Issue: 2004 January

Children’s Story- Snake in the Chicken House, Part III

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What is happening: Lois found a big, black snake in her chicken house. Ken was able to cut it in half with a shovel. They had the tail half, but they could not see the head half. Would it regenerate a tail and threaten the chickens again?

Early in the morning, I was going to go out and open up the chicken house doors so the chickens could play and eat in their yards, but the thought voice said, “Not yet, Lois, do not let your chickens out yet.” Okay, that was no problem.

I read my Bible and claimed some wonderful Bible promises, and a little later, the thought voice said, “Lois, you may go out now.”

I was always happy to greet my pets in the morning, so I went quickly to let them out. Half way across the back yard, I noticed a long, black strip of something lying on the ground in the south chicken yard. The snake!

I ran back into the house, shouting, “Ken, the snake is in the south chicken yard!” He immediately ran outside, grabbing the same shovel he had used the night before, and within seconds he was in the south yard. I was close behind him. He nudged the snake. It barely moved; it was still alive but certainly not very active.

Ken made sure, with his trusty shovel, that this snake’s head and heart were separated. He threw the three-foot long top half of the snake into the woods, where he had thrown the three-foot long tail of the snake. We never had another snake in our chicken house or yards. There was peace in the whole neighborhood.

I learned many lessons from this experience:

  1. God will guide us, and it is good to listen and obey Him.
  2. God loves all the creatures, and He likes to see them safe and happy.
  3. We can pray about anything, no matter how trivial it may seem.
  4. If we go where we should not go and do what is bad, we will be in trouble.
  5. We can lose our lives by going where we do not belong.

The last two lessons are about the snake. I want to tell you about this snake. It was no stranger to our neighborhood. It had the bad habit of going into my neighbor John’s chicken house, sticking its head right underneath a setting hen and stealing and eating her eggs. It would take one each day.

It got so bad that in order to have some baby chicks, John brought me eggs for my hens to sit on and hatch! Since there were no more eggs in John’s chicken house, the snake just thought it might find eggs in our chicken house!

If this big, black snake had been satisfied to eat mice and rats in the woods where he belonged, he would still be alive and enjoying life. Now, do you think we enjoyed killing this snake? No way! We do not like to kill anything. And besides, non-poisonous snakes are beneficial—if they stay where they belong!

When you are tempted to go where a Christian should not go and do what a Christian should not do, always remember that you could lose your life—spiritually as well as physically—just as this snake lost its life when it went where it should not have gone.

The Power of Speech, Part I

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[Editor’s Note: Steps to Life Ministries, just as every Christian ministry and church, occasionally struggles through a crisis. More often than not, a contributing factor, and perhaps the major component of such crises, has to do with speech. Believing this to be a spiritual problem, we have chosen to seek counsel from the Bible and from the Pen of Inspiration. God is able to heal all of our wounds and to bring us into the harmony and unity that we need to do His work, if we comply with certain conditions laid down in inspired writings. If you have been experiencing strife in your relationships, it is our prayer that you will find the counsel presented in this series beneficial.]

“Many, many times I have wished that there might be circulated a pledge containing a solemn promise to speak only those words that are pleasing to God. There is as great need for such a pledge as there is for one against the use of intoxicating liquor.” Review and Herald, May 26, 1904.

Pledge

I will “guard against speaking words that discourage.” I “resolve never to engage in evil-speaking and backbiting.” I “refuse to serve Satan by implanting seeds of doubt.” I will make a “solemn promise to speak only those words that are pleasing to God.” I will, by the grace of God, “begin to discipline the tongue, remembering always that [I] can do this only by disciplining the mind.” “No evil reports will be carried” by me. “Tattling and gossip will cease.” By the grace of God, I will “abstain [from evil] speaking and evil surmising.”

Signed

_______________________________

“Through the help that Christ can give, we shall be able to learn to bridle the tongue. Sorely as he was tried on the point of hasty and angry speech, he never once sinned with his lips. With patient calmness he met the sneers, the taunts, and the ridicule of his fellow workers at the carpenter’s bench. Instead of retorting angrily, he would begin to sing one of David’s beautiful psalms; and his companions, before realizing what they were doing, would unite with him in the hymn. What a transformation would be wrought in this world if men and women today would follow Christ’s example in the use of words!” Review and Herald, May 26, 1904.

“Little do we realize the prevalence of evil among those who claim to be Christians.” Ibid.

“Unitedly we are to help one another gain perfection of character. To this end, we are to cease all criticism. . . . Supposing we were to cherish a remembrance of the bright chapters in our Christian experience, and dwell upon these in our testimony meetings; would not this be pleasing to God?” Ibid.

“Let us talk faith, and not unbelief; let us praise God, and go forward. The Lord is good, and greatly to be praised. At every step let us praise him from whom all blessings flow.” Ibid.

“An earnest effort should be made in every church to put away evil-speaking and a censorious spirit. Severity and fault-finding must be rebuked as the work of Satan. Mutual love and confidence must be encouraged and strengthened in the members of the church. Let all close their ears to gossip and censure. Direct the tale-bearer to the teachings of God’s word. Bid him carry his complaints directly to those whom he thinks in error. This united action would bring a flood of light into the church, and close the door to a flood of evil.” Ibid., November 30, 1886.

“Selfishness, pride, envy, malice, evil surmising, back-biting, gossiping, and tattling, have been cherished among them, until the Spirit of God has but little to do with them. The prayers of some who profess to know God are, in their present state, an abomination in the sight of the Lord. . . . While they profess to be servants of Jesus Christ, they are servants of the enemy of righteousness, and their works testify of them that they are not acquainted with God, and that their hearts are not in obedience to the will of Christ.” Pamphlet 159, 69, 70.

Backbiting

Backbiter is defined as: (1) one who attacks the good name of another or is an evil speaker, and (2) to go about as a slanderer or a spy. A slanderer is one who makes statements injurious to another’s reputation or well-being or makes a malicious statement or report of another.

1 No backbiters will be in heaven.

“The teacher can do much to discourage that evil habit, the curse of the community, the neighborhood, and the home—the habit of backbiting, gossip, ungenerous criticism. In this no pains should be spared. Impress upon the students the fact that this habit reveals a lack of culture and refinement and of true goodness of heart; it unfits one both for the society of the truly cultured and refined in this world and for association with the holy ones of heaven.” Education, 235.

2 Backbiters are as bad or even worse than cannibals.

“We think with horror of the cannibal who feasts on the still warm and trembling flesh of his victim; but are the results of even this practice more terrible than are the agony and ruin caused by misrepresenting motive, blackening reputation, dissecting character? Let the children, and the youth as well, learn what God says about these things.” Ibid.

3 Backbiting is a sin worthy of death.

“In Scripture, backbiters are classed with ‘haters of God,’ with ‘inventors of evil things,’ with those who are ‘without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful,’ ‘full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity.’ It is ‘the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death.’ Romans 1:30, 31, 29, 32. He whom God accounts a citizen of Zion is he that ‘speaketh the truth in his heart,’ ‘that backbiteth not with his tongue,’ ‘nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.’ Psalm 15:2, 3.” Ibid., 235, 236.

4 We are not to cooperate with the evil speaker.

“Spirituality has been almost killed, because the spirit of backbiting has been allowed to enter. Why do we speak words of blame and censure? To be silent is the strongest rebuke that you can give to one who is speaking harsh, discourteous words to you. Keep perfectly silent. Often silence is eloquence.” Child Guidance, 551.

5 James White classed the backbiter with those having an evil spirit.

“In a vision given me at Saratoga Springs I was shown a company in Vermont with a woman among them who was a deceiver, and the church must be enlightened as to her character lest poisonous error should become deeply rooted among them. I had not seen the brethren in that part of the State with my natural eyes. We visited them, and as we entered Brother B.’s dwelling a woman came forward to receive me whom I thought to be Sister B.’s mother. I was about to salute her when the light fell upon her face and lo! it was Mrs. C., the woman I had seen in vision. I dropped her hand instantly and drew back. She noticed this and remarked upon it afterwards. The church in Vergennes and vicinity collected together for meeting. There was confusion of sentiment among them. Brother E. E. held the age to come and some were in favor of S. Allen, a notable fanatic, who held views of a dangerous character which if carried out would lead to spiritual union and breaking up of families. I delivered the message in the Sabbath meeting which the Lord had given me. Sunday noon Mrs. C. was talking quite eloquently in regard to backbiting. She was very severe, for she had heard that speeches had been made against her fanatical proceedings. Just then Sister B. entered saying, ‘Will you please walk out to dinner?’ Mrs. C. instantly replied, saying, ‘This kind goeth not out save by fasting and prayer. I do not wish any dinner.’ In a moment my husband was upon his feet. The power of God was upon him, and the color had left his face. Said he, ‘I hope it will go out! In the name of the Lord, I hope it will go out!’ and said he to Mrs. C., ‘That evil spirit is in you, and I hope it will go out! I rebuke it in the name of the Lord!’ She seemed to be struck dumb. Her glib, smart tongue was stilled for once.” Life Sketches of James White and Ellen G. White (1880), Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, Battle Creek, MI, 1880, 285, 286.

6 We are not to discourage others by engaging in evil speaking and backbiting.

“Let us guard against speaking words that discourage. Let us resolve never to engage in evil-speaking and backbiting. Let us refuse to serve Satan by implanting seeds of doubt. Let us guard against cherishing unbelief, or expressing it to others. Many, many times I have wished that there might be circulated a pledge containing a solemn promise to speak only those words that are pleasing to God. There is as great need for such a pledge as there is for one against the use of intoxicating liquor. Let us begin to discipline the tongue, remembering always that we can do this only by disciplining the mind, for ‘out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.’ Matthew 12:34.” Our High Calling, 291.

7 Backbiting drives away the Holy Spirit.

“The church in —— need sifting. A thorough conversion is necessary before they can be in working order. Selfishness, pride, envy, malice, evil surmising, backbiting, gossiping, and tattling have been cherished among them, until the Spirit of God has but little to do with them. While some who profess to know God remain in their present state, their prayers are an abomination in His sight. They do not sustain their faith by their works, and it would have been better for some never to have professed the truth than to have dishonored their profession as they have. While they profess to be servants of Christ, they are servants of the enemy of righteousness; and their works testify of them that they are not acquainted with God and that their hearts are not in obedience to the will of Christ. They make child’s play of religion; they act like pettish children.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 52.

8 We are not to listen to a speaker who is backbiting.

“When we listen to a reproach against our brother, we take up that reproach. To the question, ‘Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in Thy holy hill?’ the psalmist answered, ‘He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.’ [Psalm 15:1–3.]” Ibid., vol. 5, 58.

9 All backbiters are disapproved of God.

“[Psalm 15:1–5.] Here the backbiter is excluded from abiding in the tabernacle of God and dwelling in the holy hill of Zion. He that taketh up a reproach against his neighbor cannot receive the approval of God.” Ibid., 615.

10 Backbiting is one of the reasons the church is feeble.

“Envy, evil surmising, backbiting, and faultfinding—let these not be named amongst Christ’s disciples. These things are the cause of the present feebleness of the church. We have a perfect pattern, even the life of Christ. It is to be our eager desire to do as He has done, to live as He lived, that others, seeing our good works, may be led to glorify God. The Lord’s blessing will rest upon us as we seek to bless others by doing the work that Christ came to this world to teach us how to do.” The Upward Look, 117.

11 Satan, if he can, will keep us backbiting one another until Jesus comes.

“My brethren, clear your souls before God. Cease your criticizing and fault-finding. Satan will keep you at this till the Lord comes, if he can. He knows that thus he can most effectually hinder the Lord’s work. Backbiting is cannibalism. God calls upon His people to have nothing to do with it, but to come to Him, that they may have light and life and salvation. We need the wisdom that comes from above. Pure, this wisdom is, ‘peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated.’ [James 3:17.] If it were not, the love of the Father would not have been so constantly exercised toward us.” The General Conference Bulletin, April 2, 1903.

12 We can be rid of the spirit of back-biting today.

“There are churches in which the spirituality has been almost killed, because the spirit of backbiting has been allowed to enter. Why do we speak words of blame and censure? To be silent is the strongest rebuke that you can give to one who is speaking harsh, discourteous words to you. Keep perfectly silent. Often silence is eloquence. My brethren, you will never enter heaven with a spirit of faultfinding. I ask you to get rid of this spirit before you leave this meeting. Do not take it back with you to your home churches. Ibid., April 6, 1903.

13 We are not to listen to a complaint until we have positive evidence that it is true.

“Here not only the one who makes the complaint is condemned, but the ones who take up this reproach, who cherish it, and repeat it. If reports come to you against the Sanitarium [a ministry; a person], do not receive them till you have positive evidence that they are true.” Review and Herald, September 15, 1885.

14 Refuse to listen to a tale about your neighbor until the Bible rule is followed.

“When any one comes to you with a tale about your neighbor, you should refuse to hear it. You should say to him, ‘Have you spoken of this matter to the individual concerned?’ If he has not done so, tell him he should obey the Bible rule, and go first to his brother, and tell him his fault privately, and in love. If the directions of God were carried out, the flood-gates of gossip would be closed.” Ibid., August 28, 1888.

15 There is no rest or happiness as long as we retain unsanctified traits of character.

“There are those who have only a nominal faith; they draw nigh to God with their lips, while the heart is far from him; but the true wrestler for the victory has a real, living faith, which is implanted in his heart by the Holy Spirit, and it makes every difference in the world with his life and words and actions. He has an aim in life, a living purpose, which shapes the character. This hope is not vague; it rests on a solid basis, which is the truth. It braces the soul for trial, and nerves it for duty, irrespective of inconvenience or inclination. A stubborn, willful spirit is not of Christ, but of Satan; hence, it will not be cherished by him who has the mind of Christ. All impurity of thought will be overcome, and the mind will be trained to pure and holy thoughts. Backbiting and evil speaking will be put away. Jealousy and selfishness will be overcome, for they are Satanic, and not Christlike. Bitter are the fruits of self-indulgence, of unsanctified traits of character. There is no rest or happiness in a life of opposition to God. But sweet is the joy and peace experienced by those who close the door to Satan, and open it to Christ.” The Signs of the Times, October 12, 1891.

16 We can become agents of Satan even while professedly in the Lord’s service.

“When the converting power of God is felt upon the heart, altogether different results will be seen. A person who will allow any degree of suspicion or censure to rest upon his fellow workers, while he neither rebukes the complainers nor faithfully presents the matter before the one condemned, is doing the work of the enemy. He is watering seeds of discord and of strife, the fruit of which he will have to meet in the day of God. He is backbiting; he is taking up a reproach against his neighbor; he is doing a work that will separate very friends. He is striking directly at the reputation of his brother; and envy, jealousy, and evil surmisings are awakened, which endanger the soul’s salvation. He is hedging up his brother’s way, binding his influence; and God will hold him accountable for this work.” Pamphlet 066, 26.

17 What will happen when we really have the love of Christ within?

“Let no one become so self-centered that he will fail to see that the Lord has appointed to every one a work. Let each do his best. This is all that the Lord requires of any one. Let our people read to a purpose the instruction given in the seventh chapter of John. The lessons of this chapter are not carried out in their daily practise. The Lord is not glorified in their lives, because they do not cherish love for one another. When their hearts are filled with the love of Christ, backbiting and criticizing will cease. No longer will Seventh-day Adventists weaken one another’s hands; for they will love one another as Christ has loved them.” Pamphlet 151, 49.

18 We must have a thorough repentance.

“I feel deeply concerning the church at Battle Creek, where are located our important institutions. This great heart of the work sends forth to every branch of the work either a healthy or a sickly and diseased influence. The true condition of the cause of God in Michigan is deplorable. But few realize the spiritual lethargy that prevails. The church at Battle Creek have not made thorough work in repenting and confessing their past sins. Many today hate the light which discovers their wrongs and errors. False repentance is deceiving souls to their ruin. Persons will make spasmodic efforts and appear to feel remorse for their course of action, but do not become converted and soon evidence that the heart is untouched. All the good impressions are soon effaced, and they will return to their same course of fault-finding, whisperings, backbiting, and reporting evil which they have felt troubled over. They declare to others by their own course of action that their repentance is not genuine, that their sorrow was not godly sorrow.” Pamphlet 155, 12.

19 When peace flees and God’s servants are martyred . . .

“How far you will be left to work as Satan’s agents to oppress, to accuse, to wound, and bruise the soul, we cannot determine. But the Lord’s eye is over all. He knows every thought, every deed, every action, and he will judge you as your works have been. I never so longed for Jesus to come as at this time, that the wickedness of the wicked might come to an end. If every member of the church would try to find what good there is in one another, what a Heaven we should have on earth! Cherishing bitterness and suspicion toward one person makes us feel hard and cold and distrustful of everybody. The peace of Christ has no place in the heart that thinketh evil. The mischievous talk about Prof. Bell, Dr. Kellogg, and different ones, is purely the work that Satan instigates. Division, distrust, jealousy, evil-surmising, are sown as thistle seeds are cast to the winds. Satan puts his magnifying glass before your eyes, and everything is viewed as he wills it. Peace flees away. The false tongue should be treated with hot coals of juniper. Dr. Kellogg has made mistakes,—he has erred. His errors have injured my husband. Dr. Kellogg sees his mistakes and feels them, and has confessed them; while those who were more guilty than he is abusing his mind in placing things before him in an exaggerated light, and relating as facts things which had no foundation in truth, led him to feel an assurance that his feelings were correct. His mind was kept stirred up by reporters, tattlers, mischief-makers, and false reporters. My husband was hunted to death, and those who have acted their part faithfully for Satan saw him in his coffin removed from the strife of tongues. He died of a broken heart, and the Lord let him rest. I hold no grudge against any one. I felt to the very depths of my soul over the treatment my husband received, and I have forgiven those who have done this work. I pray the Lord to forgive them. I warn you not to do to another as you have done to him. And when you begin your attacks upon one and then another that do not agree with your ways and please your fancies, I am determined to resist your influence and stand up for the oppressed. Will you send others to their death by your persecuting tongues, your suspicions, your envies, your jealousies? Will you cultivate the worst traits of character in indulging in censuring, backbiting, and falsehood? Is this the element that you love, and will you choose this atmosphere which is the poison of hell? What think you of Jesus? You may talk of his love, you may praise and bless his name, you may adore him all you please; but cease your praise and your flatteries of finite men, and also cease your wicked fault-finding, cease to murder character.” Pamphlet 155, 20, 21.

20 How to make things harder for the evil-tongued persons.

“If these steps [Matthew 18] have not been taken, do not listen to a word, close the ears, and refuse to take up a reproach against your neighbor; listening to the reports of evil is lifting or taking up the reproach. If there were no brethren and sisters to take up the reproach against their neighbors, evil tongues would not find so fruitful a field in which to labor, backbiting and devouring one another.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 12, 281.

21 The need of looking on the bright side.

“God is displeased to have brethren suspiciously pick up an item here, and a jot and tittle there, and construe these tidbits into grave sins. Complaining, faultfinding, and backbiting will be carried on to a large extent among the people when encouraged by the influence of the men engaged in the solemn work of the ministry. To disdain another’s work because it is not in your line of work is an offense to God. It is no less a sin when men who occupy positions of trust engage in it. If you, my brother, were to go into a field where are precious things, shrubs and flowers, and pass these by unnoticed, and begin to complain of the thistles and the briers and unsightly shrubs, and present these as the representation of what was in that field, would it be just? Should you not rather have gathered the roses, the lilies, and the precious things and carried these away, thankful that such blessings did exist, acknowledging that there were things of precious value in that field?” Ibid., 381.

22 Do not listen to reports of faults of your brethren.

“Ministers and lay members of the church displease God when they allow individuals to tell them the errors and faults of their brethren. They should not listen to these reports, but should inquire, ‘Have you strictly followed the injunction of your Saviour? Have you gone to the offender and told him his faults between you and him alone, and has he refused to hear you? Have you carefully and prayerfully taken two or three others, and labored with him in tenderness, humility, and meekness, your heart throbbing in love for his soul? If the Captain’s orders, in the rules given for the erring, have been strictly followed, then an advance step is to be taken. Tell it to the church, and let action be taken in the case according to the Scriptures. Then it is that heaven will ratify the decision made by the church in cutting off the offending member if he does not repent.

“If these steps have not been taken, close the ear to their complaints, and thus refuse to take up a reproach against your neighbor. Listening to the reports of evil is taking up a reproach. If there were no brethren and sisters to do this, evil tongues would soon cease, for they would not find so fruitful a field in which to work in backbiting and devouring one another. . . . ” Ibid., vol. 15, 138.

23 Why Satan will constantly tempt us to backbite.

“The unity of the church is the convincing evidence that God has sent Jesus into the world as its Redeemer. This is an argument which worldlings can neither withstand nor controvert. Therefore Satan is constantly working to prevent this union and harmony, that unbelievers, by witnessing backbiting, dissension, and strife among professed Christians, may become disgusted with religion, and be confirmed in their impenitence. God is dishonored by those who profess the truth while they are at variance and enmity with one another. Satan is the great accuser of the brethren, and all who engage in this work are enlisted in his service.” Ibid., 143.

24 How to lose the Holy Spirit and the blessing of God on the church.

“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 souls of those who do not repent and change their course of action.” Ibid., vol. 18, 147.

25 Judge by the fruits on the tree.

“ ‘The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! . . . The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. . . . The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison’ (James 3:5, 6, 8). [Psalm 15:1–3 quoted.]

“In a letter to my husband you express surprise that he judges of you as he has, but your fruits have testified of you. You may feel friendless, but if you do you may thank yourself for it. ‘For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God’ (1 Peter 2:20).” Ibid., vol. 19, 33.

26 Do not talk of the deficiencies of your brethren.

“For Christ’s sake, for your soul’s sake, I entreat you, do not talk of the deficiencies of your brethren! Go to work for yourself. Do not any longer grieve the Holy Spirit of God. . . . [Psalm 15 quoted.]

“The ministers whom you condemn God has ordained to do a work for which He has not qualified you. Money cannot supply your deficiency. Your prejudices, preferences, dislikes, your sweeping condemnation of both the Healdsburg College and the Health Retreat, have been active influences in encouraging fault-finding, jealousy, evil surmising throughout all the churches. When your ideas and expectations are not met, you have talked out your dissatisfaction, but God has not prompted you in your independent spirit, in your accusation of His instrumentality. There can be no unity where such things exist. Confidence cannot live amid suspicion and evil surmisings.” Ibid., vol. 20, 97.

27 Breaking the third commandment . . .

“We may make mistakes, and we may have to ‘admonish one another.’ [Romans 15:14.] But there has come into the churches at Oakland and the surrounding community a spirit of backbiting, of faultfinding and evil-speaking, which demonstrates that you are not converted. Words are uttered that never should pass the lips of a Christian. My brethren and sisters, when you have nothing better to speak of than something about the faults of others, remember that ‘silence is eloquence.’ Cease to dwell upon the shortcomings of others. Keep the tongue sanctified unto God. Refrain from saying anything that might detract from the influence of another; for by indulging in these words of criticism, you blaspheme God’s holy name as verily as you would were you to swear. I am instructed to present these things before you, that you may see how you dishonor the name of Christ Jesus. [Verses 15, 16, quoted.]” Sermons and Talks, Book 1, 367.

28 Spirit of the devil.

“What testimony does Peter bear? ‘Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.’ [1 Peter 2:1–3.] Here again the same principle is brought out distinctly. No one need make a mistake. If as new born babes you desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, you will have no appetite to partake of a dish of evil speaking, that all such food will be at once rejected, because those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious cannot partake of a dish of nonsense, and folly, and backbiting. They will say decidedly, ‘Take this dish away. I do not want to eat such food.’ It is not the bread from heaven. It is eating and drinking the very spirit of the devil; for it is his business to be an accuser of the brethren.” The Kress Collection, 64.

[All emphasis supplied.]

To be continued . . .

Pastor Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life Ministry and pastor of 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.

Lessons From the Book of Amos, Part II

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The Book of Amos is a book of declarations by God stating that He is going to deal with the situations that have built up over a long period of time. When reading Scripture, one thing we know, as we see how God has dealt with people’s faults, is that He does not deal with them instantly. It usually takes a long time for God to bring judgment and punishment. God understands our frailties, and He is longsuffering. He allows our cup to fill and fill and fill, but once that cup is finally full, a roar is heard from out of Zion. (See Amos 1:2; Joel 3:16.) This is the situation of which Amos is writing.

Chapter 3 of Amos begins, “Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” Verses 1, 2. As you read the Bible, you see very clearly that the plan of God is centered in a covenant—the covenant He established with Abraham and that has been handed down to successive generations. God did not consider Abraham his wife; He did not consider Jacob His wife. It was the offspring of Jacob, the twelve tribes of Jacob, that became the wife of God.

Wife of God

The nation of Israel was the wife of the God of Heaven. Their relationship with God came about as a result of the exodus. When Jacob went down into Egypt, 70 souls journeyed from the land of Canaan into Egypt, but it was a nation of one to two million people that came out of Egypt. (See Exodus 1:1–5; 12:37, 38.) This relationship was sealed at Mount Sinai by the response of the children of Israel when they said, “All that the Lord has said, we will do.” Exodus 19:8; 24:3, 7.

These were the only people that God had known in this special sense, as He emphasizes in Amos 3:2. This was a unique and special relationship; it was a marriage relationship, and God said to them, “You are the only one whom I have known in this way.” Did God not know the other families of the earth? Yes, He knew all the families of the earth, but He did not consider them in any special relationship as He did the children of Israel. Israel was, as it were, the sweet, blushing bride of God, but as we read the history of Israel, there was, almost from the time of the honeymoon, unfaithfulness.

Most of us are either married, have been married, or intend to be married. We have certain expectations and requirements regarding marriage. One of these requirements is that of faithfulness on the part of each spouse to the other. We do not get this idea from society at large; we get it from the Bible. But let us suppose that when we married, understanding that faithfulness was part of the marriage covenant, we decided the grass was greener on the other side of the fence, and we got caught sampling the greener grass. What kind of response could we expect to receive for this kind of unfaithfulness?

Most of us, upon arriving home—at least in Western society—would expect to find our bags packed and sitting out on the porch or, even worse, thrown out onto the street. There is something about the act of adultery that seems equal to the unpardonable sin in the human mind. A trust factor has been broken. Feelings of disgust well up in the heart of the one who has been betrayed. From where do our understanding and reaction originate? It comes from our understanding of faithfulness in the Bible. Love and faithfulness go together, and God is the Author.

We have gotten the idea that God does not experience these kinds of feelings in His marriage relationship with His people. One thing we need to remember is that the book of Amos was written in the language of the time in which Amos lived. It was not written in the language of today’s America. In the time of Amos, a woman was in a different relationship to a man than what we find today; she was not only his wife, but she was considered to be his property. This was the way things were done in Israel’s society. God communicated to Israel on this level.

Israel was God’s property, just as we are His property. We have been bought with a price, so we belong to God; we are His property not only from the standpoint of ownership but, also, from the standpoint of relationships. We are considered to be His bride.

The children of Israel were not in a slave relationship, but they were in a marriage relationship, of which God reminded them when He said, “I brought you up out of Egypt; you are the only one that I have known—the only one.”

God knew Israel intimately; there was no one else of whom this could be said. Because this was true, it would call for the greatest punishment for the practice of unfaithfulness on Israel’s part.

One – One = One

I do not want to belabor the point, but we all know the story of just how longsuffering God had been with Israel. As I mentioned, almost from the wedding night, Israel had climbed into bed with anybody and everybody that caught her fancy. God would forbear a long time with her, but the events that would follow would be crushing to Israel.

God warned, in Amos 3:2, “I will punish you for all your iniquities”—not just some, not just the most recent, but for all your iniquities. Did God have the right to do this? Yes, He did, because this was His wife; she was His property. Jesus alluded to this when he told the parable of the fig tree. (See Matthew 21:19–22.) Jesus came to a fig tree that was beautiful to look upon, but there was no fruit on it. There was no fruit of faithfulness on the part of the fig tree that represented His bride, so He cursed the tree so that it withered, dried up, and died. This is what happened to the Northern tribes. We find no trace of the Northern tribes today. I have heard people try to give some kind of an explanation as to what has happened to the Northern tribes. They try to trace them through secular history, but the Scripture reveals that those tribes withered and died and never came back on the scene again.

Although God was going to deal with the unfaithful children of Israel, He worked a miracle with mathematics that went something like this: One minus one left one—Judah. God wanted all of the tribes of Israel to be His bride, but the remaining two, Israel and Judah, had to be separated so that one could survive.

“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3. The answer to that is no; they cannot walk together if there is disagreement. There have been occasions when I have been asked to counsel couples who are experiencing problems in their marriages. One of the things I have learned is that usually these couples have not been getting along for a long period of time. By the time they call the pastor for counseling, the situation has been building and festering. Blessed is the couple who, when they get into difficulty, seek help immediately, because the best opportunity to deal with the healing of a marriage is when the problems first begin. If things are allowed to go on, alienation takes hold. This is what had happened as far as the children of Israel were concerned.

God was always available to deal with and resolve the problem, but they always wanted to be off “doing their own thing,” not paying any attention to Him. They could not walk with God and with other gods. This was an unworkable arrangement. Men who try to do this, without exception, are failures in their religious life. God knows that, and He does not want it to happen. That is why the first commandment says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3. No other gods should be allowed to come in and take over a relationship where God should be. The person who fails in their love relationship with God will be a godless person. Alienation leads to apostasy, and the apostate is an outlaw, as far as God is concerned. The question we must ask ourselves is: “Are our affections given to Christ in self-surrender and in happy trust to Him as our God?”

The Lion Roars

As Amos unfolds the story, he is trying to gain the attention of these tribes, and he says, “Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin [is] for him? shall [one] take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done [it]? Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:4–7.

God is telling the tribes, I am going to punish you, and I want you to understand that it is coming. I am warning you. “Will a lion roar?” The nature of a lion when seeking prey is to roar when he has it in sight. He does this because usually the prey will freeze when it hears the roar, making it easier to catch. God uses this illustration, calling upon the prophet to convey these words by saying, “Listen, it is coming; I am not going to roar unless I have a prey, unless there is something in My sight that is going to suffer destruction.”

Can a bird fall in a snare where there is no snare set? The thought here is that the coming punishment is deserved. A bird is not caught in a trap unless a trap is set for it, and who is it that sets the trap? You have set your own trap. You have heard the idiom, give someone enough rope and he will get tangled up in it. In other words, allow him enough freedom and he will eventually hurt himself or be caught. That is basically what God is saying here. Sin sets the trap, and when the trap springs, the sinner is not going to escape. It is just that simple. We think we can parlay with sin, that we can dabble a little bit in it, and it will not catch us, but sooner or later, it will catch up with us. Praise the Lord! He is longsuffering! He will allow us to get into circumstances in hopes that we will turn away from those circumstances. This is what He was hoping for Israel, but Israel continued to become entangled. When God comes out of His place, you can mark it down—action is going to follow.

My father was not an angry or passionate man. Many parents today seem to beat and bang on their kids all the time, but that was not the case with my dad. We got what punishment we had coming, but I do not ever remember getting a licking that I did not deserve. My father never punished us on a supposition. I can remember, though, that if we acted up, he would warn us. If we did not stop, once he got up, it was all over; we knew what was coming. We could plead and plead and plead all we wanted, but the punishment still came. That is basically what God is dealing with here.

God was not the type of parent, as we find in many circumstances today, that would just scream and scream at the kids and do nothing. When I was in my early years of ministry, I went to visit a home that had an empty oil drum right outside the living room window. This family had a number of children, and when I came to visit, they all went outside to play. One of the boys, Mark, grabbed a big stick and began to beat on the oil drum. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. His mother yelled out, “Mark, you stop that.” Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. “Mark, I’m coming out there. You stop that.” Boom, boom, boom, boom. “I’m coming out there, Mark.” She never went out, and Mark never stopped.

God is not that way. He says, “If I get up, it is all over; I am coming out, and you are going to get thrashed.” That is the way it was with Israel. “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets.” God does not get onto someone without giving him or her warning. We, as Seventh-day Adventists, have memorized this text!

Warnings Conveyed

God used the office of prophet to convey not just His will but to convey warnings. “I am telling you, this is the way it is going to happen. If you do not change, this is going to happen. If you do not turn around, this is going to happen.” And after a while, it happened.

“The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” Verse 8. The prophets could not withhold the warnings given to them by God. We know this from Ellen White’s life. She said that she could not withhold the warnings that God had given; she must convey them. (See The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, vol. 3, 1,296.) This is what verse 8 is saying. If God has spoken, who can but prophesy?

Spectators Invited

Continuing in Amos 3, we read: “Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof. For they know not to do right, saith the Lord, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; An adversary [there shall be] even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.” Verses 9–11.

God is calling upon the heathen to witness the whipping of those who are going to receive His punishment. He is saying that He wants them to come and watch what He is going to do to His wife. Now that is almost an inconceivable thought.

Egyptian bondage and the Philistine oppression were not forgotten history. These things were rehearsed over and over again to Israel. Because they never learned the lessons of deliverance and translated them into their lives, they began to repeat their former history, and they became oppressors of their own. While Egypt and Philistia went out from their own land and oppressed others, Israel began to turn upon their own and oppress them. They were different from Egypt and Philistia in that they looted their own fortresses rather than going out into enemy territory. So Ashdod and Egypt were told to come in to witness the punishment that God was going to render.

It is one thing to get a spanking. It is another thing to get a spanking in front of people. I always wanted to have my spanking by myself. I especially did not want to have my brothers see me getting a spanking. Inviting people to witness the spanking makes it even worse. This is the scenario that God was planning, as far as His bride was concerned. He was inviting all of their enemies to watch what He was going to do. He even told them to go up on the mountain where they could get a better look.

Why would God do such a thing? Never forget that God had a plan that through this bride the Redeemer would come. He was committed to the redeeming of those who accepted Him—not only of old but also the present and future generations who by faith would look to Him. God had a commitment; the Messiah would come. That Messiah would have to come through the bride that He had known, but sadly, Israel had lost all sense of sin; there was no shame.

No Sense of Shame

The shame was gone. Israel enjoyed living in the highest of luxury, indulging in all kinds of perverse habits. Yet, they would still prepare the bulletin for Sabbath School and church and plan other activities, believing that all was well.

It is no different today. When men lose their sense of sin, God appeals to their sense of shame. It seems strange that the sense of shame should survive the sense of sin. Many times people can be brought to repentance through a sense of shame rather than an understanding of sin. If they are shamed, they know they are caught, and they will say, “I am sorry; I am sorry.” That is the way it is. Sometimes we are more afraid of what people think of us than of what God thinks of us. There is a lot going on which, if revealed, would cause a sense of shame, but we continue on in sin. How do I know? Because we are still in this world! We have not gotten it right yet. That is why Jesus waits; that is why Jesus delays His coming. He wants us to have a sense of sin, not just a sense of shame.

The nations round about Israel were going to know that God’s protection had been removed. As a result, while they were in the height of prosperity, they would be served a calling card showing that God had removed Himself, and Israel would not stand a chance of escape. The punishment would come; it would come as a lion on its prey.

No Safe Place

This is one of the dangers that we face in America today. We have not been a righteous nation, contrary to what some would have us believe. As a result, God is removing His protection. We see that happening more and more, and as a result, the inevitable will come. Liberties are being removed—one of God’s ways of dealing with us. We know that with the Sunday laws our freedoms are going to be completely taken away.

The answer as to how to avert these problems is the same today as it was in the days of Amos. Repent and turn from your sins; turn to God for help. That is one of the things that the tribes of Judah and Israel would not see.

“Thus saith the Lord; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus [in] a couch. Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord God, the God of hosts, That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the Lord.” Verses 12–15.

Amos finishes this message by giving an illustration of what happens when a shepherd retrieves the remains of an animal from the mouth of a lion. This reflects back to the Law of Moses, which required a shepherd to produce the remains of the animal that was killed while it was in his care as proof that he did not steal it. Amos was a shepherd, so he used the language of a shepherd to try to convey to the people the point that God wanted them to understand. He was telling them that as the remaining parts of the slaughtered animal tell the tale of its destruction, so the broken remains of the wealth of Israel would be a pathetic witness to the complete destruction of that kingdom.

According to the Law of Moses, if a fugitive got into trouble, he could run to the sanctuary, grab hold of the horns of the altar, and that would be a place of safety for him, a place of refuge—but that was a last refuge. It was not the first refuge. Even this last refuge would not be available to Israel. They could not run to the sanctuary and claim refuge by grabbing hold of the altar. The dye was cast, and now it would be just a matter of time until the blow fell.

A Lesson for Us

What is the lesson for us who are living in this twenty-first century? Mrs. White wrote: “We are all amenable to God. When we take into consideration our accountability to Him for every action, when we remember that we are ‘a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men,’ we will desire to be purged from our fretfulness and harshness, our lack of sympathy and tenderness for one another. These evils are as tares amid the wheat, and must be destroyed.” Notebook Leaflets from the Elmshaven Library, vol. 1, 79.

That is really what God wants to have happen in our lives. He wants to come into such a close relationship with us that everything that is offensive will be removed, and His work can go forward so Jesus can come.

I mentioned earlier that Israel had not learned the lessons of deliverance, and I have often wondered how well the church of today has learned its lessons. Are they of such dynamic significance to us that the deliverance has the power and strength to motivate us the rest of our lives or until Jesus comes? I have met people in Sunday-keeping churches who are exuberant that the love of God has delivered them from their sins. They just bubble and sparkle and are willing, at the drop of a hat, to tell you what God has done for them. You have met those kinds of people; I know you have. They are out there, but there are very few Seventh-day Adventists who have had that kind of experience.

Perhaps you have heard Adventists referred to as Sadventists. I realize that we do not have to get into a celebration mode, but somewhere along the line I would hope that we could become a little happier about what God has done for us and have a willingness to share that happiness with others. These lessons of deliverance, if we really reflect on what God has done for us, will change our whole lives. If we could somehow convey that to others, what a blessing we would receive! I have always in my life desired to continue the experience of a relationship that manifested itself in not only doing what was right but treating others in the right way as well, because that is basically the message that Amos is trying to get across.

God, I know, was doing everything possible to save Israel, but it did not happen. Although God had chosen Israel as His bride, they were unfaithful. Even though He warned them and tried to get them to change their ways, they ignored Him. Finally, God had to take measures of punishment.

“Those who might become co-laborers with Christ, and do good service in advancing the interests of His kingdom, but who use their talents and influence to tear down instead of to build up, are like noted rebels; their prominence, the value of the talent they use in the service of Satan, increases their guilt and makes their punishment sure. These will feel the wrath of God.” The Signs of the Times, October 24, 1906.

I do not want to be found in that category. I want to be found doing what is right and good so that the longsuffering of God is working to draw me into a more perfect relationship with Him, rather than a forbearance on His part until the axe has to fall. Is this your desire?

To be continued . . .

Pastor Mike Baugher is Associate Speaker for Steps to Life Ministry. He may be contacted by e-mail at: mikebaugher@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Music in the Home

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[Editor’s Note: This sermon was presented at the Steps to Life Camp Meeting, July 2003. The conversational style of the speaker has been preserved.]

God has made parents responsible for their children. Parents, you are responsible to feed, clothe, and house your children. You are responsible to raise them correctly. You are responsible to keep them safe. You would know what to do to protect your child if he or she ran out in front of a car, wouldn’t you? Would you just ask, “What can I do?” Of course, you would not. If your child started to drink a glass of poison or if he or she started to smoke a cigarette or started to drink a can of beer, you would not hesitate to take action immediately, because you are responsible. You are also responsible, and it is just as important, to protect your children from the music from below, whether it is a bedlam of noise or pretty, schmaltzy music, which is a mockery of Christ.

You must not hesitate to take proper action, if your child is in danger. No excuses! Do not tell your child that it is all right for him to listen to strange music as long as he wears earphones or goes to his bedroom and shuts his door so you don’t have to hear it. Teach him that he must avoid it even at his friends’ houses, and that is hardest of all. Teach him to be bold and to stand up and say to his friends, “I can’t listen to music like this. If you have to listen to it, I can’t stay.” Do whatever it takes. It shouldn’t be any harder than to say, “No, I won’t smoke a cigarette,” or “No, I will not take a drug.”

My great-grandson, Adam, went with his mother and grandfather to eat in a Turkish restaurant. While Adam was ordering his meal, he noticed that there was terrible rock music playing, so he said to the waiter, “Will you please play some Turkish music? We are in a Turkish restaurant.”

The waiter said, “We don’t have any Turkish music.”

Adam, speaking in a voice like he was some kind of royalty and expected to be obeyed, said, “Well, then, I want classical music, please.” The waiter found a radio station that had classical music, and Adam’s mother said it was the best music she had ever heard in a restaurant in all of her life. Teach your children to stand up boldly for what is right.

Musical Opportunities

Give your children musical opportunities. Acquire small, inexpensive instruments for them to have at home when they are very young. If they are interested, provide music lessons for them when they are a little older, but please, don’t force your child to take lessons. As a music teacher, I know force doesn’t work. Take your children to good music concerts. What kind of concerts? Good ones! There are a lot of bad ones; don’t go there.

What kinds of songs should our children listen to at home and in Sabbath School? Don’t give your children little repetitious ditties. They don’t need that any more than you do. Don’t use songs set to secular music. If your children happen to know the secular songs, when they sing the tune—even with religious words—they will think about the secular words. Even if they don’t know the secular words, secular music is not appropriate for sacred songs. That’s not why it was written. If the music is appropriate for the words you are using, chances are the words aren’t spiritual, either. This applies to adult music as well. You cannot legitimately mix sacred and secular music.

Teach children real songs—not entertainment. You may be surprised. Teach them songs like, “O Worship the King.” It has meaning—teach it to them. Teach them what the words mean. Make sure they understand.

Don’t downplay children’s capabilities. Teach them Seventh-day Adventist songs. Teach them to sing like the angels sing. How do the angels sing? Ellen White tells us: “Their [the angels’] singing does not grate upon the ear. It is soft and melodious . . . . It is not forced and strained . . . .” Selected Messages, Book 3, 333. Isn’t that wonderful? It should be soft singing, not shouting, not a bedlam of noise. Angels sing softly.

“Some think that the louder they sing the more music they make; but noise is not music. Good singing is like the music of the birds—subdued and melodious.” Evangelism, 510. Don’t forget that! Don’t think you have to sing loudly.

Musical Movement

The best kind of movement you can use with the children singing is to teach them some songs with signs. Do not use raucous, boisterous movement. If they need exercise, go outside and play. A religious meeting is not the place to get exercise. There are quite a few songs that you can sign with. One such song is, “Kum Bah Ya.” Another nice song with signage is, “To My Father’s House.” The lyrics say, in part, “Oh come and go with me to my Father’s house.” Children really enjoy these songs.

Hymnals

Perhaps you would like to make a personal, family hymnal for use in your home. Your church may have decided it is not satisfied with the Church Hymnal that is being used. Although it contains many wonderful hymns, there may be some songs that make you uncomfortable. You may not know why you feel ill at ease, but you would really rather not sing them.

A gentleman by the name of Dr. Oliver Beltz once told me that he was on the committee to choose the songs for the earlier (1941) Church Hymnal. Years later, another gentleman, John Thurber, shared with me that he was on the committee to choose the songs for the (1985) Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal. [Both hymnals are published by Review and Herald Publishing Association, Washington, DC.] So I have a little insight into the choosing of the songs for each of these hymnals.

Both men told me similar stories. Each said that there were times when the people on the committee wanted to include songs that they knew he would not approve. So, not notifying him, they called a committee meeting and put the songs in while he wasn’t there. Both committees did that! You can’t take either of these hymnals and think that everything in it is good.

I promise you that putting your own hymnal together is a very difficult job, but you may find it well worthwhile. I will never give anyone a list of songs and say, “These are good, use them.” I don’t believe in that, but I will give principles and ideas and as much help as I can.

Guidelines

If you do decide to make your own hymnal, let’s look at some guidelines to help you in your selection of songs.

1 Choose music that is worship-centered. What does that mean? Worship-centered means that you are worshipping. Who do you worship? There are only two beings in the world and in the universe to worship—God or Satan. A person chooses music that is centered towards worship-ping either one being or the other. That’s the choice you make.

2 Choose music that is Christ-centered and not I-centered. Many people have difficulty with this concept, but as you study the hymns, in time, you will get a feel for it. As you examine a song, ask these questions: Who is the center of this song? About whom am I singing? Am I singing about myself, or am I singing about Christ? An example of a song that may be a challenge to judge is the song, “Not I, but Christ.” It has the word I in it a number of times, but the message of the words is centered on Christ.

I once presented a music seminar in a church in West Virginia. A man came to the meeting primed for an argument with me. He wanted to prove to me that it is all right to sing I-centered songs. In the seminar, we were discussing a number of songs, and regarding one of them, I said, “You know, I’m quite uncomfortable with this song. Although the music seems to sound all right, the words seem very I-centered to me.”

This man said, “We must have songs about our experience.” Do we? Do you need to have a song about your experience? We all have experiences, and they are I-centered!

The devil doesn’t want me to share all these things with you. For several months prior to camp meeting, he has been pouring out his whole arsenal on me. I have nearly gotten to the end of my rope. I knew God was taking care of me, but it still had an affect inside my body. It was affecting me both physically and emotionally. Since arriving at camp, we have had trouble with the computer. It had been working beautifully when I left home. We have spent one whole afternoon trying to get the computer to work and have been on the telephone with the computer service desk for a solid hour. That’s how much the devil has been working! Do you think I am going to write a song about my experience with the computer? No! I am so happy and joyful that God is the Victor, though, that I am going to be singing, “Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow,” and other songs of praise.

3 Don’t choose music that is harmful. Yes, music can harm you. It can hurt your body; it can hurt your mind; it can hurt your spirituality. Don’t choose that kind of music.

4 Choose music that will allow the angels to join in with the singing, music that is subdued and melodious like the song of the birds, as stated in the Ellen White quote cited previously. Do you have birds around your house? At our house, we feed the birds, so we are really, really surrounded with them. I love to hear them sing. We should sound like birds singing. I don’t think we could have any higher ambition than that. Birds sing softly and melodiously.

5 Do not choose music meant for entertainment. What does this include? Pop music; nightclub, crooning music; music with warm fuzzies—that’s entertainment music.

6 Do not choose music that is only emotion-based or sensual. I have had this theory for a long time, and I was so happy when I discovered it in the Spirit of Prophecy. I think that all of our talks, all of our sermons, and all of our music should include both emotion and intellect. I think if you leave out one or the other, or overbalance one way or the other, you’ll be getting into trouble.

I know of a very prominent pastor who preaches such emotional sermons. I heard him preach about heaven one time, and it was so wonderful. That sermon really affected me, but you know, those sermons don’t last very long. You go away from church realizing that it was just emotion in the sermon. There was no intellect in it at all. You don’t really remember what was in it, and you feel let down, perhaps empty, because you were not spiritually fed. That is why Mrs. White so often refers to the need of balance in our lives. [See Sons and Daughters of God, 161-163.]

7 Do not choose music with false theology. Review all the words carefully.

8 Choose songs in which the words and the music match. Don’t mix secular and sacred. Beyond that, don’t choose a real happy, uplifting kind of tune to sing about something that is very serious and solemn. For instance, don’t sing a song about Marching to Zion when the words are saying something about the love of God. It doesn’t fit.

9 Choose music that will draw each individual and the congregation closer to God.

Juanita McElwain earned her PhD in Music Therapy from Florida State University. She has taught music on all levels from preschool to college graduate. She has worked as a music therapy clinician with the mentally retarded. Her areas of expertise in research include the effects of music on brain waves and the effects of music on headache. She has given numerous seminars on the power of music, which include good and bad effects of music, rock music, sensual music, music in worship and mind control through music throughout the United States and in Europe. She and her husband are presently retired in West Virginia. She may be contacted by e-mail at: juamce@meer.net. Additional articles from Dr. McElwain’s camp meeting presentations will be printed in forthcoming issues of LandMarks.

The Filthy Garment, Part I

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There are some people today who are discouraged by what they see taking place in the world and in Adventism, but I am excited! I am excited, because I see the signs, in the church and in the world, that Jesus is coming soon. When I read inspired writings and look around at what is happening, I realize that God foresaw all of this a long time ago. Although the events we see occurring are awful, it is encouraging that there is Someone who knows all about them, who said that this is what would happen, who knows how to protect us and take us out of this evil world.

I want to study with you a passage of Scripture that was written over 2,500 years ago. This passage of Scripture, inspired by the Holy Spirit, has a special meaning. It had a meaning then. It had a fulfillment then. But it was meant to have a special meaning and a special fulfillment in the last days as well—in the times in which you and I are living.

The Accuser

“And he showed me Joshua the great priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and the saw-tan was there, standing at his right hand.” Zechariah 3:1. In English, the Hebrew word saw-tan is converted to Satan. Satan is one of the few words in the English language that comes directly from the Hebrew language. The word saw-tan means “the adversary.” So the saw-tan, the adversary, was standing at his right hand “to accuse him.” In the book of Revelation, Satan is called “the accuser of the brethren.” Revelation 12:10.

Some months ago, when I was preaching a sermon, I was reading from Matthew 16:23 where Jesus, speaking to Peter, said, “You depart behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me because you do not understand the things of God, but those of men.” This verse clearly says, “Turning, He said to Peter, depart from Me, Satan.” I read that text and said, “Jesus, here, called Peter Satan,” and someone objected to that and wrote me a letter. They said, “Pastor John, you made a mistake, and it needs to be corrected. Ellen White says that Jesus was really speaking to Satan, not Peter.” (See Conflict and Courage, 312.) Well, I got my Bible out again and read it, and it says, “Turning, He said to Peter . . . .” I believe what Ellen White said—that Jesus was addressing Satan directly, but the Bible says that He was speaking to Peter. We must never take the insight of a later prophet and use that to nullify the Bible. From this text, I understand that when God rebukes the devil, He includes all the other intelligences that are allowing the devil to speak through them. Did you get that? When God rebukes the devil,—whether it is in Genesis 3:15, Matthew 16:23, or Zechariah 3:1—in that rebuke is included not only the archfiend himself but every other intelligence, whether angel or human being, that is allowing the devil to speak through them. I want to tell you, friends, there is a large number of people today who are allowing the devil to speak through them.

Zechariah says, “And he showed me Joshua the great priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and the saw-tan was there, standing at his right hand to accuse him.” Remember that the high priest represents God’s people. How does the saw-tan, or Satan, accuse God’s people? He usually does it through other human beings. We read, in Testimonies, vol. 5, 609: “An earnest effort should be made in every church to put away evilspeaking and a censorious spirit as among the sins productive of the greatest evils in the church. Severity and faultfinding must be rebuked . . . .”

Faultfinding and Supposition

You will find yourself in plenty of trouble when you rebuke “severity and faultfinding,” but Mrs. White states that it must be rebuked “as the workings of Satan.” When a person is engaging in faultfinding, who is speaking through them? It is Satan, the adversary. Remember, Zechariah 3:1 says that the saw-tan, the adversary, was “standing at his right hand, to accuse him.” Satan was going to accuse him to the Lord.

I have noticed, as I have read various references in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy on this subject, that when the devil accuses you, he always accuses you to someone else. When the Pharisees accused Jesus, they talked to his disciples about it, and when they accused the disciples, they talked to Jesus about it. Have you noticed this? Are you glad that God does not operate in this way?

When it is necessary for God to rebuke you or me, He will come directly to us. If you are praying, “Lord, show me what is wrong in my character,” believe me, the Lord will show you! He will not go and tell all your enemies about it, but He will show you personally.

Mrs. White continued: “Let all, in the fear of God and with love to their brethren, close their ears to gossip and censure. Direct the talebearer to the teachings of God’s word. Bid him obey the Scriptures and carry his complaints directly to those whom he thinks in error.” Ibid., 609, 610.

To whom is he supposed to carry his complaints? Is he supposed to carry his complaints to the head of the nearest ministry? No. Is he supposed to carry his complaints to the pastor of the church that person attends? What did the inspired writing say? It said that he is to “bid him to obey the Scriptures and carry his complaints directly to those whom he thinks in error”—not to the pastor.

I cannot count the many times people have either called me on the telephone, written me a letter, or come directly to my office wanting to tell me about someone that is in trouble. And, of course, they expect me to fix the situation. After I have read some of the passages from the Bible and inspired writings, I have decided that I do not even need to listen to such things.

If you have a concern, you need to go directly to the person for whom you have the concern and talk to them. Write them a letter; call them on the telephone; do not come to me. That is what the Bible says to do. (See Matthew 18:15–17.) Mrs. White continued: “This united action would bring a flood of light into the church and close the door to a flood of evil.” Ibid., 610.

Another statement that discloses how people allow the devil to speak through them—remember, when God rebukes the devil, He rebukes everyone who allows the devil to speak through them or to use them—is recorded in the October 17, 1899, Review and Herald: “There is a lack of frankness; the way is hedged up by supposition.” Supposition is one of the devil’s favorite ways in which to accuse people. Mrs. White explains how supposition works: “Some one discovers a supposed defect in a brother or sister, and he acts on this supposition, as if it were true. When criticism and faultfinding, and a desire for the highest place enter the church, the serpent, disguised, enters with them, leaving a trail of evil wherever he goes.” Ibid. Who is the serpent spoken of here? It is the saw-tan, the adversary, and it enters when there is criticism and faultfinding in the church.

So Satan, the adversary, the saw-tan, is at the right hand of God’s people. He is there to accuse, to find fault. This is one of the biggest problems among God’s people—has been in all ages and still is. Some people will overcome. Those who overcome will go to heaven; the people who do not overcome will not go to heaven.

“I saw that all the religion a few poor souls have consists in watching the garments and acts of others, and finding fault with them. Unless they reform, there will be no place in heaven for them, for they would find fault with the Lord Himself.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 145. If these people do not reform, will they be going to heaven? No.

“I feel an intense interest regarding every faultfinder; for I know that a quarrelsome disposition will never find entrance into the city of God.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, 271. If I have a quarrelsome disposition, I will not go to heaven.

Overcome Tendencies

After reading these statements, I have made the decision to overcome these tendencies. By the grace of God, I will not do these things anymore. How is it with you?

God has allowed some terrible things to happen so we will look at the inspired writings, wake up, and see what problems must be solved before Jesus can come and take us out of this world.

Numerous churches are in trouble. One of the reasons churches get into trouble is because they are lacking in church discipline. In some churches, you can say just about anything you please and still be a member of that church. If that is the situation in your church, it is going to be destroyed.

“When a person comes to a minister or to men in positions of trust with complaints against a brother or a sister, let the minister ask, ‘Have you complied with the rules our Saviour has given?’ And if he has failed to carry out any particular of this instruction, do not listen to a word of his complaint. In the name and Spirit of Jesus, refuse to take up a report against your brother or your sister in the faith. If members of the church go contrary to these rules, they make themselves subjects for church discipline, and should be under the censure of the church. This matter, so plainly taught in the lessons of Christ, has been treated with strange indifference. The church has either neglected her work entirely in the matter of correcting evil, or has done it with harshness and severity, thus wounding and bruising souls. Measures should be taken to correct this cruel spirit of criticism, of judging the motives of others, as though Christ had revealed to men the hearts of their brethren. The neglect of doing aright, with wisdom and grace, the work that ought to have been done, has left churches and institutions almost inefficient and Christless.” Review and Herald, April 16, 1895. When was the last time you were witness to someone being disciplined by the church for faultfinding or criticism? Is there a reason God’s people are in trouble? Yes!

Church Discipline

I want to present to you a couple of statements about this matter of church discipline, and I hope that you will pray about them and say, “Lord, help us to do in our church what You have told us to do.” If you do not, the devil will see to it that your church is destroyed.

There are certain things the Lord has said that are not to be allowed in the church. Here is one: “No church can be in a healthy, flourishing condition unless its leaders shall take firm, decided measures to repress this fault-finding, accusing spirit wherever it exists. Its indulgence should be made a matter of church discipline; for it is a violation of the law of God, a violation of the rules which Christ has laid down for preserving order in the church. If these mischievous talkers are not subjected to church discipline they become confirmed in their evil work, and God charges the guilt upon the church.” Review and Herald, October 19, 1886.

Satan, the saw-tan, stood at his right hand to accuse him. What about people who are working in institutions or ministries? “No one should be retained in any one of the Lord’s institutions who in a crisis fails of realizing that His instrumentalities are sacred. . . . The halfhearted and worldly, those who are given to gossip, who dwell on the faults of others, while neglecting their own, should be separated from the work.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 202. God’s work, in so many places, is so feeble, because we have not been following this instruction.

“It is the special work of Satan to cause dissension . . . .” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, 791. This is his special work. “We should be weeding out of our thoughts all complaining and faultfinding. Let us not continue to look upon any defects that we may see.” Ibid., 789. Notice she says that we should be weeding these things out of our thoughts. We should not even be thinking about them.

Help Each Other

You know, friends, if we spend our time looking at the defects of others, we will develop in ourselves the same defects at which we are looking, examining, watching, and studying.

Is there anything desirable in impatience? “The loud, harsh complaint, the fretful, fault-finding spirit, are evidences of a narrow, conceited mind. Impatience brings strife and accusation and sorrow.” Review and Herald, February 21, 1888.

What is the most powerful thing we can do to help our brother or sister who is very faulty? Mrs. White says, “A word of love and encouragement will do more to subdue the hasty temper and willful disposition than all the faultfinding and censure that you can heap upon the erring one.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 266.

How can we help each other to be cured from the faultfinding spirit? Ellen White suggested that “These notional, faultfinding ones would often cure themselves of the habit if they would go directly to the individual they think is wrong.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 145. How can we be cured of a faultfinding spirit? If such a person would make it a rule that, when someone else has done something wrong, they will not go to the local elder, deacon, pastor, or call some leader in a ministry trying to burden that person with the problem, but will go directly to the individual in question and talk to them, then possibly the problem would be resolved! Mrs. White says, “But it is easy to let the tongue run freely about this one or that one when the accused is not present.” Ibid. Oh, friend, we should never do that. If we find the need to point out something that is wrong with someone, the least we can do is talk with him or her directly, not talk about them when they are not present.

The Devil’s Work

As we have studied, we are in the shaking, and if we do not overcome on these points, remember, we will be engaged in the devil’s work. Zechariah 3:1 says that the saw-tan, the adversary, stood at his right hand to accuse him. Ellen White wrote: “Something will arise to test everyone. The great sifting time is just before us. The jealous and the faultfinding, who are watching for evil, will be shaken out. They hate reproof and despise correction.” Testimonies, vol. 1., 251.

The jealous and the faultfinding will be shaken out of God’s church. One of the awful things that hap-pens when someone is shaken out is that they usually do not get shaken out all by themselves. Someone goes out with them because of sympathy.

It was through sympathy that the devil caused the fall of about a third of the angels in heaven. And that is why, when someone gets shaken out, they never go out alone. Somebody else sympathizes with them. They sympathize with the one who has gotten reproved, and they hate the one who reproves. As Amos says, “They hate the one that rebukes in the gate.” Amos 5:10.

Ellen White said, “God will send reproof and warning to His people as long as they continue upon earth.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 180. There is only one way the reproofs can be made to stop and that is if we commit the unpardonable sin by refusing the invitation of mercy offered to us through Jesus Christ. When a nation or a person has gone so far, they have committed the unpardonable sin, and there is no hope for their salvation. It is then that the reproofs and warnings cease. (See The Desire of Ages, 324, 325.)

In another statement from inspired writings, we are told: “Bid him [the talebearer] carry his complaints directly to those whom he thinks in error.” Review and Herald, November 30, 1886.

As I have studied this subject, I have come to realize that God desires for us to be much happier than we are. We cannot be happy if our minds are full of all the things that are wrong in our church and with our brothers and sisters. If someone is doing something wrong, it is all right to go to them and talk with him or her about it, but we cannot be happy if we are dwelling on it all the time.

Ellen White wrote the following statement to a minister and a physician: “We must lay hold of the supreme Power, and close our ears to complaint and faultfinding. Crush this inclination, and empty the soul temple of evil-thinking. Let not one unhappy thought remain within.” This Day With God, 347. God does not want us to be full of unhappiness. He tells us to rid our minds of those unhappy thoughts!

There is Someone in charge, friends. Give Him a chance to work. Pray for the people who are in trouble. Go to them and show them how much you love them and how much you want to help them gain the kingdom of heaven.

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

To be concluded . . .

Pastor Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life Ministry and pastor of 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 – Unity of Spirit and Faith

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In 1902, Ellen White predicted the situation that God’s people would be in as the final crisis in this world approaches. “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities. The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head—the papal power—the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. This union is cemented by the great apostate. While he seeks to unite his agents in warring against the truth he will work to divide and scatter its advocates. Jealousy, evil surmising, evilspeaking, are instigated by him to produce discord and dissension. The members of Christ’s church have the power to thwart the purpose of the adversary of souls. At such a time as this let them not be found at variance with one another or with any of the Lord’s workers. Amidst the general discord let there be one place where harmony and unity exist because the Bible is made the guide of life. Let the people of God feel that a responsibility rests upon them to build up His instrumentalities.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 182.

Has the first part of this prophecy been fulfilled in your church? Has the second part? Will the third and last part of this prophecy be fulfilled in your church?

There will be a people who will come into perfect unity and harmony. This harmony and unity will not be a union in fanaticism nor will it be based on kingly power. It is not going to involve all the members of the church; there will be unity in the midst of disunity:

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

We are going to see both separation and unity. Notice that the way people will separate is by departing from the faith; they will forsake the truth. They may still be going to the same church, but they will be accepting delusive teachings. Do we not see this already? What we see developing now will become the tidal wave of the future. All the specifications Ellen White wrote in 1902 will come to pass.

May we each be a part of the group that clings to the Bible and the Bible only and, as a result of growing up into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, part of those who come into unity of spirit and faith.