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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The Lord is Coming! Are you ready? | |
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in
IAUA
(ee-ah-oo-ah) 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 IAUA. This is the 5th day of the 9th month of God's Sacred Calendar in the estimated year 6014 Anno Mundi. The Spring Sabbaths begin in 22 weeks and 3 days with Unleavened Bread on the evening of the 15th day of the 1st month (Tuesday, April 19th on the 2011 Gregorian Calendar, beginning sunset on Monday, April 18th). An amazing thing occurs in the Gregorian Calendar years of both 2011 and 2012. Those who follow the Millerite Calendar determination agree with what my research has determined for the Gregorian Calendar dates of God's Sacred Calendar and the dates on the Jewish Calendar also agree! _____ A newsletter reader comments on the last newsletter: I am just as perplexed at their ''heavy game of'' basket-ba'al after the potluck. YHWH forbids kindling a fire on shabbat and I believe any kind of work that makes us break a sweat (i.e., kindling a fire within ourselves) would fall under said prohibition. BTW, on a school outing, I once saw a man of American Indian descent literally kindle a fire: while he said he made it look easy, in his own words, he also declared it to be hard work: He exerted great force on the stick that he rotated/spun like a drill between his open palms as he concurrently exerted great downward/inward force on the stick—beginning from a standing position and using his body weight as he progressed to kneeling; he then gradually returned to standing (all the while still spinning the long stick) and starting the cycle over again once more. Scripture shows when folks compromise the Shabbat and forsake the ordinance of YHWH, the lampstand is removed from their lives. Regardless of man's attempt to justify ''leisurely'' activites on shabbat, I can't see a heavy game of bastketball as honoring a day of commanded rest. _____ I responded: While I did choose not to comment on this particular aspect, I agree completely, I would find it inappropriate to engage in a strenuous activity on the Sabbath. My experience gives me a very dim view of basketball in particular because I have never seen it played without the inevitable rise of a competitive spirit which quickly degenerated into what seemed to me to be "unsportsmanlike" conduct if not mild forms of what I consider violence. I observe a similar problem in almost all "sports" which is not appropriate to me on any day of the week much less on a Sabbath. On the other hand, I am also concerned about the danger of a spirit of criticism and judgment in trying to impose rules of conduct on people separate from a development of a deep relationship with God which would lead people away from such activity. The power of the Holy Spirit must be greatly sought in these situations. I am reminded of the tension between the example of the gentle spirit of our Saviour with His decidedly non-gentle actions in driving the moneychangers out of the temple. A subject of considerable prayer for wisdom and the guidance of the Holy Spirit when confronted by these things. _____ Have you ever had the strange feeling of thinking you were in one place and suddenly being jarred by the realization you were in a totally different place than where you thought you were? I have heard this called the "Twilight Zone" effect after a popular television series from a few years (decades) ago. I never saw the series myself but I am familiar with the concept from years of exposure to pop culture. Recently, I joined a choir. I was suddenly jarred by the realization the expectation was to perform the music by ear. I had never been in a choir where written music was not the primary source to learn the music. I have nothing against people with the skill to sing music by ear but I am not skilled with this ability. I described myself to the choir director as someone trained and skilled at singing by reading music. I explained I had difficulty singing without written music. I was again jarred by the suggestion I should be the choir director instead of them. There was an immediate tension because of the mismatch between someone who was skilled at performing music by ear and someone skilled at performing music as written. There is often a sense of discrimination when a person has characteristics which are different from the norm of whatever group you find yourself among. I immediately distanced myself from the suggestion of being a choir leader indicating I was happy and skilled to be a follower and not a leader. These are two very different skill sets. It is an awkward situation when a person is assumed to be qualified as a leader when they are skilled as a follower. It sometimes occurs that a skilled follower has the desire and the skills to move into a position of leadership. Later, I realized there are some important spiritual analogies to this situation. In situations of praising God I am trained and skilled as a follower of the written word of God. I have difficulty in situations where the written word of God is not followed. It is important to be careful to go beyond following the truth you hear from others and seek the written Word of Truth for yourself. There are those who have received special training who desire to be leaders. I have no desire to be a leader. In fact, even though I have a lot of skill in following I think it is better to direct other people to follow the Messiah rather than to desire to be a leader. I have often pondered the meanings in these verses.
Matthew 23:5-12 I do not place myself as a leader. I do not seek and I do not wish to be considered a Leader, Master, or Teacher. I consider myself a student of the Word, a follower of the Master, learning from the Teacher, the Holy Spirit. I witness to others of what I learn and I share my studies with a desire to encourage others to study and follow the Master. Are you willing to serve God in whatever He asks you to do? I pray we may all continue to seek love, peace, and unity in truth preparing for the soon coming of IAUShUO (ee-ah-oo-shoo-oh) Messiah, the Son of God.
Frank T. Clark
Next: 2010-11-19 Equinox (Again) |
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Revised 2010-11-19 |