I heard them cry with a loud voice, ‘We have believed in Thy coming, and taught it with energy.’ And while they were speaking, their eyes would fall upon their garments and see the writing, and then they would wail aloud. I saw that they had drunk of the deep waters, and fouled the residue with their feet—trodden the Sabbath underfoot—and that was why they were weighed in the balance and found wanting.” Ibid.

Sin is the transgression of the Law. When your time comes to be weighed, the Law is going to be on the other side of the balances. The Law demands perfect obedience, and therefore, if you are going to weigh out, you must be diligent and say, “Lord, help me by Your grace to get all sin out of my life now.” That is one of the great problems for a lot of people in our generation. You think this over, relative to some people that you know, and you will realize that many of them plan to get sin out of their lives at some future time; but not now. It has been estimated that there are three million Seventh-day Adventists in the United States. There are not, however, three million Seventh-day Adventists in church every Sabbath. Where are these people? They know our message, and they profess their belief in it; but they are not living it.

Let me share some statements with you. “Since Jesus has made such an infinite sacrifice for us, how cruel it is that we should remain indifferent. Individually, we have cost the life of the Son of God, and He desires us to walk out by living faith, believing in Him with all the heart. He would have you bring the truth of God into the inner sanctuary [that is, your mind], to soften and subdue the soul; for when Christ is dwelling in your heart by faith, you will love those for whom He died. Suppose that the trump of God should sound tonight, who is ready to respond with gladness? How many of you would cry, ‘Oh, stay the chariot wheels; I am not ready’? Of how many would it be written, as it was written of Belshazzar, ‘Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting’? To be wanting in that day is to be wanting forever; for when Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, we must be all ready to be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Your only safety is in coming to Christ, and ceasing from sin this very moment.” Signs of the Times, August 29, 1892. Do you see what it means to come up to the last day and be wanting? Our only safety is in coming to Christ and ceasing from sin this moment.

If you decide that you are going to quit some sin in your life tomorrow, you have, at the same time, decided that you are still going to do it today. Now, if you decide that you are going to sin today, can Jesus be your Lord and Savior today? No, He cannot. You have placed yourself outside of the vale of mercy; and if you should die today, you are lost.

“It is possible to be a partial, formal believer, and yet be found wanting and lose eternal life. It is possible to practice some of the Bible injunctions and be regarded as a Christian, and yet perish because you lack qualifications essential to Christian character. If you neglect or treat with indifference the warnings that God has given, if you cherish or excuse sin, you are sealing your soul’s destiny. You will be weighed in the balance and found wanting. Grace, peace, and pardon will be forever withdrawn; Jesus will have passed by, never again to come within reach of your prayers and entreaties.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 405.

Friends, this is serious business. Are you praying every day and saying, “Lord, please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Give me any rebuke I need, just do not take Your Holy Spirit from me?”

I find that there are many people who have a lot of questions about counsel and believe that in whatever we do, we should follow counsel. The Bible does say that in a multitude of counsel there is safety. We do need to move in harmony with counsel, but we also need to remember that from whomever we are receiving counsel, it does not matter who it is, unless that person is giving evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in their life, we cannot depend on their counsel.

“You are already confused by men whose counsel is erratic. If you will come out from these men and be separate, you will be in a much better position to advance the work. There is no safety in following the counsel of men who are not vivified by the Holy Spirit, but must be reformed, else they will be weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, and found wanting.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 14, 50.

Someday, though we do not know when, we are going to be placed in the balances. The weight of our character, when put in the balance, will be determined by the motives that caused us to act. If we do not have the love of Jesus in our heart, we may be doing the right things, but we will not weigh out.

“God is weighing our characters, our conduct, and our motives in the balances of the sanctuary. It will be a fearful thing to be pronounced wanting in love and obedience by our Redeemer, who died upon the cross to draw our hearts unto Him. God has bestowed upon us great and precious gifts. He has given us light and a knowledge of His will, so that we need not err or walk in darkness. To be weighed in the balance and found wanting in the day of final settlement and rewards will be a fearful thing, a terrible mistake which can never be corrected.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 370.

“When this church is weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, it is found wanting, having left its first love. The True Witness declares, ‘I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and has found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name’s sake has laboured, and hast not fainted.’ [Revelation 2:2, 3.] Notwithstanding all this, the church is found wanting. What is the fatal deficiency?—‘Thou hast left thy first love.’ Is not this our case? Our doctrines may be correct; we may hate false doctrine, and may not receive those who are not true to principle; we may labor with untiring energy; but even this is not sufficient. What is our motive? Why are we called upon to repent?—‘Thou hast left thy first love.’ ” Selected Messages, Book 1, 370.

You see, if you do not have the love of Jesus in your heart, you can be doing the right thing, but fail to weigh out. The people in the Ephesus church were not heretics. In fact, those who professed to be apostles, but whom they found were not, they cast out. Their doctrines were right and they hated error, but that is not enough. There will come a time when you will be weighed, and doctrines alone are not enough. If you do not have the love of Jesus inside, you will be wanting; you will be lacking.

“You may manifest great zeal in missionary effort, and yet because it is corrupted with selfishness, and it is nought in the sight of God; for it is a tainted, corrupted offering. Unless the door of the heart is open to Jesus, unless He occupies the soul temple, unless the heart is imbued with His divine attributes, human actions when weighed in the heavenly balances, will be pronounced ‘Wanting.’ ” “Ellen G. White Comments” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 961.

Oh friends, each one of us is coming to our last day in this world, and each one of us is going to be weighed in the balances. Are you getting ready? Do you have the love of Jesus inside; His meekness, His lowliness? Are you obedient to Him; do your thoughts, words, and the tone of your voice reveal that fact? If you want to make a covenant with the Lord and say, “Lord, I am choosing to lay aside everything that would not be in harmony with Your will; I pray that You will fill my heart and mind with Your Holy Spirit and change them,” I invite you to kneel, right where you are, and ask the Lord to give you this experience right now.

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

Pastor John Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Biographical Blessings – Glory Only to God

by

April 21 – 27, 2019

Key Text

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5, first part).

Study Help: Education, 253–261.

Introduction

“We have nothing to recommend us to God; but the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition that makes His redeeming power a necessity.” The Desire of Ages, 317.

Sunday

THE SUFFERING OF A VIRTUOUS MAN

  • What were the virtues that characterized Job’s daily life? Job 29:5, 8–16.

Note: “God has given in His word a picture of a prosperous man—one whose life was in the truest sense a success, a man whom both heaven and earth delighted to honor. [Job 29:4–16 quoted.]” Education, 142.

  • What timeless lesson are we to learn from Job’s trials? Psalm 34:18, 19.

Note: “It is very natural for human beings to think that great calamities are a sure index of great crimes and enormous sins; but men often make a mistake in thus measuring character. We are not living in the time of retributive judgment. Good and evil are mingled, and calamities come upon all. Sometimes men do pass the boundary line beyond God’s protecting care, and then Satan exercises his power upon them, and God does not interpose. Job was sorely afflicted, and his friends sought to make him acknowledge that his suffering was the result of sin, and cause him to feel under condemnation. They represented his case as that of a great sinner.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1140.

Monday

THE WAKE-UP CALL

  • Although Job’s conscience was clean and his life virtuous, what did God want His faithful servant to pause to consider? Job 38:1–7; 40:1, 2.

Note: “Every opening flower, every leaf with its delicate veins, will testify of the infinite skill of the great Master Artist. The massive rocks and towering mountains that rise in the distance are not the result of chance. They speak in silent eloquence of One who sits upon the throne of the universe, high and lifted up. … All His plans are perfect. What awe and reverence should His name inspire!” Our High Calling, 251.

  • How did Job respond to God’s wake-up call? How should all respond who, like Job, may have been cruelly misunderstood and unjustly maligned by others? Job 40:3–5; 42:6.

Note: “Some shortsighted, short-experienced friends cannot, with their narrow vision, appreciate the feelings of one who has been in close harmony with the soul of Christ in connection with the salvation of others. His motives are misunderstood and his actions misconstrued by those who would be his friends, until, like Job, he sends forth the earnest prayer: Save me from my friends. God takes the case of Job in hand Himself. His patience has been severely taxed; but when God speaks, all his pettish feelings are changed. The self-justification which he felt was necessary to withstand the condemnation of his friends is not necessary toward God. He never misjudges; He never errs. Says the Lord to Job, ‘Gird up now thy loins like a man;’ and Job no sooner hears the divine voice than his soul is bowed down with a sense of his sinfulness, and he says before God, ‘I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes’ (Job 38:3; 42:6).” Testimonies, vol. 3, 509.

“We are living in perilous times. Seventh-day Adventists are professedly the commandment-keeping people of God; but they are losing their devotional spirit. This spirit of reverence for God teaches men how to approach their Maker—with sacredness and awe through faith, not in themselves, but in a Mediator. Thus man is kept fast, under whatever circumstances he is placed.” Notebook Leaflets, vol. 1, 121.

Tuesday

GOD’S ABUNDANT GRACE

  • What should we learn from the Lord’s final verdict concerning Job and his friends? Job 42:7–9.
  • What did God then do for Job? Why? Job 42:10–17; Psalm 66:10–12.

Note: “From the depths of discouragement and despondency Job rose to the heights of implicit trust in the mercy and the saving power of God.” Prophets and Kings, 163.

“When Job caught a glimpse of his Creator, he abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes. Then the Lord was able to bless him abundantly and to make his last years the best of his life.” Ibid., 164.

  • Why should the attitude of faithful Job be an inspiration to every Christian? James 5:11; Ephesians 2:8–10.

Note: “Those who live nearest to Jesus discern most clearly the frailty and sinfulness of humanity, and their only hope is in the merit of a crucified and risen Saviour.” The Great Controversy, 471.

“In His divine arrangement, through His unmerited favor, the Lord has ordained that good works shall be rewarded. We are accepted through Christ’s merit alone; and the acts of mercy, the deeds of charity, which we perform, are the fruits of faith; and they become a blessing to us; for men are to be rewarded according to their works. It is the fragrance of the merit of Christ that makes our good works acceptable to God, and it is grace that enables us to do the works for which He rewards us. Our works in and of themselves have no merit. When we have done all that it is possible for us to do, we are to count ourselves as unprofitable servants. We deserve no thanks from God. We have only done what it was our duty to do, and our works could not have been performed in the strength of our own sinful natures.” The Review and Herald, January 29, 1895.

Wednesday

CHRIST UPLIFTED

  • As virtuous a man as Job was, what should we realize about the spiritual needs of this man (or those of any other person)? 1 Peter 1:18, 19.

 Note: “The prayers, the praise, the penitent confession of sin ascend from true believers as incense to the heavenly sanctuary, but passing through the corrupt channels of humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by blood, they can never be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless purity, and unless the Intercessor, who is at God’s right hand, presents and purifies all by His righteousness, it is not acceptable to God. All incense from earthly tabernacles must be moist with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 344.

“The more of the Spirit of Christ we have, the more humble we shall become. When we obtain clear views of Christ, no words of self-exaltation will escape our lips. When the Lord gave to Job a view of His majesty, Job ceased to vindicate his own righteousness. He felt his sinfulness, and humbled himself before the purity and holiness of God. ‘I abhor myself,’ he said, ‘and repent in dust and ashes’ (Job 42:6). Yet by the pen of inspiration, God presents Job as perfect and upright, one that feared God and eschewed evil. ‘There is none like him in the earth’ (Job 1:8).” The Signs of the Times, August 11, 1898.

  • How do we know that Job trusted in Christ as his Saviour? Job 19:25–27. To what inspiring determination should this lead each of us?

Note: “You now have precious hours of probation granted you to form a right character. … You now have a period allotted you in which to redeem the time. You cannot in your own strength put away your errors and wrongs; they have been increasing upon you for years, because you have not seen them in their hideousness and in the strength of God resolutely put them away. By living faith you must lay hold on an arm that is mighty to save. Humble your poor, proud, self-righteous heart before God; get low, very low, all broken in your sinfulness at His feet. Devote yourself to the work of preparation. Rest not until you can truly say: My Redeemer liveth, and, because He lives, I shall live also.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 88.

Thursday

TRUSTING IN GOD’S GOODNESS

  • When the outlook is bleak, what strengthens us to follow the faith of Job? Job 13:15, 16.

Note: “We are justified to walk by sight as long as we can, but when we can no longer see the way clearly, then we need to put our hand in our heavenly Father’s and let Him lead. There are emergencies in the life of all in which we can neither follow sight nor trust to memory or experience. All we can do is simply to trust and wait. We shall honor God to trust Him because He is our heavenly Father.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 186.

“Are you tempted to give way to feelings of anxious foreboding or utter despondency? In the darkest days, when appearances seem most forbidding, fear not. Have faith in God.” Prophets and Kings, 164.

  • How does the history of Job illustrate righteousness by faith, and how is this theme to be reflected in our lives? Romans 5:1–5; Titus 3:3–7.

Note: “It is only as we depend upon the strength and righteousness of Christ that we can stand the testing of God. We shall have to educate the mind, and again and again bring to our remembrance the fact that Christ has His hand upon us. With His own divine lips He has said, ‘Without Me ye can do nothing’ (John 15:5, last part), but through Christ we can do all things. It is not for us to mark out the way in which we shall walk; but if we take everything that comes to us as in the providence of God, even our tribulation will work patience, and we need not sink in discouragement while we look by faith to Jesus.” The Signs of the Times, March 28, 1892.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     Why may I be in danger of misjudging the case of a suffering person?

2    What is nearly extinct in the worship of God, yet is nonetheless essential?

3    What startled Job out of his misery?

4    Why is it so important to depend on the divine Redeemer?

5    No matter how bad things get, what should we always keep in mind?

 

© 2018, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

 

Biographical Blessings – The Patience of Job

by

April 14 – 20, 2019

Key Text

“Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job” (James 5:11, first part).

Study Help: Testimonies, vol. 5, 341–348.

Introduction

“He [God] permitted trials to come upon you, that, through them, you might experience the peaceable fruits of righteousness.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 416.

Sunday

HOPE BEHIND THE CLOUD

  • Being human, how did Job feel about his predicament? Job 3:1–3, 9–11, 20–22.
  • What should we all consider in hard times? Job 5:17–19.

Note: “The very time to exercise faith is when we feel destitute of the Spirit. When thick clouds of darkness seem to hover over the mind, then is the time to let living faith pierce the darkness and scatter the clouds.” Early Writings, 72.

“To every stricken one, Jesus comes with the ministry of healing. The life of bereavement, pain, and suffering may be brightened by precious revealings of His presence.

“God would not have us remain pressed down by dumb sorrow, with sore and breaking hearts. He would have us look up and behold His dear face of love. The blessed Saviour stands by many whose eyes are so blinded by tears that they do not discern Him. He longs to clasp our hands, to have us look to Him in simple faith, permitting Him to guide us. His heart is open to our griefs, our sorrows, and our trials. He has loved us with an everlasting love and with loving-kindness compassed us about. We may keep the heart stayed upon Him and meditate upon His loving-kindness all the day. He will lift the soul above the daily sorrow and perplexity, into a realm of peace.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 12.

Monday

WHOSE HEART DO WE TEND TO SEARCH?

  •  Why did Job seek to search his heart? Proverbs 26:2; Job 9:1–4; 10:1, 2.

Note: “To a great degree the experiences of life are the fruition of our own thoughts and deeds.” Education, 146.

  • When we fall into unexpected suffering, why is it wise for us to follow Job’s example of self-examination? 2 Corinthians 13:5; Psalm 139:23, 24.

Note: “If each will search and see what sins are lurking in his own heart to shut out Jesus, he will find such a work to do that he will be ready to esteem others better than himself. He will no longer seek to pluck the mote out of his brother’s eye while a beam is in his own eye.” Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 213.

  • Why does Jesus warn us against being quick to judge the cause of others’ afflictions? Luke 13:1–5.
  • What was Job’s response when friends misjudged his affliction? Job 16:1–3.

Note: “Still another element of bitterness was added to his [Job’s] cup. His friends, seeing in adversity but the retribution of sin, pressed on his bruised and burdened spirit their accusations of wrongdoing.” Education, 155.

“There is wickedness in our world, but all the suffering is not the result of a perverted course of life. Job is brought distinctly before us as a man whom the Lord allowed Satan to afflict. The enemy stripped him of all he possessed; his family ties were broken; his children were taken from him. For a time his body was covered with loathsome sores, and he suffered greatly. His friends came to comfort him, but they tried to make him see that he was responsible, by his sinful course, for his afflictions. … By seeking to make him guilty before God, and deserving of His punishment, they brought a grievous test upon him, and represented God in a false light.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1140.

Tuesday

REFLECTING THE DIVINE COMFORTER

  • What should we learn from Job’s attitude toward his friends? Job 16:4, 5.

Note: “Let no Christian be found an accuser of the brethren. Satan is the one who bears this title; he accuses them before God day and night, he stirs up the enemies of our faith to accuse us, and he prompts those of like precious faith to criticize and condemn one another. We are not to take part in his work. These are days of trial and of great peril, the adversary of souls is upon the track of every one; and while we stand out separate from the world, we should press together in faith and love. United, we are strong; divided, we are weak.

“We are exhorted to love as brethren, to be kind, courteous, forbearing, in honor preferring one another.” Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 213, 214.

  • How are we, like the psalmist, to be comforted when no human understands nor sympathizes with our pain or sorrow? Psalm 27:10; 73:25, 26.

Note: “Into the experience of all there come times of keen disappointment and utter discouragement—days when sorrow is the portion, and it is hard to believe that God is still the kind benefactor of His earthborn children; days when troubles harass the soul, till death seems preferable to life. It is then that many lose their hold on God and are brought into the slavery of doubt, the bondage of unbelief. Could we at such times discern with spiritual insight the meaning of God’s providences we should see angels seeking to save us from ourselves, striving to plant our feet upon a foundation more firm than the everlasting hills, and new faith, new life, would spring into being.” Prophets and Kings, 162.

“While we review, not the dark chapters in our experience, but the manifestations of God’s great mercy and unfailing love, we shall praise far more than complain. We shall talk of the loving faithfulness of God as the true, tender, compassionate shepherd of His flock, which He has declared that none shall pluck out of His hand. The language of the heart will not be selfish murmuring and repining. Praise, like clear-flowing streams, will come from God’s truly believing ones.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 367.

Wednesday

DEVELOPING PATIENCE

  • What perspective helps us develop patience in trial? James 5:10; Lamentations 3:31–33.

Note: “Life is disciplinary. While in the world, the Christian will meet with adverse influences. There will be provocations to test the temper; and it is by meeting these in a right spirit that the Christian graces are developed. If injuries and insults are meekly borne, if insulting words are responded to by gentle answers, and oppressive acts by kindness, this is evidence that the Spirit of Christ dwells in the heart, that sap from the living Vine is flowing to the branches. We are in the school of Christ in this life, where we are to learn to be meek and lowly of heart; and in the day of final accounts we shall see that all the obstacles we meet, all the hardships and annoyances that we are called to bear, are practical lessons in the application of principles of Christian life. If well endured, they develop the Christlike in the character and distinguish the Christian from the worldling.

“There is a high standard to which we are to attain if we would be children of God, noble, pure, holy, and undefiled; and a pruning process is necessary if we would reach this standard. How would this pruning be accomplished if there were no difficulties to meet, no obstacles to surmount, nothing to call out patience and endurance? These trials are not the smallest blessings in our experience. They are designed to nerve us to determination to succeed. We are to use them as God’s means to gain decided victories over self instead of allowing them to hinder, oppress, and destroy us.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 344, 345.

  • How does Scripture connect trials with patience? Romans 5:3, 4.

Note: “The Lord frequently places us in difficult positions to stimulate us to greater exertion. In His providence special annoyances sometimes occur to test our patience and faith. God gives us lessons of trust. He would teach us where to look for help and strength in time of need. Thus we obtain practical knowledge of His divine will, which we so much need in our life experience. Faith grows strong in earnest conflict with doubt and fear.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 116, 117.

Thursday

AGONIZING IN PRAYER

  • Why are today’s trials essential for the conflict ahead? Zechariah 13:9.

Note: “God’s love for His children during the period of their severest trial is as strong and tender as in the days of their sunniest prosperity; but it is needful for them to be placed in the furnace of fire; their earthliness must be consumed, that the image of Christ may be perfectly reflected.

“The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger—a faith that will not faint though severely tried. The period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time. … Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for His blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with God—how few know what it is! How few have ever had their souls drawn out after God with intensity of desire until every power is on the stretch. When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God.

“We should now acquaint ourselves with God by proving His promises. Angels record every prayer that is earnest and sincere. We should rather dispense with selfish gratifications than neglect communion with God. The deepest poverty, the greatest self-denial, with His approval, is better than riches, honors, ease, and friendship without it. We must take time to pray. If we allow our minds to be absorbed by worldly interests, the Lord may give us time by removing from us our idols of gold, of houses, or of fertile lands.” The Great Controversy, 621, 622.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     Where is God when people such as Job are suffering?

2    How might I be guilty of the error of Job’s friends?

3    What should we do when there seems to be no answer to our suffering?

4    How do our trials develop patience?

5    Describe the type of experience we need in preparation for the final events.

Biographical Blessings – The Enigma of Trials

by

April 7 – 13, 2019

Key Text

“He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).

Study Help: Messages to Young People, 78–80, 94–98; Early Writings, 46–48.

Introduction

“The suffering soul is made patient, trustful, triumphant in God under adverse circumstances.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 355.

Sunday

AN INNOCENT TARGET

  • What is written about the character of Job? Job 1:1; 29:15; 31:6.

Note: “Job did not neglect his duty to those outside of his household; he was benevolent, kind, thoughtful of the interest of others.” The Review and Herald, August 30, 1881.

  • What troublesome influences are operating in this world, hidden behind the scenes—and why do we need to be aware of them? Ephesians 6:12.

Note: “From the days of Adam to our own time, our great enemy has been exercising his power to oppress and destroy. He is now preparing for his last campaign against the church. All who seek to follow Jesus will be brought into conflict with this relentless foe. The more nearly the Christian imitates the divine Pattern, the more surely will he make himself a mark for the attacks of Satan.” The Great Controversy, 510.

“If our eyes could be opened to see the good and evil agencies at work, there would be no trifling, no vanity, no jesting or joking.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 41.

Monday

PARENTAL VIGILANCE

  • What were Job’s concerns for his children and what are the implications for all parents? Job 1:4, 5.

Note: “It were well for parents to learn from the man of Uz a lesson of steadfastness and devotion. Job … labored earnestly for the salvation of his own family. Amid the festivities of his sons and daughters, he trembled lest his children should displease God. As a faithful priest of the household, he offered sacrifices for them individually. He knew the offensive character of sin, and the thought that his children might forget the divine claims, led him to God as an intercessor in their behalf.” The Review and Herald, August 30, 1881.

“You roll vast responsibilities upon the preacher and hold him accountable for the souls of your children; but you do not sense your own responsibility as parents. … Your sons and daughters are corrupted by your own example and lax precepts; and, notwithstanding this lack of domestic training, you expect the minister to counteract your daily work and accomplish the wonderful achievement of training their hearts and lives to virtue and piety. After the minister has done all he can do for the church by faithful, affectionate admonition, patient discipline, and fervent prayer to reclaim and save the soul, yet is not successful, the fathers and mothers often blame him because their children are not converted, when it may be because of their own neglect. The burden rests with the parents; and will they take up the work that God has entrusted to them, and with fidelity perform it? Will they move onward and upward, working in a humble, patient, persevering way to reach the exalted standard themselves and to bring their children up with them?” Testimonies, vol. 5, 494, 495.

“It is the parents’ work to give line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. Correct wrong tendencies, not in passion, but in love. The children may be saved if fathers and mothers will do their work faithfully. …

“We are teaching lessons to the children which we wish them to copy. If we wish our children to be chaste, pure-minded, and noble, we must be so ourselves. If we are impostors, professing to be children of God, while our impatience, fretfulness, and deception stamp us children of Satan, our children will be no better than we. All efforts of parents should be to go forward to perfection of Christian character.” The Review and Herald, April 14, 1885.

Tuesday

TRAGEDY STRIKES

  • What incited the devil’s wrath against Job? Job 1:6–11.
  • Despite Job’s fidelity, what series of shocks soon came with regard to his earthly possessions and the temporal lives of his children? Job 1:12–19.

Note: “All suffering is not the result of a perverted life. Job is brought before us as a man whom the Lord permitted Satan to afflict. The enemy stripped him of all he possessed; his family ties were broken; his children were taken from him.” The Signs of the Times, June 21, 1899.

  • What can we learn from how Job responded to these trials? Job 1:20–22.

Note: “Christ is our Guide and Comforter, who comforts us in all our tribulations. When He gives us a bitter draught to drink, He also holds a cup of blessing to our lips. He fills the heart with submission, with joy and peace in believing, and enables us to say submissively, Not my will, but Thy will, O Lord, be done.” Selected Messages, Book. 2, 270.

  • In the face of Satan’s perverse accusations before the heavenly universe, why can we still have hope? Job 2:1–6.

Note: “There is no power in the whole satanic force that can disable the soul that trusts, in simple confidence, in the wisdom that comes from God.

“Christ is our tower of strength, and Satan can have no power over the soul that walks with God in humility of mind. … In Christ there is perfect and complete help for every tempted soul. Dangers beset every path, but the whole universe of heaven is standing on guard, that none may be tempted above that which he is able to bear.” My Life Today, 316.

Wednesday

RESPONDING WITH FAITH AND WISDOM

  • What was the devil’s next attacks upon Job and how did the faithful man of Uz respond? Job 2:8–10.

Note: “Job was deprived of his worldly possessions and so afflicted in body that he was abhorred by his relatives and friends, yet he preserved his integrity and faithfulness to God.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 525.

  • What reveals the tremendous depth of Job’s tragic situation? Job 2:11–13.
  • What did Job realize about his predicament, and how does the apostle Peter echo these thoughts for our benefit? Job 23:8–10; 1 Peter 1:3, 6, 7.

Note: “The fact that we are called upon to endure trial proves that the Lord Jesus sees in us something very precious, which He desires to develop. If He saw in us nothing whereby He might glorify His name He would not spend time in refining us. We do not take special pains in pruning brambles. Christ does not cast worthless stones into His furnace. It is valuable ore that He tests.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 214.

  • Why does God want us to understand the value of trial? 1 Peter 4:12, 13.

Note: “The furnace fires are not to destroy, but to refine, ennoble, sanctify. Without trial we should not feel so much our need of God and His help; and we should become proud and self-sufficient. …

“Your heavenly Father loves you, and He will draw you to Himself by the trials that seem to you severe.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 123, 124.

“We should not dishonor God by the mournful relation of trials that appear grievous. All trials that are received as educators will produce joy.” Ibid., vol. 6, 365.

Thursday

PREPARING FOR GREATER BLESSINGS

  • In the midst of unexpected trials that may be keen and cutting, what does the Lord want us to bear in mind? Jeremiah 29:11; John 16:33.

Note: “God leads His children by a way that they know not, but He does not forget or cast off those who put their trust in Him. He permitted affliction to come upon Job, but He did not forsake him. … The very trials that task our faith most severely and make it seem that God has forsaken us, are to lead us closer to Christ, that we may lay all our burdens at His feet and experience the peace which He will give us in exchange.

“God has always tried His people in the furnace of affliction. It is in the heat of the furnace that the dross is separated from the true gold of the Christian character. Jesus watches the test; He knows what is needed to purify the precious metal, that it may reflect the radiance of His love. It is by close, testing trials that God disciplines His servants. He sees that some have powers which may be used in the advancement of His work, and He puts these persons upon trial; in His providence He brings them into positions that test their character and reveal defects and weaknesses that have been hidden from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct these defects and to fit themselves for His service. He shows them their own weakness, and teaches them to lean upon Him; for He is their only help and safeguard. Thus His object is attained. They are educated, trained, and disciplined, prepared to fulfill the grand purpose for which their powers were given them.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 129, 130.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     How is a moment-by-moment sense of the great controversy to affect us?

2    As the great controversy intensifies, what should parents realize?

3    Why was Job able to respond to the attacks against him with relative calm?

4    The next time an unexpected trial comes my way, what should I remember?

5    Why will we grow if we view trials in a more mature way?

Biographical Blessings – A Candidate for Heaven

by

March 31 – April 6, 2019

Key Text

“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5).

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 84–89.

Introduction

“How often those who trusted the word of God, though in themselves utterly helpless, have withstood the power of the whole world—Enoch, pure in heart, holy in life, holding fast his faith in the triumph of righteousness against a corrupt and scoffing generation.” Education, 254.

Sunday

IN AN AGE OF MORAL CORRUPTION

  • What summarizes the experience of Enoch? Genesis 5:18–22.

Note: “There never has been and never will be an age when the moral darkness will be so dense as when Enoch lived a life of irreproachable righteousness.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1088.

“Enoch had temptations as well as we. He was surrounded with society no more friendly to righteousness than is that which surrounds us. The atmosphere he breathed was tainted with sin and corruption, the same as ours; yet he lived a life of holiness.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 122.

“We should not, my brethren and sisters, float along with the popular current. Our present work is to come out from the world and be separate. This is the only way we can walk with God, as did Enoch.” Ibid., vol. 5, 535.

“Enoch’s walk with God was not in a trance or a vision, but in all the duties of his daily life. He did not become a hermit, shutting himself entirely from the world; for he had, in the world, a work to do for God.” Ibid., vol. 8, 329, 330.

Monday

A HEALTHY FEAR OF GOD

  • What was Enoch’s priority during his earthly life? Genesis 5:23, 24.

Note: “The Lord loved Enoch because he steadfastly followed Him, and abhorred iniquity, and earnestly sought heavenly knowledge that he might do His will perfectly. He yearned to unite himself still more closely to God, whom he feared, reverenced, and adored. God would not permit Enoch to die as other men, but sent His angels to take him to Heaven without seeing death.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, 57.

“For three hundred years Enoch had been seeking purity of heart, that he might be in harmony with heaven. …

“To such communion God is calling us. As was Enoch’s, so must be their holiness of character who shall be redeemed from among men at the Lord’s second coming.” Gospel Workers, 53, 54.

  • What was shown to the first prophet in history, and why was he entrusted with such a vision? Jude 14, 15.

Note: “Enoch was the first prophet among mankind. … His life was a specimen of Christian consistency.  Holy lips alone should speak forth the words of God in denunciation and judgments.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1088.

  • What types of behavior provoke God’s wrath? Jude 5–8, 10, 11, 16; Matthew 11:20, 23, 24.

Note: “The fate of Sodom is a solemn admonition, not merely to those who are guilty of outbreaking sin, but to all who are trifling with Heaven-sent light and privileges. …

“It will be more tolerable in the day of judgment for the cities of the plain than for those who have known the love of Christ, and yet have turned away to choose the pleasures of a world of sin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 165.

Tuesday

KEEPING OUR PERSPECTIVE

  • What assisted Enoch in maintaining his purity? 1 Corinthians 15:33; Titus 1:15, 16.

 Note: “He [Enoch] did not make his abode with the wicked. He did not locate in Sodom, thinking to save Sodom. He placed himself and his family where the atmosphere would be as pure as possible. Then at times he went forth to the inhabitants of the world with his God-given message. Every visit he made to the world was painful to him. He saw and understood something of the leprosy of sin. After proclaiming his message, he always took back with him to his place of retirement some who had received the warning. Some of these became overcomers, and died before the Flood came. But some had lived so long in the corrupting influence of sin that they could not endure righteousness.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1087, 1088.

“The greater and more pressing his labors, the more constant and earnest were his [Enoch’s] prayers. He continued to exclude himself at certain periods from all society. After remaining for a time among the people, laboring to benefit them by instruction and example, he would withdraw, to spend a season in solitude, hungering and thirsting for that divine knowledge which God alone can impart.” Gospel Workers, 52.

  • What can we learn from Enoch’s example? Hebrews 11:5.

Note: “The infinite, unfathomable love of God through Christ became the subject of his [Enoch’s] meditations day and night. With all the fervor of his soul he sought to reveal that love to the people among whom he dwelt. …

“As the scenes of the future were opened to his view, Enoch became a preacher of righteousness, bearing God’s message to all who would hear the words of warning. …

“The power of God that wrought with His servant was felt by those who heard. Some gave heed to the warning and renounced their sins, but the multitudes mocked at the solemn message. The servants of God are to bear a similar message to the world in the last days, and it will also be received with unbelief and mockery.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 329, 330.

Wednesday

BECOMING CHRISTLIKE

  • What will help us to be over-comers like Enoch? Galatians 6:8, 9.

Note: “As year after year passed, deeper and deeper grew the tide of human guilt, darker and darker gathered the clouds of divine judgment. Yet Enoch, the witness of faith, held on his way, warning, pleading, and teaching, striving to turn back the tide of guilt and to stay the bolts of vengeance.

“The men of that generation mocked the folly of him who sought not to gather gold or silver, or to build up possessions here. But Enoch’s heart was upon eternal treasures.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 330.

  • What should guide our daily thoughts and decisions? Philippians 4:8; Hosea 14:9.

Note: “The greater the existing iniquity, the more earnest was his [Enoch’s] longing for the home of God. While still on earth, he dwelt, by faith, in the realms of light.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 330, 331.

“Did he [Enoch] see God by his side? Only by faith. He knew that the Lord was there, and he adhered steadfastly to the principles of truth. We, too, are to walk with God. When we do this, our faces will be lighted up by the brightness of His presence, and when we meet one another, we shall speak of His power, saying, Praise God. Good is the Lord, and good is the word of the Lord. …

“Those who will be translated at the close of time, will be those who commune with God on earth. Those who make manifest that their life is hid with Christ in God will ever be representing Him in all their life-practices. Selfishness will be cut out by the roots.

“Let us realize the weakness of humanity, and see where man fails in his self-sufficiency. We shall then be filled with a desire to be just what God desires us to be—pure, noble, sanctified. …To be like God will be the one desire of the soul.

“This is the desire that filled Enoch’s heart. … He did not mark out his own course, or set up his own will, as if he thought himself fully qualified to manage matters. He strove to conform himself to the divine likeness.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1087.

Thursday

A PURIFYING PROCESS

  • What is the ultimate reward of all who live a pure life? Matthew 5:8.

Note: “God has a heaven full of blessings that He wants to bestow on those who are earnestly seeking for that help which the Lord alone can give. It was in looking in faith to Jesus, in asking of Him, in believing that every word spoken would be verified, that Enoch walked with God. He kept close by the side of God, obeying His every word.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1087.

“How few are aware that they have darling idols, that they have cherished sins! God sees these sins to which you may be blinded, and He works with His pruning knife to strike deep and separate these cherished sins from you. You all want to choose for yourselves the process of purification. How hard it is for you to submit to the crucifixion of self; but when the work is all submitted to God, to Him who knows our weakness and our sinfulness, He takes the very best way to bring about the desired results. It was through constant conflict and simple faith that Enoch walked with God. You may all do the same. You may be thoroughly converted and transformed, and be indeed children of God, enjoying not only the knowledge of His will, but, by your example, leading others in the same path of humble obedience and consecration.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 543.

“He [Enoch] lived in a corrupt age, when moral pollution was teeming all around him; yet he trained his mind to devotion, to love purity. His conversation was upon heavenly things. He educated his mind to run in this channel, and he bore the impress of the divine. His countenance was lighted up with the light which shineth in the face of Jesus.” Ibid., vol. 2, 122.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     What should we realize about Enoch’s generation?

2    What are we to learn from the fate of Sodom?

3    Explain Enoch’s policy about his environment.

4    With what purpose in mind did Enoch study God’s word?

5    How is this week’s lesson to bring us hope?

Recipe – Veggie Gravy

by

Ingredients

2 cups tomatoes, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

¼ cup flour

½-1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

¼ cup water

Process

Simmer tomatoes with onion and celery 5-10 minutes. Mix flour and water and add slowly to tomato mixture, stirring constantly over low heat until thickened and add seasonings—remember to season it to your taste buds! This is great over hot baked potatoes, toast, or anything else requiring gravy.

Food – Memories — What Veggies?

by

The majority of the time, my family just did not seem to get enough vegetables into our diets. Growing up in a meat and potato environment, we really did not think about anything green. My mom was a really good cook but since dad liked his meat and potatoes, which was what comprised the majority of our meals, that is what we ate. Mom used to make “grease gravy” and it really tasted good on our meat and potatoes. The only time we really had any vegetables that I can remember was when the corn-on-the-cob showed up on our plates. YUM! But that was often swamped with butter!

Now, as an adult, I enjoy the variety of flavors that I find in different foods. In fact, I was really surprised to find how many different vegetables and grains were out there. I am very thankful for God’s abundant variety of foods.

I remember when I first decided to become a vegan and saw pictures on vegan food cans and packets showing meat just like mom used to make and it looked so good. My first thought was that it would be easy being vegan replacing the meat with all the products available. Though it may be a good replacement initially for some when changing their diet, unfortunately it was not agreeable to my family’s taste buds and many meals were discarded. Soon I learned about seasoning foods and to make most of my meals from scratch. No one has the same taste buds; so I learned to take a recipe and trim it to the taste of my family. Praise the Lord for the skill to do that! Yes, it took practice and is still a work in progress.

God has provided so many varieties of vegetables to choose from and innumerable ways they can be prepared. There are many different seasonings available to add to our enjoyment of different foods. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

 

Veggie Gravy

Ingredients

2 cups tomatoes, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

¼ cup flour

½-1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

¼ cup water

Process

Simmer tomatoes with onion and celery 5-10 minutes. Mix flour and water and add slowly to tomato mixture, stirring constantly over low heat until thickened and add seasonings—remember to season it to your taste buds! This is great over hot baked potatoes, toast, or anything else requiring gravy.