By: Rob Peralta
Courage is a great and honorable trait to the Lord. Great men in the bible showed this courage and were blessed for it. Our Christian walk should like wise have courage. We will see just what God does to those who possess and USE this courage.
David, as a young lad, proved to be a man of great courage. When none of the other big and mature "men" would stop the great giant Goliath, he stepped forward. The taunts and cursing of God's people was just too much for him to take. He went out to meet this giant (supposedly 9 feet 9 inches). The giant started laughing. We can imagine God's eyes intently watching this courageous teenager. David remember's that God had promised to help His people overcome their enemies. David pulls out the slingshot, loads the stone and fires. Bam! It perfectly lands in the giant's forehead and he collapses. David grabs the giants sword and finishes the deed and beheads him.
In the above story we can see that David took the first step and showed COURAGE. Backed by faith in God he proceeded to "action". God took notice as He always does when someone acts courageously. And then God completed this act of courage by guiding the stone and helping it's force do the deed.
Then we have the great story of the three men, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. When Nebuchadnezzar erected a large golden idol, he ordered everyone to bow down to it. The three men knew that it would directly break a Commandment of God. So they refused and showed great courage and did not summit to the King's wishes. They knew very well that they were most likely going to be burned alive yet, just like David, they "acted" upon their COURAGE in the Lord and stood their ground. Then the horrible act came upon them, they were led to the furnace. But God's eyes were watching intently. And then God covered them with His protection and the flames were as a cool breeze.
The next story is not in the bible but must be brought up due to this man's awesome courage in doing the "right" thing and standing up for justice. His name was Wyatt Earp. Many of you probably have heard about Him. In the book called "Wyatt Earp, frontier Marshall" by Stuart Lake, the life story of this one man, is truly amazing in regards to courage. If you want to read about "courage" read this book!
In just one of the stories ( and there are many!) Wyatt was just a young man in his mid 20's when he happened to come into a town called Ellsworth, Kansas. Shortly after arriving he learned that the town had been "corralled" by the bad cowboys and they were shooting up and raising kane. He wasn't a marshall yet but noticed that a horrible thing had happened. The town marshall had just been shot by one of the 'Thompson" brothers (notorious cowboy leaders).
After watching the meyhem as a bystander, he noticed the assistant marshall wasn't doing anything about this crime. "Go get em" Wyatt instructed. "Not me" the assistant replied. "See all those cowboys over there, they'd go gunning for me if I did". Wyatt shook his head and watched the action. Then the mayor came on the scene and began to complain why anything wasn't being done. Wyatt overheard him and said "I know what I would do" then the mayor looked at the young man and said "WHO are you???" "Just a looker on. It's none of my business, but if it was I'd arrest Ben Thompson or kill him" Wyatt replied. The mayor was taken back by this young man's boldness, even as his own assistants had failed him. "Well" the mayor shot back. "I'm making it YOUR business. You're marshall of Ellsworth. Here's your badge."
Wyatt proceeded to go to the gun shop and got some "second hand" 45's and holster. Wyatt knew that peace must be restored or else even more killing would come. He stuck up for justice. he hooked up the guns and walked out ALONE and towards Ben Thompson ( the leader). Wyatt could have called upon other men to "help" him but he chose to go it alone (as he almost always did against the bad guys). The troublemakers were half drunk and scattered all over town, and their leader (Ben) was with many others backing him up, sitting on their horses, talking about what their next move would be. Then a lone man comes walking down the dirt street. Ben Thompson notices he's walking for him and yells "Hey, Wyatt what do you want?" Wyatt is at about 50 yards and says "I want you Ben" and slowly walks towards him. Then what happens next truly had God's hand guiding the situation.
God was keenly aware that this one man wanted justice and had the COURAGE to face as many as a hundred half drunken cowboys to get justice done. Ben , no doubt stunned by this man's courage yell's out "I rather talk than fight Wyatt" Wyatt, not giving up his edge responds "I'll get you either way Ben". Wyatt was very close now and Ben says "What do you want Wyatt?"
"Throw up your hands, and tell your friends to stay out of this" Wyatt responded. "Ok boys, do as Wyatt says" Ben responded. The battle was over and the outlaw and all his friends threw down their guns and Wyatt marched Ben into jail.
The preceding stories show that when we take a stand of courage to do the right thing, whether it's stopping someone from stealing, or taking the Lord's name in vain, God WILL BE WITH US. Courage is keenly noticed by him. So let us be full of courage in the Lord and we will prevail, for once we start our act of courage He will finish it, be assured!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
An Unbiased View of California's Liberal Adventism
The article below was posted as a comment on the uber-liberal Spectrum website by an anonymous person under the name "City Lights." It was so eloquent and true that I felt it should be shared.
While my post was tongue-in-cheek, I have no doubt that Ted Wilson's strategy will likely be to get the most conservative men into top positions in the whole of California eventually. The little pockets of conservatism they now have are not enough to stem the tide of liberalism there, so it behooves them, if they want to execute a calculated takeover of the whole state, to install men who will set the stage for an eventual purge of what many conservatives in the church consider the tarnishing black spot of the NAD.
I am not conservative by any stretch of the imagination and I abhor purges, but I also hold a lot of the constituency (of the SCC mostly) responsible for the mess we are in right now, for continually testing the boundaries and limits of Adventism. Do you think it is just coincidence that Dale Ratzlaff and Colleen Tinker's Former Adventist ministry is located in California? Of course not. It's the hub of disenfranchised Adventists and the pickings couldn't be better for them anywhere else. Larry Kirkpatrick apparently couldn't handle it anymore and promptly fled CA.
Pushing incessantly for years on the women's ordination issue, going ahead with WO in defiance of GC policy, Hyveth Williams peeving off the conservatives at every opportunity during her tenure as pastor with her controversial sermons, teaching theistic evolution in the colleges, being the epicenter of Moral Influence Theory and God-Does-Not-Kill theology, openly drinking wine and coffee, pushing for acceptance of gay marriage, openly attending and proudly endorsing movies, relegating EGW to devotional writer and nothing more, going out to eat on Sabbaths, featuring Desmond Ford as a speaker in many churches....
And you think this is going to do anything but infuriate and fuel the anger of fundamentalist SDA's? It's tantamount to thumbing the nose at the right wing of the church and it's needlessly antagonistic. Does one prance through a pride of lions with raw meat in hand and then feign surprise when the lions awake and attack?
Remember Union President Tom Mostert's editorial in the Pacific Union Recorder entitled 0+0+0+0=0 where he bemoaned the state of California Adventism just before his retirement?
That was just one of the rumbles heard in the past about lax California Adventism. It was a foreshadowing of things to come. It's almost as if Mostert was issuing a cry of help in 2007 which echoed down the tunnels of time into the future where Ted Wilson would hear and respond with aplomb in 2010.
Even notorious California SDA liberal Steve Daily finally wrote an open letter which was posted on on Educate Truth pleading with West Coast constituents to cease and desist inflaming and stirring up the witch hunt crowd, specifically calling out the La Sierra bio professors as the prime offenders at the moment.
Being immersed in the laid-back California style environment has apparently caused many West Coast Adventists to forget that while they are contentedly indulging in their own Liberal SDA Disneyworld, there is a massive segment of fire-breathing, EGW-venerating, hard-core conservative SDA's out there in the NAD they are miffing off who are losing their minds and just foaming at the mouth for the California cleanse that is sure to come eventually. California liberals poke and provoke the slumbering beast and rouse it to its full fury time and again, and such can only end very badly.
It's one thing to privately, in one's own personal life, live out the Adventism one chooses...but if you are out there for all the church to see, read and hear, stirring the pot - can you honestly act surprised when the backlash arrives in full-force?
I would again, with Pastor Daily, like to plead for California liberal Adventists to tone it down and scale it back, as I agree with you guys more often than not on a lot of issues - but I fear it may well be too late. The conservatives are making it increasingly clear that enough is enough and already we see the forces mounting as they push, pressure and lobby the GC to deal with the liberal West Coast situation once and for all.
Because, you see, Ted's in the house now and you can bet the farm he has his sights set on that segment of the NAD for a good 'ole fashioned purge. It's coming and I don't think even moderate and reasonable Dan Jackson will be able to stop it or hold it back for long. Liberal Adventists claim they just want to 'live and let live' and that they don't want to go to war with the right wing. But war is coming, whether they want it or not, and their brazen flaunting of liberal Adventism is primarily what is to blame for the marshaling of forces we are now seeing with the likes of Hold Them Accountable, GYC and Educate Truth.
The unfortunate thing is, liberal Adventism has shot itself in the foot. The writing was on the wall a long time ago, it was just a matter of getting the right man into power.
Posted by: City Lights (not verified) 12 August 2010 at 6:20
While my post was tongue-in-cheek, I have no doubt that Ted Wilson's strategy will likely be to get the most conservative men into top positions in the whole of California eventually. The little pockets of conservatism they now have are not enough to stem the tide of liberalism there, so it behooves them, if they want to execute a calculated takeover of the whole state, to install men who will set the stage for an eventual purge of what many conservatives in the church consider the tarnishing black spot of the NAD.
I am not conservative by any stretch of the imagination and I abhor purges, but I also hold a lot of the constituency (of the SCC mostly) responsible for the mess we are in right now, for continually testing the boundaries and limits of Adventism. Do you think it is just coincidence that Dale Ratzlaff and Colleen Tinker's Former Adventist ministry is located in California? Of course not. It's the hub of disenfranchised Adventists and the pickings couldn't be better for them anywhere else. Larry Kirkpatrick apparently couldn't handle it anymore and promptly fled CA.
Pushing incessantly for years on the women's ordination issue, going ahead with WO in defiance of GC policy, Hyveth Williams peeving off the conservatives at every opportunity during her tenure as pastor with her controversial sermons, teaching theistic evolution in the colleges, being the epicenter of Moral Influence Theory and God-Does-Not-Kill theology, openly drinking wine and coffee, pushing for acceptance of gay marriage, openly attending and proudly endorsing movies, relegating EGW to devotional writer and nothing more, going out to eat on Sabbaths, featuring Desmond Ford as a speaker in many churches....
And you think this is going to do anything but infuriate and fuel the anger of fundamentalist SDA's? It's tantamount to thumbing the nose at the right wing of the church and it's needlessly antagonistic. Does one prance through a pride of lions with raw meat in hand and then feign surprise when the lions awake and attack?
Remember Union President Tom Mostert's editorial in the Pacific Union Recorder entitled 0+0+0+0=0 where he bemoaned the state of California Adventism just before his retirement?
That was just one of the rumbles heard in the past about lax California Adventism. It was a foreshadowing of things to come. It's almost as if Mostert was issuing a cry of help in 2007 which echoed down the tunnels of time into the future where Ted Wilson would hear and respond with aplomb in 2010.
Even notorious California SDA liberal Steve Daily finally wrote an open letter which was posted on on Educate Truth pleading with West Coast constituents to cease and desist inflaming and stirring up the witch hunt crowd, specifically calling out the La Sierra bio professors as the prime offenders at the moment.
Being immersed in the laid-back California style environment has apparently caused many West Coast Adventists to forget that while they are contentedly indulging in their own Liberal SDA Disneyworld, there is a massive segment of fire-breathing, EGW-venerating, hard-core conservative SDA's out there in the NAD they are miffing off who are losing their minds and just foaming at the mouth for the California cleanse that is sure to come eventually. California liberals poke and provoke the slumbering beast and rouse it to its full fury time and again, and such can only end very badly.
It's one thing to privately, in one's own personal life, live out the Adventism one chooses...but if you are out there for all the church to see, read and hear, stirring the pot - can you honestly act surprised when the backlash arrives in full-force?
I would again, with Pastor Daily, like to plead for California liberal Adventists to tone it down and scale it back, as I agree with you guys more often than not on a lot of issues - but I fear it may well be too late. The conservatives are making it increasingly clear that enough is enough and already we see the forces mounting as they push, pressure and lobby the GC to deal with the liberal West Coast situation once and for all.
Because, you see, Ted's in the house now and you can bet the farm he has his sights set on that segment of the NAD for a good 'ole fashioned purge. It's coming and I don't think even moderate and reasonable Dan Jackson will be able to stop it or hold it back for long. Liberal Adventists claim they just want to 'live and let live' and that they don't want to go to war with the right wing. But war is coming, whether they want it or not, and their brazen flaunting of liberal Adventism is primarily what is to blame for the marshaling of forces we are now seeing with the likes of Hold Them Accountable, GYC and Educate Truth.
The unfortunate thing is, liberal Adventism has shot itself in the foot. The writing was on the wall a long time ago, it was just a matter of getting the right man into power.
Posted by: City Lights (not verified) 12 August 2010 at 6:20
Friday, August 13, 2010
"I AM THE TRUE VINE"
By: Rob Peralta
I recently blindly opened my bible, as I frequently do (to let the Lord lead), and came upon (John 15:1-2) it says " I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, He discards. And every branch that beareth fruit, He prunes it, that it may bring forth more fruit"
It is amazing how the Lord says so much truth in so few words. Let me tell you the truth I received from these words. The first words " I am the true vine" is a fascinating analogy of "who" the Lord is. We can believe that the Father's being flowed through the Son, and by the Son all life and form came. In imaging the vine, as it is pulsating, breathing, it is giving life through out it's being. We can see our Lord pervading all life and matter(the true vine), and as such He is a part of the good and bad. Aware of His good parts and sadly aware of His bad parts.
His Father, the gardener (ultimate judge) cannot accept the rotten or useless branches, and as such must eliminate them, lest they spread and destroy even the good branches.(Reminds me why the devil was "pruned" out of heaven). Then the Father carefully cares for the "good branches" and helps us to bear fruit to make the Father and Son proud. Just as a gardener stands proud of his beautiful vine.
After reading this I was inspired to talk about this "fruit". How can we produce more of it? The first thing is to stand strong against "sin". Our Christian walk is a lifelong process of sanctification and our sins are not eliminated immediately. I recently was greatly tempted to engage in a previous lifelong sin, which to me, was a dire one. I was in need of some serious help and I prayed earnestly for strength from the Lord and I also rebuked the devil. IT WORKED! Right after I immediately felt relieved. The more victorious we are to each sin temptation, the STRONGER our armour of God becomes. Another bolt is added to our tank. The devils bombs (temptations) become less tempting and our steadfastness becomes easier.
As we continue in our walk, with more and more victories, our mind and heart naturally turns to producing fruit due to the confidence we have in overcoming "sin". God's spirit is pleased and helps us to produce two different types of fruit. One is the fruit produced by showing God we love HIM, and the other fruit is produced by showing our BROTHERS AND SISTERS we love them. By showing God we love Him, the fruit we produce is by keeping His Commandments AND teaching people to obey His Commandments. Also a VERY important fruit to produce is to FEAR Him(hold Him in reverence). Just as the wise man Solomon said ( Ecc. 12:13) " For this is the sum of all that matters, FEAR God and keep His Commandments, for this is the WHOLE DUTY of man".
In producing fruit concerning our brothers and sisters, we become to them, better givers, listeners, and helpers. The down and out, the poor, the sick, strike a cord in us and we reach out to be there for them. A most beautiful fruit is produced and the great "Gardener" stands back and admires this.
In summary, let us make our best effort daily, beginning each day with a thankful prayer. For when we STAY in the vine and produce fruit, we make our Lord and our God, most proud. Amen.
I recently blindly opened my bible, as I frequently do (to let the Lord lead), and came upon (John 15:1-2) it says " I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, He discards. And every branch that beareth fruit, He prunes it, that it may bring forth more fruit"
It is amazing how the Lord says so much truth in so few words. Let me tell you the truth I received from these words. The first words " I am the true vine" is a fascinating analogy of "who" the Lord is. We can believe that the Father's being flowed through the Son, and by the Son all life and form came. In imaging the vine, as it is pulsating, breathing, it is giving life through out it's being. We can see our Lord pervading all life and matter(the true vine), and as such He is a part of the good and bad. Aware of His good parts and sadly aware of His bad parts.
His Father, the gardener (ultimate judge) cannot accept the rotten or useless branches, and as such must eliminate them, lest they spread and destroy even the good branches.(Reminds me why the devil was "pruned" out of heaven). Then the Father carefully cares for the "good branches" and helps us to bear fruit to make the Father and Son proud. Just as a gardener stands proud of his beautiful vine.
After reading this I was inspired to talk about this "fruit". How can we produce more of it? The first thing is to stand strong against "sin". Our Christian walk is a lifelong process of sanctification and our sins are not eliminated immediately. I recently was greatly tempted to engage in a previous lifelong sin, which to me, was a dire one. I was in need of some serious help and I prayed earnestly for strength from the Lord and I also rebuked the devil. IT WORKED! Right after I immediately felt relieved. The more victorious we are to each sin temptation, the STRONGER our armour of God becomes. Another bolt is added to our tank. The devils bombs (temptations) become less tempting and our steadfastness becomes easier.
As we continue in our walk, with more and more victories, our mind and heart naturally turns to producing fruit due to the confidence we have in overcoming "sin". God's spirit is pleased and helps us to produce two different types of fruit. One is the fruit produced by showing God we love HIM, and the other fruit is produced by showing our BROTHERS AND SISTERS we love them. By showing God we love Him, the fruit we produce is by keeping His Commandments AND teaching people to obey His Commandments. Also a VERY important fruit to produce is to FEAR Him(hold Him in reverence). Just as the wise man Solomon said ( Ecc. 12:13) " For this is the sum of all that matters, FEAR God and keep His Commandments, for this is the WHOLE DUTY of man".
In producing fruit concerning our brothers and sisters, we become to them, better givers, listeners, and helpers. The down and out, the poor, the sick, strike a cord in us and we reach out to be there for them. A most beautiful fruit is produced and the great "Gardener" stands back and admires this.
In summary, let us make our best effort daily, beginning each day with a thankful prayer. For when we STAY in the vine and produce fruit, we make our Lord and our God, most proud. Amen.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Let us have the kindness and courtesy of Christ, even on the internet
By: Rob Peralta
Our Lord showed much kindness and courtesy while He walked this earth, to be an example for us. Just look at His extreme courtesy and thoughtfulness when, after rising from death, He thoughtfully FOLDED His own burial cloth. His awareness of others was indeed inspiring.
With the advent of the internet, we have many who proclaim His word and truth, which is a great thing. It's helping to fulfill the 3 Angel's message. Amen! But are we also showing thoughtfulness and courtesy in our "proclaiming"? I have noticed some are not.
Paul states in (Gal 6:10) "As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good to all, ESPECIALLY to those who are in the faith". We should strive to be as supportive as possible to our brethren and sisters in the faith. But I've noticed many times that people ignore comments or questions in regards to their post. We should NEVER ignore the questions or compliments to our proclaiming message. How do you think Jesus was to those who inquired of Him? Can we imagine our Lord turning away from a question or kind word? Absolutely not. For we are called to "serve" not "ignore".
The people, even the less knowledgable or ignorant have their "two cents" to add to our message or blog. Does it make them feel a part of our message to ignore them? They may get discouraged and feel they cannot contribute so we in effect lessen their faith. Jesus said in ( Matt 25:40) "...verily I say to you, in as much as ye have done to the least of the brethren, ye have done to me". We, as representatives of Christ, must show "Christ" like behavior and kindness.
I bring this message concerning the proper internet kindness, because our Lord is using this medium in a BIG way, as the 3 Angel's message is being proclaimed. We have taken on this responsiblity and as such, our behavior must be one of "caring" rather than "ignorance"
Let us go forth and proclaim His message, and reach out to our brothers and sisters who support us and want to be a part in what we're doing, Yours in Christ.
Ps. Thank you all, for taking the time to read Todd and my posts! It is truly our pleasure to be serving God and proclaiming His truth!
Our Lord showed much kindness and courtesy while He walked this earth, to be an example for us. Just look at His extreme courtesy and thoughtfulness when, after rising from death, He thoughtfully FOLDED His own burial cloth. His awareness of others was indeed inspiring.
With the advent of the internet, we have many who proclaim His word and truth, which is a great thing. It's helping to fulfill the 3 Angel's message. Amen! But are we also showing thoughtfulness and courtesy in our "proclaiming"? I have noticed some are not.
Paul states in (Gal 6:10) "As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good to all, ESPECIALLY to those who are in the faith". We should strive to be as supportive as possible to our brethren and sisters in the faith. But I've noticed many times that people ignore comments or questions in regards to their post. We should NEVER ignore the questions or compliments to our proclaiming message. How do you think Jesus was to those who inquired of Him? Can we imagine our Lord turning away from a question or kind word? Absolutely not. For we are called to "serve" not "ignore".
The people, even the less knowledgable or ignorant have their "two cents" to add to our message or blog. Does it make them feel a part of our message to ignore them? They may get discouraged and feel they cannot contribute so we in effect lessen their faith. Jesus said in ( Matt 25:40) "...verily I say to you, in as much as ye have done to the least of the brethren, ye have done to me". We, as representatives of Christ, must show "Christ" like behavior and kindness.
I bring this message concerning the proper internet kindness, because our Lord is using this medium in a BIG way, as the 3 Angel's message is being proclaimed. We have taken on this responsiblity and as such, our behavior must be one of "caring" rather than "ignorance"
Let us go forth and proclaim His message, and reach out to our brothers and sisters who support us and want to be a part in what we're doing, Yours in Christ.
Ps. Thank you all, for taking the time to read Todd and my posts! It is truly our pleasure to be serving God and proclaiming His truth!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Results of doing his great Commission
By: Rob Peralta
A few weeks ago I posted on our sister site http://www.godsloveandlaw.wordpress.com/ a post called "Are we DOING His great commission or the great omission?". It warms my heart to bring this story about what can happen when we go out and "do" His great commission (spread the TRUE gospel)
His name is Wilfred Ondande, a pastor from a small town called Kiisi, Kenya. Wilfred is not a man of great worldly wealth, but one thing he does have is the Holy Spirit of God in him. That is wealth beyond measure. He daily survives on meager means but continues to work for God. Not letting up on God's truth.
It is truly great to see how God works His plans and the awesome way He get's results. All the credit goes to God. I am just a regular worker, who He uses to help people see God's truth. From this Job, I do not shrink back. Perhaps it's better to put Wilfred's own words, which I just received recently, in this post.
"Dear brother Rob, to me it seems a big miracle, since it is my first mission in having direct studies with Sunday ministers, on the Sabbath question. Before I wrote you, I had really been pushed to the wall by the brethrens, and even more worse, it was at a time I was considering to begin a ministry but was really in a terrible situation. Although I was somehow working for God, I had bad feelings of despair, since I did not have the funds to start the ministry. Let alone conviction that I am worthy of the task. I was advised by a friend to seek friends through the internet. I really needed books to give to the brethrens, especially those with talks about the Seventh day sabbath. I contacted a brethren in Facebook, but he grew suspicious
, that I might be a scammer and stopped communicating with me. I then abandoned the idea of the ministry and continued our meeting with the brethren. A friend gave me the book called 'The conflict between heavens two sons. They indeed helped me alot. Finally, I contacted you, and it is then that the motivation and surety to continue with the ministry materialized. The website articles have been keeping me going that all lessons we have discussed with them (Sunday pastors), were sourced from your website. The books you sent have really moved them like nothing else on the 10 Commandments. Remember they are pastors, of revival churches. The biggest trouble is that they are keen to ensure their members are not disturbed by their new found faith, and that is that they want us to find a way to reach them before any fall out, if any. They have confessed that they had never known that the question of the Seventh day Sabbath rest was such a serious matter before God. And that they were not aware that the Sunday rest has no Biblical basis, and that they were all along in a church with no history. THEY HAVE SETTLED FOR THE SABBATH REST"
Wow! Praise God! what I love about the pure in heart is that they receive His truth quickly! For just as our Lord said (Matt 18:3) "Truly, I say to you, except unless you become converted, as little children, you shall not inherit the kingdom of God". The puffed up and believers in "man's traditions" will never see the light such as these humble people do, unless they too, become as little children, opening up to God's word and truth. Amen!
A few weeks ago I posted on our sister site http://www.godsloveandlaw.wordpress.com/ a post called "Are we DOING His great commission or the great omission?". It warms my heart to bring this story about what can happen when we go out and "do" His great commission (spread the TRUE gospel)
His name is Wilfred Ondande, a pastor from a small town called Kiisi, Kenya. Wilfred is not a man of great worldly wealth, but one thing he does have is the Holy Spirit of God in him. That is wealth beyond measure. He daily survives on meager means but continues to work for God. Not letting up on God's truth.
It is truly great to see how God works His plans and the awesome way He get's results. All the credit goes to God. I am just a regular worker, who He uses to help people see God's truth. From this Job, I do not shrink back. Perhaps it's better to put Wilfred's own words, which I just received recently, in this post.
"Dear brother Rob, to me it seems a big miracle, since it is my first mission in having direct studies with Sunday ministers, on the Sabbath question. Before I wrote you, I had really been pushed to the wall by the brethrens, and even more worse, it was at a time I was considering to begin a ministry but was really in a terrible situation. Although I was somehow working for God, I had bad feelings of despair, since I did not have the funds to start the ministry. Let alone conviction that I am worthy of the task. I was advised by a friend to seek friends through the internet. I really needed books to give to the brethrens, especially those with talks about the Seventh day sabbath. I contacted a brethren in Facebook, but he grew suspicious
, that I might be a scammer and stopped communicating with me. I then abandoned the idea of the ministry and continued our meeting with the brethren. A friend gave me the book called 'The conflict between heavens two sons. They indeed helped me alot. Finally, I contacted you, and it is then that the motivation and surety to continue with the ministry materialized. The website articles have been keeping me going that all lessons we have discussed with them (Sunday pastors), were sourced from your website. The books you sent have really moved them like nothing else on the 10 Commandments. Remember they are pastors, of revival churches. The biggest trouble is that they are keen to ensure their members are not disturbed by their new found faith, and that is that they want us to find a way to reach them before any fall out, if any. They have confessed that they had never known that the question of the Seventh day Sabbath rest was such a serious matter before God. And that they were not aware that the Sunday rest has no Biblical basis, and that they were all along in a church with no history. THEY HAVE SETTLED FOR THE SABBATH REST"
Wow! Praise God! what I love about the pure in heart is that they receive His truth quickly! For just as our Lord said (Matt 18:3) "Truly, I say to you, except unless you become converted, as little children, you shall not inherit the kingdom of God". The puffed up and believers in "man's traditions" will never see the light such as these humble people do, unless they too, become as little children, opening up to God's word and truth. Amen!
Friday, July 2, 2010
How to deal with Sunday keepers
By: Rob Peralta
This situation requires God's wisdom and grace. Perhaps this is one of the most touchy situations that we (believers in ALL the commandments) have to deal with.
On the one hand we are close to our family and friends, yet on the other we know they are not doing His Commandment. We must remember they are "Commandments" meaning we MUST do them. They are not the 10 suggestions. Clearly God's word says that the people living in the last days (which we are) are going to be saved by testifying of our Lord and KEEPING the Commandments(Rev.14:12). So what are we to do?
First, we must realize that great love is when we try to save someone from destruction. These people are heading for destruction (once they know it's a Commandment) because God makes NO exceptions. Jesus said (Matt 7:22, 23) "Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? And cast out demons in Your name? And did many wonderful works in Your name? And then I will say unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, you that PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS." His Law cannot be changed. (Psalms 89:34) "My covenant I will not break, nor alter that which comes from my lips." The great 10 commandments came from His lips and the heart of those Commandments is the Sabbath.
I am NOT saying that ALL Sunday keepers who have ever lived will perish because if they were never shown that the Sabbath is a Commandment and they walked in the light that they "knew" then God's grace may have sufficed. But once they KNOW that the Sabbath is a Commandment of God, then accountability comes unto them. It is our responsibility to help them see that God truly cares for them and wants their obedience to His word. We MUST do this in a humble and caring way. (Hebrews 10:26) is VERY clear about this accountability. "If we sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there remains NO MORE SACRIFICE for our sins" Here it is clearly showing that when we know His truth (i.e. the Commandments) we must obey them.
How important is His word and the thing that came out of His mouth? Read (Psalms 138:2) "...for You have exalted Your word above Your name." So we can see the importance of obeying His word.
Once we have warned them, then we have done our part to try to save them from destruction. We care so much for them that we don't neglect this truly important duty. Yet Jesus made it clear when He said in (Matt 10:37) "he that loves his Father or Mother more than me , is not worthy of me". So to neglect our duty for the sake of our relationship with our family or friends is to put them before our duty.
After we have tried and we meet a hardened heart that will not listen it is important to realize that it is time for us to rely on prayer. The Holy Spirit must take over. If we push too much it will only harden their hearts even more against obeying His Commandment. I have heard of many stories where the family member or friend FINALLY accepted His Commandment after years of prayer from the Sabbath keeper.
Let us always continue to show the way to our family and friends, if our direct words won't persuade them, then our loving actions may. Yours in Christ.
This situation requires God's wisdom and grace. Perhaps this is one of the most touchy situations that we (believers in ALL the commandments) have to deal with.
On the one hand we are close to our family and friends, yet on the other we know they are not doing His Commandment. We must remember they are "Commandments" meaning we MUST do them. They are not the 10 suggestions. Clearly God's word says that the people living in the last days (which we are) are going to be saved by testifying of our Lord and KEEPING the Commandments(Rev.14:12). So what are we to do?
First, we must realize that great love is when we try to save someone from destruction. These people are heading for destruction (once they know it's a Commandment) because God makes NO exceptions. Jesus said (Matt 7:22, 23) "Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? And cast out demons in Your name? And did many wonderful works in Your name? And then I will say unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, you that PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS." His Law cannot be changed. (Psalms 89:34) "My covenant I will not break, nor alter that which comes from my lips." The great 10 commandments came from His lips and the heart of those Commandments is the Sabbath.
I am NOT saying that ALL Sunday keepers who have ever lived will perish because if they were never shown that the Sabbath is a Commandment and they walked in the light that they "knew" then God's grace may have sufficed. But once they KNOW that the Sabbath is a Commandment of God, then accountability comes unto them. It is our responsibility to help them see that God truly cares for them and wants their obedience to His word. We MUST do this in a humble and caring way. (Hebrews 10:26) is VERY clear about this accountability. "If we sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there remains NO MORE SACRIFICE for our sins" Here it is clearly showing that when we know His truth (i.e. the Commandments) we must obey them.
How important is His word and the thing that came out of His mouth? Read (Psalms 138:2) "...for You have exalted Your word above Your name." So we can see the importance of obeying His word.
Once we have warned them, then we have done our part to try to save them from destruction. We care so much for them that we don't neglect this truly important duty. Yet Jesus made it clear when He said in (Matt 10:37) "he that loves his Father or Mother more than me , is not worthy of me". So to neglect our duty for the sake of our relationship with our family or friends is to put them before our duty.
After we have tried and we meet a hardened heart that will not listen it is important to realize that it is time for us to rely on prayer. The Holy Spirit must take over. If we push too much it will only harden their hearts even more against obeying His Commandment. I have heard of many stories where the family member or friend FINALLY accepted His Commandment after years of prayer from the Sabbath keeper.
Let us always continue to show the way to our family and friends, if our direct words won't persuade them, then our loving actions may. Yours in Christ.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
A Glimpse of Righteousness by Faith
PART 1
1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
For those who love God, His commandments are not to be grievous. Yet why is this so often not the case with us? Instead, usually we are trying our utmost to keep His commandments and are constantly struggling with feelings of weakness and guilt; constantly meeting with defeat after defeat. Other times, we find ourselves on the verge of giving up, feeling that it’s impossible to keep the commandments of God.
“Why,” we wonder, “is this Scripture not true in my life? Why do I find His commandments so grievous?”
Once we are honest enough with ourselves to admit that His commandments are grievous to us, we can then begin to apply ourselves to finding out why. And not only the cause, but also the remedy! And where do you suppose we can find all this? Yes, in the Bible.
Where better to start our search for an answer to a troubling passage of Scripture than in close proximity to that very passage? And so we find that in the very next verse, the issue begins to reveal itself.
1 John 5:4, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
God’s Word says that those born of Himself do overcome the world. And as Christ Himself said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
Yet instead of us overcoming the world, we find the world overcoming us, and are “drawn away after our own lusts.” But, this verse contains a key to unlock the mystery of overcoming, for it tells us what the victory that overcomes the world is…and if we know what it is then we can begin to seek it. And what is this victory of overcoming the world? “Even our faith.”
Faith! Our faith “is the victory that overcometh the world!” And thus is revealed overcoming the world by faith. And what is overcoming the world, except keeping the commandments of God? And what is keeping the commandments of God, except righteousness? And so we have come face to face with Righteousness by Faith.
Here we find the heart of the Gospel; that message which lay dormant in the hearts and minds of Christians for centuries…that message which was proclaimed with such power and clarity in 1888 by A.T. Jones and E.J. Waggoner, who removed all manner of theological sophistry and grasped the pure and true message of Righteousness by Faith, revealing it to us as the matchless charms of Christ.
And so what is it that our faith must be placed in? Christ, and Him alone. For in the very next verse we find yet another key, which unlocks the mystery of our faith, for it describes that which our faith
must be applied to.
1 John 5:5, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”
And so we find that our faith is the victory that overcometh the world, and that it is in Him who overcame the world: Jesus, the Son of God!
John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
And here is the promise, that in Christ we might no longer find the commandments grievous but, instead, finally have peace.
“But,” we say, “I already have faith in Jesus, believing that He is the Son of God. So why do I not also have the victory that overcomes the world?”
Indeed. So we must keep digging.
PART 2
FAITH...and what is it? Consider this...do we really need to have the definition perfectly pinned down if we know how to get it? If we know how to get as much faith as we'll ever need, does it really matter if we know exactly what it is?
Romans 10:17. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God!"
There it is, friends!! The word of God! That is what will give us the faith we need to overcome the world!
When God brought the people of Israel out of captivity in Egypt and led them through the wilderness until they crossed the river Jordan into the promise land, just as He brings us out of captivity in sin and leads us through the wilderness of this life until we cross the river of death into the promise land of heaven, what did He feed them with? What did He sustain them with in the wilderness? Manna! Manna is what gave them the strength to get through the wilderness into the promise land. As long as they got that manna they had the strength to overcome...and as long as we keep getting faith we will have the strength to overcome!
The Hebrew word manna literally means "What is it?" They had no idea what it was! But they knew where to get it. As long as we know where to get faith, does it matter if we know exactly what it is?
One thing I have noticed when talking to other Christians is that there seems to always be a common denominator when they are struggling with not overcoming the world: lack of consistent searching of the Scriptures.
You would be shocked if you could see the actual number of people who read their Bibles faithfully every single day. If we would all concentrate on just 3 things, our entire lives would be changed, and our entire church would be changed, and the entire world would be changed, and Jesus Christ would be on His way back!
The three things are so simple: Bible study. Prayer. Sharing.
Can you imagine what would happen if every member of our church committed themselves to reading God’s word every day, praying all day, and sharing the Gospel at every opportunity?
This study is not entirely fleshed out and complete...but I have had this written down for a few weeks and wanted to get it out there. I hope that it will be helpful to someone out there. :-) God bless.
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