Issue: 2008 April

Health – Benefits of Physical Exercise

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Ellen White wrote at length about the need for and benefit of physical exercise. Consider the following counsel:

“The first and constant care of parents should be that their children may have firm constitutions, that they may be sound men and women. It is impossible to attain this object without physical exercise.” Christian Education, 16.

“Those of sedentary and literary habits should exercise the physical, even if they have no need to labor so far as means is concerned. Health should be a sufficient inducement to lead them to unite physical with their mental labor.” Ibid., 19.

“Without physical exercise, no one can have a sound constitution and vigorous health; and the discipline of well-regulated labor is no less essential to the securing of a strong and active mind and a noble character.” Ibid., 69.

“When the weather will permit, those who are engaged in sedentary occupations, should, if possible, walk out in the open air every day, summer and winter. The clothing should be suitable, and the feet well protected. Walking is often more beneficial to health than all the medicine that can be prescribed. For those who can endure it, walking is preferable to riding; for it brings all the muscles into exercise. The lungs also are forced into healthy action, since it is impossible to walk in the bracing air of a winter morning without inflating them.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 100, 101.

“More people die for want of exercise than from overwork; very many more rust out than wear out. In idleness the blood does not circulate freely, and the changes in the vital fluid, so necessary to health and life, do not take place. The little mouths in the skin, through which the body breathes, become clogged, thus making it impossible to eliminate impurities through that channel. This throws a double burden upon the other excretory organs, and disease is soon produced. Those who accustom themselves to exercising in the open air, generally have a vigorous circulation. Men and women, young or old, who desire health and who would enjoy life, should remember that they cannot have these without a good circulation. Whatever their business or inclinations, they should feel it a religious duty to make wise efforts to overcome the conditions of disease which have kept them in-doors.” Ibid., 101.

“Physicians often advise invalids to visit foreign countries, to go to some mineral spring, or to traverse the ocean, in order to regain health; when, in nine cases out of ten, if they would eat temperately, and engage in healthful exercise with a cheerful spirit, they would regain health, and save time and money. Exercise, and a free, abundant use of the air and sunlight,—blessings which Heaven has bestowed upon all,—would in many cases give life and strength to the emaciated invalid.” Ibid., 160.

Knowledge Today

Modern medical science supports the counsel of God’s messenger:

Regular exercise can help protect you from heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, noninsulin-dependent diabetes, obesity, back pain, osteoporosis, and can improve your mood and help you to better manage stress.

For the greatest overall health benefits, experts recommend that you do 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic activity three or more times a week and some type of muscle strengthening activity and stretching at least twice a week. However, if you are unable to do this level of activity, you can gain substantial health benefits by accumulating 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, at least five times a week.

If you have been inactive for a while, you may want to start with less strenuous activities such as walking or swimming at a comfortable pace. Beginning at a slow pace will allow you to become physically fit without straining your body. Once you are in better shape, you can gradually do more strenuous activity.

How Physical Activity Impacts Health

Regular physical activity that is performed on most days of the week reduces the risk of developing or dying from some of the leading causes of illness and death in the United States.

  • Reduces the risk of dying prematurely.
  • Reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart disease.
  • Reduces the risk of developing diabetes.
  • Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure.
  • Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure.
  • Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer.
  • Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.
  • Helps control weight.
  • Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.
  • Helps older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling.
  • Promotes psychological well-being.

Specific Benefits of Physical Exercise

Heart Disease and Stroke

Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure, raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (good cholesterol) and lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (bad cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing your heart’s working capacity.

Heart Disease and Stroke

Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure in those with high blood pressure levels. Physical activity also reduces body fatness,which is associated with high blood pressure.

Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes

By reducing body fatness, physical activity can help to prevent and control this type of diabetes.

Obesity

Physical activity helps to reduce body fat by building or preserving muscle mass and improving the body’s ability to use calories. When physical activity is combined with proper nutrition, it can help control weight and preventobesity, a major risk factor for many diseases.

Back Pain

By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise helps to prevent back pain.

Osteoporosis

Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation and may prevent many forms of bone loss associated with aging.

Psychological Effects

Regular physical activity can improve your mood and the way you feel about yourself. Researchers also have found that exercise is likely to reduce depression and anxiety and help you to better manage stress.

“God has blessed human beings with nerves, organs, and muscles; and they are not to be allowed to deteriorate because of inaction, but are to be strengthened and kept in health by exercise.” Child Guidance, 124.

The Pen of Inspiration – Search the Scriptures

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The word of God has not been appreciated, but sadly neglected. This book, revealing the will of God to man, deserves to be held in the highest esteem, not only by the rich, but by the common people. Instruction of the highest value is given to the working class. The apostle enjoins upon slaves under masters to adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour. Those in the humblest employment can, through connection with God, so order their conversation and be so circumspect in deportment as to bring no dishonor or reproach upon the cause of the Redeemer. They will not by inconsistencies furnish occasion to bring the truth into disrepute, when it should be a savor of life unto life.

In a special manner, those who are blessed with a connection with God, should, by close application to his sacred word, imitate the great Pattern in doing good, thus exemplifying the life of Christ in their daily conversation, in pure and virtuous characters. By being courteous and beneficent they adorn his doctrine, and show that the truth of heavenly origin beautifies the character and ennobles the life. Christ’s followers are “living epistles, known and read of all men.” Their daily words and noble actions recommend the truth to those who have been prejudiced against it by nominal professors, who have had a form of godliness, while their lives have testified that they know nothing of its sanctifying power.

No man, woman, or youth can attain to Christian perfection and neglect the study of the word of God. By carefully and closely searching his word we shall obey the injunction of Christ, “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” [John 5:39.] This search enables the student to closely observe the divine Model, for they testify of Christ. The Pattern must be inspected often and closely in order to imitate it. As one becomes acquainted with the history of the Redeemer, he discovers in himself defects of character; his unlikeness to Christ is so great that he sees he cannot be a follower without a very great change in his life. Still he studies, with a desire to be like his great Exemplar; he catches the looks, the spirit, of his beloved Master; by beholding he becomes changed. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” [Hebrews 12:2.] It is not in looking away from him, and in losing sight of him, that we imitate the life of Jesus; but in dwelling upon and talking of him, and seeking to refine the taste and elevate the character; seeking to approach through earnest, persevering effort, through faith and love, the perfect Pattern. The attention being fixed upon Christ, his image, pure and spotless, becomes enshrined in the heart as “the chief among ten thousand and the one altogether lovely.” Even unconsciously we imitate that with which we are familiar. By having a knowledge of Christ, his words, his habits, his lessons of instruction, and by borrowing the virtues of the character which we have so closely studied, we become imbued with the spirit of the Master which we have so much admired.

Burning Fire

After the resurrection, two disciples traveling to Emmaus were talking over the disappointed hopes occasioned by the death of the beloved Master. Christ himself drew near, unrecognized by the sorrowing disciples. Their faith had died with the Lord, and their eyes, blinded by unbelief, did not discern the risen Saviour. Jesus, walking by their side, longed to reveal himself to them, but he did not choose to do so abruptly; he accosted them merely as fellow-travelers, and asked them in regard to the communication which they were having one with another, and why they were so sad. They were astonished at the question, and asked if he were indeed a stranger in Jerusalem and had not heard that a prophet mighty in word and in deed had been taken by wicked hands and crucified. And now it was the third day, and strange reports had been brought to their ears that Jesus had risen, and had been seen by Mary and certain of the disciples. Jesus said to them, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken; ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to have entered into his glory?” [Luke 24:25, 26.] And beginning at Moses and the prophets, he opened to them the scriptures concerning himself.

When they arrived at Emmaus, Jesus made as though he would have gone farther; but the disciples constrained him to tarry with them, for the day was far spent and the night was at hand. The evening meal was quickly prepared, and while Jesus was offering devotional thanks the disciples looked at one another with astonished glances. His words, his manner, and then his wounded hands were revealed, and they exclaimed, “My Lord and my God.” Had the disciples been indifferent in regard to their fellow-traveler, they would have lost the precious opportunity of recognizing their companion who had reasoned so ably from the Scriptures regarding his life, his suffering, and his death and resurrection. He reproved them for not being acquainted with the scriptures in reference to himself. Had they been familiar with the Scriptures, their faith would have been sustained, their hopes unshaken; for prophecy plainly stated the treatment Christ would receive from those he came to save. The disciples were astonished that they could not discover Christ at once, as soon as he spoke with them by the way, and that they had failed to bring to their support the scriptures which Jesus had brought to their remembrance. They had lost sight of the precious promises; but when the words spoken by the prophets were brought to their remembrance, faith revived, and after Christ revealed himself they exclaimed, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?” [Luke 24:32.]

The word of God, spoken to the heart, has an animating power, and those who will frame any excuse for neglecting to become acquainted with it will neglect the claims of God in many respects. The character will be deformed, the words and acts a reproach to the truth. The apostle tells us, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” [11 Timothy 3:16, 17.] One of the prophets of God exclaims, “While I was musing, the fire burned.” If Christians would earnestly search the Scriptures, more hearts would burn with the vivid truths therein revealed. Their hopes would brighten with the precious promises strewn like pearls all through the sacred writings. In contemplating the history of the patriarchs, the prophets, the men who loved and feared God and walked with him, hearts will glow with the spirit which animated these worthies. As the mind dwells upon the virtue and piety of holy men of old, the spirit which inspired them will kindle a flame of love and holy fervor in the hearts of those who would be like them in character.

Review and Herald, November 28, 1878.

Behold the Bridegroom Cometh

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Behold, the bridegroom cometh.” Matthew 25:6. Christ, with his disciples, is seated upon the Mount of Olives. The sun has set behind the mountains, and the heavens are curtained with the shades of evening. In full view is a dwelling house lighted up brilliantly as if for some festive occasion. An expectant company mill about, indicating that a marriage procession is soon to appear.

In many parts of the East, wedding festivities are held in the evening. The bridegroom goes forth to meet his bride and bring her to his home. By torchlight the bridal party proceeds from the house of the bride’s father to the bridegroom’s house where a feast is provided for the invited guests. In the scene upon which Christ looks, a company is awaiting the parents of the bridal party, intending to join the procession. Lingering near the bride’s house are ten young women robed in white. Each carries a lighted lamp and a small flagon for oil. All are anxiously waiting for the appearance of the bridegroom, but there is a delay. Hour after hour passes; the watchers become weary, and they fall asleep. At midnight the cry is heard, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.”

The sleepers suddenly awake and spring to their feet. They see the procession moving on, bright with torches and glad music. They hear the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. The ten maidens seize their lamps and begin to trim them in haste to go forth, but five have neglected to fill their flasks with oil. They did not anticipate so long a delay, and they have not prepared for the emergency. In distress, they appeal to their wiser companions, saying, “Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.” Matthew 25:8. But the waiting five with their freshly trimmed lamps have emptied their flagons. They have no oil to spare, and they answered, “[Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” Verse 9. While they went to buy, the procession moved on and left them behind. The five with lighted lamps joined the throng and entered the house with the bridal party, and the door was shut. When the foolish virgins reached the banqueting hall, they received an unexpected denial. The master of the feast declared, “I know you not.” They were left standing in the empty street in the blackness of the night.

Christ’s Coming

As Christ sat looking upon the party that waited for the bridegroom, He told His disciples the story of the ten virgins, by their experience illustrating the experience of the church that shall live just before His Second Coming. The disciple Matthew is the only one of the four gospel writers to record the account of the parable of the ten virgins. Having been a Jew who was converted to Christianity, perhaps his focus was now centered on his fellow countrymen, many of whom had embraced the Christian religion.

The parable of the ten virgins is focusing on the coming of the Son of man. The common motif that runs through this parable is readiness for His coming. The parable brings to full view the visible church. It is clear that all who attend church are termed Christians. All who went out to meet the bridegroom were virgins. They all had lamps. They all looked alike. The difference in their character was proved by the results. The folly of the foolish virgins is seen in the fact that at the time of action they were unable to do the work assigned to them.

The story is told of a watchman who was employed at a railway crossing to wave the lantern during the night when the train was coming so the oncoming vehicles could stop. However, one night, unfortunately, the watchman fell asleep. While asleep he heard the train coming. Awaking, he grabbed his lantern and rushed out into the street to wave it before the oncoming vehicles. But the vehicles did not stop. He had to jump out of the roadway, and the vehicles and the train collided.

The watchman was accused of negligence and taken to court. When the judge asked him, “Did you hear the train coming?” He replied, “Yes.” Then the judge asked him, “Did you wave the lantern?” The watchman again said, “Yes,” then continued, “but because I was sleeping while the train was coming, I had no time to light it.” That is why there was a crash.

Jesus spoke this parable of the ten virgins just after concluding the signs that would signal His glorious return. In Matthew 24, in answer to the question of His disciples concerning the signs of His coming and of the end of the world, Christ had pointed out some of the most important events in the history of the world and of the church from His first to His second advent—namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, the great tribulation of the church on the pagan and papal execution, the darkening of the sun, and the falling of the stars. After this, He spoke of His coming and His kingdom, and related the parable described in the two classes of servants who looked for His appearing.

The Shut Door

Chapter 25 of the Book of Matthew opens with, “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins.” Here is brought to view the church living in the last days, the same that is pointed out in the close of chapter 24. There is a striking parallelism that exists between the early Adventist expectancy imbedded in the Millerite movement and the end time church, and as it relates to the parable of the ten virgins. What do I mean by that? There were the signs, the proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom, the midnight cry, the tarrying, the expectancy, the delay, the apostasy. There was also the shut door and the open door experience.

We are told that in 1844 Christ had shut the door of the holy place at the end of His ministration in that apartment, also signifying that some human beings’ probation had been closed as a consequence of their rejection of the present truth then proclaimed. The open door in 1844 by Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, was the opening of the door of the most holy place. Based upon the early Adventist belief, they thought that in 1844 the door of mercy was forever shut. That is how the theory about the shut door was developed, but clearer light came with the investigation of the sanctuary question. While it was true that the door of hope and mercy by which men had found access to God was closed, another door was opened, and forgiveness of sins was offered to men through the intercession of Christ in the most holy place.

One part of His ministration had closed only to give place to another. There was still an open door to the heavenly sanctuary where Christ was ministering in the sinner’s behalf. The parable of the ten virgins is specifically applicable to God’s professed people living on the earth just before the return of Jesus. So what we need to understand is that the ten virgins’ parable is specifically referring to Seventh-day Adventists. It is our parable. It is our message. It is our warning.

Read again Matthew 25:1–13. Note verse 13, which says: “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

The Procession

If I were to ask you which group of followers or which group of virgins you would like to be among—the wise or the foolish—I suspect most people, if not all, would say the wise. That is a very noble response. No one wants to be numbered with the foolish virgins.

However, there is another group associated with the bridegroom that many people have overlooked. I would prefer to be a part of it, and that group is the procession. According to Matthew, the five wise virgins joined the procession at midnight. The procession, however, came at the eleventh hour, while the five wise virgins along with the five foolish virgins were sleeping. At midnight a cry was made, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” Who made that cry? It was not the five wise virgins, nor was it the five foolish virgins. I would submit to you that it was the procession that made the cry, the cry that awoke the virgins.

So, the question is, Who is the procession? To answer this question, let us address briefly the time of the latter rain and the loud cry.

The Latter Rain

Concerning the time of trouble and the latter rain, Ellen White stated: “I saw that the holy Sabbath is, and will be, the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers and that the Sabbath is the great question to unite the hearts of God’s dear, waiting saints.

“I saw that God had children who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They have not rejected the light upon it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully.” Early Writings, 33.

“This view was given in 1847 when there were but very few of the Advent brethren observing the Sabbath, and of these but few supposed that its observance was of sufficient importance to draw a line between the people of God and unbelievers. Now the fulfilment of that view is beginning to be seen. ‘The commencement of that time of trouble,’ here mentioned, does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. At that time the ‘latter rain,’ or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out.” Ibid., 85, 86.

Now, that is the time of the latter rain. Let us connect a few passages with that to give an answer to the question and to show what is the result of the latter rain.

Result of Latter Rain

“I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with great power. It had effect. Many had been bound; some wives by their husbands, and some children by their parents. The honest who had been prevented from hearing the truth now eagerly laid hold upon it. All fear of their relatives was gone, and the truth alone was exalted to them. They had been hungering and thirsting for truth; it was dearer and more precious than life. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, ‘It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.’ ” Ibid., 271.

“But I speak not my own words when I say that God’s Spirit will pass by those who have had their day of test and opportunity, but who have not distinguished the voice of God or appreciated the movings of His Spirit. Then thousands in the eleventh hour will see and acknowledge the truth.

“ ‘Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed’ (Amos 9:13).

“These conversions to truth will be made with a rapidity that will surprise the church, and God’s name alone will be glorified.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 16.

“The message will be carried not so much by argument as by the deep conviction of the Spirit of God. The arguments have been presented. The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and bear fruit. The publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence, yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obedience.” The Great Controversy (1888), 612.

Eleventh Hour Workers

Sometimes we give our loved ones or our friends literature to read, but their friends, pastors, or family members discourage them from reading it and may, consequently, prevent them from accepting the truth. We become troubled, but we do not need to become troubled, because the Holy Spirit is doing His work.

“Now the rays of light penetrate everywhere, the truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands which have held them. Family connections, church relations, are powerless to stay them now. Truth is more precious than all besides. Notwithstanding the agencies combined against the truth, a large number take their stand upon the Lord’s side.” Ibid. This is referring to the period of the latter rain.

Who comprised the procession? “There are diligent students of the word of prophecy in all parts of the world, who are obtaining light and still greater light from searching the Scriptures. This is true of all nations, of all tribes, and of all peoples. These will come from the grossest error, and will take the place of those who have had opportunities and privileges and have not prized them. These have worked out their own salvation with fear and trembling, lest they should become deficient in doing the ways and will of God, while those who have had great light, through the perversity of their own natural heart, turned away from Christ because they were displeased with his requirements. But God will not be left without witnesses. The one-hour laborers will be brought in at the eleventh hour, and will consecrate their ability and all their entrusted means to advance the work. These will receive the reward for their faithfulness, because they are true to principle, and shun not their duty to declare the whole counsel of God. When those who have had abundance of light throw off the restraint which the word of God imposes, and make void his law, others will come in to fill their places and take their crown.” Review and Herald, June 15, 1897.

It is good to have been in the church a long time, but the question is, Has the truth been in you a long time? What have you done with the truth?

“There will be those who will come in at the eleventh hour, and they will receive an equal reward with those who have long known the truth.” Ibid., July 2, 1889.

Why is this? It is because they will use all their talents to the utmost of their abilities, and bring all their powers to bear on the work of advancing the light of the truth. They come in one hour before the work is over and, realizing the time is short, they put everything into the work. When the truth is brought to their attention, they accept it with joy. They are part of the procession!

Pastor Ivan Plummer ministers through the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church Ministries in Bronx, New York. He may be contacted by telephone at: 718-882-3900.

The Door Will Close

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Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them [were] wise, and five were foolish. Those who [were] foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was [heard]: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us [some] of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘[No], lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ” Matthew 25:1–12.

They were all Seventh-day Adventists waiting for the coming of the Lord. They had all been friends, working together to tell people that Jesus is coming soon and that they need to be ready. They had all let their lights shine brightly, but somehow the Lord did not come as soon as they had expected. As time went on, they became involved with good things, such as various church activities, raising a family, and planning for retirement. They had not expected quite so long a delay; and with the passage of time, they began to lose some of their energy and enthusiasm. They were all still faithful Seventh-day Adventists; they were just more relaxed, going to church, doing the things they should; until all of a sudden, things began to happen that caused them to realize that they had better get ready for Jesus to come because He was coming now.

Famine in the Land

As they aroused and went forth to proclaim Jesus’ soon return, some of their lights shone brightly, and they proclaimed with power that Jesus is coming again. Others, however, could not quite seem to get the message all together. They decided that they had better go to some meetings, get involved in some Bible studies, and do some praying and get that power again. But the Bible says that the day will come when there will be a famine in the land. “ ‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord God, ‘That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.’ ” Amos 8:11.

I have recently come to the startling realization that this text applies in a special way to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is a text for the Laodiceans. It does not say that they are not going to hear some words, but somehow they are not going to be the Lord’s words.

This latter group represents the five foolish virgins who will be seeking after oil. They are not sitting down doing nothing; they are going from sea to sea, from north to south, attending meetings, listening to preachers, reading books that are published by the only people they know who claim to teach the truth, and whom they have been taught to trust; but there is a famine and they will not find it. You see, these young maidens went to the preachers in whom they had trusted, but their preaching somehow had no power to change their lives, and they did not know where to go; they did not know to whom to go. We have been told that the time is coming when the church will have no more “faithful, firm, and true” preachers. (See Testimonies, vol. 5, 77.)

“Who knows whether God will not give you up to the deceptions you love? Who knows but that the preachers who are faithful, firm, and true may be the last who shall offer the gospel of peace to our unthankful churches? It may be that the destroyers are already training under the hand of Satan and only wait the departure of a few more standard-bearers to take their places, and with the voice of the false prophet cry, ‘Peace, peace,’ when the Lord hath not spoken peace.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 77.

Ministers Taught by Satan

If this statement said that the church would come to the place where it just could not afford any more pastors, or even that there were no more pastors to pastor the churches any longer, that would be bad; but that is not nearly as bad as having pastors who are trained by Satan himself. I will take no pastor any day rather than a pastor that has been trained by Satan.

Sister White goes on to say that it is not even a question of if  it could be, but that it will happen. “When God shall work His strange work on the earth, when holy hands bear the ark no longer, woe will be upon the people.” Ibid. This is looking forward to that time when men and women see the signs of God’s coming. Things are happening in the world and they have awakened, but they have no oil in their lamps. They will search from north to south, from east to west. They will read things from the publishing houses that they have trusted. They will go to the churches that they have trusted, and listen to the preachers whom they have trusted; but there is a famine in the land.

Little Company

A little later in Testimonies, vol. 5, Ellen White tells us some most startling things. Let me share some with you.

“The leaven of godliness has not entirely lost its power. At the time when the danger and depression of the church are greatest, the little company who are standing in the light will be sighing and crying for the abominations that are done in the land. But more especially will their prayers arise in behalf of the church because its members are doing after the manner of the world.

“The earnest prayers of this faithful few will not be in vain. When the Lord comes forth as an avenger, He will also come as a protector of all those who have preserved the faith in its purity and kept themselves unspotted from the world. It is at this time that God has promised to avenge His own elect which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them.” Testimonies, vol 5, 209.

It is the little company of those sighing and crying ones because of the abominations that were done in the church. These are the only ones, it says, who will be sealed. The great majority are becoming more and more like the world. We may be surprised at how small that group will be.

Tip of the Iceberg

Speaking of this small group, she says, “They had reproved, counseled, and entreated. Some who had been dishonoring God repented and humbled their hearts before Him. But the glory of the Lord had departed from Israel.” Ibid. The glory of the Lord departed from Israel once before, but she says that a time is again coming when the glory of the Lord will have departed from Israel. She does not stop there, but continues, “Although many still continued the forms of religion, His power and presence were lacking.” Ibid. Sabbath after Sabbath church is going on, with the forms of religion; all the functions of the church are being carried out, Ingathering is continuing, church schools and hospitals are continuing to be operated, but the glory of the Lord has departed from Israel and somehow they do not realize it. They are going on with their religion without the glory of the Lord.

“While others try to throw a cloak over the existing evil, and excuse the great wickedness everywhere prevalent, those who have a zeal for God’s honor and a love for souls will not hold their peace to obtain favor of any.” Ibid. I do not believe that you should focus on problems, but many want to ignore that the problems even exist. They say things like, “We make some mistakes, but let us not get critical.” It is interesting how everyone is concerned about people being critical when we are dealing with certain things; but, dear friend, there is a place for genuine concern. There is a place for speaking out.

“They are powerless to stop the rushing torrent of iniquity, and hence they are filled with grief and alarm. They mourn before God to see religion despised in the very homes of those who have had great light. They lament and afflict their souls because pride, avarice, selfishness, and deception of almost every kind are in the church. The Spirit of God, which prompts to reproof, is trampled underfoot, while the servants of Satan triumph. God is dishonored, the truth made of none effect.” Ibid., 210, 211. It seems that over the last few years it is just like a dam has broken open and we are experiencing a flood of evil. Ellen White continues, “The abominations for which the faithful ones were sighing and crying were all that could be discerned by finite eyes, but by far the worst sins, those which provoked the jealousy of the pure and holy God, were unrevealed.” Ibid., 211. Whatever we see, according to inspiration, it is but the tip of the iceberg.

Now, dear friend, this is shocking to me because somehow in my schematics of the end day, I have always held a picture of the church growing and ruling with apostasy; but there comes a shaking and all of the evil is shaken out. Then we have a pure church and the members go out and give a loud cry. Others come in to take the place of those who have been shaken out, then probation closes, and we go through—a happy, glorious church like at Pentecost. I have been reading things lately, however, that do not seem to fit into that nice, little picture that I have had in my head. Who did we just read about who are going to triumph in the church? It is the servants of Satan, while God is dishonored and the truth made of none effect.

Power, But Not From God

Well, there is a famine in the land, and so these foolish virgins went out to find oil. They once had it, but they were careless. They went to find oil again, and they went to the preachers whom they had trusted. They went to the church that they had grown up in, the church that they knew was the remnant church of Bible prophecy. They read the books from the authors with whom they were acquainted. And, dear friend, as they went out to find oil for their lamps to get their light shining again, by and by they accomplished their purpose, and their lamps were lit again. From somewhere, they found the power for which they were looking. Now that is all in the prophecy.

We are told that when Jesus went into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, that some Adventists, by faith, went in with Him, meaning that they entered by faith into a most holy place experience. While Jesus is cleansing the heavenly sanctuary, they are cleansing their hearts of sin. (See Early Writings, 55.) But some Adventists stayed in the holy place. Now, of course, this refers to First-day Adventists in Ellen White’s day, but it also refers to any Adventist who does not go into the most holy place. “I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the throne; they did not know that Jesus had left it. Satan appeared to be by the throne, trying to carry on the work of God. I saw them look up to the throne, and pray, ‘Father, give us Thy Spirit.’ Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy, and peace.” Early Writings, 56. Notice that it is not a little, but much power.

Have you ever heard of people who have had a Laodicean experience but now they have found new power in their life—like they have never experienced before? Religion has taken on a new meaning, but when you investigate, you find that it is like the experience of Eve when she ate the forbidden fruit. All of a sudden she felt like she had entered a higher plane. She had a testimony that she could go and tell Adam. “Listen, this fruit is not dangerous. I have entered into a higher realm of experience. My Christian experience has grown. I feel more like God than I ever have before.” And he ate, too.

The Virgins Represent Adventists

We need to remember that the virgins were all Adventists, were they not? They were all waiting for the coming of the Lord. They all had lamps and they all, at one time, had their lamps burning. Let us continue: “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Matthew 25:10–13.

Granted, they got the wrong oil and the wrong fire, but they apparently did not know that. They got some oil, they had some fire in their lamps, and they were out witnessing again with light and power. But while they were getting the oil, the door had closed and they did not know it!

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah [were], so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark.” Matthew 24:36–38.

Now, I want you to notice that it says that they did not know it until the flood came. I want you to notice that this is not talking about the fact that the flood came; everyone knew when the flood came. They did not know when probation had closed. Noah had entered in, the door had closed, probation closed, but they did not know it. No one knew that probation had closed. They went on eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the flood came seven days after probation closed. And so, Jesus said, “Also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:39.

The door is going to close while people are not just eating and drinking, but while they are attending church on the Sabbath, while they are paying their tithes and offerings, and while they are going on with all the activities of the church. The door is going to close, and they will not know it. Thus it was with the Jewish nation. While they were doing all these things, the Master came, humbled and disguised; and they did not know it. The door closed, and they went right on with their church business as though nothing had ever taken place. “Many are grieving away the Holy Spirit for the last time, even now, and they know it not….

“Pride of heart prevented His hearers from humbling themselves before God and confessing their sins and resisting His Holy Spirit and reluctantly It left them.” Review and Herald Extra, December 23, 1890.

She goes on to say, “The words spoken by Christ of Jerusalem are, ‘Behold your house is left unto you desolate.’… The Lord forbid that this scene should now be repeated in the experience of God’s professed people! ‘My Spirit,’ He says, ‘shall not always strive with man. The time will come when it must be said of the impenitent, ‘Ephraim is joined to his idols; let him alone.’

“Will the church see from where she has fallen?” Ibid.

Our Danger—Greater than Israel’s

Now, dear friend, we are told that our danger is even greater than that of ancient Israel. “I was pointed back to ancient Israel. But two of the adults of the vast army that left Egypt entered the land of Canaan. Their dead bodies were strewn in the wilderness because of their transgressions. Modern Israel are in greater danger of forgetting God and being led into idolatry than were His ancient people.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 609.

I was quite startled by something that I read. I thought that everyone was shaken out of the church before the close of probation, but we are told that, “Those who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, and who are willing to believe that their condition is far better than it really is, will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building. But there will be no time then to do it and no Mediator to plead their cause before the Father.” Early Writings, 71.

There is a pure and holy church that is going to go through; but, dear friend, the outward, legal, obvious church is not going to be purified any time this side of the close of probation. I am afraid that there was never a more fearful delusion than the idea that being part of the church is an assurance of salvation. That is what the Jewish people thought back in Jesus’ day, and when the church crucified Jesus, they went right along with it because they stayed with the church.

Oh, dear friend, may the Lord grant that when the door secretly closes, just as imperceptibly and secretly as the door closed upon the Jewish nation, we will all be on the inside.

Today, God is weighing the church in the balances; He knows their works. He is walking up and down the aisle of every conference office; and, the Bible says that every tree which does not bear good fruit is going to be cut down and thrown into the fire. We may fool men. We may even fool ourselves. But, God reads the thoughts and intents of the heart, and someday soon, while life is going on without any great catastrophe taking place, the door will close. Only those people who fully reflect God’s character will have entered in. When the rest of the people will wake up, it will be too late.

Pastor Marshall Grosboll, with his wife Lillian, founded Steps to Life. In July 1991, Pastor Marshall and his family met with tragedy as they were returning home from a camp meeting in Washington state, when the airplane he was piloting went down, killing all on board.

Vitamin F

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Vitamin F cannot be purchased from a grocery store. You cannot even get it from a health food store. It is not folic acid; it is not even an essential fatty acid, but it is important for our well-being.

What is a vitamin? Vitamins are powerful chemical substances (keep that word in mind), essential, or necessary, in small amounts, to our nutrition. The purpose of vitamins is to regulate specific functions that promote growth, reproduction, or the maintenance of health and life.

People are excited about taking vitamin supplements, but if vitamin supplements are taken without minerals, an imbalance in the body will be created, because the body does not operate just on vitamins. The body also needs minerals, so if you are going to take iron, you need to take vitamin C; if you are going to take B vitamins, you need to also take calcium. Vitamins initiate the body processes, and without them, you cannot utilize the other nutrients.

Substance

From the Bible, we read: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.

What word do you see in this passage of Scripture that is also used in defining vitamin? Substance! That word, substance, as used in the definition of vitamins, refers to something tangible, something upon which you can put your hand. Is faith something upon which you can put your hand? Sure, you can experience faith. God has given every person a measure of faith—substance. So this vitamin F is nothing more than healing faith—not just physical healing but the totality healing of man.

Vitamin F Defined

Inspiration gives definitions of this important vitamin, such as: “Faith is trusting God—believing that He loves us and knows best what is for our good.” Education, 253.

How do we develop this faith? God wants us to be obedient, but obedience will not come without trust and faith. He allows us to experience trials to strengthen our trust and faith: “Thus, instead of our own, it leads us to choose His way. In place of our ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our weakness, His strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness. Our lives, ourselves, are already His; faith acknowledges His ownership and accepts its blessing. Truth, uprightness, purity, have been pointed out as secrets of life’s success. It is faith that puts us in possession of these principles.” Ibid.

Biblical Example

The story is given in the Bible of a woman with an issue of blood for twelve years. “A certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.” Mark 5:25, 26. The significance of her medical problem is addressed in Leviticus 15:25–30.

In Scripture, the word woman symbolizes a church. This woman of Mark 5 may represent the church, while at the same time this woman could represent us personally. We might not have an issue of blood, but we have an issue of a heart problem, an emotional problem. It could be caused by anything that we face; any challenge that impedes our experience with God can be an issue.

This woman had exhausted her resources in an attempt to be healed. She had nothing left. However, God’s plan is accessible to everybody. You might not have the resources, but you will not be turned down by God’s medical plan.

The Bible says, in Mark, that this woman grew worse because there was no doctor that could heal her. The physician disciple, Dr. Luke, recorded: “A woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any.” Luke 8:43. Even Dr. Luke came to the conclusion that nobody in Palestine could heal this woman.

Just Touch the Hem

It could be said that this woman was in desperate need. She was not only physiologically and emotionally affected, but she was socially affected. Her only hope was to be healed by Jesus. Her one desire was to touch the hem of Christ’s garment.

“ ‘If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.’ Matthew 9:21. It was a poor woman who spoke these words—a woman who for twelve years had suffered from a disease that made her life a burden. She had spent all her means upon physicians and remedies.” The Ministry of Healing, 59. There is not one plant, not one herb that can heal people of disease. They only support the body. God said, in Genesis 15:26, “I [am] the Lord that healeth thee.”

Yet, she was “pronounced incurable.” How many of us have been struggling with sins in our lives, and we finally come to the time when we do not think we are ever going to overcome these issues? We think we are incurable. If that is where we are, then we are in the position of that woman. We need to touch His garment.

Ellen White continues, “But as she heard of the Great Healer, her hopes revived. She thought, ‘If only I could get near enough to speak to Him, I might be healed.’ ” Ibid.

Come Boldly

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16. What does the word boldly mean? It means with confidence, with assurance that Christ is a rewarder of those who come to Him by faith. We can come boldly to Christ, knowing He will forgive, heal, and cleanse. We can come with the confidence that Jesus will give us power. We can come with confidence that He will not cast us aside. Men might reject us, but God has proven time after time that He can be trusted.

We must come boldly. This means that we must be resolved. The reason our faith is not strong enough is because when we go through trials, we are not in a frame of mind of being resolute. Yet God gives us trials and tests and shows us His mighty works that we can come to trust Him.

Priest’s Robes

Christ is the High Priest, the type of a priest that served in the tabernacle on earth. (See Hebrews 9:11.) In Exodus 28:33, 34, the hem of the earthly priest’s garment is described: “And [beneath] upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates [of] blue, and [of] purple, and [of] scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.” Notice, it says, “a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate.”

What is the significance of the bell and the purpose of the pomegranate? The Bible tells us that we must bring forth fruit. (John 15:16.) The bell represents profession. The bell makes noise; it professes, and it sounds. So, with our profession, we must bring forth fruit. We can talk; we can ring the bell of truth, but we must also bring forth fruit. We cannot have a life of profession without bringing forth fruit. If we are true Christians and we are clinging to the garment of Jesus Christ, we will not only have a profession, but we will bring forth fruit.

Why did God direct Moses to use pomegranates on the hem of the priest’s garment? Why not use mangoes? Well, pomegranates have a lot of seeds. My wife tried to count the number of seeds in a pomegranate. She cut one of the fruits into quarters and counted the seeds in one of the quarters. She counted over 50 seeds in that one quarter! In my travels, I have been to many countries and experienced their fruits. I have not found any fruit with more seeds than the pomegranate. It is a virtual seed basket.

Promises of God

What do seeds represent? The Bible says, “The seed is the word of God.” Luke 8:11.

What does this have to do with the woman with the issue of blood? Well, you see, the seeds represent the promises of God’s Word. “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” 11 Peter 1:4.

Claim Promises

She touched the hem of His garment, in faith reaching out and claiming the precious promises of the Word of God. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Word, the embodiment of every promise. We read: “The Word was with God, and the Word was God”; “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” John 1:1, 14. When Jesus walked on this earth, the Word was in the flesh. If the woman wished to be healed, it made sense for her to come into contact with the Word.

“For they [are] life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.” Proverbs 4:22. What is health to all flesh? It is the Word of God.

Ellen White wrote: “The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature and re-creates the soul in the image of God.

“The life thus imparted is in like manner sustained. ‘By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4) shall man live.” Education, 126.

Who Touched Me?

The woman joined a crowd thronging Jesus. Writing about this event, Mrs. White penned: “To the curious crowd pressing about Jesus there was imparted no vital power.” The Ministry of Healing, 62. Notice, people were touching Him, pressing against Him, but there was no vital power.

“In making His way through the multitude, the Saviour came near to where the afflicted woman was standing.

“Christ knew every thought of her mind, and He was making His way to where she stood. He realized her great need, and He was helping her to exercise faith.” Ibid., 59, 60.

Even though many followers surrounded Him, Jesus recognized the woman’s need and faith, and He was moving in her direction. Even though in the crowd of more than six billion people on the planet earth, be assured that Jesus is always moving to that one soul who is crying out. He knows every need, every thought.

As Christ passed the woman, “She reached forward and succeeded in barely touching the border of His garment. That moment she knew that she was healed. In that one touch was concentrated the faith of her life, and instantly her pain and feebleness disappeared. Instantly she felt the thrill as of an electric current passing through every fiber of her being. There came over her a sensation of perfect health….

“ ‘Somebody hath touched Me,’ Jesus said; ‘for I perceive that virtue is gone out of Me.’ Luke 8:46. He could distinguish the touch of faith from the casual touch of the careless throng. Someone had touched Him with a deep purpose and had received answer.” Ibid., 60.

“So in spiritual things does the casual contact differ from the touch of faith. To believe in Christ merely as the Saviour of the world can never bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a mere assent to the truth of the gospel. True faith is that which receives Christ as a personal Saviour. God gave His only-begotten Son, that I, by believing in Him, ‘should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ John 3:16. When I come to Christ, according to His word, I am to believe that I receive His saving grace. The life that I now live, I am to ‘live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.’ Galatians 2:20.

“Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction, by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which, through the grace of Christ, the soul becomes a conquering power.” Ibid., 62. [Author’s emphasis.]

“And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” Mark 5:34.

Measure of Faith

We have all received a measure of faith, and it must be cultivated. God helps us to cultivate it by permitting trials to come our way. He is continually measuring us, because without faith we cannot please Him. “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8.

We should thank God for the trials. We should thank God for the issues in our lives. We should thank God for the disappointments. We should thank God that He does not waste His time on useless material. When we are going through trials, we should each exclaim, “God sees something of infinite value in me!”

Thomas Jackson is a Health Evangelist and Director of Missionary Education and Evangelistic Training (M.E.E.T.) Ministry in Huntingdon, Tennessee. He may be contacted by e-mail at: godsplan@meetministry.org or by telephone at: 731-986-3518.

Aim and Ambition

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There is a purpose to which God has called each one of us, and if we do not learn to fight against the contrary winds, to overcome the difficulties, whatever they might be in our lives, we are on a course to make shipwreck of our lives. One way the devil tries to get us to make shipwreck is given in Acts 27:5–7: “And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Aim Ambition Myra, [a city] of Lycia. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein. And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone.”These passages may just look like a story, but there are lessons for us in this story—and in each passage and each verse of the Bible. Paul was continuing on his journey to Rome, his journey to stand before Caesar.As he continued, we are told in verse 7 that the ship sailed slowly for many days. On this journey, an alternate course had been taken because the winds were contrary. When an alternate course is taken, it can possibly get you behind schedule. Sometimes you may take a “shortcut” that you think is going to be faster, but it ends up taking twice as long. That was the situation in which Paul found himself. Verse 9 continues the saga: “Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished [them].” It was not time to be sailing slowly, because the Day of Atonement was past, and the ancients regarded this as a dangerous time to navigate the Mediterranean. It would have been the time of the autumnal equinox, when severe storms usually occurred. But even though the ship on which Paul was traveling was late, even though it was dangerous to set sail, they were sailing slowly along.

Application to Our Lives

How do we equate this to our lives? If you are in a boat and you are just slowly moving along with the current of the water, what does that usually indicate? Generally you are relaxed, just sitting there enjoying the time. You are going along with the flow. It is possible to just go along with the flow, to just sail slowly for many days. The world thinks that youth is a time to sail slowly for many days. The highest ambition for many young people is to just have fun, but is that what God has called us to do? There is nothing necessarily wrong with having fun, but that is not to be our sole purpose or our aim in life. If it is, we are headed toward shipwreck. A number of youth are like butterflies, flitting from one pretty flower to another; they are going from one thing to another, one pretty thing to another, one fun thing to another, without purpose or aim.

Prodigal Son

Jesus told a parable about this. In Luke 15:12, 13, we read: “And the younger of them said to [his] father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to [me].’ So he divided to them [his] livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.” This is the parable of the prodigal son. He wanted to spend his money, to be reckless and have fun. He wanted to enjoy life, to enjoy his youth. So, to enjoy his life and his youth, he went to a far country with no definite aim or purpose; he was just having fun. He ended up feeding pigs. Not only did he feed pigs, but he ate the pigs’ food! What was the cause of this? He did not have an aim and a purpose in his life. He did not have a plan. He just wanted to have fun. He was just going along with the flow, floating along and taking life as it comes. Going along, taking life as it comes does not always end up in the most enviable situations. The prodigal son wasted everything he had. In order to escape shipwreck, we are to have ambition, and we need to have plans and goals. Without those, especially for our life work and frequently for eternity, we will end up being shipwrecked.

Be a Blessing

The highest goal of which we should never lose sight is to get to heaven. Another ambition we are to have, Ellen White tells us, is to be a blessing. She does not say our ambition is to try to enjoy life as much as we can, but to be a blessing as much as we can. The world has it backwards. “Are you sowing to your flesh? Are you thinking only of your pleasure, your convenience? Sowing to pride and vanity and ambition? ‘Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.’ [Galatians 6:7.] If you are sowing faith, rendering obedience to Christ, you will reap faith and power for future obedience. If you are seeking to be a blessing to others, God will bless you. We should bring all the good possible into our lives, that we may glorify God, and be a blessing to humanity.” Review and Herald, May 5, 1891.

The entire world is focused in pleasure-seeking today, from the youth all the way up to the elderly. But that does not give true happiness; that is not true joy. When the pleasures are over, the things in the world that you think are going to be fun, that you think are going to bring you joy, leave you feeling empty. Heaven’s plan is that when you seek to be a blessing to others it increases the happiness you experience.

Reputation

In Ecclesiastes 9:10, Solomon said, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with your might; for [there is] no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” Solomon means everything we do. We are to do the best we can at whatever we try to do. The Amish people in the United States are traced back to the Reformation. Generally, they are of German or higher European descent. There are different sects and factions, but the strict adherents avoid the modern conveniences of the 21st century. They do everything the way it was basically done 200 years ago. They wear very plain clothes and drive horse-drawn buggies. Although they have their unique ideas about not using modern technology, they have a reputation. I once talked with an Amish man who told me that if I wanted someone to build a good house, to call on the Amish. They themselves do not own modern tools, but they have a reputation for whatever they do. They do it really good. They also specialize in moving houses. They will lift up an entire house and move it without the modern conveniences available; at times, I am told, without cracking one wall. God wants you to have a reputation that whatever you do, you do it with all your might. Regardless what type of work you may do, people should be able to say, “He (or she) is a Seventh-day Adventist. They will do a good job.” Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.

Aim High

Mrs. White wrote: “Dear youth, what is the aim and purpose of your life? Are you ambitious for education that you may have a name and position in the world? Have you thoughts that you dare not express, that you may one day stand upon the summit of intellectual greatness; that you may sit in deliberative and legislative councils, and help to enact laws for the nation? There is nothing wrong in these aspirations. You may every one of you make your mark. You should be content with no mean attainments. Aim high, and spare no pains to reach the standard.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 82.

She is here asking the questions: What is your aim in life? What do you want to do? Most importantly, though, what is God calling you to do? Do you want to ascend to a height of intellectual greatness? Do you want to sit in legislative bodies? Then she says, “There is nothing wrong in these aspirations. You may every one of you make your mark. You should be content with no mean attainments. Aim high, and spare no pains to reach the standard.” You are to aim high. God wants to use you, but He does not want you to do a mediocre job. He does not want you to do just a decent job. He wants you to aim high, to have ambitions, plans, and goals. You might not make them all, but if you aim high, you are going to hit a higher mark than if you aim low! Aim high! Be content with no average attainment. God wants each of you to do the best that you can. Do not compare yourself with others. Others might aim higher than you do. There is nothing wrong with all the different vocations in life, but you need to aim high and to look and to set high goals. But too often it is easier to sail along slowly many days, to just go along with the flow and take what comes, have fun, and enjoy your youth, whatever it might be. One time in Africa, fellow workers and I were holding a training school for some of the local believers and hosting an evangelistic series in the evening. There were people that needed to be visited, flyers to distribute, and homework that we were giving to the participants. But I would walk out of the room and would see a number of people just sitting,—not a book in their hands, not talking, just sitting and looking—looking into nowhere. Now I do not want to be derogatory towards them; there are all sorts of things in the culture that needs to be overcome, but there was no ambition. There were no goals, no plans, and they were content after they had eaten to just sit. In contrast, a national hero in the Philippines by the name of José Rosales, was executed at a fairly young age. But during his short life he wrote books that had been instrumental in starting the independence campaign in the Philippines. He studied and became proficient in many different languages. He became a doctor and then an engineer. After that, he became an ophthalmologist. He kept progressing. He was a poet. He was a statesman. Why? Because he aimed high, because he had ambition, and because he had goals.

Use Your Talents

Matthew 25:24, 25 reads, “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, [there] you have [what is] yours.’ ” In the parable of the talents, why was the unfaithful steward condemned? Was it because of something that he did, or was it because of something that he did not do? It was because of something that he did not do. It was not because of anything that he did. The master did not come back and say, “You did this wrong and this wrong.” The master came back and said, “I am not condemning you; you are judged unworthy because of what you did not do, because you did not make use of what I gave to you.” Read the chapter in Christ’s Object Lessons (325–365) on talents. It is a very thought-provoking chapter. Ellen White says that the strictest account is going to be asked concerning the talent of time. No one has 30 hours in a day or 22 hours. We might not have the same amount of physical strength or mental vigor. Our minds might not all work in the same direction. All of that is fine, but every single one of us has the same amount of time. Yet many say, “Oh, I just do not have the time.” What does that really mean? It really means that individual did not prioritize his or her time to do the task. We all have the same amount of time; the important thing is the use we make of that time. We can sail along slowly many days; we can just go with the flow. We can just go from one thing to another having fun, or we can have ambition, goals, and plans, and work with all of our might to accomplish them. The devil wants to get us shipwrecked. He blows contrary winds at us, but he does more than that. He tries to get us to just go along with the flow, just to go along with what is easy, what is convenient and not make ambitions plans for our lives—with God’s leading of course. God wants us to become intellectual giants. You can become an intellectual giant by using the talents God gives you. It does not have to be in the academic line. But we are told not to be dwarfs, but to become intellectual giants. The only way that we can become intellectual giants, the only way we can be the best in whatever God calls us to do is by continually trying to improve, not being content with where we are.

Be a Daniel

There was a young man who was taken away from home, taken away from everything that made life familiar. He was given a full scholarship to the most prestigious university of that day in the courts of Babylon. As Daniel was there—a young man away from home, away from his parents, away from those that believed like he did to a great extent—he said, “Well, I am here. I will just put forth a little bit of effort and not worry about it too much.” Daniel excelled above his fellows ten times. Do you think Daniel became ten times better in all areas by putting forth just a little bit of effort? Do you think he became ten times better by just having fun, going from one pretty flower to another? No, he had ambition, plans, and goals, and he did all with all of his might. God is calling us to be Daniels today, and he is calling us to rise to that height. He is calling us to aim high and to spare no efforts to achieve that goal. Do you want to do it? Do you want to become a Daniel or a Danielle? That is what God is calling us to be. We might not be in a heathen court; we might not even be ten times better. But He wants us to have goals, plans, and ambition and to put forth the effort to do the best we can at whatever we do. Pray that the Lord will help us to be like Daniel was in Babylon—not just to go along with the flow, not just to follow wherever the breeze takes us, but to have a plan and to put forth every effort of getting there.

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.

From Alienation to Reconciliation

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Ellen White tells us that we are going to spend all eternity studying the meaning of the cross; it is the focal point of everything else. (Review and Herald, June 3, 1890.) My freshman composition teacher used to say that when you are writing a paper, you need to limit your subject so that you can cover it adequately; but the cross is a subject that we can never fully cover. We still need, however, to understand all that our minds can grasp.

Fear of the Romans

There was a theory going around in the days of Jesus that the soul, or the spirit, hovered over the dead body for three days after death. Jesus, however, waited and did not arrive at Lazarus’ home until he had been dead four days. Thus, even according to the false theories of the Jews, he was really dead. Because Lazarus was raised in the presence of a large group of people, there was no way to deny what had taken place. Some of those present related to the Pharisees what had taken place. A meeting of the Pharisees and chief priests was quickly called. The record of that meeting begins in John 11:45 and continues to the end of the chapter.

“If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” John 11:48. They were afraid of the Romans. Are people afraid of the Romans today? Yes, they are. God’s true church is afraid of the Roman power today just as the people in Jesus’ day were afraid of the Romans. Interestingly, the very thing that they believed would bring the Roman power to destroy them was the thing that would have delivered them from its power. It is an amazing thing.

On this occasion, the church leaders decided they were going to have to kill Jesus to prevent the Romans from destroying them. Ironically, by that very act, they brought destruction on themselves by the Romans. As we continue our study, keep in mind that something similar could happen again.

“And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and not that the whole nation should perish.’ Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.” John 11:49–52. What is the reason that the apostle John gives for the cross? The children of God were scattered all over the world, but John said that Jesus was going to die so that all of the people of God who were scattered abroad could be brought together into one. What a wonderful thought.

Gathered Together

God’s people are still scattered all over the world; and they are going to continue to be so for a little while. But when Jesus comes again, they are going to be gathered together into one church. I love to think about it.

Have you noticed that people sometimes do not like it at one church, so they go to another one? It is not usually because they did not like the building but because they did not get along with some of the people. Have you ever seen that happen? I have never seen anybody decide to go to another church because something was wrong with themselves; but I have seen a lot of people want to go to another church because they said that something was wrong with someone else. Well, now, here is my question: What if this were to take place in heaven? This has to do, friends, with the meaning of the cross. You see, as a result of sin, people are alienated from one another. According to the apostle John, God’s children will be gathered into one.

The Bible is a spiritual book, and when it says that God’s children will be gathered into one, it is not speaking of them being gathered into one building. “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” 1 Corinthians 6:17. “For He Himself is our peace, Who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.” Ephesians 2:14.

Alienation

I have always had a fascination to understand the American Civil War. It was the most disastrous war the United States has ever fought. As I was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the whole matter became crystal clear in my mind. At the time of the war, our whole country was separated into two armed camps that were totally alienated from one another. All wars are the result of alienation. By the way, there is a great deal of alienation in the world today. There is even alienation among the professed people of God.

Is the cross just a story, or are we experiencing its spiritual meaning? Let me tell you something—this is something very serious—if there is one other person in this world from whom you are alienated, at least one of you is not going to heaven unless that problem is solved. It is just that simple. Now, it could be both of you, but it might only be one. You might have somebody who is alienated from you, and you might not be at fault at all; but if there are two people who are alienated, there is something wrong with at least one of them, and they cannot go to heaven unless that situation is taken care of. The purpose of the cross is to destroy this alienation and bring reconciliation.

Today, with many Christians, the cross is just like the law was for the Jewish nation. The Jewish nation taught the law, talked the law, and yet Jesus said to them, “Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?” John 7:19. Today, wherever I travel, I see crosses on churches; I see crosses around people’s necks; but people fail to understand what it means. If the cross has not destroyed the enmity in your heart, it has not done the work in your heart that must be done if you are to be saved.

Reconciliation

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled.” Colossians 1:19–21.

Why did Jesus have to go to the cross? “Christ died for our sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:3. Now, when I understand that, if I choose to sin, what have I chosen to do? I have chosen to do the very thing that sent Jesus to the cross. By wicked works I am alienated, expressing hatred for the Son of God. You cannot love sin and love Jesus. “You who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.” Colossians 1:21, 22. When we come to the cross and we see the spiritual meaning of it, the sin that we used to love we learn to hate. Everyone who has that experience, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is going to be reconciled into one.

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry [or service] of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 11 Corinthians 5:18–21.

Oh, friend, is the story of the cross just a story to you, or have you had this experience? Have you been reconciled to God so that you are no longer at enmity with Him, so that you can be taken to heaven and will feel perfectly at home there because you are in harmony with the whole system? We are living in a time when we need to get down on our knees and say, “Lord, I am choosing to surrender, to submit to the cross of Jesus Christ.”

When you are no longer alienated from God, you are in a position to be reconciled, not only to God, but to your fellow man. You will no longer live for self but for Him who died for you.

Too Many Chiefs

“Satan is the originator of sin. In heaven he resolved to live to himself. He resolved to be leader. He determined to make himself a center of influence. . . . Head he would be, to control, not to be controlled.” Review and Herald, April 14, 1901. It is this character trait, or desire, in people that splits up churches. When I was a young man, they used to have a popular song in which the words went something like this: There are too many chiefs and not enough Indians around this place. This is the root cause of all manner of troubles.

It is said that Julius Caesar was once walking along a mountain road when, in the distance, he saw a small village. He is said to have remarked, “I would rather be number one in that village than to be number two in Rome.” This is why Julius Caesar was willing to kill millions of people—he wanted to be number one.

If space permitted, we could go through the gospels and see that this was the same problem that the disciples had. They never got over it until Jesus was crucified. After that, you never again find them contending as to who would be the greatest. Though they had been alienated, they were reconciled by the blood of His cross.

If you have a desire in your heart to control other people, you have the same problem. It is possible for you to be the most respected person in town and still have this problem. If you have this desire to control other people, you have not yet been reconciled. The person who lives for himself is not a Christian because he has never experienced the cross.

“No one can live for himself and at the same time be united with Christ. Conformity to the world, attachment to the world, manifests a decided denial of Christ.” The Signs of the Times, June 13, 1892.

Lowest Servant

When His disciples were struggling and quarreling over who would be next to Him in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus said: “The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister.” Matthew 20:25, 26.

In the English-speaking countries, we are not used to having servants, so we have only one or two words to express the concept. We talk about servants and slaves and that is about all; but in the Roman Empire, they had many servants of various categories and used a number of different words to denote a servant. There were some servants who were what we would call managers. It was one of these, by the way, who struck Jesus when He was being tried before Caiaphas. This was a high-class servant, someone who had some authority. There was, however, a lower level of servant. The Greek word for these servants is deakenos. This is where we get the word deacon. Jesus said, “He that will be great among you, let him be a deakenos.”

In the Roman Empire, there was one category that was the lowest of all servants. They would be what we would call slaves. In the old King James Version, this word is usually translated servant, and in modern translations, it is translated as bond servant or slave. It is the lowest category of servanthood. The Greek word is doulos. Jesus said, “He that will be great among you, let him be a deakenos [that is a middle level of servant], but the one that will be first among you, let him be a doulos [that is the lowest level of servant], even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26–28.

Philippians tells us how Jesus followed this principle. He started out as the highest, “but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:7, 8. I say this reverently, friend; He went lower for you and for me than we will ever be able to go for Him. You will never be able to go as low for Jesus as He has already gone for you. And I want to tell you, once the Holy Spirit drives that thought home into our consciousness, we will never be the same again. We cannot go on in this alienated form of life, fighting and bickering, with all that is going on among professed Christians today. We cannot do it!

The apostles did not all think the same on every matter after the cross. The cross did not take away their ability to think, but they were no longer alienated from one another.

Perfectly United

Friends, there is going to be a people when Jesus comes who are no longer alienated. They are no longer going to be fighting. The 144,000 will be perfectly unified, in harmony. It is going to happen, all right. The question is, Who is going to experience the experience of the cross so that they can be part of it?

He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and rose again. Oh, friend, is this your experience? The cross must be an experience, no longer just a story. It must change the inner wellspring of the life so that we no longer live for ourselves. This is such a big problem in human nature that our daily prayer to God needs to be that He will divest us of selfishness. (See Our High Calling, 242.)

The servant of the Lord would not tell us to pray that every day if we did not need to do so. We are talking about a big problem. This is why we need to go to the cross over and over and over again, until the message soaks in. I want to invite you, just now, to kneel down and pray that through the power of the Holy Spirit, this will be your experience.

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.

Editorial – Heretics in Heaven; Orthodox in Hell

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The word heretic comes from a Greek word that means, “a person who is factious or causing divisions or dissension, and holding to a certain dogma or teaching that has these characteristics.” (See Titus 3:10.) Orthodox is a composite Greek word referring to those who believe or teach straight or right doctrines or teachings.

It is paradoxical that millions of people who have been considered heretics will be in heaven, while other millions who were considered orthodox will be in hell after the end of the millennium. During the Dark Ages, millions of people were murdered (martyred) by the orthodox for heresy.

Today, people in Protestant churches consider themselves to be orthodox. Seventh-day Adventists consider themselves to be orthodox. The various groups that have developed out of Adventism consider themselves to be the ones holding to correct teachings. This includes not only those who call themselves historic Adventists, but those who have rejected Ellen White as a prophet, and who have subsequently rejected the biblical doctrines that Adventists teach about the sanctuary. Many of these individuals now keep Sunday instead of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. As our Sunday-keeping friends do, they relegate the Sabbath to the Old Covenant that has been abolished, not distinguishing between the temporary ritual law and the moral law of ten commandments. Both the Pharisees and the Sadducees considered themselves to be orthodox and engaged in bitter debates trying to prove the other party wrong, just as we see within Adventism today.

The character you develop in this life, not the doctrines you believe to be most accurate and true, will determine your destiny in the judgment. This is the big point that many orthodox fail to see, and that the professed people in Jesus’ day seemed to overlook too. This is the bottom line reason that millions of heretics will be in heaven and countless millions of the orthodox will not.

God’s messenger, Ellen G. White, wrote: “Profession is as nothing in the scale. It is character that decides destiny.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 74. “The harvest of life is character, and it is this that determines destiny, both for this life and for the life to come.” Education, 108. “We are daily determining our destiny in the future life by the character we develop in this.” Review and Herald, January 11, 1898. “Character cannot be changed when Christ comes, nor just as a man is about to die. Character building must be done in this life.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 430.

Are you praying to God daily, pleading for a pure, holy, righteous character?