The Most Wonderful Gift

While the world was revelling in paganism in the subtle guise of “Celebrating His Birth,” the Lord was granting a little group of believers the Most Wonderful Gift that He could ever give.

As the year end approached we all looked forward with eagerness to the yearly gathering at Toongabbie, Sydney. But this year there was extra anticipation and expectancy, for our regular conference was to be followed by a youth conference.

We all prayed fervently for both conferences and we can say with confidence, because God is faithful, that all the affairs of the conference, either good or seemingly bad were according to His providence. John 14:13, 14 “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” These are the times we must trust God, when everything looks as though it is going wrong.

Truly the Holy Spirit was being poured out upon all of us including the youth. The first work of the Holy Spirit is to bring conviction of sin. John 16:8-15. Many of us can relate to the testimony, “It seemed the messages were directed just to me.”

His encouragement to us is; AS MANY AS I LOVE, I REBUKE AND CHASTEN: BE ZEALOUS THEREFORE, AND REPENT. What gracious mercy has God toward us in our hopeless condition!

The Israelites in the time of Nehemiah (Patriarchs and Prophets, Ch. 56) had the law read and explained to them. As they listened to the law day after day, they had been convicted of their transgressions and they mourned because of their transgressions. But because this was a day the Lord commanded them to keep with joy and gladness they were bidden to restrain their grief. So each afternoon they spent time in grateful recounting of the blessings of God. Then they prostrated themselves before the Lord, confessing their sins and pleading for pardon. Their leaders encouraged them to believe that God, according to His promise, heard their prayers. They must not only mourn and weep, and repent; they must believe that God pardoned them. They
must show their faith by recounting His mercies and praising Him for His goodness.

What happened in the time of the Pentecost? “After Christ’s ascension, His disciples–men of varied talents and capabilities–assembled in an upper chamber to pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit. In this room all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.’ They made thorough work of repentance by confessing their own sins. Upon them was laid no burden to confess one another’s sins. Settling all differences and alienations, they were of one accord, and prayed with unity of purpose for ten days, at the end of which time ‘they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.’”

We should not be offended when the Lord shows us our sins. We need to rejoice and truly be thankful that we are being rebuked and chastened. We need to begin giving thanks for the Straight Testimony and put away humanism and feeling sorry for and comforting people in their self pity when it is God who is working amongst us. Let us all rise up and praise God for such a wonderful merciful gift of the Holy Spirit who brings to our attention our sins. What a privilege to find out our sins now so we can repent and be ready for His coming. What a privilege to be able to have our sins confessed and have a clean record in heaven before He says; “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11

God will not be mocked. If we ask for the Holy Spirit let us be truly prepared to receive Him as God sends Him, not in the way the world receives the so called “Spirit” through the deceptive and false love of humanism, indulgence and a wonderful feeling of ecstasy.

“From time to time the Lord has made known His manner of working… And when a crisis has come, He has revealed Himself, and has interposed the working of Satan’s plans. He has often permitted matters with nations, with families, and with individuals to come to a crisis, that His interference might become marked. Then He has let the fact be known that there is a God in Israel who would sustain and vindicate His people.” SD p. 353

Let us begin praying with great fervency for another outpouring of the Spirit of God during our next conference at Easter 2005. Let us look forward with anticipation for a revelation of our sins through the straight testimony and seek earnestly for the ability through the power of God to be repentant and put away that which offends our God and Saviour. Let us rejoice in rebukes and chastening. Let us remember and practice Phil 2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

Chapter 57 in Prophets and Kings entitled Reformation should be carefully studied by each one, considering that we call ourselves Reformers. It would be good to study these principles and seek to support and uphold our ministers as they go forward as did Ezra and Nehemiah in the work of reform amongst God’s church today.

In fact Sr. White states; “In the work of reform to be carried forward today, there is need of men who, like Ezra and Nehemiah, will not palliate or excuse sin, nor shrink from vindicating the honour of God. Those upon whom rests the burden of this work will not hold their peace when wrong is done, neither will they cover evil with a cloak of false charity. They will remember that God is no respecter of persons, and that severity to a few may prove mercy to
many. They will remember also that in the one who rebukes evil the spirit of Christ should ever be revealed.

“In their work, Ezra and Nehemiah humbled themselves before God, confessing their sins and the sins of their people, and entreating pardon as if they themselves were the offenders. Patiently they toiled and prayed and suffered. That which made their work most difficult was not the open hostility of the heathen, but the secret opposition of pretended friends, who, by lending their influence to the service of evil, increased tenfold the burden of God’s servants. These traitors furnished the Lord’s enemies with material to use in their warfare upon His people. Their evil passions and rebellious wills were ever at war with the plain requirements of God.

“The success attending Nehemiah’s efforts shows what prayer, faith, and wise, energetic action will accomplish. Nehemiah was not a priest; he was not a prophet; he made no pretension to high title. He was a reformer raised up for an important time. It was his aim to set his people right with God. Inspired with a great purpose, he bent every energy of his being to its accomplishment. High, unbending integrity marked his efforts. As he came into contact with evil and opposition to right he took so determined a stand that the people were roused to labour with fresh zeal and courage. They could not but recognize his loyalty, his patriotism, and his deep love for God; and, seeing this, they were willing to follow where he led….. The work of restoration and reform carried on by the returned exiles, under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, presents a picture of a work of spiritual restoration that is to be wrought in the closing days of this earth’s history. The remnant of Israel were a feeble people, exposed to the ravages of their enemies; but through them God purposed to preserve in the earth a knowledge of Himself and of His law. They were the guardians of the true worship, the keepers of the holy oracles… The spiritual restoration of which the work carried forward in Nehemiah’s day was a symbol, is outlined in the words of Isaiah: ‘They shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities.’ ‘They that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.’ Isaiah 61:4; 58:12.

“The prophet here describes a people who, in a time of general departure from truth and righteousness, are seeking to restore the principles that are the foundation of the kingdom of God. They are repairers of a breach that has been made in God’s law–the wall that He has placed around His chosen
ones for their protection, and obedience to whose precepts of justice, truth, and purity is to be their perpetual safeguard… In words of unmistakable meaning the prophet points out the specific work of this remnant people who build the wall… In the time of the end every divine institution is to be restored… God’s remnant people, standing before the world as reformers, are to show that the law of God is the foundation of all enduring reform… In clear, distinct lines they are to present the necessity of obedience to all the precepts of the Decalogue. Constrained by the love of Christ, they are to co-operate with Him in building up the waste places. They are to be repairers of the breach, restorers of paths to dwell in…” PK 675-678

May we determine with all our hearts to stand behind the men God has raised up here in Australia to lead us all, young and old into true reform with one mind, one accord, in meekness, humility and tender compassion one for another. We are in the time of the harvest; let’s choose today the bundle of the obedient. Let’s pray and begin heart preparations to be ready for another deeper outpouring of His Spirit during our next church conference March 24-28th 2005.
Amen

Sr. Chris Godfrey