Spirit Beings.

 Have you ever seen a movie depicting spirit beings?  Have you ever seen a show that has formerly dead people as ghosts (spirit beings)? I've seen several. These spirit ghost beings in various movies are capable of doing various things. Some can move objects, others interact with people and things, still others cannot interact with anyone or move anything, they just exist unable to do anything but exist.  

Those who believe in the Bible know for certain there are spirit beings- angels. They know that angels can, and do, interact with people and things. These angels are not dead people but an entirely different being that God created. They are ministering spirits- 

Heb 1:13  But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? 

Heb 1:14  Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? 

There are evil spirit (angels) as well. The evil angels sided with Satan, abandoning God. The evil angels also can interact with people and things, not ministering to them, but harming them. 

We DO NOT EVER BECOME ANGELS as some want to believe. We are forever human beings. We will be like them in some respects after we are resurrected from the dead, but we will not be angels. When you are like something, it doesn't mean you are that something. I could be like my mother, but I'm not my mother. 

Mat 22:30  For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven

Little ones have angels-

Mat 18:10  Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 

Angels are not humans and humans are not angels- there is no middle gray area about it, though Satan would have us deceived. 

If Satan can get us to believe we turn into spirit beings right after we die he's got us where he wants us, deceived. Read the following- it's enlightening.

May God bless all who seek His truth, and only His truth. 

(The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?) Continued from yesterday's excerpt…

3. The third point is in verse 36: "That which thou sowest is not quickened,

except it die." To quicken is "to make alive. 

"What Paul says therefore is, "That which thou sowest is not made alive except it die." 

That this is spoken directly of man and his resurrection, is evident from verses 42-44, "It is sown a natural body," etc. 

1Co 15:42  So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 

1Co 15:43  It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 

Now the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is that the body properly has no life, that it is not the real man, but that the soul is the real, living, sentient man, that it is that about man which alone possesses real life. In other words, the body is only the house in which the real man lives. The real "I," the soul, dwells within the body, and death is simply the separation of the soul from the body. Death breaks down the house, and lets the occupant free. According to this doctrine, there is no such thing as death, because the body properly has no life, consequently it does not die, and the soul-the real man-is immortal, and it cannot die; therefore, there is in reality no such thing as death. If this be true, there is not only no such thing as death, but there is, likewise, no such thing as a resurrection of the dead; for upon the apostle's premise that "that which thou sowest is not quickened [made alive] except it die," it follows that, as the body, having no life, does not die, it cannot be quickened (raised from the dead); and as the soul does not die, it cannot be raised from the dead; consequently, there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead.

Therefore it stands proved to a demonstration that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is utterly subversive of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. But the resurrection of the dead is a Bible doctrine; it is the very truth of God. So then it is plain that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is subversive of the truth of God, and is therefore false, deceptive, and destructive. (End Excerpt)

If the Dead Rise Not...

 Eat, drink, for tomorrow you may die. Have you ever heard that saying before?

Paul, an apostle of Jesus said this…

'… if the dead rise not let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die' 1 Corinthians 15:32

If the dead rise not... In other words he is saying…The dead must rise because if the dead do not rise then this life is all we have and nothing after to think about.

The DEAD MUST RISE.

No, not in zombie form but that sure is a popular idea among people these days.  The Bible talks over and over about a resurrection from the dead-- the dead rising. We are told this-

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 

Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation

The resurrection of life, not the resurrection of the spirit after death!  

The HOUR is coming…

ALL that are in the GRAVES shall hear his voice…

And shall COME FORTH..

Why would they need to COME FORTH, why would the dead in their GRAVES hear the voice of Jesus if they are in HEAVEN already?! 

These are all questions we need to ask ourselves not just gloss over them and stick to our cherished beliefs because that's what our parents believed, that's what our friends believed, that's what we've always believed. Satan deceives! God wants us to be enlightened to all His truth, not caught up in Satan's lies. 

We shouldn't be living as if there won't be a resurrection.

We shouldn't be living as if we are guaranteed an afterlife because the afterlife because we have a supposed immortal soul is a huge lie, huge!

We need only truth! Let's search for the truth, please, let us only search for truth.

May God help us as we seek for Him with all our heart!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever!!!!!!! Amen!

*******

(The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?) Continued from yesterday's excerpt…

2. The second point that the apostle makes in this connection is in verse 32:

"If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die." On this nothing can be better than

to present Dr. Adam Clarke's comment upon this same passage. He says (and the italics are his):- 

"I believe the common method of pointing this verse is erroneous; I propose to read it thus: 'If, after the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it advantage me? If the dead rise not, let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.' What the apostle says here is a regular and legitimate conclusion from the doctrine that there is no resurrection; for if there be no resurrection, then there can be no judgment-no future state of rewards and punishments; why, therefore, should we bear crosses, and keep ourselves under continual discipline? Let us eat and drink, take all the pleasure we can; for tomorrow we die, and there is an end of us forever."

That is sound exegesis, and a just comment upon the words of the apostle. As we have shown, that is the point of Paul's argument throughout, and it is the thought of the whole Bible upon this subject. But if the soul be immortal, neither Dr. Clarke's comment nor Paul's argument is sound. For if the soul be immortal, when-soever it may be that we die, that is not the "end of us forever," resurrection or no resurrection. By this it is plain that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul nullifies the plainest propositions of Scripture, and is therefore false. 

This view fully explains the query which Dr. Clarke propounds in his remarks at the close of his comments on 1 Corinthians He says:- 

"One remark I cannot help making: the doctrine of the resurrection appears to have been thought of much more consequence among the primitive Christians than it is now! How

is this? The apostles were continually insisting on it, and exciting the followers of God to diligence, obedience, and cheerfulness through it. And their successors in the present day seldom mention it! . . . There is not a doctrine in the gospel on which more stress is laid; and there is not a doctrine in the present system of preaching which is treated with more neglect!"

From the doctor's insertion of exclamation points and his query, "How is this?" it would appear that he was surprised that it should be so. It is indeed surprising that it should be so. But it is easily enough explained. The fact is that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul has become so all-pervading "in the present system of preaching" that there is no room for the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. 

If the doctrine of the immortality of the soul be true, then the doctrine of the resurrection is indeed of no consequence. If that doctrine be true, then all need of laying stress upon the gospel doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is destroyed. 

And although "the apostles were continually insisting on" the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, and although there is "not a doctrine of the gospel upon which more stress is laid," yet it is through the insidious deceptive influence of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul that the preachers of the present day "seldom mention it," and that in the present system of preaching there is indeed "not a doctrine that is treated with more neglect," and nothing is needed to show more plainly than does this the irreconcilable antagonism between the truth of God and the doctrine of the immortality of the soul.' (end excerpt) To be continued…

The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?

BY A. T. JONES.

[Pacific Press Publishing Association] [Oakland, Calif.] [September 1890]

[Bible Students' Library No. 70] 

Is the Resurrection Necessary?

 When did man get an immortal soul? The short answer is- never. Take a few moments to ask yourself a couple of questions. When Abel died, was he resurrected? No. If, when Abel died he had a supposed immortal soul and it went to heaven, why was it a bad thing? Heaven is our goal, isn't it? Salvation. 

The thing is, why would we need a resurrection at all, whatsoever, if we go directly to heaven without any pesky bodies? 

If my loved ones are in a place of peace and happiness without any anguish, without any sin- why would God subject them to a resurrection from their dead state? It makes no sense. Will He pull their spirit forms from heaven and put them back into their bodies?

If being dead means you simply leave this flesh world to possess a spirit form- why would you want flesh back? Remember, in heaven the idea is that everything is wonderful. You aren't missing your flesh at all. So, I ask again, why would you want it back? When Jesus returns and calls all who died as His followers to rise from the graves and meet Him in the air, do you realize if you believe you are living on in some spirit form in heaven because your soul is immortal and not subject to true death, then you will have to be put back into the grave in order to be called from it when that last trump sounds. Does that sound even remotely logical to you in any fashion?

The excerpt study we are undertaking is really thought provoking, please read the excerpts- they are a lot more insightful than my words.

May the Lord bless and keep us as His now and always!!!!!!! Amen. 

*******

(The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?)

Continued from yesterday…

1 Corinthians 15:16-18

1Co 15:16  For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 

1Co 15:17  And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 

1Co 15:18  Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 

1. In verse 16, his premise is,

"If the dead rise not."

The first conclusion from that is, "Then is not Christ raised;" 

then upon this conclusion follows the logical sequence,

"Your faith is vain," 

and upon that another, 

"Ye are yet in your sins." 

From his premise,-

"If the dead rise not," the second conclusion is, verse 18,

"Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished."

 

Nothing can be plainer than that this statement and the doctrine of the immortality of the soul cannot both be true. 

For if the soul be immortal, as is held, it cannot perish, and, therefore, so far as its existence is concerned, it is utterly independent of the resurrection of the dead. Is it not supposed by all those who believe the soul to be immortal that all who have passed from this world in the faith of Christ, have gone to heaven, and are now enjoying its bliss?-Assuredly it is. 

Then, if that be the truth, upon what imaginable principle can it be conceived that they "are perished," if there be no resurrection?

What need have they of a resurrection? 

Have they not, without a resurrection, all that heaven can afford?- 

Upon that theory they certainly have. Then it just as certainly appears that not one of them has perished, even though there never be a resurrection.

Over against this theory stands the word of God, that "if the dead rise not, then they which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." That word is the truth. Therefore it follows that if there be no resurrection of the dead, there is no hereafter for any who have ever died, or who shall ever die.

But God has given assurance to all men that there shall be a hereafter, and that assurance lies in the fact "that he hath raised him [Christ] from the dead" (Heb. 9:27; Acts 17:31). The resurrection of Christ is the God-given pledge that there shall be a resurrection of all the dead: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive," and, "There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." Therefore it is by virtue of the resurrection of the dead, and not by the immortality of the soul, that there will be any hereafter for the dead, whether just or unjust. 

(EXCERPT) (Written 131 years ago) 

The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?

BY A. T. JONES.

[Pacific Press Publishing Association] [Oakland, Calif.] [September 1890]

[Bible Students' Library No. 70] 

Christ - Our Savior, Our Example.

 Christmas Eve, almost Christmas Day - it's 11:44 pm as I begin to write this. 

Those who celebrate Christmas do so for different reasons. To some it is a gift giving and getting holiday without any religious connotations. To others it's a very religious celebration of the day Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son was born. And still others keep the day knowing that it isn't the ACTUAL birthdate of Jesus Christ, but rather a day that was originally celebrated by pagans who worshipped the sun, celebrating the days growing longer once more after daylight growing shorter and shorter. When Christianity started to spread it mingled with pagan holidays- yes, more than one Christian holiday has pagan origins.  Christians rebranded the celebration and substituted Christ's birth for sun worship. 

I fall into the category of celebrating Christmas fully aware of the pagan origins of the day. I do NOT worship any pagan god, I do not worship the sun in any way- MY CREATOR, created that sun, I have no need to worship it at all, I worship MY CREATOR, the creator of the sun. I choose to celebrate the family aspects of Christmas and I choose to recognize that people want to celebrate the birth of the Savior, but I'll never say He was born on that day- but rather the day we choose to use as His birth date, not the actual day- and I'll say that IF I'm asked, or choose to write about it as I'm doing right now. I don't force God on anyone, I witness as He leads me to do so.

Have a blessed Christmas celebration as you allow it to hopefully remind you of our Lord and His greatest gift of all to mankind, Himself!

The follow excerpt is a very important truth that 131 years ago people didn't want to hear, and guess what, they still don't want to hear it- in fact maybe even more so today than 131 years ago. It's truth and if you want TRUTH, you'll study each and every verse given in this study. You'll pray for your eyes to be opened, for the Holy Spirit to guide you only to truth, I pray for this because I will always need the Holy Spirit to guide me, always!

The study will be in several parts, not sure how many at this point, but the following is only an excerpt. 

God bless you! God bless us all! All through the amazing love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, now and forever! Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Father God! Thank you, Holy Spirit!

Amen!!!!!!!

1Jn 2:4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 

1Jn 2:5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 

1Jn 2:6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 

*****

(EXCERPT) (Written 131 years ago) 

The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?

BY A. T. JONES.

[Pacific Press Publishing Association] [Oakland, Calif.] [September 1890]

[Bible Students' Library No. 70] 

The doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul is one of the oldest and one

of the most widespread doctrines that has ever been in this world. It was

preached in the world before ever faith in Christ the Saviour was preached. 

"The serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die;" and from that day to this that doctrine has been believed more generally by the children of men than has the truth of God. 

Indeed, in our day the doctrine of the immortality of the soul has gained such favor among even those who profess the word of God as their standard of belief, that to deny it is considered by the majority of them as equivalent to a denial of the Bible itself. 

But, instead of such denial being in any way a denial of the truth of revelation, the fact is that the truth of revelation can be logically and consistently held only by the total and unequivocal denial of the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul. This, the Scriptures plainly show.

I. THE RESURRECTION

There is no truth more plainly taught nor more diligently insisted upon in the

Bible than this: That the future existence of men depends absolutely upon either a resurrection of the dead or a translation without seeing death at all. 

Paul's hope for future existence was in the resurrection of the dead. In speaking of his efforts to "win Christ," he says: "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Phil 3:10, 11. 

It was of "the hope and resurrection of the dead" that he was called in question by the council (Acts 23:6); and when he had afterward to make his defense before Felix, he declared that the resurrection of the dead was the end of his hope, saying: "And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." Acts 24:15 

Time and again Paul thus expresses his hope of future life. Nor is Paul the only one of the writers of the Bible who teaches the same thing. The resurrection of the dead is that to which Job looked for the consummation of his hope. Job 14:14, 15; 17:13-15; 19:23-27. 

Job 14:14  If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. 

Job 14:15  Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. 

Job 17:13  If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness. 

Job 17:14  I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. 

Job 17:15  And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? 

Job 19:23  Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! 

Job 19:24  That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! 

Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 

Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. 

David says: "Thou which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken [give life to] me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth." Ps. 71:20. And, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness." Ps. 17:15 

And what shall we more say? For the time would fail us to tell of Isaiah, and Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and Daniel, and Hosea, and Micah, and all the prophets and apostles, and of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; for Jesus himself declared that it was the resurrection of the dead of which God spake when he said, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."

More than this, Jesus pointed his disciples always to the resurrection of the dead, through which alone they could obtain the reward which he promised. In John 6:39-54 we find that no less than four times the Saviour, in giving promise to those who believe in him, sets it forth as the consummation of

that belief that "I will raise him up at the last day."  

And in Luke 14:13, 14 we read: "When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind; and . . . thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."

Paul, however, gives us, upon this subject, a straight-forward, logical argument, which leaves the doctrine of the immortality of the soul not a particle of ground to rest upon. The fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is devoted entirely to an argument in proof of the resurrection of the dead. The apostle first proves, by hundreds of living witnesses who had seen him after he was risen, that Christ arose from the dead. Still there were some who said, "There is no resurrection of the dead," and in refutation of that idea, he introduces three points of argument,  any one of which utterly excludes the doctrine of the immortality of the soul from any place whatever in Christian doctrine.  

To be continued…

God's Forbearance Is Long But Not Endless.

 The Time of the Gentiles Fulfilled-

Luk 21:24 … Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 

Historically Jerusalem was out of the control of the Jews for about 1900 or so  years. In 1948 they warred with those Gentiles in control, and won parts of Israel, but not Jerusalem. In 1967 they won Jerusalem. In 1980 they moved their government to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. Jerusalem was effectively under the control of the Jewish people once again. 

1948 the sign of impending change in the status of Jerusalem- did people comprehend what was to come.

1967 a change took place.

1980 the change was complete.

Signs unfolding, signs fulfilled.

Jesus said this-- 

Luk 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 

Luk 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 

Luk 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 

Luk 21:28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 

We've had signs in the sun.

We've had signs in the moon.

We've had signs in the stars.

There have been distress of nations- with perplexity- the sea and waves roaring.

Men's heart fail them for fear- for the future.

We await for the powers of the heaven to be shaken… and then we will SEE the Son of Man coming in the cloud with power and great glory.

We are watching as these things are coming to pass…

We are looking up…

We are lifting up our heads…

Our redemption draws nigh!

We are close, so very close to our redemption.  

1980 -  41 years ago. I was 17 years old in 1980. I'm 58 years old and I'll be 59 years old this soon coming year- 2022.  I don't know how long it will be but I know there are very few unfulfilled prophecies left except for those that will be very rapid ones lest everyone be wiped out of existence and there is no one left alive when our Savior returns.  The Mark of the Beast has not been given to all yet, after it is given to all that are going to accept it, then the plagues will come and at that time probation will have been closed and the just who are deemed just will remain so- and the unjust will remain unjust, their chance to accept salvation closed. As the plagues begin some might recognize them for what they are and if they aren't Christ's the fear will be overwhelming for them. If they are Christ's, they will be praying and watching, living in the Holy Spirit. As a plague falls in one place, then another plague in another place, soon all the plagues- one after the other- will take place and such a horrific time of trouble that will be. You won't - let me emphasize this point- YOU WON'T be able to accept Jesus as the plagues appear, even if you recognize them for what they really are and you suddenly comprehend the truth of God's word and wish to have a change of heart. By that time it's TOO LATE. Just as in the days of Noah, the people watched Noah build the ark and then get on the ark and close the door with all those animals on board. They didn't try to get on that ark then, they weren't knocking on the door telling Noah they believe what he said and they want to be on the ark with them. Not a single person did that, not one. However, when the rains began, the torrential downpours such as never were known, as the water burst up from the ground itself, they suddenly wanted to be on that ark but it was TOO LATE. They screamed, they cried, they wanted to be saved! It was TOO LATE. It will be the same way as the plagues fall, people who wanted nothing to do with God when they could have called upon Him and been saved, will suddenly want God to save them.  

People don't want to imagine such a time.

People want to believe there will forever be enough time to accept the Lord as their Savior- they'll do it when they're ready. Or, when they get enough proof to believe, then they'll make the choice. 

People have to realize probation will RUN OUT! Time will RUN OUT! There is coming a cutoff point!  God's forbearance is LONG, but not endless.

We are watching, we are praying, please, Lord, please help us to be YOURS NOW AND ALWAYS! Please, Lord! Thank You for Your amazing LOVE! Thank You for Salvation! Thank You for Life Now and Everlasting!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior NOW and FOREVER!!!!!!!

All praise, glory and honor to our GOD!

*******

CONTINUED- 

(Excerpt)

Christ and the Pharisees -OR Christ's Faithfulness in Sabbath-Keeping.

BY A. T. JONES. 1894 [Religious Liberty Library, No. 1

Assuredly. They could not have done it any more certainly if they had known all about it from the beginning. These now do not know what they have done; but they have done it; and they could not have done it any more certainly if they had intentionally and knowingly done it, and went about to do it from the beginning. This whole account was written for the warning and instruction of men in the ages to follow. And to no age or time could it possibly be more applicable, or more pertinent, than to just this day and time in the United States. The parallel is complete: Here the Pharisees, the scribes, and the doctors of the law have rejected God's idea of the Sabbath and have set up a man's. 

God's idea on this subject is clearly stated, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Man's idea is, and is declared, "Sunday is and shall be the Sabbath," and this plainly instead of the Sabbath of the Lord as the Lord himself has stated the matter. To-day also the most widely separated sects, in profession, the Protestants and the Catholics, have joined themselves together, as did the Pharisees and Herodians to get control of governmental power to make effective their purpose to put down the Lord's idea of the Sabbath and exalt a man's-even that of the "man of sin." 

These, too, to-day, like those of old, accomplished their purpose upon the governmental authorities by threats of political ruin, like those of old did upon Pilate. And to-day, in many parts of the land, these Pharisees are persecuting those who maintain the Lord's idea of the Sabbath, as expressed in his own words just as those Pharisees back there persecuted Jesus for doing the same thing. Today these Pharisees are watching, and spying upon those who are loyal to God's idea of the Sabbath, just as those back yonder were watching Jesus and spying upon him for the same thing. To-day these Pharisees are doing all this to get the Seventh-day Adventists to compromise or give up the Lord's idea of the Sabbath and adopt man's idea, which is but the idea of the man of sin, as did those Pharisees back yonder to get Jesus to do the same thing. And having now got the governmental power on their side and under their control, they will use it as did the Pharisees of old in persecuting to the death all who will not give up God's idea of the Sabbath and adopt that of the man of sin. Rev. 13:15.

And we are most happy to know, and to have these Pharisees find out, that there are some people to-day so much like Jesus, that when they are persecuted to get them to yield to the Lord's Sabbath and adopt man's, they will not do it. We are glad to know that there are to-day some people who are so much like Jesus, that when they are conforming strictly to God's idea of the Sabbath, and are therefore faithful Sabbath-keepers, they are yet persecuted and imprisoned as Sabbath-breakers. And we are especially glad to know that these people are so much like Jesus that when the Pharisees of to-day go sneaking and spying around them as the others did around Jesus, these see just what they are watching for, as the other Pharisees saw when they watched Jesus.

And we sincerely hope that these people shall still be so much like Jesus that they will suffer persecution to the death us did he, rather than to compromise or yield one hair's breadth of their allegiance to God's idea of the Sabbath, or to adopt to that extent man's idea of the Sabbath in the place of God's or even along with the Lord's. For to put man's idea on an equality with the Lord's is at once to put it in the place of the Lord's. Of the Sabbath-keeping              Waldenses it is written, that "many of the true people of God became so bewildered that while they observed the Sabbath they refrained from labor also on the Sunday."-"Great Controversy," Vol. IV,p. 65. 

God forbid that any of the true people of God in our day should become so bewildered as this! Far better be like Jesus and die for allegiance to God's truth, than to live by compromises with the lies and abominations of the Pharisees and Herodians, backed up by the governmental power. 

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him." 

(End Excerpt-End of Article)

Christ's Return.

 127 years ago- that's how long it's been since the Excerpt I've been studying was written. In the excerpt the author talks about the imminence of Christ's return and our preparation for it, and he fully believed He'd see Christ return in his time even though he states we can't know the time. 

127 years ago. How different life was back then, but not so different that they didn't believe the world met a lot of the criteria for Christ's return.

41 years ago a sign that hadn't been given as enlightenment 86 years prior to then, came to pass. Up until 41 years ago, Jerusalem was under the control of the Gentiles. Jesus gave this sign- 

Luk 21:24  And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

The times of the Gentiles was fulfilled 41 years ago in 1980.  Now you ask, what does it mean that the times of the Gentiles was fulfilled?  We'll discuss that further tomorrow by the grace of God.

CONTINUED- 

(Excerpt)

Christ and the Pharisees -OR Christ's Faithfulness in Sabbath-Keeping.

BY A. T. JONES. 1894 [Religious Liberty Library, No. 1

We stand now at the point where that nation stood when Pilate surrendered and took jurisdiction of the case when he knew he had no jurisdiction. And when they stood at that point, the doom of the nation was sealed. As that which they did at that time fixed unalterably the doom of that nation for destruction, as the destruction certainly followed, so the destruction of this nation will follow as the consequence of that which has been done, us certainly as the destruction of that nation followed that which they did back there that night.

When that was done that night, and the doom of the nation was fixed, that doom did not fall at once. No; Jesus told his disciples that they should bear witness of him in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and then in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. In Jerusalem and in Judea first, because ruin hung there; then to all the world afterward. But to Jerusalem and Judea first, in order to save by this gospel such as would be saved from the ruin that was

certain to fall. And this nation stands now where that one did then. Ruin is determined; that is fixed; it is only a question of time as to when it comes.

But behold, Jesus has a people to-day who are maintaining his Sabbath, and God's idea of the Sabbath as he reveals it to the world. To this people he says by the voice of the angel:-

"Go ye into all the world, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people." Mark, 16:15; Rev. 14:6, 7.

This thing concerns every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, because the influence of this nation is world-wide, and that which this nation has done in this land, will lead all the other nations in the same evil way, and the ruin that falls on this, takes in all the others.

Well then, the message now is, "Go forth," as certain as it was then, "to all the world," because it is doomed. Go, bearing the everlasting gospel to save such as will be saved from the ruin that is fixed by this which has been done. But before those disciples could go, Jesus said unto them:- 

"Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high;" "but ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Luke 24:49: Acts 1:8.

They did not go until Pentecost had endued them with the power. We are in the presence of the second Pentecost. We must be endued with the power. Will you seek for that power? 

You cannot be faithful to the Sabbath of the Lord as Jesus Christ was, without his living presence which that Holy Ghost brings. "Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." 

Will you? Now the call is: Go to all the earth and preach this gospel to every creature, that there may be saved out of the world such as will escape the ruin that is so certain to fall, and that speedily, too. We and this nation are now standing where they were that night when they rejected Jesus Christ, and when the doom of that nation was fixed. We stand now where they stood then, and it is only a question of time as to when that ruin will certainly fall.

As the Sabbath of the Lord-the seventh day-is the Lord's own sign of the salvation of Jesus Christ, as it is the sign of what Christ is to men, so in rejecting the Sabbath of the Lord they are rejecting Christ. As the Pharisees back yonder in rejecting Christ rejected the Sabbath of the Lord, so these down here in rejecting the Sabbath of the Lord are rejecting Christ. For the Sabbath of the Lord means Jesus Christ, and Christ means the Sabbath of the Lord. To those back yonder he said, "The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner." "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Matt. 22:42; Acts 4:11. 

And to these down here he says the same thing. As their salvation was wrapped up in that

which they rejected back there, so the salvation of these now is wrapped up in this which they have rejected down here. True, the princes of this world back there did not know what they were doing, for if they had known it "they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory." But they did it. Neither did these know what they were doing. But they, too, did it.

They, back there, did not know what they were doing, when they condemned and rejected Jesus on account of the Sabbath. These who have done this great evil in our day do not know what they have done, or what they are doing-they do not know that in condemning and rejecting the Sabbath they are also condemning and rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ. These do not know that in this which they have done they have doomed this nation. They did not

know it back yonder, either. But didn't they do it back there? Assuredly.

(To be Continued)

Twisted, Sick, Painful, Beautiful Life.

 Time.

Time for us right now is finite.

Time when we die- ceases for us.

When Jesus Christ sounds the trumpet and the dead in Christ rise, time will begin again- and for those rising saved through Christ- it will be eternal time.

During our pilgrimage here on earth as the years go by we are caught up in a twisted, sick, painful, heartbreaking and also- beautiful life. 

Men's heart failing them for fear -

Luk 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 

Luk 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 

Today, it is so easy to let ourselves fear. There is so much uncertainty in our world on every side. There is no such thing as feeling secure and safe in our life, not really. We can go days, weeks, months and years without too many problems, but that's not often the case. Some people live in a perpetual state of insecurity, uncertainty, feeling vulnerable and yes, scared, fearful. People can and do make themselves sick with fear and worry. Just knowing that we don't know what the future holds and only appears grim, can trouble us deeply. So much in our lives scream out for us to worry and be afraid. 

God tries to tell us this very important lesson we’re likely to forget-

Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

Mat 6:25  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 

Mat 6:26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 

Mat 6:27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 

Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 

Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

Mat 6:30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 

Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

So much TRUTH to learn!

We are living in very tumultuous times. And we have every reason to fear should we choose to allow this temporary life take precedence over our eternal life.

We are to SEEK the Kingdom of God and His righteousness FIRST before anything else- before money, food, clothes, shelter, health, all things.

Help us to this end, Lord. We would not that our hearts fail us for fear looking after the things coming, no matter what those things are. We ask that You uphold us with the right hand of Your righteousness and give us the peace that passes ALL understanding! Help us to trust in You with ALL our heart and lean NOT to our own understanding. We can't hope to understand what isn't ours to do so. Satan would have us understand everything, but he is evil and wants us to take our eyes off you and keep them on ourselves. Please, Lord, help us to keep our eyes EVER on you even as our individual lives fall apart piece by piece around us, never staying the same, never staying in a place we can be secure and content. Let us fine our security in YOU, no matter what chaos befalls us! Please, LORD, save us from ourselves! Save us! Keep us from evil! Keep our Hearts so they don't fail!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever!!!!!!! Amen!

CONTINUED- 

(Excerpt)

Christ and the Pharisees -OR Christ's Faithfulness in Sabbath-Keeping.

BY A. T. JONES. 1894 [Religious Liberty Library, No. 18] [Cont.]

But that was not the end of the story. They did this to save the nation from the Romans. They said, If we let this man thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation. They did not let him alone, and the Romans came and took away both their place and nation forevermore. Their efforts to save the nation destroyed the nation. 

Self-efforts for salvation will always destroy him who makes them.

But let us follow this in its direct intent and purpose. Their efforts to save the nation, not only brought destruction to the nation; but the thing which they did that night settled the doom of destruction for that nation forever. There was no more salvation for that nation, as such, after that night, than there was for Sodom when Lot went out of it. It was only a question of time when the destruction would come. And in view of that destruction Jesus sent forth his disciples with the everlasting gospel of this same Saviour whom they had crucified; to call every one in the nation, as an individual, to believe on him, not only for salvation from self, but for salvation from this destruction that was so certain to come.

Every believer in Jesus escaped the destruction that was to come. Those who did not believe on him, did not escape. From that time forth they needed Jesus Christ for their salvation in this life as well as for the other life. They were just as dependent upon Jesus Christ to save them from the ruin that was to come, as they were dependent upon him to save them from their own personal sins. And he gave them a sign by which they were to know when to flee for their lives and escape that ruin:-

"When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountain; let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto; let them that are in the midst of it depart out; let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return hack to take his clothes. But pray ye that your flight he not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day, for these be the days of

vengeance. Luke 21:20-22; Matt. 24:16-20.

So the doom of the nation was fixed that night. And all that the Lord himself could do for them after that was to send his saving message to the whole nation, to all the people, telling them to believe in Jesus and they would be saved out of the nation, and from the ruin that was to come upon all the nation who did not believe.

We have already spoken of a parallel to this line of things in our day. Let us notice this further now. There have been in this nation for nearly fifty years now, a people, the Seventh-day Adventists, giving a special message in which God's ideas of the Sabbath are most prominently advocated, believed, and observed. The Pharisees and the doctors of the law saw it when it began, and they have watched it ever since; and they have said, "O, it will amount to nothing; this is just a little flurry; their preaching creates quite a stir for a little while, but as soon as they are gone, the whole thing will die out, and it will amount to nothing." They have said that at the beginning, and all the way along; but steadily they have seen that it does not work that way. Steadily they have seen God's ideas of the Sabbath finding a place among the people, more and more, and becoming more widespread. Although the word might be spoken in weakness, there was that about the words that were spoken, which caused them to linger with the people, and to stay in a person's heart for twenty years or more, and at last bring him to God. They saw it doing this. And then they saw that they would have to take more active measures than that, if they were going to maintain man's ideas of the Sabbath against the Lord's, and they did it. They enforced the State Sunday laws to a greater or less extent at different times, and in different places; but that did not stop the spread of God's Sabbath. Still it went on. Then they said, "If we let this thing alone, and let this people alone, this will become a whole nation of Sabbath-breakers. They go into a community and preach, and they get only a few at the most, and probably none at all, to keep the Saturday; but they break up the people's keeping Sunday, and therefore they are simply making the nation a nation of Sabbathbreakers; and it must be stopped, or the nation will perish for Sabbath-breaking; the judgments of God will come upon the land, and destroy us all."

Therefore they were compelled to have the power of the nation joined to them to put under foot and crush out pf existence, as far as lay in their power, God's idea of the Sabbath, and exalt man's. They tried it little by little, and more and more, upon the national legislature and the national power; but large numbers of the national legislature, like Pilate of old, said at first: "We find no fault in this; we will have nothing to do with it; attend to it yourselves; it is a controversy of your own; it is a religious matter; and if it comes up here, we will vote against it, every one of us." Scores of them said that. Then these Pharisees and doctors of the law said to the representatives of the government, "If you do not do what we ask of you, if you do not vote for that Sunday law, setting up Sunday here for the Sabbath of this nation, we will never vote for one of you again as long as we live, for any office under the sun." 

Then too, just like Pilate at last, these legislators surrendered and said, "We will do it-we will do it." They sat down in their official seat and took jurisdiction of the case, under the threats of these Pharisees and doctors of the law. And in the doing of this, these Pharisees and doctors of the law did as certainly turn their backs upon God, and join themselves to Cesar-to earthly power-as did the Pharisees and priests and doctors of the law of old. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation; the power of God belongs to every professor of the gospel, and he who has the power of God cannot possibly have any other. No power can be added to the power of God. 

Then he who professes the gospel, and calls for any other power, denies the power of God; and when he denies the power of God, and puts his confidence in the power of man, whether man as an individual, or man assembled in governments, he puts his trust in human power instead of the power of God. And when these people sent up their petitions and their prayers to Congress instead of to God, they turned their backs upon the Lord, upon the power

that goes with the gospel, and turned their attention to man for their help, to carry out this work in which they were engaged.

And thus they got Congress-yes, they got the whole government of the United States-to take jurisdiction of the case. They took the fourth commandment as recorded in God's word, and put it in the official record of the governmental proceedings, and then deliberately changed it. They definitely and purposely put the Sabbath of the Lord, the seventh day, out of God's commandment, and put the Sunday of the papacy in its place. They said the words Sabbath day "may mean Saturday or Sunday; it may be one day or the other, and we declare that it is and shall be the first day of the week commonly called Sunday," and that that is the meaning of the fourth commandment. Thus under these threats the Pharisees and the doctors of the law of to-day, got the governmental authority to do just what it did back yonder,-they got the governmental power to put the Sabbath of the Lord under foot, and as far as lies in their power, to crush it out of existence, and put man's ideas of the Sabbath in it instead. That thing is done. Everybody on earth knows that that is past. And to day we are that far along in the record made by Jesus in his faithfulness to Sabbath-keeping. This nation stands now where that nation stood when it rejected Jesus Christ because of his ideas of Sabbath-keeping. Back there they did it to maintain their own ideas of the Sabbath against the

Lord's, and they did it to save their nation. And these here did it for the same purpose. Three United States senators, each one in his place, said definitely that this must be done for the salvation of the nation. Two of them had more to do than any others to carry it through, and the third one not much less,-Senators Hawley of Connecticut, Colquitt of Georgia, and Frye of Maine, each of the three placed the salvation of the nation as the purpose of setting up. Sunday as the Sabbath under these threats. Then, as the same thing has been done here and now by the like parties, for the same purpose, and by the same means, we are that far along in the account. Then what comes next? Will the rest of the account be met? Must assuredly it will; for it was all written for us.  (To Be Continued…)