"We are living in a period of time during which we must by faith be allied with an infinite God or else we cannot overcome the strong powers of darkness seeking to destroy us." {2SAT 174.6}

Therefore, to those who need comfort, we show how God's word gives comfort. To those who speak in tongues, we show how we speak in tongues, even very foreign tongues and know what we are saying.

Being Ready for the Lord

Today we shall study some of the prerequisites for unity and readiness for the Lord. We want to be ready because we love the Lord and so we shall study about repentance and confession. There are many statements or several statements in the Spirit of Prophecy that we can never have unity without repentance and confession.

And, by the way, if a member of another church reads this, the truths here presented apply to all churches, all of God's people, Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Baptists, Pentecostals, any church. Satan wants to destroy all churches and the only way Christianity can get back on course with God is to repent. They all need to do that.

A lack of repentance and confession has been a lack in Adventism for a long time. As we study about the necessity of repentance and confession and we learn that we have had a problem in Adventism for a long time with doing just the opposite - not repenting and confessing.

And we write this with more than a little sadness because it will have to be corrected before the Lord comes, friends. We have been in the habit for a long time. And even as members, we know of instances how things are done. - You know what has been done with a pastors when they get in trouble? They have been transfered. This is true from a Conference President to a Union President and down the line.

First let us establish from the Bible, that says that we as individuals, should not have to confess for somebody else's sin.

Each one of us should not have to confess for somebody else's sin.

The question in our mind may be, when is it somebody else's sin, and when is one partly to blame, what does the Bible say on that subject?

Ezekiel 9 contains a prophecy about the wicked being slain and EW says concerning Ez. 9 that this chapter is going to be fulfilled to the letter and Ellen White has told our ministers, you can read this about in the 1888 materials about Ez. 9 and 10, that our ministers (and everyone who loves the Lord) should study these chapters on their knees. So these are very important chapters and they are talking about what is going to happen at the close of probation and notice it says,

"And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof." Ez. 9:4.

So, it was pointed out to me, and I want you to study this, it does not say that to go through to the men that are confessing for the sins of other people but its the men that are sighing and crying for the abominations that are done in the midst of the land, now, it says in the midst of the land in the Bible and Ellen White's writings in vol. 1 she says, the abominations that are done in the midst of the church. That we read in Ez. 9:4, look in Ez. 14:14 where it says,

"Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it [Or for that matter, any leader living today.], they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God."

And then look in Ez. 18:14-20, espec. verses 19-10:

"Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,
That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife,
Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,
That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."

We are not going to be punished in the judgment for somebody else, we are going to be punished for our own sins if our own sins are unconfessed and unrepented.

Now, there are some people who might say, `Look at these references. - I read two of them last night which I have been troubled about. For example 3T 269 [100]

It says that the leaders are to search out the sins of God's people and if the sins of the people are passed over by those in responsible positions that God's frown [or displeasure, Deut. 9:18,19] will be upon them and the people of God as a body will be held responsible. Now there is similar language used on p. 265 and 269 [200], that is what I read but some people may point out some other texts to study along that line - it looks like two divergent points of view - but the reason that it looks divergent is because we do not yet perfectly understand it.

Another reference quoted sometimes is found in the `Youth Instructor', Feb 8, 1894 and it is about what happened in Achan's time and here is what it says,

"Achan disregarded the commandment of the Lord, and showed with how little abhorrence he regarded sin, by taking of the accursed thing. Then the Lord revealed what was his estimation of the act that Achan regarded as trifling. He withdrew his presence from the camp, for all Israel were involved in the transgression, and all Israel must have an opportunity to clear themselves before the Lord for making void his law. In Achan's case we have an example of a man sinning in the very presence of God, in the congregation where the mighty power of God was manifested. How terrible were the consequences of this man's sin."

It is a wonderful thing to be a Seventh day Adventist and to be able to talk about anything in the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy among brothers and sisters, isn't it? (Yes) For we know, as we keep studying together, that we are coming to an understanding of the truth if we pray and if we are willing to follow the Lord.

If there is heresy, a forsaking of the pillars of Adventism, we cannot just take a person that is involved in that and ship them from Australia to California and think that is going to solve the problem. That has not and will not solve the problem.

It will just get worse.

Heresy must be repented of and confessed and forsaken. This is something, by the way, that we need to think through, if I have been for one reason or another deceived in believing false doctrine, -- you know the early Adventists, when they first found out about the Sabbath, EW writes about this, they went to the Lord and they were horror struck. They had been breaking the Sabbath ignorantly. But when they found out, that they had not been keeping God's commandments, they were very, very sad and they repented of that, and they confessed it and they started to live differently. -- It is the same now, if I get involved in heresy, God forbid, but if I get involved in a believe that is not so, when I find that out I must go to the Lord and repent and confess that, and forsake it. And if I hurt others, by teaching it, then I need to go to them and confess it, that I have forsaken that erroneous belief.

Let us look at the clear statements of Ellen White on the idea, that we must be together on the truth if we are going to have unity and harmony. This we find right in chapter 17 of John, Jesus last prayer before he went to the garden of Gethsemane. And if you look at John 17:17, Jesus is talking about his disciples, he is talking about unity over and over again in this chapter, and he says here:

"Sanctify them by your truth, your word is truth."

And so, unless we all are being sanctified by the truth, unless we are standing together on the truth, we will never, ever have unity. Let us read a few things that EW said about standing together on truth and what truth we need to stand together on. She describes it many ways. First of all I want to read a statement about landmarks.

"If your faith in the Word of God is strengthened; if you will fully accept the truths that have called us out of the world and made us a people denominated by the Lord as His peculiar treasure if you will unite with your brethren in standing by the old landmarks, then there will be unity. But you remain in unbelief, unsettled as to the true foundation of faith; there can be no hope of any more unity in the future than there has been in the past." {11MR 319.1}

Now notice what it is that makes you a people denominated by the Lord. It is these truths that have done it.

They "have called us out of the world and made us a people denominated by the Lord as His peculiar treasure if you will unite with your brethren in standing by the old landmarks, then there will be unity."

Is that not wonderful? If we will make up our mind, we are going to stand on the old landmarks. Now, let me ask you this question again, `Who is it in Adventism in the last days that is going to have unity? - The only people that are going to have unity in Adventism in the last days are those who are standing by the landmarks. The people that go off and reject the SoP, preach new theology, and are all mixed up on various doctrines - they are never going to have unity. Have we not seen that happening? Are they having more unity every year? No. They are not having more unity. There is more pluralism.

The only way that you can get unity, is, if we get back to the old landmarks.

Then there will be unity. In EW's writings to someone it says,

"But you remain in unbelief, unsettled as to the true foundation of faith; there can be no hope of any more unity in the future than there has been in the past." {11MR 319.1

So, this person is mixed up about the foundation of faith. And EW says, there is no chance, no chance, that there is going to be unity for you.

Ok, there is one expression. If you want to have unity, you are going to stand where? -- On the old landmarks.

Now here is another expression that she uses - the platform of truth.

This is from another manuscript on the remnant church, she says,

"God is leading out a people to stand in perfect unity upon the platform of eternal truth." {4T 17.1}

So, the platform of truth, the truth of the Bible, the truths that were revealed to the world through the Protestant reformation, the truths that the apostles and Jesus taught. The platform of eternal truths, if we are standing on that platform we are going to have perfect unity.

Here is another expression that she uses. The first was landmarks, then the platform of truth, another way she expresses it is, `If we come together on the fundamental truths.'

Here is how it reads,

"We are one in faith in the fundamental truths of God's word. And one object must be kept in view constantly; that is, harmony and co-operation must be maintained without compromising one principle of truth. And while constantly digging for the truth as for hidden treasure, be careful how you open new and conflicting opinions. We have a worldwide message. The commandments of God and the testimonies of Jesus Christ are the burden of our work. To have unity and love for one another is the great [work] now to be carried on." {CW 79.2}

So EW is giving counsel, we are to be unified, we are to be one on the fundamental truths of God's Word. And then she says, be careful if you are going to introduce new and conflicting opinions. Is it possible that the introduction of new truth can arouse controversy, even if it is the truth?

Is there a right way and a wrong way to introduce new light?

Yes, there is. There is a right way and a wrong way to introduce new light, but some of those who introduced new theology did it behind our backs. They taught it to sons and daughters of Adventists in schools and colleges or they write books and our publishing houses, not infrequently, try to sell them. -- There are many, many scriptures that some pastors will not preach. You know why? There are several reasons. One is, that they are not the scriptures of primary importance for the world to understand right now.

What are the scriptures for the world to understand right now? They need to understand the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation and especially the three angels messages.

Now there are other scriptures that are interesting to study and I talk it over with some other people in private?

And may be at some point in time the Lord will teach us a lot more about some of these scriptures that we do not understand right now. And so, I enjoy to study them.

It is the present truth believed and exemplified in the life that makes God's people one and gives them a powerful influence. Now, what is present truth?

Present Truth

Present truth is simply truth for a certain period of time that wouldn't be present truth for another time. For instance, in Noah's day present truth was what? There is a flood coming, and if you want to be saved you are going to have to go into the ark. That was present truth in Noah's time. Now, it is easy to figure out, if you do not believe present truth, can you lose your soul? Absolutely you can lose your soul. So, there are some timeless truths. It has always been truth since the fall, that if you are going to be saved you can only be saved through the blood of Jesus Christ, through His sacrifice. But there are other truths that are present truth, truth for a certain time.

There was a present truth, landmarks, in the time of Lot, and in the time of Abraham, and in the time of Christ, the apostles and there was present truth in Martin Luther's time, and EW says that there has been a present truth in every generation of God's people.[500] And there is present truth today. And what is present truth today if we are going to be unified? Well, how about the 3 AMs ?

Where the 3 AMs preached in the time of the apostle Paul? No. The prophecy was not even given yet. Were they preached in the time of Martin Luther? No, they were not.

They were not preached until the 1840's. And ever since that time all the way up to the close, the 3 AMs are present truth.

Now, to understand the 3 AMs there are some other truths that we can also call present truth. For instance in the 3 AMs in the 12th verse it says, `Here is the patience of the saints here are they that keep the commandments of God.' All right. Can you be called a commandment keeper, if you break one?

No, you cannot. It says in James 2:10, if you break one, you brake them all.

So, you cannot be called a commandment keeper unless you keep all of God's commandments, it says in Rev 14, what? that God's people in the last days keep the commandments. So, is the Sabbath part of present truth?

Yes it is present truth today.

Then you have in the 1st AM, that the hour of God's judgment is come.

Let me ask you this question, `What information do you have to have to say to the whole world with a loud voice that the hour of God's judgment has come?

You have to know that it started already, don't you?

Well, how do we know for sure that it started already?

Other people will say, `Oh, it hasn't started yet. It won't start until the 2nd coming or sometime down the future ..'

How do you know that the judgment has started now?

There is only one way that you can figure out for sure that it is taking place now, that is from Hebrews 8 and 9 and Daniel 8 and 9.

Here is where you have the prophecies that show that the judgment of the world will occur and Hebrews 9:26 says, it will occur at the end of the ages, and Daniel 8:14 tells you the exact time when it will begin, in 1844, and you have the subject there of the sanctuary and you cannot understand that the hour of God's judgment is come without an understanding of the sanctuary itself.

Is the subject of the sanctuary part of present truth? Yes. It is.

And if you forsake the doctrine of the sanctuary you have forsaken present truth. By the way, has this happened to many people in Adventism? Yes, it has.

And when that happens unity is impossible, absolutely impossible. The only people that are going to be united at the end of time are going to be those Adventists who hang on to present truth.

Everybody else is going to be part of all kinds of confusion. And they can call themselves SdA or anything they want to call themselves, if you are not going to hang on to present truth you are not going to have unity. And what has happened in our church in the last 35 years proofs that point. When you start forsaking present truth, you lose unity.

When I was a little boy, my parents went to Adventist Conferences, and you knew, when you met SdA's you know pretty much that they believed certain things. It seems now it has gotten so bad, that you meet people who call themselves SdA's and you do not know anymore what they believe.

And that is why we have the confusion that we have now. We have less unity now than we had then, because people have forsaken present truth and we will never ever have unity again until we come together and stand on present truth. [600]

EW says - here is a real simple prescription for unity - she says, "Unity is the strength of the church. Satan knows this, and he employs his whole force to bring in dissension. He desires to see a lack of harmony among the members of the church of God. Greater attention should be given to the subject of unity. What is the recipe for the cure of the leprosy of strife and dissension? Obedience to the commandments of God." {2SM 159}

There you have it. If we would all decide that we obey the commandments of God, and I tell you and you tell me, anything you can show me of the commandments of God you know, we would have unity. We would have unity.

If we would all make that decision, it would be the end of that controversy - when God commands something we are going to do it. We are going to believe it. We would have unity.

EW says, that historically, God sent a message to Christendom that would have brought unity if they had accepted it. Let us read about that message that God sent, that would have brought unity to show, how important the truth is, that God has given to us as a people.

As they would say, we have "this precious truth."

Oh, friends, that truth that we hold as Adventists, is it precious to you?

I hope it is. And this present truth, if we accept it, will bring us into perfect unity. In fact it will bring us into such perfect unity, a unity that has never, ever been seen, since the time of the Apostles. Let me read that,

"The first angel's message of Revelation 14, announcing the hour of God's judgment and calling upon men to fear and worship Him, was designed to separate the professed people of God from the corrupting influences of the world and to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding. In this message, God has sent to the church a warning, which, had it been accepted, would have corrected the evils that were shutting them away from Him. Had they received the message from heaven, humbling their hearts before the Lord and seeking in sincerity a preparation to stand in His presence, the Spirit and power of God would have been manifested among them. The church would again have reached that blessed state of unity, faith, and love which existed in apostolic days, when the believers "were of one heart and of one soul," and "spake the word of God with boldness," when "the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." Acts 4:32, 31; 2:47. {GC 379.1}

Now that is an amazing statement. Do you realize what that is saying? EW says, that if the 1st AM message would have been accepted by all the churches back then, that it would have brought the church back to the condition it was in in the days of the apostles. They would have had a unity that had not been seen since the days of the apostles.

Now I want to ask you this question,

`If the truth would have brought the church to that condition of unity that hadn't been seen since the days of the apostles, if it would have done it in the 1840's, do you suppose it still can do it in 2007 and 2008?

We do not comprehend the tremendous value of the 3 AM's. The 3AM's, properly understood, would have brought us and still can bring us into perfect unity and harmony. And the people, friends, that are destroying the unity in the SdA church are not the historic Adventists. It is the people who are changing our doctrines. Those are the ones who are destroying unity and harmony.

It is the people who do not believe in the two apartment sanctuary anymore, that do not believe in 1844, they do not believe that you can overcome sin, and they do not know who Babylon is anymore, and some of them do not know who the antichrist is and I wonder if they know who the beast is or the mark of the beast.

If you do not know anything about it, how can you even call yourself an SdA!

The 3AM, if we understand what it means and accept it fully and completely and follow it, the people that do that are going to come into perfect unity and it is going to happen before Jesus comes. I read you the prophecies already this week, there is going to be a people that will be in perfect harmony and unity before Jesus comes and I would like to be part of it, wouldn't you?

And who is it going to be? It is not going to be the people of the new theology, and the people who do not believe in the SOP anymore, and the people that are forsaking the truths of the 3AMs or various parts of it -- it is going to be the people that come back to the old truths that God has revealed to the Advent movement. The people that accept the SOP and the commandments of God and the 3 AMs and start to follow it and obey it and do it.

Satan has a goal for SdA's. I want to read to you what the devil wants to do and you can decide whether he has had any success or not. This is what is says,

"This is intended as a warning to the people of God living in the last days. If they follow after righteousness and true holiness, if they keep all the commandments of God, Satan and his agents will not be permitted to overcome them. All the opposition of their bitterest foes will prove powerless to destroy or uproot the vine of God's own planting. Satan understands what Balaam learned by sad experience, that there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither divination against Israel, while iniquity is not cherished among them; therefore his power and influence will ever be employed to mar their unity and defile the purity of their characters. His snares are laid in a thousand ways to weaken their power for good." {5T 599.1}

You see from this, if we will cling to the truth and live the truth, if we will follow after righteousness and true holiness, she says, the devil understands much better than we do, that there is no way that he can overcome us. That there is no divination against Israel. There is no enchantment against Jacob. There is no way that he can overcome the people of God. And he knows that and that is why he is laying traps and snares to try to get us to trip up into sin. So our unity will be marred, our character defiled, so that then he can destroy us.

That is one of the reasons why we write so much about how to overcome sin. When God's people understand how to overcome sin, and they are standing on the truth, and they are united, the devil knows that there is no way he can overcome them. When God's people are united and in unity on the truth and they are living the truth, EW says, there is no power in hell that can overcome them and the devil knows it. I just read you a statement to that effect. He knows it.

And so, he either tries to get us to leave the message or not to live the message and to split us up into all kinds of factions, get us to argue and to quarrel about anything imaginable, so that our unity can be broken up. Our character becomes defiled, so that he can destroy us.

There are many people today, who are separationists. Now, I am not talking about who they call or say that they are separationists. I am talking about the real separationists.

And I want to read to you about who the real separationists are. EW is talking about people that forsake the doctrine on the sanctuary and she says, concerning these people that forsake the historic Adventist teaching on the sanctuary - I want you to see how important this is:

"There is no use in talking of harmony while they continue to do this, for harmony could never exist. God forbids it. ..." [700]

If someone is mixed up on the sanctuary can you get together and talk? Forget it. EW says there is no hope. She says harmony could never exist. She says God forbids it, did you get that?

God forbids you to be in harmony with somebody who does not believe the historic doctrine of the sanctuary. God forbids you to be in harmony with that person. It cannot happen.

She goes on, "... There is to be a decided change in those who have kept up their warfare against the principles delivered to us by the Lord. Truth is truth, and righteousness is righteousness. To those who have separated in principle from true believers, choosing their own course, the word is spoken, "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." There is to be unity, but it is to be on the right basis. ..."

Now who are the real separationists? She calls them the people who have separated in principle from the true believers. They are the separationists. The people that have forsaken the true doctrines, the present truth. The fundamental doctrines, the platform which God has made for his people.

EW in EW calls the 3 AMs a firm platform and the angel pronounced a curse on anyone who would try to move a pin or a block in those messages [800], and those, friends, are the separationists. It is the people that leave the truth of the 3AM and the sanctuary and the commandments of God and the ability to overcome sin in the grace of Christ, those are the separationists.

The citation finishes with,

"... The testimonies that God has given cannot be disannulled. They stand fast in conformity to the word of the living God." {MR 760 5.2}

It is time to think straight friends. Just like it always is, the people that really separated, they call the people that stay with the truth the separationists, when it is the other way around. There are some times, and some situations, in which God has forbidden us to attempt to unify with others. And I would like to mention three situations. We have been forbidden to attempt to unify in these 3 situations. EW says, that we are not to unify with those who are

1) departing from the faith. That is one category. That is forbidden. and
2) we are not to unify on wrong practices. She mentions that several times.
3) we are not to attempt to unify on a platform of error.

We are talking here about the truths that God has given to SdAs. Since we are here studying about unity and we want unity and we need to press together and pray that the Lord will bring us into unity. Do you think that we each need to be praying about this? Do you realize how important it is, that, if we are not unified, we are going to be destroyed?

We are not going to be able to go through the time of trouble just each individually, you know, we are going to have to be unified now. We may be alone in some dire circumstances somewhere, but God's people must present a united front to the world, if we are not going to be destroyed in the coming crisis.

And yet, EW has told us that this unity cannot occur in a moment. It takes prayer. It takes some time. It takes some times of discussion together. It takes some work. I want to ask you, friend. Is it important enough to you that you are willing to pay the price and put in the work and do the praying and visit with you fellow believers and get down on your knees and keep working until the Lord brings us into unity, are you willing to pay the price?

Friends, if we are willing to pay the price, we can have this most precious gift, EW says, this will be the most powerful evidence to the world that Jesus is come, --- it will bring more force to our evangelistic preaching than anything else we could do?

Not only that, there are many promises given when we come into unity. Did you know when we come into perfect unity, you know what else the servant of the Lord has told us, we are going to see miraculous healings of the sick among us, when we come into unity - all kinds of wonderful things are going to happen when we come into unity. Is it worth working toward? Is it worth praying about? Do you think that it would be appropriate before we finish our meeting tonight that we get into little groups to pray about this? ............

So many good things can be just before us

Are we as a group or church getting closer to Jesus? It is now 164 years ago that many expected Jesus to come again. Not only in America, there were some on several continents and in numerous countries. Because of the efforts of Joseph Wolff (1795-1862). He grew up in the Catholic faith in Germany and studied theology in Rome. Later he was found in London where he joined the Anglican church. Around this time he studied much about the prophecies of the Second Coming of Christ which he determined to be by 1847. He began to travel to many countries on many continents where he preached the gospel of Jesus Christ with much conviction and joy to the Jews, the heathens, Christians and Muslims; to the rich as well as the poor, in big cities as well as in far off places. While in Jemen, he saw an old book with the title `Seera'. Having mastered to read and even speak many languages, he read in its pages about the Second Coming of Christ and His reign in glory. At this time he also met descendants who called themselves Rechabites of whom he wrote, `... They drink no wine, plant no vineyards, sow no seeds, live in tents and cling to the words of Jonadab, the son of Rechab. With them were the descendants of the Israelites of the tribe of Dan who lived in the province of Hatramawt' in Aden/ Jemen, in Arabia. He was able to preach to some there. Their history is described in Jeremiah 35.

So we see that God had actually many people studying prophecy, and about the Second Coming, to prepare a people for the Advent message during the period of the church of Sardis and Philadelphia. What period is that? They are the fifth (1517-1755) and sixth (1755-1844) churches of Revelation 3. These were man like Joseph Mede (1586-1648), Johann Bengel (1687-1752) and Isaac Newton (1642-1727) to name a few. During their time the little progress made during the reformation with respect to the truths God wanted to become known, had largely stalled. The counter reformation had succeeded in part in their fight against the truths of God. Satan did this with raising fanatics, false preachers and by writing counter reformation books and infiltrating the colleges and universities in Europe.

But God had still a message to be proclaimed to draw attention to the fulfillment of the last time prophecy of the Bible, the end of the 2300 day/ year period of Daniel 8:14. Edward Irving, Joseph Wolff, Archibald Mason, Adam H. Burwell and Dr. Robert Scott were contemporaries of William Miller who did not know each other but were engaged in similar studies. The work of William Miller proofed to be pivotal for the message of the 2300 prophetic day/ years. It shed light God wanted to become known for the important work that needed yet to be accomplished in the Most Holy of the heavenly sanctuary.

The mighty working of God among men lifted the fog of ignorance of long neglected Bible truths. His Spirit is ever working on the hearts of men, to finally accomplish the purposes of God and bring His people home. While humanity is born and raised at the edge of a cliff, we may linger between life and death for a time until we make a choice for or against God. Where it not for Christ, we all would choose death, but may instead choose life.

Looking at the scene of Christianity today one may get the impression that their goal is not what God wants it to be. Christians, many good people, are in a mode of resignation that life will continue as it has for so many centuries and millennia. Their view on the Second Coming of Christ in glory is but hushed and tentative. Some made it into a secret event via the rapture thus declaring that they really doubt such a thing as a heavenly, sky and space filling return of Christ with all His angels is in the near future. The millions of dollars costing `Seti' listening devices into outer space have not yet revealed a peep of anything reminding one of heaven out there. They do not realize that God does not emit radio waves via planless, un-locatable, distant, remote and vague means - far from it. He speaks directly to us through His Word which is preached via radio waves for as long as radios exist, yet the `Seti' scientist's wavelength is incapable of distinguishing their noises from the clearly spoken Word of God all around them.

Speaking about things closer to home, God has raised a church to proclaim His last three messages to the world. We are not called out of the world to play church. We are not called out to imitate the other churches or adopt their ways of presenting their faith. We are called out to get a people ready to meet the Lord, to translate a faithful, obedient people who are save to be saved. That is why we read,

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any one hear my voice [listen and believe in the gospel preached], and open the door [to his heart], I will come in to him [who has decided to exercise faith], and will sup with him [because they see now eye to eye as friends], and he with me." (Rev. 3:20).

And so it is true, the reason for the Adventist church to exist is to prepare a people for translation - to meet the God who made redemption possible and bring us back to where He always wanted us, being one in His heavenly kingdom. It is the right response to the knocking on our heart's door for we can either respond by keeping Christ out of our lifes, or, we can respond by opening the door from within. Should Christ come to the door as we watch television, we can tell Him we are too busy, and He will respond to our wishes. If we have a quarrel at home and He stops by to help, we can tell Him to mind His own business, and He will. Christ will not push Himself through the door and into our private pleasures. Christ comes, not with a demand, but as a guest. Even the divine guest must be wanted and welcomed.

Yes, all these aspects of the Christian message sound like outer space travel, like powers and governments in other worlds, and it is true, Hollywood has stolen these ideas out of the Word of God but turned them into vehicles which do not glorify God but deal with much evil and Satanic practices, which a holy God despises and wants to save us from.

We all need to make plans to reach those around us with God's last call for this world. But even though we know about Laodicea, from the top down, our church has not heeded the warning and today the work stagnates and despite successes in numbers one senses something important is lacking. What some of this may be we can study about today for we must put on the eye salve so we can see what needs to be done to get the task at hand going again.

Let us therefore look at some of the things which may thwart the eternal purposes of God by studying God's Word, the Spirit of Prophecy and our history.

Let us begin to read a passage in the Word of God to set the stage of our inquiry.

"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness brotherly love.
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth." 2.Peter 1:1-11.

The Apostle Peter stresses for us to be established in present truth. In his days present truth was to preach Christ crucified and resurrected and that He will come again. Our present truth today is contained in the Three Angels Messages in Revelation 14. These messages are designed to prepare a people to be ready to meet the Lord.

But we do not want to speak on these messages in this article for they are already presented in their own space and format. Our topic explores more wood and nails which hold us together or separate us from where God would want us to be.

God's Word is designed to reveal our true nature. We either are genuine followers of Christ, the good seed, the grain, or else we are more like weeds and chaff which will blow away when the wind comes.

Peter calls it to escape the corruption and make our election sure. In the Book of Acts he preached about it the following way,

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." Acts 3:19-21.

The Apostle Peter stresses here,

first, for us to repent,
second, to be converted and
third to make sure that our sins are blotted out.

This scripture is what we want to consider in this article for it is loaded with consequential meaning which we must heed or else we will not be part of the refreshing.

During the 164 years since 1844 many things have happened within the ranks of the people God had called to preach the present truth for these last days. But our church pulpits are often silent on these words, on this terminology, on these aspects of our calling which we must present to the world. Our distinctive message is kept under the bushel it seems. Are we merely playing church too often? Many of us do not have 3ABN or even own televisions. Such are not part of the TV crowd.

A few may remember what we were told in 1974 about one truth, "The church's mission depends on correct theology." [1000]

For we understand that our choice is not between Jesus or doctrine but Jesus in doctrine.[1200]

Does the Spirit of Prophecy have counsel on these issues?

"The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies [prophecies have to do with doctrines] which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close. Here are "the times of refreshing" to which the apostle Peter looked forward when he said: "Repent ye therefore... "
Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message [doctrines] from heaven. By thousands of voices, all over the earth, the warning will be given [mass media]. Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and signs and wonders will follow the believers. Satan also works, with lying wonders, even bringing down fire from heaven in the sight of men. Revelation 13:13. Thus the inhabitants of the earth will be brought to take their stand. {GC 612.1}
The message will be carried not so much by argument as by the deep conviction [that our sins need to be repented of, renounced and confessed] of the Spirit of God. The arguments have been presented. The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and bear fruit. The publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence, yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obedience. Now the rays of light penetrate everywhere, the truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands which have held them. Family connections, church relations, are powerless to stay them now. Truth is more precious than all besides. Notwithstanding the agencies combined against the truth, a large number take their stand upon the Lord's side. {GC 612.2}

What are some aspects of this truth?

On the subject of repentance, we need to clean our soul temple from all sins. Each one of us individually. But how about as a group? Do we, as a group or church, need to clean house? Does Laodicea need to do something along these lines? What does it say? Let us take a quick look.

God knows each one in Laodicea by their works

Laodicea members are in danger of being spewed out because they are not committed.

Laodicea members do not recognize their true situation - that they are spiritually naked (dead)

Laodicea members are counseled to think about the gold tried in the crucible over the fire

This purified gold has been tried under adverse conditions brought on by their former unbelief and laxness

Laodicea members need to "overcome" sins.

We have to make things right. We must repent, renounce, forsake and confess our sins before God. We must set the record straight before the Millenium. If we wake up after the Millenium, it is too late.

This repentance may involve speaking to those we wronged and confessing and praying and setting the record straight. It may involve writing letters or placing phone calls.

If we are serious of wanting to be saved we must start this right away. There is no time to loose. All sins must be forgiven before we can expect to meet the Lord in the air. We must be willing in our mind to get down to practical Christianity and do these things. The members in the early church went through this experience too. That is why we read,

"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication ..." Acts 1:14.

According to Webster, `supplicant' or `supplication' means to entreat, to ask submissively, to make a humble petition.

Such a willing mind is a person who died to self and seeks God's resurrection power. If we have this attitude and commitment we may pray,

`Lord, I have a willing mind. If there is anything in my past that I have forgotten about, that I need to make right with somebody, I am trusting, as I review my life, I am trusting before the close of my life, the Holy Spirit is pointing it out for me so I can make it right, and I am trusting you to reveal it to me.'

We know God is trustworthy. He is faithful. The problem is not what we remember and what we cannot remember. The Lord can take care of that. The problem is, do we have a willing mind and make the decision to make wrongs right. Are we going to repent of past sins to be forgiven of all so that they will not be brought up in the judgment to condemn us and appoint our portion with the law. That is why Ellen White wrote.

"Past sins, unrepented of and unforgiven, will be brought up then, only to condemn us, and appoint our portion with the lost." {R&H, January 3, 1891 par. 11}

So, if it is something way in the past and I have just forgotten about it, it will still be brought up in the judgment, it will be brought up and condemn me and give me my portion, that is the law when it is not repented of and confessed. How far back do we need to go? Now that is a very important point to understand. If I am going to make everything right, how far back do I need to go? That is not a hard question, but it is a question we need to think through because we shall see how it applies in a few minutes and it is truly awesome. Well, I think it applies, you can decide if it applies for you. In the `Signs of the Times', EW says based on James 3:13; 4:5-7,

"Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you." {ST, October 30, 1901 par. 1}

"There are those who when they grieve the Holy Spirit draw away from God because they feel that He is not pleased with their course of action. But how much better and safer it is to draw near to God, that the pure light shining from His Word may heal the wounds that sin has made in the soul. The Lord will draw near to him who confesses to his brethren the wrongs he has done them, and then comes to God in humility and contrition." {ST, October 30, 1901 par. 2}]

"Let the words of the apostle, spoken so clearly and distinctly, and with such tenderness and love, break down every barrier. Let God's people make earnest, thorough work for repentance. Do not be zealous to humble one another. Humble yourselves. Take hold of your own case, and by humble confession stand clear before God. Confess your faults to one another, that you may be healed. How many there are who are carrying a load of unconfessed wrong-doing. They try to shape matters so that their dignity will not be hurt. To make wrongs right from the very first departure, looks to them like extinguishing themselves. They think that if they did this, their usefulness would be destroyed. If they would cease this reasoning, and place themselves in the hands of God, to let Him work out His will in them, how much safer they would be. Delaying the confession of injustice to others is the most dangerous course that can be followed. Thus a compromise is made with Satanic agencies. The burden of unconfessed sin is the heaviest burden that can be borne. Jesus, the great burden-bearer, asks you to transfer your load to Him. Draw nigh to God, and never again separate from Him. Satan shuns the company of those with whom he was once connected in the heavenly courts." {ST, October 30, 1901 par. 12}

She wrote, "Confess your faults (faults, sins are confessed to God) to one another, that you may be healed. How many there are who are carrying a load of unconfessed wrong-doing. They try to shape matters so that their dignity will not be hurt. To make wrongs right from the very first departure, looks to them like extinguishing themselves."

"When there is any excuse for a seemingly wrong act, it is not sin. Satan triumphs when he hears the professed follower of Christ offering excuses for his defects of character. Sin unrepented of, unconfessed, can never be blotted from the books of God's record. Through faithful, thorough confession of sin, the heart is cleansed from its moral impurity. There must be a forsaking of the sins the Lord has reproved, before the soul can stand acquitted before God, humbled and repentant, realizing that he has served Satan, pleased him, glorified him, and dishonored his Lord." {ST, December 13, 1899 par. 2}

Well, we could read more statements on the necessity of repentance and confession. Because if this does not occur in our lifes, we are lost. But I want to look for a few minutes, at the church. When you become a member at a church. In a family, if somebody in a family does something wrong, even if the head of the family didn't do it, he feels responsible for it. Do we? Do we have a sense of responsibility, if someone in our family does something wrong? Even though you didn't do it? I certainly do.

What about when we consider the family of God. And someone in the family does something wrong -- We may hear then, `We didn't do it!' --- `I didn't do it!' ... . But somebody in the family of God, in the church, did do something wrong. Do I, do we collectively have any responsibility?

I want to read to you some startling statements that EW wrote about this subject. And I am telling you, friends, when you see the implications of this, we have to do a lot of praying.

And more than praying, we have to do a lot of confessing. I believe, I am willing to be corrected. This is Vol. 3, p. 265, and please, not to repeat ourselves, click here for it for we have it already in the footnotes.

She says, `If I see sin in the church and I pass it by and I do not deal with it, I am going to be held responsible.'

Here is what it says on p. 269,

"The plain, straight testimony must live in the church, or the curse of God will rest upon His people as surely as it did upon ancient Israel because of their sins. God holds His people, as a body, responsible for the sins existing in individuals among them. If the leaders of the church neglect to diligently search out the sins which bring the displeasure of God upon the body, they become responsible for these sins."

If you know anything at all about our history that should put a load on you that is several tons thick, or high or in weight. Do you have any idea about some of the things that have happened in Adventism, that, are as far as I could find out, they have never been repented of or confessed? Now, I would want to be corrected by anybody. These things go back a long, long time.

Are you aware of the fact that in the First WW that there were SdA young man in Germany that were executed for their faith and part of the reason was that our Adventist leaders would not stand behind them? Was that a sin? That was a sin friends. It resulted in faithful SdA's to lose their life.

Have you heard anywhere in your lifetime that we have repented and confessed that sin? I have never heard of it.

Well, can we just go on and hope that at the close of probation the Lord is going to take us to heaven anyway? ... Friend, I am afraid not. If what I read in the SoP is right. And so we ask us, `What are we supposed to do?'

I have come right to the point several times and have been thinking, that may be, I by myself, and all the Adventists in the world, should write some letters to these people and confess what we have done.

Jesus will not come until we are pure in heart so that the Latter Rain can come and help us finish the work. What we do now is just a splatter of rain. The Latter Rain will not fall upon a divided and schismatic people some of whom have forsaken the Adventist foundations, our platform of truth. [1500]

So, do we have some repenting and some confessing to do? ... Friends. I think we have more repenting and confessing to do then many of us have ever imagined. And I think, if we want to be ready for the Lord to come, we had better get busy quick and go about it and pray that enough people will see the need.

The fact is that in all our history we have never had such a group in the midst of us who first set things right in their own life before they pray to set things right in the church and everywhere.

It does no good to go to prayer meeting to lean upon the Lord in prayer requests, if you have sins in your past which are not yet forgiven. Do you believe that?

Where is the scripture?

"He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." Prov. 28:12.

The law points our sins out. It points them out so we know what they are and we take action and wipe the slate clean by repenting, renouncing and confessing - even if it means that we must contact someone we wronged and set the record straight.

Is that hard to do? Yes, it can be hard, but not doing it is harder for our conscience came alive and we will never forget it until the slate is clean.

It will prompt us to die to self, be humble and have the spirit Christ wanted His church to have.

After we follow through on this matter heavenly resurrection power will raise the new man or woman inside of us in His strength and we can do the things Jesus sent the disciples out to accomplish but they failed because they had not cleaned house.

Jesus wanted them to recognize that.

Well, after many years in the church we may have heard it said, `God is going to straighten things out that went wrong in the church. God is going to straighten it out. The Lord is going to correct these things.'

Well, I want to tell you, friends, I have been watching now for over 45 years, and I am not convinced that the church and its leaders are ever going to ever straighten some of these things out.

I have seen any indication. We have not even straightened out what happened in the First WW, let alone what happened in the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's.

May be an example is the R&H article, July 18-25, 85 entitled, Christ Our Hope, delivered by our General Conference President in 1985. While I read about the need to repent and confess to receive the Holy Spirit, I keep reading the word "we" or "our" so many times. In contrast, the word "I" appears six times. Five times it is in connection with visiting the world field and once when quoting from the Spirit of Prophecy. Reading this I wondered, `Why couldn't he have led out in such a session of repentance and confession right there when he was speaking? He was the leader. He could have done it. He could have done it just like Samuel did in 1. Samuel 7, or king Josiah in 2.Chronicles 34, or Daniel in chapter 9. Why did he keep on saying "we", when he could have said "I" will take the first step, "I" will take the initiative?' All the subsequent meetings - put them on hold or cancel them but follow through on what was being preached. -- Well, you may say, `He was speaking for the World Church.' True. But it seems to me after having addressed these same issues in his sermon, he could have set an example, after all Samuel, Josiah and Daniel spoke for all of Israel. Our members notice these things and some, probably too many, keep on sinning and I must confess, I was one of them. No example is placed before the world church members how serious the brethren really were. Did the same situation happen in subsequent Sessions.?

What feeling do I receive from this situation? They were not really ready to repent and confess, just talk about it. They could not countenance the sins just then, as we and many others do not yet countenance them today so as the make the critical difference of complete obedience and half-heartedness.

Looking upon the growth, leaders often think, the Lord is with us. That may be true but all churches grow and with growth come in all sorts of occasions for sin and we must be vigilant. That is what we do not see happening. - Then they say, `Oh, the work is so integrated in a complicated way, there is no way to untangle anything.' Well, the Lord knows how. It is like saying, we don't know if the Lord leads us and will show us how.

But as I thought about it, and I have seen the evidences getting stronger, and stronger, and stronger ... and knowing we have the power of choice and every time you exercise it we are developing character ... the evidence is getting stronger and stronger and stronger that the Adventist church organization is never going to make these things right until the end of the Millenium. They make it right then, but it will be too late.

Well, who is going to make it right? The thought has been pressing on my mind, `What should Seventh day Adventists be doing? Do we realize that we need to have a totally different, higher level of committment to Him than we ever had in our history?

What is the ultimate purpose of the everlasting gospel? It is about,

1. redemption complete
   
2. restoration of the image of God in man
   
3. Christlike behavior
   
4. becoming a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God
   
5. if we labor with Jesus and the Holy Spirit bears witness that we are one with Christ, then God says, our works will not be forgotten, Rev. 14:13,
   
6. all have sinned (yielding to temptation is sin), and come short (lacking) of the glory of God, Rom. 8:23
   
7. the obtaining of the glory (character) of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2.Thess. 2:14, for if you resist the thought, you will never carry out the action - for overcoming sin is resisting temptation
   
8. not being in conformity to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Rom. 12:1,2).

If we want to go through, if we want to go through past the close of probation and through the time of trouble and want to be recognized by the Lord and his recording angels with no sins to our account, at the end, `Do we have some things to do, in behalf of these people who have been wronged by the church that we belong to? Do we have some repentance to make and some confessions to make for these people?' ... I am believing myself that we do.

This is what Sister White wrote on December 25, 1895 after she had a vision in Rochester, New York,

"... ministers and people are unprepared for the time in which they live, and nearly all who profess to believe present truth are unprepared to understand the work of preparation for this time. In their present state of worldly ambition, with their lack of consecration to God, their devotion to self, they are totally unfitted to receive the latter rain and, having done all, to stand against the wrath of Satan, who by his inventions will cause them to make shipwreck of faith, fastening upon them some pleasing self-deception, They think they are all right when they are all wrong." {1T, 466}

Two words sum up the reason for the delay, "insubordination" and "love". Insubordination is man's reason for the delay, and love is God's reason for the delay.

Sister White explains it further,

"We may have to remain here in this world because of our insubordination many more years, as did the children of Israel; but for Christ's sake, His people should not add sin to sin by charging God with the consequences of their own wrong course of action." {Evangelism, p. 696)

Because we have failed to render total obedience to God and His commandments, Christ cannot return. There is a tremendous need for true, wholehearted surrender of the will to Christ, which in turn will lead to faithful commmandment keeping, thus enabling us to have the character of Jesus and preparing us for the return of our Lord.

On the other hand, God's great love for His people is the reason why He has not cut off many now, by closing probation.

1. What are some of the causes of our insubordination? We may mention these:

"As a general thing, the Lord did not provide His people with flesh meat in the desert, because He knew that the use of this diet would create disease and insubordination. In order to modify the disposition, and bring the higher powers of the mind into active exercise, He removed from them the flesh of dead animals. He gave them angel's food, manna from heaven." (MS 38, 1898) {1BC 1112.8}

We learn here, that it is the call of God to remove all encumbrances from the preparation of our lives for the kingdom of heaven. Surely dietary reform brings spiritual reform and prepares the heart and mind to receive the movings of the Holy Spirit.

2. Another needed change is this,

Dealing with the training of children, Ellen White indicates that murmuring is one of the greatest causes of insubordination. She wrote,

"The spirit of murmuring against reproof has taken root and is bearing its fruit of insubordination." {4T, 199}

3. God's messenger placed a heavy responsibility for the delay of Christ's coming upon the leaders of God's church:

"The spirit of domination is extending to the presidents of our conferences. If a man is sanguine of his own powers and seeks to exercise dominion over his brethren, feeling that he is invested with authority to make his will the ruling power, the best and only safe course is to remove him, lest great harm be done and he lose his own soul and imperil the souls of others. "All ye are brethren." This disposition to lord it over God's heritage will cause a reaction unless these men change their course." {TM, 362}

Now my friends I am willing that you correct me from anything that you can find from inspired writing. But if these impressions that I am having are correct we have a lot more repenting and confession to do than most of us have ever had any idea and we better pray and ask the Lord to help us getting it done.

Because, friends, do you realize how Christ is crucified afresh, when people that are called by His name sin against other people and that never has been made right, do you realize that terrible reproach against Jesus that has resulted because of these things?

Would you like to see the reproach rolled away?

Well, friends, if the reproach is going to be rolled away, we are going to have to organize ourselves and start on it in an organized way. We are going to have to start repenting and we are going to have to start confessing the wrongs of Adventism to the people that we have done wrong to, and we must not be too humble to do it, if we want to go through the pearly gates.

Friends, I, who has often felt to be the chiefest of sinners, want to go through, do you?

I am not concerned at all, about how humiliated I might get, to make them right, `I just want to get them confessed and make them right, how about you?'

And if you want to make a commitment with the Lord then say, `Lord, I have a willing mind. I am willing to do anything I have to do so that the reproach in the books of heaven can be rolled away from Adventism of which I am a member.'

It was HMS Richards, who was asked the question, `What was it that convinced you that Ellen White was the Lord's messenger?'

His reply was, `Her prayer. When she prayed, I knew that she was God's servant. She talked to God as though she knew Him. I knew that she was all that she claimed to be when I heard her pray.'

Here follows a prayer of Ellen White:

"Heavenly Father, Thou hast said, `Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' Heavenly Father, we need Thy Holy Spirit. We do not want to work ourselves, but only as we work in unity with God. We want to be in a position where the Holy Spirit of God shall be upon us with its reviving, sanctifying power. Wilt Thou manifest Thyself unto us this very morning! Wilt Thou sweep away every mist and every cloud of darkness!
We come to Thee, our compassionate Redeemer; and we ask Thee, for Christ's sake, - for Thine own Son's sake, my Father, that Thou wilt manifest Thy power unto Thy people here. We want wisdom; we want righteousness; we want truth; we want the Holy Spirit to be with us.
Thou hast presented before us a great work that must be carried forward in behalf of those that are in the truth, and in behalf of those that are in ignorance of our faith; and O Lord, as Thou hast given to every man his work, we beseech of Thee that the Holy Spirit may impress the human mind in regard to the burden of work that shall rest upon every individual soul, according to Thine appointment. We want to be proved; we want to be sanctified through and through; we want to be fitted up for the work; and here, right here in the session of the conference, we want to see a revelation of the Holy Spirit of God. We want light, Lord, - Thou art the Light. We want truth, Lord, - Thou art the Truth. We want the right way, Thou art the Way.
Lord, I beseech of Thee that we may all be wise enough to discern that we must individually open the heart to Jesus Christ, that through the Holy Spirit He may come in to mold and fashion us anew, in accordance with the divine image. O my Father, my Father! melt and subdue our hearts. We desire this morning to make an entire surrender to Thee; we desire to give up our will, our way, our course of action that has not been in harmony with the way and the will of God; we desire to accept the Lord's way, the Lord's will, the Lord's counsel. Come, oh, come into the midst of us this morning, and move upon hearts, young and old. In a special manner move upon the hearts of those who are handling gospel truths, that they may all be lighted up with the bright beams which Thou dost permit to shine upon Thy Word, in order that Thy instruction may come to the human understanding with the power and the Spirit of the living God.
We acknowledge before Thee that we have not honored Thy name as we should. We acknowledge before Thee that we need to be broken in heart. We desire just now to be reconverted; we desire just now to realize what Christ is to us, and what we are and can be to Him as His coworkers, - `laborers together with God.'
O my Father, let every soul that is confused, every soul that cannot understand and see the way, have the way presented before him so clearly that the mist will be removed, and that the cloud will pass, so that the Sun of righteousness may shine into the chambers of the mind and into the soul-temple. Wash us, and we shall be clean, Lord. Let melting mercy, mercy from Thee, come into every heart; and then, when we realize the melting mercy of a compassionate and loving Saviour, our hearts, once more united, will beat in unison, and all will stand shoulder to shoulder in advancing this great work.
We cannot afford to be indifferent, Lord; we cannot afford to work contrary to one another. We must trust in Thee; and we ask, this very morning, that Thou shalt let the Holy Spirit descend upon us. We are ready to receive the Comforter; we open the door of the heart, and invite the Saviour in. We love Thee, dear Saviour; Thou knowest that we love Thee. We see in Thee matchless charms, and we desire that every soul shall constantly look unto Thee, - Thou who art the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Come, Lord Jesus, come and take us as we are, and put upon us the robe of Thy righteousness. Take away our sins. Our Saviour, Thou didst come to the earth to do this. We repent of wrongdoing; we are sorry for every departure from Thee; and may we ask Thee to pardon our transgressions, that we may show to the world that we have a Saviour who is able to take away our sins, and to impute unto us His own righteousness.
Lord, we accept Thee now; we receive Thee now; we believe in Thee, now; and we ask Thee to let Thy Holy Spirit rest upon us just now. ... O my Saviour, Thou who hast shown compassion to us all, again we ask Thee to grant upon us a rich portion of They mercy, Thy fullness, Thy compassion, Thy everlasting love. Come, Lord Jesus, and make us partakers of Thy divine nature, that we may overcome the corruption that is in the world through lust. Oh, may the Spirit of Christ, the love of God, comfort every heart this morning! Banish darkness, turn away the deceptive powers of the enemy, and let Thy voice and Thy Spirit and Thy love come into our souls, that we may sit together in heavenly places with Christ Jesus; and Thy name shall have all the glory. Amen." [General Conference Bulletin, Thursday, April 2, 1903.]