Dear Fellow Believers,
2022! What will it bring? Will it usher in certain laws? Will we be able to live through whatever betides? Does slipping into another year give any security? Will it bring the Church to do her final work?
Last year was a tough year—an unforgettable year! Many things that we had never seen, heard, or experienced in our lifetime occurred, not to mention the countless loss of jobs, the unprecedented deaths! Yes, the challenges and trials, no doubt have been severe. Our faith was relentlessly tried, and still there is no end in sight. Humanity seems at a loss to comprehend the gravity of what is facing us. Heads of Government do not have the answer, science could not be wholly depended on. Newscaster’s reports perhaps were often skewed. The Churches at large seemed powerless to console their members as the flock were scattered, with the doors being closed for the fear of close human contact, while “men’s heart’s failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” Luke 21:26
The whole world is looking for help; they are crying out. The existing situation caused many to react in abnormal ways, manifesting different behaviours.
A statistic done in USA has shown the impact of the present crisis on its people. Below is a summary of an article in the Forbes Magazine, showing some overwhelming realities, it stated:
“The economy is now a significant source of stress for 70% of Americans. More than one-third of Americans have displayed clinical signs of anxiety, depression, or both since the coronavirus pandemic began. (Census Bureau): Nearly one in five Americans… have had a physical reaction when thinking about the outbreak. In a survey, 18% said they had experienced nervousness or anxiety most or all of the time… Text messages to a federal disaster distress hotline increased more than 1000% … with a reported 20,000 texts… compared to 1,790 in April of 2019; with mental health the poorest among those unemployed for six months or more (Gallup). Pandemic stress is significantly higher in young people.”–Naz Beheshti, Forbes Magazine contributor.
It cuts across the grain of all impacted nations. Here is another instance of humanity losing their normal behaviour. In India, the News broadcast showed a most surreal sight. It showed a bulldozing machine, pushing from the streets, hundreds of idols that were strewn about by many who could no longer trust in what they once felt and believed was their god!
What a dilemma! A quagmire, as it were, a predicament that the entire world is facing. “The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.” Joel 1:12
Truly, who will help? No doubt, the fallout does indeed require some type of intervention. The medical systems are trying their best. Doctors, Nurses, Personal Support Workers and other important support personnel are working tirelessly—but is it the total panacea for all ills? Could it be that God has put in place additional means?
Who can we trust today? Conventional systems and laws are no longer set in stone. Things change from one minute to the next, tossing us about in this present turbulent sea of life. The economic situation is dire as it continues to downturn. The climate has never been more unstable with global warming; the culprit, colliding with the Pandemic. In some regions especially it seems unbearable. In short, we seem to be careening down the highway to destruction. A sad reality that this worldly system cannot be large-scale in its ability to combat the crisis. Heads of Government convene to seek to intercept the inevitable, but will they be able to? Scientists now sit as councillors, and Government tells us to trust the science and other human interventions. Let me be clear, to be sure, science has its place, which has, in the past, wonderfully brought about many interventions, the LORD having gifted men and women with His wisdom to aid humanity. It is when they begin to go on a course, that it takes on a life of its own, it loses the true essence, undermining God’s true science. It is when there is a call for men to trust the science. In point and in fact although it is a dilemma, there is another dimension to this—the fulfilment of Bible prophecy, pointing to Christ’s second coming. This, however, is not our point of study.
Again, undeniably, Government has its place, but what is truly missing in this equation? A directive to trust the true and living God! A clarion call to turn to Him who alone can give peace during chaos. The question is, who is to answer that call? Is it not those who are fitted to bring the last message of mercy, a people who profess to be the Israel of God? A Commandment-keeping people? Ambassadors! Remembering that in times of old it was His people that He communicated His will through, His answers. But a further question is, where are we ourselves in this? Are we one with the world in fear, in distractions? Are we prepared to pick up this slack? Must not that people now step up to the podium, giving the trumpet that certain sound? Moving from mediocrity! But wait yet, is the Church, God’s instrumentality in a true spiritual position to do that, to make the clear call to trust in God, where it will have effect? It is late, should we not now make 2022 the year when God sees the full character of Christ in us and will, at that time, imbue us with His Holy Spirit where we will then “rise and shine” as professed Revelation 18 messengers? Will it be this year when truly the glory of the LORD is seen upon men, upon women, upon the youth? (Revelation 18:1 implied). When the Latter Rain will so imbue its receivers that they will, under the unction of the Holy Spirit, do God’s bidding, where the fulfilment of these words will take effect: “Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven. By thousands of voices, all over the earth, the warning will be given. Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and signs and wonders will follow the believers. The message will be carried not so much by argument as by the deep conviction of the Spirit of God.” –The Great Controversy, p. 612
A sublime statement and merits ponder. For it to be a reality, to believe it is possible, should we not now hunger for it; earnestly seeking to be transformed? For this to come to pass, if God so will this year, we need to go to Him with a sense of our own true condition. To repent and be converted in His appointed way. To the Prophet, God declared: “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
He, through Joel, gave this solemn call, a call that is still resounding: “Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God. Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?” Joel 1:13–16
To obtain lasting peace, an implicit trust in God is the only way. Says Isaiah: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” Isaiah 26:3–4. This goes hand in hand with the health message, which has been entrusted to us. We become all things to all people. We give them a “NEW START”. That being, Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, and here it is, Trust in God. . . we continue, Air, Rest and Temperance. We become, as it were, medical missionaries. Unfortunately, many seem to overlook this vital aspect of the health message when promoting this as an immune system support.
This is the burden of this article. To ensure that it is rightly understood let us look at the dictionary meaning
for trust. It is to believe, to have confidence in; to rely on. Putting it together—trusting God is to have confidence in His promises. It is to believe that what He says He will do. It is to have faith in Him no matter what the outcome is.
Ironically, many are of the mistaken idea that trust means freedom from trials. By no means: When we trust in the LORD, we leave things in His hands, whose immeasurable ways are past finding out. Hence this line of scripture in Proverbs tells us: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5–6
Says the Spirit of Prophecy: “The Lord in His providence had brought … trial upon Abraham to teach him lessons of submission, patience, and faith— lessons that were to be placed on record for the benefit of all who should afterward be called to endure affliction. God leads His children by a way that they know not, but He does not forget or cast off those who put their trust in Him. He permitted affliction to come upon Job, but He did not forsake him. He allowed the beloved John to be exiled to lonely Patmos, but the Son of God met him there, and his vision was filled with scenes of immortal glory. God permits trials to assail His people, that by their constancy and obedience they themselves may be spiritually enriched, and that their example may be a source of strength to others. ‘I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil.’ Jeremiah 29:11. The very trials that task our faith most severely and make it seem that God has forsaken us, are to lead us closer to Christ, that we may lay all our burdens at His feet and experience the peace which He will give us in exchange.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 129
Continues the Spirit of Prophecy: “God has always tried His people in the furnace of affliction. It is in the heat of the furnace that the dross is separated from the true gold of the Christian character. Jesus watches the test; He knows what is needed to purify the precious metal, that it may reflect the radiance of His love. It is by close, testing trials that God disciplines His servants. He sees that some have powers which may be used in the advancement of His work, and He puts these persons upon trial; in His providence He brings them into positions that test their character and reveal defects and weaknesses that have been hidden from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct these defects and to fit themselves for His service. He shows them their own weakness and teaches them to lean upon Him, for He is their only help and safeguard. Thus, His object is attained. They are educated, trained, and disciplined, prepared to fulfill the grand purpose for which their powers were given them. When God calls them to action, they are ready, and heavenly angels can unite with them in the work to be accomplished on the earth.” –Ibid., p. 129
God has marked out a path for all. That path, however, may be fraught with trials and from our human understanding it may not seem to make sense; but we have a living God whose unsearchable ways are past finding out. Said Job, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” Job 13:15. Says Timothy, “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those who believe.” 1 Timothy 4:10
As Advent believers, do we not preach much about the events of the last days and how greatly affected are all who are commandment-keepers, and that thus we must trust God? “If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?” Jeremiah 12:5
Declares the Pen of Inspiration: “As God has shown me the travels of the Advent people to the Holy City and the rich reward to be given those who wait the return of their Lord from the wedding… The dear saints have many trials to pass through. But our light afflictions, which are but for a moment, will work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” –Early Writings, p. 13
In retrospect, 2021 may not have been all that it could have been. We cannot look back now. To look back at our lack of trust, at our failures, at our losses, at the distractions is of no use. For this, prayer for forgiveness is our only recourse and must be sent beforehand to judgment. To waver in our faith is to lose sight of God’s inestimable wisdom. God is calling us to make a NEW START! “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless, I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12. To be sure, He wants us to trust Him, no matter the circumstance, He wants us to stop looking so intently at this dark world and look higher. He wants us to remember that we, today, are the Israel of God, and we have a true leader in this wilderness-like journey.
Instead of worrying, He wants us to be like Jehoshaphat and his army, notwithstanding they did not see any way out, but to trust in the living God.
“And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah, they came to seek the LORD. And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not Thou God in heaven? and rulest not Thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in Thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand Thee? Art not Thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before Thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham Thy friend forever? . . . If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in Thy presence, (for Thy name is in this house,) and cry unto Thee in our affliction, then Thou wilt hear and help. . . . O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee.” 2 Chronicles 20:4–7, 9, 12
To trust God is also to see His character of love. It is to see how He has dealt with His people. It is to see that He sends His mercy to us, underserving though we be. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation” 2 Corinthians 1:3–6
In closing, for those who threw out their idols, they need to be told to trust in the living God. They cannot live in a vacuum. They need to hear and see a people worshiping the true and living God through His Ambassadors—a clarion call for missionaries. They need to see victory in the life and will be drawn to believe and trust in the only true and living God. As for the sick, be it mentally or physically, the NEW START health message must go out, not only through the media, but, as told, set up institutions so that health, including a trust in God, can be realized. Surely the ministry of healing has been entrusted to us and we are to commit to God that we will do no harm, but do all we can to aid the sick and suffering.
In conclusion: Have you made any resolutions? “What advancement have we made in the knowledge of Christ during the past year? Are we prepared to show, more decidedly than ever before, that we are on the Lord’s side? At this time, when the nations of the world are wavering between infidelity and idolatry, are we prepared to stand as faithful ambassadors for Christ? Shall we not, at the beginning of this new year, give ourselves and all we have to God? Shall we not listen to His voice, which calls us to a renewed contest, to a more thorough consecration of ourselves and our intrusted capabilities to His service?” –The Signs of the Times, January 2, 1901
God has given us tremendous evidence of His trustworthiness, and is in the shadows, waiting to have His people draw out their souls to Him in utter trust, like as a child to a father. Christ trusted His Father. As adopted children of God, we should as well. May this year 2022 find us in so doing. Amen.
Rose Powell