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 2nd day of the 11th month of God's Sacred Calendar in the estimated year 6018 Anno Mundi. The Spring Sabbaths begin in 10 weeks and one day with the first Sabbath of Unleavened Bread, the 15th day of the 1st month (Sunday, April 5th on the 2015, Gregorian Calendar, at sunset Saturday, April 4th). The Sacred month begins on the world day after lunar conjunction and the sacred year begins with the Spring Passover Rule dates for determining the Gregorian Calendar dates of God's Sacred Calendar. The Millerite Calendar (Spring New Moon Rule) is the same this year. The Calculated Rabbinical Calendar is one day early. Pondering recent discussions and the previous newsletter, I was considering the progress of my ministry to share my studies of the Bible. I was feeling discouraged again by the apparent failure to reach people with a deeper understanding of God's Word. I was feeling alone like Elijah. I Kings 19:10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. I realized that being alone was an expected part of being one of the few. Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. There are very few who are willing to study and see beyond the bounds of the complacent Laodicean Church. They are happy with the truth they have. They don't need or want anything more. Ellen spoke often of the important fact that truth is progressive. "The great principle so nobly advocated by Robinson and Roger Williams, that truth is progressive, that Christians should stand ready to accept all the light which may shine from God's holy word, was lost sight of by their descendants. The Protestant churches of America,--and those of Europe as well,--so highly favored in receiving the blessings of the Reformation, failed to press forward in the path of reform. Though a few faithful men arose, from time to time, to proclaim new truth and expose long-cherished error, the majority, like the Jews in Christ's day or the papists in the time of Luther, were content to believe as their fathers had believed and to live as they had lived. Therefore religion again degenerated into formalism; and errors and superstitions which would have been cast aside had the church continued to walk in the light of God's word, were retained and cherished. Thus the spirit inspired by the Reformation gradually died out, until there was almost as great need of reform in the Protestant churches as in the Roman Church in the time of Luther. There was the same worldliness and spiritual stupor, a similar reverence for the opinions of men, and substitution of human theories for the teachings of God's word." {GC 297.2} She was speaking of the Protestant churches but the same is now true of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. "Then there is yet another work to be accomplished, and this is of a progressive nature. The soul is to be sanctified through the truth. And this also is accomplished through faith. For it is only the grace of Christ, which we receive through faith, that the character can be transformed." {3SM 191.3} The same words are repeated over and over. Truth is progressive. "If it was necessary for God's ancient people to often call to mind his dealings with them in mercy and judgment, in counsel and reproof, it is equally important that we contemplate the truths delivered to us in his word,--truth which, if heeded, will lead us to humility and submission, and obedience to God. We are to be sanctified through the truth. The word of God presents special truths for every age. The dealings of God with his people in the past should receive our careful attention. We should learn the lessons which they are designed to teach us. But we are not to rest content with them. God is leading out his people step by step. Truth is progressive. The earnest seeker will be constantly receiving light from Heaven. What is truth? should ever be our inquiry." {ST, May 26, 1881 par. 16} You will be inspired and directed if you search her writings for the three dozen occurences of these words. "The truth of God is progressive; it is always onward, going from strength to a greater strength, from light to a greater light. We have every reason to believe that the Lord will send us increased truth, for a great work is yet to be done. In our knowledge of truth, there is first a beginning in our understanding of it, then a progression, then completion; first the blade, then the ear, and after that the full corn in the ear. Much has been lost because our ministers and people have concluded that we have had all the truth essential for us as a people; but such a conclusion is erroneous and in harmony with the deceptions of Satan; for truth will be constantly unfolding." {ST, May 26, 1890 par. 2} There is a fascinating article "Rejection of Light" in the January 5, 1886 Review and Herald. Note the date of the previous article is two years after and the date of this article is two years before the 1888 debacle. One paragraph: "Those who walk in the light will progress; they will grow up to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. This is the result of sanctification through the truth, and this is what God requires of all. Truth is progressive; and those who are preparing for the last great day will go forward in accordance with the accumulated light which shines upon them from the prophecies and from the lessons of Christ and the apostles. No one will be condemned in the day of Judgment because of a lack of knowledge which he never had an opportunity to obtain. The light which never shone upon him will never be his darkness. The truth which God's messengers have presented by pen and by voice, the treasures of the word of God which they have opened to the people, the light which has penetrated the darkened chambers of the mind, will, if rejected, be witnesses against them in the last great day. The testimony which will come with condemning power upon the sinner, and which will close his mouth before God and testify of his guilt, is the fact that he saw the light, but for various reasons in harmony with the carnal heart, would not receive it. He would not receive the truth that was given to save him. The greater the light, the greater the obligations." {RH, January 5, 1886 par. 6} The article speaks of the weekly Sabbath but only the Laodicean will not see how the concepts extend beyond that great truth. While speaking of the narrow way I cannot pass the opportunity to mention two great revelations. Her first vision at the end of 1844 speaks of the narrow path. "I seemed to be surrounded with light, and to be rising higher and higher from the earth. I turned to look for the advent people in the world, but could not find them, when a voice said to me, "Look again, and look a little higher." At this I raised my eyes, and saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the advent people were traveling to the city which was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the beginning of the path, which an angel told me was the "midnight cry." This light shone all along the path, and gave light for their feet, so that they might not stumble." {LS 64.2} {CET 57.2} {EW 15.1} {FLB 294.2} {1SM 62.1} {3SM 40.1} {ExV 10.1} {2SG 30.2} {1T 58.4} {TA 249.1} {WLF 14.2} {DS, January 24, 1846 par. 1} {RH, July 21, 1851 par. 2} {Broadside1, April 6, 1846 par. 2} {1BIO 56.5} The second revelation is a dream in 1868 that speaks of "Traveling the Narrow Way". "As the path grew more narrow, we decided that we could no longer go with safety on horseback, and we left the horses and went on foot, in single file, one following in the footsteps of another. At this point small cords were let down from the top of the pure white wall; these we eagerly grasped, to aid us in keeping our balance upon the path. As we traveled, the cord moved along with us. The path finally became so narrow that we concluded that we could travel more safely without our shoes; so we slipped them from our feet, and went on some distance without them. Soon it was decided that we could travel more safely without our stockings; these were removed, and we journeyed on with bare feet." {LS 190.4} {CET 180.1} {2T 595.1} {RH, January 12, 1869 par. 4} One final quote in 1888, just before the debacle, about the narrow path, doubt, and trust. The plain, authoritative truth from a "Thus saith the Lord," is refused for the winding sophistry of error. "If men could realize the blighting influence of doubt upon their minds, if they could but see into the future, they would realize the imperative need of cultivating firm trust in God and implicit confidence in his promises. They would not sow one grain of unbelief; for every single grain blossoms into fruit. Satan is a living, active agent. It is his business to encourage skepticism, and every word of doubt is carefully nourished by the adversary of souls. While men sleep in indifference, suggestions that weaken faith are insinuated into the heart. Influences that confuse the perception of truth are brought to bear upon the life. In every way possible, Satan strives to turn souls from the narrow path that leads to heaven; and because men love darkness they follow the voice of strangers, and reject the call of the Good Shepherd who gave his life for the sheep. The plain, authoritative "Thus saith the Lord," is refused for some winding sophistry of error. Infidelity has increased in proportion as men have questioned the word and requirements of their Maker. They have taken up the work of cheapening character, and lessening faith in the inspiration of the Bible. Men claiming great wisdom have presumed to criticise and cut and cull the words of the living God, and have started questions to make shipwreck of the happiness of their fellow-men and to ruin their hopes of heaven. This is a work that is pleasing to the enemy of all righteousness. The arguments that men bring against the Bible are the result of the counsels of the evil one. The door of their minds was opened to his suggestions, and the more they drifted into error, the greater grew their desire to draw other souls into the same channel of darkness." {RH, January 10, 1888 par. 14} {RH, September 22, 1910 par. 6} Are you progressing on the straight and narrow path to all of God's truth? 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: 2015-01-30 The Great Cost |
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Revised 2015-01-30 |