Every day I wonder how many more rotations this earth has left before Jesus comes. Not many more rotations. We can sense and see the Bible tells us that Jesus is coming soon. Therefore we should always consider the things that are before us. I ask the question, are you persuaded? Before someone can be persuaded there is a fluctuation between things. Apostle Paul says I am persuaded. He is declaring there is no more double mindedness in his thinking;

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

When you go through a troubling time do you sometimes doubt the love of God? When your go through a hard patch and you may think that God is not with you and you think maybe God has forgotten about you or maybe you have done something wrong and he has cut you out of the picture. It says who shall separate us from the love of God?

Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

These things won’t separate you if you are persuaded. The persecution, famine and stress that is about to come on this world like never before. Will there be famine, nakedness and peril again? When these things come upon the earth, will they separate you from the love of Christ?

Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Are you persuaded? These things have been coming on the earth for a time but will get worse is mentioned here. In Malachi we will compare scripture with scripture. It gives us a different note in Malachi to the end days. Apostle Paul is very confident. He know in whom he believers. He is declaring who shall separate us from the love of God? He is persuaded.

Malachi 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he [is] like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 3 And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Who shall abide the day of his coming? Apostle Paul says I am persuaded. Nothing can separate me and Malachi says who shall abide the day of his coming? The question is – are you persuaded like apostle Paul was?

Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

You would think that those who take the kingdom of heaven by force have some persuasion or presumption. Could it have been presumption on the part of Jacob to wrestle the angel? It could have been and if it was he would have been killed instantly. In order to take the kingdom of heaven by violence there must be knowledge. Something is to be understood by this.

With the great truth we have been privileged to receive, we should, and under the Holy Spirit’s power we could, become living channels of light. We could then approach the mercy-seat; and seeing the bow of promise, kneel with contrite hearts, and seek the kingdom of heaven with a spiritual violence that would bring its own reward. {RH, February 14, 1899 par. 13}

This violence isn’t a bold presuming violence where you say that’s it I’m saved and no one can tell me otherwise. It is these truths that have been given. We can approach the mercy seat seeing the bow of promise because what is around Gods throne? Isn’t it a rainbow? It’s a bow of promise.

We would take it by force, as did Jacob. Then our message would be the power of God unto salvation. Our supplications would be full of earnestness, full of a sense of our great need; and we would not be denied. The truth would be expressed by life and character, and by lips touched with the living coal from off God’s altar. When this experience is ours, we shall be lifted out of our poor, cheap selves, that we have cherished so tenderly. We shall empty our hearts of the corroding power of selfishness, {RH, February 14, 1899 par. 13}

When Jesus comes, who shall abide the day of his coming? He will sit as a refiner. There will be this purging taking place since 1844. This has been going on and it is going to get worse. This power that we are to fight for the result of this will lift our poor cheap selves that we have cherished so tenderly. How do we know if we have been cherishing ourselves? We will identify whether we cherish ourselves or not. John the Baptist was the forerunner to Christ. He was the Elijah and his experience was that he did his work and with allot of power and lots of people came. He baptised Jesus along with others and he saw the voice from heaven and marvellous things and ended up in prison.

Many have a vivid, unsanctified sensitiveness which keeps them constantly on the alert for some word, some look, or some action which they can construe as a lack of respect and appreciation. All this must be overcome. Everyone should go forward in the fear of God, doing his best without being troubled by praise or offended by censure, serving God fervently, and learning to place the most favourable interpretation upon whatever in others may seem offensive. {OHC 240.2}

There exists a mind that is very sensitive. Extremely sensitive if someone says something against them or they can construe it in an away against them. Maybe they are trying to get at me in some way. They are on constant alert by some word, look or action that they can take offence by.

Jesus bore all our sorrows but we don’t have to look for them. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Whatever we get offended by that causes a painful heart, we must not look to make our heart hurt again to go back to Jesus. Satan is trying to wound us and Jesus says don’t get hurt by them. This is cosseting self by cherishing ourself so tenderly. John the Baptist had many magnificent things take place. He preached and made the high mountains low. He rebuked the leaders and Pharisees. He saw the Lamb of God which was to take away the sins of the world. He did this work as a forerunner and then ends up in prison and Jesus doesn’t come to visit him. Have you ever thought about that? Jesus didn’t come to visit John the Baptist. Have you read what Jesus has to say about him?

Matthew 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

The greatest prophet and Jesus doesn’t go to visit him. John sent his disciples to Jesus.

Mathew 11:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. 2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me.

John the Baptist has done all this work for Christ as the forerunner and he is in prison, the greatest prophet which Jesus declared and he very pleased with him. However John the Baptist is wondering why he hasn’t come. He has left me alone. The communication Jesus passes on is don’t be offended. If you were in prison and if Jesus was in the vicinity and he didn’t visit you, would you be offended? Would you look for a word or action that you could take offence to? This is the sensitivity we can have which is cosseting ourselves. When you reason you may say he is my Saviour and I love him, what is wrong with being upset if he doesn’t come to visit me? The problem is in the offence. If you take an offence with it. Absence makes the heart grow fonder or absence makes the heart wonder. When John the Baptist was baptising Jesus he was probably thrilling but now they were apart he was thinking do we look for another? John’s disciples were coming and telling him all their grievances and it was affecting him.

Matthew 11:6 And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Consider the story of Elijah as John the Baptist was also a representative of Elijah. Elijah was on the mountain and all these things happened and then he fled. He was in the mouth of the cave and there was a big earthquake and fire and the bible says the Lord wasn’t in the fire or earthquake although he was in the fire on mount Carmel. How did God communicate to Elijah? A still small voice. If Elijah was so noisy in his own mind, he may not have heard God.

With all the excitement of bringing in a reformation and all the work he was involved in and Gods word kept him going and then all of a sudden nothing. Elijah wanted to die and John the Baptist was tormented with demons it says in the book Desire of Ages. These two mighty men of faith are a symbol of what the end time people are going to be in the loud cry, in the activity of missionary work and in all the meetings with a sense of God’s presence. Will there come a time when there is no presence?

Says the prophet: “Who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:2, 3. Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. {GC 425.1}

Those living when the intercession of Christs stops will have to live in the sight of God without a mediator. Who shall abide the day of his coming?

The Seventh Seal

Revelation 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer [it] with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, [which came] with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast [it] into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

What has happened in heaven? Isn’t this the time when the ministration stops? The prayers which are coming up in heaven and all the work of the sanctuary has been going on and then it stops? We compare this with the angels with the vials, the seven last plagues;

Revelation 15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

What is happening in heaven? This smoke has filled heaven and no one can go in. When we pray and have a relationship with God we are to enter within the veil where Christ is and we are to have the promises and the mercy seat and all the gifts of God in his ministry. There is coming a time when this ministry will finish. No one will be able to enter the sanctuary. How will you abide during that time? There is no one in heaven to deal with the prayers, to deal with all the situations. He that is holy, let him be holy still. He that is unjust let him be unjust still. God’s people will have this silence. With all the activities of the last days of running to and fro and heavens sanctuary and then its no longer active as Jesus is coming down to this earth to get us but at this time of no mediator, who shall abide the day of his coming? How do you feel when you pray and your prayer fells like it hasn’t been answered? How do you feel when you can’t feel the warmth? Even in your own family when everything is cold and you feel all alone? Elijah and John the Baptist felt it and Jesus says blessed is he who is not offended. Are you persuaded by Gods love that peril won’t destroy it? Are you persuaded that the things to come will not destroy? If we are getting offended because no one talks to me or there is coldness or someone looks at me funny, how will you abide the day of his coming when Jesus has left heaven? The sanctuary is filled with smoke, no one can enter.

A Time of Silence

Zechariah 2:13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.

It is a time where repentance can’t happen anymore because he that is holy be holy still as probation is closed. It is a time where Jesus has left as there is no mediator. What about prayers and mediation? All of a sudden heavens communication is cut off for a time. If we can visualise when everything is quiet amongst us, what is it going to be like when it’s quiet from God? Where is he? Do you see how we need this persuasion? We need to be persuaded. What did Jesus rely on? Could he sense the fathers love? Did he have any ray of light from the father when he was on the cross? No not at all. Why have you forsaken me is what he had to say. What kept him going?

It was the fathers love heretofore given him. The life of John had been one of active labor, and the gloom and inaction of his prison life weighed heavily upon him. As week after week passed, bringing no change, despondency and doubt crept over him. His disciples did not forsake him. They were allowed access to the prison, and they brought him tidings of the works of Jesus, and told how the people were flocking to Him. But they questioned why, if this new teacher was the Messiah, He did nothing to effect John’s release. How could He permit His faithful herald to be deprived of liberty and perhaps of life? {DA 214.2}

These questions were not without effect. Doubts which otherwise would never have arisen were suggested to John. {DA 215.1}

We should not have a sensitivity that looks for these offences. God has done so much for us bearing our failings. We should not be mindful of slights real or imaginary offences. John wouldn’t have been mindful of them but there were all these evidences apparently that Jesus wasn’t the right one. These were playing on his mind.

Satan rejoiced to hear the words of these disciples, and to see how they bruised the soul of the Lord’s messenger. Oh, how often those who think themselves the friends of a good man, and who are eager to show their fidelity to him, prove to be his most dangerous enemies! How often, instead of strengthening his faith, their words depress and dishearten! {DA 215.1}

To the desert prophet all this seemed a mystery beyond his fathoming. There were hours when the whisperings of demons tortured his spirit, and the shadow of a terrible fear crept over him. Could it be that the long-hoped-for Deliverer had not yet appeared? Then what meant the message that he himself had been impelled to bear? John had been bitterly disappointed in the result of his mission. He had expected that the message from God would have the same effect as when the law was read in the days of Josiah and of Ezra (2 Chronicles 34; Nehemiah 8, 9); that there would follow a deep-seated work of repentance and returning unto the Lord. For the success of this mission his whole life had been sacrificed. Had it been in vain? {DA 216.1}

Do you see how he was starting to think? All these activities and now it stopped and stood still. He was sitting in prison week after week and he couldn’t talk to the Lord.

But the Baptist did not surrender his faith in Christ. The memory of the voice from heaven and the descending dove, the spotless purity of Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit that had rested upon John as he came into the Saviour’s presence, and the testimony of the prophetic scriptures,–all witnessed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Promised One. {DA 216.3}

Here this mind activity of where is Jesus, he is not helping, Satan is tormenting, Satan is using others to torment. Maybe I’ve done everything wrong but he remembered. He remembered the dove descending on Jesus from heaven and all these things and that remembrance kept him going. So it is to be with us that we have this persuasion based on evidence not assumed.

Evidence of God’s Word

We should always remember this decision;

Isaiah 8:17 And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

We need to take the promises, this bow of promise around the throne. We need to understand we know what God would say if we talked to him and we know him. Although he is silent, although the ministration of heaven is stopped, we should know God. That knowledge of his promises of who he is need to carry us through. The Lord said to Satan you can try and discourage Job. He is my person but don’t destroy his life. Job was to prove to the universe that Satan cannot control and that Job’s persuasion is in God. Isn’t that what we are to do also? We are to prove that even if there is no mediator in heaven, the work that Jesus has done in us will carry us through. There comes a time where it is finished;

Job 23:3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! [that] I might come [even] to his seat! 4 I would order [my] cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. 5 I would know the words [which] he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. ‘

Job is having a bitter experience and says if only I could find him I would tell him all but I already know what he would say as I know him.

Job 23:6 Will he plead against me with [his] great power? No; but he would put [strength] in me.

See the knowledge of Job? What a man of faith. Everything has been stripped from him. Peril, sword, nakedness. Here is Job saying I would tell the Lord something. He won’t plead against me as I know him.

Job 23:7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge. 8 Behold, I go forward, but he [is] not [there]; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: 9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold [him]: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see [him]: 10 But he knoweth the way that I take: [when] he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Who shall abide the day of the Lords coming? He is a refiner. He is going to take away the loving of ourselves we have. The loving of ourselves that loves the cosseting as there is coming a time where we will not have this cosseting and God will test us. There will be a time where the barn is gone and everything will be negative around us and there will be the purification. Have you ever told someone you loved them and they didn’t respond? Ever felt someone doesn’t love you anymore? These doubts where we look for words and actions that we can construe as a lack of appreciation, all this must be overcome. Do you know God? Do you know his character even if there are no answers at hand? Do you still know him? Do you remember what he was in the past?

We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history. {CET 204.1}

If John forgot the dove coming down from heaven he would not have survived his prison experience. May God help us as we prepare to meet him as we claim the bow of promise around the throne as he has said what he promises he will perform. What has the Lord done? Has he been good? Have you tasted it? Let us remember these things.