Monday November 1, 2010

November. Soon we will be writing 2011 for a date. I am amazed. God has his protecting arm stretched out still over this nation. I believe it is because this nation is the cradle of the Advent message. Not because it was, but because it is.

I have often said over the years that California is to the USA what the USA is to the world. It’s influence is all out of proportion to it’s importance, at least that is my perspective. Alas, IRL, (in real life,) it is even so. Much of the rest of the world hates America, with good reason. Much of the rest of the USA hates California, with good reason.

I decry that I am still here. But God’s providence has not opened the way for me to leave my present situation,… yet.

The ongoing collapse of the American dollar is happening in slow motion. Somewhere between 45 to 60 million people on food stamps hides the depression era “soup lines” from the public eye, they “sanitize” the situation. Besides, it prevents panic, that’s a good thing. Mostly because it gives you and me a bit more time to prepare our characters for Heaven.

I just recently heard some folks discussing “Christ our Righteousness” and it did not take too long before someone lays it on the line. They verbalize that Christ’s righteousness covers our sins,… because we can not be perfect here in this life. Those are not the exact words they used, but what they said meant the same thing. This is part and parcel of the darkness the SDA church is in.

If we could not be perfect here, then Christ came in vain! God tells us to be perfect, just like him. Enoch became perfect living in a sin filled world. God took him to Heaven without seeing death. Now hold it right there. I purposely stated it the way I was taught for fifty years in the church. It is said with the feeling like something happens to change a sinner into a saint through death. That is a lie.

The Bible states that when a person dies they no longer have a part in any thing, ever, until resurrected. Which happens in a moment. So, really, there is no difference between dying or translation. Both happen instantly, well, sorta. Have you ever “passed out”? I mean lost consciousness? I have. No dreams, no nothing. So while there is a waiting in the sleep of death, that waiting is all about the living, for the dead it is instant. The whole point is this, you must be ready to enter Heaven, before you enter…. you must become perfect, here, now; that’s the whole reason the Bible teaches perfection.

Remember Daniel? “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried”

Truth. What is it to you? Is it the pearl of great price? Would you sell all that you have to be able to get that pearl? In the last few years my parents passed away, often I think of their dreams and hopes. Gone. Done. Nothing. These people, who I knew so intimately, are dead, waiting now in the grave for a resurrection, which will surly come. Is their character fit for Heaven? Will my character be fit for Heaven? Do I have enough truth to access Heaven at last and avoid Hell?

The question was then asked, Why have you not washed your robes of character, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb? God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that through him it might be saved. My love for you has been more self-denying than a mother’s love. It was that I might blot out your dark record of iniquity, and put the cup of salvation to your lips, that I suffered the death of the cross, bearing the weight and curse of your guilt. The pangs of death, and the horrors of the darkness of the tomb, I endured that I might conquer him who had the power of death, unbar the prison-house, and open for you the gates of life. I submitted to shame and agony because I loved you with an infinite love, and would bring back my way-ward, wandering sheep to the paradise of God, to the tree of life. That life of bliss which I purchased for you at such a cost, you have disregarded. Shame, reproach, and ignominy, such as your Master bore for you, you have shunned. The privileges he died to bring within your reach have not been appreciated. You would not be partaker of his sufferings, and you cannot now be partaker with him of his glory. Then were uttered these solemn word: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” The book then closed, and the mantle fell from the person on the throne, revealing the terrible glory of the Son of God. p. 7, Para. 1, [29OT].

The scene then passed away, and I found myself still upon the earth, inexpressibly grateful that the day of God had not yet come, and that precious probationary time was still granted us in which to prepare for eternity. p. 7, Para. 2, [29OT].

(BTW, the link downloads the whole book, you should read the first six pages that goes before what is posted here. Get Ready, Get Ready, Get Ready!)

God Bless your preparation for Heaven

Sunday October 31, 2010

Darkness.

It is a terribly fascinating thing that light, or truth, held by a person, can become darkness. Let’s pick on the Jews just a bit. A large portion of the earth’s population agrees that the Jews are guilty of the murder of Christ. But they have and hold the Old Testament, which teaches all about Christ. They keep the Sabbath.

Let’s look at the SDA church. They have and hold all the original papers that Ellen wrote. They have and hold both the Old and New Testaments. They keep the Sabbath.

It is my understanding that among the Jews certain portions of Scripture are forbidden to study. The reason is these teach about Christ.

I know for a fact that the Ellen G. White Estate withholds the original papers that Ellen wrote. (Never mind all the excuses about the fragility of the papers. This is 2010, we recovered the Dead Sea Scrolls. What is that to a hundred and sixty years!?) Because these papers would condemn their actions. The papers would fully condemn the counterfeit, more so than even this site. The church would not survive the revelation.

(BTW, on this subject of the original papers… You might find some interesting reading in the works of Arthur White. He testifies that they had some ingenious method of copying the original papers. I’d like to know what that was, in 1881 and after….?)

God requires his people to shine as lights in the world. It is not merely the ministers who are required to do this, but every disciple of Christ. Their conversation should be heavenly. And while they enjoy communion with God, they will wish to have intercourse with their fellowmen, in order to express by their words and acts the love of God which animates their hearts. In this way will they be lights in the world, and the light transmitted through them will not go out, or be taken away. It will indeed become darkness to those who will not walk in it; but it will shine with increasing brightness on the path of those who will obey and walk in the light. p. 14, Para. 2, [16OT].

The Spirit, wisdom, and goodness of God, revealed in his word, are to be exemplified through the disciples of Christ, and will condemn the world. God requires of his people according to the grace and truth given them. All his righteous demands must be fully met. Accountable beings must walk in the light that shines upon them. If they fail to do this, their light becomes darkness, and their darkness is great according to the degree that their light was abundant. Accumulated light has shone upon God’s people. Many have neglected to follow the light, and for this reason are in a state of great spiritual weakness. p. 15, Para. 1, [16OT].

It is not for lack of knowledge that God’s people are now perishing. They will not be condemned because they do not know the way, the truth, and the life. The truth that has reached their understanding, the light which has shone on the soul, that has not been cherished, and which they have neglected, or refused to be led by, will condemn them. Those who never had the light to reject, will not be in condemnation. What more could have been done for God’s vineyard than has been done? Light, precious light, shines upon them; but the light will not save them, unless they consent to be saved by it, and fully live up to the light, and transmit their light to others in darkness. God calls upon his people to act. It is an individual work of confessing and forsaking of sins and returning unto the Lord, which is needed. One cannot do this work for another. Religious knowledge has accumulated, which has increased corresponding obligations. Great light has been shining upon the church, and they are condemned by the light, because they refuse to walk in it. If they were blind, they would be without sin. But they have seen light, and have heard much truth, yet are not wise and holy. Many have not advanced in knowledge and true holiness from what they were years since. They are spiritual dwarfs. Instead of going forward to perfection, they are taking back tracks to the darkness and bondage of Egypt. Their minds are not exercised unto godliness and true holiness. p. 15, Para. 2, [16OT].

“The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Bro. and sister —-, if you had walked in the light as it has shone upon your pathway, had you been drawing nearer and closer to God, steadfastly believing the truth, and walking humbly before God in the light he has given, you would now have an experience that would be of inestimable value. Had you improved the talents lent you of God, you would have shone as lights in the world. But light becomes darkness to all those who will not walk in it. In order to be accepted and blessed of God as our fathers were, we must improve our light as the ancient faithful prophets improved theirs. God requires of us according to the grace he has bestowed upon us. He will not accept less than he claims. All his righteous demands must be fully met. In order for us to meet our responsibilities, we must stand on that elevated ground that the order and advancement of holy, sacred truth has prepared for us. p. 94, Para. 1, [21OT].

God Bless your preparation for Heaven

Sabbath October 30, 2010

Darkness coming from light. Something to think about.

I would say that the 80 – 20 rule applies when it comes to the relationship of the Spirit of Prophecy to the SDA church membership. In reflecting upon the fifty years of my experience in that church I have to say that it surly applies.

Here is how it works.

Current church membership in the USA, as of 2009, rounded up, is 1,100,000.

80% of the current church membership know less than 20% about any of the SOP.

That leaves us with 220,000 members, or 20%.

Of the remaining 20% who do know something of the SOP, they now get subdivided again.

80% of the remaining, what can we say about them? These are the people who read on occasion. They know which room of the house has the SOP books. But they probably do not have a complete set and they don’t know which ones are missing.

20% of the remaining is 44,000.

80% of these are the people you might actually have an intelligent discussion with, about something in one of the books. They probably read some on Sabbath afternoon, you know, along with their lesson study, &c.

20% of the remaining leaves us with 8800.

80% of these are interested, are doing some study, about some subject. If they watch any TV it’s not much. They know TV is mostly targeted for the fourth grade level of thinking. Their bible is usually marked up, worn, studied, cared for. Most of these are probably the honest in heart, which will be rescued.

20% of the remaining, 1,760.

I count 5,681 SDA churches in the USA.

Less than one per church. Really seriously after the truth, at most any cost. Usually poor, despised, rejected of men, considered to be rejected by God also, I mean if God was really in their lives they would be blessed with some riches money, right? They probably do not hold a church office, who would want such a character there anyway. They are just weird! Often coming out with the strangest things.

Are these real numbers? That is a good question. For starters, I’ll admit to living on the west coast, California; which has an interesting reputation, and, one not noted for conservatism. Nevertheless, I have done some travel out of state, I believe in general the numbers are good fact.

I’ll illustrate with a short view. I have packed an above medium size bible for the last thirty years. It is a wide margin edition, about two inches thick, black, of course. I am heavy into marking up, highlighting in lots of color and taking notes. (My SOP books look the same) It got so that I became ashamed to open it IN CHURCH, because it did not take but a few minutes and somebody, looking over my shoulder, would comment on the content. Why? Because it is so rare to see such a thing!

Now about that darkness.

All these, excepting the very few, people, usually attend church. They are Christian by profession. But let’s do some measuring here. They do not really believe in a burning hell fire that burns you, that you feel the pain of a hot coal just like from a campfire, only that it does not stop. You watch in agony and horror as your feet are burned up, your hands burn off, you are still fully conscious, you are suffering hell fire for your rebellion against God. They do not believe this.

Neither do they believe in a God that created them. Now they will probably loudly profess that they do, but we are not looking at what comes out of the mouth, but what their character is — what their acts are, these we see. If they really believed in God, a God who really created them, they would probably pay more attention to what that God has to say. Therefore, all we have to do is look at who they are paying attention to. TV, radio, work, stocks, &c., anything except God.

Who is kidding who?

More tomorrow.

God Bless your study

Friday October 29, 2010

Testimony for the Church

No. 29

By Ellen G. White

Steam Press of the Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association Battle Creek, Mich.

1880

TESTIMONY For The CHURCH

The JUDGMENT

On the morning of Oct. 23, 1879, about two o’clock, the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I beheld scenes in the coming Judgment. Language fails me in which to give an adequate description of the things which passed before me, and of the effect they had upon my mind. p. 3, Para. 1, [29OT].

I was going to address some points in No. 18.

This morning as I sit to write, my mind was led to the feeling I had when last I read from No. 29. It was a feeling, as if, it were a farewell message to the church. Upon reflection, especially from our perspective of so many years into the, then, future, we can see that, unknown to James and Ellen, James has just under two years left to live.

When he dies W. C. White takes the helm, and deep darkness settles on the church.

The last days. I stand amazed at the smothering blanket of Satanic deception, wrapped in it’s multitudinous layers, around the heads and thinking processes of all the membership. It is no wonder that God has encouraged us with these words, that the honest in heart “will be rescued.”

Grab No. 29 and read if you dare. See if you get the same feeling of impending doom. We have already read about Christ having departed from the church, in No. 18. What is left? What is happening when some soul picks up a counterfeited SOP book and reads? Is it Satan leading that person’s mind and thoughts? Or is it God?

We have at least two passages that, very clearly, tell us that, God is not in partnership with Satan. Does this mean that a person who reads Desire of Ages will be led to Hell? What about the book, Christ’s Object Lessons? If you have read these books, have you noticed that the voice of reproof and rebuke are greatly toned down? People who read the SOP books at all, generally like those two books, in addition to Great Controversy.

My opinion is this.

Taken from Testimony for the Church, No. 15.

Page 95, all the truly honest in heart will be rescued. The means to that is in God’s hands.

Page 29, “God will not be trifled with. Those who have the light and reject it, or neglect to follow it out, to them it will become darkness.”

Page 79, “To disregard light is to reject it. The rejection of light leaves men captives bound about by chains of darkness and unbelief.

Clearly the authenticated Spirit of Prophecy is a test, to those who have learned of it, just like any light from God. This business about the light, or truth, we have, becoming darkness, is an amazing thing. How does it happen? We are not told. But it is a reality or God would not have informed us about the danger. Like Adam and Eve, we are given instruction. It is left with us to choose to follow the light, or not.

Darkness. Satan’s sophistry. There are mysteries about the spiritual realm that are not revealed to man.

We will have to go into this more tomorrow.

God Bless your study

Thursday October 28, 2010

There are a couple of additional points to look at in meditating on the story of Bro. Rhodes.

First off, we have an incident of speaking in tongues, (GASP!!!!) where the language spoken was UNKNOWN TO ALL PRESENT!!!!

This is in perfect harmony with the Bible record. 1 Corinthians 14:5

Second, we have the testimony of a second witness to these things in the letter from Hiram Edson, published in the same number of The Present Truth, following Ellen’s letter.

Notice how God worked with his people in this matter.

Ellen was “deeply impressed” and attempted a trip to go get Bro. Rhodes. Apparently an angel impressed her to stop her journey and go home. She further testifies that two other times she went to get Bro. Rhodes but was unsuccessful in drawing him back to God’s people. Apparently the timing was just not right. Notice how God gave Ellen a vision to change her mind about Bro. Rhodes case.

Bro. Edson is the one whom God gave the first vision to, about the third angel’s message, the very next day after the great disappointment. God is still working through him by giving him a dream about Bro. Rhodes case. Hiram also tells of a second dream about Bro. Rhodes’ case, given about two years before. He further tells us about the dream God gave Bro. Rhodes.

What a stark contrast between God’s people then, and God’s professed people now. Can you just imagine what the pioneers would have said, had they known that the SDA church would officially go and even meet with the Pope? Never mind the fact that they both received from, and gave to, a medallion honoring the Pope.

Today God’s professed people are far, far removed from the position God would have them take and hold. I myself, have been a stranger to these things, nearly my whole life. On October 2, 1868, God made this announcement to the church.

The church has departed from the light, neglected her duties, abused her high and exalted privileges of being peculiar and holy in character, and thereby dishonored her God, like ancient Israel. They have violated their covenant to live for God and him only. They have joined in with the selfish and world-loving. Pride, the love of pleasure, and sin, are cherished, and Christ has departed.

Only a few read the Testimonies. You are right now reading a major reason why the Testimonies are ignored.

His Spirit has been quenched in the church.

When is the last time you ever heard of someone speaking in tongues, in the church?

Satan works side by side with professed Christians; yet they are so destitute of spirituality and discernment that they do not detect him. They have not the burden of the work. The solemn truths they profess to believe are not a reality to them. They have not genuine faith. p. 129, Para. 2, [18OT].

I suggest you read this testimony in context, starting on page 126 of No. 18. We will be noticing some things from this Testimony in the days ahead.

God Bless your perfecting of your character

Wednesday October 27, 2010

This past Monday we talked about a man, who I did not name in the post, who still, just over five years after October 22, 1844, reflected the image of Christ. I gave you the link so that you could read the story. I do hope you got very interested in that story, and, perhaps, read the whole of it.

Here is the link again and now we must take a closer look at a few of the points there revealed. The man’s name was Brother Rhodes, in the story. If you will check here and look at the very first The Advent Review, you will find Brother Rhodes is there listed as a member of the publishing committee. His full name given is Samuel W. Rhodes.

Back to our story. At this point I beg of you, whoever you might be, give our great God a chance, just a chance, determine just now that you will read with us the story in hand, AND believe it, just believe it. Let each word soak in, let God speak to your heart, let him impress the words you see deep into the garden of your mind, that holy action will spring forth.

This portion is a letter from Ellen. Trace out the steps of God as his angels work with the people of his church. Bro. Rhodes had sold a “handsome” property and invested it all in the work of the Midnight Cry. He “was one of the most faithful and self-sacrificing lecturers on the Second Advent, that ever labored in this region, and that most of those who now stand on present truth, received their first light on the advent through him.”

I will here restate that I am a fourth generation Advent through my mother’s family. It is quite possible that my great grandparents came to the truth as a result of Bro. Rhodes’ labors, as they were from that region. I do not know that to be fact, but it is quite possible, based on Ellen’s remark about Bro. Rhodes’ labors.

Returning to the story. It has been a full five years, plus, since the great disappointment. God’s testimony at that time was this.

GOD’S people were then accepted with him. JESUS looked upon them with pleasure. His image was reflected in them. p. 141, Para. 2, [GC58].

Fast-forward five years and God STILL testifies that Bro. Rhodes bears the image of Christ! This just blows me away! He has been in the wilderness for more than three years, and he still bears the image of Christ. He is greatly discouraged, and he STILL bears the image of Christ! An angel testifies that he is in a dark place, and HE STILL BEARS THE IMAGE OF CHRIST!

Further, the angel testifies that HE IS BOUND IN A SNARE OF THE DEVIL, and HE STILL BEARS THE IMAGE OF CHRIST!

It is the business of the people of God, his church, to go and “Pull him out of the fire!”

Bro. Rhodes is not keeping the Sabbath, yet, HE STILL BEARS THE IMAGE OF CHRIST!

Can you see the mercy and love of the great God with whom we have to do? This story just comes so strong in on my soul! No wonder God revealed how the saints in Heaven are continually shouting and offering praises to God. (That is here, about the center of the vision) Great is the pit from which I have been dug! Great, very great is the salvation God offers to all, freely, to whosoever will.

Just before the rescue, Ellen is meeting with Bro. Ralph and they are both impressed about Bro. Rhodes. In the evening “some half dozen of us had a season of prayer over the subject. Bro. Ralph asked the Lord, in secret, to pour out his Spirit upon us if it was his will that we should go after Bro. Rhodes. The Spirit was poured out, and it settled upon us, so that the place was awful, and glorious.”

This is wholly amazing! First, Ellen is not the leader in this, Bro. Ralph is. AND he prays in SECRET!!! for the blessing of the Spirit being poured out, and IT HAPPENS!!!

ALL— ALL present, have the Spirit poured out on them!

When is the last time that happened to you? Me. Never. Fifty years in the SDA church and never, ever even come close. Any time it looked like it could have happened, the leader shut it down, sent people home. It was late anyway, right?

Go here and read a great letter from Bro. Rhodes as he labors for souls. It is so beautiful. (page 63, right side of the page)

My Brother, my Sister, this preparing, all preparing, for Christ’s second coming, is nothing to the preparing of our character, our robe of covering for our bodies, represented by the linen, clean and white, and the robe of light, Get ready! Get ready! Get ready! Soon Sunday will be made a test, soon the loud cry will go forth, soon Christ will come, to take us home!

God Bless your preparation

Tuesday October 26, 2010

{Note: This post was held up because I lost my internet connection temporarily.}

I just love the authentic Spirit of Prophecy. The beauty and harmony between all it’s parts is astounding. Here is another passage in harmony with our past series on character. This is found in Vol. 2 of the four volume set titled, The Spirit of Prophecy, The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan. (They used really long titles in those days)

I did not know these books existed until about a year after I had left the SDA church. Just venturing a guess here, probably ninety-five percent of the membership of the church has never heard of this set.

Notice the parallel instructions here.

“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven.” The righteousness here taught was conformity of the heart and life to the revealed will of God.

This means the Bible for most people, for you, it means the Spirit of Prophecy is added.

Jesus taught that the law of God should regulate the thoughts and purposes of the mind.

It has been said that the law is a transcript of God’s character. God wants to have his law planted in our garden, thus producing the good fruits of righteous acts, what beauty.

True godliness elevates the thoughts and actions; then [italicized in the original text] the external forms of religion accord with the Christian’s internal purity; then those ceremonies required in the service of God are not meaningless rites, like those of the hypocritical Pharisees. p. 218, Para. 2, [2SP].

This is something I am experiencing, the intensity of experience even just when reading and studying, is amazing. I am getting so much more out of every moment.

God Bless your preparation

Monday October 25, 2010

You must experience a death to self, and live unto God. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth, on the right hand of God.” Self is not to be consulted. Pride, self-love, selfishness, avariciousness, covetousness, love of the world, hatred, suspicion, jealousy, evil surmisings, must all be subdued and sacrificed forever. When Christ shall appear, it will not be to correct these evils, and then give a moral fitness for his coming. This preparation must all be made before he comes. It should be a subject of thought, of study and earnest inquiry, What shall we do to be saved? How shall we conduct that we may show ourselves approved unto God? p. 95, Para. 1, [14OT].

When tempted to murmur, censure, and indulge in fretfulness, wounding others around you (and in so doing wound your own soul), oh! let the deep, earnest, anxious inquiry come from your soul, Shall I stand without fault before the throne of God? None will be there only the faultless. Men and women will not be translated to Heaven while their hearts are filled with the rubbish of earth. Every defect in the moral character must be remedied, every stain removed, by the cleansing blood of Christ, and all the unlovely, unloveable traits of character overcome. p. 95, Para. 2, [14OT].

I think a part of God’s great plan is to give encouragement to the tiny remnant of the last days, by preserving the faithful record that there were many who were ready to go to Heaven, they reflected the image of Christ. Read on.

GOD’S people were then accepted with him. JESUS looked upon them with pleasure. His image was reflected in them. They had made a full sacrifice, an entire consecration, and expected to be changed to immortality. But they were destined to be again sadly disappointed. The time to which they looked, expecting deliverance, passed. They were still upon the earth, and the effects of the curse never seemed more visible. They had placed their affections on heaven, and in sweet anticipation, had tasted immortal deliverance; but their hopes were not realized. p. 141, Para. 2, [GC58].

I spoke with one dear soul about the lines in this last paragraph, their response was, “Well they must have had faults.” At some point we must decide to believe, or we will have our part in the lake of fire with the rest of the fearful and unbelieving. It will be our own fault.

Further, we actually have a specific named person who was of that number who reflected Christ’s image. Here is where to find it, on page 35 ([41] Global number) top, right hand corner. It is very interesting reading.

God Bless your study

Sunday October 24, 2010

Get Ready! Get Ready! Get Ready!

Soon the Master will come, to take those home with him who have made an entire consecration to following him.

We are in the waiting, watching time. In my reading of the truth, as contained in the authenticated Spirit of Prophecy, it shows that the first watch was the first watching for Christ’s return. This watch properly started with the first sermon by William Miller, given August 7, 1831. As nearly as I can determine the only date that was the target date, was the whole Jewish year, which extended from April 1843 to April 1844.

After April 1844 past, there was a great pause, a wonderment, none knew or had light on what was next. Great was the confidence in the evidence of Bible prophecy which had led them up to this time, but just what was happening, none knew.

Finally, in August of that year, a campmeeting was held in Exeter, N. H. (Life Incidents, page 153) The Midnight Cry began at this point, which also was the beginning of the second watch, for Christ’s appearing. This watch had the definite date of October 22, 1844.

After the great disappointment of that day, Hiram Edson had a vison of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, the very next day. Thus the third watch for Christ’s second coming properly started that day, October 23, 1844.

It has been 166 full years since that day. Today marks the second day of the 167th year.

What does it mean to be all waiting and watching?

I saw that it was impossible to have the affections and interests engrossed in worldly cares, increasing their possessions, laying up treasures upon the earth, and yet be in a waiting, watching position, as our Saviour has commanded. Said the angel, “They can secure but one world. In order to acquire the heavenly treasure, they must sacrifice the earthly. They cannot have both worlds.” I saw how necessary was a continuance of faithfulness in watching to escape the delusive snares of Satan. He leads those who should be waiting and watching to take one step of advance toward the world, and they have no intention of going further, but that one step has removed them that much farther from Jesus, which makes it easier to take the next, and thus step after step of advance has been made toward the world, until a profession, a name only, makes the difference between them and the world. They have lost their peculiar, holy character, and there is nothing to distinguish them from the lovers of the world around them, except their profession. Watch after watch, I saw, was in the past. Because of this, should there be a lack of vigilance? Oh! no. There is the greater necessity of unceasing watchfulness, for now the moments are fewer than before the passing of the first watch. Now the period of time for the waiting is necessarily shorter than at first. If we watched with unabated vigilance then, how much more need of double watchfulness in the second watch. The passing of the second watch has brought us to the third, and now it is inexcusable to relax our watching. The third watch calls for threefold earnestness. To become impatient now, would be a loss of all our earnest, persevering watching heretofore. The long night of gloom is trying, but the morning is deferred in mercy, because if the Master should come, so many would be found unready. God’s unwillingness to have his people perish, has been the reason of so long delay. But the time of the coming of the morning to the faithful, and the night to the unfaithful, is right upon us. By thus waiting and watching, God’s people are to manifest their peculiar, separate character from worldlings. By our watching positions, we are to show how truly we are strangers and pilgrims upon the earth. The difference between the lovers of the world and those who love Christ, is so plain as to be unmistakable. The world, all earnestness, interest, and ambition, to secure earthly treasure, while God’s people are not conformed to the world, but transformed, showing by their earnest, watching, waiting position, that their home is not in this world. They are seeking a better country, even an heavenly. p. 98, Para. 1, [16OT].

God Bless

Sabbath October 23, 2010

Amazed I am,

as I watch the scam,

.

Satan hath stolen the march,

God’s people, asleep at the wheel,

stupefied, mesmerized by the deal,

.

Someone is knocking at the door,

Don’t they hear?, as louder it comes,

Give me a torch, surly a fire will waken,

Nothing it seems can stop the continual weaken’

Mortified I watch them, as racing to the kill’n,

.

What can we say to waken them!?

One at the door does not tire,

he knows some one is within,

The knocking becomes insistent,

Still, answering the door is not their intent,

All the things they do, move a small gradient,

further, further from the door, the knock but a detent,

.

Alas! Cry Aloud! and Spare not!

Truth, Truth! we must have the truth!

Nothing else will do in this emergency,

.

Why all the clamor? The train* is soon to leave!,

those not on board will cry on their sleeve,

All Heaven awaits, Eternity stretches the mind’s weave,

do not, I beg of you, to this world cleave,

The patient waiting time has become the sieve,

parting, dividing, gathering, the saints who believe.

.

* The following is an excerpt from a pamphlet by J. N. Loughborough, Questions on the Sealing Message, pages 22-23.

On the night of the twenty-ninth, the Lord was pleased to give me a very impressive dream. In the dream, we seemed to be endeavoring to get over a mountain, and were making some progress in the ascent. Having gone a few hundred feet from the valley, we were confronted with an abrupt rise of high rocks before us, apparently fifty feet high, and as straight up as the side of a house. We saw at once that there was no way we could scale the obstruction. We looked to the left. There was a slanting slope up, but so smooth and glassy we concluded that to attempt to go that way would be a hard undertaking, and a failure. Just then a messenger appeared, and informed us that we had reached the height we were to ascend, and we would find a pathway around this difficulty and down into the valley to which we wished to go.

We followed the directions, and found that the perpendicular rock was like a high wall at our left, extending around the rock, and that on our right was a deep chasm. The path on which we were to go, while gradually descending, grew narrower and still narrower as we advanced, requiring constant care and watchfulness that no misstep be made, and we thus be plunged into the abyss at our right. There seemed also to be a foggy cloud before us, which prevented our seeing more than fifty feet ahead. As we advanced, the cloud moved on, so that our immediate pathway was clear and our progress undisturbed.

By and by, as is often the case in a dream, there was a sudden change in the scenery. We were down in the valley, and the misty cloud was up the hill on the pathway by which we had come. When and how we got through the cloud, I did not know; but the interpretation given to us was, that the Lord had come, and His people had been resurrected. There was a vast company of people in the valley, and they were getting aboard a long train of cars, on which all the framework seemed to be of the brightest nickel plate, more beautiful than any millionaire’s car I ever saw.

Our train glided gently out of the valley with its happy load of passengers. We had gone only a short distance when we came into a broader valley, where seemed to be a railroad with four tracks. On three of these tracks were trains of cars which extended as far as the eye could reach, loaded with people whose faces shone with the glory of the Lord. The trains were so near together that one could step from one train to another as they passed along, for they all kept exactly even with each other. I saw Brother and Sister White passing from one train to another, greeting the redeemed saints from different states. As our train swung around onto the fourth track, and in line with the others, Brother White exclaimed: “And here comes the California train! We are all going to the city!” At this time I awoke, thrilled from head to foot by the thought that this was a token of victory for California. Not only was that debate the turning point in our first efforts in California, but since the infirmities of age creep on me, there has been much thought as to what was meant by Brother Bordeau and me going unconscious through that cloud, and coming out on the resurrection side.

God Bless your reach for Victory! it is real