Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. Hebrews 10:35, 36.
The subject of the sanctuary was the key which unlocked the mystery of the disappointment of 1844. It opened to view a complete system of truth, connected and harmonious, showing that God’s hand had directed the great Advent Movement.
Adventists then held that the earth, or some portion of it, was the sanctuary. They understood that the cleansing of the sanctuary was the purification of the earth by the fires of the last great day, and that this would take place at the Second Advent. Hence the conclusion that Christ would return to the earth in 1844.
But the appointed time had passed, and the Lord had not appeared. The believers knew that God’s Word could not fail; their interpretation of the prophecy must be at fault; but where was the mistake? …
In their investigation they learned that there is no Scripture evidence sustaining the popular view that the earth is the sanctuary; but they found in the Bible a full explanation of the subject of the sanctuary, its nature, location, and services.
Those who followed in the light of the prophetic word saw that, instead of coming to the earth at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844, Christ then entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, to perform the closing work of atonement, preparatory to His coming….
Now in the holy of holies they again beheld Him, their compassionate high priest, soon to appear as their king and deliverer.
Following Him by faith, they were led to see also the closing work of the church. They had a clearer understanding of the first and second angels’ messages, and were prepared to receive and give to the world the solemn warning of the third angel of Revelation 14.
The Faith I Live By p. 284
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Prayer Requests
—-Yesterday I found out that my son had secretly sent a letter to our church board, saying he wants his name dropped from the SDA Church. He says because of doctrinal issues and that God is calling him to not be a member of any denomination. The pastor received the letter yesterday and called me, as my son is 16 and still a minor. Unless my son changes his mind, his letter will be presented at the next church board meeting on Monday Jan. 28, and his name will be dropped. Please pray that he changes his mind! Pray for me, too. I’m feeling very sick and depressed about this. Anonymous
—-update—Thank you for all your prayers! I talked to my daughter today!Thank you Jesus for helping her, and thank you Jesus that she got ahold of me! I love you Jesus. Eva
—-My dear uncle is unconscious with acute kidney failure, and according to the doctors there isn’t much hope. Please pray that the Great Physician touches and restores him. I love him so, so much. Polly
—-Please pray for Brian A. who is in ICU after having surgery Saturday to replace one of the shunts in his brain. K
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Dear Friends,
When Ronnie Jay was two months old, we moved within five miles of the Atlantic ocean. How we loved going to the beach to swim or wade in the water, walk along in the sand, play with the crabs, sand fleas, and coquinas, or just sit on a blanket and watch the waves roll onto the shore. Many times we would eat our supper there in the evenings after all of the sunbathers had gone home. After it grew dark, we would shine our flashlight onto the sand and watch the crabs scurry back into their holes. It was so peaceful.
As Ronnie Jay grew and learned to walk, it was not so peaceful. He loved the ocean and would toddle straight for the water the moment I looked somewhere else. He couldn’t swim, but that didn’t stop him. Out into the water he would run as fast as his chubby legs could carry him. The waves would pick him up, knock him down, and roll him over and over until he was back on shore. By that time, I would reach him, afraid that my baby would someday drown playing this dangerous, little game. I would scoop up my laughing boy and carry him back to our blanket. No amount of punishing was enough to stop him.
One cold, windy, wintertime day, several families from our church decided to walk along the beach near the Aquarium (which was free at the time) at Fort Fisher. In the Wilmington, North Carolina area, it rarely got too cold for such an outing. It was more than half a mile from the parking lot to the beach along a lovely, winding trail through a natural setting and we really enjoyed it even though it seemed to take “forever” to get to the water. We were bundled up in jackets to keep out the cold wind, but the sun was shining brightly and it was a pleasant day. We stayed far enough away from the water to keep from getting caught by a wave or two. To get wet on such a cold day would not be good.
We were all having such a nice walk along the shore, when my son remembered his little summertime game. Before I could grab him, he dashed out into the water. The waves were as cooperative in wintertime as they were in the warm summertime and he rolled to shore shivering. I scooped him up and ran for the car. The winding trail that had seemed so beautiful before, now only slowed me down. After what seemed like an eternity I got my wet, shivering son into the car and found something dry for him to wear. That ended his little game. He had learned his lesson. Even the next summer, he stayed away from the water unless we were wading too.
How often we play with sin just as Ronnie Jay toyed with the ocean waves. The pleasures this world has to offer may give us a thrill of exhilaration, but it is fleeting at best. There is no lasting joy. There is no peace. In the end, there is only vain regret. The apostle John admonishes, “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.” 1 John 2:15-17
How easy it is for us to get caught up in the things of this world. Everywhere we turn, the evil one has laid snares for our feet. For some, it is the pursuit of riches. Paul tells us, “they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Tim 6:9,10
For others, it is fleshly lusts. Jesus says, “And 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. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 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.” Luke 21:34-36 Peter advises, “abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” 1 Peter 2:11
Especially in these last days are we bombarded with temptations, for our “adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist stedfast in the faith.” 1 Pet 5:8,9 We must resist even the first whisperings of the enemy. We must shut our eyes to temptation, shut our ears from hearing evil, keep our hands from doing that which is not good, keep our feet from straying from the right way, ever pressing “toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:4
May we daily hide God’s Word in our heart, that we might not sin against our Dear Redeemer. (Ps 119:11) “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Jude 24,25
Rose
Light Through the Darkness