Sound the Note of Alarm

In all our ways we should acknowledge God, and He will direct our paths. We should consult His Word with humble hearts, ask His counsel, and give up our will to His. We can do nothing without God.
There is the highest reason for us to prize the true Sabbath and stand in its defense, for it is the sign which distinguishes the people of God from the world. The commandment that the world makes void is the one to which, for this very reason, God’s people will give greater honor. It is when the unbelieving cast contempt upon the Word of God that the faithful Calebs are called for. It is then that they will stand firm at the post of duty, without parade, and without swerving because of reproach. The unbelieving spies stood ready to destroy Caleb. He saw the stones in the hands of those who had brought a false report, but this did not deter him; he had a message, and he would bear it. The same spirit will be manifested today by those who are true to God.
The psalmist says, “They have made void thy law. Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold” (Psalm 119:126, 127). When men press close to the side of Jesus, when Christ is abiding in their hearts by faith, their love for the commandments of God grows stronger in proportion to the contempt which the world heaps upon His holy precepts. It is at this time that the true Sabbath must be brought before the people by both pen and voice. As the fourth commandment and those who observe it are ignored and despised, the faithful feel that it is the time not to hide their faith but to exalt the law of Jehovah by unfurling the banner on which is inscribed the message of the third angel, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Let not those who have the truth as it is in Jesus give sanction, even by their silence, to the work of the mystery of iniquity. Let them never cease to sound the note of alarm. . . . The truth must not be hid, it must not be denied or disguised, but fully avowed, and boldly proclaimed.
Maranatha p. 239
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray that God will give the doctors wisdom as they test to see the cause of Ed’s confusion. Carol
—–Tomorrow is the home inspection on the house R is hoping to buy. Please pray that the inspector finds any problems if there are any. L
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Dear Friends

Some years ago, we visited friends who live in the country. Just before we left, the lady took me around to see their various farm animals. As we came to this one area, I saw a caramel-colored calf named Carame and what I though were three baby goats. One was black and white. The other two were brown with black legs and underside.

As we were talking, I mentioned something about the brown goats. She explained that they were not goats at all, but Barbados Blackbelly lambs. This particular variety have hair rather than wool. They sure looked like kids to me. We had known a goat farmer in the past and those lambs looked so close to the man’s baby goats that an untrained eye like mine could not tell the difference.

So it is in the church. We may think that we can tell who are the “sheep” and who and the “goats, but we cannot. Jesus gave a parable that illustrates this very thing in Matt 13:24-30. “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

The Righteous Judge warns, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Matt 7:1-5 This does not mean that we should not deal with flagrant sin, but how important that we “judge righteous judgment.” John 7:24 How careful we must be that we have the discernment that comes only from the True Witness. (Rev 3:18-20)

The time is coming soon, when the “goats” and “sheep” will be separated, but it is the Good Shepherd Who separates them. (Matt 25:31-46) May we, ourselves, be the sheep in that great day.

Rose