Keys to the Storehouse – My Fears

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12, 13

God does not bid you fear that He will fail to fulfill His promises, that His patience will weary, or His compassion be found wanting. Fear lest your will shall not be held in subjection to Christ’s will, lest your hereditary and cultivated traits of character shall control your life. ‘It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure’ [Philippians 2:13]. Fear lest self shall interpose between your soul and the great Master Worker. Fear lest self-will shall mar the high purpose that through you God desires to accomplish. Fear to trust to your own strength, fear to withdraw your hand from the hand of Christ and attempt to walk life’s pathway without His abiding presence.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 161.

We are not to fear that God will fail to fulfill His promises or that His patience will run out. We are to fear the following and pray these fears to the God of heaven:

Heavenly Father,

  • I fear lest my will shall not be held in subjection to the will of Your beloved Son, Jesus.
  • I fear lest my hereditary and cultivated traits of character shall control my life and not the guidance of Your Holy Spirit.
  • I fear lest self shall interpose between my soul and Thee, the great Master Worker.
  • I fear lest my self-will shall mar that high purpose that You desire to accomplish through me and that others may be turned away from You because of self.
  • I fear to trust in my own strength but choose to trust in Your strength.
  • I fear to withdraw my hand from the hand of Christ and attempt to walk life’s pathway without His abiding presence.
  • I lift these fears to You this moment that I may be comforted and that my life will not be without Christ—a life of sadness and gloom, but of joy and peace, because Christ, while dwelling in me, will be a wellspring of joy. Amen.

“The life in which the fear of the Lord is cherished will not be a life of sadness and gloom. It is the absence of Christ that makes the countenance sad, and the life a pilgrimage of sighs. Those who are filled with self-esteem and self-love do not feel the need of a living, personal union with Christ. The heart that has not fallen on the Rock is proud of its wholeness. Men want a dignified religion. They desire to walk in a path wide enough to take in their own attributes. Their self-love, their love of popularity and love of praise, exclude the Saviour from their hearts, and without Him there is gloom and sadness. But Christ dwelling in the soul is a wellspring of joy. For all who receive Him, the very keynote of the word of God is rejoicing.” Ibid., 162.

Let us each go humbly to the Lord with our fears so that He may revive our hearts. (See Isaiah 57:15.) Let us strive to be one with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that we may receive that wellspring of joy into our hearts.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10.

Cast your fears upon the Lord and wait on Him and He “shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31.

Vital Godliness Bruises His Head

“Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

I Peter 2:9

Those who live up to the high standard of this calling have an enemy to meet—Satan, the destroyer! One very important thing to keep in mind is that time is running out. Jesus is in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary, and very soon He will stand up and say, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11.

If Jesus stood up today, how would you be affected by those words? Is there something that you are holding onto, that which you are not willing to confess or repent? Remember, when these words are spoken, it will be over and forever too late.

“Too late will sinners realize that they have sold their birthright. The crown that they might have had shines upon the brow of another. The inheritance which they might have had is lost. Beware how you trifle with temptation. Beware how you boast of your strength. Christ is your everlasting strength; confide in God, lay hold of His strength, and He will bring you off conqueror and you will wear the crown of victory.” In Heavenly Places, 362.

“When Jesus rises up in the Most Holy Place, lays off His mediatorial robes, and clothes Himself with the garments of vengeance, the mandate will go forth.” Reflecting Christ, 312.

Satan is an expert at causing many people to forget this, keeping their minds busy on minor things. Don’t forget! Your eternal life is at stake. Don’t get sidetracked—there is no second chance.

Ellen White states, “We all need to study as never before the parable of the ten virgins. Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. The wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. This is the holy oil represented in Zechariah [Zechariah 4:11–14 quoted]. This representation is of the highest consequence to those who claim to know the truth. But if we do not practise [sic] the truth, we have not received the holy oil, which the two golden pipes empty out of themselves. The oil is received into vessels prepared for the oil. It is the Holy Spirit in the heart which works by love and purifies the soul.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1179.

We are told that those who profess to believe, but who are not practicing the truth, have not received the oil, the Holy Spirit. This is a very serious condition. A person’s lifestyle shows evidence whether or not the Holy Spirit is working in his/her life.

“God is dishonored when we do not receive the communications that He sends us. Thus we refuse the golden oil which He would pour into our souls to be communicated to those in darkness.” The Review and Herald, February 3, 1903.

Receiving something is accepting it. Many read and/or hear the truth, but it is not received into the heart and life, causing God to be dishonored. Knowing God’s word and choosing not to follow it places that person under the control of another spirit, which is a violation of the very first commandment, which says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3.

Self becomes a god when God’s word is pushed aside and you do whatever you please. When the stomach rules over reason, over the word of God, it becomes a god.

God is dishonored when the communications He sends through the Spirit of Prophecy are not received or practiced. For instance, we are told that, “Cheese should never be introduced into the stomach.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 368. But, since eating cheese is not a test of fellowship, many will eat it anyway.

Tea, coffee, tobacco and alcohol are called sinful indulgences. (See Selected Messages, Book 3, 287.) Many feel that since they enjoy those things, why should they stop using them?

Mrs. White wrote “that the time will soon come when there will be no safety in using eggs, milk, cream, or butter, because disease in animals is increasing in proportion to the increase of wickedness among men.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 349. It is past that time, but people prefer to satisfy their own cravings over God’s communications to His people. In this decision, they choose their own craving as their god and dishonor the God of heaven. When the heart is so blinded that we do not want to hear any warnings, God is dishonored.

Satan is quenching the light that God has given to us. Read carefully the following and notice how many times the word light is mentioned and how important it is that we understand.

“Satan is working with all his hellish power to quench that light which should burn brightly in the soul and shine forth in good works. The words of God to Zechariah show from whence the holy golden oil comes, and its bright light which the Lord kindles in the chambers of the soul gives light through good works to the world. Satan will work to quench the light God has for every soul, by casting his shadow across the pathway to intercept every ray of heavenly light. He knows that his time is short.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1179. (Emphasis supplied.)

“What is light? It is piety, goodness, truth, mercy, love; it is the revealing of the truth in the character and life. … God has made provision through the death of His beloved Son, that every soul may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. Every soul is to be a bright and shining light, showing forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.” Christian Service, 21.

“It [light] is piety, goodness, truth, mercy, love; it is the revealing of the truth in the character and life.” Ibid. Those not revealing or living the truth, are sitting in darkness under the shadow of Satan, allowing the light that God has given to be quenched or smothered. We are all to be light bearers.

“It was by receiving of His life that His disciples could become light bearers. The life of Christ in the soul, His love revealed in the character, would make them the light of the world.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 39.

The last thing Satan wants is for God’s love to be revealed in your character. But God says, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.” II Corinthians 3:2, 3.

Satan’s goal is to prevent or “intercept every ray of heavenly light”—that heavenly character trait—from shining through us to others, whether it be mercy, love or truth. These are the shining lights.

“They cherish hereditary and cultivated traits of character that misrepresent Christ, while professedly His disciples … .” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1179. To cherish something, we must know what it is! Each of us will know by our own actions if we are allowing Satan’s shadow to cover God’s character traits. Let’s think about this for a moment.

The first fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. In I Corinthians 13:4–8 Paul tells us the meaning of love.

It is that heavenly influence, the light that touches everyone around you, that the devil attempts to quench. A careful reflection makes it possible to recognize the shadows that cover or quench God’s characteristics in you!

  • Love suffers long (patient) – it drives away all impatience. Allowing a shadow/cloud cover, it causes an atmosphere of impatience.
  • Love is kind (friendly) – no room for unkindness. But let a shadow cover it and there is an atmosphere of unfriendliness.
  • Love envies not (jealousy) – agape love banishes all jealousy. This love is what Satan is “working with hellish power” to quench.
  • Love vaunts not itself (boasts) – agape love allows no boasting or self-assertion but produces a spirit of humility.
  • Love is not puffed up (pride) – agape love makes no place in the heart for pride.
  • Love does not behave itself unseemly – agape love makes no room for recklessness, foolishness or rashness.
  • Love seeks not its own – self is dead, selfishness is unknown.
  • Love is not provoked – agape love banishes all anger and wrath.
  • Love takes no account of evil – brooding over so-called “wrongs” will be no more and there will be found no bitterness in the heart.
  • Love beareth all things – complaining will never be heard.
  • Love believeth all things – mistrust will not destroy fellowship.
  • Love hopeth all things – despair, anxiety, despondency disappear.
  • Love endureth all things – patience will be developed.

These are the lights that Satan hates to see shining through us.

How do we let Satan’s shadow cover these lights or smother and quench them?

  • When we allow impatience to take over – that is Satan’s shadow.
  • When we are discontent – that is another shadow.
  • When we carry around sadness and gloom – these are shadows.

The devil loves to cast his shadow upon God’s children so others will not be blessed and so they will receive the brunt, shock or stress of their impatience, their discontentment, their sadness and gloom. Have you ever walked into a room occupied by an angry or discontented person? The atmosphere is thick and terrible—you can feel the negativity in the air and it is not a pleasant place to be. No one enjoys being around a person covered by a shadow or cloud.

Impatience and discontentment are just some of the temptations that the devil does not want you to resist.

“Unless there is a possibility of yielding, temptation is no temptation. Temptation is resisted when man is powerfully influenced to do a wrong action; and, knowing that he can do it, resists, by faith, with a firm hold upon divine power.” The Youth’s Instructor, July 20, 1899.

In this world of trials and suffering, it is a continual battle to resist the temptation of anger, discontentment, and impatience that all come from the devil. He wants to quench that light so that his character will be reflected.

The apostle Peter fell under the temptation of Satan (see Matthew 16:21–24).

“The impression which his [Peter’s] words would make was directly opposed to that which Christ desired to make on the minds of His followers, and the Saviour was moved to utter one of the sternest rebukes that ever fell from His lips: ‘Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offense unto Me: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men’ [Matthew 16:23].

“Satan was trying to discourage Jesus, and turn Him from His mission; and Peter, in his blind love, was giving voice to the temptation. The prince of evil was the author of the thought. His instigation was behind that impulsive appeal.” The Desire of Ages, 415, 416.

Never give voice to that temptation; don’t yield to it. Did you know that you give glory to the devil by:

  • voicing your anger
  • voicing your impatience
  • voicing your discontentment?

We just saw that Satan was trying to discourage Jesus through Peter. The prince of evil was the author of that thought,

  • the author of that anger
  • the author of the discontentment
  • the author of the impatience.

The devil continues to do the same thing today with each one of us by his temptations.

The prince of evil is the author of impatience, discontentment and whatever else does not glorify God. Choose not to yield to anger or anything else leveled at you, do not be blind and never give voice or action to any of these temptations, but at that very moment, send up a prayer for help. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.” James 1:12.

“The words of Christ were spoken, not to Peter, but to the one who was trying to separate him from his Redeemer. ‘Get thee behind Me, Satan.’ No longer interpose between Me and My erring servant.” The Desire of Ages, 416.

Voicing or acting on temptation allows the devil to separate you from God, placing a shadow or cloud over the heavenly light, which is to touch others. The light is quenched! If he can keep you separated and unchanged in character, he will have accomplished the destruction of your soul.

The danger is that right now is the day of salvation. Right now Jesus is in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary mediating for you and me, and when He stands up, either your character is made up of heavenly light from God or made up of the clouds and shadows of death. At that time, all light will have been quenched, and whatever character you have will remain with you for eternity. Jesus will say, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11. It will be over! If you are caught in the devil’s net at that time because you have allowed him to quench the light, you will have lost the battle.

Learn to recognize these shadows before it is too late. Learn to recognize your weakness where you can be tempted so you will not give voice or action to it. Guard the light and cherish those heavenly characteristics that God has given to you and display piety, goodness, truth, mercy, and love so that others can see God’s love in you.

“Hearts that respond to the influence of the Holy Spirit are the channels through which God’s blessing flows. Were those who served God removed from the earth, and His Spirit withdrawn from among men, this world would be left to desolation and destruction, the fruit of Satan’s dominion. Though the wicked know it not, they owe even the blessings of this life to the presence, in the world, of God’s people whom they despise and oppress. But if Christians are such in name only, they are like the salt that has lost its savor. They have no influence for good in the world. Through their misrepresentation of God they are worse than unbelievers.” Christian Service, 22.

Start each day with the song in your heart, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine … .” Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

Another trick Satan has in his attempt to quench the light, is to bring to mind all of the thorns in your life so you can give voice and action to them.

“Many, walking along the path of life, dwell upon their mistakes and failures and disappointments, and their hearts are filled with grief and discouragement. While I [Ellen White] was in Europe, a sister who had been doing this, and who was in deep distress, wrote to me, asking for some word of encouragement. The night after I had read her letter I dreamed that I was in a garden, and one who seemed to be the owner of the garden was conducting me through its paths. I was gathering the flowers and enjoying their fragrance, when this sister, who had been walking by my side, called my attention to some unsightly briers that were impeding her way. There she was mourning and grieving. She was not walking in the pathway, following the guide, but was walking among the briers and thorns. ‘Oh,’ she mourned, ‘is it not a pity that this beautiful garden is spoiled with thorns?’ Then the guide said, ‘Let the thorns alone, for they will only wound you. Gather the roses, the lilies, and the pinks.’ ” Steps to Christ, 116, 117.

“We should not allow the perplexities and worries of everyday life to fret the mind and cloud the brow. If we do we shall always have something to vex and annoy. We should not indulge a solicitude that only frets and wears us, but does not help us to bear trials.” Ibid., 122.

“It is Satan’s constant effort to keep the attention diverted from the Saviour and thus prevent the union and communion of the soul with Christ. The pleasures of the world, life’s cares and perplexities and sorrows, the faults of others, or your own faults and imperfections—to any or all of these he will seek to divert the mind.” Ibid., 71.

Satan works with hellish power to put those shadows upon you, for he knows very well his time is running out and the more he can discourage the more he can destroy.

“Trials patiently borne, blessings gratefully received, meekness, kindness, mercy, and love, habitually exhibited, are the lights that shine forth in the character before the world, revealing the contrast with the darkness that comes of the selfishness of the natural heart.” Conflict and Courage, 59.

“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7.

“If they cherish hereditary and cultivated traits of character that misrepresent Christ, while professedly His disciples, they are represented by the man coming to the gospel feast without having on the wedding garment, and by the foolish virgins which had no oil in their vessels with their lamps.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1179.

If we nourish and train any characteristic, any shadow, that misrepresents Christ, we are represented by the man who came to the wedding feast without having on the wedding garment, and also by the foolish virgins who had no oil in their vessels with their lamps. “The wedding garment represents the character which all must possess who shall be accounted fit guests for the wedding.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 307.

“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment.” Matthew 22:11. We have allowed Satan to quench the light from God, the wedding garment has been removed, and we are in citizen’s clothing. Satan is trying to hide that character under his shadows. That is what he is working with hellish power to extinguish—to quench!

“The truth is to be planted in the heart. It is to control the mind and regulate the affections. The whole character must be stamped with the divine utterances. Every jot and tittle of the word of God is to be brought into the daily practice.” Ibid., 314.

We are to be in harmony with God’s great standard—which is His character. “The gospel of Christ is the law exemplified in character.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 48.

Christ’s character in us, which is the hope of the Christian, is to bruise the serpent’s head. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15.

This amazing prophecy includes each one of us, for it is this character that bruises the serpent’s head. Jesus “was charged with an embassage of mercy, sent of the Father at a crisis when rebellion had overspread the world, in order that man should not perish, but have everlasting life through faith in the Son of God. Through Christ they were to bruise the serpent’s head, and gain eternal life.” Lift Him Up, 197. It is God’s people, who fully represent Him in character in the last days, who are to bruise the serpent’s head!

“Shall we not bruise Satan under our feet? I beseech of you, Come up where the living waters flow.” The Review and Herald, March 11, 1890. Are you living the truth?

“The great rebel against God is leading his armies to the conflict; but let the followers of Christ bear in mind the fact that he can bruise only the heel, while those who are loyal to Christ by their fidelity and piety shall bruise the head of the serpent.” The Signs of the Times, November 14, 1895.

What an honor, what a privilege to be able to bruise the head of Satan! Is it any wonder he puts all of his hellish power into his temptations? He does not want you to bruise his head!

Walk in the light and identify any shadow that Satan has on you—your soul and the souls of those around you are in danger. Live the truth unquenched by Satan’s hellish shadow and be amongst those who will bruise the serpent’s head.

Judy Hallingstad is part of the LandMarks team. She can be contacted by email at: judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org.

Law and Judgment

The inhabitants of the world are worried; there is so much confusion everywhere and no safety. People do not understand the course of all this political instability and are afraid. There are wars, famine in some places and the whole world is suffering under the financial crisis. Earthquakes are more frequent, tsunamis, floods and forest fires are blazing, and the list is endless recording disasters worldwide. Really, world news today describes the last days as highlighted by Christ in Mathew 24. These events are corrupting the minds of many living today. Where is the safety? Should the elect also be led astray? But the Bible says, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (verse 13).

Jesus, the true Shepherd is calling upon us to follow Him. He says, “I have kept My Father’s commandments” (John 15:10). He leads His sheep in the path of humble obedience to the Law of God. He never encourages any to transgress the law, which is as sacred as His throne, and by it, everyone who comes into the world is to be judged. Our characters are to be weighed in the balance of God’s law, which is the only standard by which to test character.

A pretended holiness allows one to devise his own standard, judging himself, other than the true standard—God’s law. Making a self-judgment will not sanctify, because when personal standards are set, the law of God is trampled underfoot.

The subject dealt with here is pretentious holiness and its effects on a person’s character and to understand how God watches all from His throne.

Is keeping the commandments a half duty of man?

God should not be taken lightly. It is not for man to set his own standards and feel secure thinking he is on the right side. This is a deception that will end in destruction. The law of God is the standard by which the characters and lives of men are to be tested in the judgment. “Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment.” Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14. The books of record in heaven, in which the names and deeds of men are registered, are to determine the decisions made in the judgment. In pretending, many often commit numerous secret sins with an argument that they are not revealed. This is very dangerous, for such sins are rarely confessed and repented of. The secret purposes and motives appear in an unerring register for God “bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” I Corinthians 4:5.

This calls for total faith. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. He who has not sufficient faith in Christ to believe that He can keep him from sinning does not have the faith that will result in an entrance into the kingdom of God. The faith of Jesus calls for keeping the law of God. The Word should not be just a lifeless theory, but a living force that changes the life. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8–10.

Man’s devised laws only result in boasting and self-righteousness, thus revealing weakness. The great change that is seen in the life of a sinner after his conversion is miraculous and not brought about through any human goodness, thereby eliminating any human boasting. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12.

Keeping the law is the key to eternal life. Those who set their own standards are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold. Have you taken time to examine yourself? The Lord is speaking to you to be careful. Take time to understand the condition in which you find yourself. The hot have experienced the new birth and know the necessity of daily living by the Spirit. We are living in the time of judgment, and as the Lord looks at His people, He finds that the majority of them are lukewarm. The cold know they are not in a saving relationship and realize their lost condition: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15, 16), says the Lord.

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” Psalm 1. All who seek to be an evergreen tree planted by the river will produce fruits.

Sin is the transgression of the law. “Whosoever hath sinned [transgressed the law] against Me, him will I blot out of My book.” Exodus 32:33. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” James 2:10–12. Any unrepented of iniquity makes of no effect all previous righteousness. Through Christ we have been accepted into the family of God, and as children of God, we are to uphold His honor, His character. It will be great joy to do any act that will keep you in the family of God in conformity with the law of God. “There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.” Job 34:22.

We have been saved by grace, but grace does not abolish the law of God. All who bear the name Christian are to reflect the character, actions, and words of Christ Jesus, Who is meek, lowly and tender in heart. We must keep ourselves worthy to be in the family of God here on this earth to prepare for the life to come. To be saved by grace and not under the law means to stop sinning, as it is by the law that we know sin. Jesus Christ is coming again to receive those who are ready to welcome Him at His second advent. This will take place immediately after the work of the investigative judgment has been accomplished. The reward He brings with Him is to give to every man according to his work. How important then should our minds contemplate the reward and whether the judgment shall place us on the right side of the controversy. Satan should never be given the opportunity to exult over his conquests.

Make haste to confess every known sin and decide today to put them away. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13. Do not allow Satan to corrupt your mind through defects in your character, but shun him and hold on to Jesus in order to have your character perfected as probation time nears its end. The many issues that are taking place in the world today should not be a source of confusion but give hope that our Lord is at the door and inspire us to be ready to receive Him. Will you receive Him or will you hide? “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen.” Revelation 1:7.

Father, I am not worthy even to stand before You.

Thank you for saving me by the grace of Christ Jesus.

Help me Lord to value your advocacy from sin.

I yearn to love You more in my heart and do Your will.

Give me Your Spirit to be my guide each day of my life, Amen.

Bismark Nobert Emali (see testimony in LandMarks, October 2010) is a student working on his Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Kenya. His life is a testimony to many. He is a keen Bible student. During school breaks he writes numerous articles as well as helping out at Three Angels’ Messages Evangelistic Ministry in Bunyore, Kenya. His mission is to evangelize in Africa. He may be contacted by email at: emalinobert@yahoo.com.

Peace While War Rages

“Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”

Psalm 119:165

“The quest for inner calm and peace has been a universal struggle for mankind throughout the ages. Even for those who profess to be followers of the ‘Prince of Peace’ [Isaiah 9:6], it is difficult to realize with consistency that ‘God’s ways are always higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts’ [Isaiah 55:9]. It becomes normal living much of the time to experience undue anxiety about our plans without ever consulting Him for His perfect will. If only we could learn this simple lesson: ‘Tis far, far better to let Him choose the way that we should take, if only we thus leave our life with Him, He will guide without mistake.’ ” 101 More Hymn Stories, by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, 261, 2.

Affecting the cross-section of humanity is the tension, unhappiness and storm that is constantly raging within the human soul. Even within the Christian world, the majority of those who profess to be followers of Christ are expressing ongoing unrest in the private recesses of their mind—they have no peace of mind!

It is noted that, “Those in the business world live with tension daily. One businessman was so overwhelmed with the tension, frustration, and turmoil that he sought advice from his pastor. As they talked, the man chain-smoked, fidgeted, and kept rubbing his chin nervously. Even the pastor’s advice to ‘slow-down’ brought the man more tension. ‘I know I need to unwind, but I just can’t right now,’ he said. ‘With all of the economic problems in my line of business, I’m under so much pressure to succeed that I honestly don’t know how to slow down and end this rat race.’ His frustration is typical of that faced by many other professionals in the business community. This man is the norm, not the exception.

“Those who work in the home don’t escape tension and frustration, either. A housewife recently went to her doctor, with complaints of feeling run down. After a thorough examination, the doctor told her, ‘Lady, you’re not run down. You’re too wound up.’

“Even children are affected by tension. A little girl once told her mother that she was nervous. ‘Honey, what do you mean?’ the mother asked. ‘I really don’t know, but I just feel in a hurry all over,’ the little girl replied. It seems that no particular age group or profession is exempt from the high pressures of today’s society.” Conquering the Kill-Joys, by Bill Weber, Word Books, (1986), 57.

Those who allow tension to be an ever-represent emotion in everyday life are inviting a powerful, destructive force to reign within them. Is the stress in your life temporary, or is it slowly destroying your life? Try the following test, answering each question as honestly as you can. Your answer could determine whether or not you are overly tense.

  1. Do minor problems throw you into a dither?
  2. Do you find it difficult to get along with people, develop friendships, or begin conversations with others?
  3. Do the small pleasures of life fail to satisfy you?
  4. Do you find it difficult or impossible to stop thinking about your personal anxieties?
  5. Do you fear new people and situations?
  6. Are you suspicious of other people or mistrust your friends?
  7. Have you picked up any bad, dangerous, or destructive habits that you have been unable to shake?

If you answered yes to most of the questions, you are probably finding it difficult to deal with a tension-ridden society. As stress and tension become a way of life, you will find that other people will not want to be around you because you have become uptight and nervous. You are no longer enjoyable to be around, and you will find that others will quickly cut off conversations with you or try to avoid you.

Tension not only can affect your relationship with others, but it can also affect you personally and physically. Dr. Herbert Vincent of the Harvard Medical School tells what effects stress has on our bodies: “… there is an increase within the body of a hormone called adrenaline. This, in turn, increases the blood pressure—that is, the amount of blood flowing to the muscles—and the rate of the heartbeat, causes excessive sweating, headaches and an upset stomach. This can create a ‘fight or flight’ response with the body. So, if you want to suffer the side results—possibly heart attack, premature death, stomach disorders, high blood pressure, nervous difficulties—you continue down the road of uptightness and tenseness.” Ibid., 58, 59.

I believe that it was in contemplation of such truths that these words were penned by God’s servant: “Many of the diseases from which men suffer are the result of mental depression. Grief, anxiety, discontent, remorse, guilt, distrust, all tend to break down the life forces and to invite decay and death.” The Ministry of Healing, 241.

In his epistle to the Galatians, the noted apostle to the Gentiles points out that the fruit of the Spirit is love! This is the fruit that grows on the Christian tree or is manifest in the Christian life when the Holy Spirit controls the believer. Joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance are the graces of the Holy Spirit that are products of the fruit of love. I would like to examine the element of the graces of the Holy Spirit, which is peace.

The Greek word eirene (#1515 in Strong’s Concordance) is translated peace in our English language and gives the following descriptions:

  1. Harmonious relationships between man – Matthew 10:34; Romans 14:19
  2. Between nations – Luke 14:32; Acts 12:20; Revelation 6:4
  3. Friendliness – Acts 15:33; I Corinthians 16:11; Hebrews 11:31
  4. Freedom from molestation – Luke 11:21; 19:42; Acts 9:3
  5. Order, in the State – Acts 24:2
  6. Order, in the Church – I Corinthians 14:33
  7. The harmonized relationship between God and man, accomplished through the gospel – Acts 10:36; Ephesians 2:17
  8. The sense of rest and contentment consequent thereon – Matthew 10:13; Mark 5:34; Luke 1:79; 2:29; John 14:27

The Hebrew word salom or shalom (#7965 in Strong’s Concordance) gives us our English word peace. This word shalom primarily signifies “wholeness,” Joshua 8:31 “unhewn”; Ruth 2:12 “full”; Nehemiah 6:15 “finished”; Isaiah 42:19 “made perfect.” In the Septuagint shalom is often rendered by sotcria, meaning salvation, e.g., Genesis 26:31; 41:16, hence the “peace-offering” is called the “salvation offering.”

The words of our Lord and Saviour: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27. You will notice in this verse that there are two kinds of peace open to our understanding, namely “My peace” and “wordly peace” or peace that the world giveth.

Here Jesus speaks of inward peace such as comes to him who is “justified by faith,” whose sense of guilt has been laid at the foot of the cross, and whose anxieties about the future have been swallowed up in his implicit trust in God. Such a peace Jesus terms “My peace.” Such a peace, with all its boast, science cannot bestow.

So we read the words of the apostle Paul to get a good understanding of what this peace involves. Romans 5:1 states, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“As the penitent sinner, contrite before God, discerns Christ’s atonement in his behalf, and accepts this atonement as his only hope in this life and the future life, his sins are pardoned. This is justification by faith. Every believing soul is to conform his will entirely to God’s will, and keep in a state of repentance and contrition, exercising faith in the atoning merits of the Redeemer and advancing from strength to strength, from glory to glory.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1070.

“The grace of Christ is freely to justify the sinner without merit or claim on his part. Justification is a full, complete pardon of sin. The moment a sinner accepts Christ by faith, that moment he is pardoned. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to him, and he is no more to doubt God’s forgiving grace.” Ibid., 1071.

Paul speaks further in Romans 14:17: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

“The promises are, ‘A new heart will I give you’; ‘I will put my Spirit within you’ [Ezekiel 11:19]. This provision is made for us through the merit of Christ’s righteousness: ‘And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.’ Isaiah 32:17. Those who experience the change spoken of in these words will find that their restlessness and disquietude are all taken away, and they will find rest unto their souls in Christ. His merit, His righteousness, are imputed to the believing soul, and the believer has inward peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” The Faith I Live By, 121.

In the book Medical Ministry, 53, the question is asked, “What can make a heart so light, what can spread so much sunshine through the soul, as the sense of sins forgiven? The peace of Christ is life and health.”

Therefore, knowing that you are forgiven of your sins, knowing that you are justified and accepting by faith the pardon and justification—which of course is one and the self same thing—brings peace to the troubled mind. The converse is true; we are not experiencing the peace that passeth understanding because we do not possess the righteousness of Christ.

Some Effects Peace Produces in the Heart

“Nothing is more needed in our work than the practical results of communion with God. We should show by our daily lives that we have peace and rest in the Saviour. His peace in the heart will shine forth in the countenance. It will give to the voice a persuasive power. Communion with God will ennoble the character and the life. Men will take knowledge of us, as of the first disciples, that we have been with Jesus. This will impart to the worker a power that nothing else can give. Of this power he must not allow himself to be deprived.

“We must live a twofold life—a life of thought and action, of silent prayer and earnest work. The strength received through communion with God, united with earnest effort in training the mind to thoughtfulness and caretaking, prepares one for daily duties and keeps the spirit in peace under all circumstances, however trying.” The Ministry of Healing, 512.

Now, remember what the apostle Paul wrote: “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace … .” We see an association with this in the following statement: “The same divine mind that is working upon the things of nature is speaking to the hearts of men and creating an inexpressible craving for something they have not. The things of the world cannot satisfy their longing. The Spirit of God is pleading with them to seek for those things that alone can give peace and rest—the grace of Christ, the joy of holiness.” Steps to Christ, 28.

Coupled with this statement is the following: “Those who really enjoy the love of God will have joy and peace. Religion was never designed to make one pleasureless. What can be productive of greater happiness than to enjoy the peace of Christ, the bright sunshine of His presence?” The Faith I Live By, 237.

These statements demonstrate that the grace or love of Christ and the joy of holiness are prerequisites to possessing the “My peace.”

Significantly, if a person has not submitted himself/herself to the Holy Spirit, then the Holy Spirit will not be able to do the work of regeneration whereby Christ can dwell in the life of that person, controlling, governing every impulse and motive and planting and causing to grow His love in the life of the believer. Consequently, there can be no joy in the Lord and if there be no joy, then there will certainly be no “My peace.”

Understandingly, therefore, the challenge that faces every professed Christian is to make a full surrender of himself/herself to the Holy Spirit; this is our first work!

“Our first and highest duty is to know that we are abiding in Christ. He must do the work. We are to seek to know ‘What saith the Lord,’ yielding our lives to His guidance. When we have the Spirit of an abiding Christ, everything will take on a changed aspect. The Saviour alone can give us the rest and peace we so much need. And, in every invitation He gives us to seek the Lord that He may be found of us, He is calling us to abide in Him. This is an invitation, not merely to come to Him, but to remain in Him. It is the Spirit of God that moves us to come. When we have this rest and peace, our daily worries will not lead us to be coarse and rough and uncourteous. We shall no longer follow our own way and will. We will want to do the will of God, abiding in Christ as the branches in the vine.” This Day With God, 140.

“When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects the light of heaven.” The Desire of Ages, 173. And in the same book is stated, “Wherever His Spirit reigns, there peace abides. And there will be joy also, for there is a calm, holy trust in God.” Ibid., 153.

So the Holy Spirit is the agent through whom we may obtain peace. This is made possible when Christ is presented to us as our sin pardoning Saviour and by accepting Christ and His righteousness we give the Holy Spirit permission to do the work of regeneration in us in order that Christ may dwell within, and thereby gives us His love, joy, and peace.

Jesus records the highest work of the Holy Spirit: “He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” John 16:14.

“Abiding peace, true rest of spirit, has but one Source. It was of this that Christ spoke when He said, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.’ Matthew 11:28. ‘Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.’ John 14:27. This peace is not something that He gives apart from Himself. It is in Christ, and we can receive it only by receiving Him.” The Ministry of Healing, 247.

“When we believe in Christ as our personal Saviour, the peace of Christ is ours. The reconciliation provided for us in the atonement of Christ is the foundation of our peace.” Lift Him Up, 332.

What is the nature of the peace that Christ left for His people?

Is it something that is temporary? Is it the same thing that is only given to a select few or class in the church?

“Shortly before His crucifixion Christ had bequeathed to His disciples a legacy of peace. ‘Peace I leave with you,’ He said, ‘My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ John 14:27. This peace is not the peace that comes through conformity to the world. Christ never purchased peace by compromise with evil. The peace that Christ left His disciples is internal rather than external and was ever to remain with His witnesses through strife and contention.” The Acts of the Apostles, 84.

In Mark’s gospel, chapter 4:34–41, is recorded a most beautiful experience that is very beneficial to us Christians living on the brink of eternity. Jesus had a very busy day; things were going well until the multitude did not want to leave, thus the disciples had to send them away and then decided to go on the other side of the lake. Of course, while they were planning, Satan was also planning. The Scripture tells us that Jesus was so tired that He fell asleep while in the ship and then a storm arose that seriously threatened the lives of all on board. “And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” Verses 38–40.

“When Jesus was awakened to meet the storm, He was in perfect peace. There was no trace of fear in word or look, for no fear was in His heart. But He rested not in the possession of almighty power. It was not as the ‘Master of earth and sea and sky’ that He reposed in quiet. That power He had laid down, and He says, ‘I can of Mine own self do nothing.’ John 5:30. He trusted in the Father’s might. It was in faith—faith in God’s love and care—that Jesus rested, and the power of that word which stilled the storm was the power of God.

“As Jesus rested by faith in the Father’s care, so we are to rest in the care of our Saviour. If the disciples had trusted in Him, they would have been kept in peace. Their fear in the time of danger revealed their unbelief. In their efforts to save themselves, they forgot Jesus; and it was only when, in despair of self-dependence, they turned to Him that He could give them help.

“How often the disciples’ experience is ours! When the tempests of temptation gather, and the fierce lightnings flash, and the waves sweep over us, we battle with the storm alone, forgetting that there is One who can help us. We trust to our own strength till our hope is lost, and we are ready to perish. Then we remember Jesus, and if we call upon Him to save us, we shall not cry in vain. Though He sorrowfully reproves our unbelief and self-confidence, He never fails to give us the help we need. Whether on the land or on the sea, if we have the Saviour in our hearts, there is no need of fear. Living faith in the Redeemer will smooth the sea of life, and will deliver us from danger in the way that He knows to be best.

“There is another spiritual lesson in this miracle of the stilling of the tempest. Every man’s experience testifies to the truth of the words of Scripture, ‘The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest. … There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.’ Isaiah 57:20, 21. Sin has destroyed our peace. While self is unsubdued, we can find no rest. The masterful passions of the heart no human power can control. We are as helpless here as were the disciples to quiet the raging storm. But He who spoke peace to the billows of Galilee has spoken the word of peace for every soul. However fierce the tempest, those who turn to Jesus with the cry, ‘Lord, save us,’ will find deliverance. His grace, that reconciles the soul to God, quiets the strife of human passion, and in His love the heart is at rest.” The Desire of Ages, 336.

What are some things that destroy our peace?

  1. Love of self – “It is the love of self that destroys our peace. While self is all alive, we stand ready continually to guard it from mortification and insult; but when we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God, we shall not take neglects or slights to heart. We shall be deaf to reproach and blind to scorn and insult.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 16.
  2. Sinful unbelief – “Nothing mars the peace of the soul like sinful unbelief.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 213.
  3. Evilspeaking and talebearing – “Many ask the Lord to humble them, but are unwilling to submit to the needful discipline. When the test comes, when trials or even annoyances occur, the heart rebels, and the tongue utters words that are like poisoned arrows or blasting hail.

“Evilspeaking is a twofold curse, falling more heavily upon the speaker than upon the hearer. He who scatters the seeds of dissension and strife reaps in his own soul the deadly fruits. How miserable is the talebearer, the surmiser of evil! He is a stranger to true happiness.” Ibid., vol. 5, 176.

  1. Discord, strife, censuring – “All is harmony, peace, and love in heaven. No discord, no strife, no censuring, no unloving words, no clouded brows, no jars there; and no one will be introduced there who possesses any of these elements so destructive to peace and happiness.” Ibid., vol. 1, 706.
  2. Criticism – “The peace of Christ cannot dwell in the mind and heart of a workman who criticizes and finds fault with another workman simply because the other does not practice the methods he thinks best, or because he feels that he is not appreciated. The Lord never blesses him who criticizes and accuses his brethren, for this is Satan’s work.” Evangelism, 102.

Finally brethren, “It is the spirit cherished which gives coloring to all our actions. A man at peace with God and his fellow men cannot be made miserable. Envy will not be in his heart; evil surmising will find no room there; hatred cannot exist. The heart in harmony with God is lifted above the annoyances and trials of this life. But a heart where the peace of Christ is not, is unhappy, full of discontent; the person sees defects in everything, and he would bring discord into the most heavenly music. A life of selfishness is a life of evil. Those whose hearts are filled with love of self will store away evil thoughts of their brethren and will talk against God’s instrumentalities. Passions kept warm and fierce by Satan’s promptings are a bitter fountain, ever sending forth bitter streams to poison the life of others. …

“Let each one who claims to follow Christ esteem himself less and others more. Press together, press together! In union there is strength and victory; in discord and division there is weakness and defeat. These words have been spoken to me from heaven. As God’s ambassador I speak them to you.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 488.

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1–3. Amen!

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 Seed of Criticism

What happens in a church that causes church members to become so dissatisfied that they reach the point where they want to fight one another and, in some cases, go to the court to put a restraining order on a person to prevent them from attending services? How do these things develop, and how can we avoid this type of behavior in our own church?

We know we are living in the time that will be as in the days of Noah and many people, who have had the hope of the soon coming of Jesus, are going to fall out by the way. It is only by being filled by the Holy Spirit and a strong connection with Jesus that any of us can stay on the narrow path and not turn our weapons against each other, but be united and get serious about taking the Three Angels’ Messages to all the world.

A study of the book of Hebrews reveals that, interspersed with all the theological content in the book, Paul gives five warnings:

  • Do not neglect salvation (Hebrews 2).
  • Be faithful (Hebrews 3).
  • The peril of not progressing in your Christian experience (Hebrews 6).
  • Do not cast away your confidence and lose eternal life (Hebrews 10).
  • Be sure that you listen to the heavenly voice (Hebrews 12).

As Paul gives these fourth and fifth warnings, he counsels: “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:12–14. This is not referring to physical lameness but to spiritual lameness. In every church today there are people who, because of their inheritance or their home background, are spiritually lame. If a child grows up in a home where he does not receive adequate affection, when he becomes old, he will become a hard-hearted person. There are many hard-hearted people in our churches today; they are spiritually crippled and not able to do what they otherwise could without this handicap.

There are many other ways that a person can be spiritually crippled. If you are hiking and come to a place in the path where a big log has fallen over it, you just climb over the log and continue, but if you have a crippled person along with you, he is stuck right there and cannot go any further. As read before, the apostle Paul says to “make straight paths for your feet,” because there are crippled people in the church, and if you have a lot of these barriers, they will trip up; they won’t be able to make it. He says if you are not crippled, you need to be looking out for the other person, and see to it that that person doesn’t get in trouble because of an unchristlike manner of dealing with each other. Continuing in verses 14 and 15, notice what he said: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully [or pay attention] lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”

Obviously, Paul is using symbolic language when he talks about lameness. He is talking about spiritual lameness. The root of bitterness spoken of is not actually the root of some bitter herb that you may have in your garden, but it is symbolic language. The root of bitterness is our words and our feelings. We all communicate our thoughts and our feelings to other people; it is like sowing seed, and our thoughts and our feelings become multiplied.

For example, the great controversy in heaven began with one person; not two, just one. And from that one person there eventually developed a rebellion in heaven. Ellen White is very clear that at one point almost half of the angels were deceived, but some of those who were inclined to join Lucifer did not, resulting in one-third being thrown out of heaven.

How can something develop from just one person to affect one-third of the angels of heaven—billions of intelligences? Sowing seed, through communication of words, thoughts and feelings, easily does it. Ellen White describes it this way: “As the seed sown produces a harvest, and this in turn is sown, the harvest is multiplied. In our relation to others, this law holds true. Every act, every word, is a seed that will bear fruit. Every deed of thoughtful kindness, of obedience, or of self-denial, will reproduce itself in others, and through them in still others. So every act of envy, malice, or dissention is a seed that will spring up in a ‘root of bitterness’ (Hebrews 12:15), whereby many shall be defiled. And how much larger number will the ‘many’ poison? Thus the sowing of good and evil goes on for time and for eternity.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 85.

The seed does not just reproduce once; it reproduces, and then it reproduces again, then again and again. There was an elderly minister when I was a small lad who had held the office of president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. At the time there were one-half million Adventists worldwide, and Elder Spicer would tell God’s people that it would be possible to finish God’s work in three months. He said if every Adventist told just one person and that person the next day told another person, and that person the next day told another person, everybody in the world would know the gospel within three months.

That is just an illustration of how things can multiply from our words and acts. Now, the devil is alive and busy, and he wants to inject poison into our families as well as into our churches. How does he accomplish that? “The root of bitterness, envy, distrust, jealousy, and even hatred, which exists in the hearts of some church members, is the work of Satan. Such elements have a poisonous influence upon the church.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 489. If the devil can keep church members holding grudges, he gains much ground. This is a very real problem among God’s people, being unwilling to forgive.

“Satan will be highly pleased to have you cherish an unforgiving spirit instead of drawing together in even cords. But Jesus, Who places a high value upon man, is grieved to see division among brethren.” This Day With God, 121. When this unforgiving spirit is addressed, it is often justified by people saying, You don’t know what they did to me. That may be true, but no matter the cause we are admonished to, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.” Luke 6:27, 28. This is not something that comes easily and requires a change of heart experience on the part of the one who is wronged.

“There are those who cherish a spirit of envy and hatred against their brethren, calling it the Spirit of God. There are those who go up and down as talebearers, accusing and condemning, blackening character, inspiring hearts with maliciousness. They carry false reports to the doors of their neighbors, who, as they listen to the slander, lose the Spirit of God. …

“This sin is worse than the sin of Achan. Its influence is not confined to those who cherish it. It is a root of bitterness, whereby many are defiled. God cannot bless the church till it is purged of this evil that corrupts minds and spirits, the souls of those who do not repent and change their course of action.” The Upward Look, 122.

It is clear that the church cannot be blessed while this is going on. “He who is renewed after the Spirit of Christ will not only love God; he will love his brethren also. Those who make mistakes are to be dealt with according to the directions given in the word of God. ‘Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.’ (Galatians 6:1).” Ibid.

The gospel deals with the wrong. It does not teach us to just overlook and pretend nothing happened. But remember, when you and I were ruined, Jesus came down here to this world, not to condemn us (see John 3:17) but to save us. This is an area in which each of us needs to examine ourselves, and then often, just get over it. Give it to Jesus, casting all your cares upon Him (I Peter 5:7), and get over it. Ask yourself, what kind of spirit do I have when other people do things to me that are wrong? This is not talking about pretending that it didn’t happen.

Jesus came into the world to restore people who had fallen. He is in the restoration business, and let me tell you something else, when somebody falls and Jesus picks them up, and they fall again, He picks them up again. What if they fall a third time? Does He say, “You’re hopeless material, now”? Jesus cast the devils out of Mary Magdalene seven times. I can only imagine what the disciples thought when He was casting the devils out on the fifth and sixth occasions. “Lord, are you never going to give up?” The answer is, “No, I am not going to give up.”

Jesus is in the business of restoring people who have fallen, not just seven times, but hundreds or thousands of times if necessary, and He still helps them to get up. But we are just like Peter. We say, “Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother? Shall I forgive him seven times?” Peter thought that he was being very liberal, but Jesus said not seven times, but seventy times seven.

The devil is trying to inject poison, spiritual poison into every church, and that poison has the same effect whether you know it or not.

“No one should ever permit his mind to get into such a state that he will speak the words prompted by Satan. To accuse the brethren, to discourage them in their work, is to personify Satan and to be his helping hand by putting into the minds of others the evil leaven of criticism.” Bible Training School, June 1, 1903.

That is a heavy denunciation, “to personify Satan.” This refers to any kind of criticism, not just false criticism. Even if the criticism is true, it can still destroy a church. “How long will those who claim to be Christians tolerate the evil of listening to the criticisms of their brethren, and, in turn, communicate these criticisms to others, thus strengthening one another in an evil work?” Ibid.

“Souls are defiled by this root of bitterness and are, through these questioning, murmuring ones, placed where the testimony of reproof which God sends will not reach them.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 230. That is really scary, because it means that when that happens, the testimony of reproof that God sends won’t reach them.

What then should I do if I have been injured, and if I am the one who has been under the receiving end of an injury? If you do not have the grace of God in your hearts, the root of bitterness will spring up in you and many will be defiled. When you feel that you have been dealt an injury, you decide to back off and leave him alone and have nothing more to do with him and just stay separate, but the first thing you do is to tell it to someone else. This is what the Bible calls a root of bitterness. You tell your trouble to everyone but Jesus, and the reason you do this is you do not feel clear in your conscience, so of course, you do not want to tell it to your Saviour. When you spread the report, and the report may be true, you weaken that person’s influence. This can happen to anybody. Children who hear criticism will have no confidence in that person because of what they have heard or overheard.

“If you have misjudged your brother, if you have in the least degree weakened his influence, so that the message which God has given him to bear has been made of little or no effect, your sin does not rest merely with the individual, but you have resisted the Spirit of God; your attitude, your words, have been against your Saviour. Jesus says, ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto Me’ [Matthew 25:40]. He identifies his interest with that of every human soul, believer or unbeliever. That God Who marks the fall of a sparrow, marks your deportment and your feelings; He marks your envy, your prejudice, your attempt to justify your action in the least matter of injustice.” The Review and Herald, December 16, 1890.

When you feel this way, you are going to make statements, and you are going to weaken that person’s influence, and so they regard him just the way that you do, and by the root of bitterness springing up, many are defiled. “When it is evident that your feelings are incorrect, do you try just as diligently to remove the erroneous impressions as you did to make them?” Ibid.

Jesus regards these things as having been done to Himself. As human beings, we have a tendency to put people in one of two main categories—the bad people or the good people! We can act like a Christian if we are dealing with the good people. But if we are dealing with the people that we consider bad, we justify our actions. Hitler considered the bad people to be the Jews. If he had succeeded in having them all killed, he would have started on the next group that he didn’t like.

A physician once told a story about a patient who was being treated in the emergency room and how the demeanor and the way of caring for the woman completely changed when the nurses found out the woman was a prostitute. She was immediately one of the bad people. The same thing happened in Jesus’ day. There were the good people and the bad people, and the worst of the bad people were the prostitutes and the tax collectors. One of the reasons the Pharisees became so angry at Jesus was that He made them see that the people they called the bad people would be saved where He was not so successful in being able to save them.

In the final reckoning there will be many whom we thought were the bad people who will be saved, and there will also be many people whom we thought were the good people who will be lost. What should I do if I have done an injustice to someone because of my evil speaking about them? It is not enough to confess an incident. The false impression you have made to all the people that you talked to also needs to be corrected. This takes humility to go to the person whom you have harmed and ask for forgiveness and then go to all whom you have talked to and admit your mistake. Ellen White says that you can confess it and by repentance and confession have pardon registered against your name, or you can resist the conviction of the Spirit of God and during the rest of your life, work to make it appear that your wrong feelings and unjust conclusions could not be helped. If you work hard enough, you may be able to persuade everyone if that’s really the case, but you will never be able to persuade the angels or the court of heaven where accurate records are kept.

This is a very serious problem because, “if the root of bitterness springs up, many can be defiled” and it can spread through a whole church. “You tear away the hold their brethren have on them, because you destroy their confidence in them. But do not allow the enemy so to use your tongue; for at the day of final reckoning, God will call you to give an account of your words. Do not exert an influence that will break the hold of any trembling soul from God. Even though you are not treated as you think you should be, do not allow the root of bitterness to spring up; for thereby many will be defiled.” The Voice in Speech and Song, 57.

When Paul and Silas were unfairly put in the stocks, wrongly beaten and thrown into prison and put into shackles, the jailer, who was used to his prisoners cursing and swearing, noticed there was something different about these men. In their discomfort and pain, instead of cursing, they prayed and sang in the hearing of all the prisoners around them. If you were treated unjustly, how would you react?

In The Review and Herald, September 14, 1897, Ellen White wrote, “I beseech all who engage in the work of murmuring and complaining because something has been said or done that does not suit them, and that does not, as they think, give them due consideration, to remember that they are carrying on the very work begun in heaven by Satan.” The devil knows how to do this; he has been doing it for several thousand years, and he is trying to get this going in every church, to destroy us, so we will all be at somebody’s throat, and eventually, of course, it will be our throat. “They are following in his track, sowing unbelief, discord, and disloyalty; for no one can entertain feelings of disaffection, and keep them to himself.” Ibid. Did you get that? She says, “Nobody!” That would include me, and that would include you too. “He must tell others that he is not treated as he should be. Thus they are led to murmur and complain. This is the root of bitterness, springing up, whereby many are defiled.” Ibid.

When we are caught and are forced to recognize our involvement, the temptation is to compare ourselves with others, justifying ourselves, because, after all, everyone is a bit guilty of the same thing! We attempt to distribute the guilt, but this is a deception of the devil.

“To those who have been injured without cause these words of Scripture apply, ‘If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men’ [Romans 12:18]. Their failure to live at peace with all men is not due to the course they themselves have pursued, but to the envy, jealousy, and evil surmising of those who have been in the wrong. A division is caused. How shall it be healed? Shall the man that has been sinned against, misjudged, and maligned, be called to give an account? Shall he seek for something in his past course by which he can humiliate himself? Shall he acknowledge himself in the wrong for the sake of making peace?” The Review and Herald, January 16, 1900.

What’s the answer? —No!. It would be wrong for that person to make a confession.

“No. If he has tried to do his duty, and has been patient under abuse, he is not to humble himself to acknowledge that he is guilty. He does the offenders great wrong thus to take the guilt upon his soul, admitting that he has given them occasion for their course of action. This is very pleasing to those who have done the work of the enemy; but heaven’s books record the facts just as they are. Concessions that are not true from the one who has been wrongfully treated gratify the feelings of the carnal heart. The wrongdoers interpret their position as zeal for God, when in truth it is zeal to do the work of the adversary of souls.” Ibid.

“It is a most serious matter to go from house to house, and, under pretense of doing missionary work, scatter the seed of mistrust and suspicion. Such seed speedily germinates, and there is created a distrust of God’s servants. … The word falls upon ears that will not hear, and hearts that will not respond. No earthly or heavenly power can find access to the soul. … A sister or brother in the church planted the evil seed, but who will restore the soul thus imperiled?” The Review and Herald, November 27, 1900.

We need to understand this and not go to somebody and say, “Well, we need to pray for so and so …” and then unload on them that person’s character defects. If you have to talk about somebody’s character defects, talk only to that person; don’t talk to a third party.

In summary, Ellen White says that this root of bitterness is all the result of selfishness, and if selfishness is allowed to develop, it will spring up in a root of bitterness whereby many will be defiled. What is needed is true heart searching. We need to go to the Lord and say, “Lord, I know we are in the time of judgment. Is my heart right?” The feelings that I have toward my wife or my husband, am I willing to go to the judgment bar of God and have those feelings revealed? Is that ok? But not just my wife or my husband; how about the feelings I have toward other people in the church?

On the Day of Judgment, the secrets of all hearts will be revealed. And if there are feelings toward anyone that are not right, it is going to be revealed. Now is the time to go to the Lord and say, “Lord, if I’m blind so that I don’t understand the feelings that I have that are wrong, please, Lord, have mercy on me, and by Your Holy Spirit show me those wrong feelings so that I can get them taken care of now before it is forever too late.”

It is thoughts and feelings combined that make up moral character. The heart is deceitfully wicked, and it is so easy to deceive myself. Lord, is my heart right, or do I have a wrong spirit? Do I need to go to the Lord and say, “Lord, I want my feelings toward this person or that person to be changed”?

We also have the free will not to do that. We can just go on the same until the devil injects enough poison and the church splits or something worse. Looking at our churches today, we wonder why people are not flocking in to worship with us for we have the truth for the last days, the Three Angels’ Messages. “The Spirit of God did not come into our meetings in a more marked manner … because of the dissentions which are allowed to exist among brethren. With some there existed envious and jealous feelings, evil surmising, tale bearing and fault-finding. These were referred to by the apostle as a root of bitterness.” The Signs of the Times, May 6, 1880.

Watch out, so you don’t think you are the children of God when you are actually the children of the devil because of your speech. “Nothing so manifestly weakens a church as disunion and strife. Nothing so wars against Christ and the truth as this spirit.” My Life Today, 276.

“The heart must be cleansed. Wrong-doing is the overflowing of the fountain of an unclean, unconverted heart.” Testimonies for the Church Containing Messages of Warning and Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, 22.

“There are those who cherish a spirit of envy and hatred against their brethren, calling it the Spirit of God. There are those who go up and down as talebearers, accusing and condemning, blackening character, inspiring hearts with maliciousness. They carry false reports to the doors of their neighbors, who, as they listen to the slander, lose the Spirit of God. Not even the messenger of God, who bears to the people His truth, is spared.

“This sin is worse than the sin of Achan. Its influence is not confined to those who cherish it. It is a root of bitterness, whereby many are defiled. God cannot bless the church till it is purged of this evil that corrupts minds and spirits.” The Upward Look, 122.

Are you willing to say, “Lord, search me. Search my spirit, and see Lord, is there any wicked way in me”?

If you pray that prayer, also pray that you will be ready for a shock when you pray like David, Lord, I want you to search me. David said, “Thou hast possessed my reins.” Psalm 139:13 KJV. That word reins comes from the Hebrew word that means kidneys. In those days, the kidneys were thought to be the focal point or center of the person’s feelings. So David was saying, “Lord, search all my emotions, and know, is there any wicked way; do I have any evil feelings in my heart, in my mind?”

I encourage you to determine, as I am, to pray, day by day about the kind of feelings you have and ask the Lord, “Can I be taken to heaven right now with the feelings that I have, or is there need of change?” When there is unity and the Spirit of Christ in the church, we will see many more people accept the truths we know. Almost every time there is a split in the church or home it has to do with hurt feelings. “When selfishness is cut away from our experience, what a change will be seen in our lives. We shall not then be at variance with one another.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 143.

This subject is so important that on the deathbed of her husband, James, Ellen White asked him point blank, “Do you love Jesus?”

He replied, “Yes, I do.”

She talked to him about that for a long time, about his feelings, then asked again, “Do you love Jesus, or do you have feelings against somebody. If you have feelings against somebody, you are not ready to die.”

“If Satan can get in among the people [and produce] a spirit of criticism, then he is satisfied, for a root of bitterness springs up in these [members] wherewith he will be satisfied.” Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, 39.

Often death gives no warning; if you have ill feelings against anyone, make it right today. Talk to the Lord about it and get rid of that root of bitterness that will cost you eternal life.

“Lord, search my thoughts and my feelings, and impress me by Your Holy Spirit, if I have any wrong feelings toward somebody in my family or somebody in my church.” When Jesus, our Example, went to the cross, He did not have one murmuring feeling or feeling of discontent. If we want to be like Jesus, our feelings and thoughts must also be pure.

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

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

Editorial – The Time of the Harvest

The harvest time that we are now in is the reason so many unbelievable things are happening in both the world and in the church.

“When Pharaoh hardened his heart on the first exhibition of God’s power, he made himself more capable of a second rejection of God’s power. Pride and stubbornness held him in bondage, and hindered him from acknowledging the warnings of God. It was contrary to the nature of Pharaoh to change after once having given expression to his purpose not to believe.

“What Pharaoh has done, will be done again and again by men until the close of probation. God destroys no man; but when a man stifles conviction, when he turns from evidence, he is sowing unbelief, and will reap as he has sown. As it was with Pharaoh, so it will be with him; when clearer light shines upon the truth, he will meet it with increased resistance, and the work of hardening the heart will go on with each rejection of the increasing light of heaven. … You are not to say that God is to blame, that He has made a decree against you. No, He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth, and to the haven of eternal bliss. No soul is ever finally deserted of God, given up to his own ways, so long as there is any hope of his salvation. …

“Those who claim to be Christians are in continual need of a power outside of, and beyond, themselves. They need to watch unto prayer, and to place themselves under the guardianship of God, else they will be overcome by the enemy. … When he yields himself to the control of the Spirit of God, he will be renewed, transformed into the image of Christ. …

“But the sinner who refuses to give himself to God, is under the control of another power … . Passion controls him, his judgment is blinded, reason is dethroned, and impetuous desires sway him, now here, now there. The truth will have but little influence over him, for there is in human nature, when separated from the Source of truth, a continual opposition to God’s will and ways. … Inclination moves, passion holds the control, and his appetites are under the sway of a power of which he is not aware. He talks of liberty, of freedom of action, while he is in most abject slavery. … The mind controlled by Satan is weak in moral power. Can such a one without change be taken into a holy heaven?—Oh, no; it would be no mercy to the impenitent sinner to place him in the society of the angels.”  The Review and Herald, February 17, 1891.