"... Behold all things become new"

By: Rob Peralta

Oh how true that is! My brothers and sisters I so much wanted to share this message with you. Infact it is one of the rare messages that I actually was chomping at the bit to get out. I thought about writing it on Weds. night but held back due to the structure of Sabbath posts.

I was once a real "great" sinner. I was so cold hearted and selfish, it truly is amazing the Lord waited on me patiently. Why is that you ask? Well for one thing I was given much by the Lord.I wasted so much time not working for the Lord, with the gifts I had. I remember when I was 5 or 6 I actually talked to my guardian angel. I was in kindergarden and I remember hearing him speak to me and I spoke back. Unfortunately I don't remember what it was about but I do know it happened. Perhaps my personal testimony will touch some souls and draw them closer to the Lord.

Many times in our testimonies , our own experiences are the best to reach people and move them, with that thought I decided to post this message.

About 2 and a half years ago I started to read the Bible (front to back). I had never done this before. And when I got to Exodus and the 10 Commandments I paused. For the Lord made me aware of the 4th Commandment and it stuck in my mind all of a sudden. As I dwelled on it, I became alittle excited. Was this a special day made for me? I wondered. Then The Lord awoke me!! It dawned on me that I should obey this Commandment on faith. His word is what I would go by. I knew NOTHING about this "Sabbath". So I "tried" it the following Saturday.

I won't go into all the details but the best thing about trying that first time was the Lord spoke directly to me.He gave me a sign at the conclusion of that first Sabbath. The lights in my dining room went on and off 3 times by themselves at the conclusion of the first Sabbath. I was shocked because He was telling me He saw it and let me know He approved what I did. My life did a 180% change after that. I now knew the Lord of Israel! He was my Lord confirmed.It led me to learn His great Commandments 1 to 10 and 10 to 1.

let me tell you how my life has changed and how things have become "new". The first thing I noticed was that His holyday was just that---HOLY! He gave me 3 or 4 more signs after that, all showing me "how" to keep His day holy. The radio went dead (rock music) , the Tv got froze ( sports) Christian radio appeared on my radio without me turning the knob. The Lord was awaking me for things to come.

These are some things I have noticed that changed in my life.(not in any particular order)

1) When I see and hear Sunday preachers speak I actually see and hear their carnal-ness come out of them (vanity) Before, I never noticed this.
2) When I read the Bible, His truths are seen very clearly. My discernment is clear from the Holy Spirit.
3)Flowers are brighter (they really come alive)
4)Formations in the clouds speak to me, and God gives me signs through them.
5)My anger has greatly lessened. I feel strangely calm in many situations, unlike before.
6)I no longer want hard rock music and have thrown out the CD's and albums of the hard rock music.
7)I can now cry, whereas before I was very stubborn and seldom cried.

Being a true Christian means change! Old things are gone, new things appear. Our Lord changes our heart and we look at things differently (heb 8:10) "...I will put my Laws in their minds and hearts, and I will be their God, and they will be my people". Once we come alive in Christ and are "new" we become aware of His communication to us. Dreams and signs are now REAL and we look forward to the next time He will speak to us.

But the MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember is that He CANNOT draw close to us as we continue to willfully sin. And "sin" is perfectly described in His word as "transgressing His Law" (1 john 3:4) If we want to behold that things are "new" we must be willing to follow our Lord AND HIS WORD (LAW). Oh, how so many are claiming our Lord, as their Lord, but refusing to obey his word!

Let us not fall into the last day "delusion" of exactly what Ellen White described in " Entering the Sanctuary experience"book. She said " ..Faith is in no sense allied to presumption. Only he who has true faith is secured against presumption." She goes on to say that our obedience is evidence of our faith. And if we disobey, all things WILL NOT become new. Our ability to understand His truths in scripture will be severely compromised.Satan will have free rein to blur the truth and deceive many. Let us be doers and not just hearers. Amen!