IAUA End Time Ministry
Preparing for the End of Time
The Lord is Coming! Are you ready?
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IAUA End Time Ministry |
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Preparing for the End of Time | |
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in IAUA (ee-uh-oo-uh) our Father,
Greetings on this day of preparation for the weekly Sabbath. I pray this newsletter finds you in good health and happy in the service of the Lord. This is the 23rd day of the 9th month of God's Sacred Calendar in the year 6012 Anno Mundi. It is about four months until the Spring Sabbaths begin with the evening of the 15th day of the 1st month which is the first Unleavened Bread Sabbath (Saturday, April 11 on the 2009 Gregorian calendar, beginning sunset on Friday, April 10). _____ About a month ago I suggested that the economic crisis could lead to Sunday Laws and this week I have received emails where such actions are occurring on the world stage. The following web pages are interesting to review. For those too busy to visit them I have indicated some major points in brief. There are several articles with tidbits in them from the COMECE Autumn Plenary Assembly 2008 website. COMECE is the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community. This site keeps changing as they add News items. http://www.comece.org/comece.taf?_function=news_new&id=1&language=en This one dates from today, 2008-11-21. "Church representatives meet the French EU-Presidency" "The discussions focused on institutional issues (the future of the EU and the Lisbon Treaty) and on the financial crisis. The Church representatives, in their exchange of views with the State Secretary for European Affairs, expressed their wish to see the Sunday rest day being better protected in national legislations as well as in the future EU Working Time Directive which is currently being revised. In our societies and in our economies, where efficiency has become the ultimate criterion of valuation, Sunday rest allows the individual to be placed at the centre of society and calls attention to the fact that he is free and not the slave of work." This article dates from last week, 2008-11-14. "The Crisis is a Test for the Values of European Society." "The financial crisis also offers the opportunity to question more incisively the lifestyle of western society..." "In the same spirit, the Bishops called for respect for Sunday rest as one of the foundations of the European social model and as a way of balancing work and family life. In recent years, Sunday as a weekly rest day has been threatened by legislation in many Member States thanks to liberal and consumerist-driven political concepts. In the context of the present economic crisis, the COMECE Bishops call on the Members of the European Parliament to assume their responsibilities and include the protection of Sunday in the Working Time Directive that will be submitted to the European Parliament’s vote by the middle of December." _____ This website monitors activities of the Vatican and also reported on the COMECE. http://www.zenit.org/article-24252?l=english "Money Crisis Points to More, Warns Europe Prelates" "Brussels, Belgium, Nov.14, 2008 (Zenit.org). - Worldwide economic strain is a symptom of a deeper, spiritual crisis and a mistaken set of values,say European bishops... In a related area, the prelates also called for the respect of Sunday rest, an issue that the bishops want included in the Working Time Directive, set for Parliament vote by the middle of next month." _____ This election website contains a personal blog from 2008-09-18 which highlights "Sunday Laws". http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/Tritium/gG5ngR Energy Conservation & Globalized America "There have been a lot of changes in the past 100 years. Not only have we seen gang activity increase along with crimes, but so has energy consumption. The other change I realized was the recinding of the "Sunday Laws" across the united states." "Originally, the sunday law were instituted to make sure that people wouldn't have to choose between work and church. Often, the nobility would use financial enticements toward the religious heads of households in order to coherce them to work in order to increase his own financial gain. This was unfair to those who needed money, feared losing their means of supporting themselves, and without such a law banning people from working (though I don't believe it applied to you working for your own business), people would be further burdened." "I have to wonder if there weren't more benefits to this. First, without businesses being open, your kids would have nowhere to go for entertainment. Parents would have at least 1 day they could spend with family & friends without having to align work schedules. Decrease in gas use across the board. Less crime (since parents are home on Sundays, there is no reason why you can't keep an eye on them.) Fewer homeless people begging in the street (Since there are no people to beg from). Less Police would be necessary (if any at all... They could go on an "On Call As Needed" basis so they might be able to spend time with family. Neighbors would have time to get to know each other. How well do you know your neighbors now? Have you had any barbecues? Right now, I would guess that most people who may have barbecues, are only hanging out with people who are white collar regardless of the neighborhood you live in. Our work schedules can determine what class you relate to and hardens those lines even more." "So perhaps we should consider enacting a Sunday Law. Not to restrict people from working, but to give liberty to those who can't choose. And imagine the tax dollars that would be saved?" _____ Finally, compare these thoughts with what was written in Great Controversy. "And then the great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are causing these evils. The class that have provoked the displeasure of Heaven will charge all their troubles upon those whose obedience to God's commandments is a perpetual reproof to transgressors. It will be declared that men are offending God by the violation of the Sunday sabbath; that this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until Sunday observance shall be strictly enforced; and that those who present the claims of the fourth commandment, thus destroying reverence for Sunday, are troublers of the people, preventing their restoration to divine favor and temporal prosperity..." {GC 576.1} "... They will lament the great wickedness in the world and second the testimony of religious teachers that the degraded state of morals is caused by the desecration of Sunday. Great will be the indignation excited against all who refuse to accept their testimony." {GC 576.2} _____ Now more than ever it becomes absolutely critical to base your beliefs on a careful study of the Bible for truth. Do not depend on the pastor or the church leaders for the truth. Heed the warning of God. Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. I had a disturbing experience after church last week. I was discussing the Bible with a lady and her husband who is new to the Adventist church and has been studying the truth. They have just made the decision to seek baptism. It has been a significant struggle for her because she was formerly a Catholic nun. We have had many significant discussions. We had been discussing the Sabbath School lesson and the sermon. I was reading to her about what Revelation says to the church of Laodicea. When I read the verse: Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. I suggested the idea of "sup" was the same as "feast" like the "Jewish feasts". I said this because it is the same word used to refer to the "Lord's Supper" which is a type of the Passover feast. Well at that exact moment an outspoken and active church member was walking by and said I needed to make sure I explained to this new couple that I was teaching something the church does not teach. This person said they know what I believe but this new couple doesn't know. The former nun spoke up to defend me and said I did tell them the difference in my beliefs. I however turned to this person and said "How can you say you know what I believe when neither you nor anyone else has spoken to me about what I believe?" They were a bit flabbergasted by this and mumbled something about they assumed the pastor had spoken to me. I said he had not and they commented that they would see to it this was taken care of. In our short conversation I noted that the idea the church teaches this or the church believes that was repeated about five times. Not once was a mention made of what the Bible teaches. After they left, I commented to the former nun she had probably noticed the statements about what the church teaches. She was livid. She said she definitely noticed it and was strongly reminded of what she had heard all her life from the Catholic Church which teaches that you do what the church teaches and not what the Bible says. The former nun also commented that when she gets baptized she is doing it for her dedication and commitment to Jesus and not because she is seeking allegiance to the the SDA Church. I pointed out to her that I was an Adventist because the fundamental church teachings do not disagree in any way with my beliefs. There are many and in high places who teach ideas beyond the fundamental beliefs. This is in God's hands not mine. The entire incident was a bit upsetting and I wondered to myself what repercussions might occur in the church. I firmly resolved not to worry about it because it is all in God's hands. I suspect nothing will happen anyway because people seem to avoid talking to me about why I am different. Are your beliefs based on what the church teaches or on your own carefully study for understanding of what the Bible says? I pray we may all continue to seek love, peace, and unity in truth preparing for the soon coming of IAUShUO (ee-uh-oo-shoo-oh) Messiah, the Son of God.
Frank T. Clark
Next: 2008-11-28 Seductive Error |
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Revised 2008-11-28 |