By Carron Lake @ www.thelightoftheword.org
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before
me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,
even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold,
he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts..
(Malachi 3:1)
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In the study on “The Revelation of The Holy Spirit”, which was posted on my home page, and in two groups on facebook, and in a web blog on another website, it was stated in that version of the study, to click to receive the conclusion of the study, to understand more clearly what the Scriptures have revealed about the time in which The Lord is revealed. Questions were raised to the reader in that version of the study, to say, Are you ready for His coming? Are your friends and family ready for Christ soon return? What does it meant to be among the wise, or among the foolish virgins, who fell asleep? Which one of your family and friends would you want to be unprepared in that day? How would they know to be prepared, if you don’t know to tell them of The Truth of GOD’S Word? The same problem was revealed to Amos, who spoke of the children of Israel, who were far removed from The Word of The LORD their God. He shared and revealed to them what The LORD by HIS Word did to protect them, to care for them, to cause them to turn and return unto HIM, but they kept not HIS Commandments, to return unto HIM, but kept on drinking the wine of the condemned, to worship their god. And so The Word of The LORD said through Amos, saying, "Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel" (Amos 4:12). Ellen G. White was also given words to speak to spiritual Israel of their spiritual condition. She said, “Many do not realize what they must be in order to live in the sight of the Lord without a high priest in the sanctuary through the time of trouble. Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort, they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God's people upon earth. “I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of "refreshing" and the "latter rain" to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God. Those who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, and who are willing to believe that their condition is far better than it really is, will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building. . . . I saw that none could share the "refreshing" unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Let all remember that God is holy and that none but holy beings can ever dwell in His presence. (The Faith I Live by", Page 337) In her counsel on these words, she said, “Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ's first advent. The work of John the Baptist, and the work of those who in the last days go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah to arouse the people from their apathy, are in many respects the same. His work is a type of the work that must be done in this age. Christ is to come the second time to judge the world in righteousness. John separated himself from friends and from the luxuries of life. The simplicity of his dress, a garment woven of camel's hair, was a standing rebuke to the extravagance and display of the Jewish priests, and of the people generally. His diet, purely vegetable, of locusts and wild honey, was a rebuke to the indulgence of appetite and the gluttony that everywhere prevailed. ... The great subject of reform is to be agitated, and the public mind is to be stirred. Temperance in all things is to be connected with the message, to turn the people of God from their idolatry, their gluttony, and their extravagance in dress and other things. The self-denial, humility, and temperance required of the righteous, whom God especially leads and blesses, is to be presented to the people in contrast to the extravagant, health-destroying habits of those who live in this degenerate age. God has shown that health reform is as closely connected with the third angel's message as the hand is with the body. As John the Baptist . . . called their attention to the Ten Commandments, so we are to give, with no uncertain sound, the message: "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come." With the earnestness that characterized Elijah the prophet and John the Baptist, we are to strive to prepare the way for Christ's second advent. (Maranatha, Page 22) That day of The Lord is just now upon this world, and many are unawares, as to its nearness. When we look at the message of The LORD by HIS Word through Malachi in chapter four and verse five and six; these two verses points us back to the verses just before them. The Word said through him, “…behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do [this], saith the LORD of hosts. Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, [with] the statutes and judgments” (Malachi 4:1-4). The LORD by HIS Word has said to remember The Law of Moses His servant, because the world today is worshiping God, not according to HIS Covenant of Life, but according to their own ideas, which is what the adversary presented to Eve. Many are worshiping HIM on the wrong day, which He has not commanded for His children to keep, as a Holy day unto HIM. By worshiping on the wrong day, they are showing, whose children they are, and who they are serving in ignorance. And just as the children of Israel worshiped a strange god, which they made, as a molten calf, to be there god, while Moses--there mediator was upon the Holy Mount, many are today worshiping a strange god, to receive glory with GOD our Heavenly Father, and not according to The Glory HE has revealed to us in HIS Word—Christ Jesus, Whom HE has sent, as our Mediating and is before HIM in heaven, while His Spirit is here among men on the earth. Moses testified of them and even of the children of Israel in the last days, when he said, “…I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt [yourselves], and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands” (Deuteronomy 31:29). The works of man’s hands have mishandled The Word of GOD to create a false god in the minds of men. Ellen G. White talked about the Alpha of deadly heresies. And after her death the Omega of deadly heresies have entered into the church, to turn the hearts of HIS people to worship a false image of GOD. And the leaders of the church are fighting with pen and ink to keep this false god in the minds of the members, to be worshiped, as The Image of GOD. If we were to re-read Deuteronomy chapter 32, we would see that GOD is not pleased with those, who have corrupted themselves with these false gods, and to be called HIS children. For HE said by HIS Word, “They have corrupted themselves, their spot [is] not [the spot] of his children: [they are] a perverse and crooked generation. Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? [is] not he thy father [that] hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?” (Deuteronomy 32:5) How did The LORD GOD establish His people? In his letter to the church of the Thessalonians, Paul wrote of GOD’S Work by HIS Word, and said, “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work” (2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17). Ellen G. White wrote of this work of The LORD by HIS Word and said, “The Saviour made each work of healing an occasion for implanting divine principles in the mind and soul. This was the purpose of His work. He imparted earthly blessings, that He might incline the hearts of men to receive the gospel of His grace. For three years the disciples had before them the wonderful example of Jesus. Day by day they walked and talked with Him, hearing His words of cheer to the weary and heavy-laden, and seeing the manifestations of His power in behalf of the sick and afflicted. When the time came for Him to leave them, He gave them grace and power to carry forward His work in His name. They were to shed abroad the light of His gospel of love and healing. . . . The work which the disciples did, we also are to do. Every Christian is to be a missionary. In sympathy and compassion we are to minister to those in need of help. . . . The Saviour identifies Himself with every child of humanity. . . . His followers are not to feel themselves detached from the perishing world around them. They are a part of the great web of humanity, and heaven looks upon them as brothers to sinners as well as to saints. . . . By all that has given us advantage over another-- be it education and refinement, nobility of character, Christian training, religious experience--we are in debt to those less favored; and, so far as lies in our power, we are to minister unto them. . . . He who becomes a child of God should henceforth look upon himself as a link in the chain let down to save the world, one with Christ in His plan of mercy, going forth with Him to seek and save the lost. The world needs a practical demonstration of what the grace of God can do in restoring to human beings their lost kingship, giving them mastery of themselves. There is nothing that the world needs so much as a knowledge of the gospel's saving power revealed in Christlike lives. (God's Amazing Grace, Page 334) Man was made in The Image of GOD, to be children of God, and That Image of GOD is Expressly revealed to us in HIS Son—Christ Jesus, Who is The Pattern for all the children born of GOD by Him, Who has become The Head of human race. He, Who is Spirit, Who is The Express Glory of The Father, He is The Holy One, Who spoke GOD’S Law to men. If all the communication by GOD was through HIS Word, Who came unto all the prophets, to have The Only True GOD and The Son of GOD, Who works HIS Will in all things, to have The Preeminence in all things that pertains unto GOD, then can He have The Preeminence from The Father if there are strange gods being worshiped with Him? Paul said that He became flesh according to Hebrews 2:14, to become like men, that we might become like Him, as He is The Example—The Man Christ Jesus. We become like Him by receiving His Spirit in us to have His Divine nature according to 2 Peter 1:1-4. Jesus has become a Quickening Spirit according to 1 Corinthians 15:45-47. Yet, He is The Same Spirit, Who is of GOD in The Flesh, as a man, just as we are that He might be The Head of all, who are born of GOD by Him. He said through Isaiah, “Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me [are] for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion” (Isaiah 8:18). Also in the book of Hebrews, in the letter by Paul, The Word--The Spirit, Who is of The LORD GOD said, “And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:13, 14). The Word, Who is of The LORD, He did not detach Himself from man, who sinned against Him; for He is The Only Link between GOD and man, who are sustained in life by Him. But like a cancer that works to destroy the working systems, that works as one in the body, to function as one; the adversary, who is at war against Christ, he led man to reject The Word of GOD by his work of deception. But The LORD and HIS Word knew before hand what this work of the enemy would do. And through His servant David, The Word, Who is of The LORD Testified and said, “O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. He [is] the LORD our God: his judgments [are] in all the earth. He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word [which] he commanded to a thousand generations. Which [covenant] he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, [and] to Israel [for] an everlasting covenant” (Psalms 105:1-10). Notice that The Word of GOD is The Covenant Link between GOD and all that are sustain in life by Him, even to His people, who receive Him. It is through Him that all of GOD’S Blessing flow to men. He is The Vine--The Channel of GOD’S Blessings to men, that by Him Eternal Life flows from Him to all, who are connected to GOD by Him.  (Move your mouse over picture.) When the adversary, with his desire to be worshipped, led man to break The Covenant Link of Trust between GOD and man, to be deceived into disconnecting from GOD, to connect to him, who is not The Source of Light and Life, it was like telling a lamp, which hangs from the ceiling, by the law of ten chain links with the cord of power flowing through each link, to give light in a room, and saying to that lamp; “You know, you can shine much brighter, if you were a lot closer to the floor”. If the lamp had the ability to choose, and it did not understand the law by which it is able to give light in the room, then it would cease to function, as it was designed to do, by breaking just one of those ten links that suspend it from the ceiling, to work by the power that flows through the links. If the lamp worked, to separate itself from the ceiling, by breaking just one of the ten links in the law that suspended it from the ceiling, to fulfill the desire that was suggested, and in breaking the cord of power that enable it to give light in the room, then once the law of the links with the power to do the function is broken, the lamp has no power to give light, either closer to the floor, or from the ceiling from which it has been disconnected. For once the lamp falls to floor, to be broken, it will have no power to restore itself to the ceiling, or to be reconnected by the broken link and the power, which flowed through the links to fulfill its function. Through the link of His servant Moses, The Word, Who is The Only Link between GOD and man, He revealed to him and said, “…the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:15-17). And after giving to man The Law of HIS Word of Life, to eat not of the knowledge of good and evil, The LORD reveal to man his need of a helper, that he would not be alone. With all the systems in GOD’S creation by HIS Word that had the ability to reproduce after their kind, there was a system in man that was incomplete without a companion to reproduce after his kind, and likeness. By making a helper for Adam, The LORD by HIS Word revealed to His helpers through Moses, to understand the oneness of the close union man would have with GOD’S through HIS Word of Life, if man would keep HIS Covenant Word of Life, Who connects man to GOD. The LORD God revealed this Law of Life to Adam, when HE by HIS Word made Eve to be his companion. It is written that, “…the LORD God said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought [them] unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that [was] the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18-20). As The Lord brought the animals before Adam to see what he would name them, Adam saw the male and his female of each kind that passed before him. And after the parade of animals that were brought before Adam, to be given, as examples, which had come to the end; there was none among them that resembled a female after his kind. It was then that Adam recognized his need for a companion, to be one with him, after his kind, to be a helper with him. Through His servant and link to His church, Ellen G. White wrote and said, “God Himself gave Adam a companion. He provided "an help meet for him"--a helper corresponding to him--one who was fitted to be his companion, and who could be one with him in love and sympathy. Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him. A part of man, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, she was his second self; showing the close union and the affectionate attachment that should exist in this relation. "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it." Eph. 5:29. . . .” (The Faith I Live by, Page 251) This is the relationship that GOD has with all of HIS creation, by The Covenant Word of Life, Who is The Link—The Vine of Life between GOD and all the branches of life that are sustained and connected in life by Him--The Covenant Word of Life. But through His servant Moses, The Word revealed that, “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:1-5). The lie of the adversary led Eve to believe that her eyes were closed by her belief in The Truth of GOD’S Word of Life--The Command from Whom, The Covenant of Life was made known to her through her husband Adam--her link. GOD did not lie by HIS Word to Adam. But she was led to believe that she would not surely die by eating of the adversary’s fruit of knowledge, as GOD had said by HIS Word. By eating, and chewing, and mulling over in her mind, the lie of the adversary, The Word of GOD revealed to Moses the results of her digesting of the adversary’s thoughts. It is written that, “…when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they [were] naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:6-8). Notice that Eve was the second self of Adam, made to be one with him, to be his companion. Adam was her link to GOD’S Word of Life. By accepting the lie of the adversary that leads to darkness and death, Eve became the adversary’s link to Adam, to cause him to sever his connection to GOD, by distrusting HIS Word, Who is The Covenant Link of Life to him. Once The Divine Link with Adam was broken, man had no connection with The Source of Light and Life of GOD. In His Testimony of The Father, WHO created all things by Him, The Word of GOD revealed and said, “When he prepared the heavens, I [was] there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, [as] one brought up [with him]: and I was daily [his] delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights [were] with the sons of men. Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed [are they that] keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed [is] the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:27-36). Notice that although The Word of GOD is The Link by Whom GOD created all things and gives life to all living things, He--The Word gives all The Glory of the work of creation to The Father WHO created all things by Him, according to John 1:1-3. He Testified through Solomon that The Father gave HIS decree, that the waters should not pass, bypass, or transgress HIS commandment. By making known to all of creation HIS Will, The Word of GOD would be The Living Link to all, who are connected to GOD by Him. He made it known that He was The Father’s Delight, rejoicing always before HIM; Rejoicing in the habitable part, or the highest part of the dust of HIS earth, which means that there are parts of the earth that is not habitable, and there are the highest parts of the dust of the world that are habitable, which is man. For He said His delights were with the sons of men. And because of this union of being The Link, by Whom man is connected to GOD, to have life by Him; He is saying, therefore hearken unto to Him, rather than to the voice of the adversary, who is the link to darkness and death. As children, we are blessed by keeping His ways, to hear GOD’S Instructions to our hearts by HIS Word. We are wise unto salvation, if we refuse not GOD’S Word to our hearts. We are blessed, if we hear GOD’S Word by those, who are linked to GOD by HIS Word. For The Word of GOD is The Only Door to The Father, WHO blesses all, who will receive HIS Word. And all, who receive Him, they are as doors of blessings, to those, who will receive GOD’S Word by them. For by receiving and keeping The Covenant of GOD in our habitable dwelling, we receive Life, and shall obtain favor of The LORD. But all, who sin, or by pass, or transgress against GOD’S Word, they are doing wrong to their own souls; for He said, “all they that hate Me love death.” Ever since man was led by the adversary to sin against GOD’S Word, to lose The Favor of GOD by the receiving of HIS Word, Christ The Word has been working to restore the union between GOD and man, that man might have life and be restored to The Favor of GOD. Through His servant Ellen G. White, she was led to write and say, “The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate--a co-worker who could appreciate His purposes, and could share His joy in giving happiness to created beings. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." John 1:1, 2. Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father--one in nature, in character, in purpose--the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. "His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6. His "goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Micah 5:2. And the Son of God declares concerning Himself: "The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting. . . . When He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him." Proverbs 8:22-30. (Patriarch and Prophets, Page 34, par 1) Notice that He—The Word of GOD, The Only begotten of The Father shared in HIS work of beneficence. As an Associate--a Co-worker, Who could appreciate HIS purposes, and could share in HIS Joy in giving HIS Expressed Joy and Happiness to created beings. The Word of GOD is The Living Channel by Whom GOD shares with all of creation HIS Expressed Joy and Delight of HIS Son. And the Expressed Joy and Happiness can only take place by our union with GOD through HIS Son; for He is GOD’S Eternal Covenant of Life to all, who will receive Him. But over and over the enemy continued his work to blind the minds of men to The Truth of GOD’S Word, to view Him as an intrusion into their lives, which by HIS Grace they have been living by Him. In her message from The Word of The Lord to the church, Ellen G. White wrote and said, “Those who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, and who are willing to believe that their condition is far better than it really is, will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building. . . . I saw that none could share the "refreshing" unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Let all remember that God is holy and that none but holy beings can ever dwell in His presence. (The Faith I Live by", Page 337) Notice that, as The Son of GOD was One with The Father, WHO shared with HIS Son, who could appreciate HIS purposes, and HIS Joy in giving happiness to created beings, those, who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, their condition was not what they had believed themselves to be, because they heeded not The Word of GOD by the mouth of the prophets, to purify their souls in obeying The Whole Truth. For it is written, “…Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper” (2Chronicles 20:20). In her devotional book, The LORD by HIS Word revealed the prophecy of Elijah, The Spirit of whom it is said that he should come before the coming of The Lord. She quoted the prophet Malachi, who spoke of The LORD, WHO testified by HIS Word through him, saying, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5, 6). This verses only gives part of The Truth, for The Whole Truth begins with verse one. The Word said through Malachi, “…behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do [this], saith the LORD of hosts. Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, [with] the statutes and judgments” (Malachi 4:1-4). Like The Counsel of GOD’S Word given to us through His prophet Solomon, who revealed the options given to those, who receive, or rejected HIS Word; the servant Malachi revealed the results for those, who choose death by being proud, and doing the things that breaks The Heart of GOD. By rejecting GOD’S Word, men are rejecting HIS Covenant Law of Love, of Life, of Blessings, of Healing, and of GOD’S Favor to man. The LORD also reveals by HIS Word through Malachi, the results of those, who will receive HIS Word of Righteousness, Who will arise with healing in His Wings. The Angel of The LORD GOD--The Christ--The Anointed of GOD has Wings to heal the wounds of sin between both man and man, and between man and GOD.  The Steps to sit with Christ upon His Throne (Click Picture) In her writings, Ellen G. White wrote and said, “It is the nature of sin to spread and increase. Since the first sin of Adam, from generation to generation it has spread like a contagious disease. While the world was yet in its infancy, sin became fearful in its proportions. Hatred of God's law, and, as the sure result, hatred of all goodness, became universal. God, who had created man and given him with an unsparing hand the bounties of His providence, was dishonored by the beings He had created, slighted and despised by the recipients of His gifts. But though sinful man forgot His benevolent Benefactor, God did not forget the creature He had formed. Not only did He send "rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons," filling man's heart with "food and gladness," but He sent him also messages of warning and entreaty. Man's wickedness was fully set before him, and the result of transgressing the divine law. “In the days of Noah, the wickedness of the world became so great that God could no longer bear with it. . . . But He pitied the race, and in His love provided a refuge for all who would accept it. He gave the message to Noah to be given to the people: "My spirit shall not always strive with man." . . . The Spirit of God continued to strive with rebellious man until the time specified had nearly expired, when Noah and his family entered the ark, and the hand of God closed its door. Mercy had stepped from the golden throne, no longer to intercede for the guilty sinner. All the men of that generation were not in the fullest sense of the term heathen idolaters. Many had a knowledge of God and His law; but they not only rejected the message of the faithful preacher of righteousness themselves, but used all their influence to prevent others from being obedient to God. “To everyone comes a day of trial and trust. That generation had their day of opportunity and privilege while Noah was sounding the note of warning of the coming destruction; but they yielded their minds to the control of Satan rather than of God, and he deceived them, as he did our first parents. He set before them darkness and falsehood in the place of light and truth; and they accepted his sophistry and lies, because they were acceptable to them, and in harmony with their corrupt lives, while truth that would have saved them was rejected as a delusion. Numbers were not on the side of right.--Signs of the Times, April 1, 1886.” (Reflecting Christ, Page 321) The evidence of the times in which we live is this: that all the churches of the world have been deceived by the adversary, according to Revelation 13, and verse 8, and they have fallen away from The Truth, and only those, who will repent, to know The Word of Truth will have The Father’s NAME written in there foreheads, to be known as His children. For Paul said, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). For there have been more than one man, who denied The Authority of The Spirit of The Son of GOD. For John said, “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would [no doubt] have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also]. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, [even] eternal life” (1 John 2:14-25). Notice that we cannot be joined in Oneness with The Father and The Son, and yet reject The Word of GOD, to trust and follow the deceptions of the adversary, to separate from GOD to be one with the adversary in darkness and death. When men deny The Word of Life—The Covenant of Life, and lead their fellowmen to break GOD’S Covenant Law of Life, they are not one with GOD and HIS Word, but are working as links of darkness, and one with the adversary. One of the reasons that men and women do injustice to one another, is because they do not recognized their fellow human beings, as members of the human race, and children, who are bought and paid for by The Blood of Christ Jesus, to be born a new if they were to receive Him, especially those, who seek to destroy The Image of Christ in those, who believe on His Name. But those, who do great injustice to their fellowmen, they are doing what they have learned from the spirit of the enemy, who works his will in and through them, because he sees Christians as his enemy. It was not until the last just person was led out of the city of Sodom and Gomorrah that the heavens pour out fire upon the city and burn up the wicked in the city. For if there had been just tent righteous persons in the city, the city would have been spared. But GOD sent angels to lead the just ones out of the midst of the city, because the people refused the message given to them by Lot, to take heed to The Word of The LORD. Speaking of the Judgments that are now upon the land, Ellen G. White writes and said, “O that God's people had a sense of the impending destruction of thousands of cities, now almost given to idolatry! . . . Not long ago a very impressive scene passed before me. I saw an immense ball of fire falling among some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard someone say, "We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know that they would come so soon." Others said, "You knew? Why then did you not tell us? We did not know." On every side I heard such words spoken. . . . Soon grievous troubles will arise among the nations--trouble that will not cease until Jesus comes. As never before we need to press together, serving Him who has prepared His throne in the heavens and whose kingdom ruleth over all. God has not forsaken His people, and our strength lies in not forsaking Him. “The judgments of God are in the land. The wars and rumors of wars, the destruction by fire and flood, say clearly that the time of trouble, which is to increase until the end, is very near at hand. We have no time to lose. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecies of the eleventh of Daniel have almost reached their final fulfillment. . . . Last Friday morning, just before I awoke, a very impressive scene was presented before me. I seemed to awake from sleep but was not in my home. From the windows I could behold a terrible conflagration. Great balls of fire were falling upon houses, and from these balls fiery arrows were flying in every direction. It was impossible to check the fires that were kindled, and many places were being destroyed. The terror of the people was indescribable. Strictly will the cities of the nations be dealt with, and yet they will not be visited in the extreme of God's indignation, because some souls will yet break away from the delusions of the enemy, and will repent and be converted, while the mass will be treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath.” (Maranatha, Page 25) Notice that many will say they did not know that the judgments would come so soon, and they will question why did someone not tell them. The problem is not that the message is not being proclaimed to the world, that men might hear, and turn from harms way; but that they do not want to hear, to prepare their hearts and change that they might not perish. They choose not to hear the message, to prepare their hearts to be ready of Him, Who desires to give His Gift of Eternal Life to them. The judgments upon this world will continue to escalate to more troublous times, unto the day of The Coming of The Corner-Stone of His Habitation, which we are, to finish the perfecting of His living Habitation, if we have received Him. But how many are building their lives without His Spirit abiding in their hearts? The gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and iron mixed with clay, which man worship, as the treasures of their hearts, instead of The True Treasure of GOD’S Word in their hearts, these treasures of the world will be destroyed. But Christ—The True Treasure of the heart, He is coming to receive His Treasure is the vessels of those, who have received Him in there vessels with there Lamps. The question that is being raised before Christ Jesus returns for those, who have received His Spirit in their habitation is: how many will be wise unto salvation to take heed according to GOD Word, to receive HIS Favor by The Gift of HIS Word of Life?
Christ is Waiting “It is the privilege of every Christian, not only to look for, but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain. The time has come when through God's messengers the scroll is being unrolled to the world. The truth contained in the first, second, and third angels' messages must go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people; it must lighten the darkness of every continent, and extend to the islands of the sea. There must be no delay in this work. Our watchword is to be, Onward, ever onward! Angels of heaven will go before us to prepare the way. Our burden for the regions beyond can never be laid down till the whole earth is lighted with the glory of the Lord.” (God's Amazing Grace, Page 339) Notice that souls are seeking for The True Foundation, Which is The Son of The Living GOD, but many find themselves building upon sinking sand. In His prayer to The Father, Jesus said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:17-23). Christ Jesus is The Habitation of The Father, WHO possessed Him in the beginning of HIS Way. We are born of GOD by HIS Living Word in our habitations. Christ Jesus became The Head Stone of His Habitation—The Church, by becoming one with us in nature. It is His Own Spirit that dwells in His Own Body of Flesh. And it will be His Own Spirit, Who dwells in us, if we have received Him. He will not share the throne of our hearts with the enemy of our souls. As The Father is in Him, and He shares The Fathers Joy in Blessing to all, who will receive Him; so by sanctifying Himself, as The Truth of GOD, He will sanctify the hearts of all, who love and receive Him--The Truth of GOD, to be a blessing to other through sharing GOD’S Living Word of Truth. John said of Him, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:5-10).
Loud Cry of the Third Angel Notice that since 1844, corruptions have been entering into the churches, yet many do not seem to see a need to purge the treasures of the enemy from the minds and hearts of the members, who are hoping, and desiring to be received into The Kingdom of GOD. Each person born into this world inherited Adam’s sinful nature, and must deal with the nature of sin against GOD. In the Scriptures, it is viewed as the disease called leprosy. Ellen White wrote and said, “The history of Achan teaches the solemn lesson that for one man's sin the displeasure of God will rest upon a people or a nation till the transgression is searched out and punished. Sin is corrupting in its nature. One man infected with its deadly leprosy may communicate the taint to thousands. Those who occupy responsible positions as guardians of the people are false to their trust if they do not faithfully search out and reprove sin. . . . The love of God will never lead to the belittling of sin; it will never cover or excuse an unconfessed wrong. . . . It has to do with all our acts and thoughts and feelings. It follows us, and reaches every secret spring of action. By indulgence in sin, men are led to lightly regard the law of God. Many conceal their transgressions from their fellow men, and flatter themselves that God will not be strict to mark iniquity. But His law is the great standard of right, and with it every act of life must be compared in that day when God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil. Purity of heart will lead to purity of life. All excuses for sin are vain. Who can plead for the sinner when God testifies against him? (Conflict and Courage, Page 120) The World is Waiting "For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 4:15). “The church is God's appointed agency for the salvation of men. It was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the world. From the beginning it has been God's plan that through His church shall be reflected to the world His fullness and His sufficiency. The members of the church, those whom He has called out of darkness into His marvelous light, are to show forth His glory. The church is the repository of the riches of the grace of Christ; and through the church will eventually be made manifest, even to "the principalities and powers in heavenly places" (Eph. 3:10), the final and full display of the love of God. . . . The church is God's fortress, His city of refuge, which He holds in a revolted world. . . . “During ages of spiritual darkness the church of God has been as a city set on a hill. From age to age, through successive generations, the pure doctrines of heaven have been unfolding within its borders. Enfeebled and defective as it may appear, the church is the one object upon which God bestows in a special sense His supreme regard. It is the theater of His grace, in which He delights to reveal His power to transform hearts. As the rays of the sun penetrate to the remotest corners of the globe, so God designs that the light of the gospel shall extend to every soul upon the earth. . . . At this time, when the enemy is working as never before to engross the minds of men and women, we should be laboring with increasing activity. Diligently, disinterestedly, we are to proclaim the last message of mercy in the cities--in the highways and byways. All classes are to be reached. As we labor we shall meet with different nationalities. None are to be passed by unwarned. The Lord Jesus was the gift of God to the entire world--not to the higher classes alone, and not to one nationality, to the exclusion of others. His saving grace encircles the world. Whosoever will, may drink of the water of life. A world is waiting to hear the message of present truth. (God's Amazing Grace, Page 338)
Kept From Falling “The work of apostasy begins in some secret rebellion of the heart against the requirements of God's law. Unholy desires, unlawful ambitions, are cherished and indulged, and unbelief and darkness separate the soul from God. If we do not overcome these evils they will overcome us. . . . The indulgence of spiritual pride, of unholy desires, of evil thoughts, of anything that separates us from an intimate and sacred association with Jesus, imperils our souls. . . . We must "fight the good fight of faith," if we would "lay hold on eternal life" (1 Tim. 6:12). We are "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation" (1 Peter 1:5). If the thought of apostasy is grievous to you, . . . then "abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good" (Rom. 12:9); and believe in Him who is "able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." (God's Amazing Grace, Page 333) Notice that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, who are the members for whom Christ died, but, as Paul said, “…we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:12-18).
None Greater Than John the Baptist “In the announcement to Zacharias before the birth of John, the angel had declared, "He shall be great in the sight of the Lord." In the estimation of Heaven, what is it that constitutes greatness?-- Not that which the world accounts greatness. . . . It is moral worth that God values. Love and purity are the attributes He prizes most. John was great in the sight of the Lord, when before the messengers from the Sanhedrim, before the people, and before his own disciples he refrained from seeking honor for himself, but pointed all to Jesus as the Promised One. His unselfish joy in the ministry of Christ presents the highest type of nobility ever revealed in man. (My Life Today, Page 329)
John Calls for Repentance “With no elaborate arguments or finespun theories did John declare his message. Startling and stern, yet full of hope, his voice was heard from the wilderness: "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." With a new, strange power it moved the people. The whole nation was stirred. Multitudes flocked to the wilderness. Unlearned peasants and fishermen from the surrounding country; the Roman soldiers from the barracks of Herod; chieftains with their swords at their sides, ready to put down anything that might savor of rebellion; the avaricious tax gatherers from their toll booths; and from the Sanhedrin the phylacteried priests--all listened as if spellbound; and all, even the Pharisee, and the Sadducee, the cold, unimpressible scoffer, went away with the sneer silenced and cut to the heart with a sense of their sins. Herod in his palace heard the message, and the proud, sin-hardened ruler trembled at the call to repentance. “In this age, just prior to the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven, such a work as that of John is to be done. God calls for men who will prepare a people to stand in the great day of the Lord. . . . As a people . . . we have a message to bear--"Prepare to meet thy God" (Amos 4:12). Our message must be as direct as was the message of John. He rebuked kings for their iniquity. Notwithstanding that his life was imperiled, he did not hesitate to declare God's Word. And our work in this age must be done as faithfully. In order to give such a message as John gave, we must have a spiritual experience like his. The same work must be wrought in us. We must behold God, and in beholding Him lose sight of self. John had by nature the faults and weaknesses common to humanity; but the touch of divine love had transformed him.--Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 331-333.” (Reflecting Christ, Page 339) Notice that it is The Love of Christ, which is the moving, the energizing Power of The Gospel, to seek and to save the lost, to motivate the hearts to reach out, by Christ Spirit to save all, who will be drawn, to open their hearts to Him, Who is The Treasure and Gift of GOD to the hearts of men.
Safety Only in Obedience “The people of Israel were at this time loyal to God; and so long as they continued in obedience to His law, no power in earth or hell could prevail against them. But the curse which Balaam had not been permitted to pronounce against God's people, he finally succeeded in bringing upon them by seducing them into sin. When they transgressed God's commandments, then they separated themselves from Him, and they were left to feel the power of the destroyer. Satan is well aware that the weakest soul who abides in Christ is more than a match for the hosts of darkness. . . . Only in humble reliance upon God, and obedience to all His commandments, can we be secure. Let none deceive themselves with the belief that God will pardon and bless them while they are trampling upon one of His requirements. The willful commission of a known sin silences the witnessing voice of the Spirit, and separates the soul from God.” (The Faith I Live by, Page 331)  (Move your mouse over picture.) Because of the work of the adversary in this world, The Word—The Spirit of The LORD God led John to write and said, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:1-10). It was by becoming flesh that Christ Divine nature was veiled in The Flesh of The Body known as Jesus. By Christ Jesus Example, He has shown to John that His Spirit will be one with all, who will believe and overcome by His Divine Spirit being in their flesh, to become One with GOD through Him.
Christians to Represent Christ in Every Act “Love to Jesus will be seen, will be felt. It cannot be hidden. It exerts a wondrous power. It makes the timid bold, the slothful diligent, the ignorant wise. It makes the stammering tongue eloquent, and rouses the dormant intellect into new life and vigor. It makes the desponding hopeful, the gloomy joyous. Love to Christ will lead its possessor to accept responsibilities for His sake, and to bear them in His strength. Love to Christ will not be dismayed by tribulation, nor turned aside from duty by reproaches. . . . Peace in Christ is of more value than all the treasures of earth. Let us seek the Lord with all our heart, let us learn of Christ to be meek and lowly, that we may find rest of soul. Let us arouse our dormant energies, and become active, earnest, fervent. The very example and deportment, as well as the words, of the Christian should be such as to awaken in the sinner a desire to come to the Fountain of life. Then let us open our hearts to the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. Let us work cheerfully, joyfully, in the service of our Master. Let us praise Him, not only by our words in the congregation of His saints, but by a well-ordered life and godly conversation--a life of active, noble Christian effort. Let us give diligence to make our calling and election sure, remembering that we shall triumph at last, if we do not become weary in well doing.--Signs of the Times, June 24, 1886.” (Reflecting Christ, Page 368) I hope you gotten the message in this presentation of study, because the time is just about up, and He is at The Door knocking at your hearts. May your hearts be blessed by the receiving of GOD’S Covenant Word of Life to your souls! Amen. |