New Year’s Message
Another year has passed into eternity, and we are still here in this world of sin and corruption. We have expected the Lord to come long before this, but for some reason the Lord has delayed His coming – perhaps for our sake. It may be that we have not been ready for His coming yet. But an assurance has been given us, “For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” Heb. 10:37
To many the Lord will come too soon. The sins that they have planned to put away are still persisting in their lives. The duties they have planned to fulfill are still neglected. The improvements in health reform, Sabbath- keeping, in tithes and offerings, and in Missionary work that they may have planned but still not yet accomplished, may keep them out of heaven.
Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matt. 5:48 We know this verse by heart, but do we realize that this is the condition for eternal life?
Because of these words of Jesus we understand why only 144,000 are sealed, and not millions. When the disciples asked, “Who then can be saved,” Jesus answered, ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matt. 19:25-26
In other words, alone we can do nothing but with Christ we can do all things. This brings us to the understanding of Christ our righteousness message.
When the people of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people. “Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly into the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.” Num. 16:46
In this plague 14,700 perished of the people. Today the plague is also about to begin. “The class who do not feel grieved over their own spiritual declension, nor mourn over the sins of others, will be left without the seal of God. Here we see that the church – the Lord’s sanctuary – was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God.” T. Vol. 5 p. 211
These plagues and punishments upon the ancient Israel were shakings, that finally only two adult men of 600,000 who left Egypt entered the Promised Land.
Concerning today, we read, “The mighty shaking has commenced and will go on, and all will be shaken out who are not willing to take a bold and unyielding stand for the truth and to sacrifice for God and His cause.” EW. 50
Sister White continued to say, “God will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come in among them, which will shift them, separating the chaff from the wheat.” T. Vol. 5 p. 7.07
“There must be painstaking effort to fasten in the minds of all, the solid arguments of the truth; for everyone will be tested, and those who are rooted and grounded in the work of God will be unmoved by the heresies that will arise on all sides; but if any neglect to obtain the necessary preparations, they will be swept away by errors that have the appearance of truth.” Evang. p. 365
The mighty shaking has commenced. The heresies have been introduced to the people and many have been swept away by these false teachings.
Solemn and serious is the time in which we live. What the year 2002 will bring us may be more, surprising to us than what many anticipate. Will the Sunday Law be enforced this year? Will the mighty shaking reduce our numbers to a small remnant?
The prophet Joel calls us, “Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with mourning.” Joel 2:12.
And the Spirit of Prophecy continues in the same line, “I saw some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, pleading with God. Their countenances were pale and marked with deep anxiety, expressive of their internal struggle. Firmness and great earnestness was expressed in their countenances; large drops of perspiration fell from their foreheads Some, I saw, did not participate in this agonizing and pleading. They seemed indifferent and careless. They were not resisting the darkness around them, and it shut them in like a thick cloud. The angels of god left these and went to the aid of the earnest praying ones.” EW 269-270
The battle is fierce. Satan being filled with wrath against the people of God is putting out every effort to deceive and to hold them back from the preparation for the end. We are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of darkness but yet no one needs to fall a victim to the enemy. The promise given to us is “Now to Him that is able to keep us from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” Jude 2:4
Let us aim high in this New Year. Let us all plan for victories and not for defeats. Let us be prepared for whatever this year will bring us and then we don’t’ need to be in this world of sin much longer. Let us keep our eyes fixed to our Leader, Jesus Christ and He will guide us through all the turmoil and confusion to the sheltered heaven. This is my wish and prayer for all of us. AMEN