But this I do say, brothers. The appointed time has grown very short. 1 Corinthians 7:29, Goodspeed.
The angels of God in their messages to men represent time as very short. Thus it has always been presented to me. It is true that time has continued longer than we expected in the early days of this message. Our Saviour did not appear as soon as we hoped. But has the word of the Lord failed? Never! It should be remembered that the promises and threatenings of God are alike conditional.
God had committed to His people a work to be accomplished on earth. The third angel’s message was to be given, the minds of believers were to be directed to the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ had entered to make atonement for His people. The Sabbath reform was to be carried forward. The breach in the law of God must be made up. The message must be proclaimed with a loud voice, that all the inhabitants of earth might receive the warning. The people of God must purify their souls through obedience to the truth, and be prepared to stand without fault before Him at His coming.
Had Adventists, after the great disappointment in 1844, held fast their faith, and followed on unitedly in the opening providence of God, receiving the message of the third angel and in the power of the Holy Spirit proclaiming it to the world, . . .the Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts, the work would have been completed, and Christ would have come ere this to receive His people to their reward.
But in the period of doubt and uncertainty that followed the disappointment, many of the advent believers yielded their faith. . . . Thus the work was hindered, and the world was left in darkness. . . .
For forty years did unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. In neither case were the promises of God at fault. It is the unbelief, the worldliness, unconsecration, and strife among the Lord’s professed people that have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years.
Maranatha p. 61
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Prayer Requests
—– Please pray for my mom, her name is Maria and she’s only 67. She had a kidney removed last month and is on dialysis. She is now in a coma-like state and can only say a few words. The doctors say it is not a stroke but is caused by brain shrinkage and there is nothing they can do. Thank you! Lucian & Rozalia [Pray for safe travels for them as they go to be with her.]
—–Today is an important interview for D. Please pray the God will lead in this. L
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Dear Friends,
My grandfather, Edwin Harmon, hated his father because of the unjust and just plain meaness of the man. Often as a person ages, they mellow out. Not my great-grandfather. He stayed mean to the day he died. One of the most vivid memories my mother has of him was of them riding in his car. She, her sister, and father were sitting in the back seat. Her grandfather was driving while smoking a big, fat cigar.
The car was filled with foul-smelling smoke from it. They could barely breathe yet were not allowed to open any of the windows. My grandfather tried to ease down the window just a little to let in some fresh air. As soon as his father realized it, he would get a sneer on his face and order my grandfather to roll the window up again. Meekly he would do so even though he seethed inside with the injustice.
Many people think our Great Creator is like my great-grandfather. They picture Him as severe and unloving and continually looking for ways to make our lives miserable. They picture Him as watching for reasons punish us. This is as the evil one would have it. He misrepresents God’s character by describing his own. It is the devil who causes all of the sorrow, pain, and misery that fills our planet.
Our Father in Heaven is not like that at all! He assures us, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jer 29:11 “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” Isa 49:15,16
“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Ps 103:8-12
With tears in His voice our Dear Saviour pleads, “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jer 31:3 “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Eze 33:11 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.” Isa 1:18,19
As dry grass burns quickly, so when God must destroy those who have refused His grace, He does so quickly and completely. ” For, 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.” Mal 4:1 As a candle consumes completely away, so “the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.” Ps 37:20
May we discover our Great Redeemer’s true character as we daily study His Holy Word. May we see our Heavenly Father as He truly is—loving and kind, just and fair, the Giver of all true happiness and goodness. May we respond to His lovingkindness by loving and serving Him with all of our heart, all of our mind, all of our strength is my prayer.
Rose