Monthly Archives: August 2012
The Things that Quench Our Love
By John Thiel, Audio: mp3
1 Corinthians 3:4 Charity suffereth long,
If love is brought to suffer, does it become quenched? No. It suffers long.
1 Corinthians [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things,
Can love be overpowered? No. It bears all things.
1 Corinthians hopeth all things, endureth all things.
13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Here is a second witness in the Scriptures that love cannot be quenched. This is an interesting meditation for us. Love cannot be quenched by anything. It suffers all things, it hopes all things, it endures all things, nothing can be done to quench it.
Many people have said to me the Bible contradicts itself, but I tell you it doesn’t; it appears that way.
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
That word wax is the old English word for growing cold. Love can grow cold? We read that love cannot be quenched. Love is not affected by anything that would cause it to be quenched. Let’s try to understand this. If love cannot be quenched, why is it that Jesus said because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall grow cold? He speaks to the early Christian church about 100AD.
Revelation 2:4 Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Read the rest of this entry
Church Organisation and Discipline
By James White
The various forms of organization and church government existing in the several religious bodies of our time, is evidence that church organization and discipline are subjects upon which great and good men have differed. The testimony of the Bible, therefore, especially of the New Testament, must be allowed to decide then subjects of vast importance to the prosperity of the church. In no one chapter or book of the New Testament, has Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James, or Jude, written out a complete system of Christian discipline, giving the positions and duties of the several officers of the church. Read the rest of this entry
The Love of God Verses Pride
Audio: mp3
We have been meditating on the boundless love of God. God wants to reveal to us a love that is quite contrary to the love that we have.
“Grant that nothing in my soul may dwell but thy pure love alone,
Oh may thy love possess me whole.
If you pray that prayer very consciously, you are asking God to possess you because is He not Love? That He would possess me completely that nothing is left inside of me but that. Our meditation is to continue the appreciation of that love of God which is to be the source of all our obedience, of all our practices and standards that we stand by as God’s church on earth.
I would like to identify this hour a distinction. A very clear distinction that we need to understand between the love of God and the motivations of human love to appreciate the distinction of that which prompts God into action in contrast with the prompting of our fallen human nature – the love of God versus pride.
The Contrast
We see the contrast expressed and I pray to God that we not only hear it expressed, but that we will experience the contrast.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Our study is the love of God and here very vividly it is expressed to us that where there is the love of the world, the love of the Father is not existent in that heart. Then it qualifies what is meant by the love of the world.
1 John 2:16 For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Here we are able to understand what is the love of the world, the things that your eyes desire and you love. How many have thought, ‘I would love to have that which I can see’ It is a love. The eyes desire and the lust of the flesh that which is comforting to the flesh. We love that and are comforted by that. Here is the one that is our special focus, the pride of life. We tend to have a mindset that we’ve got to palliate human pride so that people can be motivated to do something. How many times we do that with little children? We make them feel pretty cute about themselves that they will be happy. It is instilled by education plus by Satan. Read the rest of this entry
When the Heavens Fall
By John Thiel, Audio: mp3
The Story of King David
Our title for this study is gained from the book Education.
The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall. {Ed 57.3}
But such a character is not the result of accident; it is not due to special favors or endowments of Providence. A noble character is the result of self-discipline, of the subjection of the lower to the higher nature—the surrender of self for the service of love to God and man. {Ed 57.4}
When the heavens fall, what stamina do you have? When everything goes wrong around you, do you have a character that has developed the ability to bring the lower nature into subservience to the higher. This will connect us with the series we had recently about learning the baptism of fire of the spirit to govern that human nature. When everything falls down around us, when the heavens fall we need such a skill and ability. In the near future the heavens will indeed fall.
Isaiah 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.
What will happen? The heaven shall vanish away like smoke and the earth shall wax away like a garment.
Isaiah 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling [fig] from the fig tree.
What will happen? The heaven shall fall. Read the rest of this entry
Daniel 11 – Is it a puzzle that can’t be matched?
Possibly the most controversial text in history of Adventism is Daniel 11:45. Many independent groups have incredibly varied views, and controversy can even be found among the Advent pioneers. But what is the source of this conflict, and can it be resolved? The answer to the second part of the question is a resounding yes. With an understanding of Ellen Whites writings and the history of the Advent message, it is quite easy to resolve.
But is it really that important? To answer that, first it is wise to read the text and the text that follows:
Daniel 11:45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Clearly this text is very important to understand, as it is the final sign given before the end of time, yet much of Adventism has departed from clear revealed truth in their interpretations.
If you are open minded on this topic, I believe you will clearly see what the truth is by reading this book:
The Final Way Mark- by Gene Brown (http://www.godslastwarning.com/mp3/Dan11/Final%20Way-Mark%20Revised%20and%20Reduced.pdf)
if you want a hard copy, the Author has contact details in the pdf.
This is an outstanding book that shows the history of this issue, and exposes the lies many independent groups have been fed and then propagated. This is not designed to separate us as a people, but unite us under the platform of truth that has been discarded by the vast majority of Adventism. If you are truly genuine about your faith, and wanting to know the truth, this book is by far the clearest one you will read on this topic. I recommend this is read very prayerfully and with an open mind.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
The Godhead
By Patrick Jones, Audio: mp3
“It is as easy to make an idol of false doctrines and theories by misrepresenting the attributes of God, Satan leads men to conceive of Him in a false character.” Great Controversy, 583.
A NEW GOD?
Could it be that many Seventh-day Adventists are ignorantly worshipping the same God that they are told not to worship in the third angel’s message—the god of the beast power? Or are we just calling the true Godhead by the name of a false god? What god are we worshipping today? Could modern Israel, like Israel of old, be worshipping a false god?
“How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, thenfollow him.” 1 Kings 18:21.
Are these words of Elijah applicable today?
THE GODHEAD
“Godhead” is the term used in the NT that describes the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The word for “God” in the OT Hebrew is “Elohiym”. It means “Gods” in the plural. This is clearly seen in the following Scriptures:
Gen. 1:26: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
Gen. 11:7: “Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
Isaiah 6:8: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”
These verses show that the Godhead consists of more than one divine Being. There is a unity in the Godhead. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together for our salvation in perfect harmony.
Read the full article here or listen or watch via the links above.
In Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus
By Camron Schofield, Audio: mp3
Moment by Moment
“Never at trial that He is not there,
Never a burden that He does not bear,
Never a sorrow that He does not share,
Never a weakness that He does not feel,
Never a sickness that He cannot heal,
Moment by moment in woe or in weal,
Jesus my Saviour abides with me still.”
This hymn ‘Moment by Moment’ tells the experience of those who have accepted Jesus as their personal Saviour. It speaks of the needs of the human heart being provided for in Jesus Christ. It speaks of two distinct personalities and yet one. Read the rest of this entry
The Saracens and the Seal of God
Revelation 9:4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
The seal of God in the foreheads is in reference to the Sabbath keepers of that time. After Mohammed passed away, the next man to be the religious leader of the Saracens was Abu Bakr AD 632. Notice what he said as he gave order for his Saracen bands.
“When you fight the battles of the Lord, acquit yourselves like men, without turning your backs; but let not your victory be stained with the blood of women or children. Destroy no palm-trees, nor burn any fields of corn. Cut down no fruit trees, nor do any mischief to cattle, only such as you kill to eat. When you make any covenant, or article, stand to it, and be as good as your word. As you go on, you will find some religious persons who live retired in monasteries, and propose to themselves to serve God that way; let them alone, and neither kill them nor destroy their monasteries: and you will find another sort of people that belong to the synagogue of Satan, who have shaven crowns; be sure you cleave their skulls, and give them no quarter till they either turn Mahometans or pay tribute.”2 . Read the rest of this entry
The Threads of Self In Our Love
By John Thiel, Audio: mp3
I wish to seek to provoke to love by two approaches. First by a fresh display of God’s great love and second by the condition of one upon whom He pours such love. It is breathtaking to consider the love of God. It is beyond human comprehension.
Romans 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Read the rest of this entry
To Know Nothing but Christ
By John Thiel, Audio: mp3
I want you to fall in love with the Man of Calvary, so that at every step you can say to the world, His “ways are ways of pleasantness, and all” His “paths are peace” (Proverbs 3:17). . . . {HP 354.3}
It is my burden that everyone who hears the words I proclaim will fall in love with Jesus. There was one who did fall in love with Him. He is the one of our scripture reading. What someone does when they have fallen in love with somebody is expressed here:
1 Corinthians 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
They can’t help but talk about that person. The apostle Paul says, I don’t come to you with oratory, with the wisdom that is engendered in those who are the public speakers.
1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
In our last study I shared the falling in love with Jesus that when somebody falls in love with Him I quoted:
With whom are our thoughts? Upon whom do we love to converse? Who has our warmest affections and our best energies? If we are on the Lord’s side, our thoughts are with Him, and our sweetest thoughts are of Him. {2T 262.2}
If we believe in Jesus, we will love to think of Him, love to talk of Him, love to pray to Him. He is supreme in our affections. We love that which Christ loves, and hate that which Christ hates. . . . {OHC 338.3} Read the rest of this entry
