Faith

If the Foundations be Destroyed, part 1

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As historic Seventh-day Adventists we are not teaching, believing or adopting any kind of new theology. We do not need it, because we have the truth. That does not mean that our minds are not open to believe and receive more truth, but the new light will not contradict the old light. We believe in the same old fashioned Adventist message that our pioneers preached over one hundred years ago.

In this article, I want to review the central pillar of our message. What is a pillar? It is something that is very important. Recently my wife and I were in the state of Washington visiting my wife’s father and stepmother. On the way back home we were traveling in the mountains. The freeway we were on was below a two-lane freeway going in the opposite direction that was held up by pillars. I was not worried about it because of those pillars. As long as the pillars stay in place, as long as the foundation stays in place, then there is nothing to worry about because everything will be all right.

What if a foundation is knocked loose? Psalm 11:3 says, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” If the foundations are destroyed, we are in big trouble. The whole building can come crashing down, or the freeway will break apart.

When I was attending Walla Walla College a disaster occurred along the Columbia River. A pillar from under the John Day bridge was washed away, and the bridge came down. Some people came down with it and they were never seen again.

It is easy to see then, that if a foundation or a pillar is washed away, disaster is sure to come. The devil knows that, so he does not chip away at the roof of the building, He tries to get underneath and knock the foundation out. The devil has been trying to do this over and over again with the Adventist faith. He has been trying to knock the foundation or pillar out from under it, so the whole thing will come down.

What is the foundation, the central pillar of the Advent faith? “The Scripture which above all others had been both the foundation and the central pillar of the Advent faith was the declaration: ‘Unto two thousand and three hundred days then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.’ Daniel 8:14. These had been familiar words to all believers in the Lord’s coming. By the lips of thousands was this prophecy repeated as the watchword of their faith. All felt that upon the events therein foretold depended their brightest expectations and most cherished hopes. These prophetic days had been shown to terminate in the autumn of 1844.” The Great Controversy, 409.

Here it says that the central pillar of Adventism is found in Daniel 8:14. The devil has attacked this Scripture over and over again through our theological opponents for one hundred and fifty years his attacks have not ceased.

If you are a Seventh-day Adventist, or if you are thinking of becoming a Seventh-day Adventist and you want to understand the Seventh-day Adventist faith, you should make a special study of Daniel 8:10–14. Here is the central pillar and the foundation of our message. We will study Daniel 8 in its historical, linguistic and theological context.

“Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour’s mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God.” Ibid., 488. All Christians have been given the command to perfect holiness in the fear of God. “The precious hours, instead of being given to pleasure, to display, or to gain seeking, should be devoted to an earnest, prayerful study of the Word of truth. The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God.” Ibid.

We are to clearly understand the sanctuary and the investigative judgment. This is the central pillar and the foundation of our faith. If we do not understand it, then we cannot give anyone a rational reason why we are Seventh-day historic Adventists.

The faith of many Adventists today is in disarray because they do not understand Daniel chapter eight. They do not understand what the investigative judgment is or what the cleansing of the sanctuary is all about and so they do not have a rational reason to be Adventists.

Several years ago I was a teacher at Southwestern Adventist College. In one of the classes one day, after reading the daily devotional Scriptures, I asked the students a question about salvation. When they answered my question, I was shocked. Here were dozens of Adventist young people, even ministers children and they did not know the fundamentals of salvation. They were not talking like Seventh-day Adventists. They were talking like Baptists. Baptists teach that salvation is a one step process. Seventh-day Adventists know from the sanctuary that salvation involves more than a one step process.

I worked with an Inter-denominational jail ministry for a number of years. A Christian worker from another denomination would say to me, “Some people were saved tonight.” I said to myself, “What is he talking about?” As soon as a prisoner said, “I believe,” they thought this person was saved—that it was an accomplished fact. The plan of salvation is more involved than that and Adventists know it. That is one of the reasons that other Christians hated our pioneers. If the sanctuary message is true, there is more to it than merely saying, “I believe.”

We need to understand what the sanctuary doctrine is and what the investigative judgement is. Ellen White said, “All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise, it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith, which is essential at this time, or to occupy the position, which God designs them to fill. Every individual has a soul to save or lose. Each has a case pending at the bar of God. Each must meet the great Judge face to face.” Ibid.

Daniel 8 begins with a vision in which Daniel sees a ram and a goat, which has a big horn. The he goat destroys the ram and then the great horn is broken. Then there appear four horns. And finally a little horn appears. That is in the first eight or nine verses of Daniel 8. To understand Daniel 8:14 we need to know who and what this little horn is, because the prophecy about the twenty-three hundred days deals with this little horn.

In Daniel 8:20 the angel tells Daniel that the ram represents the kings of Media and Persia. The he-goat represents the kingdom of Greece and specifically Alexander the Great. The ram of Media Persia is described in the Hebrew text as being great. The he-goat is called exceedingly great or very great. Greece was more powerful and a greater empire than the kingdom of Medo-Persia and it took in more territory. The little horn power is described in even stronger terms, translated as “great beyond measure.” From that description it would have to be a power that is much greater than the Medo-Persian Empire which was a world empire. It would have to be even greater than the kingdom of Greece. The only kingdom that fits that description is Rome.

The little horn power was not Antiochus Epiphanes. He was a vassal king and did not have a world empire. He was definitely not greater than Alexander the Great. The theory that Antiochus Epiphanes was the little horn does not make any sense in the Scripture, no matter how our theological opponents present it.

Some people say that the Bible says that this little horn comes out of one of those four horns. It does not say that. The literal Hebrew translation reads, “And there came up four conspicuous horns in its place toward the four winds of the heavens.”

There are two nouns there, one is “horns” and the other is “winds”. “Out of one of them . . .” verse 9. Someone says, “See Pastor John, it says out of one of the horns.” No, it does not say out of one of the horns. It says out of one of “them.” The word “them” in Hebrew is masculine. The word “horn” is feminine. So “them” cannot refer to horns.

In Greek and Hebrew a pronoun always has to agree with its noun in gender. Winds can be either masculine or feminine, but horns can only be feminine. So the word “them” cannot refer to horns. It refers to the winds, which is the noun directly preceding it.

“Out of one of them,” that is, out of one of the winds of heaven, “there came a little horn.” Daniel 8:9. When we look at the linguistic context, we see that the little horn comes out of one of the winds of heaven, the west wind.

We have seen that the historical context proves this little horn to be Rome, and the linguistic context points the same way. Let us look more closely at the little horn power. Verse 10 says, “And it became great, even to the host (army) of the heavens.”

Who is the host of heaven? The armies, or the hosts of heaven, is a term in the Bible that refers often to God’s people. (See Joshua 5:14, 15 and Exodus 12:41.) The angels are also referred to as the armies or the hosts of God. (See Luke 2:13.)

When the angel explained what this meant, he said that this little horn power would “destroy the mighty and also the holy people.” Verse 24. That is God’s people—the armies of heaven.

“He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host.” Verse 11. Jesus Christ is the Ruler of the armies of heaven. Revelation 19 describes His coming back to this world as the head of the armies of heaven. “He has on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Revelation 19:16. He is the Commander of the hosts of heaven. This little horn power would even exalt himself to oppose the Commander of the hosts of heaven.

Which government was involved in the crucifixion of Jesus? It was the Roman government. Roman soldiers nailed Him to the cross at the command of a Roman governor. It is not hard to figure out that this little horn power would exalt itself even to the Commander of the armies of heaven.

It [the little horn] cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground and trampled [destroyed] them. (Daniel 8:10.) Verse 24 says, concerning this little horn power, that he would “destroy the mighty and also the holy people.” Then notice what it says will happen. “He magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily was taken away.” Daniel 8:11.

The little horn power exalted the continuous, or the daily, or that which is continual. What is it that was continual? Verse 12 calls it the “continuance in rebellion.” Then it says that the very thing that he exalted, he later was given an army against it. The Bible translators could not figure that out, so they changed the wording to the “daily sacrifice.” They could not figure out how you could exalt something and then have an army given you to destroy it.

Ellen White said that the pioneers and William Miller had the truth on what the “daily” was. The continuance, that which was always in rebellion—even back before the flood; then at the Tower of Babel, in Egypt, in Assyria, in Babylon, in Medo-Persia, in Greece and finally it reached its epitome in Rome. It was the “continuance in rebellion” that was exalted to its highest level in Rome. For four thousand five hundred years it was a continuance in rebellion. It was paganism or heathenism which center around sun worship.

The history of Rome reveals what paganism does to a nation. The horrors and debauchery are too dreadful to be written down, but if you look in Romans chapter 1 you can get a small idea. Romans was written to the people who lived in that city and it describes the society in which they had to live.

Later on it says an army would be given to this little horn power to take away the continuance and set up an “abomination that would make desolate,” or that would depopulate it. In verse 12 it says, “Because of the transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.” The word translated “transgression” means a revolt or a rebellion.

There are two rebellions mentioned in these verses 10–12. The first one, the daily, is the daily in transgression or the “continuance in transgression” or rebellion. (Daniel 8:12.) Then there is the desolating transgression or the desolating rebellion. (See Truth Triumphant, by Benjamin Wilkinson.) The continual rebellion started before the flood and it kept on going after the flood until the beginning of the sixth century, A.D. When it was taken away, something worse was put in its place. That something is described in the Scriptures as Antichrist, the Man of Sin. The apostasy of the latter times that would last until the Second Coming of Christ.

The continuance, plus the abomination of desolation, refers to the sin problem from its beginning to its end. Somehow our detractors and opponents cannot seem to figure that out. It is one of the main thrusts of Daniel 8, 10, 11 and 12. It is connected here in Daniel 8 with the twenty-three hundred days because we read in Daniel 8:13, 14, “And then I heard a certain holy one speaking and he sent another holy one to that one who spoke. ‘Until when is the vision concerning the daily [“the continuance in rebellion”]?’” Daniel 8:13.

How long is the vision concerning the continuance and the desolating rebellion? It has been going on now for thousands of years. The time is coming when it is going to be taken away and the desolating rebellion put in its place. How long are both of these things going to continue into the future, “to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled? And he said to me, Unto two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed [made righteous, purified or restored].” Daniel 8:13, 14.

At the end of two thousand three hundred days, the sanctuary will be restored to its rightful state. “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the Holy City under foot for forty-two months.’ ” Revelation 11:1, 2.

What does it mean for the sanctuary to be restored, vindicated? God’s sanctuary is in heaven. They knew that, even in the Old Testament time. We enter into that sanctuary by faith. “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he consecrated for us, through the Veil, that is, his flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:19–22. When this sanctuary is cleansed, friend, it is God’s measuring time. He is not just going to measure a building. The sanctuary, the temple, is a symbol of the church (See Ephesians 2:19–22.) The sanctuary, the altar and the worshippers will be measured. God has a measuring rod, and He will measure the people who are in it.

When the measuring is over, you will either be in it or you will be shaken out of it. When you lose your vision, and you turn your back on the Biblical teaching of the judgment like some people are doing today, you have been shaken out. You can go to church every week for the rest of your life, but you have been shaken out of God’s church. The sanctuary cannot be restored to its rightful state as long as those who are worshipping in it by faith are still full of sin. They must be purified, cleansed.

The central pillar and the foundation of the Advent faith cannot be knocked out from under the person who studies the Biblical texts carefully. It is rooted in the Bible. You can study it historically, linguistically, and theologically—any way you want to study it, and it will stand investigation.

It is measuring time and God is doing the measuring. Either by His grace we are going to measure up or we will be shaken out. (See Hebrews 12.) The good news is, Jesus says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” If you want to be saved, He will give you enough grace so that you can be purified, so that you will measure up, so that you can be restored. When the worshippers in the sanctuary are measured, when they are all put before the measuring rod, I want to be ready for that time so I will remain and will not be shaken out. How about you?

 

How He Learned to Pray

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The Story of a Man Who Decided to Pray :

One evening not long ago two gentlemen walking down the street came to a small group of gospel workers praying. As they paused for a moment on the edge of the crowd, one of them removed his hat, and bowed his head. Later in the evening, when asked why he had done so, he told the following story:—

“Late one fall about fifteen years ago, I was with a hunting and fishing party up in northern California. The hunting was good; and so one afternoon when all the rest were off fishing, I took my rifle, and went out in search of game. I had gone several miles over a rough country, when a light snow began to fall. ‘About time I was making for camp,’ I said to myself, and started to retrace my steps. But as it grew darker, the snow thickened, and I lost my way.

“It was growing bitterly cold; and though I looked everywhere for shelter, I could find none. The night was intensely dark, and the snow was blinding. I knew that if I stayed where I was, I should certainly freeze to death. There wasn’t a living soul within five miles, and the trees one the mountain afforded no shelter.

“Well, my mother had taught me to pray; and I got down there in the snow, and, for the first time in years, told God all about it, and solemnly promised that if He would lead me to safety, I would be a better man.

“When I got up, I felt impelled to go ahead. I didn’t know which way I as going, but I just went on, perhaps a hundred yards, when splash! Down went my foot in a pool of water. ‘Worse luck yet,’ I thought; ‘that may mean a frozen foot.’ But as the water soaked through my shoe I found it was warm. I knew then that I had chanced across a hot spring. Losing little time, for I was becoming chilled, I found a place where the water was deep enough to cover me, and sat down in it. All that night I sat there, thanking God for the way he had saved my life. In the morning the rest of the party found me, and brought me dry clothes.

“Ever since then I have been a firm believer in the power of prayer; and whenever I come where people are praying, I am impelled to bow my head in reverence to the power there represented.”

 

Edison J. Driver

Taken from The Youth’s Instructor, June 28, 1900.

 

Could Peter ‘s Denial Be Mine?

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The Ruler of the Universe, the King of kings, left His throne, and sacrificed and suffered more than any one ever has. Why did He do it? Because He loves you and me with a love that we cannot comprehend. His love is so infinite, that we will be able to study it throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, and never exhaust it.

If you wanted to impress someone, would you show up broke? Or if you wanted to make the greatest social change ever, would you show up in the clothing of a servant? Jesus did. He came in poverty and humiliation, and yet, He wrought the greatest change that has ever been made. He made it in a way that we do not understand. Jesus came in humiliation to be our Example and our Redeemer.

To all who believed the ship was going through in Jesus day, it seemed impossible that He was the looked-for Redeemer. But, the ship did go through! The problem then, as now, is that people were looking for a bigger vessel with more worldly recognition. The ship that is going through is a little embarrassing to most people.

The right ship is well identified in Revelation 12:17. It is those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. (Revelation 19:10 says the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.)

Do we have the marks? If we do not, we are on the wrong boat. But it is not too late if someone does not have the marks. You can still be a part of the ship that is going through. But you need to realize that it will not be a popular place to be. It will be lonely, because most people do not want to be seen on this ship.

To be among God’s people has never been popular. In Jesus’ day, as in ours, the people were looking for popularity and prosperity, not humility and selfless service. The Scribes and Pharisees were prepared to receive an earthly king. But One who sought to establish in their hearts a kingdom of righteousness and peace, they were not ready to accept.

In this article we are going to look at one of the few people who did accept Jesus. We begin when John the Baptist was preaching at the Jordan, preparing the people to receive Jesus as the Messiah. One day John and Andrew were in the crowd. They heard him when, pointing at Jesus, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29. “And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.” Verse 36.

Jesus turned around and asked them, “What seek ye? They said unto Him, Rabbi . . . where dwellest Thou?” John 1:37, 38. They wanted to find out more about Jesus, more than a roadside conversation could tell, so they asked to go to His house. And they did. Their hearts were thrilled as they listened to Jesus’ words.

Andrew was so impressed he went immediately to tell his brother, Simon Peter. “Andrew sought to impart the joy that filled his heart. Going in search of his brother, Simon, he cried, ‘We have found the Messias.’ Simon waited for no second bidding. He also had heard the preaching of John the Baptist, and he hastened to the Saviour. The eye of Christ rested upon him, reading his character and his life history. His impulsive nature, his loving, sympathetic heart, his ambition and self-confidence, the history of his fall, his repentance, his labors, his martyr’s death—the Saviour read it all, and He said, ‘Thou art Simon son of Jonah: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a stone.” The Desire of Ages, 139.

Peter, the disciple Jesus called the stone, is the one we are going to study about. We will learn through his experience of victories and defeats, what we must do to be on the ship that will go through.

 

They Toiled All Night

 

The disciples were weary from a night of fruitless toil. They were still in their boat on the lake, but Jesus had gone to the shore to find a quiet place away from the multitudes that constantly thronged Him. His rest was short, as soon the people came and crowded around Him to hear the truths of the kingdom.

Peter brought his boat to where Jesus was. Jesus stepped in and said, Push out a little way so everyone can hear Me. What a scene for the angels to behold! The King of the Universe, sitting in a little boat rocking with the waves, talking to the common people about the precious truths of His kingdom.

There could not have been a more fitting scene—the lake, the mountains, the spreading field, the sunlight flooding the earth. Here Jesus could teach the people. Every moment more people were added to the multitude. Many came bringing their sick to Jesus for healing. It was just as Isaiah prophesied, “The land of Zebulun, the land of Naphtali, Toward the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people which sat in darkness saw a great light and to them which sat in the region and the shadow of death, to them did light spring up.” Matthew 4:15,16.

After Jesus finished the sermon, He said to Peter, Launch out into the sea and let down your net. Peter was disheartened. As he watched the empty nets, the future seemed dark and discouraging. He said, Master, we toiled all night and caught nothing, nevertheless, since You asked us to, we will do it.

Peter knew that night was the time to catch fish with nets, so what hope was there during the day? But Simon and his brother let down the net. Immediately, it was so full of fish they could not pull it in! They called to James and John who were in a boat near by, and they came to help. The contents of the net was so great that it filled both boats to the point of sinking.

You can see Peter there. He kneels at the feet of Jesus and grabbing Jesus’ feet he said, Depart from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord. It seems ironic to take hold of someone’s feet, and then say, Depart from me. But Peter recognized his own unworthiness, and yet he could not endure the thought of being without Jesus.

“It was the same presence of divine holiness that had caused the prophet Daniel to fall as one dead before the angel of God. He said, ‘My comeliness was turned into corruption, and I retained no strength.’ So when Isaiah beheld the glory of the Lord, he exclaimed, ‘Woe is me for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.’ Humanity, with its weakness and sin, was brought in contrast with the perfection of divinity, and he felt altogether deficient and unholy. Thus it has been with all who have been granted a view of God’s greatness and majesty.” The Desire of Ages, 246.

Speaking of the same story, Ellen White wrote in The Desire of Ages, 249, “The deeper lesson which the miracle conveyed for the disciples is a lesson also for us. He whose Word would gather the fishes from the sea, could also impress human hearts and draw them by cords of His love so that His servants might become fishers of men.” That is an amazing lesson. At that moment Peter committed himself completely to being a disciple of Jesus and became a fisher of men.

 

Bread, a King, and a Storm

 

One of the most famous stories of Peter is found in Matthew 14. There we see the people sitting on a grassy plain. It is a beautiful spring evening. The people have just finished eating the meal Christ provided from the five loaves and two fishes. All there that day had benefited from the creative power of God. The people knew that no human power could take five loaves and two fishes and feed a multitude of thousands of people. As the day progressed, the conviction grew—This is the long-looked for Deliverer, were the words on many lips.

Yes, He was the Deliverer, but He had not come to deliver in the way they thought. They said, Jesus can make Judea an earthly paradise; He can heal the wounded soldiers; He can feed the armies; He can conquer the nations and He can give Israel the long awaited dominion.

It all sounded wonderful, but many questioned, Would Jesus ever urge His claim to the throne of David? They talked it over and decided to take Him by force. They were going to force Jesus to help make them great. In fact, they thought they would even force the arrogant priests and rulers to honor Jesus.

Jesus saw what was happening, and he saw the result. Even now priests and rulers were planning His death. He knew that violence and insurrection would be the result of an effort to put Him on the throne, and the work of His spiritual kingdom would be hindered.

Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, Take the boat and go to Capernaum. Never had they had a command from Jesus that was so hard to obey. This was a golden opportunity to place their Master on the throne. They protested, but Jesus spoke with an authority that He had never before manifested toward them. Realizing that further opposition would be useless, they reluctantly went toward the sea.

Jesus now commands the multitude to dispense and they dare not disobey. Men are stopped in their steps as they attempt to grab Him and make Him king. The glad, eager looks on their faces fade. They recognize Jesus’ authority and without question they submit and disperse.

Jesus now goes up to the mountain to pray. For hours He pleads with God, not for Himself, but for men. He prayed for the disciples. He prayed for you and me. He prayed for power to reveal to men the divine character of His mission.

Jesus knew the days of His ministry on earth were ending and only a few would receive Him as the Redeemer. He knew His disciples would be grievously tried. In place of a throne, there was a cross. It was painful to Jesus to see that even His own disciples conception of His kingdom was limited mainly to worldly aggrandizement and honor. For them, He poured out supplications with bitter agony and tears.

Meanwhile, the disciples had not started for Capernaum. They waited, hoping that Jesus would go with them. As darkness began to fall, they reluctantly got in their boat and headed toward Capernaum.

They left Jesus with dissatisfied hearts; more impatient with Him than they had ever been. They murmured because they were not allowed to proclaim Him king. They blamed themselves. They should have been more persistent they thought. Unbelief was taking place in their hearts.

It was hard for them to be connected to One who so obviously had the truth and yet was reviled as a deceiver. Were they always to be accounted as followers of a false prophet? Would Christ ever assert His authority as King? The disciples reasoned like this until they worked themselves into spiritual darkness. They asked, Could Jesus be an impostor like the Pharisees say?

The disciples had witnessed the wonderful works of Christ that day. It was a wonderful day, like heaven on earth. It should have filled them with hope. If they had talked about what had happened that day, they would not have been taken into temptation. But instead, disappointment filled their hearts.

Their minds were stormy and unreasonable, so the Lord gave them something else to afflict their souls and occupy their minds. Danger was fast approaching. A violent storm was crashing down upon them and they were unprepared. Disaffection, unbelief and impatience were forgotten. Everyone was hard at work to keep the boat from sinking. Despite their efforts, they were being blown farther and farther away from their destination.

On the fourth watch, they gave themselves up for lost. They realized their helplessness and they longed for their Master. Jesus had not forgotten them. He had been watching that little boat with its precious burden. When their hearts were subdued, their unholy ambition quelled and when in humility they prayed for help, it was given.

When they believed themselves lost, a gleam of light reveals a mysterious figure walking upon the water. Terror overpowers them. They did not know it was Jesus coming to help them, they thought it was an enemy. The hands that had gripped the oars with iron-like muscles let go. The boat is rocking to and fro.

All eyes are riveted on this form of a Man walking upon the white-capped billows of the foaming sea. They cry out in fear. Jesus walked as though He was going to pass them by. But they recognize Him and cry out for His help. His voice silences their fear. He said, Be of good cheer. It is I, be not afraid.

Peter cries out, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me to come to Thee on the water. Come, Jesus said. Looking at Jesus, Peter walks securely on the water. But in self-satisfaction he turns to see those who were in the boat. The waves are high, he loses sight of Jesus and begins to sink. He lifts his eyes from the angry waters and again he sees Jesus.

He cries out, Lord save me! Immediately Jesus reaches out His hand and lifts Peter up. He said, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Walking side by side, Peter and Jesus come to the boat. Peter is now subdued and silent. He has no reason to boast. Through unbelief and self-exaltation, he almost lost his life. When he turned his eyes away from Jesus, he sank in the water.

When trouble comes, how often we are like Peter. We look at the water instead of Jesus. We need to learn that if we will put our trust in Him, He will save us. Jesus never asks us to follow Him then to forsake us. Jesus says to you, “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flames kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” Isaiah 43:1–3.

When Peter thought he was invincible, he was weak. When you and I exalt self, we are weak also. When we recognize our needs, it is then we are strong. If Peter had learned his need of Jesus there, he would not have failed later in the great test.

When Jesus and Peter had taken their place in the boat, immediately the wind was calm and they were at their destination. The disciples and the others bowed down before Jesus and said, Of a truth, Thou art the Son of God. Just a few hours before they had questioned whether Jesus was an impostor. But now they said, No, you are the Son of God.

 

Peter’s Great Test

 

It was the Last Supper that the disciples would have with Jesus. It was the custom for someone to wash their feet before they ate the meal, but there was no servant present. And so, Jesus girded Himself and washed the disciples’ feet.

When it was Peter’s turn, he said with astonishment, Lord, dost Thou wash my feet? Christ’s condescension broke his heart. He was filled with shame that not one of the disciples was willing to perform this humble service. Christ said, What I do thou knowest not now. But thou shalt know hereafter.

Peter could not bear to see the Son of God acting the part of a servant. His whole soul rose up against this humiliation. With great emphasis Peter exclaimed, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Solemnly Jesus said to Peter, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

The service, which Peter refused, was a type of the higher cleansing, cleansing the stain of sin from the heart. When Jesus said to Peter, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me, Peter surrendered his pride and self-will. He could not endure the thought of separation from Jesus.

Peter answered, Not my feet only but my hands and my head, also. Jesus said, If I wash your feet, you are all clean. Here Jesus was talking about more than just the body cleansing. The disciples had been washed in the great fountain, open for sin and uncleanliness. Christ acknowledged them as His. But temptation had led them to evil and they needed His cleansing grace. When Jesus girded Himself with a towel to wash their feet, He really wanted to wash alienation, jealousy and pride from their hearts. Until brought into this state of humility, they were unworthy to take part in the Paschal Supper. Pride and self-seeking create dissension and hatred. But Jesus washed all this away, in washing their feet.

Like Peter, we have been washed in the blood of Jesus. Yet through contact with evil our heart’s purity is soiled. We must come to Christ for cleansing. Peter shrank from having his soiled feet come in contact with Jesus’ hands. Yet we bring our soiled hearts in contact with Jesus’ heart. How grievous to Him is our evil temper, our vanity and pride. We must bring all defilement to Him because He alone can cleanse us. Alone we can do nothing to make ourselves better.

After the hymn, they went out through the crowded streets, through the gates toward the Mount of Olives. As they made their way, Jesus said, All ye shall be offended because of me tonight. The disciples listened in amazement. At the supper Jesus said that one of them would betray Him and that Peter would deny Him, but now He said that they would all be offended.

Peter protested. He said, Although all shall be offended yet I will not. It was in the upper chamber that he declared; I will lay down my life for thee. Jesus warned him then and He warned him again. He said, Verily I say unto you before the cock crows two times, you are going to deny Me three times. Peter asserted, I would die with you. I will not deny you.

Peter was unprepared for the test. If Peter had cried out like he did that night on the lake, Lord, save me! Jesus would have delivered him. But he did not. Instead, Peter thought Jesus distrusted him. In fact, he was already offended and he became more persistent in his self-confidence.

That night after Jesus had been taken by the mob, Peter and John followed at a distance. At the hall, one of the priests recognized John as a disciple of Jesus and let him in. He wanted John to see the humiliation that Jesus was going through so that he would forsake Him.

John recommended Peter and he was allowed in also. It was the coldest hour of the night and they built a fire to keep warm in the court. Peter presumptuously took his place with those who had brought Jesus in. He did not want to be recognized as Jesus’ disciple.

The woman at the door thought he might be a disciple of Jesus and she asked him, Are you not one of Christ’s disciples? Peter was startled. He pretended not to hear, but she was persistent. She said, This man was with Jesus. Peter felt compelled to answer and he answered angrily, Woman, I know Him not. This was the first denial and immediately the cock crew. (Oh, Peter, how soon you are ashamed of your Master, how soon you deny your Lord.)

John did not try to conceal who he was. He went off to a corner to watch the procedings. He did not pretend that he was not a follower of Jesus, and so he was not questioned. If Peter had been asked to fight for his Master, he would have valiantly complied. But when the finger of scorn was pointed at him, he proved to be a coward.

Peter was surprised and angry that Jesus would submit to such inhuman treatment. He tried to join those who were reviling Jesus, but his appearance was unnatural. He could not restrain expressions of indignation when he saw abuse heaped upon his Master.

Peter was again charged with being a follower of Christ. He declared with an oath, I do not know the Man! An hour passed. A near kinsman of the man whose ear Peter had cut off said, Did I not see you in the garden? Surely you are one of them. You are a Galilean. I can tell by your speech. At this, Peter flew into a rage. Jesus’ disciples were known for their purity of speech, so to reinforce his lie, Peter denied his Master with cursing and swearing.

Again the cock crew. Peter heard it then and remembered. While the degrading oaths were still on his lips, while the ringing of the cock’s crow was still in his ears, the Saviour turned from the frowning judges. At the same time Peter looked at the Master. In His face, Peter saw pity and sorrow, but not one trace of anger.

Immediately, Peter ran out into the night. He ran blindly in his remorse, ending up at the place where Jesus had been praying. Peter remembered Jesus words that very night, Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. He knew that if he had prayed, this would not have happened. The pain of regret filled his heart. How could he have denied his precious Lord?

 

Peter Do You Love Me?

 

After Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, some of the disciples were by the Sea of Tiberious reminiscing about past events: Jesus feeding the multitude, the miraculous catch of fish, the storm on the Sea and about the future. They now wanted to follow Jesus completely.

Peter said, Let us go fishing so we can buy what we need. In the boats once again they cast out their nets, but all night they caught nothing. As the day dawned, they saw someone on the shore, This person called to them, Children, do you have any meat? They said, No. He said, Cast your net on the right side of the boat. They cast it and immediately it was full to overflowing. John said to Peter, That is Jesus. Peter put on his coat, jumped into the water and went to the shore.

Jesus had prepared a meal for them, and while they were eating, Jesus turned to Peter and He asked, Peter, do you love Me? Peter said, You know I do. This time it was different. He did not say, They might all deny You but I will never. He said, You know my heart, You know that I love you. Jesus said, Feed my lambs.

Again Jesus asked, Peter, do you love Me? Peter answered, You know that I do. Jesus said, Feed my sheep. The third time Jesus said, Peter, do you love Me? Peter said, You know I do. And once more Jesus said, Feed my sheep.

Peter had denied Jesus three times and Jesus here demonstrated before the other disciples three times that Peter was sorry for what he had done and Jesus had forgiven him. Jesus went for a walk with Peter and He told Him how is life was going to end. Peter was faithful. He died a martyr’s death, hung on a cross upside-down. He lived his life for Jesus, and was truly changed into His image. Peter experienced the change that we all need, and it enabled him to be a mighty worker for God.

Years after that day on the seashore, he wrote the church leaders advising them: “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness to the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” 1 Peter 5:1–4.

Peter learned his lesson. He is a part of that ship that is going through. May we determine, like Peter, to learn the lesson of putting self aside. God needs each one of us in His work. Some of the mighty works that Peter did, God might enable us to do someday. But first we must learn the lesson of humility.

 

Children’s Story — A Faith That Never Dies

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Having been raised in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, I had the privilege of enjoying nature at its best. I remember well the Sabbath picnics, hikes and nature walks our family enjoyed. Jesus seemed so near to me when I was sitting by a cool, clear, laughing stream. Since I was introduced to music at an early age, I could hear an orchestra all around me in those majestic mountains—the whispering of the pines, the songs of birds and the occasional waterfall. God was real to me as I would sit by a crystal clear lake and look up into a beautiful blue sky with floating white clouds. I was born into a family with four older brothers, three of which had already moved away from home; and the fourth left in a short time. My mom and dad were special people, and I loved them very much. Dad spent his days working on cars. He was known by everyone for his honesty and kindness to others. Mother was always helping those in need. She would take a freshly baked loaf of bread to a shut-in, visit the sick, or buy groceries and do banking for an invalid. Both of them were diligent workers in God’s church and had a strong faith in His Word.

One night when I was five years old, I awoke with a terrible ache in my legs. After turning and tossing for quite some time, I called out to my mother for help. She came to my aid and rubbed my legs until I fell asleep. The next morning the pain returned, and my parents decided I needed to see the doctor. After many tests, it was determined that I had Rheumatic Fever.

One of my brothers had suffered with this disease two times during his youth, which resulted in a badly damaged heart and an early death after two open heart surgeries. The doctor decided that I was to have complete bed rest, without even a pillow for my head. Each morning, my father would carry me like a board to the sofa in the living room, and again at night to my bed. I was not allowed visits from my friends. If you are five years old, or can remember when you were, you can imagine what it would be like to lay flat on your back for hours, days, weeks, and, yes, even months! Mother would read me stories and sing to me. I looked at books and put puzzles together. To this day, I can close my eyes and tell you where each picture, mirror or clock hung on the walls of that room.

The greatest fear I had was the visit of the doctor when he came to draw blood, which was at least once a week and sometimes more often. As I began to improve, I was allowed to lie on the swing which hung from the roof of the porch. When I would see the doctor approaching, I would scream for mother to come to my rescue.

Mother loved flowers and the yard was filled with the fragrance of Lily of the Valley and Lilac trees which lined both sides of our property. Since we had no television I had to invent my own entertainment. On the side of the house, mother had some Hollyhocks and I would ask her to pick a few of the buds and a few of the flowers. I could put these together and imagine they were beautiful young ladies in flowing gowns—what fun that was!

The best part of the day was when my father would return home from his work, sit down and sing Norwegian songs to me and tell me stories of his childhood growing up amongst the Chippewa Indians on Lipsi Lake in Wisconsin. Sometimes they had nothing to eat and he would have to walk across the frozen lake at night in search of food while listening to the coyotes howl.

Many days, week and months went past until finally the last blood test revealed that all was well. My parents took their requests of healing to their best friend, Jesus, and then decided to take me to a Chiropractor and see what he could do for me. After working with me for some time, my legs were fully restored and I could run and play with the other children.

That was not the only time I saw my parents live out their faith in God. They endured many trials in their lifetime, but they loved the Lord with all their hearts and instilled in me the same desire to direct my every care to Him who loves us unconditionally.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1. I have had my faith tested many times, but I can say with assurance that God will never let us down. He will always be there for us and give us the strength we need to endure.

 

Faithful or Fooled

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In Matthew 25, Jesus  gives us a shocking illustration of the parallel between these ten bridesmaids and the people of God living before Jesus comes, but before we get to that, here is a story.

A hiker in the foothills of the mountains chanced one day upon a beautifully landscaped and meticulously groomed country estate. He stood before the polished wrought iron gate at the entrance to this estate and looked admiringly at all the beautiful flower beds. He saw how neatly every stone, that surrounded them, was kept in place. He noticed that the lawn had been cut just the right length. It was green, lush looking and well fertilized. He could not even find a stray weed growing anywhere.

Not far away the gardener was on a ladder pruning one of the cherry trees. When the gardener saw the visitor looking in at the grounds, he came to the gate to greet him. The visitor said to him, “This is a beautiful estate. It caught my attention. I have not seen anything so lovely anywhere.”

The caretaker said, “You see, sir, I am keeping it like this because I am expecting my Master to come and I want him to find everything just right.”

The hiker said, “Well, I am sure you will have no problem in doing that. How long have you worked here?”

“Oh, I have been here, sir, for thirty-four years.”

“I suppose you see your Master often?”

“Oh, no, sir, he has never been here.”

“He has never come? Not even once? Then, why do you go to all this bother if he does not come frequently?”

“You see, sir,” the caretaker said, “when he comes, I want him to find it perfect, and so I prepare it every day as though that were the day my Master would come back.”

There is a lesson in that little story for you and me.

In this week of prayer reading, we will study Matthew 24 and 25. We will begin with the story of the ten virgins which is a good introduction to Matthew 24.

Matthew 25 contains the exciting story of the wedding party. Jesus told this to His disciples as they were gathered on the Mount of Olives. The sun has set and the lights of the little village can be seen below. These bright lights announce that a wedding is going to take place.

The groom and his procession, as is typical in the Middle East, have gone to the bride’s home to fetch her and bring her back to the groom’s house. Jesus likens this to His kingdom.

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.” Matthew 25:1. In this experience the groom would take his entourage over to meet the bride. The bride would have her group of celebrants there ready to meet the groom when he came, and then with great festivity and celebration, they would march back to the groom’s new home.

These ten young ladies were waiting to join in the procession when the bridegroom would come. “Now five of them were wise and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.” Matthew 25:2–4.

The story says that five of them had oil in their vessels and five did not. This shows that they all had flagons to carry extra oil, but five of them came with extra oil and five left their vessels empty. “The bridegroom was delayed.” Matthew 25:5. That is typical of many parts of the world. In America if you arrive for an announced wedding at three o’clock and no one is there, you might wait ten or fifteen minutes. Then you would conclude that someone was confused about the time, and you would get in your car and go home. But not so in Asia and in many other parts of the world. And so the bridesmaids waited.

“When the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.” They did not expect him to be so late. They expected him perhaps to delay an hour or so, but now it was almost midnight and they were all sound asleep. They had left their lamps gently burning, because in those days, they did not have other lights to turn on. There they were sleeping soundly with their lamps burning beside them.

“And at midnight a cry was heard, ‘Behold the bridegroom is coming. Go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.” Matthew 25:6, 7.

When the cry was made they all woke up. They grabbed their lamps, and began to trim them. But the foolish realized that their oil was almost gone. They said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil. Share with us.” And the wise bridesmaids said, “No. We do not have any extra. You must go and buy your own oil.”

“The bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.” Matthew 25:10. It is a terrible thing to imagine the door being shut and some, perhaps us, being left outside. This is what Jesus said, “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 25:11–13. Jesus here gives us a shocking illustration of the parallel between these ten bridesmaids and the people of God living before Jesus comes.

 

Some Are Not Prepared

 

These ten bridesmaids represent members of the church. They all believe in the Three Angels’ Messages. They all come to church on Sabbath. They warm the pew and they sing the hymns. But five are not prepared.

What do the lamps represent? They represent the Word of God. The Psalmist said, “Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105.

The oil represents the Holy Spirit. There are many who claim the name of Adventism, who say they are part of God’s true church. They can show their diploma of baptism and are proud of theirmembership, but they are not prepared for the coming of Jesus.

This door that Jesus talks about is a door that you often find in Scripture. It represents the door of probation. How sad it will be if we found that we did not have the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives which would have prepared us to go through that door. What a tragedy it would be to be found outside.

Some of God’s people are shallow in the study of God’s Word. Consequently they are not filled with the Holy Spirit and are unprepared to meet Jesus! That is why Jesus said, “Watch, therefore.”

What does it mean to watch? Among the definitions of this word in Webster’s Dictionary is “to be awake, to be alert.” A reason why we should watch is also found there. This is “to ward off danger or to seize an opportunity.”

Today in the world around us there is danger. In the church there are dangers as well. It is extremely unfortunate when a historic Adventist who has espoused all the teachings of the pioneers of Adventism says, “I do not want to be a historic Seventh-day Adventist.” For one to say this, somehow the oil must have gone low. The tragedy is that there are hundreds of people who will believe whatever they hear from an appealing leader, and will become confused. They too, did not have enough oil in preparation. They had not immersed themselves in the study of God’s Word and the Spirit of Prophecy.

Some people are disillusioned. One individual gave over one hundred thousand dollars to a historic Adventist ministry, and later saw that ministry turn around and reject the foundation on which historic Adventism is built. This question was asked with tears: “What shall we do?” Jesus warned us that before He comes, apostasy in the church will become as dark as midnight. “Not only is Satan leading the world captive, but his deceptions are leavening the professed churches of our Lord Jesus Christ. The great apostasy will develop into darkness deep as midnight, impenetrable as sackcloth of hair.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 414. It requires a preparation to stand in these days.

Jesus said “Watch therefore, for you do not know the hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Matthew 24:42–44.

The ten bridesmaids all went to sleep because they did not know when the bridegroom was coming. Matthew 24 and 25 is a message from Jesus to His last church to be ready. It is a call for all to be faithful, to be watchful and not to fall asleep.

 

The Preparation

 

When I was a student in college, I had a classmate named Bill, who was in his last year of studying for the ministry. He was a good friend of mine. Our friendship was such that we discussed things together. On Friday nights different ministerial students would have the evening worship service.

He preached one Friday night and his message was terribly disconnected. He would go here and hit a point, and then over there and hit another point, but it was not together. It was clear that he did not even have an outline. I felt sorry for him because he was going out to preach the gospel. First he needed to learn to prepare for a sermon.

On Monday morning Bill and I were together in Bible doctrines class. I said to him, “Bill, I heard your sermon on Friday evening. I appreciate the message that you gave, but just a little word of advice from one of your friends. The next time you preach, let me suggest you make up an outline to guide you so you know where you are going.”

Bill was horrified!

He said, “Oh, I could not do that!”

“Why not?” I questioned.

He said, “I have to allow the Holy Spirit to move me.”

I exclaimed, “But, Bill, the Holy Spirit is not going to move you someplace that you have not already studied out.”

That is a mistake we sometimes make. We believe that because we are Christians, that the Holy Spirit is going to move us. He will give us thoughts to remember and to speak, without us having to make the preparation. Yes, the Holy Spirit will guide us, but we have to prepare ourselves through a full commitment and daily study of God’s Word.

 

Signs of His Coming

 

The disciples came to Jesus and said, “Tell us, Jesus, when are You going to come back? Could you give us some signs that we can have to guide us so we will know when Your coming is near?” Jesus, evidently, agreed to do that because He said, “Take heed that no one deceives you.” Matthew 24:4.

Where it says, “Do not let anyone deceive you,” I am going to use the words, “Do not let anyone fool you.” “For many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive (fool) many.” Matthew 24:5.

Jesus says, “And many false prophets will rise up and deceive (fool) many. Matthew 24:11. All through this chapter Jesus warns us about being fooled, until finally He says, “If anyone says to you, Look here is Christ! or There! do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders so as to deceive (fool), if possible, even the very elect.” Matthew 24:23, 24.

How can that be? Adventism is a simple message. The problem that people have, is committing themselves to abiding in the message. Some people think that you have to be able to quote the Spirit of Prophecy by heart before you can become a Seventh-day Adventist. It is much simpler than that. We all can be historic Seventh-day Adventists. We believe that old message that can be completely proven from God’s Word and is testified to in the Spirit of Prophecy.

Adventists are deceived because the deception comes right from within the walls of the church. How else would it be possible to deceive the elect? If someone tells you that Jesus is coming and He is over here in a city park, we all know that is not true. But when mixed messages come into the flock of God today, it could, if it were possible, deceive the very elect. I know of some people who at one time cherished the message of Adventism, who now have given up belief in the significance of 1844. They no longer believe in the sanctuary in heaven, or that you can overcome—and their names are still on church books.

There is a wonderful book entitled, Receiving the Word, by Samuel Koranteng Pipim. It explains that the problem today in so much of Adventism is that scholars, teachers, preachers, and church members no longer want to take the Bible literally. They begin tearing pages out of it and throwing them away.

Is it possible that we could be fooled? The message of the second angel was that Babylon is fallen? Babylon means confusion and there is quite a debate going on today whether we can call the church Babylon.

Is there confusion in God’s church today? Let us make sure it does not come into our lives. Let us make sure that we have the preparation to stand firmly on solid ground with our lamps trimmed and burning. There are those today who have let the oil of God’s Spirit run low and their spiritual life becomes very shallow.

The servant of the Lord said that in the last days many would be led from the truth. Have you read that statement? “Every man and woman should be on guard when there are deceptions abroad calculated to lead away from the truth.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 73.

Some will say, “Oh, but we have to keep our minds open to differing views.” Actually, we need to close our ears to some of the messages that are being given to us out there! Referring to Jesus’ statement, that if it were possible the very elect would be fooled, Mrs. White says: “It is because of the many and varied dangers that would arise, that this warning is given.” Selected Messages, vol. 2, 16.

Those dangers are not only outside the church, they are inside the church. Today we find some rather strange worship styles in Adventism. It is shocking to realize that today there is a creeping trend toward Babylon.

“The end is near . . . New and strange things will continually arise to lead God’s people into false excitement, religious revivals, and curious developments.” Ibid. 17. This was written one hundred years ago. How did she know this? She continues. “With much that is truth there is mingled error that is accepted in its extreme meaning, and acted upon by persons of excitable temperaments.” Ibid.

Some Adventists go to worship service on Sabbath morning and dance around waving their arms. Why do they do it? They say, “We are free to let the spirit move us.” The Bible says to test the spirits. There are other spirits in the world besides the Holy Spirit.

 

Follow Only Jesus

 

“Not only is Satan leading the world captive, but his deceptions are leavening the professed churches of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 414. We must be careful that we do not get involved in following a person. We must be what we are because of Jesus Christ and His message and the power of His Holy Spirit.

The reason for much of the grievous disappointment in historic Adventism is because people have been following a person. People have been giving tens of thousands of dollars to support a person. This is God’s church. This is God’s message. It does not come because of the building or the cathedral, or the institution or the person preaching. It comes because we are a people who believe in keeping God’s commandments and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

There is a trend today to measure success in numbers. How many did you baptize? Unfortunately, that is too often the message we hear. They say there is joy in heaven over one sinner. It must be that there is twice as much joy over two. But we cannot be consumed with numbers. We cannot be concerned because the church may seem small. God is calling out a remnant. I want to be part of God’s remnant experience. I want my lamp to have plenty of oil and to be trimmed and burning.

The story is told of a coal miner who became a Christian. He worked in the mines where they used foul language. They ate and drank things that the Christian should not eat or drink. Whenthis coal miner became a Christian, his former friends began to make fun of him. They did everything they could to discourage him and make him feel bad. Finally, one day they devised a rather diabolical plan. Of course, they kept it all a secret. The miners worked down in the caverns of the earth all day, filling their train car with coal. At the end of the day they rolled the little car up the tracks, filled with coal that they had hacked away at, picked out and shoveled into their trolley. They were paid by the amount of coal they had dug out of the mine.

What these evil men did was to destroy the track in such a way that when the Christian miner’s trolley came up, his entire load for the day would fall over and be spilt. When he got to the top, his coal car rolled over and all of the coal spilled out—his entire day’s labor. The men who had done this were all hiding around, waiting to hear what he would say, expecting some cursing to come from his lips. Then they could jump out laughing and show him that his Christianity was only skin deep.

They listened. They watched. He stood there. Tears began to flow down his cheeks. He looked at his day’s work all gone, completely wasted. Knowing he could even be in trouble with the management. There he stood amidst his tears, and he sang, “I Need Thee Every Hour.” What a sermon those hardened miners saw that day. When times get hard, when the storms of life break and batter us, we too may sing hymns to Jesus.

In these closing hours of earth’s history, may God help us to have our lamps filled with the oil of the power of His Holy Spirit. May He help us to be watchful, to be ready. We do not know the day nor the hour when He will come back, but He said He is coming soon and that is good enough. That is the message we must give to the world. That is what we believe. Do not let anybody fool you.

Do not let these strange things that are happening, these strange winds that are blowing influence you so that the door will shut without you being inside. May God help us to be faithful.

 

Editorial — Not Ignorant of His Devices, part 1

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“Our divine Lord is equal to any emergency. With Him nothing is impossible . . . Come to Christ just as you are weak, helpless, and ready to die. Cast yourself wholly on His mercy. There is no difficulty within or without that can not be surmounted in His strength.” The Signs of the Times, January 3, 1906. But while we have this wonderful assurance we are not to be presumptuous. “Presumption is Satan’s counterfeit of faith. Faith claims God’s promises, and brings forth fruit in obedience. Presumption also claims the promises, but uses them as Satan did, to excuse transgression.” Desire of Ages, 126.

Whether you know it or not Satan is constantly sending you temptations to be presumptuous. (The Signs of the Times, August 5,1886.)

By presumption we can place ourselves in a position where Satan’s deceptions have power over us. Often the temptation to be presumptuous comes in a religious guise, even in the words of Scripture: “When the tempter came to Christ to lead Him to presumption, he came quoting the Scripture.” Review and Herald, July 5, 1892. This temptation is so powerful and successful that Ellen White says, “Presumption is a most common temptation, and as Satan assails men with this, he obtains the victory nine times out of ten.” Historical Sketches, 133. Often the people of God come into dreadful disappointment in their work for the Lord because of a confusion between faith and presumption. “The path of faith lies close beside the path of presumption. Satan is ever seeking to lead us into false paths. He sees that a misunderstanding of what constitutes faith will confuse and disappoint. He is pleased when he can persuade men and women to reason from false premises.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 18, 333.

It is helpful for us to know some of the common ways that Satan tempts men with presumption as outlined in the Spirit of Prophecy. Here are a few:

  1. Doing nothing in God’s cause: “There can be no presumption more fatal than that which leads men to venture upon a course of self-pleasing.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 345. “Indolence and slothfulness, presumption and self-confidence, will alike bring defeat and destruction. God takes cognizance of the works of all. Those who have sought their ease, and shunned care, anxiety and labor for God’s cause, may be sure their sin will find them out.” The Signs of the Times, July 5, 1881.
  2. Placing our own judgment above the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy: “The prevailing spirit of our time is that of infidelity and apostasy—a spirit of pretended illumination because of a knowledge of the truth, but in reality of the blindest presumption. There is a spirit of opposition to the plain Word of God and to the testimony of His Spirit. There is a spirit of idolatrous exaltation of mere human reason above the revealed wisdom of God.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 79.
  3. Speculation about theological matters God has not made known such as the family structure in heaven: “Neither those who shall be raised from the dead, nor those who shall be translated without seeing death, will marry or be given in marriage. They will be as the angels of God, members of the royal family. It is presumption to indulge in suppositions and theories regarding matters that God has not made known to us in His Word. We need not enter into speculation regarding our future state.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 173.
  4. The use of extravagant expressions by ministers will lead to presumption: “The path of presumption lies close beside the path of faith. In no case should he make use of extravagant expressions, for a certain class are sure to be affected, and influences are set in motion that can no more be controlled than can an impetuous horse. Once let impulse and emotion get the mastery over calm judgment, and there may be altogether too much speed, even in traveling a right road. He who travels too fast, will find it perilous in more ways than one. It may not be long before he will branch off from the right road into a wrong path.” Selected Messages, vol. 2, 91.
  5. Rejection of New Testament principles of church organization will lead to presumption: “Those who accept this bogus sanctification do not hesitate to draw away from the body and set themselves up as criteria. They claim that the Lord is leading them, and do not seek counsel of the church, but move out independently, deceived in themselves and deceiving others . . . Each individual will have an independence of his own, claiming to be taught of God; therefore no one must get in their way or interfere with their course of action. This is as Satan would have it. The voice of the church, God’s delegated power upon earth, is set aside and despised. These professedly sanctified ones are filled with vain conceit, and with presumption move on in their own wisdom, exhorting others to come up to the exalted standard of themselves.” The Signs of the Times, October 23, 1879.

Editorial — Is Jesus Disappointed ?

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Although it seems almost blasphemous to say it, the inspired record reveals to us that many times God’s people have been disappointed with Him! The children of Israel were so disappointed from the report of the 12 spies that they became desperate and missed their opportunity of going into the promised land. Nathaniel was disappointed when he first saw Jesus. See Selected Messages, vol. 1, 414.

“The disciples had been much disappointed that Jesus had not tried to secure the co-operation of the leaders in Israel. [Jesus was in a very similar circumstance to so-called independent ministries today. He refused to link up with the structure, and the disciples thought this was a big mistake and were disappointed in Him.] They felt that it was a mistake not to strengthen His cause by securing the support of these influential men.” Desire of Ages, 294.

“After their great disappointment in the death of Christ, their faith was not strong enough to accept the fact of the resurrection.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 205.

“Disappointment usually brings unbelief.” Sketches from the Life of Paul, 84. If this is the case then why does God allow us to experience disappointment?
First we need to understand that God never disappoints His children. “He never disappoints His people.” Manuscript Release, vol. 18, 172. But He allows disappointments to come—”Test and trial comes to every child of God. The intensity of your love and fidelity will be tested by difficulties, disappointments, and trials. These your faith must overcome.” Manuscript Release, vol. 20, 229.

“God knows it is good for men to tread a hard and humble path, to encounter difficulties, to experience disappointments, and to suffer affliction. Faith strengthens by coming in conflict with doubt, and resisting unbelief through the strength of Jesus.” Signs of the Times, June 15, 1876.

Often our disappointments come because we mistake presumption for faith: “The path of faith lies close beside the path of presumption. Satan is ever seeking to lead us into false paths. He sees that a misunderstanding of what constitutes faith will confuse and disappoint. He is pleased when he can persuade men and women to reason from false premises.” Selected Messages, vol. 2, 5.

The disappointment of the disciples in 31 A.D. and the disappointment of the Adventists in 1844 were both the result of a misunderstanding of prophecy, actually a misunderstanding of a single word, in the first case, the word “kingdom” and in the second, the word “sanctuary.”

But the big question that we should ponder is not our disappointments which are often the result of unbelief or lack of faith or presumption or misunderstandings, but rather, we should ask the question, “Is my Lord disappointed in me”?

“Jesus was disappointed in His disciples.” 1888 Materials, 177. “Can the servant expect better treatment than was received by his Master? When we are disappointed in men, let us think how many times Jesus has been disappointed in those whom He came to save. How often He has sought fruit upon the figtree of His own planting, and found nothing but leaves!” Review and Herald, March 16, 1886. “The Lord Jesus is disappointed in His people. He is the Captain, they are to file under His banner.” General Conferences Bulletin, February 17, 1897.

“His soul was grieved that He was not appreciated by those He came to bless.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 108.

“The power of love was in all Christ’s healing, and only by partaking of that love, through faith, can we be instruments for His work. If we neglect to link ourselves in divine connection with Christ, the current of life-giving energy cannot flow in rich streams from us to the people. There were places where the Saviour Himself could not do many mighty works because of their unbelief. So now unbelief separates the church from her divine Helper. Her hold upon eternal realities is weak. By her lack of faith, God is disappointed and robbed of His glory.” Desire of Ages, 825.

“Let every one inquire, What is my condition before God? Is Jesus disappointed in me from year to year? Am I a fruitless tree in the Lord’s garden? It is not an orchard or a vineyard that is presented before us in the parable; it is a single tree. Its history is that it bore no fruit; its destiny is, to be cut down. The work of overcoming is an individual work. During the past summer many of our brethren have in various ways received additional light, and enjoyed precious privileges. This increased light only makes your cases more aggravated and your doom more certain, if fruit does not appear.” Review and Herald, January 12, 1886.

Bible Study Guides – A Faith That Works

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May 20 – 26

Key Text

“Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar” (James 2:21)?

Study Help: Faith and Works, 47–54, 111–116.

Introduction

“There are many who fail to understand the relation of faith and works. They say, ‘Only believe in Christ, and you are safe. You have nothing to do with keeping the law.’ But genuine faith will be manifest in obedience.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 153, 154.

Sunday

 1   A WORKING FAITH

  •  How do we know Abraham believed in God’s word? Genesis 22:1–5; James 2:21–24.

Note: “Abraham believed God. How do we know that he believed? His works testified to the character of his faith, and his faith was accounted to him for righteousness.” Reflecting Christ, 79.

  • What is the relationship between faith and works? James 2:17, 18; Matthew 7:16–20. What kind of fruit does a Christian bear?

Note: “Good works can never purchase salvation, but they are an evidence of the faith that acts by love and purifies the soul.” The Desire of Ages, 314.

“Just as a good tree will bear good fruit, so will the tree that is actually planted in the Lord’s garden produce good fruit unto eternal life. Besetting sins are overcome; evil thoughts are not allowed in the mind; evil habits are purged from the soul temple. … An entire transformation has taken place.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1080.

Monday

 2   GOD’S WORKS

  •  How did Abraham show his faith in God? As he acted out his faith, what did Abraham reveal about his faith? James 2:22; Genesis 22:12.

Note: “Faith works by love and purifies the soul. Faith buds and blossoms and bears a harvest of precious fruit. Where faith is, good works appear.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 398.

  • Where do good works come from? Compare Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:12 with Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:13, 14.

Note: “Genuine faith will be manifested in good works; for good works are the fruits of faith. As God works in the heart, and man surrenders his will to God, and cooperates with God, he works out in the life what God works in by the Holy Spirit, and there is harmony between the purpose of the heart and the practice of the life. Every sin must be renounced as the hateful thing that crucified the Lord of life and glory, and the believer must have a progressive experience by continually doing the works of Christ. It is by continual surrender of the will, by continual obedience, that the blessing of justification is retained.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 397.

“If we are faithful in doing our part, in co-operating with Him, God will work through us the good pleasure of His will. But God cannot work through us if we make no effort. If we gain eternal life, we must work, and work earnestly. … We must follow the example Christ has left us, submitting to Him in everything. Our will must be in harmony with His will.” The Review and Herald, June 11, 1901.

  • Before the Christian can bring forth the good works of God, what must first take place? Ephesians 2:1–5; Galatians 2:20; Jeremiah 29:13.

Note: “The only way we can secure the help of God is to put ourselves wholly in His hands, and trust Him to work for us. As we lay hold of Him by faith, He does the work. The believer can only trust. As God works, we can work, trusting in Him and doing His will.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1080.

Tuesday

 3   A DEAD BELIEF

  •  What is the difference between a living faith and a dead belief? James 2:19, 20; Mark 7:6, 7.

Note: “True faith, which relies wholly upon Christ, will be manifested by obedience to all the requirements of God. … In all ages there have been those who claimed a right to the favor of God even while they were disregarding some of His commands. But the Scriptures declare that by works is ‘faith made perfect’; and that, without the works of obedience, faith ‘is dead’ (James 2:22, 17).” The Faith I Live By, 91.

“Many are content with lip service, and but few have a sincere, earnest, affectionate longing after God.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 534.

  • Can someone with a dead belief produce good works? Matthew 23:27, 28; 7:21–23.

Note: “The good man, from the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things. Why? Because Christ is an abiding presence in the soul. The sanctifying truth is a treasure-house of wisdom to all who practice the truth. As a living spring it is springing up unto everlasting life. The one who has not Christ abiding in his heart will indulge in cheap talk, exaggerated statements, that make mischief. The tongue that utters perverse things, common things, slang phrases, that tongue needs to be treated with the hot coals of juniper.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, 577.

“No man can have the spirit and the mind of Christ without being rendered better by it in all the relations and duties of life. Murmuring, complaining, and fretful passion are not the fruit of good principles.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 347.

  • What will always be missing in the works of a dead believer? 1John 4:20, 21; John 8:37–41.

Note: “Obedience to the word produces fruit of the required quality—‘unfeigned love of the brethren’ (1 Peter 1:22). This love is heaven-born and leads to high motives and unselfish actions.” The Acts of the Apostles, 520.

Wednesday

 4   THE ROOT OR THE FRUIT?

  •  What happens when good works of obedience become the root of the Christian experience instead of the fruit of it? Matthew 23:5.

Note: “The Pharisees sought distinction by their scrupulous ceremonialism and the ostentation of their worship and their charities. They proved their zeal for religion by making it the theme of discussion. Disputes between opposing sects were loud and long, and it was not unusual to hear on the streets the voice of angry controversy from learned doctors of the law. “In marked contrast to all this was the life of Jesus. In that life no noisy disputation, no ostentatious worship, no act to gain applause, was ever witnessed. Christ was hid in God, and God was revealed in the character of His Son.” The Ministry of Healing, 32.

  • What should always be at the root of the Christian’s experience? Galatians 6:14.

Note: “The angels ascribe honor and glory to Christ, for even they are not secure except by looking to the sufferings of the Son of God. … Without the cross they would be no more secure against evil than were the angels before the fall of Satan. … All who wish for security in earth or heaven must look to the Lamb of God. …

“If men would contemplate the love of Christ, displayed in the cross, their faith would be strengthened to appropriate the merits of His shed blood, and they would be cleansed and saved from sin.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1132, 1133.

  • How will the true Christian regard his or her own works in light of Christ’s works? Philippians 3:4–9; Isaiah 6:5.

Note: “The more they [God’s followers] see of the character of Christ the more humble they become, and the lower their estimate of themselves. … Self is lost sight of in their consciousness of their own unworthiness and of God’s wonderful glory.” That I May Know Him, 122.

Thursday

 5   FRUITFUL CHRISTIANS

  •  Why does God want to fill the Christian’s life with good works borne from a changed heart? Matthew 5:14–16; 1Peter 2:9.

Note: “It is His [God’s] plan that all who are partakers of the great salvation shall be missionaries for Him. The piety of the Christian constitutes the standard by which worldlings judge the gospel. Trials patiently borne, blessings gratefully received, meekness, kindness, mercy, and love, habitually exhibited, are the lights that shine forth in the character before the world, revealing the contrast with the darkness that comes of the selfishness of the natural heart.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 134.

“When the grace of Christ is expressed in the words and works of the believers, light will shine forth to those who are in darkness; for while the lips are speaking to the praise of God, the hand will be stretched out in beneficence for the help of the perishing.” Sons and Daughters of God, 276.

  • Throughout history, what knowledge does Christ always have regarding His church? Revelation 2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15. Why is Jesus so interested in the works of His followers? James 2:21, 22, 24; Revelation 22:12.

Note: “The eyes of the world are upon us, and we are observed by many of whom we have no knowledge. There are those who know something of the doctrines we claim to believe, and they are noting the effect of our faith upon our characters.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 386.

“The world today is in crying need of a revelation of Christ Jesus in the person of His saints.” In Heavenly Places, 313.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

 1     Why does true faith always work?

2     How can we ensure that our works are always from God?

3     Why can an unconverted heart never produce unselfish love?

4     Explain the difference between the root and the fruit of our experience.

5     What is God and the world waiting to see in the Christian church?

 Copyright © 2017, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

 

Testimony – Maine Blizzard

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God’s Answer to Prayer

In just a few short hours the winds were raging as the snow swirled in unabated fury. As the hours passed the snow grew deeper as the winds picked up speed, creating huge drifts everywhere.As it began to snow we almost didn’t notice the small floating snowflakes falling from the sky that morning. The weather report had forecasted that by 11:00 a.m. snow would be falling in all of Maine.

Although reluctant, we knew we had to go out there and remove as much snow as possible from our driveway and the walkway to our front door. We soon realized this blizzard would deliver a massive amount of snow. We remembered last winter not being able to open our front door due to such high snow and drifts. A large snow machine had to come and clear the way.

Our efforts this time were in vain, as so much snow was falling so quickly. Huge, swirling high speed winds of blowing snow made it impossible for us to continue shoveling.

After battling the storm for a few hours, we came inside and prayed that God would somehow deliver us from this blizzard – we were so tired with trying to remove the snow with only shovels, without the help of our large snowblower that was in the shop for repairs. Every 15–20 minutes I still had to go out our front door and remove snowdrifts from our walkway that had accumulated so quickly.

The snow had been blowing and drifting from north to south across the length of our roof onto the sidewalk and driveway all day and evening. Though exhausted, I was ready to continue removal of the snow and drifting into the night, or all night, if necessary. Coming in and out of the front door to the warmth of the wood stove blazing on the front porch was a short reprieve. All the while I continued to pray, pleading with God, “Lord, please help me in this battle, I must sleep now.”

It was now about 2:30 a.m., and I realized I may have to continue this snow vigil through the night. And then, a very curious thing happened. While the winds were still raging, the next time I looked out the front door, I noticed that the snow had no longer accumulated on the walkway since the last time I had removed it. So, I waited awhile and went back to check, and the same thing: no more snow. The snow had not stopped falling, it just wasn’t falling there anymore.

After checking for the third time, I gratefully thanked the Lord, while not yet realizing what had happened. I started to hear the windows on the front porch clattering loudly. After this began, I understood what happened. The wind that had been blowing the snow from our roof all day suddenly had changed course completely. It was now blowing across the width of the roof from west to east, totally bypassing the sidewalk and driveway.

Our front porch windows continued to rattle, and as the new direction of the winds took hold I knew that God had answered our prayers. As the high winds continued to rush at the glass windows in a fury, I felt they might break, but I knew in my heart that my God, who could change the direction of the winds, would surely not let those windows break. I finally fell asleep peacefully on the sofa in front of the warm wood stove.

God has so many ways to answer our prayers that we know nothing about. I think He wants us to trust Him, and to be amazed when He answers in ways we cannot even imagine.

This whole experience makes me think of this wonderful old song:

Will Your Anchor Hold? (Last verse)

When our eyes behold, in the dawning light,

Shining gates of pearl, our harbor bright,

We shall anchor fast to the heavenly shore,

With the storms all past forevermore.

 

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

Steadfast and sure while the billows roll.

Fastened to the Rock which cannot move

Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

Priscilla J. Owens, 1882/William J. Kirkpatrick

We are looking forward to spring – and in the near future, to our heavenly home where spring reigns eternal.

Three Gardens

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We are in a contest of time and space and circumstance which creates a very real need for a strong, true, vibrant faith. You may think you have heard enough about faith, so let me try a different approach to get past your guard and plant some thoughts as seeds in your mind about faith. Our study will be divided up into three sections, each one about a garden.

Section One:

Our Father Meets an Enemy in a Garden

“And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.” “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Genesis 2:8, 15. That was a pretty nice garden. They are not making gardens like that now. We think about compost and vegetation, and things that die to make other things live. But, they were not working on that basis in this garden. Nothing had to die in order to make something live. The soil was so perfectly rich and balanced in all the nutrients, that you did not have to add anything. It was all there, perfectly created by the Master Gardener Himself. All you had to do was cooperate with the laws of nature, and the results were wonderful. That is what our father, Adam, was doing.

The soil, of course, did not have rocks like New England. When I went to Atlantic Union College, I bought a little piece of land in order to build a home in the country. I noticed rocks sticking up here and there all over the land. I noticed fences made out of rocks. I thought, “Well, I’ll get a bulldozer in here and we’ll smooth this all out and I’ll plant grass.” Then a friend told me, “Don’t bring any bulldozer in here. It will turn up ten rocks for every rock you scrape off. There’s no end to the rocks here. It’ll just stir up the soil and you will have a big, big harvest of rocks; that’s all you’ll have.” So I left it the way it was and let nature take care of it.

You can see, we have handicaps here that they never thought of in our father’s garden in Eden. Another example is the adobe soil in California. This is strange soil—almost hard as concrete when it is dry, and soft like slush when it is wet. But the garden of Eden had the right texture all the time. There is a statement that it was watered from underneath. Have you been to the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and wondered about those miles and miles of underground tunnels there, and the tunnels back in Kentucky which they tell me are larger still? The water in Eden was probably flowing underneath and came up to the soil. That is the ideal arrangement. I have no use for rain. I have lived in some very rainy places, both here and in the tropics, and I can get along fine with no rain at all if we could water things without it. So, I see the ideal as a land where the water seeps up from underneath and waters everything, but the top of the soil is always dry. You could lie down on it and not get wet.

The temperature must have been something like Hawaii, an average of about 70 degrees. The fruit was magnificent. The vegetables were marvelous. The flowers were beautiful beyond compare. Our father—your father and my father, loved that garden. He loved to work it. It was his to dress and tend. I suspect that he had pathways prepared with little colonies of this kind of a plant, and little plantings of that. It was a place of marvelous beauty.

But Adam was being closely watched, because our father had an enemy. He was not fully aware of why this enemy should have it in for him, but he did. Lucifer was studying our father, watching his every movement and wondering: “How can I get to this created human being in such a way that I can influence him and cause his heart to rebel against the Heavenly Father who created him?” As Satan watched, he observed something. The most precious thing to our father upon this earth, was his wife, Eve. That gave Satan an idea. “If I can work through her, and cause her to be damaged or destroyed, I could get to Adam.” So he studied Eve. He watched carefully to see what her mind considered beautiful and what her thoughts were. It did not take him long to see that Eve was a lover of beautiful things. Just about the most beautiful thing around the garden, was the serpent that had wings. Practically in all mankind, there is, in their tradition, a story of the winged serpent. In the discoveries of stonework down in Central and South America they find carved pictures of a serpent with wings. This tradition goes way back into the memory of man, the serpent with wings, the flying serpent. The devil arranged things so that every time Eve enjoyed admiring the beauty of that serpent with wings, the serpent was a little closer to that forbidden tree. Finally his purpose was accomplished. You know what happened, she was deceived. She took of the fruit and ate it. When this became known to Adam our father, it blew his mind. This is what the devil planned.

Adam was confronted with a problem that he thought was too much for God to handle. You see the point? That is still a problem today. Every one of us have had that sort of situation, at least temporarily—a problem that looked like it was too much for God to handle. “God can do a lot of things, I’m sure, but He can’t handle this. There’s no hope. There’s nothing even God can do about this.” That is typical of the human family. We see so many examples of it. When Abraham got into the country ruled by Abimelech, he decided that his beautiful wife, Sarah, was going to be at risk. He said, “You tell them that you’re not my wife. Tell them that you’re my sister.” He seemingly thought God could not handle this problem. He was in the foreigner’s territory, and was at the mercy of the king. He could not defend himself against the power that was in control. He figured, “God can’t do anything about this. I’ll have to seek another solution.”

We could also think of the people of Israel coming to the border of the promised land at the edge of the Jordan River and pausing there to send the spies into the land. When the spies came back with their ten spies giving a terribly dismal report, what was the reaction? “It’s hopeless, it’s hopeless, it’s hopeless. God has not the ability, or the strength, to handle this problem. He can’t deal with this.”

Let us bring it up to our modern times. This is something that everybody goes through when they decide to start keeping the Sabbath. Those of us who came in from the world, had to struggle with that problem. I was working in a plywood factory in the state of Washington on Friday nights. I was warned by some that if I tried to keep the Sabbath they would fire me, because it had happened to others before. I had to struggle with that problem. Is the Lord able to handle this, or is He not? I finally decided I would rather lose my job than lose my soul. But, I will never forget the struggle. I have done some hard things in my life, but I do not believe anything was harder than for me to go into the office where that rough old lumber man stood who owned the mill. He was chewing tobacco, chewing on a cigar, and spitting his tobacco juice into a spittoon on the floor—just as rough a character as you will ever find. How do I talk to this man about spiritual things? But I did—by the grace of God I did it.

As an evangelist, I have seen so many men and women come up to this awesome situation, and they have the question, like Adam had—”Can God handle this problem? Can I keep the Sabbath on this job? If I lose this job, can God help me get another job?” It is a powerfully big problem. They either take the advanced step and say, “I will begin keeping the Sabbath,” and discover something—that God is watching, and that He has a plan all the way from there to the kingdom for each one. Or if they do not take that step of faith, they never know anything about that plan.

What can we learn about all of this from Adam? He saw a problem, and in his view, it was beyond any solution. He decided he would rather be lost with Eve than live without her. Those two choices were not the only choices, because God had already solved the problem before it started. Take a look at the scriptures. “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace.” Now look at this carefully: “which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” 2 Timothy 1:9. [All emphasis supplied.] “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, [that is the anti-Christ,] whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8. God was not taken by surprise by the sin of Eve. It was certainly a sad situation, but to think of it as something that God could not handle, that was the big mistake. It was not by any means something that God could not handle. We find a statement like this: “The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam.” Desire of Ages, 22. It was made long before the fall of Adam. “It was a revelation of ‘the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal.’” Romans. 16:25, R.V. “From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but he foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency.” Ibid.

The point is that God has no problems in the sense that we humans think of them—as being something that He cannot handle. No problem is any harder for God than any other problem. No problem is any easier for God than any other problem. To Him, they are all just a matter of His will, that is all. We want to think about that when we consider the principle involved here. This statement makes it personal. “If we surrender our lives to His service, we can never be placed in a position for which God has not made provision.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 173. Notice the past tense. No matter what kind of a situation you get into, God was there ahead of you. God sized the whole situation up ahead of us. He decided just what avenue of escape He would have ready for us. It is no problem to Him. God makes decisions, but He has no problems at all. Adam’s great mistake was to feel that this problem was too much for the Lord.

In our modern times, we find people struggling with believing that God can solve their problems. We should remember to look back across the years. It is clearly stated that God foresaw the problem of Israel wanting a king. Patriarchs and Prophets, 603. He foresaw the problems that would lead to the captivity of Israel. Prophets and Kings, 408. Jesus foresaw the treachery of Judas. Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1102. But look especially at this thought: God foresaw the delusive doctrines of the last days. Testimonies, vol. 8, 201.

If I would ask you what our biggest problem is now, many would say: “The horrible false doctrines that are assailing the church, the apostasy in the church.” God foresaw it. God foresaw that you would be living in these last days seeking a place of refuge on Sabbath mornings, not wanting to listen to error from the pulpit, but wanting to hear the pure Word of God and the Spirit of Prophecy expounded. God knew exactly what He was going to do about this problem of apostasy, and these last day delusions. In Review and Herald, September 6, 1898, is a similar statement about how God foresaw the last day arts and devices of Satan. So God has no problems! We have a most horrible problem if we ever suspect that anything has happened to us that God cannot handle. God can handle it! He can handle the problems of the church. He can handle the problems of our individual lives. He can handle anything and everything that comes along, because He was there first. He is watching the whole thing from above, where He sees ahead.

Section Two:

Our Brother Meets an Enemy in the Garden

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where there was a garden, which he entered, and His disciples.” John 18:1. “They came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and He said to His disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.” Mark 14:32–35.

Compare this problem with Adam’s problem. Adam’s problem was that he might lose his companion. The comparison is one sided, because Christ is facing the problem of being cast into non-existence, (which will be the equivalent of the sinner’s death) a much greater problem. If anybody would have a temptation to think “This is too much for the Lord,” it would be Jesus. He struggled. Yes, we have to admit, He struggled. The struggle is easy to understand when we consider what He was giving up—the dominions of all the universe, the glory and the adoration from all.

But if you look at these two garden scenes there were differences. Our Brother in the garden of Gethsemane appeared much smaller than our father in the garden of Eden. He did not look a lot like him. The garden itself, instead of being the beautiful scene that we talked about in Eden, was a rough and rocky hillside. The best thing they could grow there was olive trees.

The Man Himself, our Savior, our Brother, was weaker than Adam. Notice this comment,”When Adam was assailed by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him. He stood in the strength of perfect manhood, possessing the full vigor of mind and body. He was surrounded with the glories of Eden, and was in daily communion with heavenly beings. It was not thus with Jesus when He entered the wilderness to cope with Satan. For four thousand years the race had been decreasing in physical strength, in mental power, and in moral worth; and Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity. Only thus could He rescue man from the lowest depths of his degradation.” Desire of Ages, 117.

To study this for yourself, read the chapter “Gethsemane” in Desire of Ages. There you will have a look into the heart of Jesus, a look right into His soul, to see what he was fighting with. It describes what being numbered with the transgressors meant. The guilt of fallen humanity He must bear. Upon Him who knew no sin must be laid the iniquity of us all. He is tempted to fear that it will shut Him out forever from His Father’s love. He is staring annihilation in the face—non-existence. He falls prostrate to the ground. The thought of being separated from His father was so broad, so black, so deep, that His spirit shuddered before it. This agony, He must not exert His divine power to escape. He could have. He could have backed out even then.

He stretched out on the ground and tried to cling to the soil with His hands, as if He were going to be shaken loose from it. Three times He went back to the disciples to see if He might get some comfort and encouragement from them, some realization that what He was doing had value in their sight. But they were asleep, all the while. He did not get any help there at all. Finally, when He made that supreme decision, “He fell dying to the ground.” He would have died right there except for miraculous intervention. He would not have gotten to the cross at all. Jesus had an enormously stronger reason to judge the immensity of His problem than Adam had. But, He said, “My Father has no problems. My Father is in control. All that my Father gives shall come to me.” This time it was victory, instead of failure!

To make this personal—do you ever feel a sense of panic? Events among the nations, events in our church, events in our own lives—that is where it comes close to us. Remember our father’s experience? He decided that God could not handle his problem, so he gave in. But God had it all solved. Christ would have died for Eve if nobody else had ever sinned. There was a problem but, there was a solution available. So remember our father, and remember our Elder Brother, and never doubt God’s power.

The Spirit of Prophecy focuses on this particular problem—feeling that God can not handle it, and that things are out of control. Do you think anything ever happens to you when God is not looking, that He just does not care about? There is nothing about you that He does not care about. There is nothing that He is not interested in. Every aspect of our entire life experience is important to Him, but He is taking a long view.

Sometimes we take the short view. We will look at a few lines to remind us of what is said to us about this particular question: “Can God handle this? Or is God off somewhere paying attention to other things and not watching?” “Many who sincerely consecrate their lives to God’s service are surprised and disappointed to find themselves, as never before, confronted by obstacles and beset by trials and perplexities. Like Israel of old they question, ‘If God is leading us, why do these things come upon us?’ [Here is the answer.] It is because God is leading them that these things come upon them. Trials and obstacles are the Lord’s chosen methods of discipline and His appointed conditions of success.” Ministry of Healing, 470, 471. “God’s care for His heritage is unceasing. He suffers no affliction to come upon His children but such as is essential for their present and eternal good. [No affliction, from the largest, to the smallest.] All that He brings upon His people in test and trial comes that they may gain deeper piety and greater strength to carry forward the triumphs of the cross.” Acts of the Apostles, 425.

Does God really take personal interest in you? “He who is imbued with the Spirit of Christ abides in Christ. Whatever comes to Him comes from the Saviour.” Ministry of Healing, 489. Look at that carefully. That is a bold statement. “Whatever comes to him comes from the Saviour.” You mean all of this hard luck, all of these disappointments? Yes, everything. There are no exceptions. “Nothing can touch him except by the Lord’s permission. All our sufferings and sorrows, all our temptations and trials, all our sadness and griefs, all our persecutions and privations, in short, all things work together for our good. All experiences and circumstances are God’s workmen whereby good is brought to us.” Ibid., 488. “God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him.” Ibid., 479.

Faith is like a diamond—it has many facets. We are studying a couple of those facets in this article. We have looked at your trials and your faith. Let us look at another aspect of faith—your words and your faith. We are told, “It is a law of nature that our thoughts and feelings are encouraged and strengthened as we give them utterance. While words express thoughts, it is also true that thoughts follow words.” Ministry of Healing, 251, 252. You can talk yourself into a lot of discouragement and doubt. You can talk yourself into total doubt, total unbelief, total abandonment of the truth, just by talking about how bad things are. “Talk of faith, of light, and of heaven, and you will have faith, light and love, and peace and joy, in the Holy Ghost.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 168. If you love darkness, talk about it—it will come. Ibid., 699. “Those who talk faith and cultivate faith will have faith, but those who cherish and express doubts will have doubts.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 302.

In Ministry of Healing, 250 we are told, “When temptations assail you, when care, perplexity, and darkness seem to surround your soul, look to the place where you last saw the light” and talk about that. Our words have a reaction upon ourselves. If we express our gloomy thoughts, “Oh, how terrible this is, how terrible that is,” we will talk ourselves into a bad condition, because thoughts follow words. But we can train ourselves to say, “That is bad, but it is no problem to the Lord.”

We live in a time when some terrible things are happening. It will get us down if we are not careful. It will depress us and discourage us. We must fight that depression and discouragement. We must fight that awful feeling of goneness when we see horrible things happening. “God calls upon His faithful ones, who believe in Him, to talk courage to those who are unbelieving and hopeless.” Christian Service, 234. “If we will restrain the expression of unbelief, and by hopeful words and prompt movements strengthen our own faith and the faith of others, our vision will grow clearer. The pure atmosphere of heaven will surround our souls. Be strong and talk hope.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 462. “Never allow yourself to talk in a hopeless, discouraged way. If you do you will lose much. By looking at appearances and complaining when difficulties and pressure come, you give evidence of a sickly, feeble faith.” Now look at this line, “Talk and act as if your faith was invincible.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 147.

Section Three:

Our Father Meets Our Brother in a Garden.

This is a beautiful scene talking about the redeemed coming to the gates of the Holy City. “As the ransomed ones are welcomed to the City of God, there rings out upon the air an exultant cry of adoration. The two Adams are about to meet. [Christ and Adam] The Son of God is standing with outstretched arms to receive the father of our race—the being whom He created, who sinned against his Maker, and for whose sin the marks of the crucifixion are borne upon the Saviour’s form. As Adam discerns the prints of the cruel nails, he does not fall upon the bosom of his Lord, but in humiliation casts himself at His feet, crying, ‘Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain!’ Tenderly the Saviour lifts him up, and bids him look once more upon the Eden home from which he has so long been exiled.” Great Controversy, 647. Did you know that the garden of Eden is in heaven? Pretty nice. I want to be there. Don’t you? Faith is the victory. We have got to have faith that will never look at any problem of any dimension and say, “This is too much for the Lord.” Nothing is too much for the Lord! He has it all figured out. He knows exactly what his response isgoing to be to every trial that comes along. All we have to do is hang on to Him for dear life, and never let ourselves doubt in any way.