evangelism

Called From the Plow

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Brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, I want to place before you the urgency of the hour in which we are living. Time has almost run out, and we are now to be urgently going about our Father’s business. We are living in a time when the Lord Himself, as He did when on earth, “will call men from the plow and from other occupations to give the last note of warning to perishing souls.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 170

Satan knows his time is very short, and he is actively seeking to deceive the whole world, but especially the elect. God’s last day messenger tells us: “I saw that the remnant were not prepared for what is coming upon the earth. Stupidity, like lethargy, seemed to hang upon the minds of most of those who profess to believe that we are having the last message. My accompanying angel cried out with awful solemnity, ‘Get ready! Get ready! Get ready! For the fierce anger of the Lord is soon to come. His wrath is to be poured out, unmixed with mercy, and ye are not ready. Rend the heart, and not the garment. A great work must be done for the remnant.’” Early Writings, 119

Do we understand what it means to be ready, having put on the whole armor of God? Do we know by experience what it means to be a laborer with Christ?

Christ, when calling His first disciples, said, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” These common men straightway left their nets and followed Jesus. If we are truly living for Jesus every day, we will be willing to leave all for Him. Or, have we become caught up in the things of this life?

If we are not earnest and sincere about our salvation and the salvation of others, if we have not made Christ and the vindication of God’s character first in our lives, can we really say that we want to see Jesus return? Christ tells us: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

The things of this earth will very soon pass away. We need to focus all of our energy and attention on proclaiming the three angels’ messages.

Our present situation finds a close parallel in the experience of Israel at the Jordan River. “And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.” Joshua 3:13. Today we are standing on the very edge of the Jordan, and the promised land is just before us.

Just as the soles of the priest’s feet had to be placed in the water for the water to part, opening to them an entrance into the promised land, so we cannot stand back and fail to exercise faith in God while expecting to have Jesus receive us into His kingdom at His return. We must go forward in faith, with strong, unyielding determination to finish the gospel commission.

Speaking of the Laodicean church, Christ said, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:16. It is time to become hot. We are in the final reformation and the only difference between this reformation and those that have preceded it is that heaven is in sight, and we are soon going home. It only remains for us to step by faith into the Jordan, as it were, putting all of our energies into finishing the work that the Lord has placed before us to do.

“Those who are truly converted are called to do a work that requires money and consecration. The obligation that binds us to place our names on the church roll holds us responsible to work for God to the utmost of our ability. He calls for undivided service, for the entire devotion of heart, soul, mind, and strength. Christ has brought us into church capacity that He may engage and engross all our capabilities in devoted service for the salvation of souls. Anything short of this is opposition to the work.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 447

Have we contemplated the cost that our precious Saviour paid that we might have eternal life? If we are truly converted, will we not be willing to lay all on the altar, giving Him our undivided service? When we do this, everything we have, soul, mind, strength, and finances will then be put unreservedly into the finishing of this work.

“There are only two places in the universe were we can deposit our treasures—in God’s storehouse or in Satan’s, and all that is not devoted to God’s service is counted on Satan’s side and goes to strengthen his cause….

“He whose life consists in ever receiving and never giving, soon loses the blessing. If truth does not flow forth from him to others, he loses his capacity to receive. We must impart the goods of heaven if we desire fresh blessings….And if men, and women as well, will become channels of blessing to other souls, the Lord will keep the channels supplied.” Ibid. 448, 449

There is a special need at this time to present the message that God has given to us in clear, sharp lines, putting it before the people in such a way as to leave no doubt in the hearer’s mind as to what God requires of them.

“The truth must be published far more extensively than it yet has been. It must be defined in clear, sharp lines before the people….

“‘Those who do not arouse will be passed by, and God will move upon men who will respond to His call, and carry His work forward and upward.’” The Home Missionary, February 1, 1890

“All who will be saved must cooperate with the agencies of heaven to arouse the inhabitants of the earth to the solemn truths for this time.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 140

In this work, however, we are not called to work alone. The angelic host is waiting for you and me to arouse to the call to become laborers together with them. “All heaven, if I may use the expression, is impatiently waiting for men to cooperate with the divine agencies in working for the salvation of souls.” General Conference Daily Bulletin, January 28, 1893

“The Lord has given his church a special work of personal service to do. God could have sent angels to work for the reformation of man, but he did not do this. Humanity must touch humanity….

“Christ’s commission is to be received and acted upon. We are to go forth in faith, with earnest prayer for the promise of One who has said, ‘Lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.’ With the promise of such companionship, we are guilty of great unbelief and disobedience if we refuse to take up the cross of self-denial and self-sacrifice….

“As we communicate the light that has found entrance to our souls, the Holy Spirit gives increased light, and our hearts are filled with the precious joy of the Lord….

“We have a crucified, risen Saviour to present to the people. All who have come to Jesus for pardon have found Him ever ready to take their sins, and to impute His righteousness to them. He who has come to Christ, and has been truly converted, will have a longing to save the souls that are out of Christ. He who loves God supremely and his neighbor as himself cannot rest content with doing nothing….

“God will use humble men as His instruments. Even though they have but one talent, if they trade upon it, it will increase. The great fault in the church is that the work of saving souls is so limited that the advancement of the kingdom of God is slow. A backslidden church is the sure result of a selfish church,—a church that does not use her talents in cooperating with Jesus to restore the image of God in men. We are to minister to every creature. A responsibility is laid upon us to work for all,—our friends, our acquaintances, those who are bound up with the world and alienated from God. The apparently amiable and agreeable are to come into the sphere of our labors. The truth is for them as much as for us, and we must say, ‘Come.’” Review and Herald, April 26, 1898

Do we long for heaven? Do we really want to go home to be where Jesus is? Jesus tells us that when this gospel of the kingdom is preached to all the world, the end will come. (See Matthew 24:14.) There is no time to be lukewarm Laodiceans.

“The solemn, sacred message of warning must be proclaimed in the most difficult fields and in the most sinful cities, in every place where the light of the great threefold gospel message has not yet dawned. Every one is to hear the last call to the marriage supper of the Lamb. From town to town, from city to city, from country to country, the message of present truth is to be proclaimed, not with outward display, but in the power of the Spirit.” Maranatha, 261

We are about to enter upon a time when we will have to work to proclaim the gospel under much less favorable circumstances. “The work which the church has failed to do in a time of peace and prosperity she will have to do in a terrible crisis under most discouraging, forbidding circumstances. The warning that worldly conformity has silenced or withheld must be given under the fiercest opposition from enemies of the faith.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 463. Perhaps, as the Waldenses did, we will find that we are only able to spread the truth by concealing the Scriptures and truth filled pamphlets in our clothing. We do know however, that eventually we will only be able to keep and share what we have stored in our minds.

The crisis is right upon us. We must now, by the Holy Spirit’s power, proclaim the truth contained in the first, second, and third angel’s messages. We must go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, bringing light to the darkness of every corner of the earth.

“Our watchword is to be, Onward, ever onward! Angles of heaven will go before us to prepare the way. Our burden for the regions beyond can never be laid down till the whole earth is lightened with the glory of the Lord.” Maranatha, 261

If we are Christians, it will be the desire of our life and our delight to work with Christ for the saving of souls. Sadly, however, “There are those who for a lifetime have professed to be acquainted with Christ, yet who have never made a personal effort to bring even one soul to the Saviour….

“There are many who need the ministration of loving Christian hearts. Many have gone down to ruin who might have been saved, if their neighbors, common men and women, had put forth personal effort for them. Many are waiting to be personally addressed. In the very family, the neighborhood, the town where we live, there is work for us to do as missionaries for Christ. If we are Christians, this work will be our delight.” Desire of Ages, 141. Let us not be mere professors of historic Adventism, but by your fruits my we proclaim that we are workers with Christ.

These are exciting, yet solemn times in which we live. It is exciting to know that we will soon be able to look up and see Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven with all of the holy angels. Our hearts thrill with the thought that we are about to walk with Jesus in the promised land. But before we will be prepared for this great event, there is a solemn and great work before us—the giving of the three angels’ messages to a dying world. And beyond that, a time of trouble such as never was.

Are you tired of this world? Do you really want to go home where Jesus is? Then let us move as a mighty army, with Jesus as our Captain, to finish giving the gospel message, loudly proclaiming and boldly standing under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. I challenge you today to put the sole of your feet in the Jordan. Let us possess that promised land. Let us, with Joshua, boldly proclaim, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

We have this promise: “A true missionary spirit will be imparted to those who seek earnestly to know God and Jesus Christ, whom He hath sent.” Medical Ministry, 321

“Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10

The End

Come Into Line

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In previous articles we have been studying the importance of unity. We have seen that if we do to have unity, when the storm comes and the crisis breaks, we are going to be destroyed. It is absolutely essential that we stand unitedly to face the foe.

In John 17, we have recorded the prayer that Jesus prayed just before he went into the Garden of Gethsemane. In this prayer, Jesus expresses His will that we all come into perfect unity of spirit and doctrine. Ellen White tells us that we should make a special study of that prayer because if we understand the principles contained in it, we will understand how unity is to be achieved.

“The true peace will come among God’s people when, through united zeal and earnest prayer, the false peace that exits to a large degree is disturbed.” Selected Messages, book 3, 20

A major obstacle to real unity is a false unity that many mistake for true unity. As long as this condition exists, there can be no progress in achieving real unity. It is God’s plan to disturb the false peace that we have among us today. Though truth does not bring dissension, the presentation of truth does disturb the false peace because of the resistance that rises against it. This is not to say that we all have to believe everything exactly the same, but there are certain foundational pillars of the advent message that we have to agree on if we are going to have unity.

In the Scriptures, Jesus is not only described as a lamb, but as a lion. (See Revelation 5:5.) He is a General who makes war. (See Revelation 19:11.) He is the Commander in Chief of the celestial forces, and very soon, He is coming back to this world to conduct a battle. The message we want to consider here comes form the Person who is the Commander in Chief—the General. It is not from a lamb; it is from the Lion.

These orders can be expressed in just three words and are given in the following paragraph.

“In vision I saw two armies in terrible conflict. One army was led by banners bearing the world’s insignia; the other was led by the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel. Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord’s army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God. An angel flying in the midst of heaven put the standard of Immanuel into many hands while a mighty general cried out with a loud voice: Come into line.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 41

For a long time, we have been treating this order as advice, thinking of it as something that sounded good but failing to realize what it means. But when the General says, “Come into line!” you and I must obey if we are to be saved.

What does a banner mean in a war? When you pick up a banner, it declares on which side you are going to fight. In picking up the banner of Prince Emmanuel, you are declaring to the whole universe that you are going to war and that you are going to fight.

Today there is a lot of apostasy because people do not have enough backbone to hold up the banner and go to war. They do not want to fight but prefer to go to heaven sitting down. They want to just pray, read, and study, and expect the Lord to save them. If, however, you are not willing to take up the banner and fight, you are not going to heaven.

“‘Our work is an aggressive one, and as faithful soldiers of Jesus, we must bear the blood-stained banner into the very strongholds of the enemy.” Review and Herald, May 8, 1888

The first principle we have to understand is that if we are going to take hold of the banner and come into line, we have to be willing to fight. There is little use of an army even coming into line if you are not going to fight.

“Those who stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel, should be faithful soldiers in Christ’s army. They should never be disloyal, never be untrue. Many of the young will volunteer to stand with Jesus, the Prince of life. But if they would continue to stand with Him, they must constantly look unto Jesus, their Captain, for His orders. They cannot be soldiers of Christ and yet engage with the confederacy of Satan, and help along his side, for then they would by enemies of Christ. They would betray sacred trusts. They would form a link between Satan and the true soldiers, so that through these living agencies the enemy would be constantly working to steal away the hearts of Christ’s soldiers.” Youth’s Instructor, March 30, 1893

You need to realize that there are people who say that they are Seventh-day Adventists, but they have united with the world. They have formed a link with Satan. In a war you cannot be on both sides; Satan and the Lord do not work together.

“My message to you is: No longer consent to listen without protest to the perversion of truth. Unmask the pretentious sophistries which, if received, will lead ministers and physicians and medical missionary workers to ignore the truth. Everyone is now to stand on his guard. God calls upon men and women to take their stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. I have been instructed to warn our people; for many are in danger of receiving theories and sophistries that undermine the foundation pillars of the faith.” Series B, no. 2, 15

If we are going to hold the banner of Emmanuel high, it is our job to unmask those sophistries and teachings that are undermining the pillars of the faith. Have you noticed, however, that whenever anyone does this work, there are always some people who will say, “Oh, that is not Christ-like.” That is Christlike! Christ is not only a lamb, he is a lion. He is a general and he says you are to unmask those false doctrines and deceptions. You are to take the mask off so people can see the truth, while exposing the error. There is no sitting on the fence; you are either going to hold up the banner of Prince Emmanuel or, if you are ashamed of it, someone else is going to place another banner in your hands.

“There is to be no compromise with the powers of darkness. Individually we must take our stand. If we are not at enmity with the prince of darkness, the serpent, his folds encircle us and all our power; his sting is in our hearts. All who range themselves under the blood-stained banner of the Prince of life will henceforth count Satan as a foe, and will in God’s strength oppose him as a deadly enemy.” In Heavenly Places, 48

The second principle that is involved in this warfare is that we must break with the devil’s force. You cannot hold two banners; you cannot fight for two armies at the same time.

“And everyone who will break from the slavery and service of Satan, and will stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel, will be kept by Christ’s intercessions. Christ, as our mediator, at the right hand of the Father, ever keeps us in view, for it is as necessary that he should keep us by His intercessions and that He should redeem us with His blood. If he lets go His hold of us for one moment, Satan stands ready to destroy.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 104

If you are going to hold up the banner, you need to break from the slavery and service of Satan. What is the slavery and service of Satan? In John 8:44, Jesus is speaking to the leaders of His day and he accuses them of being children of the devil. These people were lying and contemplating murder—breaking God’s commandments. Because of this, they had a character like the devil. Jesus said to them, “Your spiritual father is the devil.” It is true that they were the professed church of God, but their spiritual father was the devil. The same principle still holds today. No matter what the profession may be, if the character and life are not in harmony with God’s law, the person is in slavery to Satan, a member of his army. You may know with certainty that if a person is living like the devil, practicing unrighteousness, and without love for his brother, he is of the devil. It is just that simple. He can profess anything he wants, but he is under the black banner of Satan.

The third step we must take is that we must develop a character like our Leader.

“What is it to serve God?—it is to resemble Him in character, to imitate Him. To serve God is to obey Him, to keep His commandments, to make an open confession of standing, not under the black banner of the great apostate, but under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. Those who serve God strive earnestly to obey His will. Thus they show to what army they belong.” Signs of the Times, February 1, 1899

Fourth, we must be organized as an army of soldiers. No army can win a war unless they are organized. The people who are going to win this war are going to be perfectly organized. They are not just going to be a group of independent ministries or separate groups of Historic Adventists with everyone doing whatever he thinks best. We are going to be in perfect unity.

“God’s people are called upon to rally without delay under the blood-stained banner of Christ Jesus. Unceasingly they are to continue their warfare against the enemy, pressing the battle even to the gates. And everyone who is added to the ranks by conversion is to be assigned his post of duty.” Review and Herald, January, 13, 1903

When a person becomes an Historic Seventh-day Adventist in your home church, he is to be assigned a post of duty. The church is not just a club where everyone meets together to congregate. We are an army, and everyone is to be assigned his post of duty.

“Everyone should be willing to be or to do anything in this warfare. When church members put forth earnest efforts to advance the message, they will live in the joy of the Lord, and will meet with success. Triumph always follows decided effort.” Ibid.

We are either going to conquer or be conquered, and we must have perfect order among us in order to prosecute the war that we are in.

“They have lifted the cross, separating from opposing friends and relatives, and have taken their stand under the blood-stained banner of Christ, to be loyal to all the commandments of God….Now this little flock are babes in Christ, and need to be taught and led along, step by step, into faith and assurance; they need to be educated and trained to do the work of soldiers in the army of the Lord, and to bear hardness, that is, trials and opposition, contempt and scorn, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.” Paulson Collection, 134

If we are going to hold high that banner, we must (1) be involved in the war, (2) forsake the slavery and service of sin and Satan, (3) develop a Christlike character, and (4) be organized—just as organized as a group of soldiers.

“Many have received all the evidences of truth that God will ever give them. They have permitted and encouraged false sentiments; and they have practiced deception to cover up their apostasy.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, 194

Part of the battle is to unmask these sophistries, but there are people who are working to cover up the apostasy with deceptive statements. This is why we have to have videos and print tracts to unmask it.

“I am instructed to say to those who desire to return to God, ‘Cleanse your hands, and purify your hearts. Break loose from the spell of the enemy.’” Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, 272

This is the problem with many Adventists. They are under the spell of the enemy. When my parents were missionaries in Burma, I remember going to a place where they showed snakes. The cobra starts weaving back and forth and can actually hypnotize its prey. This is the situation we are in in Adventism right now. The serpent is trying to hypnotize Adventists and get them all calmed down. Oh, friend, go to your closet and pray:, “Lord, take the blinders off of my eyes and help me to see what is going on.”

The problem with a large number of Adventists today is that they have fallen into error, but they cannot comprehend it unless the Lord works a miracle in their heart. Friend, we need to pray for ourselves and for each other and say, “Lord, give me a new heart, please. Open my eyes so that I can see.”

God is appealing to people to close up the ranks and to come into line! We have to be willing to be involved in the battle. We have to break from Satan’s banner, keep the commandments, develop a character, and become as organized as an army of soldiers. In the past we have worked in a much too haphazard way, and it is not pleasing to the Lord. This is why we must be organized. We need to counsel with each other; that is part of gospel order.

Who are we to counsel with? Somebody might say, “Oh, there are plenty of people to counsel with.” No there are not. We have been forbidden to counsel with anybody who does not give evidence that they are under the control of the Holy Spirit. That severely limits the people with whom you can counsel.

“When all our ministers and physicians come into line, taking their stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel, we shall see an army of men and women going forth to work for Christ, speaking the word with holy boldness and power.” Review and Herald, February 16, 1905

Friends, we are never going to finish God’s work if we do not come into line. It is a Divine command that we must be organized in everything we do. Do not think that just because you have a home church, you have been cast out and that you can forget about organization. It is more important now than ever before. Every Historic Adventist needs to belong to an organized body that is working for the Lord to finish His work.

I want to make an appeal to you. Very soon there will no longer be another opportunity. We are either going to be organized and in unity or we are going to be destroyed. It is just that simple. I am not asking you to do anything rash. In fact, I am not asking you to do anything at all; it is the Lord who has given the order. As the General of the armies of heaven, he says, “Hold up the banner and come into line.”

Are you willing to make this commitment with the Lord? You may not understand everything that is involved, and Jesus does not ask you to do what you cannot understand. The question is, Are you willing to say to the Lord, “Lord, I am willing to come into line, to do your will. Lead us into that line that You want us to be in so that we will have a united front against the foe”? Let us ask the Lord to help us to come into line and to be ready for the final crisis.

The End

The Message of the Angels to the Entire World

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It is an absolute thrill to be a part of the proclamation of the three angels’ message. It is a growing, dynamic movement raised up by God. The very essence of Adventism, of what it means to be a true Seventh-day Adventist and to truly give the three angels’ messages, is being revived around the world. The fellowship is truly a foretaste of heaven.

Ellen White wrote that “The world is preparing for the closing work of the third angel’s message. The truth is now to go forth with a power that it has not known for years. The message of present truth is to be proclaimed everywhere.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 10, 218. The world is preparing for it. People know that something enormous is about to happen in the world. Pope John Paul II believes that there is going to be a cataclysmic event that, as a result, the papacy will emerge as the ruler of this world. But even the man on the street has a sense that something is impending in our world.

Right now, we are at a crisis point in the history of humanity. Every person on this earth is to have the opportunity of understanding what the issue is regarding the mark of the beast. To meet the challenge, if God’s people will rise up and improve the opportunity that has come to them so providentially and miraculously, they will be given by God the most powerful tool for the proclamation of the loud cry.

We are part of a movement that is going through to glory. It is the unfolding of the power and the principles of the kingdom of God in these latter days. We have always known that this message of the three angels is going to triumph gloriously, but the vision of how it is going to take place is now beginning to unfold before our eyes. The message of present truth is to be proclaimed everywhere, and how can we proclaim it so cost effectively as through this shortwave radio station? With this station, the most powerful available, the billions of people on earth can hear the message at the speed of light. The developments that take place step by step as we approach the second coming of Jesus can be analyzed and proclaimed in the setting of the three angels’ messages.

In order for the rays of light to penetrate everywhere, those who are giving the message must have a way to carry the message everywhere. This is not going to be very effectively done by our opposition. We must have a voice, and God is giving to us that voice—the most powerful tool of communication available at this time. There is going to be a great harvest, and the radio station is a key factor.

“The last great conflict is before us; but help is to come to all who love God and obey His law, and the earth, the whole earth, is to be lighted with the glory of God.” Review and Herald, April 19, 1903. How many cities have you been through in China recently, proclaiming the message of truth? Do you know that through your gifts and this radio station we have the potential of being able to proclaim that message to every town in China, in inner and outer Mongolia, and in Tibet? Do you see the significance of it? We can blanket the entire globe at the speed of light. The whole earth is to be lighted with the glory of God. That is the commission that God has given to us. That is the glory of the hour, the time upon which we stand—the proclamation of the loud cry of the third angel, which will be attended by the fourth angel, which reinforces the second angel, all bound up with the first angel and the everlasting gospel.

The knowledge of the truth places us in a position of great responsibility because the blood that was shed at Calvary’s cross is of infinite value. The proclamation of the truth that makes known the knowledge of this infinite gift is an integral part of the plan of redemption. While all around, the principles of Satan are being acted out, the heavenly light is to shine upon this generation; and it will shine through the tongues, the pens, the generosity in giving, and the activity of God’s people, and through the improvement of opportunities that He has given them at this time. There is nothing that can compare with the thrill of being a part of it. If you are bored with life, all you have to do is begin following the truth, and you will have more adventure than you can endure.

Let us not be found with those who say, “It is not time to give out The Great Controversy now,” or “Be careful that you do not mention the mark of the beast.” As a result of the loud cry, every person in this world will know what the mark of the beast is; and if we cannot tell what it is now, how will we do it when the laws forbid it? The world must be prepared. Every person must know exactly what Rome did in changing the day of worship. Every person must know what the mark of the beast is and what the seal of God is so they can make an enlightened decision before the seven last plagues fall. Someone is going to do it. As Pastor John has said, “If not us, who? If not now, when?”

Do you realize now what it means that we have the satellite uplink? We are able to hold telethons that we could not have held two years ago. As this movement grows, you see, it feeds on itself; it is cyclical. Once this station is purchased, who knows what opportunity the Lord will open up next, and on and on and on. As we act on the opportunities that God gives us, he gives us more opportunities. What started out as a tiny mustard seed, as in the parable of Jesus, is sprouting and growing until it becomes a great tree, and the birds can nest in its branches. But those people who are holding the truth in unrighteousness are never going to give this message until they repent and come into line with the operation of the Holy Spirit right now.

There have been times when my heart has said, “How will God’s people be able to stand the forces coming against them?” In the Old Testament, over and over again a few men of Israel stood up and resisted the enemy and overwhelmed them in the Spirit of the Lord; and it will be the same way again at the end of time. I love that story of Gideon’s army and especially the test that God gave them when they came down to the water. Three hundred scooped it up and kept on running. Of the ones who stopped and took their time, God said, “Sorry. We can’t use them.” They turned the armies of the aliens to flight, and this is the spirit that is going to seize control of God’s people today.

During crisis times in the Reformation, Martin Luther spent three hours a day in prayer. One man, with a heart anchored by faith to Christ, is greater than the whole world. I pray to God, “Make my heart so broad, so strong, that it can bear up when these forces are applied against us. Give God’s people a heart and a spirit that is so broad, so strong, so powerful in You, that it will not be overcome and it will emerge triumphant over all obstacles.”

It is the work of the third angel’s message to reach every person and convict them regarding the claims of the law of God, the Sabbath of God, and expose the man of sin and what he has done in altering the law of God in insinuating his own authority where the authority of God is supposed to be. Every person has to have these things clearly delineated; that is the work of the third angel. God will allow that work to go on until it is complete, and that is the one safe place to be.

You see, the issue of sacrifice is complete surrender. If it will glorify God’s name to allow us to be martyred to show the character of Satan in contrast to the character of God, then it will advance God’s work. When the fires of Smithfield were lit in England and Ridley and Latimer were led to the stake, they said to each other, “We are going to light this day in England a fire that will not be extinguished.” As they were about to be burned, they encouraged each other with these words. So it will be, but your eternal life is secure in Christ. He will look out for your eternal best interest. There is nothing in the world that can even begin to compare with standing on that sea of glass and realizing that you have been fully redeemed, that you are there for eternity along with those who have listened to the message because you gave a gift to purchase the most advanced communications tool known to man.

There are many Adventists who are afraid to proclaim the third angel’s message. They do not want it proclaimed; they want to hush it up. They are writing articles in the periodicals to quiet it down; but I tell you, it is going to be given. And as it swells into a loud cry, great power and glory will attend its proclamation! I want to be a part of that power and glory! That power and glory is wrapped up in the third angel’s message. Ellen White says that if you separate the mark of the beast from the proclamation of the Sabbath, it loses its power. That is why the mark of the beast issue is so significant.

If we cannot proclaim the third angel’s message now, what about after the national Sunday law is passed? What will you do once a national police force is firmly established, which we are in the process of witnessing right now? I listened to an intelligence advisor, who used to serve in the United States military as an intelligence analyst and a counter-intelligence coordinator for years, give a seminar. He described what it will be like when the new world order takes effect. He spoke of various police agencies, such as the MJTF police, a multijurisdictional task force that most Americans have never even heard of. He told how they will do house to house searches and seizures and sweeps through the cities of our land, rounding up those who are dissenters from the new world order. He said that twelve years ago he would not have even considered talking about these things, but recently he has been discovering one piece of evidence after another.

“Some, I saw, have a prejudice against our rulers and laws; but if it were not for law, this world would be in an awful condition. God restrains our rulers; for the hearts of all in are in His hands. Bounds are set, beyond which they cannot go. Many of the rulers are those whom Satan controls; but I saw that God has His agents, even among the rulers. And some of them will yet be converted to the truth. They are now acting the part that God would have them. When Satan works through his agents, propositions are made, that, if carried out, would impede the work of God and produce great evil. The good angels move upon these agents of God to oppose such propositions with strong reasons, which Satan’s agents cannot resist. A few of God’s agents will have power to bear down a great mass of evil.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 203, 204

There is a struggle going on between the rulers of the earth—some under the control of the evil angels and some under the control of good angels. I have been amazed as I have been doing research, to see that there are people who are opposing gigantic evils that I did not even know existed. You heard on the news about the Iran Contra hearings and all that is involved. As I listened to the reports, little did I know that there were programs involved in that affair to suspend our Constitution and that there were good agents who resisted this, at great cost.

God will use His agents who are rulers in this earth to hold back a mass of evil so that this message can be proclaimed. That gives me great encouragement as I think about the proclamation of the message through this radio station. God is going to see to it that His message is proclaimed; and the safest place that you can be is right in the center of the proclamation of this message, because God will work through His angels on the hearts of rulers to allow the proclamation of this message.

“During the loud cry, the church, aided by the providential interpositions [This means that God is going to say, “We are going to adjust this and that, move out in this direction, correct this, block this evil, give this message.] of her exalted Lord, will diffuse the knowledge of salvation so abundantly that light will be communicated to every city and town. [You can do that with this shortwave station.] The earth will be filled with the knowledge of salvation.” Evangelism, 694

“As the third angel’s message swells into a loud cry, great power and glory will attend its proclamation. The faces of God’s people will shine with the light of heaven.” Maranatha, 202. I tell you, God’s people are going to be the most powerful force on this earth. They are united with the most powerful Being in the universe—God—God providentially interposing and blocking evil and opening up opportunities, crowning with success their intense efforts. Great power and glory will attend the giving of the message of the third angel.

The time has come for the nominal Adventist to awake out of his Laodicean state, seize the message, and join this movement! There is no time to delay. Every hour, you are approaching more closely the crisis of the ages. At any moment the sudden terror that Ellen White described that would come with blinding force and as an overwhelming surprise may spring upon you. And the Seventh-day Adventist sitting in the pew week by week is no exemption. I tell you, the one safe place will be under that covering that God extends over every person who is decided upon the three angel’s messages.

“When Jesus leaves the most holy, His restraining Spirit is withdrawn from rulers and people. They are left to the control of evil angels.” Ibid., 268. Then there will be none of these rulers who are God’s agents still there to resist them. Every one of the rulers then will be evil. That is what happened in the destruction of Jerusalem, which is a type of what it will be like in the great time of trouble. What a picture. They are left to the control of evil angels. Do you see, fellow Adventists, if you do not join this movement of the three angels’ messages and give it all that you have, where you will be left? You well be outside of the ark of safety where only evil angels are controlling humanity.

Do you think that people will know who is proclaiming the message? They will be known. Someone came up to me last night with a quote from the Mackelvane Intelligence Advisor, about a Univac computer in which are one million names already targeted for arrest when the new world order goes into effect in this country. Other figures about which we are hearing is that under the new world order, seventy-five percent of the population of North America and half the population of the world will have to be eliminated. Does it sound outlandish? Listen, before World War II, who took Hitler seriously when he wrote Mein Kampf, where he laid out his plan? It sounded too fantastic. It was not until after the war that the truth began coming out! We need to learn a lesson because, according to the occult agencies of the world, that was a trial run for a new world order.

God is going to allow a real demonstration at the end of time. He is going to let the universe see what it would have been like if Satan would have been given a free hand in heaven. He will show the entire universe what it would have been like if Satan had had his way. On this earth it will be demonstrated, and we are called upon to live during that time.

Yes, the proclamation of the third angel, which identifies the mark of the beast, will involve persecution; but the glory of the experience is impossible to describe. You cannot imagine what it will be like when you get to heaven to be able to tell stories about this ruler and that ruler who accepted the message of the third angel. You will be able to tell worlds afar what it was like to be under God’s protection during that time of Satan’s power here on this earth, when the earth was desolated and wasted by famine, pestilence, and plague, and every element of strife and evil was cut loose on humanity.

“Those who have held the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end will be wide-awake during the time that the third angel’s message is proclaimed with great power.” Maranatha, 218

Now is the time. May God help us to make the best use of it.

The End

Investing for the Lord

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In doing research for this article, I found a statement that startled me. It said: “Often we lament the scanty resources available, but were Christians thoroughly in earnest, they could multiply the resources a thousandfold.” Ministry of Healing, 206. [All emphasis supplied.] As I prayed that God would help me earn money for the shortwave radio station, I wondered how He could turn a dollar of mine into a thousand dollars for His cause. Nevertheless, I prayed that the Lord would help me to earn money for the radio station.

The idea of house-sitting (watching people’s houses while they are away) came to my mind. That Thursday evening when I called the Wichita Eagle to place an advertisement in the classified section, the lady who took my information said, “I’ll try and get this in for free. If I have any trouble, I’ll call you back and let you know.” She never called back. One month of advertising—free!

Friday afternoon, as I was preparing for the Sabbath, the telephone rang. “Is this the place to call for the advertisement in the paper for a housesitter?”
“Yes,” I replied. The man went on to tell me that he and his wife would be traveling together for two months this winter and needed someone to watch their house while they were away. They have a nice house, he told me, and though they do not have pets, they do have plants that would need watering; and when they return, they want the house to have the “lived in” look.

As he sounded genuine, I decided to be very up front and frank with him. I told him that I worked at Steps to Life and that I was doing this to earn money for a mission project. I explained that I was a Bible worker whose duties also included work in the office, and while I could be there at night and some other time as well, I would be gone the better part of most days. He said it sounded perfect and he would have his wife call to set up a time when I could meet their housekeeper who came in on Wednesdays. (I would not even have to clean the house!) Then he said, “We would pay you $275 a week.”

I tried to act casual and replied. “That would be fine.”

The total amount I will earn for the radio station will be $2,200. Do you believe that God can work things out for His people to earn a little extra money for His work? I know that He can. “A thousand doors of usefulness are open before us. Often we lament the scanty resources available, but were Christians thoroughly in earnest, they could multiply the resources a thousandfold. Ibid.

Even as a child, Ellen White knew what it meant to sacrifice for the cause. Listen to her personal experience:

“Even though he may be poor, the youth who is industrious and economical can save a little for the cause of God. When I was only twelve years old, I knew what it was to economize. With my sister I learned a trade, and although we would earn only twenty-five cents a day, from this sum we were able to save a little to give to missions. We saved little by little until we had thirty dollars. Then when the message of the Lord’s soon coming came to us, with a call for men and means, we felt it a privilege to hand over the thirty dollars to father, asking him to invest it in tracts and pamphlets to send the message to those who were in darkness.” Messages to Young People, 299

Not every person may be able to give a thousand dollars. Some may be able to give only a small amount of money, but that small amount is needed.

“Every dollar is required in the work of saving souls. The money invested by the professed people of God in getting pictures made of human faces would support several missionaries in the field. Many small streams, when put together, swell into a large river.” Ibid., 317. “The smallest sums given cheerfully by those who are in limited circumstances are fully as acceptable to God, and even of more value in His sight, than the offerings of the rich who can bestow their thousands, and yet exercise no self-denial and feel no lack.” Counsels on Stewardship, 30

The promise to the poor everywhere is, “It is in the power of all to do something for the cause of God.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 18

God wants us to be innovative in thinking of ways to multiply funds; but He also requires of each one of us personal sacrifice, whether we are rich or poor. We are to exercise self-denial in our appetite, in our dress, and in the way we furnish our homes. Self really is the greatest hindrance to the cause of God. “We have no enemy without that we need to fear. Our greatest conflict is with unconsecrated self.” Review and Herald, March 5, 1908

To be victorious in the battle with self, we should daily contemplate three things:

  • The result received from acts of self-denial and sacrifice,
  • The result received from acts of selfishness, and
  • The sacrifice Jesus made in our behalf.

Let us look first at the results of selfishness. “When God’s bounties, so richly and abundantly given, are withheld from Him, and selfishly bestowed upon ourselves, God’s curse, in the place of His blessing, will surely be experienced; for this the Lord has declared….Selfishness is a deadly evil. Self-love and careless indifference to the specific terms of agreement between God and man, the refusal to act as His faithful stewards. Have brought upon them His curse, just as he declared would be the case. These souls have separated themselves from God by precept and example they have led others to disregard God’s plain commandments, and He could not bestow His blessing upon them.” Youth’s Instructor, August 26, 1897

“Even if we do not lose our souls, we shall realize in eternity the result of our unused talents.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 363

“He who refuses to become a ‘laborer together with God,’—the man who for the sake of selfish indulgence ignores the wants of his fellow men, the miser who heaps up his treasures here,—is withholding from himself the richest blessing that God can give him.” Counsels on Stewardship, 23
What are those blessings that we withhold from ourselves when we heap up treasures here on this earth. Through the practice of self-denial we receive the following blessings:

We are better able to understand the work of our Savior. “The giving that is the fruit of self-denial is a wonderful help to the giver. It imparts an education that enables us more fully to comprehend the work of Him who went about doing good, relieving the suffering, and supplying the needs of the destitute.” Messages to Young People, 300

Our character is thus molded into the likeness of our Savior. “While some go forth to preach, He calls upon others to answer his claims upon them for offerings with which to support His cause in the earth. He has placed means in the hands of men, that His divine gifts may flow through human channels in doing the work appointed us in saving our fellow men. This is one of God’s ways of exalting man. It is just the work that man needs, for it will stir the deepest sympathies of his heart, and call into exercise the highest capabilities of the mind.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 255

We are brought into unity with God and with one another. “Christ’s believing people are to perpetuate His love. This love is to draw them together around the cross. It is to divest them of all selfishness and bind them to God and to one another.” Ibid., 256

We are enabled to cooperate with heavenly intelligences. “When we are willing to put away our selfish desires and give the powers of heart and mind to the work of the cause of God, heavenly agencies will co-operate with us, making us a blessing to humanity.” Messages to Young People, 299

The message will go with power. “When those who know the truth practice the self-denial enjoined in God’s Word, the message will go with power. The Lord will hear our prayers for the conversion of souls. God’s people will let their light shine forth, and unbelievers, seeing their good works, will glorify our heavenly Father.” Ibid., 315

We will see souls we have helped to win to Christ in heaven. “The means used to bless others will bring returns. Riches rightly employed will accomplish great good. Souls will be won to Christ. He who follows Christ’s plan of life will see in the courts of God those for whom he has labored and sacrificed on earth.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 373

Investment. What is the first thing that comes to your mind? Is it business enterprises, real estate, stocks and bonds, or savings accounts? Or maybe you thing back to the days when investment was called for in the Sabbath School department. All of these can be very valid and useful tools for the work of the Lord is employed in His service; but they are dim in comparison to the most costly investment which has ever been made or ever will be made throughout the eons of eternity—the investment God made in the human race.

Will we then, seeing our Saviour’s tremendous sacrifice, allow our hearts to remain cold, hard, and selfish? Can we see Jesus’ agony in Gethsemane and on Calvary and cling tenaciously to our habits of ease, slothfulness, and indolence, giving nothing to the cause of God? God forbid.

“The Lord God of heaven collected all the riches of the universe, and laid them down in order to purchase the pearl of lost humanity. The Father gave all His divine resources into the hands of Christ in order that the richest blessings of heaven might be poured out upon a fallen race….This gift was given to man to convince him that God had left nothing undone that He could do, that there is nothing held in reserve, but that all heaven has been poured out in one vast gift.” Lift Him Up, 232

Yes, God has invested everything in the effort to bring to lost, degraded mankind the gift of salvation. While we were yet sinners, while we showed Him contempt, while we trampled upon His law, while we were in rebellion against His law, God invested all that He had to save us. We should respond with an investment, in percentage, no less than God invested in us—everything we have.

“Some think that only a portion of their money is the Lord’s. When they have set apart a portion for religious and charitable purposes, they regard the remainder as their own, to be used as they see fit. But in this they mistake. All we possess is the Lord’s and we are accountable to Him for the use we make of it. In the use of every penny it will be seen whether we love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 351

We are to account at the bar of God for the way that we spend every penny, but that is not all. We are also responsible for what we could have returned to God if we would have been wise managers of our time, influence, and money. Remember the story of the talents in Matthew 25? God actually required more in return than what He gave the servant with two talents. What are we to learn from this? God wants us to be more industrious and energetic than we have often realized.

Make a covenant with God.

Professionals:

  • Choose a day of the week and dedicate all proceeds billed that day to the shortwave radio station. (And be prepared for a busy day!)
  • Pledge all of your new pay clients over the next six months.

Contractors:

  • Dedicate the profits from one project to the proclamation of the three angel’s messages through the means of the shortwave station.
  • Donate a certain percentage of profits (above tithe and offerings) to the Lord.

Business Owners:

  • Give all new accounts to the shortwave project.
  • Consecrate a certain percentage of profits to the project.

Stockholders:

  • Invest in something with eternal dividends! Sell your stocks and save taxes, too! (Contact Cecil Reed for particulars.)
  • Land / Property Owners:
  • Deed a piece of land to the cause of God and make your estate investment in heaven sure. (See Testimonies, vol. 1, 692.)

Anyone:

  • Pray about a second job such as house-sitting for families going on vacation and needing someone to stay in their home, baby-sitting, etc.
  • Sell your collectibles! Stamp collections, coin collections, Hummels, etc.—they are worth money now, but soon will not be. Sell now and save souls for eternity!

Children and youth:

  • Collect aluminum cans.
  • Shovel snow or do yard work.
  • Baby-sit.
  • Ask friends, neighbors, and relatives if there is anything you can do to help earn money for a mission project. (Tell them about the shortwave station!)
    Families:
  • Have a garage, attic, or yard sale, and donate the proceeds to the station.
  • Dedicate the profits from two or more Sundays a month of colporteuring with your children to the radio station—a wonderful experience for your family, and soul-saving in two ways! (Call Steps to Life to order books and/or a suggested canvas.)
  • Decide as a family to save all of the money spent on needless things such as gum, candy, and soda pop, and put it in a “self-denial box.”

The End

Where God is Working

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The third chapter of 1 Corinthians is rapidly becoming one of my favorite books in the New Testament. It is really one of the great books in the Bible about who and what the church is. Verse 2 of the first chapter says, “To the church of God which is at Corinth to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus.” We see that the church in Corinth, were those people in that city who were sanctified in Christ Jesus. If you turn to chapter 3, you will find one of the most astounding verses in all of the Bible. In fact, verse 9 was the verse that my brother Marshall used for his very last sermon. It says, “For we are God’s fellow workers.” If you study the Spirit of Prophecy writings carefully, you will find out that this is one of Ellen White’s favorite verses and that she used it over and over again to show how we become workers together with God. There is no higher privilege that any person could have than to actually be a fellow laborer—a fellow worker with God! If you want to be a fellow worker with God, do you think it might be important for you to find out where God is working? Ever since the beginning of time, God has been working. As you study the inspired writings, they always focus the attention on where God is working.

When I studied ancient history, I found out that there were many things going on during Abraham’s time, but inspiration does not go into any of that. It focuses all the attention on where God is working. If you want to be a fellow worker with God, you need to find out where God is working.

Even though Adam had many children, inspiration focuses only on a holy line of men through whom God was working. Seth had a son named Enos, and in his time, the Bible says that men began to call on the name of the Lord. That is where God was working. Then, in the seventh generation from Adam, Enoch was born. That is where God was working, and the people who chose to be fellow workers with God worked in cooperation with Enoch. After Enoch, there was Noah; and if you had been living in Noah’s time and you wanted to be a fellow worker with God, you would be working with Noah.

By the time there had been twenty generations, the whole world had already rejected God twice. God looked over the world and he found a man whose name was Abraham. He said to Abraham, “I am going to fulfill the plan of salvation through you and through your seed [Christ].”

As you study the Bible record, you will find a certain characteristic in common among all those through whom God was working. In speaking of Abraham, God clearly identified what it is that qualifies a person to be a colaborer with Him. “Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26:5. Abraham was obedient.

At the time that God brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, He made them a wonderful promise: “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then You shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” Exodus 19:5

Did this promise have conditions? God made a covenant with them. He said, “If you do this, I will do this for you; you will be My special people.” There have always been conditions.

Have you ever heard people say that there are unconditional promises? I decided to check this out in inspired writings; and when I looked in the writings of Ellen White, she says that all of God’s promises and threatenings are conditional. Do not let anyone tell you, unless they can show you from inspired writings, that any promise is unconditional.

Israel wandered in the wilderness for thirty-eight years longer than they had to because they were not obedient and they rebelled. Finally, when they entered Canaan, they went into apostasy again and started worshiping idols. This went on for hyndreds of years. During this time the tabernacle was still with them, and they kept the yearly feast days.

Do you know where the tabernacle was located during all the period of the judges? It was located in Shiloh, in the land of Ephraim. Many people have almost forgotten that Ephraim was the center of divine worship for over three hundred years. The people of that time thought that it would always be that way.

Look what it says about this in the Psalms. “Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.” Psalms 78:67,68

Why did God reject Ephraim and remove the tabernacle from Shiloh? “The ark remained at Shiloh for three hundred years, until, because of the sins of Eli’s house, it fell into the hands of the Philistines, and Shiloh was ruined.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 514

The leaders of God’s people fell into apsotasy and sin. As a result, the Lord told Eli, “You are not going to be a priest for Me. Your descendants are not going to be My priests forever.”

They were descendants of Aaron—God’s people; but the Lord said, “You are no longer going to be priests.” He rejected Ephraim as the religious center—something that they thought could not happen, happened. “The sanctuary service was finally transferred to the temple at Jerusalem, and Shiloh fell into insignificance. There are only ruins to mark the spot where it once stood. Long afterward its fate was made use of as a warning to Jerusalem.” Ibid.

A few hundred years later the people of Jerusalem thought the same thing. The temple there was the center of divine worship, and they believed that this was where God was working. Hundreds of years after the worship had been transferred from Shiloh, the Lord, through Jeremiah, said: “’Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,’ says the LORD. ‘But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. And now, because you have done all these works,’ says the LORD, ‘and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer, therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren—the whole posterity of Ephraim.’” Jeremiah 7:9-15

As we look at history, we see that God cannot work with people who are living in sin. If you want to be a fellow worker with God, you cannot link up and work with people who are living and working in sin. With God, character is what counts; and God is working with people who listen to His voice and who obey.

We are told of Israel:

“Their calamities did not come because they kept the law of God, but because they disregarded that law. God had told them that if they did not obey His commandments, he could not keep His covenant with them. The history of the Israelites is portrayed for our warning. They had great light and exalted privileges; yet they did not live up to that light nor appreciate their advantage, and their light became darkness. They walked in the light of their own eyes, instead of following the leadings of God. Their history is given for the benefit of those who live in these last days, that we may avoid following the same example of unbelief.” Signs of the Times, July 19, 1899

Where was God working in the time of Jesus? When Jesus was brought to the temple to be dedicated, Ellen White says that the priest did not recognize anything unusual. Commenting on this experience she says, “So it is still. Events upon which the attention of all heaven is centered, are undiscerned, their very occurrence is unnoticed, by religious leaders, and worshipers in the house of God.” The Desire of Ages, 56

The attention of all heaven is focused on Christ’s birth! And down here in this world the people who claim to be God’s true people do not even know it has taken place. How can you be a laborer together with God it you do not even know where God is working?

So, during the time when Jesus was here, where was God working? God was working through His Son to bring salvation to a lost world, If you had wanted to be a laborer together with God, you had to connect yourself with Jesus and work with Him.

So, during the time when Jesus was here, where was God working? God was working through His Son to bring salvation to a lost world. If you had wanted to be a laborer together with God, you had to connect yourself with Jesus and work with Him.

The New Testament writers predict that a terrible change is going to take place among those who profess to be Christians. Paul speaks, addressing the elders from the church of Ephesus: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchases with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves [church leaders] men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Acts 20:28-30

Speaking of this same great apostasy, Paul wrote: “Let no one deceive you by any means: for that Day [the day of Christ] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4

Peter talked about this apostasy, too. “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.” 2 Peter 2:1, 2 [All emphasis supplied.] The word blasphemy means to speak evil of something. As a result of this new teaching, the real way of truth will be evil spoken of.

Notice that both Peter and Paul say that false prophets will secretly bring in destructive heresies. Whenever you find a book that is written to which the authors do not want to put their name, you ought to remember these texts.

Paul identifies this element as the mystery of lawlessness. This apostasy will, therefore, involve the breaking of God’s law and result in the way of truth being evil spoken of. Did this happen?

“The history of God’s people during the ages of darkness that followed upon Rome’s supremacy is written in heaven, but they have little place in human records. Few traces of their existence can be found, except in the accusations of their persecutors. It was the policy of Rome to obliterate every trace of dissent from her doctrines or decrees. Everything heretical, whether persons or writings, she sought to destroy….Before the invention of printing, books were few in number, and in a form not favorable for preservation; therefore there was little to prevent the Romanists from carrying out their purpose.” The Great Controversy, 61, 62

If you were living in that time and you wanted to be a fellow worker with God, it made all the difference in the world whether or not you understood that God was working with people who were keeping His law. If you did not understand this principle, you could not be a fellow laborer with God. Do you realize, friends, that there have been millions of people who have believed that they were working with the Lord but were working with the devil the whole time?

We find that all of the sixteenth century Reformers upheld God’s law. They did not all understand the binding claims of the fourth commandment, but they did not reject it. There is a great difference between not understanding truth and rejecting it. Martin Luther, a well as John, preached a great deal on the Ten Commandments and believed in them. God was leading a people on step by step.

When you study sacred history, you find that in the latter part of the eighteenth and the early part of nineteenth century, simultaneously, all over the world, God started raising up people from all the various Christian churches with the message that Jesus was coming soon. The great second advent movement emerged. We are not able in our limited space here to go into detail about what happened in the second advent movement, but out of that movement there was a group of people that eventually formed who were called Millerites, Adventists, and later Seventh-day Adventists.

As this group studied, they discovered the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14. Having learned the meaning of the sanctuary message in the books of Hebrews and Daniel, they realized that the day of Judgment was to begin on October 22, 1844. This is not a message that the apostle Paul preached, because it would not have been true during his lifetime. The apostle Paul taught that the Judgment was still in the future. (See Acts 24:25.) Martin Luther did not preach it either. But here is a message that the hour of God’s Judgment has come. You cannot preach that the hour of God’s judgment has come unless you know it has started. But how do we know for sure that it has started? There is only one way that I know of that you know that the hour of God’s judgment has started, and that is from Daniel 8 and 9.

Now, do you understand why the devil has made our understanding of Daniel 8 and 9 a focal point of attack? If he can destroy a person’s confidence in that truth, that person can no longer preach the first angel’s message. And remember, the second and third angels’ messages are built upon the first. You cannot preach the third unless you preach the second, and you cannot preach the second unless you preach the first. And if you do not understand Daniel 8:14 about the twenty-three hundred days, you are no longer a Seventh-day Adventist.

Where is God working today? God is working today with the people who are proclaiming the three angels’ messages. That is where God is working today. If you want to be a fellow laborer with God today, you have to join up with the people who are doing this.

Let me ask you this question. How can you preach the second angel’s message if you do not know who Babylon is according to Revelation 18:1-5? The second angel’s message is going to be a fellow laborer with God today, you have to know this message.

The third angel’s message is a warning against the beast, his image, and his mark. Notice how the message concludes. “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. If you are not even sure that you can really keep the commandments of God, how can you be a fellow laborer with God and preach Revelation 14:12? Have you noticed that it does not say that here are those who are trying to deep the commandments? It says they keep them. You cannot be a fellow laborer with God and be involved in His last work for the world if you cannot proclaim the message, and you certainly cannot proclaim the message if you do not believe it is true. Do you see how dangerous this idea is when people say, “You are going to keep sinning until Jesus comes”?

If you want to know where God is working, the first thing you want to look for is a group of Adventists who really keep the commandments and do not play around and say, “Well, we are doing the best we can.” Listen, friends, the best you can do is not good enough, unless you are keeping the commandments by the power of God. If you give your life to the Lord, He has the power to give you so that you can keep them. If we fail to keep them, when Jesus comes He will be able to show us millions of people who had the same besetting sins that we had, and He will say, “I gave all of these people power to overcome.” What are you going to say then? I want to tell you, you are going to be speechless.

The people described in Revelation 12:17 not only keep the commandments but they have the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 19:10 says that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Seventh-day Adventists believe that Ellen White fulfilled this prophecy of giving the gift of prophecy to God’s remnant people. If you want to find the people who God is working through, you want to look for a people who have, believe, and obey the spirit of prophecy. That eliminates the large portion of those who make a profession of waiting for the Lord to come.

Revelation 14:12 points out that God’s people not only keep the commandments but they have the faith of Jesus. You will never find somebody who has the first qualification and does not have the third one because you cannot keep the commandments unless you do have the faith of Jesus. People who have the faith of Jesus will be a sanctified people.

There is another characteristic that, unfortunately, disqualifies many who qualify according to the first three characteristics. Revelation 14:6 tells us that God’s last people will be giving His last message to the world. “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.” If you want to find the people through whom God is working and if you want to be a fellow laborer with God, you need to find the people who are determined to take the three angels’ messages to every single person in the world.

When you find those people, you will know what group to work with; you will know how to be a colaborer with God, because that is where God is working. He is working with the people who have these four characteristics: they keep his commandments; they have the spirit of prophecy and live by it; they have the faith of Jesus; and they are out to take the gospel to every single person in the whole world.

The catastrophe that I see taking place in Adventism today is that the great majority of Adventists are going to destruction, and when I try to warn them they say, “You say that we are in total apostasy.” Looking at the destruction of Jerusalem, we get just a little idea of what is ahead for Adventism. The only way that you are going to avoid being part of that destruction is if you are a coworker with God, working where God is working, obedient to his law.

The gospel is not a halfway business. Either you have to get in to it all the way or you might as well get out. Soon time will be no more, and when it is all over, I want to know that I have given it everything I have. I want all of my money, my time, my talents, everything I have, to be in the finishing God’s work. How about you?

The End

With the Speed of Light

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“The heavenly messengers seen by Ezekiel, like a bright light going among the living creatures with the swiftness of lightning, represent the speed with which this work will finally go forward to completion.” Review and Herald, January 11, 1887

The hour has struck, when, because of developments in the formation of the Papal New World Order, the three angels’ messages must be proclaimed to every creature under heaven. As the network of New World Order influence and substance is being drawn together with breathtaking precision and speed, time is running out. The New World Order is global, affecting every nation and individual on the earth; and already legislation is in place in this country that would eliminate freedom, preparing for a sudden strike against the Protestant and republican features of American Constitutional law.

In this time of crisis, when there are millions who have never been brought in contact with the truth, God is making to historic Adventism the most powerful means available for communication the loud cry to the world. The story of how this has happened is the most incredible series of providences I have witnessed in my life.

When I was in college, as I read the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy for hours each day, a tremendous longing welled up within me to carry the message of the three angels of Revelation 14 to the world. Outside the borders of North America, the primary medium of communication is shortwave radio (there are approximately 500,000,000 shortwave radios in the world), and my dream included transmitting in the major language groups the message of The Great Controversy, The Desire of Ages, and the Scriptures, including the three angels’ messages. In the intervening twenty years, I obtained my advanced class amateur radio license while working toward my first class commercial license which is necessary to operate a radio station.

Earlier this fall, on the night of November 3, 1993, from about midnight on, I awoke every hour or two with a powerful impression regarding the proclamation of the message via shortwave. I felt strongly impressed to tell John Osborne in the morning of my dream of giving the gospel and the three angels’ messages by shortwave. That was Thursday morning. Little did I know what was taking place that day.

A shortwave radio station rarely goes on sale, but on Friday, John called the engineer for Joshua and Caleb at Prophecy Countdown, Gordon Simkin, to have him see if any short wave radio stations were available. On Monday morning, Gordon called his old friend, George Jacobs, who is perhaps the world’s leading authority on commercial shortwave radio stations.

A short time before, George had been contacted by the Christian Scientists. They had asked him to become the broker for the proposed sale of their large station in Scott’s Corner, Maine. Though George is not a broker, they recognized him as an authority on shortwave radio and wanted him to manage the sale of their station.

The transmitting power of this station is 500,000 watts—the largest made. This enormous energy is multiplied 100 times by the world’s most sophisticated and powerful shortwave antenna array, suspended between two gigantic towers—placing it in the position of being the most powerful shortwave station in the world. The station is in strategically the best location in the United States for reaching one-half of the world’s population. This station’s antenna is electronically steerable, making it possible to reach Scandinavia, all of Europe, Ukraine, western Russia, Afganistan, India, the Middle East, and the entire continent of Africa!

Though the law forbids targeting the United States with the antenna, the radiation pattern of this antenna provides a backwash of 50,000 watts on the reverse side that reaches clear across North America, making it clearly heard on the West Coast.

George had just received the prospectus on the Friday before John called, which meant that the Lord impressed me at the very time the prospectus for the sale of the most powerful shortwave station in the world was traveling to George Jacobs. George quickly forwarded a copy to Gordon by Federal Express.

Shortwave requires no satellite. The electronic magnetic waves from the antenna bounce off of the earth’s ionosphere, skipping the signal around the earth. This station is so powerful that the signal skips off of the ionosphere, bounces between the ionosphere and the earth at the speed of light, encompasses the globe and hits the antenna on the back side!

Amateur radio operators sometimes endeavor to see how little wattage it takes to encompass the globe and have found that Morse code can be sent around the world with eight watts of power! The advantage of all of this power is that it not only provides a very reliable communication, but it transmits a very strong signal; and, of course, people are inclined to listen to the loudest signal.

Prophecy countdown contacted their attorney. Within a few hours, working from a laptop computer, the attorney was able to turn out a twenty-five page contract which, along with 40,000, was sent to George Jacobs.

Soon after this, George called Prophecy Countdown and told them that the contract they had submitted was one of the finest he had ever seen and complimented them on the skill of their attorney.

Because they were so prompt in being able to put together a contract in a record period of time, the offer made by Prophecy Countdown was very favorably received. Monday evening, a week later, saw John and his family, Gordon, the attorney, and the Prophecy Countdown board flying to Maine to see the station.

It might be appropriate to mention here that the lawyer later added a little light to how he was able to so quickly put together a contract for the purchase of the station.

It seems that about two years earlier he had been strongly impressed that one of his clients would be needing a contract of this nature, and he had begun working on it. The contract was, by nature, very specific in its application and limited in its scope. He had completed his work on it only days before he received the call from Prophecy Countdown requesting a contract of exactly the nature he had been working on for the last two years.

The call from the radio station owners, inviting the board of Prophecy countdown up to Maine to finalize negotiations, resulted in a call to the travel agent. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving holiday is one of the most heavily utilized travel periods, and no seats were available. Not discouraged, the team at Prophecy Countdown sought the Lord in prayer. No sooner had the prayer ended than the phone rang and the travel agent was on the line. She apologized for failing to remember that they had sufficient travel mileage and that for a minimal charge they could be upgraded to first class seating, a few seats of which were still available. Quickly, they requested six seats. A few minutes later it was thought that it would be wise to add another seat for the attorney. They called again, but already the remaining seats were filled.

Tuesday, the Prophecy countdown board met with the Christian Scientists. The station, built for $7.2 million in 1987, could not be rebuilt for less than $10 million. Knowing that the assessed value is $8 million, Prophecy Countdown offered $4 million. An agreement was reached, accepting 40,000 as a down payment, with a total figure of $5 million, and a contract was signed.

Ross Perot, the Roman Catholics, and the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, it turns out, were also contenders for the purchase. Adventist World Radio had to vote to buy the station; however, there were reviews by two more committees required. That would have taken until spring.

When one considers the ability of this station to reach billions of people, constituting half of the world’s population, and all the world’s population with additional equipment, this station is far and away the most cost effective way of reaching—instantly—the world’s population with the three angel’s messages. Even the remote, nomadic tribes on the earth have shortwave receivers.

It is the Lord’s doing, marvelous in our eyes. The effort in the proclamation of the message is to be borne by several ministries. Programming is to be developed and aired by Prophecy Countdown, Steps to Life, Biblical Studies Institute, and Modern Manna Ministries. We are committed to the proclamation of the three angels’ messages—the bread of life—for a starving world.

It is the will of God that the gospel commission be completed. Here is the finest technological tool in the world to instantly complete the proclamation of the gospel. There are other stations that are as strong, but none are stronger.

When the opportunity presented itself and a call was made, in a few months God’s people raised $1.2 million for Caleb and Joshua, to proclaim the message by satellite TV to the northern half of the Western Hemisphere. The next challenge of faith is to purchase much of the rest of the world with the three angels’ messages. We are well able to go up and possess the land, to purchase and operate this station by faith in Christ.

Thanksgiving weekend, at the campmeeting in northern Georgia, a series of meetings was broadcast by Caleb and Joshua. In an amazingly short period of time, God’s people raised a quarter of a million dollars toward the goal of $400,000 that must be raised by January 17, 1994, the balance of $4.6 million to be paid by May 16, 1994.

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.” Mathew 28:19, 20

“And Jesus said unto them,…If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matthew 17:20. This mountain of expense for the station is to be met with the demand of faith.

As the Lord impresses your heart to give to the support of this station, you can be a vital part of the proclamation of the Loud Cry by sending your contribution, marked “Shortwave Station” to Prophecy Countdown, Box 1844, Mount Dora, Florida, 32757.

The End

The Leaves of Autumn

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I am happy to report that there is a simple, inexpensive and effective method of working for the salvation of those who have never heard our message. This simple and effective method is one Dr. Ralph Larson suggested, and is available to all. I call it “Tracts Work.”

“How the angels must feel as they see the end approaching, and see so many of those entrusted with the last message of mercy huddling together, attending meetings for the sake of benefit to their own souls, and feeling dissatisfied if there is not much preaching, while they have little burden and are doing little for the salvation of others. All who are indeed united to Christ by living faith will be partakers of the divine nature. They will be constantly receiving from Him spiritual life, and they cannot be silent.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 443.

“As the disciples, filled with the power of the Spirit, went forth to proclaim the gospel, so God’s servants are to go forth today. Filled with an unselfish desire to give the message of mercy to those who are in the darkness of error and unbelief, we are to take up the Lord’s work. He gives us our part to do in cooperation with Him, and He will also move on the hearts of unbelievers to carry forward His work in the regions beyond. Already many are receiving the Holy Spirit, and no longer will the way be blocked by listless indifference.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 32,33

Using this method of work, I now have nine non-Adventists involved in weekly Bible studies. I have also found that two hours a week, dedicated to passing out literature, will result, on an average, of one person a month inviting themselves to the Bible studies. During the course of the first five weeks I probably spent about $20.00 on materials to hand out.

“The testing truth for this time is not the fabrication of any human mind. It is from God. It is genuine philosophy to those who appropriate it. Christ became incarnate in order that we, through belief of the truth, might be sanctified and redeemed. Let those who hold the truth in righteousness arouse and go forth, shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, to proclaim the truth to those who know it not. Let them make straight paths for their feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 211,212

“There is a much greater work devolving upon the individual members of the church than they realize. They are not awake to the claims of God. The time has come when every means would be devised that can aid in preparing a people to stand in the day of God. We must be wide-awake, refusing to let precious opportunities pass unimproved. We must do all that we possibly can to win souls to love God and keep His commandments. Jesus requires this of those who know the truth. Is His demand unreasonable? Have we not the life of Christ as our example? Do we not owe the Saviour a debt of love, of earnest, unselfish labor for the salvation of those for whom He gave His life?” Testimonies, vol. 8, 244

“The lay members of our churches can accomplish a work which, as yet, they have scarcely begun. None should move into new places merely for the sake of worldly advantage; but where there is an opening to obtain a livelihood, let families that are well grounded in the truth enter one or two families in a place to work as missionaries. They should feel a love for souls, a burden of labor for them, and should make it a study how to bring them into the truth. They can distribute our publications, hold meetings in their homes, become acquainted with their neighbors, and invite them to come to these meetings. Thus they can let their light shine in good works.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 245

Here’s how to get the word out, bring souls into the truth, minimize the amount of time required to accomplish all this, and spend very little money.

We have developed a series of tri-fold tracts, on various Bible themes, ranging from salvation by grace to the mark of the beast. By the way, you don’t even have to use our tracts for this technique to work. Just pick out twenty houses and knock on each door. Present the tract saying very simply, “Hi. I’ve brought you something good to read. Hope you enjoy it.” Then leave and go on to the next door. Keep a small notebook with a list of each address in it and a record of which tracts or materials you’ve left at each door.

Now go back to each house one week later with a second tract. It has been our experience, that to be most effective, it is best to be regular, calling at the same time each week. This time just say, “I’m still giving out tracts. Would you like another?” If and when you get a rejection say “Thank you.” (And mean it, they just cut down your workload by one house.) Strike a line through that address and add one more house to your list (starting over with tract #1).

As is obvious, you’ve now spent very little time at each house and nothing you’ve said can possibly be considered pushy. It is only the truth-filled messages in the tracts that will convict hearts and cause people to open up to you. All you do is faithfully show up every week and offer another tract.

As the people see that you are presenting nothing harmful or scary in your literature and that everything is based solidly on the Bible, your reputation will grow in the minds of those who are seeking the truth. In addition, you are not spending time in unpleasant confrontations with people who do not want your message.

“Why has the history of the work of the disciples, as they labored with holy zeal, animated and vitalized by the Holy Spirit, been recorded, if it is not that from this record the Lord’s people today are to gain an inspiration to work earnestly for Him? What the Lord did for His people in that time, it is just as essential, and more so, that He do for His people today. All that the apostles did, every church member today is to do. And we are to work with as much more fervor, to be accompanied by the Holy Spirit in as much greater measure, as the increase of wickedness demands a more decided call to repentance.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 33

As the weeks of receiving these tracts go by, hearts will be touched by the Word of God and worked on by His Holy Spirit. You may expect that someone will ask you a question about something that has touched their heart. When they do, just say, “May I show you the answer from the Bible?” At that point you have been invited into their home and have started Bible studies with them. It’s that simple.

“The conversion of souls to God is the greatest, the noblest work in which human beings can have a part. In this work are revealed God’s power, His holiness, His forbearance, and His unbounded love. Every true conversion glorifies Him and causes the angels to break forth into singing.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 52

“Every church should labor for the perishing within its own borders and for those outside its borders. The members are to shine as living stones in the temple of God, reflecting heavenly light. No random, haphazard, desultory work is to be done. To get fast hold of souls ready to perish means more than praying for a drunkard and then, because he weeps and confesses the pollution of his soul, declaring him saved. Over and over again the battle must be fought. Testimonies, vol. 8, 196

My experience in this tract work has convinced me that anyone can do this and bring people to the truth. After about two weeks of passing out tracts, a couple stopped me on the street near their home and asked me to begin regular Bible studies with them in their home. There were five non-Adventists in our study there last week. One of those in attendance for the second time was a young woman who had tried to commit suicide a month before and had been totally opposed to Christianity. Now she eagerly looks forward to each week’s study. Two weeks ago she set the topic for the next week’s lesson by asking, “Would you show us what was nailed to the cross?” Last week, another newcomer set the topic for this week’s lesson by asking if I would explain the “wheat and the tares.” As always I answer in the affirmative. This is, after all, the easiest way to teach the truth. I have one whole week to bone up on any given subject and I have the Spirit of Prophecy to use for my guideline!

“The third angel’s message, embracing the messages of the first and second angels, is the message for this time. We are to raise aloft the banner on which is inscribed: ‘The commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.’ The world is soon to meet the great Lawgiver over His broken law. This is not the time to put out of sight the great issues before us. God calls upon His people to magnify the law and make it honorable.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 197

Two weeks ago as I was having a newsletter printed at the local printer, the manager, a talkative, type, found out I was a Seventh-day Adventist. He commented on the fact that we attend church on Saturday and asked me why. Now that’s an open invitation. On our next meeting I presented the Bible as the sole rule of faith and my reasons for believing it to be the Word of God. He was surprised to learn that the Bible was written by men “who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,” and then would not let me leave until he had raised the questions of what constitutes the Mark of the Beast, and what really happens when you die! I trust that there will be more meetings with this man.

“Many are deceived as to their true condition before God. They congratulate themselves upon the wrong acts which they do not commit, and forget to enumerate the good and noble deeds which God requires of them, but which they have neglected to perform. It is not enough that they are trees in the garden of God. They are to answer His expectation by bearing fruit. He holds them accountable for their failure to accomplish all the good which they could have done, through His grace strengthening them. In the books of heaven they are registered as cumberers of the ground. Yet the case of even this class is not utterly hopeless. With those who have slighted God’s mercy and abused His grace, the heart of long-suffering love yet pleads. ‘Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly,…redeeming the time, because the days are evil.’ Ephesians 5:14-16.” The Great Controversy, 601, 602

It is now one of my greatest joys to knock on the door of a house on East 3rd Street. Every time I go there now the woman lights up and tells me how much she enjoyed the previous tract and how she has been looking forward to the next one. If you would like to share in my joy, I will make our tracts available to you and personalize them with your name or the name and address of your ministry. Just send me the exact way you want the name and address to appear on the tracts and I will send you a set of masters (six are currently available) that you can use to make your own tracts as you need them on a copying machine. I do ask that, with your request for these materials, you include a donation to cover my expenses.

The End

Editorial – If God had Workers Who

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A time unprecedented in this world’s history is already upon us. In this time of crisis, God’s mercy, long treated with contempt, will soon cease to plead in man’s behalf and the time of His judgment will begin. As men rapidly close their accounts, base ingratitude is being registered in the books of heaven. Divine patience must soon give way to divine judgment, and in natural disasters which are following one another in rapid succession, and in the crimes of no common nature that have become so common, we see the evidence that even now God’s restraining Spirit is being withdrawn. God has waited long for a company of united sanctified people through whom He can finish His work. In words of solemn import Ellen White described what God would do if He had such a group of people.

“If the Lord had a company of workers who would rely wholly upon Him, He would accomplish a great work through them. One could chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight. God is just as willing now as anciently to work through weak intrumentalities. We shall not gain the victory through numbers, but through full surrender of the soul to Jesus. We are to go forward in His strength, trusting in the mighty God of Israel.” Review and Herald, January 11, 1887

Are we really awake to these solemn realities and to the great work of preparation in which we must all engage? “The important future is before us. To meet its trials and temptations, and to perform its duties, will require great faith, energy, and perseverance. But we may triumph gloriously; for not one watching, praying, believing soul will be ensnared by the devices of the enemy. All heaven is interested in our welfare, and waits our demand upon its wisdom and strength. Neither wicked men nor evil spirits can hinder the work of God or shut out His presence from His people, if they will, with subdued, contrite hearts, confess and put away their sins, and in faith claim His promises. Every opposing influence, whether open or secret, may be successfully resisted, ‘not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.’” Ibid. [Emphasis supplied]

If we have complied with the conditions of God’s Word, Christ will be our refuge in the coming storm, and His pledge of security will be ours. If, however, “the warnings which God has given are neglected or regarded with indifference, if you suffer sin to be cherished, you are sealing your soul” destiny; you will be weighed in the balances and found wanting. Grace, peace, and pardon will be withdrawn forever; Jesus will have passed by, never again to come within the reach of your prayers and entreaties. While mercy still lingers, while Jesus is making intercession for us, let us make thorough work for eternity.” Ibid.

Though it is possible to be regarded as a Christian by being a partial follower of Jesus, yet if you are lacking in essential qualifications that constitute Christian character, you are sealing your soul’s destiny and will eventually be numbered with those who are lost. Now is no time to venture to tamper with sin, or remain in a state of lethargy and stupid indifference. Soon grace, peace and pardon will be withdrawn forever; Jesus will have passed by, never again to come within the reach of your prayers and entreaties. Now is not the time to be in uncertainty as to your soul’s destiny By purifying your soul from every stain, press on to follow the light God has so graciously given us. While mercy still lingers, and Jesus still makes intercession for us, make thorough work for eternity. With works that correspond to your profession, let it not be your lot to be a formal, partial believer, weighed and found wanting in the scales of the heavenly sanctuary.

In the time of God’s judgments, the humble followers of Jesus will be distinguished from the rest of the world by their soul anguish. While others are attempting to throw a cloak over the existing evil, and excuse the great wickedness that is everywhere so prevalent, those who have a zeal for God’s honor will not hold their peace to obtain the favor of any. Though they are powerless to stop the rising torrent of iniquity that everywhere surrounds them, they will plead with God to vindicate His honor.

We are now in the time of overwhelming interest that Ellen White predicted. God is still looking for a company of workers who will rely wholly upon Him. What part will you act in this momentous time of the closing scenes of earth’s history? Will you be one of this company?