February - 2010
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The Great Exchange |
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By James Rafferty |
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| Tucked away in the book of Isaiah is a powerful prophetic insight concerning an event to take place in the not too distant future. "And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, ‘We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by your name, to take away our reproach.’" (Isa. 4:1, NKJV). read more... | |||
Let’s pause here for Bible identification. "In that day," implies
a prophetic utterance, some future event predicted. A woman in Bible
prophecy represents a church (Jer. 6:2).
The number seven means complete or perfect (Gen. 2:1-2). The man here
is Christ (Zech. 6:12; John 19:5). So this prophecy predicts a day when the
all the Christian churches will eat their own food (teaching) and wear their
own apparel (righteousness), but insist on calling themselves Christians in
order to take away their reproach (Mat. 4:4; Jer. 15:16; Phil. 3:9; Rom. 14:13).
The prophecy continues: "In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing for those of Israel who have escaped. And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem will be called holy-everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning" (Isa. 4:2-4, NKJV).
This second section unfolds the great testing time when those who remain in Jerusalem, God’s church (Heb. 12:22-23), endure the fiery cleansing from all the perfidy, and see the tares separated from them (Mat. 13:30).
This prophetic prediction is yet to have its most significant fulfillment. When it does, the Bible teaches that many will give up their profession and grow cold (Mat. 24:10-13)-those who have not exchanged their sins for Christ’s holiness (Isa. 1:18), who have neglected to overcome by the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 12:11); and those who have refused the greatest exchange ever offered to the human race-the gold of Christ’s love for the selfishness of our sinful nature (Rev. 3:18). Neglecting to be sealed into the robe of Christ’s love, they are taken by the winds of strife which are loosed on the earth (Eze. 9:1-6; Rev. 7:1-3).
Those who do make this great heart exchange with Christ also realize a fuller repercussion. The first exchange produces a second exchange of people in God’s remnant church. Professed Christians are purged out while "Gentiles" come in (Jer. 16:19-21). The name of Christ, so misrepresented by professed Christians, becomes great among the Gentiles or heathen who accept the great exchange (Mal. 1:11). While darkness covers the earth and there is deep darkness over the people who have rejected Christ, those who remain in the church are thrilled and rejoice to see multitudes coming in from the world embracing the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ (Isa. 60:1-5, NASB). Amen!
The prophecy continues: "In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing for those of Israel who have escaped. And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem will be called holy-everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning" (Isa. 4:2-4, NKJV).
This second section unfolds the great testing time when those who remain in Jerusalem, God’s church (Heb. 12:22-23), endure the fiery cleansing from all the perfidy, and see the tares separated from them (Mat. 13:30).
This prophetic prediction is yet to have its most significant fulfillment. When it does, the Bible teaches that many will give up their profession and grow cold (Mat. 24:10-13)-those who have not exchanged their sins for Christ’s holiness (Isa. 1:18), who have neglected to overcome by the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 12:11); and those who have refused the greatest exchange ever offered to the human race-the gold of Christ’s love for the selfishness of our sinful nature (Rev. 3:18). Neglecting to be sealed into the robe of Christ’s love, they are taken by the winds of strife which are loosed on the earth (Eze. 9:1-6; Rev. 7:1-3).
Those who do make this great heart exchange with Christ also realize a fuller repercussion. The first exchange produces a second exchange of people in God’s remnant church. Professed Christians are purged out while "Gentiles" come in (Jer. 16:19-21). The name of Christ, so misrepresented by professed Christians, becomes great among the Gentiles or heathen who accept the great exchange (Mal. 1:11). While darkness covers the earth and there is deep darkness over the people who have rejected Christ, those who remain in the church are thrilled and rejoice to see multitudes coming in from the world embracing the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ (Isa. 60:1-5, NASB). Amen!
Truth In Mozambique |
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The Power of God in Carmen's Baptism By César Augusto |
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The Mozambique challenge to preach the gospel has been
fulfilled by many foreign groups that have come to our country. Many
evangelism campaigns were done in 2009. The materials used in most
campaigns were the Discover Bible Guides sent to Mozambique by Light
Bearers Ministry. Below we have a very interesting history of how this
Bible course helped young evangelists from Brazil to win souls for Christ in
Mozambique. Pastor Dilson Bezerra |
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On the second week, the messages became more specific, the appeal was
for a baptism decision (which would happen the next Sabbath morning).
It’s interesting that Sunday night, Carmen responded to the appeal; she
was one of the first in standing up. Tuesday night, I went to talk to her
about her preparation to be baptized. During the talk, I realized that she was
worried about something. Carefully, I tried to find if I could help her.
When Carmen started telling her story, I realized how she was afflicted. She had decided to be baptized. However, she was afraid of being cursed by her grandmother, as it happened to her mother. Carmen’s grandmother is a "sorceress," a very common activity in their culture, so there was a reason for fear. The curse states that her mother cannot marry anybody. Whoever marries her mother would die. Carmen told me that her mother was a very young woman, 35 years old. She’s been married twice. Her first husband, Carmen’s father, died in the second year of the marriage. And the second husband left her after only a few months knowing that she was cursed by her mother. Carmen was aware of what happened in her family. Turning the situation worse, her grandmother promised to curse her as she did to her mother if she decided to be baptized. The order was that Carmen, like her mother, could not get married. When I was informed about the case, I could understand the conflict she was facing inside. Carmen didn’t know what to do; even though she had decided to give her heart to Jesus. Could He have the power to destroy her grandmother’s curse? Or should she give up being baptized to avoid receiving her grandmother’s sentence? After all, according to her mother’s experience, she had evidence to believe that the curse would work. Carmen’s anguish was completely comprehendible.
That night we prayed together and I asked her to trust in the Lord, because He is the God of the impossible (Mark 10:27). Then I decided to invite her to go with me on missionary visits. In order to strengthen Carmen’s faith, Pastor Filipe and sister Riquinha came with us. I thought that when she saw how God acts in people’s lives, she would be enriched spiritually. The next day, she showed up to take her part in visitation. We made just one visit that afternoon; and when I appealed to the person who we were visiting for baptism, I realized that Carmen was crying. Even though her emotions were disturbed, she told me that she decided to be baptized. For this she asked me to go to her house to talk to her grandmother. I was surprised, but in a spirit of prayer I decided to go to her house.
When we arrived there, her grandmother was the first to appear. Even though she didn’t speak Portuguese, she could understand everything we talked about. She was very polite and, talking in her dialect, she invited us to have a seat. I introduced myself and told her the reason for our visit.
"I’d like to tell you that Carmen has accepted the truth about Jesus and has decided to be baptized and join the Seventh–day Adventist church."
"What kind of truth does she know? The only truth I know is our beliefs," she said.
Then I asked her if she had a Bible, and when she got it I realized it was in a local dialect. I asked her to read I Timothy 2:4, and I showed her God’s wish for all of us to "be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." I asked her to read John 14:6, for her to see that the Truth is a person; the Truth is Jesus. I said that if she wanted to know that Jesus she should watch the evangelistic meetings and through God’s Word, she’d be guided in all the "Truth." She didn’t say anything, but she allowed her granddaughter to be baptized.
The truth is that I had no hope to see that old lady in the evangelistic meetings. But I got surprised when I saw her in church on Sabbath. The baptism was a nice ceremony. In the end, we asked the baptized people to stand in the hall to be greeted. When her grandmother approached Carmen, she gave her a hug and said, "God bless you."
I was very happy to see what God does for those who decide to follow His will.
When Carmen started telling her story, I realized how she was afflicted. She had decided to be baptized. However, she was afraid of being cursed by her grandmother, as it happened to her mother. Carmen’s grandmother is a "sorceress," a very common activity in their culture, so there was a reason for fear. The curse states that her mother cannot marry anybody. Whoever marries her mother would die. Carmen told me that her mother was a very young woman, 35 years old. She’s been married twice. Her first husband, Carmen’s father, died in the second year of the marriage. And the second husband left her after only a few months knowing that she was cursed by her mother. Carmen was aware of what happened in her family. Turning the situation worse, her grandmother promised to curse her as she did to her mother if she decided to be baptized. The order was that Carmen, like her mother, could not get married. When I was informed about the case, I could understand the conflict she was facing inside. Carmen didn’t know what to do; even though she had decided to give her heart to Jesus. Could He have the power to destroy her grandmother’s curse? Or should she give up being baptized to avoid receiving her grandmother’s sentence? After all, according to her mother’s experience, she had evidence to believe that the curse would work. Carmen’s anguish was completely comprehendible.
That night we prayed together and I asked her to trust in the Lord, because He is the God of the impossible (Mark 10:27). Then I decided to invite her to go with me on missionary visits. In order to strengthen Carmen’s faith, Pastor Filipe and sister Riquinha came with us. I thought that when she saw how God acts in people’s lives, she would be enriched spiritually. The next day, she showed up to take her part in visitation. We made just one visit that afternoon; and when I appealed to the person who we were visiting for baptism, I realized that Carmen was crying. Even though her emotions were disturbed, she told me that she decided to be baptized. For this she asked me to go to her house to talk to her grandmother. I was surprised, but in a spirit of prayer I decided to go to her house.
When we arrived there, her grandmother was the first to appear. Even though she didn’t speak Portuguese, she could understand everything we talked about. She was very polite and, talking in her dialect, she invited us to have a seat. I introduced myself and told her the reason for our visit.
"I’d like to tell you that Carmen has accepted the truth about Jesus and has decided to be baptized and join the Seventh–day Adventist church."
"What kind of truth does she know? The only truth I know is our beliefs," she said.
Then I asked her if she had a Bible, and when she got it I realized it was in a local dialect. I asked her to read I Timothy 2:4, and I showed her God’s wish for all of us to "be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." I asked her to read John 14:6, for her to see that the Truth is a person; the Truth is Jesus. I said that if she wanted to know that Jesus she should watch the evangelistic meetings and through God’s Word, she’d be guided in all the "Truth." She didn’t say anything, but she allowed her granddaughter to be baptized.
The truth is that I had no hope to see that old lady in the evangelistic meetings. But I got surprised when I saw her in church on Sabbath. The baptism was a nice ceremony. In the end, we asked the baptized people to stand in the hall to be greeted. When her grandmother approached Carmen, she gave her a hug and said, "God bless you."
I was very happy to see what God does for those who decide to follow His will.
| Consider This ... | Speaking Schedule | |||
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In vision I saw two armies in terrible
conflict. One army was led
by banners bearing the world’s
insignia; the other was led by
the bloodstained banner of
Prince Immanuel. Standard after
standard was left to trail in the
dust as company after company
from the Lord’s army joined the
foe and tribe after tribe from
the ranks of the enemy united
with the commandment–keeping
people of God.
Ellen G. White, Ellen G. White, Ellen G. White, Ellen G. White, Ellen G. White, |
February 6 Junction City SDA Church, OR James Rafferty • (541) 998–5914 February 9 Bible Study, Light Bearers Ministry Ty Gibson • (541) 988–3333 February 12–13 Pasco Riverside SDA Church, WA James Rafferty and Risë Rafferty • (509) 547–4998 February 12–13 Laurelwood Academy, Jasper, OR Ty Gibson • (541) 726–2435 February 23 Bible Study, Light Bearers Ministry Ty Gibson • (541) 988–3333 February 27 Turning Point Community Adventist Company, Rosebury, OR James Rafferty • (541) 492–1300 March 4 3ABN Today LIVE James Raffery and Ty Gibson • (618)627–4651 March 9 Bible Study, Light Bearers Ministry Ty Gibson • (541)988–3333 March 12–14 North District Camp Meeting, Port Elizabeth, South Africa James Rafferty • buwa@vwsa.co.za March 13 Pleasant Hill SDA Church, OR Ty Gibson • (541)746–1750 |
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