From August 2–5, 2023, approximately 6000 believers from about 86 countries met in Cajamarca, Peru, to praise the Lord together. The coliseum was nearly full and the music resounded to all corners. You could sense the presence of the holy angels. It was a very small foretaste of heaven.

The Theme of the Conference was, “Prepare to Meet Thy God.” Amos 4:12. Brother Tzvetan Petkov, the new General Conference president gave the opening presentation for the conference. Today, we are preparing for Christ’s Second Coming. “At every meeting we attend, our prayers should ascend that at this very time, God will impart warmth and moisture to our souls. As we seek God for the Holy Spirit, it will work in us meekness, humbleness of mind, a conscious dependence upon God for the perfecting latter rain. If we pray for the blessing in faith, we shall receive it as God has promised.” –The Review and Herald, March 2, 1897

As we worshipped together for four days, many inspirational meetings were held to inspire both young and old to make earnest preparation for heaven while still having to live in this world. There are many different ways to prepare.

There were subjects to encourage families and the youth:

Spiritual achievements of the youth, was presented by Brother Jose Giner.  All youth want to be successful and victorious. Success or failure is not the same for the world as for God. For the world a person may be a failure, but they might be a success with God. In the Bible there are examples of such people. Joseph was a failure in his early life according to the world’s standards. His brothers sold him as a slave and then he ended up in prison without a cause. But in the eyes of God he was a success because he decided to be faithful regardless of his circumstances. He was just as faithful to God when he was a leader in Egypt. Circumstances should not mould a son or daughter of God. Circumstances may change, but the heart that is in submission to God never changes. There are many other examples, such as the Apostle Paul and John the Baptist.

Professional Success for youth by Brother Douglas Francis. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33. When we seek the kingdom of God first, then we have success in everything. The Lord has given His children talents, and they are to be used. Success is not a result of chance or luck. It is a reward of hard work in combination with the blessings of the Lord. Parents should not force their children into a pathway they feel they should go. Rather, they should seek the Lord’s guidance together with the youth, recognizing the unique talents and interests of each individual youth and thus encourage and assist them to develop their talents.

Participation of the youth in the Church, by Roland De La Paz. There are many exemplary youth in the Bible, such as Joseph, Daniel, and Timothy. Each faced their various challenges, but they remained faithful. The youth are the future of the church and should be given duties and taught to work for the Lord. From a young age they should be given duties in the church, according to their abilities. Thus they will grow into pillars in the church of God and be prepared to take over when the elders retire.

Family communication. Brother Adalicio Fontes spoke of the importance of communication in the family. Society is made up of families and the church is very dependent on strong families. There is a crisis in families when they are afraid to talk to each other. Silence has killed many marriages. Husbands and wives should speak sweet words to each other. They should listen to each other. This will bring happiness in the family. He also mentioned the importance of forgiveness and unity. Children also should be encouraged to communicate with their parents. We need to learn the art of listening also. The family should be a safe place. Jesus knows the necessities of each family, and as we keep the lines of communication open, the Lord will bless our families.

Saving our Children. Sister Margie Seely mentioned that as parents we do not want our children be lost, but sometimes we hold them back.  “But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:16. She shared the story of the Titanic, and when it sank, only half of the children on the boat were saved. Some were held back by their parents. As a teacher, if your student only gets half of the answers correct, do they pass? Think about the children in your church? Do you want only half of them to be saved? Will that be a passing grade for the church? Ask yourself if you are doing something to hold your children back from salvation. Children will see your light and your example. Are you doing the right thing? Do not let your children be lost.

There were prophetic subjects:

The Sunday Law, by Brother Pablo Hunger. All countries have laws. If we ignore them, we are penalized. Soon there will come Sunday laws, and those we cannot keep, but we do not need to fear the Sunday Law. It will come. Throughout history there have been various degrees of Sunday laws. Although today, USA has a law that protects religious freedom, this will change one day. We need to prepare today for tomorrow’s trials. If injustice is done to you, do not worry, we have a judge in heaven.

The Seal of God, by Morris Lowe. Not one of us will receive the seal of God if our characters have a spot on them. Not all who accept our message will be sealed. Not everyone whose name is registered in our church books will be sealed. The seal will never be placed on the forehead of an unconverted, world loving person. Only a remnant will be saved, yet Jesus wants all to be saved. All who accept Him as their personal Saviour will be saved. In the end of time, the special seal that the 144,000 will receive (Sabbath) is a sign between God and His people. May we seek Him today in order to be sealed by the Holy Spirit.

The Close of Probation, by Brother Francesco Caputo. We cannot change the past, only the present and future. Our probation is coming to an end and we need to think very carefully about what we are doing.  King Belshazzar did wickedly, with no thought about the future, and he died in disgrace. Every day we make decisions that determine our destiny. Jesus wants you to be saved, not lost. What are you willing to give to Him for all His goodness that He has shown you?

The Early and Latter Rain, by Alfred Nguena. We know that Jesus is coming and thus we cannot be careless. The Early and Latter Rain is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We cannot be saved without the Holy Spirit. We need the Holy Spirit to please God, to reach others, to finish the work of the Lord, to grow and to reach perfection.  If we ask, the Lord will give.

Pending prophecies, by Danilo Monterroso. In the year 1798, the book of Daniel started to be unsealed. The time of the end had begun.  Many prophecies have come to pass, and there are few left such as the Sunday Laws, the Latter Rain, and the Mark of the Beast. The end will come, and if you are not faithful, someone will take your place. When the last person is sealed, the end will come and the earth will be destroyed. We are living in a time of crisis and may we be prepared for the final events to come.

Michael will stand up, by Humberto Avellaneda. “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.” Daniel 12:1. One day soon

Michael (Jesus) will stand up and vindicate the name of God.  He has overcome the devil and death.  It will be at that time when God’s people will be delivered.  Today we must make sure our names are written in the book of life. We must put Jesus first in our lives. Very soon He will stand up and deliver His faithful people from this world.

There were subjects to encourage us in our induvial spiritual walk:

The Testimony of Jesus Christ. Brother Idel Suarez Jr. “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” John 1:9. The word “testimony” here comes from the same Greek word as does “martyr”. Jesus was more than a martyr. He came to save us. He offered His own blood on the cross to rescue us. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18–19. We will have trouble in this world but if we hold on to the Rock, Jesus Christ, He will rescue us.

The Victory of Jacob, by Humberto Avellaneda. Jacob had to leave his father’s house, due to his sin. Although he had received the blessing, he was lonely and afraid. But God did not forsake him. He appeared to Jacob in a dream. God did a wonderful work for Jacob. Jacob overcame and his name was changed to Israel. God is willing to transform your life also. It does not matter where you are. After 20 years Jacob returned home. This story can be repeated in our lives. We also can be led back home. On his homeward journey Jacob heard that Esau was coming to meet him to destroy him. Satan also wants to destroy you to prevent you from returning home. It was then that Jacob wrestled with the angel and gained the victory. God was his protector. You also can gain the victory and God will transform your life. The experience of Jacob can be yours.

The Religion of Christ, by Anton Salaviov. The religion of Christ is more than forgiveness of sin. When Christ comes to receive His children, they will have been freed from sin. We must renounce our sin. Brother Salaviov shared some of the parables of Jesus to illustrate what the religion of Christ is. He spoke of the sower. The ground had to be properly prepared for the seed to grow. Also, the merchantman seeking goodly pearls, sold all he had to obtain that pearl. We need to be constantly growing, step-by-step making progress. We will be given power to overcome all sin. This is the religion of Christ—freedom from sin.

The Love of God, by Joel Barnedo. No conference would be complete without dwelling on the love of God. God wants you to be His friend. He wants to fellowship with each of you. He loves your family and your children. God is happy and never rejects anyone who wants to come to Jesus. What a joy it will be to one day be in heaven with Jesus and all of His wonderful children.

Ye are the Salt of the Earth, by Yoni Delgado. Jesus used salt to describe the work of His people. Without flavour salt is useless. Also without the Holy Spirit (flavour), one is useless in working for the Lord. It does not matter if we are a leader, if we lose grace, we lose it all. When the love of God takes hold of the heart, then it will be complete sweetness. This and only this makes us the salt of the earth.

For the divine service on Sabbath, Brother Tzvetan Petkov focused on the theme: preparing to meet our God. The context of this verse was announcing apostasy in Israel. The Lord is announcing His judgment. The people of God will be put into balances. We are no different. We will be put into balances. Will we be ready to meet our God? This message to Amos is a personal message to us, to make preparation. On the road to Damascus, after Paul met Jesus, he asked the Lord, what he should do. The Lord wants us to ask the same. Every day we need to be prepared to meet Him and ask the same. Every day we are to meet our God and He will reveal Himself to us and direct us. We are then to willingly follow and do as He directs.

For the farewell service, Brother Tzvetan Petkov reminded us that one day we will be together forever. We are soon expecting the Latter Rain, the power of the Third Angel’s message, so that we may enlighten the world as the angel of Revelation 18. We now need to return to our own countries and share some of the encouragement we have received and pick up the work of the Lord with new zeal. We need the help of the Holy Spirit and we need to work in unity with each other.

Let us pray for our new leaders that the Lord will continue to bless them with wisdom in directing His work for the next five years. It is time now to unite and work together as Jesus is coming soon. We must now, prepare to meet our God.

Wendy Eaton