The Desire of Ages--69--On the Mount of Olives

[Dorine]

I thank God this morning for the wealth of information He has given to us to protect us from Satan's delusions. Because the counterfeit lays so close to the truth it will be impossible to tell the difference except by reading, studying, believing and obeying His word. This chapter stirs many emotions in me. After reading so much of the warnings of the evil that is in the world and the professed Christian world I am revived by these statements.....

"When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

"In the prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction Christ said, "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

Rev. 22:20 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Richard and Dorine! Jesus is coming again so soon, and we can hasten His return by living a life fully awake--not falling into the carnal temptations that pull us from the reality of the spiritual world that is all around us. Angels are right by our side. Jesus is ministering for us in the heavenly sanctuary. The Holy Spirit gives each truly converted soul (fully surrendered to Christ, as manifest in bearing all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing) power to live in Christ above the clamors of the fallen nature, to be kept from sinning. This is faith working by love.

We see so many we love and know around us who are "asleep." We can help them only as we personally remain wide awake, alert and in prayer for their salvation!

"The world, full of rioting, full of godless pleasure, is asleep, asleep in carnal security. Men are putting afar off the coming of the Lord. They laugh at warnings. The proud boast is made, 'All things continue as they were from the beginning.' 'Tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.' 2 Peter 3:4; Isaiah 56:12. We will go deeper into pleasure loving. But Christ says, 'Behold, I come as a thief.' Revelation 16:15. At the very time when the world is asking in scorn, "Where is the promise of His coming?" the signs are fulfilling. While they cry, 'Peace and safety,' sudden destruction is coming. When the scorner, the rejecter of truth, has become presumptuous; when the routine of work in the various money-making lines is carried on without regard to principle; when the student is eagerly seeking knowledge of everything but his Bible, Christ comes as a thief." {The Desire of Ages, page 635, paragraph 3}

I choose Jesus today anew. May we each realize our continual need of Jesus, who has power to keep us from the alluring deceptions and errors, the engrossing sins that are so pervasive, that our lives may be preserved in holiness to God for His purpose of glorifying His name!

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Everything in the world is in agitation. The signs of the times are ominous. Coming events cast their shadows before. The Spirit of God is withdrawing from the earth, and calamity follows calamity by sea and by land. There are tempests, earthquakes, fires, floods, murders of every grade. Who can read the future? Where is security? There is assurance in nothing that is human or earthly. Rapidly are men ranging themselves under the banner they have chosen. Restlessly are they waiting and watching the movements of their leaders. There are those who are waiting and watching and working for our Lord's appearing. Another class are falling into line under the generalship of the first great apostate. Few believe with heart and soul that we have a hell to shun and a heaven to win.  {The Desire of Ages, page 636, paragraph 1}

May we choose to come close to Christ and receive the Holy Spirit by responding to His leading in these last days!


 

[Dorine]

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." 

God always has a way of escape for those who believe and obey Him. May we never be pulled in by the culture that surrounds us. God is looking for a people that will reflect and vindicate His character. I cling by faith in Jesus this morning in His promises to help us live for Him through any and all circumstances.

[Richard Myers]

Amen, dear Sister. God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, IF we will abide in Him and He in us.  We only have to wait a very short time before we see Jesus coming in the clouds of glory. He is even at the doors!

Jesus wants to come more than we want Him to come. It is not easy for God to watch the suffering in this world. Why has Jesus not come yet? We are told. It is because we have not done that which has been entrusted to us. We have not taken the gospel to the world. Instead we as a people have perverted the gospel truth.  Who has not heard contradicting truth being preached from pulpits and printed on presses? Many do not want to hear this truth. But, until we acknowledge this and correct the teaching, we shall continue to delay His second coming.

     In the prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction Christ said, "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." This prophecy will again be fulfilled. The abounding iniquity of that day finds its counterpart in this generation. So with the prediction in regard to the preaching of the gospel. Before the fall of Jerusalem, Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit, declared that the gospel was preached to "every creature which is under heaven." Colossians 1:23. So now, before the coming of the Son of man, the everlasting gospel is to be preached "to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Revelation 14:6, 14. God "hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world." Acts 17:31. Christ tells us when that day shall be ushered in. He does not say that all the world will be converted, but that "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." By giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord's return. We are not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of God. 2 Peter 3:12, margin. Had the church of Christ done her appointed work as the Lord ordained, the whole world would before this have been warned, and the Lord Jesus would have come to our earth in power and great glory. 

Let us hasten the coming of Christ. Let us not only teach the gospel, but live it. There are multitudes seeking truth. The harvest field is white and ready for the harvest!

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

By giving the gospel in our day Jesus gives us the exceedingly high privilege of hastening His return. What could possibly be more important than this? The gospel is not to be given in word only, but it is to be reflected in the life, manifest in all we say and do. We are to cooperate with Christ who will reveal His character through us, and as all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing are manifest in a life lived in harmony with His holy law as we simultaneously give the last message of mercy and judgment to a perishing world, many will turn to the Lord and be saved. Be not discouraged at your present circumstances, whatever they are. Spend more time with Jesus THAN EVER BEFORE, and let Him work out His lovely life in you! There is nothing to fear for the future as we remember how He has led us and what He has taught us.

 "In the prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction Christ said, 'Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.' This prophecy will again be fulfilled. The abounding iniquity of that day finds its counterpart in this generation. So with the prediction in regard to the preaching of the gospel. Before the fall of Jerusalem, Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit, declared that the gospel was preached to 'every creature which is under heaven.' Colossians 1:23. So now, before the coming of the Son of man, the everlasting gospel is to be preached "to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.' Revelation 14:6, 14. God 'hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world.' Acts 17:31. Christ tells us when that day shall be ushered in. He does not say that all the world will be converted, but that 'this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.' By giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord's return. We are not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of God. 2 Peter 3:12, margin. Had the church of Christ done her appointed work as the Lord ordained, the whole world would before this have been warned, and the Lord Jesus would have come to our earth in power and great glory.  {The Desire of Ages, page 633, paragraph 3}

I wanted to find the statement that shares how the latter rain will come with ten times the power, and I did a search and found it this morning! I was SO HAPPY to find it and I want to share it here:

"You are getting the coming of the Lord too far off. I saw the latter rain was coming as [suddenly as] the midnight cry, and with ten times the power." {SpM 4.3}

Let us be a part of this experience by the grace of God!!! Hallelujah!!!

[Dorine]

"Christ is coming with clouds and with great glory. A multitude of shining angels will attend Him. He will come to raise the dead, and to change the living saints from glory to glory. He will come to honor those who have loved Him, and kept His commandments, and to take them to Himself. He has not forgotten them nor His promise. There will be a relinking of the family chain. When we look upon our dead, we may think of the morning when the trump of God shall sound, when "the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:52. A little longer, and we shall see the King in His beauty. A little longer, and He will wipe all tears from our eyes. A little longer, and He will present us "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." Jude 24. Wherefore, when He gave the signs of His coming He said, "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." 

We are living in that day that our reading speaks of. We are soon to see great tribulations. Many will not endure, not because God fails to do His part but because they have not been connected to Christ in knowledge and heart. I may profess something but if I'm not living what I profess it is worth nothing. Satan is working overtime and utilizing all his demonic efforts to keep us distracted from spending time with God. The distractions may not be evil in themselves but anything that keeps us from spending time in God's word and prayer has evil and destructive consequences.

The quote that brings such hope to my heart this morning is stated above. I cling to Jesus moment by moment and when I do fall and recognize it I come running back to the shelter of His wings for there is where I find forgiveness, love, security and acceptance. To think that we may have a part in hastening Christ's return should spring us into action for Him.

[JimB]

In the prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction Christ said, "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." This prophecy will again be fulfilled. The abounding iniquity of that day finds its counterpart in this generation. So with the prediction in regard to the preaching of the gospel. Before the fall of Jerusalem, Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit, declared that the gospel was preached to "every creature which is under heaven." Colossians 1:23. So now, before the coming of the Son of man, the everlasting gospel is to be preached "to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Revelation 14:6, 14.

To me this is amazing, although I do believe it. I'm not sure how many times I've heard from our pulpits that when Paul said this it only meant the then known world. However, we know that there were Sabbath keepers in Africa. Some of the American indians had similar creation stories and ideas of a creator that made the world. Even Paul's enemies said that he had turned the world upsidedown. This was under the power of the former rain and as Pastor Sean pointed out the latter rain will come with even more power. We are living in exciting times.

[Richard Myers]

I cling to Jesus moment by moment and when I do fall and recognize it I come running back to the shelter of His wings for there is where I find forgiveness, love, security and acceptance. To think that we may have a part in hastening Christ's return should spring us into action for Him.

Amen!!! We do have a part to play that will hasten the soon coming of Jesus. He is waiting in His people to preach the gospel to every nation, kindred, and tongue. The last steps will be rapid ones and will succeed not when the leaders preach the truth, but when the people take the gospel to others there will an exponential growth that will ever increase in speed. Do we want to see and end to suffering and death? Then let us do all we can to hasten the soon coming of Christ!!

    The crisis is stealing gradually upon us. The sun shines in the heavens, passing over its usual round, and the heavens still declare the glory of God. Men are still eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying, and giving in marriage. Merchants are still buying and selling. Men are jostling one against another, contending for the highest place. Pleasure lovers are still crowding to theaters, horse races, gambling hells. The highest excitement prevails, yet probation's hour is fast closing, and every case is about to be eternally decided. Satan sees that his time is short. He has set all his agencies at work that men may be deceived, deluded, occupied and entranced, until the day of probation shall be ended, and the door of mercy be forever shut.   

But, we will cling to Christ and look to Him for our wisdom and grace.

A little longer, and we shall see the King in His beauty. A little longer, and He will wipe all tears from our eyes. A little longer, and He will present us "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." Jude 24. Wherefore, when He gave the signs of His coming He said, "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

[JimB]

Jesus did not answer His disciples by taking up separately the destruction of Jerusalem and the great day of His coming. He mingled the description of these two events. Had He opened to His disciples future events as He beheld them, they would have been unable to endure the sight. In mercy to them He blended the description of the two great crises, leaving the disciples to study out the meaning for themselves.

I didn't look back to see if I quoted this part before. I may have but never-the-less I find in this the  beauty of Christ's character. He was careful not to give them too much information as to overwhelm them. But it was enough information for their time (and ours) especially since all Christians took heed to the warnings and got out of Jerusalem in time. We serve a wonderful God! 

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Jim! God prepares us for what is coming by giving us His word, and He also loves to comfort our hearts with the promise of the relinking of the family chain that has been broken through death!

As I enjoyed spending time with Jesus this morning, I was encouraged anew with the glorious hope of Jesus’ soon coming, when broken family ties will be relinked with even greater love and joy—never to part again! I look forward to the day Jesus comes and raises our loved ones who have trusted fully in Jesus! This hope fills my heart with joy—you also may have this hope—if you will fully surrender to Jesus!

“Christ is coming with clouds and with great glory. A multitude of shining angels will attend Him. He will come to raise the dead, and to change the living saints from glory to glory. He will come to honor those who have loved Him, and kept His commandments, and to take them to Himself. He has not forgotten them nor His promise. There will be a relinking of the family chain. When we look upon our dead, we may think of the morning when the trump of God shall sound, when ‘the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.’ 1 Corinthians 15:52. A little longer, and we shall see the King in His beauty. A little longer, and He will wipe all tears from our eyes. A little longer, and He will present us ‘faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.’ Jude 1:24. Wherefore, when He gave the signs of His coming He said, ‘When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.’” – {The Desire of Ages, page 632, paragraph 3}

[Dorine]

   "The crisis is stealing gradually upon us. The sun shines in the heavens, passing over its usual round, and the heavens still declare the glory of God. Men are still eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying, and giving in marriage. Merchants are still buying and selling. Men are jostling one against another, contending for the highest place. Pleasure lovers are still crowding to theaters, horse races, gambling hells. The highest excitement prevails, yet probation's hour is fast closing, and every case is about to be eternally decided. Satan sees that his time is short. He has set all his agencies at work that men may be deceived, deluded, occupied and entranced, until the day of probation shall be ended, and the door of mercy be forever shut."

Serious warnings but there is still time before the door of mercy closes but not much.  I'm so thankful that God has given us every opportunity to know and understand the times in which we live. We may hide our heads in the sand or procrastinate in making a decision but that will be deadly.  There will be no excuse for neglecting our connection with Christ. Only those who 'endure' to the end will be saved. By God's grace, I want to be ever filled with the Holy Spirit so that Jesus will carry me through the trials ahead because of my trust in Him.

[Richard Myers]

Amen, dear Dorine. We are given a period of probation. What is that? It is time to be transformed from sinner to saint by beholding God's grace.

Satan is busy at work that men may be deceived, deluded, occupied and entranced, until the day of probation shall be ended, and the door of mercy be forever shut."  Of all people we have been awakened to the light. In 1844 the anti-typical Day of Atonement began. And there are ordained ministers telling to rejoice that we are in the Day of Atonement.    It is a somber time to consider God's grace and that our probationary time is soon to close.

[Beacon]

Everything in the world is in agitation. The signs of the times are ominous. Coming events cast their shadows before. The Spirit of God is withdrawing from the earth, and calamity follows calamity by sea and by land. There are tempests, earthquakes, fires, floods, murders of every grade. Who can read the future? Where is security? There is assurance in nothing that is human or earthly....     The crisis is stealing gradually upon us. The sun shines in the heavens, passing over its usual round, and the heavens still declare the glory of God. Men are still eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying, and giving in marriage. Merchants are still buying and selling. Men are jostling one against another, contending for the highest place. Pleasure lovers are still crowding to theaters, horse races, gambling halls. The highest excitement prevails, yet probation's hour is fast closing, and every case is about to be eternally decided. Satan sees that his time is short. He has set all his agencies at work that men may be deceived, deluded, occupied and entranced, until the day of probation shall be ended, and the door of mercy be forever shut."
 
As members of God's remnant church WE ARE SOO BLESSED We have what is called "Inside Information".  We know how the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan will end!! We also have many pages of historical evidence that confirms that we can trust our sources to be very reliable. But.... 

 ""Solemnly there come to us down through the centuries the warning words of our Lord from the Mount of Olives: "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

If there was ever an appropriate time to memorize the great promises and truths of God's Word it is now.[Because they will be a great encouragement and help us to stand fast when our testing time comes.This warning message comes from the book " The Sanctified Life" Pg. 12 "The testing time will come to all, when the hopes of many who have for years thought themselves secure, will be seen to be without foundation. When in new positions, under varied circumstances, some who have seemed to be pillars in the house of God reveal only rotten timber beneath the paint and varnish. But the humble in heart, who have daily felt the importance of riveting their souls to the eternal Rock, will stand unmoved amid the tempests of trial, because they trusted not to themselves. “The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his” (2 Timothy 2:19).[/color]

[JimB]

Christ is coming with clouds and with great glory. A multitude of shining angels will attend Him. He will come to raise the dead, and to change the living saints from glory to glory. He will come to honor those who have loved Him, and kept His commandments, and to take them to Himself. He has not forgotten them nor His promise. There will be a relinking of the family chain. When we look upon our dead, we may think of the morning when the trump of God shall sound, when "the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:52. A little longer, and we shall see the King in His beauty. A little longer, and He will wipe all tears from our eyes. A little longer, and He will present us "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." Jude 24. Wherefore, when He gave the signs of His coming He said, "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." 

What a wonderful promise and she wrote this back how many years? Over 100. So now it's even closer!!

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Beacon and Jim!

As we see the condition of our world, and we reflect on Jesus' words that come down to us today, let us receive His loving, warning words into our hearts with a complete surrender, follow in His will, and share the final message of hope and warning to a world soon to perish.

"The crisis is stealing gradually upon us. The sun shines in the heavens, passing over its usual round, and the heavens still declare the glory of God. Men are still eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying, and giving in marriage. Merchants are still buying and selling. Men are jostling one against another, contending for the highest place. Pleasure lovers are still crowding to theaters, horse races, gambling hells. The highest excitement prevails, yet probation's hour is fast closing, and every case is about to be eternally decided. Satan sees that his time is short. He has set all his agencies at work that men may be deceived, deluded, occupied and entranced, until the day of probation shall be ended, and the door of mercy be forever shut." {The Desire of Ages, page 636, paragraph 2} 
     "Solemnly there come to us down through the centuries the warning words of our Lord from the Mount of Olives: 'Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.' 'Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.'" {The Desire of Ages, page 636, paragraph 2}   

As we experience the gospel of His grace that enables us to live for the eternal world rather than letting the things of this world eclipse our focus, we will sense an ever-increasing need for Jesus to guide us step-by-step in His will, so we can be used by Jesus to help rescue other souls in these closing moments of earth's history just before Jesus returns in power and great glory!

[Richard Myers]

Amen Pastor Sean.  The crisis is stealing upon us, but not without warning. The end is near. Why does Christ delay His coming? Why do so many deny His soon coming? It is not a popular truth to express, and many will deny this, but it is because we have not done that which was entrusted to us. All of the wars and suffering over the last 100 years can be understood to lay at the feet of God's professing church.

      Before the fall of Jerusalem, Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit, declared that the gospel was preached to "every creature which is under heaven." Colossians 1:23. So now, before the coming of the Son of man, the everlasting gospel is to be preached "to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Revelation 14:6, 14. God "hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world." Acts 17:31. Christ tells us when that day shall be ushered in. He does not say that all the world will be converted, but that "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." By giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord's return. We are not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of God. 2 Peter 3:12, margin. Had the church of Christ done her appointed work as the Lord ordained, the whole world would before this have been warned, and the Lord Jesus would have come to our earth in power and great glory.
     
And, God does not bring judgment until sinners are warned. An example of this is the judgments brought upon Rome over the last 2,000 years did not come without warnings. The destruction of Eastern Rome, Constantinople, came after she was warned by John. We may read of this in the seven trumpets which were all warnings to Rome, pagan, papal, and today Babylon which includes America. Islam will be allowed to carry out these judgments. But, she too has been warned, and will be destroyed if she does not cease persecuting Christians and Jews, as was prophesied in the Book of Daniel.

After He had given the signs of His coming, Christ said, "When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." "Take ye heed, watch and pray." God has always given men warning of coming judgments. Those who had faith in His message for their time, and who acted out their faith, in obedience to His commandments, escaped the judgments that fell upon the disobedient and unbelieving. The word came to Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me." Noah obeyed and was saved. The message came to Lot, "Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city." Genesis 7:1; 19:14. Lot placed himself under the guardianship of the heavenly messengers, and was saved. So Christ's disciples were given warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who watched for the sign of the coming ruin, and fled from the city, escaped the destruction. So now we are given warning of Christ's second coming and of the destruction to fall upon the world. Those who heed the warning will be saved.

[Beacon]

"Rapidly are men ranging themselves under the banner they have chosen. Restlessly are they waiting and watching the movements of their leaders. There are those who are waiting and watching and working for our Lord's appearing. Another class are falling into line under the generalship of the first great apostate. Few believe with heart and soul that we have a hell to shun and a heaven to win. The crisis is stealing gradually upon us. The sun shines in the heavens, passing over its usual round, and the heavens still declare the glory of God. Men are still eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying, and giving in marriage. Merchants are still buying and selling. Men are jostling one against another, contending for the highest place. Pleasure lovers are still crowding to theaters, horse races, gambling hells. The highest excitement prevails, yet probation's hour is fast closing, and every case is about to be eternally decided. Satan sees that his time is short. He has set all his agencies at work that men may be deceived, deluded, occupied and entranced, until the day of probation shall be ended, and the door of mercy be forever shut. "

Many centuries ago these words were recorded in God's Word but the message is very much applicable to our generation today. Joshua 24:14-16---"Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods. By the Grace of God and the urgent leading of the Holy Spirit.  I pray that your response and mine will be the same. 

[size=10pt "Solemnly there come to us down through the centuries the warning words of our Lord from the Mount of Olives: "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. [/b] "
[/size]

The old and new testament bare the same urgent and loving message. Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." But we must come without delay. Satan knows that his time is short...Do We??

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon! There is but a little time left to form character for eternity and respond with the whole heart to Jesus so He can use us to share His last message of love and mercy to a world that is soon to perish! We need Christ continually to do any good thing, and not only hear and profess to respond to the message, but have a living experience in Christ's righteousness corresponding to the solemn and joyful opportunities opened before us! Let us not in heart say that the coming of the Lord is far off, but live and act in harmony with the light that God has given us that JESUS IS COMING SOON!!!

"The evil servant says in his heart, 'My lord delayeth his coming.' He does not say that Christ will not come. He does not scoff at the idea of His second coming. But in his heart and by his actions and words he declares that the Lord's coming is delayed. He banishes from the minds of others the conviction that the Lord is coming quickly. His influence leads men to presumptuous, careless delay. They are confirmed in their worldliness and stupor. Earthly passions, corrupt thoughts, take possession of the mind. The evil servant eats and drinks with the drunken, unites with the world in pleasure seeking. He smites his fellow servants, accusing and condemning those who are faithful to their Master. He mingles with the world. Like grows with like in transgression. It is a fearful assimilation. With the world he is taken in the snare. 'The lord of that servant shall come . . . in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.' {The Desire of Ages, page 635, paragraph 1}

Jesus said: "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be" (Revelation 22:12). May we live each day seeking to do the utmost to glorify and honor God and to help more souls come to a saving knowledge of the gospel of His grace that transforms sinners into saints and fits us to stand through the time of trouble such as never was--because we have learned what it means to utterly distrust ourselves and to fully trust in God for strength at each step heavenward!

[Dorine]

"Christ is coming with clouds and with great glory. A multitude of shining angels will attend Him. He will come to raise the dead, and to change the living saints from glory to glory. He will come to honor those who have loved Him, and kept His commandments, and to take them to Himself. He has not forgotten them nor His promise. There will be a relinking of the family chain. When we look upon our dead, we may think of the morning when the trump of God shall sound, when "the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:52. A little longer, and we shall see the King in His beauty. A little longer, and He will wipe all tears from our eyes. A little longer, and He will present us "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." Jude 24. Wherefore, when He gave the signs of His coming He said, "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.""

What a day that will be. This is a vision I keep before me as I press forward to that goal. We are closer to it today than we were yesterday. Time is running out. God in His mercy has not left us in doubts and confusion. If we are watching and praying nothing false will take us by surprise. Soon we will hear the shout and all the trials and heartaches of this life will all be over but best of all we will sit at Jesus feet and marvel at the mystery of His love.